Jeryn's eagle follows in quick pursuit and assails the spider once more.
Jeryn sends yet another force bolt sizzling toward the spider.
*Twang!* Jeryn directs the eagle toward the spider and Fenra squeezes the trigger on her crossbow. Following his bird's path, to the wizard's dismay, the eagle disappears into a disc of bright light signalling the end of the enchantment. With the fair oracle's projectile sailing down the path, Jeryn curses his luck. Pointing a finger at the spider the wizard calls forth another bolt of force which hurls down the path, knocking Fenra's fragile bolt off course and slamming into the spider's abdomen.
Spider 6/28
Rennyn closes with the spider and slashes at its head...
...but misses.
Draeven releases his bow and takes hold of his battleax before swinging it in a wide sweeping arc from his back at the spider's exposed underside...
Draeven's axe blade splits open the spider's abdomen. Green and yellow juices burst forth and rain down on the half-orc, covering the prone ranger in a gooey mess. As the spider's legs fold and collapse, Draeven notes the spider's eyes are quite opaque - the spider's vision was likely very blurry. Other signs of advanced age mark the rest of the spider's body; old scars, sealed puncture wounds and grey scapular hairs cover its legs.
A quick search of the area comes up with mostly webbing and a few goblin skeletons - evidently, this arachnid had a taste for them.
Draeven stands up, wiping goo from his clothing and face. Shall we carry on then?
Negotiating your way through the deceased spider's webs, the trail is mostly worn away, well on the way to being reclaimed by the swamp. The foliage here begins to take on a somewhat dark stigma. Sunlight barely penetrates the canopy and there is something about the very air in this part of the Brinestump that sends shivers down you spines. As you wind you way down the trail, it suddenly opens into a sort of clearing. A sagging one-story shack sits in this clearing, its walls dingy with age and encrusted with lichen and fungus. A partially collapsed shed sits just to the northeast, while small pouches, twisted knots of feathers, and dangling wind chimes made of bones hang from branches and roof edge alike.
Jeryn is glad that he was not up close and personal with the spider, for otherwise he would be showered with spider fluids much like Draeven. After inspecting the spider and noting it's advanced age, he retrieves his journal from a pocket in his traveling garments and begins to write in it.
I have not heard of spiders living to this age in this area. I will keep a record of it's attributes and location. It will be interesting to compare likes and dissimilarities should we come across any others on our journey.
As the group arrives at the hut, Jeryn quietly cautions the others, glancing specifically at Draeven, Let us be on our best manners, I have expended many of my spells for the day and I fear that the swing of my staff pales in comparison to the raw arcane power you are used to seeing me wield.
The burly half-orc squints his eyes and opens his mouth, in response to Jeryn's comment, before clamping it shut once again without responding.
He then scans the area for any potential threats to life and limb before asking bluntly, Why exactly did we come here again?
We came... well... we... uh... because Gibber... and the talk... um.... Rennyn stutters out in response, before shrugging and throwing up his hands. Let's call it a house call.
Turning to the dilapidated structure he calls out, Hello? Anyone home?
He then begins to scan the area for the taint of evil.
There is no response to Rennyn's call of greeting. The paladin's eyes gloss over as his vision switches to scan in the evil spectrum. Although the elf can detect nothing of interest, Fenra notes Megus’s home is well on its way to being reclaimed by the swamp. Even from here, she can see the main door has swollen shut with moisture - it will need to be forced open and the floor boards of the porch have warped into decay. It is the oracle's opinion that nothing larger than a cat has been inside the building for months. Draeven's observation draws the same conclusion, Not a rat trap...
Feeling that the place is likely deserted Fenra moves towards the building. We had better find anything of use now, I can't imagine wanting to return. Her eyes once more scan the surroundings. There will likely be nothing left to return to anyway. She looks around for anything of interest.
Fungus and mold cover a window on the south side of the building . Brushing aside some of the growth, the oracle can make out the contents of a bedroom. A large bed, its sheets thick with mold, slumps in the corner. Numerous books lie stacked nearby.
Draeven puts his shoulder to the door...
Rennyn continues to scan the area with his divine vision from upon the porch...
The porch emits eerie creaks and groans with each step. Putting his shoulder to the swollen door, Draeven can feel the door bend alarmingly before it finally gives into the pressure from the half-orc's weight. With a violent crack, a few pieces of frame fall to the ground freeing the door to once again swing on its hinges.
As with the exterior of this shack, sheets of fungus grow along the walls and floor. On the numerous gourds, twigs and bones hang from the ceiling suspended from sinew and string. The partial door to the north exposes part of a small closet. A door to the south connects this room with the bedroom Fenra spied earlier while through an opening to the west it is possible to see still more fungus and mold growth on sagging benches, a broken table, and narrow cupboards. Part of an old brick stove sits against the wall.
This is a waste of time. The place is clearly abandoned.
Fenra moves into the room to see if the books are salvageable and of any interest.
Although I am sure Jeryn will find them of interest regardless of their contents. Her lips turn up in a slight smile at the thought of fastidious Jeryn battling between the desire to discover their contents and avoid any mold on them.
She calls back to Draeven, I am sure you are right but who knows what interesting things a witch may have hidden well. It won't hurt to do a quick search.
She begins to concentrate, attempting to divine the presence of anything of a magical nature in the wreckage.
Despite her poise and delicate frame, Fenra's steps cause the floorboards to creak and moan. The smell of musk and old damp wood fills her nostrils as she approaches the bedroom door. It takes a few attempts, but the fair oracle manages to force open the door to the bedroom. The frame emits a loud crack, but nothing falls as she opens the door. What little daylight that penetrates the canopy outside, spills through the cleaned panel of glass Fenra observed the room from earlier. Most of the books are ruined. Damaged by the same elements that work to reclaim the shack to the swamp, a few of the titles are still legible. Various publications, one or two from as far away as Nex, tell of animal anatomy, exotic biology, essays on longevity and a few racy titles that may even make Fenra blush; the topics hint at the disturbing nature of Megus' interests.
Perhaps it is the added light from the room or a trick of the eyes - in run down shacks such as this, a few rodent tracks are to be expected. However, Rennyn eyes are the first to notice the large number of rat tracks in the dirt on the floors. Draeven too sees them and confirms, something disturbing — many of the so-called “rat tracks” look just like tiny little human handprints. But before this revelation can be passed on to the others, the sound of scurrying vermin interrupt's the two warriors...
Aroused by the sound of doors being forced open, three large rats come scurrying out from the shed to the north. Each the size of a small dog, their coarse fur and long scabby tails looks disease ridden - greasy, matted and sickly. Three pairs of glittering eyes search the grounds. Approaching the front of the shack, one of the rats spots Rennyn and rushes in. Sharp teeth come to bare on the paladin's leg. Holding nothing back, the rodent begins gnawing at it.
Rennyn shakes the rat from his leg and stabs down at it with his sword...
...piercing its back mid spine. He then steps back to block the doorway with Draeven.
Draeven grips his ax and waits for the other vermin to ascend the stairs and come within range of his weapon...
Rennyn's sword pierces the pup clean through sending a small jet of blood out onto the porch. Feeling none the worse for wear, the paladin steps aside just as another rat comes around the corner. Jumping over its fallen mate, this one is cut down in the air by Draeven's coolly waiting axe blade. Sliced in two, bites of it are sent flying back onto the path while the rest comes to rest on the porch beside the other.
The squealing of yet another can be heard coming from around the corner. This high pitched vocalization is quickly followed by another, different screech heard as several short sharp yips.
Jeryn sees that the warriors have things clearly in control so he opts to save his spells. He instead raises his staff, white knuckles gripping it in preparation to strike out should anything approach him.
With his staff at the ready, Jeryn listens and waits intently for the warriors to finish with their business. However there is to be no quick ending here. The sounds of rat chatter outside evidently has had an unexpected result and instead of continuing the charge head on as did its brethren, the remaining rodent does not enter via the porch but by alternate means. Avoiding a certain and quick death, elven, and half-elf, ears within the shack can detect the sound of the vermin's claws scratching along one of the outside walls followed by a thump of sorts under the floor boards. The pup is now somewhere under your feet inside the shack.
Rat #1 MA to M-4
X @J-8
Rennyn calls out to Fenra in celestial, It has gone under the floorboards! Move back to us!
Heeding the paladin's warning, the fair oracle's eyes move from the witches lewd books to what remains of the living room. Taking up her morningstar as she moves, the floorboards creak and groan with every footfall. Joining her companions, it is not long before her peaked ears detect the sound of papers falling in the next room . Turning to the others she sees Draeven's eyes piercing the walls in the same direction .
Init of X: 12
Rat #1 MA to M-4
X @J-8
Rennyn stands, watching and waiting, ready to act...
With his sword at the ready, Rennyn listens intently to what the others have clued in on. Now, with everyone standing still, his elven ears can pick up a whisper, but he is unable to discern what words are being said; they sound nonsensical to his untrained ears.
Fenra however recognizes the words as from a spell of some sort, but not one with which she is familiar with. The pattern and rhythm with which these words are being uttered gives the oracle a feeling that this may be necromanic. Looking to the wizard for assistance, unfortunately she can see his mind is preoccupied with what is going on under the floor. Jeryn's human ears have been unable to make out any of the words and he is unaware of what is going on in the next room.
Init of X: 12
Rat #1 MA to M-4
X @J-8
SA cast F
An awkward silence fills the room as the group readies itself for what may come next. Suddenly, more yipping comes from somewhere in the back, then stops abruptly. Straining ears search for other signs and are met by the sounds of tiny scurrying feet moving around under the floorboards. As what the paladin knows to be a third rat moves, both Rennyn and Draeven feel as though something, Was that the rat? just run underneath them. Or was it between them? Unfortunately for the warriors, the rodent is completely concealed by the rotting floorboards and save for the brief second of noise, it is not enough to give them a satisfactory target. Meanwhile, an eerie feeling of being stalked by unsavory eyes sends a chill running down Fenra's spin. She knows there is something else in this run down shack with them, and it is not the rat. Jeryn, now fully cognizant of what is unfolding around him scans the floor with determination but to no avail.
Init of X: 12
Rat #1 building suspense - MA to Q-6
X @M-10
XHP= 25
Rennyn moves beside Fenra still holding his sword in both hands, ready to strike at any threat that appears...
Draeven moves beside Jeryn still holding his ax in both hands, ready to strike at any threat that appears...
Fenra, her body as still as a statue and her ears straining brings her morning star to hand and waits for any kind of target to appear. Her eyes continue to scan the room and without looking at Rennyn she whispers in Celestial, "Caster. The witch?"
Sensing something bad is imminent, Jeryn casts a spell to fortify his robes with arcane power.
Jeryn continues to wring his hands around his staff and search fervently for any sign of a foe. He offers Draeven a grateful nod as the ranger moves up to take a position beside him. Noticing Fenra looking at the closed door, he casts his attention in that direction but fails to hear anything. He stands at the ready, staff raised.
The suspense builds. Crossing himself with arcane gestures, a shimmering aura of protective force is conjured up by the wizard giving him some comfort, but not much. Wringing his hands around his staff, sweat begins to form on the wizard's forehead. Joined now by the warriors, the group forms a line before the entry to what used to be the witch's kitchen.
Then the wizard's ears perk up. Below the floor, the rustling of diseased fur and dirt become louder. His heart pounding, the wizard's eyes dart from the closed door beyond the kitchen to the floor to the impatiently waiting warriors, to the floor, back to Fenra, the floor then, then - RATS! Bounding out of the floor towards him, that filthy vermin! Yellow teeth lunge at the wizard's legs as a flurry of blades flash before his eyes...
-
The sight of the vermin causes Fenra to smash at it with her morning star.
Before the wizard has time to react to the rat's sudden appearance, Draeven's steel axe flashes downward followed quickly by Fenra's decorative ball. The rodent's quick reflexes sending it skirting to the right at the last second, thus narrowly avoiding the ranger's execution. However it did not anticipate the sharp spikes protruding from Fenra's morningstar. Catching the rat with a solid blow, its body is sent flying across the room, impacting the wall with a bloody splat.
It is a short lived victory though. No sooner does the rat's body come to rest on the rotting floor than a familiar sounding voice begins chanting. Quickly piecing the voice to that of the one heard earlier, the group is mildly surprised to see the tiny creature as it emerges from the hearthstone. Only about 2 feet in length, a long pinkish tail trails behind the creature. Its body is covered in long-hair similar to that of the vermin just slain but a few disturbing features stand out - strangely shaped front paws. Looking more like human hands, the tiny appendages gesture and point towards the half-orc. And behind its long, yellow incisors instead of a pointed snout lays a face reminiscent of a leering old man. A high pitched voice utters words in a dark tone. The humanoid face is unnerving to the ranger. Feels of being stalked begin to swell up inside the half-orc as though an unseen figure were about to rain death down upon him. Shaking the urge to leave from his head clear, Draeven realizes it is a trick of the mind.
X Stealth Round 4: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (15) + 16 = 31
1 Draeven Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10
2 Fenra Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12
3 Jeryn Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23
4 Rennyn Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21
X MA to O-10 SA casts Cause Fear
Who does X target?: 1d4 ⇒ 1 - Draeven!
Draeven Will Save: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (17) + 0 = 17
XHP= 25
Rennyn wastes little time moving against the weird rat thing, bounding up onto the table and bringing his sword down at it...
Draeven joins Rennyn near the table and swings his ax low to hit the small critter...
Leaping across the collapsed floor, Rennyn and Draeven tag team the furry little creature. Taking up flanking positions, the paladin seems to have a little difficulty zeroing in on his tiny opponent - slashing downwards at the creature, the elf's blade tastes air. Draeven on the other hand is seemingly a bit luckier. Swinging his axe down low, it nicks the creatures hind flank sending a wisp of vapor into the air. The strange creature's human eyes quickly turn to meet Draeven's. Seemingly none the worse for wear, the creature hisses menacingly at the half-orc, Flee or perish like the rest!
X @ O-10
XHP= 25-8
Draeven looks at the small rodent. Grinning menacingly he retorts, Tough talk given that it is your allies who have perished! Perhaps you should take your own advice little one!
Fenra moves up as Draeven does and sees his swing do nothing to the apparently vaporous creature. Not understanding the words but noticing that an exchange has taken place, she is surprised that the creature speaks. She looks at Rennyn, hoping to catch his eye to find out if it is nothing more than battle talk. He is focused on his mission though. She belays her attack as Draven's obvious hit has done nothing and while staring at the creature, as if trying to divine its intentions, she touches Draeven and murmurs imbuing him with a small advantage against attack.