Aron casts a spell on herself, so that maybe army ants leave her be. She backs up, directing Veress to follow her. Harrim briefly takes out a cured strip of layer before casting a spell on himself and then readying his heavy flail. Sersheelda backs away carefully.

Surprise Round ...

S19: Something seems to appear out of the ground, with a much larger, concentrated force of army ants surrounding it. "It's mine!" the army-ant-covered newcomer shouts frantically as it tries to grab Gelik's foot on its way up out of the ground. But instead of grabbing Gelik, the hand passes through Gelik's right foot for 42 + sickened + disoriented, as the area of his foot and going up his leg withers and his skin scales and even farther out along his body Gelik's beard and hair start to turn gray and his face shows signs of wrinkles!

Meanwhile, the army ants that now swarm in great thickness around him attack Harrim, Gelik, Fronaldo, Veress, Xhanfaerd, and Book. They swarm and bite and attack for 11. Xhanfaerd, figuring that his swarmbane clasp would save him, realizes with a shock that it does nothing against this onslaught!

Harrim and Veress are going through a freak-out from being covered by the army ants!

Gelik, Fronaldo, Xhanfaerd, & Book, roll Fort saves! You are all surprised, so may not use any choice-based ability you would choose to use to help you. Only currently active, static abilities may help.