Roxanne helped remove the magical items from the dead halfling, knowing they wouldn't be doing that person any more good. It was kind of gross, but she figured most adventurers knew the deal before they died. That deal being that if you died, your possessions were up for grabs for the next people who encountered your body. Still, Roxanne tried to be as respectful as possible.

When Travic voiced his plan, Roxanne's eyes lit up. "Oh! I think I can help with that too!" The dwarf pulled out a torch of her own, lit it, then handed it to a piece of her swarm. The swarm transformed into a crab that held the lit torch in one claw, then scuttled forward to help light the webs ablaze when Travic was ready.

---

Using Mage Hand to help Travic burn webs. The "hand" is a big crab scuttling across the floor.

The webs put off a foul odor as they burn, but far better than being stuck and spider food.

Once the path is all melted down and passable you hear the tell tale clicking of 8 legs rushing toward you...

Normally combat would start but let's see what the animal friend ship looks like...

Roxanne looked more fascinated than frightened when the spider approached. She had always liked bugs, and it probably helped that dwarves were also resistant to most poisons. All of her swarm suddenly took on the shape of wooly tarantulas. Even the crab that was holding her torch took on the shape of an oversized spider.

Stepping in front of the rest of the party, Roxanne held her arms wide (albeit still clutching her weapons), and her spider swarm mimicked her motion by creating some spider-like arms made of spiders behind her, spread wide. Roxanne said cheerfully, "Well hello there big buddy! Sorry to barge into your home like this. I thought the place was empty!"

---

My intent is to cast Animal Friendship on the spider to charm it. DC 13 Wis save to resist or it becomes charmed. (If there are two spiders visible, let me know and I will upcast it to target both.) If the charm seems to work, I will also cast Speak with Animals.

Lastly, feel free to assume Roxanne translates what is being said so that we can expedite other party members contributing to the conversation that is hopefully about to occur.

18

"Turrrrrrrrrn backkkkkkkkkkkkk. This one will not harm you, but I will not keep my sistersssssssssssss from a tasssssssssty snackkkkkkkkkkkkkkk."

Hering what Roxanne translated from the spider, Devan said,"Shall we retreat, or shall we fight back? Either way, I'm fine with most solutions right now."

"I would rather not fight after we have been shown such courtesy," Roxanne replied to Devan. Her eyes drifted to the broken chandeliers and an idea suddenly occurred to her. "But I am not sure if we need to retreat immediately. I have an idea."

Roxanne addressed the spider once more. "I have no desire to press further forward into your home if you do not wish us to. But perhaps you would be interested in a trade? If you could bring us some items that us humanoids might like, then I know a couple of tasty rust monsters I would be willing to lure over here for you to gobble up. We like weapons and armor, magical trinkets and locked boxes. Maybe some artworks? Do you have any of that back there that you would be willing to try and swap with us?"

"Skkkk Skkkk. Yesssss. A trade. Bring them to us rawwwwwhahahaaaaa. I will weave a new webbbbbbbbbb. I will bring things for you."

The giant spider then retreats back down the hall, turning west and disappearing around the corner.

Onyxclaw was more focused on the spiderwebs and it's consistency, muttering to himself than the plan. Again, the kobold got out his charcoal and paper and scribbled away. When the spider arrived, he looked and squeaked with wide eyes, shaking his head. "Spiders....onyxclaw no like spiders." he muttered.

When roxanne talked to teh spiders, he still looked uncomfortable, staying beside Andromeda

"Fantastic!" Roxanne replied to the spider. "If you want to start bringing things out, I can tell you if they are things we are interested in. Then we can trade for them when the rust monsters arrive."

And on that note, Roxanne stepped over to one of the fallen chandeliers and started breaking off metal pieces where she could. As she worked, she asked her party members, "Devan and Travic, do you think the two of you could handle luring those rust monsters here? The ones that we met a few rooms ago? I figured Travic was good at luring them last time and Devan is not at a very big risk when dealing with those metal-munchers. Then I can stay here and converse with our eight-legged host as necessary. Would that work? Hopefully nobody was too attached to those cute little rusties..." She hadn't even considered that her allies might be opposed to leading the rust monsters to their doom until just now.

Lastly, to Onyxclaw, she said, "Can't say I understand your general aversion to spiders though, Onyxclaw. Even the big fuzzy ones?"

In reply to Roxanne Drubble (msg # 180):

"Must we really sacrifice the Rust Monsters to these predators? After all, its the spiders that devour intelligent life, not the rust monsters." He pointed out. Besides, Travic had never liked Spiders...
This message was last edited by the player at 04:33, Fri 29 Apr 2022.

"Well it's either them or us Mister Televentor. Then again, we could just simply walk away, that is indeed an option, though I personally prefer a more rewarding option." Devan says, knowing for a fact that they'll get nothing out of rust monsters.

Roxanne shrugged. "I'll leave the decision up to you guys. I personally don't see it any different than hunting a deer for your neighbor in exchange for supplies. But follow your gut, I suppose. I'll have a pile of scrap ready here if you want it though." Roxanne continued ripping apart the busted chandelier.

The webbing grew thicker as Travic and Roxy burned further onward, and Andromeda's worries about the threat of hostile arachnids were soon validated by a dangerous chittering!  Before she could launch searing starlight, Roxanne did the unexpected and spoke to the beast!  The druidess was quite sympathetic to nature's creatures in general and would be content to leave it be, but an attacking carnivorous arachnid would not be her choice to befriend!  She looked on in mute, fascinated awe as the canny dwarfess negotiated a trade with the giant spider, and reached an accord.

As they backed away Andromeda gushed, "Roxanne, that was admirably clever!  Well done.  I, for one, am quite for this exchange.  Perhaps we might lure the rust monsters this way with magically-carried hunks of scrap metal?"

Onyxclaw groaned at the thought. "Feed spiders monsters. Then leave us alone."

Five spiders return, re-weaving their webs through the hall as they approach. The leader spits out a little web sac of 20 cp, 18 sp, 5 gp, and a silvered dagger.

"Not much, not much, but we have no use of this, bring us rust monsters, we have never tasted rust monsters before."

In reply to DM (msg # 186):

"I dont think we need any of that, do we?" Travic said, more hopeful than anything. "Best to leave the spiders to thier own devices, yes?"

The loot haul wasn't terribly impressive, nor were the negotiating powers of these giant spiders who had paid before receiving their own reward.  Andromeda kept a wary eye on the spiders as she whispered to Travic, "I suspect that should we refuse, the spiders would attempt to eat us instead.  Let us just back away for the moment..."

Once they'd put a little distance between themselves and the arachnids, Andromeda said quietly, "We must bypass the rust monsters to leave this place in either case, so what say we provide a trail of metallic treats leading into the webs as a distraction?  Then we simply let nature take its course."  The druidess collected random bits of metal debris and began laying them out at 10 foot intervals back toward the rust monsters.  The chandelier would of course make for a wonderful enticement, and so she'd suggest it be moved into the webbing at the very end of the bait trail.

In reply to Andromeda (msg # 188):

He walks with Andromeda, but wondered why they did not just switch to elvish. Granted a spell allowed Roxanne to talk to the spiders, but certainly would not teach them all languages.

"I understand that nature is only ruled by tooth and claw. But...we are not. Using evil means to achieve our goals are sometimes needed. No one knows that better than me.

However, it does not have to be the case for the rest of us. I am not suggesting that this act will damn anyone's soul. It's just a step on the road of good intentions. And both know where that road leads."

Devan sighs,"Mister Televentor, I see that your love for those metal biters seem unfaltering. Alright everyone, let's just leave, I could use a drink so let's go back to the tavern. Sides, the loot is less then an ideal loot I had in mind, not even worth the bother to lure some monsters in." he explains to the others.

Onyxclaw, unnerved by the spiders, was all for backing away, and being towards the back, nodded. "Go surface. Need food. Drink. Gear."

Roxanne sighed, but relented. It seemed the group's mind was made up. Roxanne was less disappointed about leaving the loot behind, and more disappointed that she would have to let down her new spider friends. They seemed really excited about trying some new exotic cuisine, and now she had to break the news that their party would not be delivering. She hoped the spiders wouldn't take the news aggressively.

At the very least, Roxanne figured it wouldn't hurt to tell the spiders how to catch the rust monsters themselves. To the spiders, she said, "Unfortunately my colleagues are not interested in trading for the items you presented, despite them being the types of things we asked you to find. So we will not be luring the rust monsters here to your web. However!" Roxanne rushed to add. "However, if you are still interested in grabbing yourself a rust monster treat, we last saw them in the room right at the end of this hall. If you bring some pieces from this junk pile here, it should lure them right to you. Thank you for your time ladies." Roxanne finished with a polite bow, but she was not foolish enough to let her eyes stray from the spiders. While they had been great hosts to people who had just burned their webs, Roxanne would not be surprised if they attempted an attack if she let her guard down.

If the spiders didn't make any moves to stop them, Roxanne would exit with her fellow party members.

The five spiders do their version of disappointed shrugs. 8 shoulders, 4x the disappointment.

You back away peacefully.

Andromeda cut short her efforts to lay a trail of metal and smiled at Travic, then said, "Your concern for the rust monsters does you credit, Travic.  There may be cause to question the morality of many of our dungeoneering exploits, and such reflection is most often beneficial."  She turned to Roxanne and said, "It was a clever plan, Roxanne.  I am glad to have gained such a resourceful beast-negotiator for a companion!"

Turning back toward the way they'd came, Andromeda said, "I feel we are perhaps overdue for a visit to our friend Hal, and a stay in a fine inn would certainly do us no harm.  Let's be on our way back to the Yawning Portal, then, shall we?"

Onyxclaw was clearly relieved to be away from the spiders and just nodded at Andromeda's suggestion. "Onyxclaw need meal. Maybe nice rat or boar."

You retrace your steps through the arcane chambers, back to area 11 you take the portal that sends you into the ruins of the Willowood.

A note in an envelope lies on the ground where you can't miss it as you step out of the portal. Sitting just beyond the note, guarding it, is a displacer beast that was having a catnap. He awakes when you enter, and bows his head in respect to you, then bounds away, ignoring any questions.

The note is written in common, but the strokes are beautiful and elvish, the ink sparkles in the light of the false moon above.

Brave Adventurers,
I thank thee for passing through my Wyllowood with care. This is my eternal home, but it can be a prison at times. I say this because I believe you are on a destined path to save us all. It all has to do with Halaster. I am both grateful to him and I hate him. He gave me the Wyllowood, but he took from me my beloved Yinark, a former wizard. True, Halaster could give me what Yinark could not, but Yinark gave me his heart, and Halaster has no heart. Still, I pity the Mad Mage, for he too is in a prison of his own design. I believe he is no longer human, but an immortal entity composed of pure magic. Thus, I have no hope to be rid of him, and perhaps it is the same for you, Brave Adventurers.
-Wyllow

You return up-river, keeping an eye out for Wyllow, hoping to speak to her, but she cannot be found, though you always feel like she is watching and that the displacer beast is hot on your heels.

Beyond the river are the familiar tunnels that are meant only to confuse you, but you casually wind your way back until you come to the elevator to the Yawning Portal Tavern.

To Chapter 7.