Zed narrows his eyes at the voice.
Vermumdr slowly lowers his blade when it looks like the spiderkin aren't returning. At least for now. "What in the Nine Hells were those things? And where are those cries coming from?"
"Loath as I am to leave someone in such distress...this doesn't feel right. Still - shall we investigate?"
At Vermundr's question, Vala pauses for a moment to consider, and Pyth flits down to have a brief and yet somehow silent exchange with her.
"Ettercaps. I think they're ettercaps. Devious tricksters and trap-makers. If we mean to give chase, watch your steps, each of you. They'll drag us through all manner of trouble hurrying after that voice."
HP: 39/39
Negative Energy Resist 5
AC: 14 (10 T / 14 FF)
CMD: 14
F/R/W: +6/+3/+11 (+2 vs death effects, energy drain, negative energy, & necromancy)
Monstrous Insight used: 0/8
Healing Hex targets:
Heaven's Leap targets:
Current Wandering Spirit: Heavens
Stardust used: 0/8
Prepared spells
Orisons (4) | DC 15: dancing lights, disrupt undead, identify, read magic
Level 1 spells (4+2+1*) | DC 16: color spray* [ ], enlarge person [ ], inflict light wounds [ ], magic missile [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
Level 2 spells (3+1+1*) | DC 17: enlarge person (extended) [ ], hypnotic pattern* [X], spiritual weapon [ ] [ ] [ ]
Level 3 spells (2+1+1*) | DC 18: daylight* [ ], heroism [ ], lightning bolt [ ] [ ]
Level 4 spells (1+1+1*) | DC 19: legend lore* [ ], greater magic weapon [X], spiritual ally [ ]
Ongoing Effects
greater magic weapon (Vermundr): 7 hrs
hypnotic pattern: concentration + 2 rds
Zed scowls. "We're being led on into this. That voice is simply the bait, most likely something mimicking a person in distress." Zed moves up and around towards the blue enemy, stopping behind cover.
"But they could legitimately have someone webbed up for dinner and just be using the cries to lure in dessert, couldn't they?" wonders Constantin.
"Doubtful, but there something to not leaving them around to catch another group of passersby unawares."
Cautiously, the group press on deeper into the woods. Every step now is checked for placement, fearful of springing another insidious trap.
The trees are incredibly oppressive and thorns and briar pick mercilessly at you as you push into the thickest of it.
There is a brief respite however as the trees make way for a brief clearing in the centre of which sits a ruined stone watchtower.
The tower stands about three stories tall; blood ivy and grayish-green lichen blanket the stonework of the tower’s crumbling exterior, while passing winds whistle softly through its darkened, gaping windows. Webs cover much of the surface of the tower and the surrounding trees but for now there is no sign of the ettercaps.
Vermundr closes his eyes and sniffs the air, trying to tap into the Wolf's bestial senses.
The cries of help have silenced for no, replaced only by the gentle sounds of the deep wood.
The smell of must and decay carries on the breeze along with pine and wild flowers in a strange dichotomy that speaks to the wonder and the worry of this ancient place. Vermundr spots three ettercaps skulking around the top of the tower and points them out to the others.
Then, another sound, a song. Not in any language that you know, not in any language at all, but nonetheless it is captivating and beautiful. It rises in clear notes and reverberates around the stones of the tower and the boughs of the trees.
The song tugs at your heart and you feel you must absolutely find the source of it by entering the tower
Kaz's face goes blank, then his eyes widen in awe. Beside Hazel - but seemingly unaware of her - he beings to move toward the tower.
"Whoa, hold it you two!" Vala hurries forward and puts a hand on Hazel's shoulder, trying to turn her around. "That's certainly not your mother, Hazel! Snap out of it!"
Zed quickly rips off part of his undershirt, then tears it in two and stuffs the pieces into his ears. With Vala on Hazel, Zed gets in front of Kaz and stops him by grabbing his shoulders. "Kaz, stay with me here."
Constantin rushes to grab Hazel. "Hazel, no! It's a trap!" he says.
"Blasted mind control..."
Seeing Zed's reaction, Vermundr quickly pieces the dhampir's conclusion together. The big man lunges forward and grabs the well-dressed investigator firmly by the upper arm. "Snap out of it man! You're in a trance."
Hit
Fail
hit
Success
Hit
Success
The ettercaps atop the tower seize on the opportunity and launch webs at some of those not bewitched by the song before closing in.
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The ettercaps snap her attention away from Hazel and Vala's fragile temper snaps. Glaring upwards at the creatures, she looses a torrent of crackling blue lightning, her face darkened with a furious scowl.
HP: 39/39
Negative Energy Resist 5
AC: 14 (10 T / 14 FF)
CMD: 14
F/R/W: +6/+3/+11 (+2 vs death effects, energy drain, negative energy, & necromancy)
Monstrous Insight used: 0/8
Healing Hex targets:
Heaven's Leap targets:
Current Wandering Spirit: Heavens
Stardust used: 0/8
Prepared spells
Orisons (4) | DC 15: dancing lights, disrupt undead, identify, read magic
Level 1 spells (4+2+1*) | DC 16: color spray* [ ], enlarge person [ ], inflict light wounds [ ], magic missile [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
Level 2 spells (3+1+1*) | DC 17: enlarge person (extended) [ ], hypnotic pattern* [X], spiritual weapon [ ] [ ] [ ]
Level 3 spells (2+1+1*) | DC 18: daylight* [ ], heroism [ ], lightning bolt [X] [ ]
Level 4 spells (1+1+1*) | DC 19: legend lore* [ ], greater magic weapon [X], spiritual ally [ ]
Ongoing Effects
greater magic weapon (Vermundr): 7 hrs
entangled: concentration check to cast (DC 15+spell lvl), -4 dex, half movement, -2 to hit
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Kazamir does not even meet the eyes of his friends as they try to stop him, weaving his head back and forth to look past them as though trying to view a hanging through a crowd. Even VermundR's grasp evokes nothing more than a sharp twisitng of his arm, trying to break the northerner's grip.
[dice=Concentration (DC 18)]1d20+12
The ettercaps snap her attention away from Hazel and Vala's fragile temper snaps. Glaring upwards at the creatures, she looses a torrent of crackling blue lightning, her face darkened with a furious scowl.
[dice=Lightning Bolt (DC 18)]7d6
** spoiler omitted **
Vala struggles away from the ettercaps and then unleashes a blast of electricity from her outstretched hand that rips through them.
Recognizing that the ettercaps will pick off controlled members of the team, Constantin turns and unleashes bolts of etheric force at the two ettercaps that Vala singed with her lightning bolt.
The first, already so badly burnt by Vala's spell, is knocked off it's feet by the bolt of force while the other is similarly knocked bandy but still manages to keep it' feet.
Vermundr holds Kazamir firmly with one hand while the other works his dagger free from its sheath on his thigh. "Does anyone have a charm that'll bring them back to their senses?"
"I have a spell that might help but I'm not sure of how the effect is swaying them." Zed turns to go after Hazel.
Miss
Miss
HIt
Success
Miss
Miss
HIt
Fail
The remaining ettercaps try to take advantage of the situation by ripping into Vermundr with tooth and claw though only their bites find soft flesh.
Meanwhile, Hazel peers into the darkened tower and sees it is choked with webs. But there is a large hole to one side from which the beautiful song comes. Your mother must be down there!
Seeing that the ettercap is giving Vermundr a hard time, Constantin shifts focus and blasts that one with the full force of his ethereal bolts.
Desperate to snap the investigator out of his trance, Vermundr pulls a move normally reserved for a drunken brawl and slugs a meaty fist into the well-dressed man's gut. "Wake up, damn you!"
Vemundr gives Kazamir a firm cuff around the face. Doesn't like doing it, and less so when he sees the trickle of blood run from the investigator's nose, but it has the desired effect.
Kazamir blinks hard as if coming around from being asleep.
Seeing Hazel stride past her and make for the tower, Vala starts struggling against the webs as she tries to grab for the younger woman. "Urff! No! Hazel! Snap out of it! Hazel!" She finds that the strands had hardened in the last few breaths though, and she's unable to wrench herself free to try and apprehend the young Desnan.
HP: 39/39
Negative Energy Resist 5
AC: 14 (10 T / 14 FF)
CMD: 14
F/R/W: +6/+3/+11 (+2 vs death effects, energy drain, negative energy, & necromancy)
Monstrous Insight used: 0/8
Healing Hex targets:
Heaven's Leap targets:
Current Wandering Spirit: Heavens
Stardust used: 0/8
Prepared spells
Orisons (4) | DC 15: dancing lights, disrupt undead, identify, read magic
Level 1 spells (4+2+1*) | DC 16: color spray* [ ], enlarge person [ ], inflict light wounds [ ], magic missile [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
Level 2 spells (3+1+1*) | DC 17: enlarge person (extended) [ ], hypnotic pattern* [X], spiritual weapon [ ] [ ] [ ]
Level 3 spells (2+1+1*) | DC 18: daylight* [ ], heroism [ ], lightning bolt [X] [ ]
Level 4 spells (1+1+1*) | DC 19: legend lore* [ ], greater magic weapon [X], spiritual ally [ ]
Ongoing Effects
greater magic weapon (Vermundr): 7 hrs
entangled: concentration check to cast (DC 15+spell lvl), -4 dex, half movement, -2 to hit
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The blank, awed expression flows off of the investigator's face like milk from a glass. He blinks a couple of times, and his friends can almost see him putting all of the pieces together.
With a quick nod of thanks to VermundR, Kaz turns and bolts after Hazel. Grimacing in distaste, he raps at the Desnan's head with his cane.
But in his effort not to injure Hazel, he mistimes his swing.
Hit
Success
Hit
Confirmed
Hit
Miss
The two Ettercaps remaining outside the tower close in on Vermundr and slash at him with their claws to varying degrees of success. He turns aside some of the attacks but feels fangs bite deep into his neck from behind even as he does so.
Meanwhile, the singing from within the tower suddenly stops and Hazel stands blinking hard, once again as though she has just roused from slumber. Except she has only woken into a waking nightmare The tower is dark and crumbling and smells of decaying wood and death.
She looks down into that dark hole and sees something looking back at her with myriad eyes. Slowly it slithers out and presents itself, some horrid worm thing with aspects of both human and spider anatomy.
Hit
A disgusting spinnerette shoots out a mass of sticky webbing that wraps around Hazel but it is still attached to the worm thing and with it's weird, angular arms it begins to haul her in like a fish on a line!
"NO! Hazel!" Vala gestures toward the younger woman and, with a jerk of her tangled up arm, she transports Hazel a short distance away. Vala then scrambles after her, trying to get some amount of distance between herself and the frightful thing within the bowels of the tower.
HP: 39/39
Negative Energy Resist 5
AC: 14 (10 T / 14 FF)
CMD: 14
F/R/W: +6/+3/+11 (+2 vs death effects, energy drain, negative energy, & necromancy)
Monstrous Insight used: 0/8
Healing Hex targets: Hazel
Heaven's Leap targets:
Current Wandering Spirit: Heavens
Stardust used: 0/8
Prepared spells
Orisons (4) | DC 15: dancing lights, disrupt undead, identify, read magic
Level 1 spells (4+2+1*) | DC 16: color spray* [ ], enlarge person [ ], inflict light wounds [ ], magic missile [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
Level 2 spells (3+1+1*) | DC 17: enlarge person (extended) [ ], hypnotic pattern* [X], spiritual weapon [ ] [ ] [ ]
Level 3 spells (2+1+1*) | DC 18: daylight* [ ], heroism [ ], lightning bolt [X] [ ]
Level 4 spells (1+1+1*) | DC 19: legend lore* [ ], greater magic weapon [X], spiritual ally [ ]
Ongoing Effects
greater magic weapon (Vermundr): 7 hrs
entangled: concentration check to cast (DC 15+spell lvl), -4 dex, half movement, -2 to hit
During a lull in the ettercaps' attacks, Vermundr hacks at the webbing tangling his limbs.
The big warrior extricates himself from the webbing and then slashes out at one of the Ettercaps but some final strands hinder his attack and he sees it fall short.
"NO! Hazel!" Vala gestures toward the younger woman and, with a jerk of her tangled up arm, she transports Hazel a short distance away. Vala then scrambles after her, trying to get some amount of distance between herself and the frightful thing within the bowels of the tower.
** spoiler omitted **