The Ice Scorpions Attack!
As the chittering became louder, four large scorpions came at our Heroes. They were as long as any human or elf, but mottled white and gray with thick chitlin. They had giant claws and their stinger looked incredibly dangerous. Though they were called Ice Scorpions, they were in fact not elemental in nature or magical. They just preferred colder temperatures and generally hibernate in the hottest months on Paradise Island. Ice Scorpions exist in mountains all through Elandorr, but are very common in the Iron Fang Mountains to the north.
With Grainne suddenly not feeling well, Elzy looked around and summoned up a brilliant plan. As a Beastmaster, he cast magic that resided in him to summon the nearest creature that would be instantly not be threatening to him. Surprising everyone, one of the Ice Scorpions came close to Elzy and just sat down, not unlike a puppy waiting for some treats. And almost immediately there were three. Harvee comes flying in, but it quickly became clear that falcon claws were not enough to get through the hard chitinous armor of these giant scorpions.
Sylas, with his trusty broadsword and shield, advanced toward one of the Ice Scorpions. After a couple of good hits, including some well placed arrows, it became severely injured and frenzied. It succeeded in using both of its claws to attach itself to Sylas, and then brought in its deadly stinger. The stinger pierced through his heavy armor and he could see the scorpion drag him to the ground, but could not move, realizing too late that he was paralyzed. As his life flashed before his life, the first time in a couple of years, the giant scorpion could no longer stay conscious and died on top of him.
Grainne wanted to help, but really could just drag herself around the cave with light so the others could see. Eldaria realized after Sylas went down that they could not stand in the back and just shoot arrows, and as such drew their sword and engaged one of the scorpions. It was clear looking back to these times, that although the short sword might have been a mighty weapon, in Eldaria’s hand it might as well have been a wooden play sword. The legend of Eldaria’s fight with the Stygnor Quartermaster aboard the ship Melan’s Revenge was clearly not formed from these early stories. It took Sylas getting back up to down this scorpion.
Meanwhile, Elzy’s swordsmanship was in good form, able to find weak spots in the armor to severely hurt the final scorpion. His master would definitely be proud, until the day they met again, not as friends, but as enemies. Elzy also got grappled by the scorpion, after he kept jumping back out of its clutch. After two of the hostile scorpions were killed, and with one just sitting on a rock, the fourth ran back injured into its cave, regretting its attempt for a meal. The Heroes then looked around, and Eldaria noticed a small cave opening. Being curious, they went into the hole to find the remains of a former explorer (they hope).
Rules Break Out:
Ice Scorpions: ST 10; DX 11; IQ 1; HT 10; SM 0; BM 5; Dodge 8; Parry 9; Bite-12 (1d+1 cr); Claw-12 (1d+1 cut); Stinger-12 (1d+2 impaling + Poison); DR 4; Striking ST+4. Ice Scorpion Poison – HT vs. paralysis for the number of rounds equal to the margin of error. The full, and nastier, version of this creature is from DF Settings – Cold Shard Mountains.
The World of Lycretia 