Flynn takes aim at the lower spider. The arrow becomes fouled in the webs.
The first spider bite courses through Garrath's veins, sapping the barbarian's strength and agility. The second spider bite did not add to the debilitating effects.
Round Two
Flynn and Elektra admire the handiwork of the fighters in the party.
Shalelu will continue to hold back the Firepelt below.
The Firepelt is getting more and more anxious, causing Shalelu to exert all her effort to hold back the big cat.
Elektra likely weaves something to aid the situation.
Garrath slashes and slashes into the second big hairy spider, sending a greenish slippery spider goo all over the upper catwalk.
Stone fires a bolt into the same spider. The second BA hairy spider dies.
Hack then hack again, Brandark slays the first big hairy spider. Greenish goo splatters over the Dwarf Cavalier.
Victory
Garrath's rage fueled frenzy helps burn the poison out of his system, but not before a wave of dizziness sweeps over him. He wobbles down to the cage to see who is inside. "The spider's bite was potent. I don't feel so good."
Garrath takes no further damage from the spider's poison.
The party will find many desiccated remains in the web, large rats, small pigs, even a gmome's corpse. The cages are crudely fashioned; but designed in such a way that the spiders would have been unable to get to whoever or whatever was in the cage.
There are three human males, unconscious, bound, in their skivvies, and lying on the floor of the southeast cage.
"We have to help them. Can you break the door open Garreth! Oh well maybe after the poison has run its course."
Give me a minute to get up there Elektra, I can cut the lock
Brandark easily breaks into the cage. You have access to the the unconscious humans.
Or ya know i can open the lock instead of trying to break it
The male humans in the cage are alive, but unconscious.
Hey, what is that.
Brandark points out the star.
He then goes out to help Shalelu if she needs it.
"Thanks for your help," Shalelu looks back at Brandark. "You are good with animal, can you hold back this big cat? These two are getting antsy." She glances toward Shorty and Handsome.
Do you want me to hold those two back, as I am not feeling to generous with people in cages back there.
He shows them the gore splattered axe, as he flicks it.
However, Shalelu, I think one of the people upstairs might be her friend.
Kneeling down beside the firepelt. Relax girl, lets calm down and we can then go upstairs.
When it is certain that the spiders are dead, Stone brings forth healing energy. The three men come around. Garrath too takes advantage of the healing. In their skivvies, and with difficulty, they stand looking at Stone. "Thanks. We are alive, " A dark skinned human males says.
Stone leads the group along the catwalk and down the stairs. Brandark was able to hold back the big cat. But when the big cat eyes a lighter skinned human with only one good eye, the other eye being horribly scarred, it breaks free and runs to the man. "Kibb!" the man exclaims receiving the excited Firepelt.
Shalelu hears the voice and turns toward the one-eyed man. "Jakardros!" She exclaims.
"Shalelu! What are you doing here?" Jakardros says somewhat mystified.
"When I heard that contact with Fort Rannick had been lost, I feared the worse. I am glad you are alive," Shalelu explains.
"I can't believe you came looking. I mean after," the man hesitates. "You know, your mother." Jakardros looks down.
Shalelu begins to cry, then runs to embrace the man.
The man receives the embrace and also begins to cry, "Shalelu, the Fort is lost. I wasn't there to defend it. They are all dead. We three are all that is left. We tried to retake it, but the Kreegs were too many. Too many. Then the Grauls took us as we retreated to the forest. It is my fault," the one-eyed man looks down.
There is a brief silence.
Garrath watches the exchange between Shalelu and Jakardos with a slight smile, and moves forward lay a hand on Shalelu's shoulder, and clap the man's shoulder with his other, "A friend of Shalelu is a friend to us. What can we do about your fort?"
Shalelu looks at Garrath and smiles at the big barbarian through tears, "Thank you Garrath. Jakardos was married to my mother. He is my step-father."
Jakardos composes himself, then looks at Garrath, "Retaking the Fort, and killing all the Kreegs along the way, would be good. What size company did you bring? Dealing with these worthless Grauls would be justice too. They have been killing the hunters and trappers in the region. They all need to be executed." He makes this last sentence loud enough for Shorty and the sobbing Handsome to hear. "Is Mammy dead?"
Good enough for me, I will deal with them shortly.
Brandark waits for their answer.
As for the size of the company, what you see is what you get. The group that has ended up with the name the 'Heros of Sandpoint'
He then grumps over to get a hold of his axe, and go play the part of executioner.
Once we are done here, I think we should be able to look into your fort.
When Jakardos mentions whether Mammy is dead, the two captured Grauls begin to wail and scream.
Garrath grins a bit more at Shalelu and wipes a tear away from her cheek with a thumb, "Well, all the better that we got him out of the cage then. He rumages around in his pack for a bit grabbing some spare clothing, "Might be a bit big, but better than running around with your giblets hanging loose. The big barbarian scratches his head a bit, 'Now, what's a Kreeg?
We didn't kill anything by that name yet? Did we? Flynn keeps his eye's open, looking around the room.
Taking a moment to inspect the tattoo, too. Too many bad tattoos recently.
Jakardos will be appreciative of clothing. The clothes are big on the more average sized human, "The Kreegs are a brutal family of Ogres that have terrorized this region for decades. We have been keeping them in check. But they knew when to hit us."
When Flynn makes the comment about the name Mammy. "I have never seen her. But from what is rumored she is the half-Ogre abomination that has incestuously created this family of horrors. She is so large that she can't leave the house. Since you haven't been in the house, she is likely still alive in that place. She needs to be destroyed."
"By the way, this is Vale Temeros," Jakardos points to the larger dark-skinned human. "And this is Kaven Windstrike," he points to the shorter handsome man. "What is that tattoo? I did not know you had a tattoo."
Kaven unconsciously tries to cover the tattoo, "Do you know that gambling barge back at Turtleback Ferry? This was given to their special customers. I was able to get in without paying the cover. Drinks were on the house too."
So what you be saying is that we dont need these two?
Brandark looks at Elektra for confirmation.
He then looks at the two prisoners and grips his axe.
I will at least make it quick
Jakardos passes Garrath's spare clothes over to the dark skinned man with piercing gray eyes telling him that this may fit him better. Vale is almost as large as Garrath, "Thanks."
Then he looks at Brandark and Garrath, "I have heard of the Heroes of Sandpoint." He shakes his head in recognition. He then continues, "The Kreegs killed my parents years ago. I have been fighting them nearly all my life. In the past weeks they killed my brothers too. I don't care how big a company we have, I am ready to go kill more Kreegs. Just give me a weapon."
This maybe the most Vale has said in a month. Jakardos and Kaven both look amazed at Vale.
Brandark will make quick work of shorty and handsome Graul. Jakardos and Vale nod their heads approvingly.
Elektra will clearly note that the tattoo on Kaven Windstrike is the Sihedron rune.
"OOh ooh. Folks that poor sod wears you know what."
Jakardos looks at Elektra and the party, "You know this tattoo?
Later he says more about the now sunken gambling establishment, "I never frequented the Paradise. But, many of the Black Arrows visited the barge during leave. It is rare to have such a distraction away from the city. Too bad it burned and sank. But it makes no difference now. Turtleback Ferry and the whole region will now be at the mercy of the Kreegs."
Brandark wipes off his axe, and joins the others.
Well, I be thinking that these three wait in here, and rebuild their strength, while we go look at the house. And maybe, we will stop the main threat of the Kreegs here and now.
The Graul farmhouse is across from the barn.
"Didn't the letter we found say something about gathering greedy souls?" He nods pointedly to the tattoo on Kaven's arm, "Seems that that mark would be an easy way to mark them. Gamblers are known as greedy souls."
"This is really devious! And so... elegant, I have to admit!"
Well, shall we ask him the questions, when we get back. I for one, would like to hear the answers.
With that, Brandark starts stumping towards the exit and the house.
This moss-encrusted, decaying farmhouse slumps drunkenly at the edge of the damp forest clearing. Rickety steps crawl up to a porch covered by a huge eave held aloft by thick pillars of pine. These timbers are decorated with crude carvings of manticores impaling children with their tail spikes and women being ripped apart by wolves. The carvings look like a child’s work, but the subject matter grows more gruesome and depraved from one depiction to the next. An unsettlingly large rocking chair of lashed wood and bone sways erratically in the breeze at the far end of the porch under a vast menagerie of wind chimes composed of decidedly humanoid bones. The house’s windows have all been boarded up with thick timbers, although it’s unclear whether this was done to keep intruders out or imprison whatever things make their home within.
There is are two doors in to the house, from the front porch or from the side.
Shall we be polite and knock on the front door?
Brandark grins as he hefts his axe.
I doubt thing's this dumb have traps but i''ll check regardless Flynn quietly moves to check the door, his usual dead serious look .
Flynn sees a host of ants march happily away here and there on the porch, many the size of a grown man’s thumbnail. A moth the size of a shovel head clings to the porch ceiling, watching the party with alien eyes, but it allows them to pass unmolested. The scent of bad meat, urine, sweat, and decay wafts now and then from between the cracks in the boarded-up windows.
When Flynn inspects the door for traps he fails to notice that there are two of them.
Concealed among the hanging bone-chimes are sharpened bone spurs mounted on a hinged rack rigged to swing down at anyone who touches the front door.
Additionally, several rusty saw blades are housed between the cracks of the porch’s floorboards. They are released along with the bone spurs.
But as it is, none of these vicious traps catches Flynn.
When Flynn opens the front door he sees a mangy bearskin rug laying before a tremendous hearth set into the wall, its pained visage still snarling at whatever cruel hunter took its life. A huge couch haphazardly upholstered in animal hide and human flesh, replete with a collection of talons, monstrous hairy spider’s legs, fox heads, and human hands and feet, sits to the west.
Well then that was fortunate, also we should proceed with caution this place smells like the inside of a Chelish sewer, it's disgusting
Be that as it may, I guess we might as well invite ourselves in. Just be careful of where you put your feet.
Brandark will pick his way past the triggered traps, and follow flynn in.
There is a door across this horror of a sitting room.
Electra quickly waves a dweomer to check for magical auras.