Natalie looks a little annoyed at Corwen's remark: "Dear Corwen, kind words get you nowhere here."
She then turns around clearly uncertain if to the newcomer can be trusted, but over hears a few things. "Baron I'll let you decide if Corwen can be of any use to us, I'm not so familiar with the fey but if it comes to combat a extra hand will always come in handy!"
"General Dante is always looking for new recruits." Corwen's comments reminded Anastacia of practical matters. She calls on the power of Pharasma to search out magic auras then begins scanning the area.
"General Dante is always looking for new recruits." Corwen's comments reminded Anastacia of practical matters. She calls on the power of Pharasma to search out magic auras then begins scanning the area.
Corwen frowns thoughtfully. "Well, I don't know as I'm cut out for army life, m'lady, nor do I have long-term plans... I was suggesting more of a temporary arrangement until your company reaches civilisation. I'm sure by then you'll have more of an idea of what I'm suited to. Might such a short-term agreement please m'lords and ladies...?" Corwen speaks with faultless courtesy, though his underlying manner is certainly confident, and he is unafraid to meet the eyes of the noble party members before him.
"Well Corwen it might be some time before we are back in civilized lands, right now we are trying to calm the fey, so they stops attacking the human settlements around these woods. You might just have to content with a military life for the time being."
Corwen turns to Natalie. "I'm more than willing to help out with a blade, m'lady, but I won't be signing up for military service, I'm afraid. If you're all still happy to have me along though...?"
Sensing that the matter is nearly decided Gorruum hops onto Ubagub with the usual squelch, "Back to tree lady and goat man?"
Nodding in agreement with the frog-man (Newer thought *this* was a thing I would live to see! Heh) Fhârn headed back towards his steed.
"Aye. No sense in lingering here - there appears to be no more scythe trees and I rather not spend much more time then needed here in the swamps ..."
Natalie walks out of the mud, once on dry road again she pulls out a dagger and starts scrapping the mud off her boots. Sighing she says quitely: "Looks like I need to look for a new pair!! Good boots are hard to come by. I'm ready to get the heck away from these parts when you are."
"Gorruum teach more of swamp next time. No boots good start."
Anastacia climbs aboard Avalanche. "I agree, Fhârn. We've done what we came to do here. We've much still to do. maybe you can identify that robe. Be careful though. It reeks of necromancy."
"Seems like we have done the deed, now it is time to get our pay. When we write our histories, we should probably gloss over the dull bits."
The group begins heading home, the first day is uneventful, and the night again unrestful
The next day is damp and foggy, as the group grows closer to the Dryad's glen. Due to the travelling though, they are still half a day away around noon.
"Sigh! another horrible night, can't wait to find a decent inn again"
"It's not so bad out in the wild Natalie." the ironclad general says with a smile.
The tall bulky man looks the newcomer Corwen up and down. "Little light framed for a soldier." he surmises.
The tall bulky man looks the newcomer Corwen up and down. "Little light framed for a soldier." he surmises.
"I agree completely," Corwen replies glibly. "I'd make a terrible soldier. Wouldn't be worth the cost of a uniform."
Wilhelm looks the newcomer over as he shakes his hand. He stands aside and listens as his councilors fill him in. He seems well enough to me, though how he ended up so deep in the forest is a mystery. He adds, "Assisting us with our tasks should prove sufficient and I believe we've enough supplies to see us through. And on that, cousin, we can be agreed."
Rising early, Wilhelm kneels and completes his normal prayers and remounts Triumph. Seeing the bags under Corwen's eyes, Wilhelm asks, "It's within the power granted to me to see your fatigue away. Will you allow me to touch a shoulder to do so?"
Riding through the day, Wilhelm is unusually quiet. I very nearly met the Lady of Graves yesterday. Those trees, through fine plate nonetheless, dashed me near to ribbons. If not for my companions...
Shimmer, having spent a fitful night trying to sleep, uses a little of the divine ability of her Lady to remove her fatigue before joining the others. "How is everyone today?"
As the group is walking through the forest, a few hours away from the dryad's clearing. And as they walk, spiders begin to drop from the trees.
Rising early, Wilhelm kneels and completes his normal prayers and remounts Triumph. Seeing the bags under Corwen's eyes, Wilhelm asks, "It's within the power granted to me to see your fatigue away. Will you allow me to touch a shoulder to do so?"
A little surprised at the apparent paladin's offer, Corwen smiles brightly through his fatigue . "Thank you m'lord, I'll gladly accept your holy offer."
Since it's the surprise round and I'm riding on the horse with Anastacia I'll just draw my rapier and prepare for the battle.
Natalie draws her rapier, and the spiders rear up and spit streams of web fluid at the party.
One of the spiders spitting at Ikit and Shimmer's horse hit's especially well, and the webbing sticks the two together to their horse, and the horse to the ground, entangling all 3. The horse immediately begins to panic and try to break free...
The rest of the spiders scuttle toward the nearest tasty snack.
Two of the spiders sink their fangs into the horses, causing them to scream and panic.
Both horses manage to shake off the poison, but both are in a panic.
With a startled cry, Fhârn calls to the air to form a cushion underneath him turning the brief fall into a somewhat graceful landing on his feet.
The web entangles Dante's horse, Mandarb panics and begins to struggle attempting to break free.
Dante is unable to calm the animal but his masterful riding skills keep him firmly in the saddle.
Anastacia calls on Pharasma's blessing to help in the coming fight.
Wilhelm yelps in alarm as the spiders emerge from all around them. seeing Dante alone, isolated from the others, and entrapped in sticky web, Wilhelm says over his shoulder, "Hold on and try to avoid stabbing me in the back." Spurring Triumph into action and guiding him with his knees, Wilhelm draws his falchion and swings as Triumph reaches the spider near Fharn. He shouts above the clangor and terrified whinnying of the horses, "General, hold strong. I'll be there to help shortly."
As the spider charges the slurk, Ubagub shakes with rage and as before with the trees, he grows significantly in size. Then his massive tusked jaws lunge forward in a snapping bite at the spider right next to him.
Wihelm's horse moves over to the spider on Fharn, and he brings down his falchion with a might blow and splits the spider in half.
Ubagub meanwhile swallows his whole, legs and all, chomping happily at the sudden tasty snack that dropped down into his large mouth. It's rather odd to see a raging gecko make a 'mmm yummy' noise.
Corwen rolls off Wilhelm's horse and darts across the turf, trying to help Dante outflank the spider that is currently assailing him.
Natalie decides to get off the horse asap
Then she moves closer to the spider and prepare an attack for when it gets closer to me.
"Creepy crawly come meet my sword!" she yells.
With a quick appreciative nod at Wil, Fhârn mutters a short phrase. In response the runes of his armour glows softly in blue and the mage-knight lifts a few feet off the ground. Quickly, he surges north to intercept the spider eyeing Shimmerscale and Ikit - he suspected that they would rather not have it skittering around while they were still webbed.
"Munin, make sure Hestor doesn't bolt!"
The spiders move in and attack...
Ubagub and Dante's horse are both bitten by the spiders, fangs sinking deeply.
Dante's horse shudders and begins bucking again, breaking out of the webs, although Dante is still webbed to it's back. The horse is now frothy with sweat, and seems to be weakened.
Natalie hits her spider as it closes with her, but despite being damaged, it still attacks. Fharn however, rams his polearm into the thing's mouth and the spider rolls over on it's back, legs twitching as it closes.
Corwen ducks beneath the charging spider's attacks, then takes advantage of the distraction Dante is providing to make an attack on the flanked spider's exposed body.
Corwen then attempts to duck away from the combat, shifting out while hoping that Wilhelm will move in.
Still keeping control of his horse, Dante attacks the spider with his Greatsword.