"Someone have something to light that tunnel up? That spider needs some encouragement to change his tactics."
Rupert grimaces as he shrugs off the continued effects of the poison. "Just a couple'a torches," he says to Edrukk, holding his sword slightly lower than level, facing the dark tunnel. "Maybe y'should be teachin' Thaal t'hunt spidies instead of micies, eh, Treshiell?" He smiles weakly at his own joke, not one to lose his sense of humor in a weakened state.
Edrukk starts chanting about an ancient seige, encouraging his teammates to think tactically and be patient in their strikes, while continuing to keep Patience well out in the open away from any possible holes.
Agnar will move within 15 feet of the spider's den, taking the time to chant a prayer to Erastil to grant his group success in their spider hunt.
Round 2, initiative 21
"Thaal doesn't like vermin. He says their to salty", Treshiell replies to Rupert and steps up behind the rogue . "Now stand still", she says and places her hand on his shoulder. His wound turns cold and a eerie chill sweeps through Ruperts body up the his shoulder and disappears into the witch's grip. Treshiell removes her hand and scatters the small heap of crimson dust that has appeared on her palm to the wind. The rogue's wound stops bleeding (.
Orin dismounts from his horse, feeling a little stiffness in his ribs where the spiders jaws had closed about him. Pulling his greatsword he advances toward the spider's lair.
Draelen grunts, "Ah, I don't need a torch, let's see what this nasty beast has in its lair." He advances towards the mouth of the lair, ready to stab with his lucerne hammer if the spider re-appears. If it doesn't re-appear before he gets to the mouth of the cave, he'll gingerly enter, trusting to his darkvision to see the giant arachnid.
"Ivory, Guard!" He motions Ivory to protect Rupert against the spider if it comes after him.
Round 2
The spider surges out of its hole again as Draelen approaches, fangs closing toward the half-orc knight, even as his hammer slams into it. The blow knocks the beast back into the tunnel before it can strike or anyone else has a chance to react, and Draelen can see the massive arachnid is lying there unmoving.
The surge of adrenaline fades as the clearing grows quiet and still other than Rupert's gasp as Treshiell's magic takes hold.
Treshiell looks as the wound the spider left on Rupert's leg after scattering to the crimson powder to the wind. "That usually works better. I thought your wound felt a bit light. Perhaps the poison keeps it from healing", she says and reaches out as if to poke the wound with her finger.
"We should probably make sure it doesn't have a mate."
Agnar will take the time to check and make sure none of those bitten are suffering any effects from poison, and then retrieve his mount. Fetching a coil of rope off one of the saddle bags, he'll measure off a ten foot length and wrap it around the saddle horn at that point. Then he'll toss the end to Draelen.
"Give that thing another poke. If it doesn't move, tie that onto a leg and I'll have Sweets here drag the carcass out so we can get past it."
Treshiell stands behind Agnar as he examines Rupert and Orin for effects of the poison. Both the witch and her viper look very intrigued by the clerics work and the two intently watches his progress, much like someone reading a book over ones shoulder. The young girl and the snake occationally exchanges glances, whispers and hisses.
Draelen tentatively pokes the spider a few times with his longhammer before moving closer to it. He peers into the cave beyond to see if he can see anything interesting. If nothing catches his attention, he ties the rope to one of the spider's legs and motions Agnar to start pulling. A distasteful look crosses his face as he does it, "Look at these mandibles, as long as my forearm! And the hair on the legs is as long as my hand, glad this one will never move again."
As Draelen hammers the spider to its demise, Rupert reaches down and scratches Ivory behind the ears, "There's a good girl. Dont'chya worry, ah' will die protectin' ye, old pup." He chuckles and sheathes his sword.
"Ah'm gonna have a seat here until we get that tunnel cleared out: ah' don't feel so well." Rupert squats onto a nearby rock, lights his pipe, and watches Agnar's steed heave the heavy corpse from the cave.
"It was a right ferocious beast. Those mandibles would make you a fine trophy, Draelen. You did deliver the death blow, after all."
Agnar will lead the horse forward until the dead spider has been pulled clear of the entrance, and then retrieve and stow his rope.
As Draelen hammers the spider to its demise, Rupert reaches down and scratches Ivory behind the ears, "There's a good girl. Dont'chya worry, ah' will die protectin' ye, old pup." He chuckles and sheathes his sword.
"That is a bleak statement", Treshiell says her attention freed up as Agnar has finished his examination. "I think you should avoid the wolf if you know she will lead to your death. You are much more interesting alive, Rupert."
After Draelen confirms the spider is indeed dead, Agnar is able to get his horse to pull the carcass out of the tunnel, though it takes a little effort to get his balky mount to pull.
Once the arachnid is clear, Draelen is able to clamber down the 5-foot diameter tunnel, the web lining the edges making the climb an easy one. At the bottom of the 25-foot-long shaft are several carcasses. Two of them appear to be deer or elk, but the other one is ... or was ... a human.
The body is dressed in leather armor and boots and has a short sword, 10 gp, and a silver stag head amulet around his neck.
Rupert peers into the cave and gives a low whistle at the sight of the corpse, "Glad we didn't end up like that poor bastard," he says. Then he turns to Lando and inspects the wound. "Doesn't look like the poison took, but ah'm sure he'll appreciate some care," he says, looking to one of his more magically-inclined companions.
Agnar places a hand upon his holy symbol and calls upon Erastil once again.
Channel Energy:
"There, that should put everyone back together again."
"A bandit catching spider", Treshiell comments as she sees the silver amulet. "I wonder if there are more around. They could prove useful."
"You'd have to be able to tame it first, as it doesn't seem to discriminate between bandit and non bandit." Edrukk replies to Treshiell as they drag the body up.
"How do you know he was a bandit? That amulet? Odd. I've not known bandits to show that sort of solidarity." He peers a bit more closely at it. "Almost looks to be a symbol of Erastil. Odd symbol for bandits to adopt."
"Perhaps you can ask the Stag Lord when we meet him." Edrukk collects the gear, "Anything valuable on the spider carcass we could take with us to sell?"
Edrukk, you suspect it would be possible to harvest some of the spider's venom to create a poison, but nothing else on the carcass is of any potential value.
"Stag Lord? That's grand. Sounds like a bandit's gotten too big for his britches and is putting on airs. I look forward to meeting him."
"The poison sacs could be saved if someone wants to risk using it. Otherwise I suggest we move on."
With the spider dealt with and everyone's wounds cleaned, the group finishes exploring the area with no other incidents. Finding a clearing, the group makes camp and the night passes uneventfully, warmer even than it's been so far since you journeyed to the Stolen Lands.
Survival roll:
"Are they hard to train?", Treshiell asks Erdrukk. "Maybe we could lure one into a bandit camp. Or a bandit camp to it", she says in a hopeful voice. or at least what could be interpreted as hopeful, as the witch's tone leaves much to the imagination.
Rupert yawns and stretches as he awakens, his leg still stiff from the spider's poison.
"Ah'm ready for a nice bath an' some damn good cookin'. Maybe we should find this bear and get back to the Fort? Angar's never been," he turns to the Ulfen, "You're gonna love our roommates," he says with a rue smile.
Treshiell looks up from the the small fort (or more just like a wall) she's built around Thaal who lies sleeping on the ground using small sticks she's found nearby. "You are tired of the road all ready, Rupert?", the witch asks the rogue. If the witch would express disappointment, one would guess that this is probably how it would sound.
6 Pharast 4708
After Edrukk harvests the venom from the monstrous arachnid in the morning, the group makes its way to the radish patch, traveling west in search of this temple and its mysterious bear.
Arriving, you find it empty except for a solitary rabbit, which scampers into the brush as you approach. All seems peaceful, until Agnar is surprised as a snare laid on the ground nearly slips around his ankle, a quick reaction all that saves him from the potentially embarrassing situation of hanging from one leg upside down over the strange fruits.
"Someone really likes their radishes. Best keep an eye out for more of them."
"Wow, those kobolds were serious about this bein' their patch o'moon radishes. Maybe that trap will trigger them and have 'em come runnin' so we can have ourselves our little chat."
Several minutes pass quietly, no sign of any kobolds or other creatures beyond the normal birds and other creatures that dwell in the forest.
"It doesn't look like any kobolds are coming out to play today. Perhaps we should do things the old fashioned way and blaze a trail for ourselves and see where it leads us."
Agnar will crouch down, keeping an eye out for any other traps, and grab himself a moon radish to try.
Edrukk will look around for signs of who might have set the trap.
Edrukk, you don't see any clues to who set the trap, but also nothing to make Rupert's guess seem wrong. Agnar, the moon radish has a sweet, tart taste, and you can see why it would be popular with the kobolds, as your new companions told you.
With no kobolds making their presence knonw, and with the only clue to the temple's location being that it's west of the bandit's camp, the group continues southwest, heading to that camp to explore and map the area around it.
Without the threat of death ahead, the graceful trees towering above seem far less ominous. Following the Thorn River down to the ford, the signs of death -- Kessle's body hanging from a tree -- remain in the clearing, obviously food for the native denizens of the region. Crossing to the west, the party spends the rest of the day and the first part of the morning finishing their exploration before continuing to the west to explore.
7 Pharast 4708
As morning turns to afternoon during your explanation, Agnar and Edrukk emerge from a thick tangle of brambles into a large clearing in the woods, its border partially defined by ruined stone pillars.
The western face of the clearing is dominated by a looming, upthrust ridge of rock, nearly 300 feet across and rising to a moss-topped height of 100 feet at the center. The side of this towering boulder facing the clearing has been carved in the likeness of an immense elk, its antlers drooping down from its weathered face to frame a 50-footwide
cave entrance.
A flight of stone steps leads up to this cave entrance from the forest clearing —- both the steps and elk face feel quite old and are thickly encrusted with layers of moss. A 50-foot-long oval pool sits in the middle of the clearing, its waters thick with algae.
Agnar:
Draelen: and Ivory:
Edrukk:
Orin:
Rupert:
Treshiell:
"Perhaps those familiar with animals should lead the way in case they can calm the bear down; simply trying to kill it may be rather dangerous."
Orin will enter the clearing, and make his way toward the mouth of the cave, staying close to the pillars along the south side of the clearing.
Stealth check:
Agnar eyes the place with admiration, mixed with sadness for its falling into ruin. When he speaks, he keeps his voice quiet.
"My concern is what your friend back at the trading post said. If this beast is unnatural, my powers won't affect it. Then we'll be forced to fight. A bear on any given day is a dangerous opponent. One accursed by a god, or placed as a divine protector, will likely be worse. What's our plan of attack, or retreat for that matter, should we get the worst of things?"
"If it's there to be a protector, perhaps your holy symbol will affect it, otherwise I will be back here to provide cover as long you stay outside. I would definitely not recommend actually going inside until we get a better feel for what it is and what it will do." Edrukk loads his crossbow, ready for whatever the bear may require him to do.
Treshiell says little during when riding. Instead she spends her time humming slow and hypnotic melodies. At times they are sung in a strange language () and other times she just follows the melody. She looks appreciatively at the snare left by the kobolds to guard their radish patch. As the group rides by the clearing where they hung Kressle she tilts her head and says with her hazy voice "She is still here. That is encouraging."
"So this is how your patron's temples look like?", Treshiell asks and dismounts. You can only guess that the question is directed at Agnar as she does not try and make eye contact with anyone, just letting the question hang in the air. The witch dismounts and starts to walk up to the pool, picking up a twig on the way.
"Do we know that it's here? I could send Thaal to scout for us."