Rogar smacks the spider away, stepping back as his hand directs a small boulder to fly at the wounded vermin, but stumbles as he does so and the shot goes wide.
Eustoma still struggles with the web, but she takes a moment to infuse Sia with enhanced strength, like that of a bull.
Rogar fires another blast, but this time he misses his target.
Karla draws her wand and blasts the purple monster with a magic missile. It screeches angrily.
Wulfram stabs with his spear, but the monster dodges. "Yes, stop attacking! All-Eyes web you up, then we talk! Maybe only eat you a little bit!" The creature's conversation is cut off as Sia bites it again, and it shrieks at the wolf.
The spiders bite at Rogar and Nik'o again. Both manage to hit this time.
Nik'o retaliates, scoring one good hit with a claw.
The monster assaults Sia once more, again hitting with both claws.
Wulfram stepped forward and healed Sia to keep her in the fight.
Rogar, still intent on his target spider, grunts as it lands a blow, "Oi, less chattering, more bug stomping, lass!" He calls out to Karla as he steps back, launching a more focused blast, this one in the shape of an arrow, at the creatures carapace, but clatters off harmlessly.
Eustoma continues to struggle with the web. Seeing Sia getting hurt over and over gives her enough strength to break out of the web. "I don't want to talk to you." She shifts to the side behind Sia.
Sia whimpers at the attacks, but continues to stand bravely between Eustoma and the purple creature. She bites
Eustoma finally is able to free herself from the webs. She draws the healing wand from her belt.
Rogar steps away from the spider and tries to blast it again, but once more fails to hit.
Karla blasts the purple creature with another magic missile. It is badly wounded now, chittering angrily.
Wulfram uses his hex to heal Sia as the wolf attacks again, narrowly missing the monster.
The spiders attack again, but neither one lands a hit.
Nik'o tears into her opponent again, and the spider goes down before the lynx's teeth and claws.
The spider-monster assaults Sia once more, sinking its fangs into her shoulder before slashing her flank with a claw. Then it steps up into the midst of everybody. "No, no, no, die, die, die!" it howls.
Rogar retaliates with a blast of dust that engulfs the spider as it tries to lunge and shreds its carapace.
Wulfram stepped to flank the spider-monster with Sia, dropping his spear and drawing his morningstar. "OK, you can die!", he replied, swinging his weapon down on the creature.
Eustoma cries out as Sia falls. She taps he with the wand of Cure Light Wounds.
Sia drops to the ground unconscious until Eustoma heals her. Then she growls.
Sia stays prone and bites anyway.
She lies there bleeding.
Eustoma uses the wand to revive Sia, bringing the wolf back to consciousness.
Rogar steps back and blasts the remaining spider, crushing its carapace and knocking it onto its back. Its legs flail about in its death throes.
Karla blasts the monster with yet another magic missile, the final blow finally pushing it past its limits of endurance. Bleeding from numerous wounds, the monster groans and falls.
Wulfram looked around to make sure there were no more enemies around. "The fact that these creatures are here, right by the ranger's base, is not a good sign," he said. He moved up to Karla and Nik'o, healing the lynx with a touch.
After Nik'o's health was restored, he examined the bodies of their attackers.
The bodies of the spiders and the aberration don't seem to hold anything of interest. The spiders' nests are about fifteen feet up in the trees. You'll have to climb up if you want to search them.
"I'm going climb up to have a look in those nests," Wulfram said as he put his spear down and removed his armor. He said a quick prayer in preparation, and started to climb.
Moving slowly and carefully, Wulfram clambers up into the spiders' nests. The remains of the arachnids' previous victims are bundled up in webbing sacs. Most of the remains are of squirrels, rabbits, and birds, but there are also two humanoid corpses equipped with gear. Several gemstones are scattered about the nests as well, and the shaman is able to find all of of them.
Wulfram collected the valuables from the nests. After saying another prayer, he carefully climbed down. Once back on solid ground, he examined the magic items in hopes of discerning their properties
After finishing his examination, he donned his armor once more.
Wulfram moved up to inspect the condition of the footbridge.
Eustoma taps Sia with the wand again. "Does anyone else need healing? Good job everyone one. That was good teamwork. The little cat did good. We should get him some armor too like I'm going to get for Sia." She looks at the chain shirt, "That's a nice piece of armor. I think I'd like it if no one else needs it." She dons it, and follows Wulfram to inspect the bridge.
The footbridge is sturdy and safe to cross. You climb up into the redoubt to find the building has been abandoned. Based on the amount of dust and the lack of tracks, you determine that nobody has been in this place for at least two weeks. A search of the redoubt turns up a half-burned letter in a fireplace, an order recalling all Chernasardo Rangers to a place called Fort Trevalay. Unfortunately, you have no idea what or where Fort Trevalay might be.
"I would imagine Aubrin must know," Wulfram replied to Karla. "We might as well sleep here, and set out for the camp first thing in the morning."
The shaman meditated for a few minutes, and then used his magic to heal more of Sia's wounds.
You thoroughly scour the building for any more clues, but the exhaustive search comes up empty. You settle down for the night in the redoubt, enjoying having a real roof over your heads for the first time in nearly a week.
At first light, you begin marching back north towards your camp. Dark clouds are gathering swiftly in the skies above--if you hustle, you can make it back before the storm breaks. You travel for a few hours, and just before noon, you happen across a man with the sun-bronzed upper body of a seasoned warrior and the lower body of a sleek warhorse. The handsome young centaur waves as you approach.
"Greetings, fellow travelers! My name is Yorc. Would you care to rest with me a spell? I am happy to share my meal of barley and apples, and we can trade information about the potential hazards of these woods."
Rogar, mindful of the fact that almost nothing they'd met since the invasion was friendly, narrows his eyes at the cenutaur in suspicion.
"Ah don't trust him. He's too friendly fer me, an there's no way tha Hobs wouldn't know about him." Rogar whispers to his companions, the calls out to the cenutaur, "Ah, but o course! However, ah mus' ask that he firs' put yer weapons on tha ground. If ye mean us no harm, no harm shall come ta ye."
Yorc narrows his eyes as he looks down at Rogar. The dwarf isn't very good at bluffing, and the centaur realizes that he isn't about to fall for his ruse. "You are cunning, little ones. Did you know there is a bounty on your heads? I intend to collect!" He draws his longsword.
When the Centaur hailed them, Wulfram replied, "Hello Yorc, my name is Wulfram. I fear we can only make a brief stop, for we must take shelter before the storm breaks. Do you live in these parts?"
When Yorc revealed his true colors, Wulfram cast a spell, causing the trees and bushes near the centaur to animate and try to grab him.
Sia waits until the Centaur gets in range of her, and then she will attack.
Rogar hurls a blast of stone at the centaur, but it goes wide of his target.
Wulfram casts a spell, and the trees and plants animate and try to grab a hold of Yorc. The centaur manages to avoid getting entangled, however.
Cursing, he tromps his way through the grasping vines, emerging out of the area of effect. As he draws near, Sia lunges, but Yorc rears up to avoid the wolf's jaws!
Wulfram cast another spell, this time to bolster his allies' morale. He then moved up beside Sia.
Eustoma raises her bow, and fires an arrow at the centaur. "You've made a mistake my friend. The bounty on our heads isn't worth near the trouble you just found." She gives herself the aspect of Tiger (+2 to Dex).
Sia snaps at the horse legs as they dance next to her.
Rogar charges forward, getting within range of the cenutaur as he pulls a spike of stone out from the ground and throws it like a javelin, but it shatters on the ground short of his target.
Eustoma takes on the aspect of the tiger as she fires at Yorc, but the centaur catches her arrow on his shield. His shield can't protect him from Karla's magic missile, though, and he grunts in pain as it blasts him.
Rogar hurls a stone spike that falls short of his target, while Wulfram calls on the spirits to bless the group. Sia tears at the centaur's leg, nicking an artery in a painful bite! Yorc howls in pain, but stays on his feet as the wolf tries to trip him.
The centaur retaliates, slashing the wolf with his sword and kicking her with one of his front hooves! Sia yelps in pain, badly wounded.
Rogar sends out a small shockwave, and makes a flying leap into the air, slamming back down and slamming a pillar of stone up at the cenutaur.
However, the spike impales a small mouse running by instead of his foe.
Wulfram healed called on the spirits to heal Sia. He dropped his spear and drew his heavy mace and moved around to the centaur's flank, being careful not to enter the area with the grasping plants.