The road is soaked, flooding is happening in lower parts of the valley, Mud, rain, lightning and echoing thunder makes the trip even more unpleasurable. You were able to secure a small sheep from Tarim whom you let know you were heading that way. He gladfully offered the sheep to help with the spider issue. He would more than make up the loss with being able to harvest the Deklo wood.

You make it passed the ambush spot in the road. Althiof had already scouted this area before and knew the direction the prized Deklo Tree location was. It wasn't that far from the Goblins' cavern. The group heads off the path and towards the forest. The trees start getting thicker, the skies darker, the rain heavier. Slowly the spiderwebs start to appear small at first and then larger as you get deeper and deeper into the forest.

Clearly you've made it to the nesting area. You can see the webs become very thick the further up ahead. Animal carcasses, and cocoons of web and debris are strewn all around.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:00, Fri 07 June 2019.

Korkas eyes are darting to and fro at the webbing and possible hiding places, he ventured forward slowly (H1) darts in hand.




OOC: Unless other bonuses apply for Alertness (doubtful with the rain but might make it harder for the spiders too...) i fail by 1

16:03, Wed 05 June: Secret Roll: Korkas Stonedelver rolled 10 using 1d20 with rolls of 10.  DC 9 (Wis +1) Alertness NWP.

As the party had been setting out, Virius took the time to saddle his palomino, Winter, and ride from the stables.  The horse had a light chestnut coat the color of hay, and a pale white mane the color of cornsilk.  Winter carried herself with a brisk, animated trot, as if the rain were no bother at all to the proud mare.

The nobleman dared not ride her too close to any sort of conflict, though, so as the party neared the web-slicked grove he pulled up short.  Sensing her rider's hesitance perhaps, Winter seemed to know that going forward meant trouble.  Her nostrils flared and a whinny of displeasure accompanied the stamping of her hooves in the mud.

"Whoa, there.  Easy girl."  Virius said, running a comforting hand alongside the side of her neck.

He regarded the suspended cocoons with a measure of disgust, imagining for a moment what it must feel like to be paralyzed and wrapped up in one.  Being reduced to being little more than food in some dumb beast's larder would be a most ignominious way to die.  The thought brought a shudder.

"If there is a swarm of these vermin,"  He cautioned.  "I may yet have some magics that can hold them at bay."

"But I will need space to work the charm.  If I raise a call, do what you can to stand clear, lest allies get caught up in the aura."

Advance mounted to F2.  Virius Tesh rolled 1 using 1d20 with rolls of 1.  Wisdom [-4], 6 or lower.

Storm follows and advances to F1.

OOC: rolls 9 for wisdom check

Althiof Morad rolled 11 using 1d20 with rolls of 11.  observation.  --  Passed

Somewhat quietly, he asked, "So, who has been carrying the sheep, and where are you going to place it?"

The locksmith dismounts from his mule and stakes its tether to the ground.  He takes out his bow and nocks an arrow.

In reply to Althiof Morad (msg # 7):

I rolled this earlier so Ali is sooo observant of spiders  hey look at that flower it must be a ..
21:04, Wed 05 June: Secret Roll: Ali Ansari rolled 19 using 1d20 with rolls of 19.  Giant Spider oh my!

Ali kinda brings up the rear but not the last in line.  His mind is racing for a spell he memorized in prep but his hands are ready to grab his darts.

You notice even with the rain coming down hard, that this area is absent of any other life, no birds, no sounds of nature other than the rain beating down on the tree leaves. You know this is the area due to the cut trunks of the Deklo trees all around. The webs become thicker the further back into the tangle. Some of you are cautious and move forward. Some of you stand your ground in the rear. The Spiders could be anywhere. You've yet to trigger any of the webs, so its likely they are hiding among the trees or in hollows further into the tangle, the rain making them skittish on being out in the pour.

The sheep can feel the tension, its baaing sounds break the otherwise silent forest. It knows something is lurking. Nearby (D10) you see the corpse of a Worg, its a recent kill from the looks at it at this distance. It hasn't been cocooned in webbing yet. Although long strands of webbing are touching it and connecting to the overall structure. Likely a lure to bring in more animals to investigate the smell, to also trap them.

The canopy provides a darkness to the forest, along with the dark clouds in the sky, it makes vision through the rain and darkness harder than normal. The heavy rain will also make thrown and ranged weapons more difficult to aim.

Heavy Rain = -2 to all attacks.
Darkness = -1 to all attacks. (Those with Infravision do not suffer this penalty.)
Movement = x2 (Each Space costs 10' of movement not five.)

What are you going to do?

Virius spared the worg's carcass a glance, remembering that the last time he had seen one ... he had been on the business end of its gnashing jaws.  He pushed the thought from his mind and set his jaw, scanning the area ahead.

It was an odd feeling, hunting something that was very likely also hunting you ...

"Ali."  He called back over his shoulder.  "Do any of your admixtures and chemical reagents catch alight?"

"If the goat's bleating does not draw these beasts forth, I say we soak their webs in oil and set them ablaze."

Dismount (F3).  Retrieve oil flask from pack.

Althiöf moved up quietly, hoping the sound of rain might help conceal him.  (move to I4)

Althiöf's silent steps move him further into the nesting area, as he tries to get a better look at the webs and where the spiders may be hiding. The rain still making it hard to perceive much of anything, but his improved vision helping some. As he moves closer he notices a mass of viscera (K12) you can't tell what sort of remains they are but you catch a whiff of the smell which is very unpleasant. You can spot another mass over at (C7) which also is unidentifiable.

Storm moves to G3. He unsheathes his sword and shield, eager to test his new equipment

"Didn't you say something about not using fire on the trees Althiof?" Korkas whispers forward towards Althiof and then looks back to the remaining group "Bring the sheep forward and see if we can smack it on it's ass to run into the webbing"

With Storm moving to stand by Virius the Whirling Dervish slowly crept forward to help bolster the side that the Dwarves had taken.  He didn't have the superior vision that the Dwarves did but he was nimble enough to react quickly and thus kept a little distance so that if any webbing came his way it wouldn't catch up more than himself...

-->Moving to J1

Quick Movement update, going to try and wait for Yaotl & Ali to post.

Go ahead and do another set of actions. Its likely nothing will happen unless the webs are triggered, i.e. Sheep, one of you, etc. The idea with fire is a good one, but would likely be doused out by the heavy rain, unless its greek fire, and then you have the possibility of burning down the entire point to being here, So the Woodcutter can come in and harvest the Deklo trees.

Rethinking the fire option, Virius replaced his flask of oil and drew his dagger.

He knelt by the goat for a moment, stroking its damp, rain-slicked head.  He held the dagger out, getting so far as to actually place it against the goat's neck, but did not use it.  Intrinsically, he knew that a goat's life was not the equal of a man's.  Also that the life of a farm animal was usually fated to end in slaughter.  But still, when faced with the prospect of sending this poor dumb beast to its death — a poison fanged, and likely quite painful death — Virius paused.

Winter had sensed the danger, whinnying and stamping her feet.  The goat too, if its bleating had been any indication, had also known something was off about this webbed section of forest.  When it came right down to it ... Virius just couldn't do it.  He couldn't stomach sending the task of sacrificing the animal to draw the spiders out.

"Oh, hell."  He said, grabbing a stick and rising from his haunches.

He reached back and tossed it in a great arc, aiming for the center mass of webs

Move to H4, hurl stick toward H13.

In reply to Virius Tesh (msg # 17):

I do have Spider Climb I can cast upon someone who would be rushing to fight the spiders in the webbing, may keep you from sticking.  ALso Greese spell, maybe to unstick or keep someone from sticking.  As for fire, well, maybe some flash powder but it is not as resilient in the rain.


Ali prepares to cast either on one of the fighter types as he move closer to the center of the group.  Then Darts at the ready.

Storm moves up, taking the chicken he tosses it into the webbing.

Move to H10, Toss Chicken to H13
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:10, Sun 09 June 2019.

When Storm tosses the chicken into the webbing, it immediately becomes tangled in the sticky mess, causing the strands to vibrate and shake at its location and throughout the entire web. It only takes a few moments for everyone eyes to catch moving in the webbing to the south. Near one of the dead trees, out of the hollow emerges a huge spider. It peers at the chicken with its eight little eyes, as the party can see the glint reflected off the slight penetration of the sunlight above. It agilely maneuvers the web towards the chicken, stopping just before it and biting down into it with its massive fangs. The chicken quickly goes limp.


The spider attacks the chicken and is focusing on wrapping it up in a cocoon.

Virius froze when he saw the eight legged monstrosity ravenously descend upon the chicken.  The sight of its mandibles, the pulsating rhythm of its round abdomen — its alien organs moving and writhing in support of some unknown purpose — the cluster of cold & soulless eyes, and the sickening efficiency with which it prepared the chicken for its larder, almost made Virius turn and run.

Almost.

What sort of hero would he be if his allies could not count on him in their hour of need?  Here in the darkened recesses of the thick-canopied forest, even sunlight failed to penetrate to the floor ... making it hard to see.  And if it was hard to see, it would be hard to fight.

Virius could not have that.  His friends deserved a fighting chance, and if he could level the playing field in some small way ... so much the better.  So, against every survival instinct he had, with every fiber of his being advising him to run, he retrieved his lantern and began to advance upon the webbing.

Virius will retrieve his lantern, attempt* to light it, and advance to H9.

*I know it's raining pretty hard ... is there anything you want me to roll for this, or does it just take longer or something?

Althiöf fired two arrows at the spider.

Althiof Morad rolled 16 using 1d20+2 with rolls of 14.  to hit.
Althiof Morad rolled 1 using 1d6 with rolls of 1.  damage.

Althiof Morad rolled 14 using 1d20+2 with rolls of 12.  to hit.
Althiof Morad rolled 5 using 1d6 with rolls of 5.  damage.