Many tunnels intersect at this natural, thirty-foot-high cavern. The walls are carved with simple reliefs showing dwarf and gnome miners hard at work. Below them, nearly two dozen skeletons in rusted scraps of armor are scattered across the cavern floor. Some are dwarf skeletons, while others are orc remains. Half a dozen large brass lanterns stand in niches or on ledges around the cavern, but none are lit.

Zanben continues inching forward to BS26 to get a glimps as to what might be down that tunnel.

As Zanben looks up a corridor that leads to more tunnel ways he starts to hear a loud humming sound. Suddenly 10 Stirge drop from the ceiling and they all hover in the direction of Zanben.

OOC: Everyone give me initiative and everybody but Zanben give me Actions as Zanben is surprised.

Gwen was passing the flask to Bandalor when the dwarf's agonized cry echoed from the cave entrance. "Yikes. That didn't take long."

She grips the glasstaff and strides towards Wave Echo Cave. Her cavalier's hat and traveling cloak have been stowed; her boots, breeches, and purple doublet are now topped by a climber's kit, a bandoleer of pouches and scroll tubes, and a green silk scarf in her hair. Ripley swoops in to land on her shoulder and she descends into the darkness. Upon seeing the sobbing dwarf, she stops.

"Gundren, I'm sorry. I know the pain of your loss, I really do. We'll see to your brother... after we see to his final quest. Bandalor and Jaskier are coming down, but where are Imbert and Zanben?" She looks around, sees the hole in the back of the cavern, and sighs. "Crap."

Gwen mutters a few arcane phrases and the staff glows dimly for a moment. She steps to the ledge and spots Imbert dusting himself off below. "So we're following someone called the Black Spider and Gundren's brother gets killed by a spider and Bandalor and I can't even have a proper toast and you all fall down a hole? Tymora's tits, Jaskier's epic will practically write itself!"

[OoC]: Move to BQ15. Cast Mage Armor from the staff; AC 16 or 21 with Shield. Initiative 22.

00:35, Today: Gwyndolyn Glyphwyrd rolled 22 using 1d20+7 ((15)).
This message was last edited by the player at 19:23, Sat 10 Oct 2020.

[OOC] Initiative 1D20+7=26

"I lowered myself into the hole after Zenben fell.  I think I see him up ahead fighting with something, but I'm having trouble keeping up."  Imbert replies to Gwen before heading in Zenben's direction and pulling his crossbow.

OoC:
Roll(1d20)+3:  9,+3  Total:12 - Initiative

Move Action:
Move to BS21.  Can I see Zenben?  Or how to get where he is?

Attack action:
Roll(1d20)+7:  6,+7  Total:13 - Hand Crossbow attack
Roll(1d6)+3:  5,+3  Total:8 - Hand Crossbow Damage

Bonus Action:
Roll(1d20)+7:  19,+7  Total:26 - Hand Crossbow attack
Roll(1d6)+3:  1,+3  Total:4 - Hand Crossbow Damage
(Roll(1d8)+0:  1,+0  Total:1 - Colossus Slayer damage if it's already damaged)

Jaskier nervously eyes the dead dwarf's corpse and his hideous spider wounds and then turns away to the cacophony of noises emanating from the dark hole.  He mutters to himself "fucking caves...god-damn spiders" and he sprints to hole and makes ready to climb down.

[OOC] Initiative  roll 1d20+4 = 22
If I have enough actions to climb down my strength roll was d20+0 = 6
This message was last edited by the player at 17:14, Mon 12 Oct 2020.

I look at my cousins and feel a stab of regret in my heart to see on of the fallen. I hear the commotion coming from where Zanebn went and head in that direction and start to head down the rope.

Initiative d20 (15) +1 = 16
Str Check d20(14) +2= 16

26 Zanben<---
22 Gwen
22 Jaskier
16 Bandalor
14 Stirge
12 Imbert

Zanben is surprised to find himself surrounded by Stirge.

Gwen rushes to the edge of the pit and raises her magical defense  just in time to see Jaskier throw himself over the edge of the pit without the use of a rope.

OOC: Jaskier takes 9 points of falling damage.

Bandlor uses the rope unlike many of his mates and makes it to the bottom of the pit where he unsheathes his shield and mace.

The Stirge close on Zanben and try to suck his blood. When of the Stirge runs into the wall on a pass at Zanben. One of the stirge gets it nose into Zanben and sucks out some blood. Another Stirge Misses. One more gets it's feeder into Zaben

OOC: Miss, Hit 4 points of blood loss, Miss, Hit 5 points of damage.

Imbert Drops one of the large mosquito like creatures with a well placed bolt.


This message was last edited by the GM at 19:12, Mon 12 Oct 2020.

Imbert continues to fire at the things.

OoC;
Attack Action:
Roll(1d20)+7: 16,+7  Total:23 - Hand Crossbow Attack
Roll(1d6)+3:  1,+3  Total:4 - Hand Crossbow Damage

Bonus Action:
Roll(1d20)+7:  11,+7  Total:18 - Hand Crossbow Attack
Roll(1d6)+3:  3,+3  Total:6 - Hand Crossbow Damage

Jaskier lets out a brief groan and rolls his eyes as he gets to his feet muttering "another stupid cave...".  He rushes to Imbert's side and fires his crossbow at the foul bloodsuckers.

Attack roll 1d20+5 = 12
Damage roll 1d8+3 = 5

Zanben attacks the stirge

[OOC] Attack1 1D20+7=18 for 1d6+5=9
Attack2 1D20+6=7 (YUP MISSED THAT ONE)

OOC: If it is not obvious there is a tunnel in the rock that links Zanben's location and the Pit.

"Oh, hell... here we go." Gwen spits on both palms, rubs them together, and grips the rope.

[OoC]: Strength check... natural 20!
21:31, Today: Gwyndolyn Glyphwyrd rolled 21 using 1d20+1. Strength.

Once at the base of the grotto, Gwen levels her staff and advances toward the sounds of Zanben's cursing.

[OoC]: If she has LoS and an action remaining after the climb, Gwen tries to even out the numbers with a Fire Bolt. She hits AC 13 for 6 points.

21:35, Today: Gwyndolyn Glyphwyrd rolled 13 using 1d20+7.  Fire Bolt.
21:36, Today: Gwyndolyn Glyphwyrd rolled 6 using 1d10.  Fire Bolt damage.

Bandalor moves to a location to take crossbow aim without endangering Zanben or Imbert.

If he cannot get a shot he believes is clear, he will hold his action.

26 Zanben<---
22 Gwen
22 Jaskier
16 Bandalor
14 Stirge
12 Imbert

Seeing himself surround Zanben lashes out with a couple of blows and drops one of the stirges.

Gwen adeptly uses the rope to get to the bottom of the pit and sees the stirges launching a fire bolt at them but misses by just a margin.

Jaskier rushes to Imbert and levels his crossbow at the mass of giant insects but misses.

Bandalor rushes to the line and fires his cross bow dropping one of the Stirge.

The Stirge close in on Zanben. One them tries to stick Zanben but misses.Another one makes an attack and goes wide. A third one comes in for the attack and hits.

OOC: Attack hits Zanben for four points of damage.

Imbert Drops two of the stirge with well placed shots.

Zanben, "Between my fall and these little bastards, I am hurting pretty bad.  I think I can make it past these little shits, but will need healing soon after." He than continues his attack on the Stirge to his right

[OOC] Attack1 1D20+7=15 for 1d6+5=10 damage
if drops, he than steps forward and attacks another, else continues attacking the same one

[OOC] Attack2 1D20+6=18 for 1d6=6 damage
This message was last edited by the player at 17:28, Tue 13 Oct 2020.

In reply to Zanben (msg # 37)

[OOC] If it is possible to move forward to get a better shot without blocking anyone's line of sight, then Jaskier tries to move closer to Zanben and the stirges.

Jaskier makes another attack with his crossbow
1d20+5 = 6 [Crit 1]
[OOC] I guess I won't roll for damage then

Imbert continues to fire at the things.

OoC;
Attack Action:
Roll(1d20)+7:  16,+7  Total:23 - Hand Crossbow Attack
Roll(1d6)+3:  5,+3  Total:8 - Hand Crossbow Damage

Bonus Action:
Roll(1d20)+7:  5,+7  Total:12 - Hand Crossbow Attack
Roll(1d6)+3:  5,+3  Total:8 - Hand Crossbow Damage

Gwen drops to one knee, levels her staff, and fires three magical bolts that ricochet off the tunnel walls and barely connect with their target.

[OoC]: Jeez... lousy rolls might get me a single stirge. 7 damage from Magic Missile.

20:45, Today: Gwyndolyn Glyphwyrd rolled 2,2,3 using 1d4+1,1d4+1,1d4+1 ((1,1,2)).

Zanben cuts down two more of the beasts and Gwen follows up with blasting the remaining two out of the air.

There is a quite in the cave and then a rhythmic thunder of pounding waves echoes throughout the mine, loud enough to make the stone underfoot shiver. Waves come about two minutes apart, growing louder toward the northeast.

After the sounds of combat die down, Imbert lights a torch.  "Maybe you should wait with the horses, if the spiders come back we may not be able to get back up to you in time.  We will bring your brother out when we leave this place."  He then carefully examines the room where Zenben was attacked.

OoC;  Roll(1d20)+4:  8,+4  Total:12 - Perception looting the room

Gundren says, "I would rather prepare a pyre for my Brother. Bandalor would you be willing to say some rights for him before I burn his body." He then looks at Gwen and hands her some boots. "Take these. They let you move like our larger kin. Tharden would want them to go to someone worthy."

After Bandalor gives right to the Lord of Light Gundren begins to haul his brother outside and he starts to collect wood for his pyre.

Imbert then turns and goes back down into the pit. This time all are careful to use the rope properly. Imbert notes that there is also a tunnel North out of the pit and then he heads East into the room with the stirges. There is nothing to note in the room the skeltons are all ancient as is their armor and weapons but there are two exits to the North, one to the South and one to the East.

"Can I get a heal before we push on?  I don't think I will make it too far in my current condition.  I could use the healing potions in my bag, but would prefer to save those for an emergency in battle."

Gwen wordlessly accepts the boots and gives the grieving dwarf a hug. She attends the pyre barefoot and stands back while Bandalor performs the holy rites. Only then does she don the boots and return to the cave.

Below, she eyes Zanben's wounds. "Maybe we should stick together from here on. Something tells me we may have our work cut out for us down here."

While Zanben gets patched up, she wanders the cavern looking at the carvings and the evidence of the ancient battle, filing details away for future reference. She also sketches a few notes in a leather-bound journal before the party chooses its next direction.

[OoC]: History check 15 (recognizing past events, factions), Investigation check 27 (looking for clues, insights). Should we start with the source of the wave echoes?

23:52, Today: Gwyndolyn Glyphwyrd rolled 15 using 1d20+5.  History.
23:52, Today: Gwyndolyn Glyphwyrd rolled 27 using 1d20+7.  Investigation.