Ayerth seems unsure of what he wants to do now, instead taking a defensive stand and watching as his Fire Elemental attempts to burn out the spiders before fading back into the ether, the summoning having run it's course.
The flame ball rolls erratically around the carpet mass, attempting to ignite as many spiders as possible, sensing it's time coming to an end, and wanting to cause as much burning as possible, to spread it's mark on this world. vs DC 11, for the swarm taking 2 points of damage in total from the creature's presence, many of the spiders spreading the flames to their companions.
The dire rat, sensing all is lost, scurries off to the left side chamber, past Ser Brandon, looking for a hole to crawl into. The warrior, distracted by his own defense, fails to react in time and only at the last realizes the creature has disappeared down a small crawlspace under a large, at least by kobold standards, cot covered in blankets and gaudy colorful pillows.
Group 1) Spider Swarm
Group 2) Ayerth, Shellsucker (down a hidey hole)
Group 3) Silas, Echo, Tickbiter (flew the room)
Group 4) Irakli, Orin (sleeping), Ser Brandon
is up, 36 hour clock ticking.
Unsure if there are enemies left to fight, Silas casts a quick healing on Ser Brandon.
Move to and wake Orin up.
Echo attempts to wake Orin [standard action], shaking and prodding him but the dwarf seems to be deep into the effects of the poisoned strike. . It does seem that he responds, slightly, so the effects should be less than the normal few hours most others endure.
As Silas debates about how to proceed past the swarm, he sees the damage the small fire elemental wrought still burning amongst the creatures, fueled by bits of webbing, dirt debris, and other hairy spiders as well. It should be over relatively quickly for the swarm.
The swarm ignores Irakli and Ser Brandon to it's right, Echo and Orin on it's right, but rather gives one last surge forwards instead, filling the mouth of the southern hallway with their tiny forms, popping, hissing, and dying as they come. Many spiders along the edges are starting to lag behind or crawl away, as though the motivating will is deflagging or fading out. , taking , for a total of 6 points thus far, with the fire dying away.
Irakli has become nauseated, but spends the round gathering his resolve, bringing his nerves back under check.
Group 1) Spider Swarm (dissipating)
Group 2) Ayerth, Shellsucker (down a hidey hole)
Group 3) Silas, Echo, Tickbiter (flew the room)
Group 4) Irakli, Orin (sleeping), Ser Brandon
is up, 36 hour clock ticking.
Ayerth uses Mage Hand to hopefully place a flask of oil on the swarm to keep them burning.
The swarm begins falling apart as Ayerth floats a flask of oil over the burning arachnids, noxious black smoke collecting in the air as the lamp oil burns, mixing with the years of offal and refuse that litters the mine's passages.
Group 1) Spider Swarm (dissipating)
Group 2) Ayerth, Shellsucker (down a hidey hole)
Group 3) Silas, Echo, Tickbiter (flew the room)
Group 4) Irakli, Orin (sleeping), Ser Brandon
is up, 36 hour clock ticking.
"Did anyone see which way the chieftain fled?"
Silas checks the kobold to see if he is in fact dead, and if not, he'll cast Stabilize.
In Silas' expert medical condition, This kobold's dead Jim...
"Heal up, this isn't over. Let's search this place out."
Ser Brandon looks over his scarred flesh. [b]"I could use some healing if any of you have the magics to make it so."[b] he asks hopefully biting back the pain.
Ayerth confirms what has been suspected, the walls of this chamber are wooden standing frames covered in stretched fabrics and linens. There is about one foot of space behind each before reaching the worked stone wall of the tunnels.
To the north, past the frame the raven flew through, there is a tunnel leading down a winding, dark path.
The shaman and your guide follow you into the chamber, apparently excited that you have routed the pretender chieftain.
We should heal further if we are to give chase.
Combat rounds are suspended at the moment, the party is free to move about the chamber and interact as desired, within reason.
Orin is down for about another thirty seconds, then will begin to recover.
"Anyone object to asking the shaman for help? His kobolds would know these tunnels far better than we could."
"Not at all."
Silas clears his throat, and adds,
"Or... your best guess. We've beaten his skeletons—I didn't realize the false chief was a necromancer—but we don't know where we'd flee to, and right now I'd be equally happy seeing him dead or fled, but I'd like to get things done with."
The shaman indicates the passage beyond leads down into the lower mines and ultimately to a passage that empties over and into the Shrike River. Most of the side passages are boarded up, but a few may be open. It has been a few months since the kobolds last inspected below, focused as the Chieftain was with his war against the mites.
Orin starts awake, blearily pawing his the floor about him until he finds his axe. Then, using it to push himself into a kneeling position, he growls, "I hope you will not think me slacking and fire me for napping on the job." Having a little problem with the aftereffects of the poison, Orin blinks a bit, his eyes having trouble focusing.
The healing energy enters Ser Brandons body, soothing and tickling but as it leaves he feels much of the pain go with it. "I'm much better, thank you Silas. Oh look Orin is up. Now, Which way shall we proceed?"
Silas peers down into the passage. "Can anyone see a trail of blood down there, or some disturbed dust?"
"We proceed down the passageway. The Shaman says that it empties over the Shrike River. There should be several side passageways."
"Very well, form up behind me. I'll lead the way." Once the party is ready to move he them down passageway, sword and shield at the ready, alert for any more enemies.
"Right."
What is the party using for light, who is attempting to track, marching formation?
Tries to shake off the the effects of the stings. Seeing everyone grouping to move forward and moves to the group
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Ser Brandon leads the way, his path illuminated by the spellcasters at his back.
Your band winds it's way deeper into the mines, finding fewer signs of the kobold infestation and further signs the mine was not originally their construction. Rusted and forgotten iron tracks, broken remnants of carts and digging equipment, warning signs in old Taldan...
This mine may have once belonged to a fallen kingdom of the greenbelt, lost to the ages.
Taking best guesses on direction, Ser Brandon ultimately leads you to an opening in the side of a cliffwall, overlooking the Shrike River. The iron railing has fallen away, but this was once a slag dumping point, and a small, treacherous walkway works it's way to the clifftop above. While old, it does appear as that something has passed this way recently.
"If you could give me ten minutes, Ser Brandon..."
If it seems like it will help, Silas will take ten minutes to cast a Mending spell on the bridge, helping to keep it from falling apart when the party crosses.
There is no bridge, the iron railing was to keep miners from falling from the platform while dumping slag into the river below. The small walkway winds along the cliff-face, rising slowly to the top of the cliff above, roughly 60 or 70 feet up, nearly 300 feet of total path. It is on average about two foot wide, rocky, dusty, and in some spots weather-worn.
"Hmm." Orin thinks out loud. "This is a good place to ambush one and also lay traps." Glancing around at the other's, he shruggs and adds, "What? I cannot be the only one to have thought it."
"Look around everyone."
Ayerth notices small tracks in the dirt and dust leading up the narrow path. The claw marks are typical of kobold prints, and most are recent, though there appear to be one or two that are much older, age unknown.
Looks for traps around the area
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"Here! Kobold tracks leading up the path here, and recent too."
There are no traps around the immediate landing and slag dump station. Up the narrow path, that remains to be seen.
"Well spotted Ayerth and Irkali. Quickly, let us press forward!" he calls out leading the group along the tracks pointed out.
"After you, then."
How far do Ser Brandon and Silas proceed up the path?
Until something noticeable comes up, unless the rest of the group is opposed—we're still pursuing the kobolds here, just slowly enough to keep our footing and let party members spot obvious traps.