Before Ost is able to point them out, Nymeria also spots the tracks - human boot prints, extremely easy to follow and nothing a thirf or great rknown would usually leave behind
You see, in this case you don't even need my genius, although it is always good to have a skilled tracker like me at your side. Now gentlemen, can we cross the clearing and continue the pursuit?
Jez looks across the clearing trying to determine whether there is anything unusual of dangerous there - a trap perhaps.
Perception:
She then looks down to Mobo and quietly says to him: Excuse me pickle master, do your sharp eyes see anything suspicious. I really do not trust this guy.
Ost's patience seems to ebb away
You fear there is a trap? Laid out by me? Pff...you're fools should you not realize how much of a help I'm to your cause!
In a huff he turns around and strides to the centre of the clearing
You see! No traaaaaaaaaaaaa...
suddenly the earth around his feet shakes - then it explodes and a trapdoor spider the size of a small house flashes out of the ground and snaps poor Ost - a split second later the man and monster have vanished in the tunnels...
At least it is not a trap by his doing
Kosti closes in on the tunnel entrance to see if there is a way of going down there other then just falling.
Jez unsheathes her sword and charges forward seeing where spiderman took off to.
Well, the opening has a size of about 15m diameter - but yes, you could slide down there...into the nest of what seems to be one of the largest spiders in Galt :)
I look at Attalas: Want to play with the little spider?
If one of the tougher looking fellows like the Ogre or the Ulfen make appear to follow our guide, Kosti won't go first - if they take to long to make a move however, he will go down (probably in more than one way)
I was thinking of having Attalas tie a rope to me and lower me down. Can't send a man (ogre) to do a woman's work like cleaning up a little nest of spiders.
"Why would we want to deprive a spider it's well earned meal of soap and fop?"
"Why would we want to deprive a spider it's well earned meal of soap and fop?"
"That's a good point. We'd only be fighting it for fun, but I'm hungry and we haven't had lunch yet"
AAH! Nymeria lets out a small scream but quickly recovers.
Come on, we have to save him, however much of a fool he is!
She says, jumping down the tunnel...
Acrobatics:
"Then again, that spider gonna feed you for a month Mobo. See I can think of others needs not just my own belly. I'll go get him" Attalas heads for the hole with sword drawn.
Jez follows close behind her more massive companion hoping that the foolish elf managed to avoid getting consumed before they rescued her.
Down it is.
Nymeria is the first to slide down the tunnel wall, after a while it descends to steeply that she more or less stumbles the rest of the way into a gigantic cave.
Quickly she jumps to her feet only to look into several dozen scores of eyes. The spider - still about 10m in diameter big, glares at her with mindless eyes, so does her breed: About twenty small spiders, maybe as large as dogs who just wanted to begin feeding on Ost...whose lifeless and pretty much chewed-in-half form lies inmidst the baby spiders...
"How are things going deown there?!?" Ragnvald calls from above.
Jez calls up to Ragnvald: I thought you would be the first to jump into a battle. Not bad if you avoid that the crazy elf just led us into a den full of gigantic spiders, come and join the fun.
Jez then whispers a prayer to whatever insane power allows her to tap into the divine.
Cast Bless - +1 attacks for all.
Perception: <-- how many bugs do we see?
I move over next to the larger ogre so that flanking will be much more difficult.
you notice a rope looking out of Ost's pack at your feet. He must have lost it on his way down...
All in all there are about 25 smaller archnids in the cave.
Nymeria gets the rope and ties a knot in the end, throwing it back up to Ragnvald.
Throw:
Ragnvald runs to a nearby thick tree and wraps it around for leverage. "Gorum demands blood and glory not ignoble deaths in dark holes!"
Quickly you are able to affix the rope - it should suffice to even get Attalas back up there - you wonder how and why, but it will do the trick.
The spiders watch with hungry interest what the next meal tries to do, but for now they don't attack.
Kosti casts Mage Armor on himself. He also takes a quick look into Osts backpack, to see if there is anything that just screams useful, like a labeled potion, a wand or anything like that.
Sorry Ost! Nymeria says, grabbing his backpack and starting up the rope. Come on guys, let's get out of here!
Climb:
Seeing the foolish elf scamper up the rope, Jez quickly follows:
Climb:
I guess we can't really do anything for that poor fool anymore.
Kosti follows the ladys upwards.
I feel a little bad about threatening him earlier, though. And by Lamashtus swollen womb, I sure hope the fact that he was almost literally swallowed by the path ahead of him was not a sign of Desnas ire.
Ouch. Got it, talk less, focus more
Ouch again
Seeing Kosti having trouble the tiny blue haired girl grabs the rope and pulls Kosti up and then drops the rope down for Attalas.
Nymeria nocks an arrow and covers the others as they ascend.
"No fun" Attalas moans beofr ascending as well.
The spiders are contempt with the human food they already have...and Kosti doesn't have to climb, clinging to the rope is enough - Jez easily pulls him out.
About thirty seconds after you have invaded the home of the legendary Blacksilk, the most feared predator in the Boardwood you are back at the surface...on second thought it is a bit strange that an experienced huntsman like Ost didn't know about the spider...Anway, it was most surely a trap laid out be the Raven, since the tracks ran directly over the trapdoor.
Jez looks to Mobo: Ok little man, time for you to show us where to go. The only thing the rest of us are good at finding is trouble.
Jez looks at the hole. No fair, why does the spider get to taste the sweet elf and we don't. She then begins to pout as she sheathes her blade and begins to make her way around the spider pit.
Ragnvald is getting visibly annoyed. "I am going to have to kill many people before this is over. Lead on little one. I have anger to share."
[ooc]Perception Roll Dc 18 to follow the tracks, Mobo[/spoiler]
The track is quickly found again and after you have skirted around the trapdoor, you follow it to the clearing's edge.
Fore here on the Red Raven has taken an old path deeper into the woods. You follow it for about two miles as you reach a fork and suddenly identical tracks lead in both directions!
"Huh!? Thats confusing!"
Jez looks at the two sets of tracks and sighs. She then mumbles something which sounds vaguely like two demons tormenting a group of helpless humans.
Cast Detect Magic and scan the area for any sign that one of the sets of tracks is magical.
No, none of the tracks have been produced by magic means.
It takes some time, but after a while and a lot of walking up and down the first metres of the tracks, Mobo is sure that the ones leading south rather smell of human, while the ones leading north rather smell of gnome!
I look over at Kosti: Is the Red Raven a wee gnome or a soon to be bloody human?
"LEt's follow the human. I've no mind for gnomish tricks. Besides Mobo might eat him before we have a chance to get proper answers out of him."
"Follow the humie!"
Taking this trail looks like a good decision since it leads deeper into the Boarwood - wait, deeper into the woods...nevermind...
The world around you grows a bit darker, the firs block out the light and the sounds of wildlife are quieter now. Suddenly the smell of death is on the wind, borne by the breeze that blows down from the mountain range in the south, it taints the forest with the touch of decay.
That stink doesn't bode well. I wonder what amount of decay could foul the winds all the way down here, despite the clear winter air and the somber forest there to clean it up?