In less than a minute, Mouser has disabled what appears to be a rather nasty trap rigged all around this area. Clearly you are on to something...
The aspen wood thins here, forming a small clearing around a large granite obelisk covered with runes. Pillars flank a small, dark archway leading inside the obelisk. Above the pillars, the symbol of a clenched fist is carved into the stone. A strange structure, resembling a tent of shimmering gray webs woven between logs, surrounds the obelisk.
As you approach, you see two spider-faced bipeds that seem to be maintaining the area, and a very large black widow spider in the webs with what appear to be two consorts. None of them seem to have noticed you yet.
"We have the element of surprise right now, I am going to assume they are hostile but I could be wrong. Tam can you make our intrepid friend Mouser here invisible for a long duration to scout around?" Derrik asks
"Or we could just walk up and start fighting them. They are in the way. Either they let us in peacefully or we have to kill them. I don't see any other options." Balmir scowls in the direction of the creatures.
Recognition dawns. "Oh! I know what those things are. Ettercaps. Nasty creatures. They can shoot webs so we need to watch out of that. But worse, their bite is poisonous. Somer, can you take one of them out with your bow from here? We can hide until Mouser is done spying and then shoot them."
Tam nods, casts invisibility on Mouser, and gives the thumbs-up.
Balmir HP 51/51 AC 23/11/22 +4 vs giant +2 natural (barkskin)
Derrik HP 41/41 AC 19/12/19
Mouser HP 44/44 AC 20/17/14
Somer HP 31/31 AC 18/14/14
Tamxander HP 32/32 AC 13/12/11
Ingrahild HP 55/55 AC 18/12/16
Tam opens with a hypnotic pattern to try to daze the ettercaps.
Derrik will load his crossbow just incase he will need it.
Balmir opens with a roar, raises his hammer above his head, and charges towards the nearest ettercap. "Die! You nasty scum!"
As the others move and knowing he has the drop on them Somer draws a bead on the light blue target and quickly flicks off two arrows.
Surprise Round:
Both ettercaps are fascinated with Tam's illusionary magic, and stand there as Belir moves forward. Mouser then appears and throws dirt in the purple ettercap's eyes, blinding him - but breaking the fascination effect. Somer then shoots an arrow and misses the remaining fascinated creature.
Round 1: Balmir charges in, hitting purple with a solid blow!
Balmir HP 51/51 AC 23/11/22 +4 vs giant +2 natural (barkskin)
Derrik HP 41/41 AC 19/12/19
Mouser HP 44/44 AC 20/17/14
Somer HP 31/31 AC 18/14/14
Tamxander HP 32/32 AC 13/12/11
Ingrahild HP 55/55 AC 18/12/16
Tam keeps his target fascinated with his glowing hand gestures.
Both targets are no longer fascinated due to being attacked.
Tam steps sideways and takes a shot at the unobstructed foe with one of his blinding rays.
Derrik moves 15' to the south preparing to cut off the enemy as it tries to come into his allies.
"I will stop them here as they approach" Derrik says
[ooc]Round 1: (Bold may act)
Balmir
Tamxander
Ettercaps: Purple (blinded, 38 dmg), Blue
Mouser
Ingrahild
Spiders
Derrik
Somer
Balmir HP 51/51 AC 23/11/22 +4 vs giant +2 natural (barkskin)
Derrik HP 41/41 AC 19/12/19
Mouser HP 44/44 AC 20/17/14
Somer HP 31/31 AC 18/14/14
Tamxander HP 32/32 AC 13/12/11
Ingrahild HP 55/55 AC 18/12/16
Ingrahild advances to just short of the web stopping, weapons ready, for any of the spiders or spider men to step out in the clear.
The spiders move into better positions. Pink bites Mouser as the very large black widow goes after Balmir.
Balmir HP 51/51 AC 23/11/22 +4 vs giant +2 natural (barkskin)
Derrik HP 41/41 AC 19/12/19
Mouser HP 44/44 AC 20/17/14
Somer HP 31/31 AC 18/14/14
Tamxander HP 32/32 AC 13/12/11
Ingrahild HP 55/55 AC 18/12/16
"Yea! Come right up close. I'll introduce you to my hammer!" Balmir swings agrimmosh at the large spider.
Feeling a little slow Somer takes a small step forward as he calls forth a spell coating his arrows in balls of snow.
"Hey! Spider-man, come here."
Despite his confident talk he does not feel good about these shots.
Despite Somer's wincing at his lazily placed shots, the blind ettercap walks right into them and takes both in the chest, with snow now covering the fatal wounds.
As the green spider gets to the edge Ingrahild moves to join the battle.
Her axes flash as she tries to connect with its hairy body.
Green attacks Ingrahild, Red attacks Balmir, and Purple attacks Mouser. All of the attacks were successfully fended off.
Balmir HP 51/51 AC 23/11/22 +4 vs giant +2 natural (barkskin)
Derrik HP 41/41 AC 19/12/19
Mouser HP 44/44 AC 20/17/14
Somer HP 31/31 AC 18/14/14
Tamxander HP 32/32 AC 13/12/11
Ingrahild HP 55/55 AC 18/12/16
Seeing Derrik and Ingrahild appear to have the smaller spider tied up Somer focuses on the bigger of the foes. He mumbles to himself before casting a spell and firing off two arrows.
[smaller] "Watch the webs.... lots of distraction." [/b] [/smaller
Balmir moves a few feet to the left so that he can hit both spiders in one shot. He swings the hammer again.
Derrik swing his Morning Star at the spider hoping to help out Ingrhild on taking it down quickly.
"Shall we burn the web afterwards to clear it out?" Derrik asks
Tam moves to get into a better supporting position.
Balmir destroys the purple spider as Somer puts down the very large one. Derrik smacks the lone remaining one, and beats it severely. It is easy to finish off or let scurry away.
"Well that was interesting, do you know why spiders would be guarding the Tomb of your Ancestor?" Derrik asks Ingrahild and Umlo
Balmir wipes the slime and blood off of his hammer. He walks up to Derrik and the others. "My guess is that it was just an opportunity for the ettercaps." Balmir slides agrimmosh into its customary belt loop. "I suppose we're ready to enter."
Ingrahild and Umlo are at a loss for why these creatures may have set up here.
Mouser does a very thorough search of the area, but doesn't find any of the bling that he seeks. The path in, however, is now clear.
The interior of the obelisk houses a flight of narrow and precariously steep stairs descending into a dark shaft that plummets to an unknown depth within the earth. The passing years have crusted the walls and stairs with overlapping rings of yellow and pale green lichen.
"I can watch the rear as Balmir takes the lead with Mouser? Tam and Somer in the middle with Umlo and Ingrahild." Derrik offers a marching order that makes the most sense. "I know that many of you can see in the dark but just as many of us cannot, Tam can you make a light for Balmir and I will cast it on my shield in the rear?"
"It would be an honor to lead the way into the tomb of my ancestors. I won't need the light since I can see well enough in the dark." Balmir approaches the head of the stairs and stares down into the darkness.
"I'm ready," he growls in a barely audible voice. His statement makes it clear that he ready for more than merely descending into the tomb.
"Why would they defile our family tomb? I hope there are not more of those. Spiders...." she shudders and looks to her brother.
Somer casts detect magic and watches down the stairs for a few moment, looking for magical issues that may block them. If seeing nothing he speaks.
"That order makes sense Derrik. I have shrarp eyes even in the dark. Ingrahild, Umlo, I am sure you are excited but this could be the most danger we have faced. Ghosts and what not are not easily hit with normal weapons. I do have a dagger that can hurt them and it is a little big for Mouser. I can loan it to Ingrahild."
He hands Brinya's Love to Ingrahild just in case.
Preparing to make the decent, Somer does not detect below, but admits that the depth may be greater than the range of his spell. He does think that he hears the sounds of a spell being cast.