Aubrey's Eberron campaign. (Inactive)

Game Master Aubrey the Malformed

No, Janosz is now visible, albeit very stealthy.

Is Janosz close enough to remain invisible?

I doubt it. But that's OK.

Janosz quickly backs towards the cave entrance while pulling out his bow. Something is coming, he mouths at the party members. Get ready!

Also, I'll cast Gravity bow on my weapon.

Nevharath calls forth a greatsword, then meditates a moment to center himself for battle.

Gil prepares to cast a modified image, if it seems like it will help, having the party less Janosz pop into view.

Climbing rapidly along the web strands come four figures. More-or-less human-sized, they climb head-first and upside-down, nimbly traversing the webbing before leaping on to the bridge. Though vaguely humanoid, there they scuttle about on all-fours, arms and legs outspread and their pudgy, bloated torsos held a few inches above the ground. They peer at Janosz's knife, stuck fast, and then at the illusory party. They exchange a series of clicking-hisses and quickly dismiss the conjured figment, spinning about to face towards the real group hiding behind their veil of invisibility. They stare this way, chittering to one another and shifting anxiously, seemingly confused.

Crouched in the shadows, Janosz can see their horrific arachnid features. Their heads are misshapen lumps, with one large pair of coal-black, lens-like eyes on either side and three more smaller pairs clustered in the middle of their faces. Just below, multiple jointed mouthparts twitch about a circular puckered orifice. Their bodies and limbs sprout numerous bristly hairs wich brush the ground and their hands and feet are hook-like claws. Instead of skin they seem to have a stiff carapace like boiled leather. Janosz can also see that, like so much else in this bleak temple, they are undead. Their hides bear dents and rips that would otherwise seem fatal. Tiny spiders crawl in and out of these wounds and across their bodies.

The creatures seem to make up their minds, surging forwards in the direction of the hiding party.

Knoweldge (Nature) or (Dungeoneering), DC 15:

Knowledge (Nature) or Dungeoneering, DC 20:

Roll initiative.

Init:: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Initiative 10+7=17. Knowledge (nature) 8+15=23. What I'll do depends on the respective locations of the party, me and the enemy, especially as it appears like they haven't spotted me.

Aubrey:

Initiative: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

Did they dismiss the figment magically or "dismiss" it by ignoring it? Are we talking about the original bait for the reverse trap or the second figment I was going to bring up? (Just for tracking resources)

Init
1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12

Init: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29.

Knowledge (dungeoneering): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 21.

init: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

Initiatives:
Gelb 29
Janosz 17
Rod 12
Gil 8
Ezreal 5
Nevharath 3

Undead things ?

[dice=Initiative]1d20 + 3

Did they dismiss the figment magically or "dismiss" it by ignoring it? Are we talking about the original bait for the reverse trap or the second figment I was going to bring up? (Just for tracking resources)

Yes, sorry, that was ambiguous - dismiss as in ignore. I didn't factor in your potential second casting. It's a bit moot now.

Janosz:

Yes, sorry, that was ambiguous - dismiss as in ignore. I didn't factor in your potential second casting. It's a bit moot now.

No, that's what I thought you meant, but I wanted to make sure. Enjoy your epic finale this weekend.

Eh, I thought the epic finale was last weekend, and spent the whole of Saturday preparing for Sunday. Turns out I was out by two weeks, and I only found out when I sent out a confirmatory email Saturday evening. When I told the wife, it merely confirmed her views on my mental incompetence. Still, I'm very well prepared now for next weekend.

I need to do a map. Watch this space.

Undead spider things 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15

[ooc]Initiatives:
Gelb 29
Janosz 17
Undead spider things 15
Rod 12
Gil 8
Ezreal 5
Nevharath 3

Map.

The top of the map is the chasm wall, with the corridor from the Shrine of the Reaper in light grey and continuing on to form the bridge as it carries on across the chasm - I haven't done the far side and where the bridge stops is simply the edge of the map rather than the end of the bridge. The yellow bits are webs attached the bridge - they are sticky.

You are all clustered at the top of the map by the entrance to the bridge, and presumably all within the 10' radius of the invisibility spell which is concealing you. Janosz is presumably a bit further forward, hiding and not invisible.

There is no surprise round. Gelb.

If my knife is stuck to the web in K19 and I retreated once I felt the undead spiderthings arrive, I should be somewhere around N6.

"Careful!" Gelb shouts. "They're some kind of ettercaps. Forget illusions they're tracking us by our movements."

Wand in hand, the changeling unleashes its magic at the closest foe as the cloak of invisibility falls around him.

Gelb at L2.

Standard: activate wand of magic missiles (9th) at E4.
Damage: 5d4 + 5 ⇒ (3, 4, 1, 3, 1) + 5 = 17.

Janosz

Janosz takes a step away from the undead ettercaps before letting loose.

5' step to N5. All attacks go on Ettercap 4. I'm using Rapid Shot, Manyshot and Clustered Shots.
Attack 1: 12+19=AC 31, damage 2d8+6+=16 + 10 fire + 4 electricity.
Attack 2: 11+19=AC 30, damage 1d8+3=9 + 5 fire + 2 electricity.
Attack 3: 12+14=AC 26, damage 1d8+3=6 + 4 fire + 1 electricity.
Attack 4: 14+9=AC 23, damage 1d8+3=8 + 4 fire + 2 electricity.

Ettercaps!

Could everyone else place themselves please?

M4

I like L 4.

N4

M2

Gelb and Janosz focus their fire on one of the ettercap creatures. Bolts of force and arrows slam into its body, ripping holes in its hide and making it stagger. But it and its fellows still keep on coming.

E4 attacks Janosz, the other's can't quite make it.
Claw 1d20 + 15 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 15 + 2 = 32 to hit, damage 2d8 + 5 ⇒ (2, 3) + 5 = 10 and it grabs on a hit. If that's the case, CMB v Janosz's CMD is 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (4) + 19 = 23

Rod

The ettercap hits, but doesn't grapple me.

Rod stays in place and channels to harm undead.

5d6 ⇒ (1, 4, 6, 1, 3) = 15

"Back you deviant scum!"

So Gelb, Janosz, and Rod are visible at this point?

Gil can be heard casting another spell and moves. Fly, move to M3 and up 5' to keep the still-invisible allies in range and get her away from accidental undead ettercap contact.

Rod, they get a save against your channeling, please try to remember to include the DC when you use it.
E1 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11
E2 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23
E3 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20
E4 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22

The ettercap attacking Janosz flops to the ground.

Map updated.

Ez.

Sorry; will do. I feel your pain.

Ezreal holds one hand out toward the skittering dead and shouts "Karranth commands you, HALT!"

Halt Undead:
3 targets all within 30 feet of each other.
DC 22
Spell Penetration: 1d20 + 11 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 11 + 4 = 18

Ettercap Will saves
E1 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14
E2 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14
E3 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17

All three of the ettercaps stand rooted to the spot.

"We can pass them by or make a concerted attack, however attack one and all will be free. We have about a minute so whatever you want to do, do it now!"

Seeing no immediate consensus and the clock ticking Ezreal barks, "Move now! If another guardian appears hammer it hard and fast but we have to get off this bridge. Don't worry about leaving them blocking our exit, I will teleport us when the time comes. "

Time for double moves

I'm down with it.

I'm just waiting on turns; if we all move, though, I can get to L 14 I guess.

I can get to N20, and will double move with the rest of the party.

"Sounds good." Janosz waves the others ahead. "I'll go last. I'm faster than the rest of you, anyway."

OK, so the plan is to run like hell. Good plan, it's worked with several of the women I have known. We'll go out of initiative.

The group leave the paralysed ettercaps behind and dash across the bridge. At the end they reach the other side of the chasm face a choice - a climb up a steep stairway to the left or a run along a narrow ledge to the right.

Just a note on the conditions here. There is no natural light or other light sources about, so I am assuming you are providing your own illumination or have somehow managed to gain darkvision.

I have darkvision 30 feet myself.

Stairways left?

"Hold for a second. It's a good idea, though - spiders don't use stairs." Janosz gives the landing a quick once-over.

I have Darkvision 60'. Has the stairs or the ledge seen any traffic recently? By someone with feet, rather than claws? Spot 12+23=35, Survival 12+18=30.

Gil continues to fly while the spell is active and lets the invisibility continue, but she stops worrying about the others' visibility. She will remain above the bridge in the event that the spell fails early.

"Janosz, I would have a look, as well."

Scouting with the scout:

Trapfinding: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (3) + 17 = 20

no special vision myself, i dont think

Janosz:

Considering some of us needed light to see anything or perform in the previous scene we could say Ezreal had cast light on an amulet and covered it durig our failed trick. The minor illusion was providing its own light as part of the image but when we emerged Ez uncovered his amulet again. So light is in effect centered on him.

"Aaaaaaand.... We take the stairs. Quickly, before the ettercaps regain mobility and come after us."

The party head up the stairs. Open to the chasm below, the party have to move with care even while understanding the urgency of making a speedy escape. They end at another short ledge which leads to another bridge across the abyss. The only way forward, it slopes down and at an angle to the axis of the chamber before being lost to view in darkness and the hanging curtains of webbing.

Gil needs to make a DC 10 Fly check to avoid blundering into the webbing.

All around, dangling on the end of thin strands, are roughly egg-shaped, man-sized cocoon-like parcels wrapped in silk. Some seem to be old, the cocoons tattered and dirty, with the odd skeletal arm or leg projecting mutely. Others look disturbingly fresh and plump, the silk freshly white.

Perception, DC 25: