>>5363925The constant low thrum of the worms in this place ceases, leaving you with only the muffled echoes of your own voice, bouncing around your skull and the cavern alike. You try your best to replicate the rhythm, frequency, and tone of one of Glowie’s songs, the ones she sang when she was happiest. When you open your eyes to bear witness to the result, you almost jump back, for the head and upper-thorax of the queen in mere inches from your own.
“A love zzzong, izz it? How… Zcandalouzz.”
“Wh-what?” you balk. “I… No, I did not mean—!”
She laughs again—you’re sure it’s a laugh now—and her monstrous and expansive brood joins in. Then, they all begin to hum back the tune which you hummed to them, and to sway. Feeling somewhat foolish you sway slightly with them, as the Queen withdraws.
“If my daughter haz taught you that tune… And you have learned it… Maybe, maybe we can be friendzzz.”
You feel your spirit lift, and suggest: “More than friends—allies, conquering this world together! Let us begin with Bloodrise!”
“I do not know where that izzz,” the Queen says. “Nor to I have warriorzz to offer you. Parthenogenezizz produzezz only workerzz… And queenzzz.”
“Then how can you ‘produce’ soldiers?”
The Queen laughs again, and hums another segment of the ‘love song’.
“My daughter can show you,” she says cryptically.
You reflect on your yet-unborn sons. You... Think you already know.
>20: Critical success"Whatever elzze I can offer izz yourzz."
What do you require and desire of this new ally?
>You wish for the Worm Queen to lend you as many workers as she can spareEven if they can’t aid directly in military matters, abilities could be invaluable
>You want them to stay put, hidden, but a supply of their materials would helpGlow-worm silk is strong; their adhesive is useful; the glow it produces can serve as a warmth-free torch; their venom is a powerful paralytic
>You desire for them to emerge, and formally ally with the Reptilian Master RaceWith you getting the credit for making this happen, of course, and with them backing your claim to being a true Antipaladin of the Dark Gods
>You’d like to see if a certain prodigal prodigy in the art of fleshweaving could make proper soldiers of them yetThe Novice Fleshweaver would certainly appreciate such an opportunity, and imagine a rapid-breeding race like this, made properly militaristic
>You think the hive should relocate to BloodriseThe bugs will be safer under your aegis than so close to the Chaplain and others of his mentality, and Glowie would probably like to have family nearby... Though it's tougher to say how the Drow or Bogbarri would feel about it
>Write-in 