Round 2, Initiative 17
Cold Iron Arrows = 17/20
Silver Blunt Arrows = 10/10
Adamantium Salted Arrows = 5/5
Ghost Salted Arrows = 5/5
Bardic Performance = 10/10
Shard Major Image = 1/1
Bard Spells Remaining: (First: 1/2) (CL 2, Con: +5, SR: +2)
0) Detect Magic, Light, Prestidigitation, Spark
1) Cure Light Wounds, Grease
Bibic eyes the creatures at Noya’s request and eyes the mites, but he learns nothing new.
Bibic then brings his bow around to attack one of the mites mounted on a spider hoping the spider might attack other mites as well as the party when uncontrolled.
"Anyone know if they have a weakness?"
"What? Who? Oh...them?"
Know (Arcana) - mites
Round 1, Initiative 5
Clement hustles up next to Rhesus and brings his mace around at the nearest mite.
for
Round 2
"My hammer works fine!"
Rhesus proves his point by smushing the second spider.
With the spiders down, the remaining mites drop their weapons and run for their lives. Some head deeper into the complex while others try to force their way past you.
A quick survey of the room finds nothing of interest. Moving on, you find yet another stairwell that leads deeper into this huge dungeon. The stairs are dark, and a dank musty spell rise up from them.
Bibic lowers his bow as the Mites scatter. He does not expend any arrows in chasing them.
He takes out his shard and checks that we're still on the right track. Presuming the shard indicates we should go down, he gestures to the stairwell leading into darkness, "Shall we?"
Spasi nods and smiles as Rhesus smashes another spider.
"Yeah, that's the way to do it. That's the way I would do it. Look at them lil buggers run!" Spasi chortles to Clem.
"You think they will ever mess with us again? Rhesus' club has them running to the other bridge support!" Spasi guffaws, looking at Clem and Bibic.
Spasi looks around the spider bodies for anything of interest - pieces of webbing, unsmashed poison bladders, etc, then nods to Bibic to lead on.
"Which way, Bibic? Yeah...let's go that way. That was the way I was going to suggest."
The stairwell is long and dark. Eventually you come out into a musty hallway that leads off to the south and to the west. The southern hall becomes nearly completely choked my spider webs, while that to the west, is relatively web free.
Rhesus looks at the spider webs with some trepidation.
"I vote the clear way."
Spasi nods and smiles as Rhesus suggests.
"Well, I always follow the big man. And the big man says go that-away, so we go that-away," Spasi says merrily, as if something about him was different.
Spasi follows Rhesus to the west.
Clement hesitates on his descent and pats his stomach with a mailed hand.
"Guys.. I feel different."
His eyes widen as he takes in the full splendor of Rhesus and pats the Shoanti on the shoulder
"Rhesus, you look... powerful."
Clement reserves commenting on any of the others, simply nodding his head at Rhesus as if the others should join in his praise.
Once the "applause" has died down, Clement resumes his position at Rhesus' side and prepares himself to deflect the attacks of any evil creatures that would do his friend harm.
Taking the path of least resistance, you follow along the hall until in widens into a small room. Three long cell block corridors extend out from this central guardroom, each hall featuring numerous iron cell doors. The corridor continues past the cells to the west.
Poking about the room, you catch sight of four dog-sized spiders that converge at the smell of fresh prey.
Combat Round 1
16 Spiders (Front vs N and R)
14 Rhesus
11 Clement
7 Spasi
4 Noya
4 Bibic
Round 1 Init 16
XP 200
N Small vermin
Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft.; Perception +4
DEFENSE
AC 13, touch 13, flat-footed 11 (+2 Dex, +1 size)
hp 11 (2d8+2)
Fort +4, Ref +2, Will +0
Immune mind-affecting effects
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft., climb 20 ft.
Melee bite +2 (1d4 plus poison)
STATISTICS
Str 10, Dex 15, Con 12, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 2
Base Atk +1; CMB +0; CMD 12 (24 vs. trip)
Skills Acrobatics +10, Climb +24, Perception +4, Stealth +10 (+25 when stationary); Racial Modifiers +8 Acrobatics, +16 Climb, +4 Perception, +4 Stealth (+15 when stationary)
SQ camouflage
ECOLOGY
Environment warm or temperate forests
Organization solitary, pair, or colony (3–10)
Treasure incidental
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Poison (Ex) Bite—injury; save Fort DC 14 (includes +2 racial bonus); frequency 1/round for 4 rounds; effect 1d2 Str; cure 1 save.
Round 1, Initiative 4+
Cold Iron Arrows = 18/20
Silver Blunt Arrows = 10/10
Adamantium Salted Arrows = 5/5
Ghost Salted Arrows = 5/5
Bardic Performance = 12/12
Shard Major Image = 1/1
Bard Spells Remaining: (First: 2/3) (CL 3, Con: +6, SR: +5)
0) Detect Magic, Light, Mending, Prestidigitation, Spark
1) Cure Light Wounds, Feather Fall, Grease
”Damn spiders are everywhere down here. I’ll be glad when we’re through with them!”
Bibic takes aim at the newcomers, focusing on the one pressing Noya.
Round 1, Initiative 7
"Ah crap. Dammit. That one moved...that ain't fair!"
"Arg, I hate Spiders"
She goes punching the spider
the first one missing due to the surprise of the attack but the second one hits home hard
Round 1, Initiative 11
Clement watches as the first spider bites at Rhesus, and as he gets a clear look at the wound, he looks to his own body for what he would expect to be a shared injury.
"Drats! It didn't bite you hard enough for it to transfer!"
Almost forgetting he's in the combat as well, Clement returns his attention to the battle, takes a step back and intones a prayer to Valani as his empyreal lord grants a blessing to his companions.
.
Round 1 Init 14
Rhesus stares at the spider that bit him, not even feeling the nick.
"Huh, guess they live in the clear spots too."
With that, he brings the hammer down on the one that bit him.
Barely hitting it but crushing it nonetheless.
Combat Round 2
16 Spiders (Front vs N and R)
14 Rhesus
11 Clement
7 Spasi
4 Noya
4 Bibic
Combat Round 2, Init 16
XP 200
N Small vermin
Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft.; Perception +4
DEFENSE
AC 13, touch 13, flat-footed 11 (+2 Dex, +1 size)
hp dead/11, dead/11, 4/11 and 11/11
Fort +4, Ref +2, Will +0
Immune mind-affecting effects
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft., climb 20 ft.
Melee bite +2 (1d4 plus poison)
STATISTICS
Str 10, Dex 15, Con 12, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 2
Base Atk +1; CMB +0; CMD 12 (24 vs. trip)
Skills Acrobatics +10, Climb +24, Perception +4, Stealth +10 (+25 when stationary); Racial Modifiers +8 Acrobatics, +16 Climb, +4 Perception, +4 Stealth (+15 when stationary)
SQ camouflage
ECOLOGY
Environment warm or temperate forests
Organization solitary, pair, or colony (3–10)
Treasure incidental
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Poison (Ex) Bite—injury; save Fort DC 14 (includes +2 racial bonus); frequency 1/round for 4 rounds; effect 1d2 Str; cure 1 save.
Round 2, Initiative 4+
Weapon Equipped = Bow
Cold Iron Arrows = 16/20
Silver Blunt Arrows = 10/10
Adamantium Salted Arrows = 5/5
Ghost Salted Arrows = 5/5
Bardic Performance = 12/12
Shard Major Image = 1/1
Bard Spells Remaining: (First: 2/3) (CL 3, Con: +6, SR: +5)
0) Detect Magic, Light, Mending, Prestidigitation, Spark
1) Cure Light Wounds, Feather Fall, Grease
Bibic continues to press the one on Noya, though he’ll switch to the other if it falls with his first hit. "Good dodging everyone, now let's finish them off!"
Round 1, Initiative 9
Clement steps forward next to the spiders again, and first hesitates as he appears concerned to get tangled up in any way that could affect Rhesus' swing. Girding himself, he then sees if his mace is any easier to swing with Valani's blessing.
for
Round 2 Init 14
"These aren't as tough."
With the blessing of Clem he hits again.
Round 2, Initiative 7
"Ah crap. Dammit. They keep moving!! That ain't fair!"
A quick search of the immediate area finds nothing by dust and cobwebs. Continuing down the path you are on, you turn a corner and descend some stairs a room, a heavy stone door blocks passage to the west, and an eastern corridor exits between cells blocked by doors of rusty iron bars. Scattered about the room are a number of instruments of torture from bygone days, now mostly gone to rot and ruin.
Unlike all the previous cells you've come across, one of these is not empty. A hairless abomination lies in one. As you enter the room it hisses at you and begins to slam itself against the bars of its cage, which creak ominously, but hold.
Spasi recognizes the creature as a sinspawn.
Sheila smiles at her husband's enthusiasm. "Actually, if you wouldn't mind I would have you keep an eye out for any sinspawn during your delve. Our resident alchemist has some interesting theories that we would like to test out, so if you could bring back the heads of any that you find, you will be well paid for the effort."
Noya asks
"What the heck is that thing?"
as she sees the sinspawn
"Better ask Spasi, he's the thinker."
*********
"That's good Spasi, real good. You want me to chop it's head off with my sledge? Or maybe just shoot it through the bars a bunch first, yeah. Bibic can do it. It can't move much, maybe you could use it for target practice?"
"Even if it's an abomination, it should not have to suffer a slow or painful death."
Bibic eyes the creature in the cage.
+6 Arcane (magical beast), +2 Dungeoneering (aberration)
"I'm not sure what it is, but it certainly looks unfriendly. I wonder why they have it caged up here?"
Bibic looks around for the jailer, or keys.
"It's only slow if we let Spasi do it. If Bibic shoots it it'll be quick and clean."
Spasi rubs his eyes, trying to get a good look at what he thinks he sees.
"Is that a ***king sinspawn? Really? Damn me. The con--, uh, the Society is going to love that. We should bring that back for some good money."
Spasi looks at the cell again as if trying to decide how strong it might be.
"I wonder how long that thing has been here. Maybe it talks. Lemme try talking to it."
"Hey Pinkie! You got a name? This ugly one here is Rhesus. If you like muscle, you'll want him. That one there Clem...I think he has some funky angel blood in him. And that one is Bibic. He elfy. And the woman is saintly and prude. That might intrigue you. I'll give you your choice to do what you wish if you answer some questions for me."
Spasi looks for a reaction from the thing.
When Spasi speaks, the creature calms somewhat and then itt begins to speak in a horrid syllabant language.
Wow. I totally thought that would work, too.
Spasi's face blanks as the creature speaks in a crazy 'language' that no one could possibly know or understand.
"Uh...that thing is screwed up. I don't think it speaks. Alight, but we do need its head. Bibic, did you want the honors?"
Spasi steps back.
"Bibic, when you shoot, maybe you want to use a few different types of arrows until we can see which ones work best. Maybe."
Bibic gets close to the cage and hesitates, something about slaughtering a caged creature gets him for a moment... but the moment passes and he proceeds to shoot.
He has blunt silver and sharp cold iron arrows. He'll try both to see if the creature seems to have any damage avoidance for one or the other material.
Otherwise he shoots until it stops moving, then he gets right up to the cage and shoots one more time to be sure.
He turns to Spais, "Are we happy?"
Thoughts about bringing the creature back on a collar dance through Clement's mind, but as he hears the creature "talk" in some horrid language, he shakes his head and reconsiders.
Clement nods in satisfaction as Rhesus opts to not clobber the creature but instead the others choose a plan where Bibic shoot it through the bars. He makes his way next to the Shoanti, and smiles nervously during the proceedings, before finally shutting his eyes as the creature begins to wail, hiss, moan and emote sounds that have no right coming from a living being.
Finally, as silence returns to the room, shoulders hunched, he opens a single eye and looks at Rhesus.
"Is it-- done?"
The creature screams with every arrow that slams into it. It rails against the bars, but the ancient construction holds and eventually it falls to the ground lifeless.
Spasi examines the door after Bibic does his work.
"Nice shooting, Bibs. That's how I would have done it," Spasi says while examine the keyhole from up close. "I'm sure I can open this door. How hard could it be?"
Spasi tries to pick the lock. (No tools, using whatever he has at hand.)
Disable Device (untrained, tool-less)
"I almost got it."
"We could have Rhesus force open the door, but I would not want to damage anything that could be historical or could end up as a national treasure."
"Ain't nothin' historical about prison bars, trust me."
Rhesus will attempt to force the doors open.
"This could take a bit."
Now with both eyes open, Clement smiles casually at the others before frowning at the sight of the lifeless aberration within the cell.
Shaking his head, he knows the inelegant moment of shooting the creature while imprisoned was just a small hiccup in the smooth operational excellence of his companions.
Clement watches with mild interest as Spasi tugs on the lock a few times, before shoving a fingernail into the aperture and abandoning his efforts.
Well, two inelegant moments.
Clement turns to Rhesus, hope mixing with pride.
"Show him how it's done Rhesus!"
Clement gestures to the others to give Rhesus some room and watches as Rhesus circles about and gives the cell door a massive kick. The force of the impact reverberates in his skull.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Clement attempts to wear a smile of enthusiasm with each repeat impact from his Shoanti friend, as if to say everything's going to be alright.
Eventually, the lock on the ancient door gives way and it swings open with a crash, which is almost quiet when compared to the racket that it took to open it. If any creatures were unaware of your intrusion before, they certainly are now.
"I hope we did not wake the dead in opening the door."
"Well, we said we wanted to get 'ahead'," Spasi says as the door opens, revealing the dead sinspawn.
"Any of you guys have something that can chop off the head?" Spasi shows his weaponless hands and goes to keep watch.
"I'll keep watch while you work."
Spasi opines as he looks down the corridor .
"Who builds a dungeon within a dungeon? Isn't this pretty weird?"
"Do they may want the whole corpse, or just the head?"
"Nope, just the head," Spasi recalls.
"Eh, easier to carrier just the parts."
Rhesus pats himself down then frowns.
"Looks like I just got the hammer, so somebody else needs to do it."
Bibic sighs and takes out his ill-used shortsword. He proceeds to hack off the head (likely after a few tries) and offers it to Spasi.
"Here you go. I don't have a convenient bag to carry it in unfortunately - I can't do everything." he chuckles to himself.
If Spasi doesn't take it, he offers it around to the others. If no one takes it, he puts it back on the body and steps back.
"I'll not carry it. I killed it - he'll probably try and bite me."
Head disposed of, he readies his bow and prepares to continue on.
Continuing out the western door, you pass along a long corridor which opens up into a room that seems to have once served as guard barracks, but the beds and other furniture here have long since crumbled into almost unrecognizable ruins.
A staircase lead down deeper into the piling and another hallway leads back to the east. Passing on the stairs for now, you move along the corridor to another room. A damp natural grotto opens up in the earth here, its stone ceiling rising forty feet above. Fat columns of brick support the northern end of the room, and the floor of the southern end has been carved into a low dais upon which stands the mold slick statue of a beautiful woman wielding a ranseur.
You are not alone, a monstrous crab-like creature has claimed this hall as its own:
Combat Round 1
22 Monster (F- Rhesus)
21 Rhesus
13 Spasi
13 Bibic
8 Clement
3 Noya
The creature moves to attack Rhesus
XP 800
N Medium vermin
Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +0
DEFENSE
AC 19, touch 11, flat-footed 18 (+1 Dex, +8 natural)
hp 30/30
Fort +8, Ref +4, Will +3
Immune mind-affecting effects
OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft.
Melee 2 claws +7 (1d4+5)
Ranged filament +5 (drag)
Special Attacks pull (filament, 10 feet)
STATISTICS
Str 17, Dex 12, Con 17, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 4
Base Atk +4; CMB +7 (+11 with pull); CMD 16 (28 vs. trip)
Skills Climb +11
ECOLOGY
Environment any underground
Organization solitary, pair, or tangle (3–6)
Treasure none
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Filament (Ex) A cave fisher can fire a thin filament of sticky silk as a standard action. This touch attack has a range of 60 feet and no range increment. A creature struck by a cave fisher's filament becomes attached to the sticky thread. As a standard action, a creature can rip the filament free with a DC 20 Strength check. A caught creature can also attempt to escape a filament by making a DC 25 Escape Artist check. A filament is AC 14 (touch 12), has 5 hit points, and has DR 15/slashing. An application of liquid with high alcohol content (or a dose of universal solvent) dissolves the adhesive and releases the creature caught by the filament. A cave fisher can have only one filament active at a time.
Pull (Ex) A cave fisher has a +4 racial bonus on CMB checks made using its pull special attack.
seeing the crab like creature
"Looks like I won't be ordering crab for dinner tonight."
Round 1, Initiative 13
"Ah dammit! Would you guys keep it down when I'm lining up my shot?"
EDIT: