Luce and Varis advance quietly into a clearing. Near western edge, they stop their attention caught by a glint of silver. Closer inspection reveals spiderweb strung between the trees and at the far side, two dangerous looking vines.
Evidently a trap has been set for the unwary.
Luce walks back to the rest of the group, quietly padding to reveal her findings. "What do we do? Go round? Or shall we trip the trap....ambush the ambushers?"
Kendall ponders the scene. "Why were the vines of note, and you saw no goblins themselves?"
Luce shakes her head; "No." she thinks quickly. "I could turn into a dog and set off the trap whilst you out-flank."
To be honest, you'd always though they were a fable, but the descriptions you've heard all match the things you've just seen.
Luce thinks back; "Me Gram alls told a tale o' t' Bloodthorns. T' vines an drag their victims w' long lines t' their maw. Where their juices slowly devour ye, burning away y' eyes and skin." Luce shudders remembering the nights she spent sleepless after t' tales.
"I don't want to get near them. T' crafty gobbo's be using 'em, t' defend their flanks."
"Interesting, restricted movement and natural terrain predators. Would be easier if I had some alchemist's fire to burn either of the issues. Planning this encounter would be easier knowing the abilities of those entering battle...Still, it would be best I feel, for Caine and I to spring this trap, and any...irregulars ready themselves to loose missles upon those in mid-charge."
The knight pauses, "Er...pardon, did you say 'turn into a dog?'"
Luce smiles which is slightly unnerving as she her pointed teeth glint between her pale lips; "Aye just a little trick me Gran taught us. It's me heritage, can shift me skin. Ain't like me proper ancestors, whose bones broke as they changed."
Suddenly, the farm lass seems less harmless. "Aye, that ideas a good 'un. I can attack from t' range or git up close." she looks across at Sigvard with a wink. Luce moves over to Betsy making sure she is alright.
"I seem to have misjudged you, Miss. I am quite sorry, was not my intention to demean your efforts here...Hmmm a druid then..."
Luce taps him on his Steelshod arm; "Think nowt of it. We are who we are cause of what we do, not what abilities we have. Actions are heroic despite our abilities."
Kendall lets out a surprised chuckle, "You would make a fine knight, I think."
Luce blushes beet red.
Varis suggests, "I'll hide in the woods to the right. Fire from cover. Those are my abilities."
Luce leaves Betsy tied to a tree, nearby with plenty of food and the lead being secured but for her friend able to run if attacked. She looks to the others; "So we go with the Knights plan? Varis that'll be grand." in the corner of her eye she sees a dark shadow of a Beastie.
Inish
"Best I think is for me to move around the other side of the web from you, sir knight, commander. I cannot match the stealth of Varis, nor I think is my bow-play as entertaining, but I can add some arrows and move in at the right moment."
Luce moves up through the dark woods, looking upon the clearing.
Varis moves forward to find himself a nice solid tree to snuggle behind.
I'll be delaying until Caine's move unless the enemy attacks early. I'd like to travel in concert with him.
Sigvards on my map :)
Luce moves swiftly out of the trees with a low growl she skirts the edge of the tree-line. Jumping over roots and mosses one hand picks up a small sharp piece of stone. Always too enthusiastic as shown by her last adventure, she has moved before the rest exposing their presence with her sprinting.
Her sharp eyes pick out a the Southern Bloodthorn is growing in the hard flinty soil of hills. Her arm whips around throwing the stone to the base trying to hit the flint and alight the ground in a brief conflagration, whilst shocking any ambushers.
Out of the corner of her eye she sees the brief flicker of a dark shape; 'A Beastie? Again...'
Luce bounds into the clearing and sets the nearest vine on fire. As she does so, the trap starts to spring and spiders descend from the trees to attack her and Caine. Movement from the branches suggests that there are more of the creatures lurking in wait.
The bites are minor in themselves, but the poison spreads fast, making wounds fester.
The spiders bite irritates her skin as it drops on her from above. The hairy legs and clacking mandibles send a shiver down her spine. 'Is this what the gobbo's t'were firing at? Or 'ave the spider herders?'
From atop his steed, Kendall mutters, "Well this has gone to pot already." He rears up his horse, charging towards the one Luce attacked, "Keep your distance! then promptly ignores his own words, moving to R9.
Splat That Spider vs S4
for +3 more for riding. 21 damage.
S4 is slowed. Both S4 and S3 are in my aura. -2 to hit others.
Varis looks at shrugs at Kendall, "She does this a lot, you get used to it and adapt." he offers as a valid explanation. He darts forward and fires at the plant that Luce had set on fire, confident that the dwarf had the spider's attentions. He then dashes around Luce into the brush closer up, attempting to regain the shadows.
Kendall rides straight over the intrusive spiderling as Varis tries and fails to attack V1.
The hiss of arrows heralds the arrival of yet more foes as leaves at the tops of the trees part long enough to briefly reveal some goblins wielding shortbows. Luce presents a very tempting target.
Luce gasps as the arrows pepper into her; 'Well at least we know where our enemies are she thinks.'