>>6050241A pompadour is easy to grab, and a nicked sword might sheer if it catches on a hard edge, like an axe or another sword. Pair that with his inattentiveness to our knocking, he's not very good. He might be in the same boat we are: a loser jobbing on what little he knows, slumming in the poorer inns. Relying on him is a gamble.
>qn QMWhat combat or utility spells do we have? List our most reliable.
What size are hivur queens usually? And are the queens plural per swarm, like a court, or singular?
>stratIf we are more a utility mage, we'll be stocking on force multipliers like oil flasks for (eg) Ember (a Zippo), or a copper spike for Spark (a 10v shock), or tin cone for Shrill (a rape whistle). If we do have some combat spells, we'll be packing more mana restoratives.
If picking spell loadout is an option, whether innately or via scrolls or charged items, pick ambient cold spells as main. Instinct will urge the hivurs to go sleepybye in the cold, making exploration and getting first strike easier. A directed cold spell should also hurt the sooter, whatever it is.
Pack an Empty Light (weak flashlight, heatless, 10ft range) for exploring.
Pack a Colored Smoke to smog out small chambers; multiple might smog out big chambers. The tunnels being confined works to our advantage.
Hivurs are wingless hornets. Thick boots with snowshoes when we start exploring, to squish more of them. Wear full sleeves and trousers, thick if we can, plus gaiters on the wrists and ankles, to buy a few more seconds without them getting to our tendies if we get swarmed.
Get LaBeque to switch his main to sword and board, because tunnels. Make him also get a pick if budget permits, just in case hivur queens and praetorians have armor bonuses.
