Jarrek explains what the iconography means and runes say but points to the webs. "Those giant spiderwebs concern me more than the architecture, though. Look at those logs; something built that... web-tent. Anybody want to try burning through them?"
Haftor reads a few lines of the prayer silently, pausing in a moment of contemplation. "Let's give whatever built yon web house the chance to show itself, eh? It might be intelligent. If not, maybe we poke the nest and stir it up so it comes to us?"
"May as well also poke at the webs. Some spiders respond to the vibrations."
Kronug takes a small stick and tosses it lightly at the webs.
Jarrek hefts his huge sword, looking around at the trees warily.
Roshelle cocks her head to the side as she examines the web structure from a distance. She waves her hands in the air and incants a short spell in an attempt to detect any magic emanating from the tent.
"This is really interesting, isn't it. I don't know if I've ever seen anything quite like this before."
The webs are not magical. When Kronug tosses the stick and disturbs the web, though, five figures emerge from concealment in the sticky filaments and move to attack.
Round 1 (ongoing):
Initiative order
Smaller spiders-acted
Strange creatures-acted
Kronug
Roshelle
Jarrek
Large spider
Seamus
Haftor
The smaller spiders scuttle through the edge of the web and launch globs of the stuff at Kronug and Jarrek. Both are hit and entangled. Then the strange creatures spit more webbing at Roshelle and Haftor, both of whom are entangled as well.
Jarrek rips out of the webs and charges the closest weird monster, big blade kindling with pale fire as he runs. "You're not gonna stop me that easily!"
Entangled isn't that bad, and the standard action to escape makes the attempt of dubious value.
Kronug will ready to attack the first creature within reach.
Roshelle winces as a web of sticky spider silk settles down on her. "Ugh. Gross." She flicks her hands and tries to rub the sticky strands off herself. "Bother all this. It's going to take me a second to get free. But first, let me help you guys."
She tries to cast a spell but the web slows her movements too much. The spell fizzles out.
"Ok. Looks like I'm going to have to get out of this before I can help anyone. You boy don't die first, ok?"
Round 1 (ongoing):
Initiative order
Smaller spiders-acted
Strange creatures-acted
Kronug-delaying
Roshelle-acted
Jarrek-acted
Large spider-acted
Seamus-acted
Haftor
Kronug readies a strike for anything coming into range. Roshelle tries to cast a spell, but the webbing interferes with her gestures. Jarrek cuts himself free and advances warily.
The larger spider scuttles forward and bites at Jarrek, but misses.
Seamus hurls a bomb at the larger spider. It hits and explodes, sending burning liquid over the spider and the creature next to it! The alchemist's skill is such that not a drop touches Jarrek.
”Ugh. Creepy-crawlies!”
Haftor takes a step and fires his crossbow at the closest spider.
[ooc]5’ step S, then fire crossbow at red. with PBS,
Haftor puts a crossbow bolt through the clustered eyes of one of the spiders, dropping it where it stands.
Round 2 (ongoing):
Initiative order
Smaller spider-acted
Strange creatures-acted
Kronug-delaying
Roshelle
Jarrek
Large spider
Seamus
Haftor
Every one of the remaining enemies attack Jarrek. One hits with a claw , but the bard dodges all the rest of the attacks.
Kronug will try to cut himself free of the webs.
His first swing isn't effective.
He cuts himself free and steps up next to Jarrek.
Jarrek screams as the biggest spider bites at him. "AAAAAH!" Recovering slightly from his apparent fright, the big half-orc refocuses on the largest threat. "I hate spiders!"
Round 2 (ongoing):
Kronug takes longer than expected to cut himself free, while Jarrek lands a solid hit on the largest spider.
Roshelle struggles to pull herself free of the web.
"I'm going to have to get myself a little dagger for things like this."
Round 2 (ongoing):
Roshelle slips free of the webbing. The biggest spider bites at Jarrek, but misses cleanly. That's the last thing it does, though, as it succumbs to the lingering fire from Seamus' bomb.
The creatures have no treasure or other interesting gear.
Jarrek nods at the front of the pyramid. "That looks like the obvious next place to go."
The interior of the obelisk houses a flight of narrow and precariously steep stairs descending into a dark shaft that plummets to an unknown depth within the earth. The passing years have crusted the walls and stairs with overlapping rings of yellow and pale green lichen.
Kronug scrapes away the lichen with his dagger so the inscriptions can be seen.
The inscription at the top of the stairs is in Dwarven, using a highly formalized writing style. It reads "Here lies the pride of our clan, Nargrym, son of Torgrym, called Steelhand. He passed to Torag's halls and was laid to rest with utmost honor in the 9063rd year of Sky, called 4706 in Absalom Reckoning. May he be remembered forever as the Giantslayer."
The inscriptions appear to continue along the stairs down.
Jarrek nods as the Dwarven is translated. "Well, we're in the right place at least." He looks at Seamus. "Do you want to go first?"
The gnome nods tentatively. "Sure...."
Descending the stairs while searching for traps will take some time.
Haftor intones a quiet prayer to Torag, then reads the inscription in Dwarven, followed by a translation for those who need it.
He looks uncomfortable intruding into this tomb, offering Nargrym, son of Torgrym, his apologies and respect.
He steps behind the gnome, loaded crossbow in hand, and walks slowly and carefully down the stairs, continuing to read the inscription aloud as he goes.
"Be watchin' yer steps, me boyos.
Roshelle runs her hands over the engraved inscriptions. She can't read Dwarven but she still feels the weight of history and reverence imbued in the words as Haftor's words echo in the passageway. She quietly puts a spell on the head of her glaive to illuminate the descending passage.
"I know you boys probably can see in the dark just fine but I can't. I hope you don't mind a little light."
She positions herself in the middle of the pack. She doesn't want to lead the group and she certainly doesn't want to be at the back.
Scraping away the lichen on the way down reveals an epic poem on the life and mighty deeds of the deceased. It tells of his magical hand, that allowed him to wield the tremendous weapons of his hated foes, and his enchanted coat of mail, fashioned from the fingernails of giants he had slain. Eventually it comes to a section entitled "The Tragic Fall of Steelhand," which relates how he was betrayed by his squire and kinsman, Lokmorr Erdergun, after they defeated the fire giant Gunderroth, called Dwarfskinner. Lokmorr took credit for killing Gunderroth after Nargrym had fallen in battle, and was initially hailed as a hero. But a priest of Torag, one Byrim Forgepride, discovered the truth and confronted Lokmorr. The squire killed him in turn, still hoping to conceal his crimes.
In this he failed. The ruling council of Janderhoff branded his forehead with the mark of a traitor, struck his family name from the dwarven histories, and caged him alive in Steelhand's tomb, to spend his final hours in the presence of the hero he betrayed. His relatives willingly joined other clans after proving themselves worthy and untainted by their closeness to the kinslayer.
It is at this point, around forty feet down, that the stairway shaft begins to fill with wisps of spiderwebs, populated by numerous hairy brown spiders.
Kronug isn't sure about the spiders.
"So this traitor was caged alive in Steelhand's tomb? What do you think the odds are that we will find him as an undead or something?"
Jarrek nods at the spiderwebs. "Orb spiders! Deadly but they won't bite as long as you leave the webs alone. Stay clear!"
He also nods at Kronug. "More likely than not, I'd say. After that story I'll be glad to be the ones who put down a terrible traitor like that. Maybe that'll make you feel a little better about being in here, Haftor."