In reply to Aubree Farwalker (msg # 131):

Olewyn has no complaints yet about her own injuries. She would rather the others get tended to first. Especially the ones with damaged armor. Olewyn wears none but feels more secure the way she is dressed.

"I will hold onto the dagger for now. Perhaps we can try looking at it later... For now we should focus on our task at hand. Making this land safe."

Olewyn slips the dagger into another loop on her person to keep it next to her primary dagger.

While Lachrien speaks to Marthine, Tirien comes and speaks to Olewyn quietly. "If pressed, you might try the new dagger in combat. Perhaps it may reveal its nature then."

In reply to Aubree Farwalker (msg # 131):

I just need my staff or some kind of stick to draw the line and say the right words.  Not sure how many lines I can have around or in front of us at a time, worth trying when not pressed though

Aubree got out of the magician's way, waiting to help if he requested it

(Hm, good question. One line operating at a time, please.)

Olewyn considers the elf and gives a solemn nod.

"Aye, I am only used to trusting my bow." Her voice was kept low, just for Tirien.

She knew her bow. The weight of it in her hands, the spot where her hand could best hold onto it. This dagger would have to start to be the same eventually.

To the rest Olewyn raises her voice to address them. "When we are ready, we should move on. At the very least we know we need to start seeking signs of what was hidden. It... could help us if this 'Witch-King' proves to be more than mad ramblings."

Tirien looks up, looks like he's thinking of saying something... then he doesn't. Perhaps he's saving his thought for later.

Having given a quick explanation of how he worked his Ward, he listened to Olewyn regarding their next move. He wasn't too sure what this 'Witch-King' was all about but it didn't sound good to him.

Nodding his accent, he walked on as the others started to move.  How many of those Spiders and Goblins have you come across so far on this job?

"Three goblins on the way to the start of the road, and then those that you have just seen. That was our first spider," says Tirien.

Lachriel leads the way, as she attempts to guide the party-- as quietly as possible-- to the sound they'd heard.

(09:41, Today: Lachriel rolled 8 using 2d6 with rolls of 6,2.)

It takes a bit longer than one might think, but when they arrive at the scene, they find a battle underway-- arguably almost done, in fact.

Ahead of you is a battle between spiders and goblins-- there are even two dead wargs on the forest floor, and several dead goblins. Webs are everywhere.

There are a number of dead small giant spiders-- each a little larger than, say, a full-grown rooster.

There is one dead spider of about the same size as the one you just killed.

There is also one large spider still alive-- but it's larger than the one you just killed-- a little bigger than a large haywagon (not a haywagon filled with heaps of hay, but still!)-- on the other hand, it is already obviously rather wounded, with many arrows and a few swords sticking out of it here and there.

It's on your left. On the right are three goblins.

Suddenly, the largest goblin sees you. "Look! Elves! And Men!" Everyone turns slightly to look at you.

"What next, dwarves?!" moans a wounded goblin.

"This is why we should have been in alliance all this time!" says the first goblin, who looks a bit wounded himself now that you look at him. "Attacks from such adventurers are the first thing an alliance could put a stop to! Well, it's not too late-- attack them!"

The spiders and the goblins each turn to face you, their common foe.

(You are up against:

--1 very big spider (already badly wounded)
--3 spiderlings (don't seem that wounded, but one good hit will put them down)
--3 goblins (already wounded, though.)

Ronald: You don't have time to do a whole circle, but you have time to try to draw a long, curved line on the ground in front of you-- if you're quick (that is, if your roll of 3d6 goes well).)
This message was last edited by the player at 16:33, Sat 01 Apr 2023.

Olewyn doesn't even think of waiting for the others. There are too many possible outcomes if she hesitates so she fires off a quick shot from her bow going for the giant spider. It is already hurt so maybe one more shot will handle it.

( Today: Olewyn rolled 12 using 3d6 with rolls of 1,6,5. For a shot at the big one! )

The arrow hits the giant spider hard, and it screeches, then slowly sinks to the ground, getting more and more still...

In reply to The GM (msg # 142):

As the Goblins and Spiders come into view, Roland prepares his staff, ready for the call, to draw the line.  There wasn't really time to do a circle but a curved line was well within the possibilities.  So as the Goblins call, it is almost like a warning to set the end of his staff to the ground, then as Olewyn lets loose an arrow, he sweeps a wide arc as he recalls the words he has used before "Line of strength against, our foe in the ground I lay; Cause them pain and keep them at bay - ymladd yn erbyn ein gelyn".

He watched as the magic took hold as the last of his word inflections landed on the air.  He then stood with staff prepared to defend.

20:36, Today: Ronald R. Dodaden rolled 12 using 3d6 with rolls of 6,4,2.  Ward Line Activation.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:58, Sat 01 Apr 2023.

Ronald finishes just in time, as a spiderling comes running up to him.

It crosses the line--

--ZAP! It's dead!

Two of the goblins had come a-running, too, but when they see this, they slow to a stop before reaching the line. They're not sure what to make of this, but they're smart enough to figure out that they don't want to just rush across that line anymore. Even the two remaining spiderlings stop in their tracks, confused (for the moment, anyway) about how to proceed...

Being some distance away, Aubree drew back her bow.   She smiled in relief as the large spider (the SIZE of the thing!!) was hit and killed by Olewyn.   She fired at the goblins.

OOC:
16:53, Today: Aubree Farwalker rolled 5 using 1d6 with rolls of 5.  bow shot.

Aubrey takes down one of the three goblins, the one who hadn't said anything (in your presence) yet.

Now, he'll never speak again.

 Marthine took things in as best she could with her blood loss and adrenaline levels being what they were... There was also the nausea that might accompany a spider being, oh, how might one say, prepared?  She'd seen the upsetting things that her cats were capable of doing, but this was a different territory!

 But, then, she feels everything begin to steady... and notices Tirien's healing being worked.  What a relief!  Thanks were uttered.  And, an agreement and embarrassed smile was given to Lachriel's fussing.

---

"It looks like you get to sing, after all..."  Marthine frowns, nay, scowls, and draws her pistol.  With all the calm in her world, she points the Dwarven-made device at the greatest of the spiders... And then, her finger pulls the trigger.

 !

 Such an unpleasant thing... In sound, in effect, and in unnaturalness...

04:43, Today: Marthine rolled 8 using 2d6 ((6,2)).
Firing the pistol at the big spider...

The extra-large spider screams! It wasn't dead yet! It rises up to rush the adventurers...

...And falls over, upside down. Its legs twitch a couple of times, and then it dies.

(Everyone knows that bugs die upside down with their legs up like that. I was gonna wait and see how the rest of the fight went-- if it went too easy for y'all, I was gonna reveal that the biggest spider wasn't really quite dead yet and needed one more hit! But Marthine put a stop to that. It's really dead for sure now.)

Olewyn gives a nod to Marathine. She is pleased to see the skin changer try something that doesn't put her in as much physical danger. Olewyn had started to wonder if she was going to have to take to a more leader-like role than she preferred to keep the group safe. While she had never imagined joining a group of this size for an adventure she wouldn't change it now.

In spite of her preferences Olewyn genuinely enjoys these people.

She takes aim at one of the other remaining goblins.

( Olewyn rolled 12 using 3d6 with rolls of 3,4,5.  Firing an arrow at a goblin.)

SHhhhhhhhTHOK, the goblin who complained about the possibility of dwarves showing up will never be bothered by the threat of dwarves again.

(Remaining threats: two spiderlings and the militant-talking goblin)

(I just realized that all y'all have acted this round.

GM rolls dice...)

Lachriel fires an arrow at the nearest threat, a spiderling, but it dodges-- but Tirien nails it.

(Okay, y'all's turns again.

Current threats: 1 spiderling and 1 talkative-but-pre-wounded goblin.

In case you were gonna ask because you wanna run up on anyone: Ronald's line on the ground won't harm you. It's magic, so it knows friends from enemies.)
This message had punctuation tweaked by the GM at 17:27, Mon 03 Apr 2023.

And he put the term "Foe" in his spell words just to make sure.

Ronald had seen the success of his ward line but the last Goblin and Spiderling were too far to be affected now. He was staying behind it though. As rubbish as he was with a Crossbow, for now he used it, reminding himself to collect the bolt afterward this fight (maybe with a missed Dagger thrown by a companion!!!!).

It wasn't good, maybe he'd got some of that Goblin on the cord or forgot to oil the wood, something thunked when it should have twanged.

(ooc: Rolled 1D6 and got a 1. Going with it though)

Now with her pistol holstered and her staff in hand, Marthine approaches the goblin with much deliberation and attempts to beat their weapon out of their hand.

 Or, to trip them...

14:40, Today: Marthine rolled 18 using 3d6 ((6,6,6)).

Attempting to disarm our trip the goblin, depending on their weapon situation.

Aubree tried to shoot the last spiderling

Emphasis on tried.

OOC:

17:10, Today: Aubree Farwalker rolled 1 using 1d6 with rolls of 1.  Bow shot

As Ronald misses, the remaining spiderling runs around the end of his curved line, and attacks him!

Fortunately for Ronald, his leather armor is too much for the spiderling's mandibles, and he's unhurt so far.

But there's a spider on his leg! Ahhhhhhh get it off!


(Then when I was about to post that I saw Aubree's post)





Aubree carefully tries to shoot the spiderling-- but she misses.

But it jumps onto her and bites her! AHHHH get it off get it off!!!

(Aubree loses 1 Toughness)

The remaining goblin had gotten his sword ready, then when he'd seen the problem of the magical line on the ground, he'd started getting a short bow out... then when he'd seen how badly things were going for the anti-humans-and-elves side, he'd put it away again in preparation for making a run for it... but each time, the spider-inflicted wounds he had (and some webbing) slowed him down. Now, he drew his sword again, seeing that it was too late to try to get away-- but Marthine's staff just knocked it out of his hands.

He tries to pick it up, but he can't in a hurry-- he's too hurt and too webbed. He knows he's at the human woman's mercy, if any...