The young warriors of the village of Loparr gathered for their rite of passage - to venture into the ruins left by the mysterious ancients and retrieve artifacts to prove their worth. The youths - Elsewhere, Flattus, Hydro, Longshot, Cloud G, Cloud H, Prodigy, Smokey, Bucks, Dust, Exo, Hybrid, Elise, Jeffries, Paulo, and Zooper - were guided by the village’s experienced hunters to an enormous mound inhabited by giant burrowing insects known as burrowers.
Though the massive warriors of the colony were dangerous, the smaller worker burrowers tended to avoid conflict, so the hunters believed the ruin below could be safely accessed. The youths climbed up the mound, squeezing through a steep, downward-sloping entrance tunnel. Those with torches lit the way as the team slowly descended single file.
When an unsteady log was dislodged during the climb, causing the tunnel to partially collapse, the group had to cling desperately to avoid falling. Despite nearly losing their grip, Elise and Elsewhere managed to brace themselves against the crumbling walls.
Reaching a wide chamber below, the group encountered two worker burrowers busy digging, but the creatures did not react aggressively to the trespassers. Continuing their descent down an even steeper tunnel, the stronger members of the group like Smokey and Dust agreed to anchor ropes to allow the others to climb down safely.
But as Zooper neared the bottom, a pale, fleshy tendril burst out from the roots below and coiled around his leg! Bravely resisting its pull, Zooper held tight to the rope as his companions hurried to reach him. Clever Dust shot a poisoned dart from his blowgun, wounding the tendril enough for it to momentarily let go. But when it emerged again, the group battered the tendril with torches and clubs until it retreated.
Just when they thought it was safe, an enormous centipede-like beast emerged from the earth amidst the roots! Nimbly dodging its snapping mandibles, Cloud H smashed the creature’s head with his club while Zooper scorched it with his torch. Despite being gripped again by the persistent tendril, Zooper refused to let go of the rope. Together, the youths surrounded the monstrosity, stabbing and bashing it until Cloud H delivered the final crushing blow. As the centipede-beast lay dead, the adventurers took a moment to catch their breath, knowing even greater challenges likely lay ahead in the subterranean depths.