A reassuring pulse went through his muscles when the priestess touched him. It was like a soothing balm that calmed his mind enough to focus, just for a moment. He knew that moment was coming soon, so he again drew an arrow and aimed for the bulbous abdomen of the too-big spider.
Ack....kill that blasted thing quick.....argh!
Grayface's arrow is straight and true, piercing the arachnid through its' poisonous heart, killing it stone dead before it ever gets a chance to feed upon Rallos.
In the pit, enveloped in webbing, Rallos' fight is going from him...his struggle against the binding is weaker by the moment...his voice becoming quieter...
Is it feasible to toss a rope down to him, probably with a loop tied in the end, so we can pull him out?
If so Emerald will do so.
Seeing his friend struggle in vain against the encasing strands of web, Gray climbs down into the pit. Pulling his dagger from the sheath, he slices away at the sticky web and lifts Rallos away.
"You look like hell, Rallos. You can barely lift your arms...damn this accursed tower!"
Carrying the dark elf on his shoulder, Gray carries him from the pit with the help of his friends up top. When Rallos is safely out of the hole, Grayface climbs back down to search for anything of interest--hopefully some sort of valuable left by the last unfortunate trap victim.
I think...we should rest...for a bit...I feel a bit...weak.
Seeing his friend fading fast, Grayface climbs down into the pit and cuts Rallos free...but his efforts may be ultimately doomed, the poison has taken hold....
Grayface, oblivious to Rallos' parlous state, jumps back in to the pit...finding only a dead spider, webs and a few arrows...
Let me do.
As Grayface was helping Rallos out of the spider's lair, Ea was already preparing her healing kit.
When the teifling is lying on the ground, she tends wordlessly to his wounds, and put a curative balm on the spider's bites
As she finishes
Yasmin, Emarald, use some magic on Rallos if you can help his frail body fight the poison.He needs every help he can get.
With Ea's ministrations, Rallos finally beats the poison that has been coursing through his veins. Although he is left desperately weak, he can just about walk unaided...although someone else my need to carry his gear...
"We need to secure ourselves here, as weak as he is, Rallos will struggle with the journey back. Perhaps we should return to the tower room?"
"I will carry your pack, Rall." Turning to Em, Gray says, "I suggest we go back upstairs to where the goblins previously made their lair. We camped safely there before, and we cleaned them out so there will be little danger. Here on this level of the tower, further dangers are yet unknown.
On a side note, I want to make an observation. This level...with these spiders, and crypt... this looks very old. Where is this bandit lord woman? Do we truly expect to find her here? I feel like we've missed the mark."
We could camp upstairs, that's true. But we'd have to reach upstairs first. And we don't know if there is anything dangerous on our path. Rallos won't be helpful in fights as long as the poison hinder his muscles. He need at least two good days rest, under intensive care. I suggest we go back to where the skeletons were, just behind that door. The room has only one door, so it must be easier to defend.
Besides, I will be able to see if the undead are now quiet.
As long as I don't see a spider or skeleton for the next few days, I don't care where we rest....
"My vote is for upstairs. I feel a lot safer up there than down here."
-Posted with Wayfinder
Emerald can stay on long term care duties, if the others want to go over the area's we've already explored a little better (i.e. search the walls/floors and ensure the map is accurate etc)
It seems you all want to go upstairs. Fine. But I want to check on the restless dead in the next room before we go. I think they all are down now, but I have to be sure. It's my sacred duty, as a priestess of Pharasma. If you want to go, please don't let me detain yourself. I'll go alone.
Ea rises, taking her morningstar firmly in hand, and walks toward the northen door, listening for any sound
Ea, beyond the door all seems quiet...
"I'd rather attend to the living than the dead, but I'll not let you go alone in there." Emerald helps Rallos out of the way and draws her weapon.
"Well, at least she found something to care about," quips Yasmin, following along reluctantly. She has a look about as well. . "Looks clear to me! Let's head back."
Hearing nothing through the door, Ea quietly pushes it open…there is a small amount of resistance to her effort; looking into the room reveals the cause, a swathe of bones piled around the door…the remains of the skeletons caught in Ea’s blast of Pharasmin Energy… Looking around the crypt, the lids have been lifted from six of the eight caskets and, in one of the opened caskets, a small leather case.
If you wait enough, every living one will be dead, Emarald. It's our Fate, no one can escape it. Some try, and are succesful for a few years, a few decades or thousands of years, but Pharasma will catch them sooner or later.Now, what do you think, Rallos? Would you prefer to rest here or upstairs?
As long as I don't see a spider or skeleton for the next few days, I don't care where we rest....
Grayface throws Rallos' arm over his bulky shoulder and began walking back toward the stairs.
"I hear you Ea, but we've all made a vote. Let us rest now." He leads the party back up the stairs to the first floor, then up more stairs to Grulk's lair. He goes forth with his bastard sword in one hand and Rallos' bulk on the other arm.
I think upstairs is the safest bet. It has been cleared of threats and we know the layout. Grulk's hideout would be my choice.
Good. Could you give me some minutes to pay respect to the dead and pray for their souls before we go?
Emerald waits with Ea, as she pays her respects. Before heading up to Grulks lair with the others.
Can we take 10 on heal checks?
By all means, give the dead their last blessings.
For two days, Rallos drifts in and out of consciousness, his temperature dropping even as his friends wrap him in the many furs that adorn Grulk's chambers...two days during which the snow continues to fall, drifting in swathes against the ruins and, at the perimeter of the glen, against the trees...two days during which the only company that visits you on your watch, is the howling wind and the biting cold...
...but two days is enough...
...enough for Grayface and Yasmin to fully map and explore the Ruins, enough for boredom to start to creep in...enough for Rallos' body to recover from the crippling poison...
Ahh, much better. Thank you all for looking after me. Let's be extra wary of spiders, shall we? I think we should pick up where we left off. Check that room where the skeletons were and then check that area where the spider came from. Thought?
In the free time not being spent in mapping the tower floors, Grayface will be examine the leather case found in the sarcophagus.
"There are still two caskets in that room that didn't burst open to attack us. I suggest we take another look in there, if for no other reason to ensure that further animate agitated dead are..."..he looks at Ea's rising attention..."put to rest."
Grayface, I'm not a grave robber, and will never be. Fighting animated skeletons or other restless dead is an holy duty, opening a tomb to rob a deceased from its last belongings is not allowed by my religion.I suggest you put this leather case back into the casket you stole it. I saw that case in one of the opened casket two days ago. Even if its righful owner attacked us, he was a victim. Skeletons become animated by foul magic, they have no soul, no desire, no responsability. He's no more guilty of its late assault than your sword is guilty of taking lives. I ... ask you to respect the dead, ancient or recent, as you wish to be respected too when your soul will walk down the Eternal Gardens.
"I don't recall suggesting robbing, looting, or even opening the remaining tombs. As to the leather case, consider it borrowed. This is a dangerous place and we need every tool at our disposal, be it material or information."
...and so, on the third day, the group return to the crypt confirming that the skeletons have remained 'at rest' and that the other two caskets have remained closed. Everything remains undisturbed, as you left it...apart from the corpses of the spiders...which are missing.
there is something amiss...the bodies of those spiders is missing. I think there might be more. Lovely. I think a quick search of this room will do....then seal it from the outside to prevent further interactions with the inhabitants. Ea, is that amenable to you?
Rallos heads back to the room with the rusted weapons tom grab a dagger or blade of some sort to shove under the door after the party leaves.
Before reentering the lower level where we found the skeletons, Gray will say, "Rallos, will you take a closer look at this leather case? You have a knack for attention to detail. Anyone else wanna take a look?"
Later, upon noticing the absence of the spiders, "Great. Not only does someone know we're here but now they have more giant spider legs to sew onto corpses."
"Where to next? How about this door here--" Gray points to the east door of the chamber with the pit trap where Rallos was poisoned so thoroughly.
Just what I was looking for....more undead spider zombie monstrosities! Rallos says, exasperated.
Whatever material goods there is in that leather case, I want nothing of it. I must stay true to my goddess if my prayers are to be answered.Pharasma frowns upon grave robbers, as I have already said. And I don't think the dead would have any information useful for us. You act as you wish,Grayface, and I act as I must. Fate will tell which of us-if any-was right.
Examining the case that you have found reveals it to be a dusty, web encrusted thing…it has a small carrying handle and is embossed with the letters ‘A’ and ‘Q’…it doesn’t appear to be trapped or locked and so, very carefully, Rallos opens it…and finds a small bugle with blue ribbons trailing from it…
...watching Rallos' examination of the case, Yasmin and Emerald both detect the weak aura of conjuration magic.
…all done under the increasingly disapproving eye of Ea.
Well this is an interesting find. I assume that this is an item of some signifigance. We should check this more thoroughly. Later though...if someone or something is taking those spider bodies, we do not want them making more of them. Correct, Ea?
Yasmin studies the bugle carefully...
but to no avail. "It is conjuration magic. Perhaps it summons something?"
The warrior's hopes were dashed when they drew forth the old dusty bugle. He didn't really know what he was expecting but it was not a musical instrument.
"A and Q? Could mean anything I suppose. Let's carry on, we can examine it again later." Gray walks to and points at the east door of the chamber with the pit trap where Rallos was previously poisoned.
Listening at the door, you hear nothing and so, pushing the door handle downwards, you prepare for what may be on the other side...
...but no...the door is locked!!! However there is a slot for a key just below the handle...
Emerald examines the Bugle carefully.
Hmm...I wonder if that key we found is for this door....
Rallos pulls the key out and inserts it in the lock.
Be wary...
...and turn the key.
With a long look at the instrument, Emerald finally deduces it’s purpose…upon blowing this horn, a cloud of thick fog is generated…thick enough to obscure vision…
This small bugle allows its possessor to blow forth a thick cloud of heavy fog similar to that of an obscuring mist spell. The fog covers a 10-foot square next to the horn blower each round that the user continues to blow the horn; a fog cloud travels 10 feet each round in a straight line from the emanation point unless blocked by something substantial such as a wall. The device makes a deep, foghorn-like noise, with the note dropping abruptly to a lower register at the end of each blast. The fog dissipates after 3 minutes. A moderate wind (11+ mph) disperses the fog in 4 rounds; a strong wind (21+ mph) disperses the fog in 1 round.
Ea keeps silent as Emarald and Yasmin try to find out what was the usefulness of the horn.
Her look was still stern, but she was nevertheless interested by the intellectual challenge.The young woman was obsessive with Death, but knowledge of all sort was her reason to live.
Just as she was about to give the answer, Emarald got the clue. A faint smile briefly appears on Sister Zalinsel thin lips, and her eyes let out a short sparkle
I knew it.
Then she reverts to her grim usual self, as Rallos cautiously opened the locked door with the key they found earlier