Redona didn't like the way the plan wasn't working. Since when were spiders so smart? Krieg threw his dagger and ran, and Redona waited for a signal to attack. That signal came when Borris jumped out to attack. Redona, hoping to help the Paladin, pokes out enough to fire her crossbow.
As he's knocking an arrow, Kreig grins at the magus. "Like the thought kid, but spiders climb. Can't she just climb out?"
As long as this spider doesn't run away we are fine lets just slay it while we can! But if I say that out loud this spider migth understand me!
Kreig moves to get in position to shoot an arrow, but there is no need as Rikar cleaves the witch spider nearly in two with his greatsword and she falls to the ground dead. You hear a voice from behind you that Misha understands,
With the witch spider dead, Rikar begins hacking at her webs, hoping to clear a path to her lair and see what lies within. "It'd be easier to burn this stuff, but there might be papers or something that Misha could use to figure out more about this place, and they don't handle burning so well."
He looks over his shoulder at Latys and says, "Hey lazy, you weren't much good in that fight! Afraid of spiders?"
After Rikar's blade cuts their opponent in half, Latys can't help but notice that her paws have become rather unpleasantly dirty in these crude tunnels. She sets to cleaning them and, when Rikar calls out, she looks up briefly from licking her left forepaw to give him a completely disinterested look, then returns to her task.
Redona is at first surprised by the quick demise of the spider, letting out a bit of a gasp, then by the sound of the creatures behind them saying something she didn't understand. She's momentarily distracted by Rikar, however, when he teases his kitty friend about her lack of help with the spider. "I think she's decided bugs are more your area of expertise," she chuckled, watching the big cat lick her paws with an amused expression.
"Our friends are impressed. She somehow beguiled the other morlocks into fighting for her, so they weren't able to get a jump on her. Good on you, Kreig, for not letting that work on you."
Misha nods at the morlocks and points at Rikar, to show she is going to join him, searching through the aranea's lair.
After Rikar clears out the cobwebs, with Josef and Borris standing guard to ensure that you are not interrupted, the rest of you search the room for anything the creature might have had. Besides 601 gp worth of coins and gems, you find a scroll that detects as magical.
Kreig chuckles as Rikar puts an end to their debate on the best method to kill the spider. "Guess we don't need a lick o' fire with that guy arou...hey!"
The dwarf whirls around, bow nearly coming up and an arrow loosed in a single motion as the morlocks emerge from the shadows to admire the group's handiwork. Kreig quickly lowers his bow, brows a bit furrowed at the sudden appearance of their employers. "Pantomime a warning to 'em, Legs. They gotta be careful sneakin' around like that when yer dwarf is so jumpy."
He back away from the gathering and then finally turns towards the lair of the spider creature. He nods thanks to Misha's comments and taps his head with the shaft of his arrow. "Helps when a I gotta nice, rock solid noggin."
"Let's see what there is ta see, eh?" He slips his arrow away and tucks Seeker over his shoulder, dwarf eyes picking up a glint of mischief as he proceeds to do what comes naturally. He creeps along slowly as he enters the lair, inspecting the areas where obvious traps might occur, even going so far as to look carefully at the floor for any pit traps like some spider breeds were known to do back in Janderhoff.
...inspecting items and the area, ending with the scroll that is found...
Once done - assuming after any revelations - he'll pick around the area to find the dagger he thru over the head of the spider at the onset of battle. "Now, where'd my gob-sticker go off ta?"
"I think you jumping about like that is probably adequate." Misha chuckles.
Misha examines the scroll found, using detect magic to determine its nature.
Once they're done, Misha is ready for the Morlocks to lead them to the next place.
Redona takes an interest in the Divine scrolls immediately upon their discovery. "Think any of these will be useful for me?" she asks the group as she grabs one to examine. She was becoming relaxed after fights faster and faster lately, going from combat mode to jovial alarmingly fast for the innocent cleric girl who had signed on for the trip. "So um... does anyone have a spell to read magic prepared?"
Misha spends a minute or so and determines that there is the aura of a 3rd level spell on the scroll, and it does not appear to be trapped, so she puts the scroll away for now.
With the witch spider done, you head back east and then south, passing thru a morlock guard post , but when the guards see their chief leading you, they just move aside and let you pass. As you enter the goblin god cave, you see the cave is littered with bones and remains, seemingly
from the bodies of assorted humanoids.
Rikar looks at Misha and says, ”I think our next stop was to collect the barghest’s stuff, right? Sounds like an easy one – stop by, collect some treasure. But I bet there’ll be a surprise or two. Can you ask your nice morlock friend to lead the way?”
He then waves a hand at Latys, who has curled up in the corner of the aranea’s nest and begun to doze off, and says, ”Come on, girl, work to do.”
Since Redona looks interested in the scroll they found, and Misha does not detect anything dangerous on the scroll, Misha does take a moment and pulls out a small crystal, and casts read magic. She announces what she finds, and if it is indeed clerical, she will hand it to Redona. If not she stashes it in her haversack unless someone else lays claim to it.
Once finished she gives a firm nod to the morlock and waves to him to lead the way to the next area.
Yeah Rikar is right lets get some of that loot maybe it can help us in our quest against evil!
"Sorry love, it's a spell they teach at schools of wizardry and bardic academies." She hands it over to Josef instead, who might want to take a look. "A spell of deep slumber."
Again she urges the morlock to lead them to the next area.
Redona shrugs "Oh well. At least one of us can use it," she grins. It didn't really bother her, she just didn't mind having more tricks up her sleeve for when fights were harder than their last one. She then prepares to follow behind Misha where the Morlock takes them.
Kreig follows along with the group, staying near the front so he can see past the taller folk. More importantly, he wants to keep an eye out for potential dangers the morlocks might be leading them towards. The old thief couldn't shake the feeling that sooner or later a double-cross was in the cards. Would the mor locks just let them go after the group cleared out the dangers plaguing their dark home? Or would they preserve the secret of their place and silence them?
Ifn' they need help now with these critters n' such, what makes ya think they got illusions on snuffin' the guys who cleared then out? Kreig shrugs to himself as if to say, 'good point'.
Up ahead is the goblin god cave and remains of the beast's dark habits. Kreig sets about searching the area, wary of any traps or potential dangers to the group.
Following the morlocks lead, you all head to the Goblin Gods cave. There are piles of bones, from multiple types of humanoids. Kreig searches thru, and finds several interesting items. Three potions, two scrolls a magical short sword and a magical ring.
Misha examines the scrolls with detect magic () and Perception () to be sure they are ordinary, untrapped magic scrolls. If she discerns they are harmless, she will identify them with read magic.
She also sets her eyes on the short sword, but after her outburst so recently over the first one they found earlier today, she manages to restrain herself.
Hmm that looks interesting!
Borris is patiently watching over the shoulders of the 2 smart people looking at what is unfolding ! :-)
Misha takes time to ensure that the scrolls are not trapped or cursed, and then between her, Josef and Redona they determine the nature of the scrolls and potions.
The potions are, bulls strength, cure light wounds, and remove disease. The scrolls are summon monster II and web.
The short sword is a +1 short sword and the ring is protection +1.
Rikar's eyes widen briefly as Misha, Josef and Redona describe what they've found in the barghest's treasure. "So that ring'll make it harder for foes to hit you, eh? That'd come in mighty handy - it's a lot nicer to avoid getting hit in the first place than have to take the bite, scratch, stab, smash, whatever and have Redona put me back together."
Kreig reaches down to his belt and removes the belt and frog holding Better Slice. ”How’s about I give ya back this here sword? I know you’re partial…” He makes to hand it to Misha. ”I can take this here sticker and call it good…”
He gives Rikar a grin. ”As fer tha ring, I’d think it’d suit ya fine, Rikar. Gives me another tree I can stand behind should things get sideways.”
Rikar smiles back at his dwarven friend, then jokes back at him as well, "You're welcome to stand behind me when things get tough, Kreik, as long as you keep your nimble, dwarven fingers off all the gold in my pockets."
"Can't make any promises there, Longshanks. Not my fault ifn' ya can't hold onto yer pouches."
Rikar chuckles and gives Kreig a friendly glare, then says, "I'll remember that next time I'm torn 'tween holding on to my pouch and holding on to my sword, when there's an angry barghest comin' at us with a taste for dwarf."
He picks up the ring the barghest has inadvertently gifted him with, shines it on his sleeve a moment, then slips it onto a finger, its simple silver band suiting his rough, weather-browned hands nicely. He then clutches his fist closed and gives Kreig another glare, as if to say, I dare ya to try, dwarf!
Misha nods to Krieg and exchanges swords. "All right then. I'm glad this could work out."
"And I agree with Rikar getting the ring. He's gotten the brunt of it pretty often." She looks around. "Any claims on the potions? Or should I put them in the handy haversack and whoever needs them can grab them? Tell you what, if no one takes them for themselves in the next five minutes, that's what I'll do, so if you want'em, don't be shy. Go for it."
Once everyone is done distributing and redistributing things, Misha assumes her usual place in line and lets the morlocks know they're ready to face the "Fury." Or at least she thinks they are.
"I'll not ask for anything else, having gotten this sweet prize," Rikar says in response to Misha's question, while holding his ring up for all to see. "Might make sense, though, for one of us who can't cure others, like ol' Kreig there, to carry that healing potion, in case he needs it, or I do when he's hiding behind me."
Redona shakes her head at the potions. "I have my spells, and if I need anything I'll ask. But I think you guys would use them better than me while I stand back and flail with a crossbow," she chuckles.
+1 Trapfinding, +2 Unusual Stonework, +2 Checks related to metals, jewels, gemstones
+2 Underground
+2 Underground
After a long, silent pause, as if the entire party were holding their breath, Rikar waves Kreig on. The towering Shoanti and his loyal cat round the corner to the Fury cave, moving as quietly as they're able.
Kreig nods understanding to Rikar and brings up Seeker, an arrow ready to fire as he hugs the cavern wall rounding the bend ahead.
Ain't messin' 'round fer thissun, less see what this bow ken do... Kreig focuses his will through the weapon...and in response he feels the air around him come to a stand still, his breathing slow and steady, and his eyes sharpen...
...sneaking around the corner...
Readied Action:
+7 normal
+1 Point Blank (if in 30 ft Range)
+20 True Strike
Add if Applicable -
+1 Point Blank (if in 30 ft Range)
+2 Underground
+2 Underground
Realizing they've been spotted, Rikar calls out to Latys, "Go around that pillar, attack it from behind!" Latys takes off, moving like the swift, deadly hunter that she is. As she comes into sight behind the Fury, Rikar steps next to Kreig and strikes with his mighty greatsword.
Redona hides partially behind another nearby pillar for cover (if that's possible, otherwise she stays behind the party), and she takes aim with her crossbow, firing it at the Fury saying another small prayer to guide her allies in the fight.