Tarnagius punches again.
As Kethaera didn't deliver the expected healing to Bazzle, Rexandi moves closer to the gnome and gives him a gentle caress that supplies warm, revitalizing energy.
Tarnagius bashes the skeleton again with his gauntlet while Vendalfek charges forth bravely to chomp down. Despite getting his little dragon teeth locked onto the skeleton, it seems to be completely unaffected. Rexus lobs another orb of acid into the nothingness.
Bazzle hassles the ape hoping to give Tarn an edge.
Though Tarnagius was already going to bash the skeleton, Bazzle manages to hassle it enough for it to turn it's back on Tarn, giving him a little extra damage. Rexandi tries to reduce the skeleton to ashes, but stumbles on her way to deliver the spell. Kethaera charges forth with her sword, but even with the added momentum, her sword fails to slash through the skeleton's bones. Still focusing on the Gnome, the skeleton ape clasps its hands together and slams them down on poor Bazzle. It's bones look very chipped and brittle, it's possible that a single strike may shatter it now.
Bazzle moves away holding his wounds.
Rexandi withdraws with Bazzle, in preparation for healing him again.
Tarnagius punches it again.
With a final smash from Tarnagius, the ape skeleton shatters into fragments and splinters, clattering upon the floor. Vendalfek cheers hurrah, but the eerie silence of the museum slowly creeps back in regardless. Down a hall to the west lies a series of water filled (or previously filled) glass cases, but there are closed doors to the north and east as well.
With the skeleton shattered, Rexandi lays another healing spell on Bazzle.
Bazzle looks around fascinated by the things around him.
Bazzle notes a few curiosities around him in the main hall. There is a massive skull labeled "the skull of a cyclops king", two dagger sized fangs labeled "teeth of the blue dragon Rivozair", and a taxidermy of a giant wasp with spider legs and mandibles labeled "the dreaded venomous man-eating tarantula wasp of death".
There are of course the closed doors to the north and west, but to the east lies a hallway with a half dozen stools, likely for either waiting or for a more personal performance. Beyond that are the tanks of water.
Tarnagius picks up his sword and sheathes it.
I should pick up a combat scabbard.
He then goes to take a closer look at the water tanks and motions Rexus over.
What did else did you find out about what we should be looking for?
Did your parents tell you anything?
Bazzle gathers the dragon fangs. "What . . . You never know."
Bazzle notices that the fangs flake and crack when he gathers them. It would appear that they are fakes made of plaster.
Rexus replies "My parents kept everything fairly hush-hush, even from me. Most of the time, I was away from the manor. However, what I can guess from the Sacred Order of Archivists is that they would have an extensive collection of knowledge, likely in the form of books and scrolls. To hide such things would require them to be underground, so I'm guessing that we should be looking for some sort of trap door downwards."
A plaque at the entrance of the hall announces the 'Hall of Seas'. The entire area reeks of rotted stuff from the dozen water-filled cases. Many of the cases are partially or completely shattered, with skeletons of fish surrounding them. The others are filled with murky water. One of the intact tanks is roughly 10 feet in length, filled with murky water, and labeled as 'The Quadclaw Marauder'. There is a hall to the north labeled 'Hall of Insects', which features a massive spider. There is also a little room to the south-east that is labeled 'The Arcadian Mermaids'.
Tarnagius goes about tapping the floor with his sword, listening for any area that sounds hollow.
Rexandi follows cautiously at a short distance behind Tarnagius. She whispers, "I have a feeling something has taken up residence and one of these displays will turn out to actually be a real monster."
Bazzle frowns at the teeth, "One born every minute." He mutters.
He looks up and rushes to keep up.
Unfortunately, none of the planks in this hall sound hollow. The light provided by Kethaera's spell illuminates the place, but casts shadows upon the walls, the murky tanks. Through the archway to the Hall of Insects, a massive looking spider stands still as stone, perched in perfect patience. The Arcadian Mermaids lie still in their murky tanks, showing little but the traces of tail, hands, or hair.
"I swear, if that spider moves..." says Rexandi as she scoots close to Kethaera.
Tarnagius tosses a piece of glass or a pebble at the spider.
See? Nothing to worry about, Ms Vatia.
Tarnagius has no time for petty insecurities when there's an important mystery to solve.
It's not the floors, so that leaves the walls or the containers. I'm not an engineer but it'd have to be somewhere big enough to fit a person inside, so that rules out some of these containers...
He then goes and starts inspecting the containers, particularly the bases and bottoms.
Indeed, the glass hits the spider, but it does not move. Rexus helps Tarnagius inspect the containers, but nothing is found. "I don't think it's in this hall, Tarn. Maybe we should try somewhere else." Rexus suggests.
After seeing no movement from the Bazzle begins to start a search of the area.
Plants, rocks, and hundreds of motionless specks fill the countless glass cases throughout this long hall. The preserved husks of giant insects and arachnids - including a ten-foot-tall spider - leer over the displays. A dead man's body, swathed in red-and-black robes and covered in welts, lies on the floor. Just beyond the corpse's reach lies a glint of gold within what looks to be a hole in the terrarium's dirt floor. The hole in question is roughly the circumference of a man's bicep. Beyond this room is an unlabeled hall that stretches beyond what Kethaera's light reveals.
Can anyone tell what happened to this man? Can we identify this... disease? Poison?
"Just a hunch but fears spiders are getting suddenly justified."
Oh ye gods, I hope not. Anyone got a light, preferably fire? Let's see what's in the hole.
Rexus shakes his head while Vendalfek complains that he can't breathe fire like other dragons. Unless someone has a torch, the only light source available seems to be Kethaera's spell. Rexus also mentions that he's not really able to identify diseases or poisons. He's more focused in history and the arcane.
The man lies face down in the terrarium. The glint of gold is about 3-4 inches down the hole.
"Let me take a look," says Rexandi. She moves closer to examine the body.
Rexandi notices that these welts are not all that they seem. Inside every welt is a small red sphere, barely larger than a pimple. Rexandi realizes that these are eggs.
If there's no fire this'll have to do.
Tarnagius pokes the tip of an arrow down the hole and jabs about violently, making sure to get a shot in in every direction. If nothing comes scurrying out after a few moments he'll reach in and try to grab the "gold".
On the first thrust, Tarnagius hears a small squeal and the arrow tip seems to hit something soft. A sudden rustling can be heard within the hole, before several spiders start skittering aggressively towards Tarnagius' hand. These spiders are roughly the size of a human hand, covered in bright red hair, and make strange chittering/squealing sounds.
1. Bazzle, Kethaera
2. Spiders
3. Tarnagius, Rexandi, Rexus, Vendalfek
"Spiders lots hairy red spiders. A bunch of them. Get back."
Bazzle pulls off his cloak hoping it can brush spiders away like a broom if necessary.
Bazzle pulls off his cloak hoping it can brush spiders away like a broom if necessary.
"I told you it would be spiders!" says Rexandi, her voice rising precipitously.
Bazzle steels himself. "Wait there's just 4." He flips his dagger in his hand flicks out his hand toward the nearest one threatening the group.
The sweat on Bazzle's fingers make the dagger flop blade first into the corpse. It pierces one of the larger welts, revealing a now-dead baby red spider. The light of Kethaera's spell shines off the dagger blade, revealing a glass container with red and orange liquid by the corpse's side. It looks like the corpse still has all their items with them.
Kethaera gasps in fear. With wide eyes she suddenly draws her heavy mace and starts pounding the nearest spider into oblivion. Even though it's clearly dead, she keeps slamming the mace into it.
Two of the three remaining spiders launch themselves into the air towards Tarnagius' face. With his astounding swordsman skills, he slices the first one midair, then flicks back for the second one. The second sword attack misses, and the spider bites him on the nose.
The last spider... sings? It makes a shrill screech that makes the corpse begin to tremble. Then, the welts begin to pop, revealing little baby red spiders that begin to swarm.
lol the one that dies
I mean, that was a DC 12...
Rexandi shrieks and backs away from the body and the swarm, and instead lashes out with her mithral dagger at the remaining singing spider.
Hope this is what I think it is!
Tarnagius scurries to the red and orange vial and throws it into the swarm.
Tarnagius whips around and grabs the mysterious flask while the spider tries to bite through his armor. As he raises his hand to throw the flask, it flips right out of his hand and flies backwards, landing in the hallway with a sudden explosion of flames. How embarrassing.
Rexandi lashes out ineffectually at the singing spider, but both Vandalfek and Rexus manage to pelt it to death with lightning and acid.
...awkward...
more awkward
add +10ft
...
It... it was covered in ichor!
Bazzle facepalms, "Its okay bud performance problems come with age. You at least got a fire going."
Bazzle scrambles to the fire dangling his cloak over it till it catches. He scrambles a few paces toward the swarm tossing the cloak over it like a fiery bedspread.
Kethara quickly sang a soft melody to boost the morale of her friends.
I thought you gnomes aged unnaturally slow like elves. Aren't you older than me?
Bazzle tosses his flaming cloak over the spiders in the hopes of burning them all. Though the cloak starts by only burning lightly, the spiders seem contained underneath it, at least for now.
