The catwalk extends all the way around the outer wall of the barn. It is three stories above the ground...or at least you think it is. The ground can't be seen as it buried in a giant funnel web. In fact, the entirety of the walls, ceiling, and floor are covered in webs. Only the catwalk is clear.
In the far corners of the barn from where you stand are cages bolted to the catwalk. In each cage (there are two) you can just see the bodies of human figures. There is one in the cage in front of you, and two in the cage in the corner opposite you.
As you watch, the figure in the cage in front of you stirs and moans.
"Luces pendantes saltantesque inflammo," Lym chants, raising a hand. Four orbs of light fly from her fingertips and hover around the cage whose occupant is stirring, illuminating its contents for all to see. "Can you hear me?" she asks. "Can you understand me?"
"If the ogres have been keeping them in here, I doubt they're in fair condition. Keep an eye out...all those webs can't be good news," Kellen adds and then makes his way to the first cage to see if he needs to get it unlocked.
Kellen no sooner reaches the cage, when a monstrous spider emerges from the depths of the funnel and races up to him. With its huge mandibles it bites Kellen and seizes him in its grip!
Kellen attempts to break free of the spider's mandibles. "Burn the damn thing, if you have to!"
"No fire! It'll ignite the web and set the whole place on fire with us in it!" Lym shouts as she thrusts her hand out. "Sagittae magicae, omne errore vacuae, e manu meu evolete!" Four bolts of magical force erupt from the veiled Half-Orc's hand and impact with the spider's bulbous body!
The massive spider flips Kellen over its back, rolling him further down into the funnel where he is entangled in the web.
As soon as it lets go of Kellen, it skitters towards you, but veers out of sight at the last minute. You can hear the wall nearest you creaking with the weight of it as it climbs up.
Praxim moves along the catwalk until he can see the spider, and fires a single arrow at it.
Despite the pain from the bite, Kellen manages to slip free of the web. He starts to make his way back towards the cage. He yells to the others:"I'm...alright. Go for that thing while I try to find a way out."
"Blast that thing is big. I hate big bugs." Thordak holds his axe as if holding a baseball bat as he readies to strike at the spider if it draws near.
Tomaru gives Bit of Luck to Praxim.
"Don't use fire!" Lym shouts at the others. "It'll set the webs alight and burn down the barn with us in it! Let me..."
The Wizard crosses her arms in front of her chest and starts a droning chant. The words doppler oddly, seeming to reflect off of surfaces unseen and reaching into distances unknown...
Lym's chant reaches a triumphant crescendo, and the air swirls, darkens -- then brightens. Three giant, golden-furred spiders appear out of thin air! The Half-Orc shouts at the arachnids in a beautiful, sing-song language.
Immediately, the three arachnids pile up the funnel, two of them seeking out the mundane arachnid with muderous intent, the last one heading for Kellen.
"Kellen! Don't attack the golden spider!" Lym shouts. "Hang onto its back, it'll carry you back down!"
Up in the funnel, the summoned spiders spit their web at the mundane spider as soon as they spot it, hoping to immobilize the beast so they can move in for the kill!
Kellen sees the golden spider coming his way, and he tenses at the beast's appearance: "Cayden's Cup! This is getting ugly...," but relaxes at Lym's words. He gives the large spider a look of trepidation and shrugs before jumping on its back for a lift.
The spider, waiting above the door (with its 15' reach) snaps at Praxim as he steps through the door. The dripping mandibles cut, but can't grab ahold of the paladin. The force of the bite causes the shot to go just wide of the bubous head.
Tomaru casts Prayer and adds some luck for Praxim.
"There's another door guys..."
She says as she runs down the stairs and across the barn floor.
Rhianni mutters a spell and points at Kellen, as the magic from her hands fizzes around Kellen, making him grow and become large. She then goes around and follows Shalelu.
Kellen suddenly feels a sensation of vertigo as the room shifts around with his new perspective. Whoa - what was in that poison, he thinks as the spell takes affect.
As soon as her summoning is completed, Lym holds her ground; she stands ready to blast the spider with magic missiles if it tries to make a break for it and manages to get past her summoned arachnids.
Testing his new size, Kellen does his best to make it through the webbing and back to the catwalk.
The spider bites at Praxim once again, this time missing, before it moves along the ceiling to get over the top of Kellen. it seems to be enraged - if bugs can be - by this new giant thing in its web.
The celestial spiders appear, and attempt to web the larger arachnid, but to no avail. The third one skitters along towards Kellen.
Kellen himself is unable to gain any ground on the web.
Do you mean we can't actually see the spider?
Tomaru moves up to help (F12). He casts Spiritual Weapon and a glittering star knife comes into being and strikes at the spider.
Spiritual Weapon: prayer
to hit Damage
Praxim looks straight up and starts unleashing shafts of death.
(PBS, BGH, prayer, rapid)
Will hitch a ride on the spider to get back up to the catwalk - assuming the eight-legged beastie doesn't attack me again.
The celestial spiders attack, trying to establish a flank on the enemy! Arachnid bodies dart and latch on while mandibles snap, trying to deliver payloads of deadly venom! Everyone can hear chittering, whistling sounds as the spiders do battle inside the funnel!
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Thordak waits for a spider head to poke through the door. Tomaru's knife barely misses the huge thing, but Praxim does not. His three arrows bury themselves deep in the disgusting body.
Kellen attempts to climb on to the celestial spider, who looks at him dubiously through eight eyes. But through strength of will, begins to climb up.
Rhi follows Shalelu around to the other door.
The massive spider chitters angrily at the little spiders nipping at it. It seizes one its jaws and mashes it to a pulp before swallowing it. Then, in a blink, it leaps down into the funnel and out of sight below you. The smaller spiders follow it down, biting at its hind legs.
When the spider dives down its hole, the summoned weapon returns to Tomaru and hovers near him. He considers diving down after the spider, but shakes his head and goes over to (F15) the corner. "Kellen, how you doing?"
"If we can get these men out of these cages, we can torch this place and fry that thing!" Praxim says. "Lym, can you tell your friends to open the cages?"
"Kellen, how you doing?"
"Nasty bite, but that's not the worst of it. Some kind of poison - making me sluggish. If not for Rhianni's spell, I'd probably be weak as a kitten."
"Spiders are not known for their skill with locks," Lym replies. "But I can open one cage. If Kellen will be so kind as to join us, he can do the other one and we can get out. Someone watch my back!"
Assuming someone does come along to shield her against more arachnid attention, Lym moves into the cage room and casts Knock -- provided their occupants are still alive. "Hostes semper salutata sum! Everyone out on good behaviour!" she shouts, hoping to rouse the prisoners.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Down in the noxious darkness of the funnel, the giant spider can feel its 'meal' evaporate before it even hits its stomach, as the summons is ended with the first spider's defeat. The remaining two are in full pursuit, continuing to flank and harry it!
Tomaru will go to help the captives as well.
At the sound of Lym's voice, one of the figures in the cage groans.
"Help us...please..." it says with great pain. Both figures are wounded, and appear to have suffered horrifically in the hands of the Grauls.
The webs below buckle and heave as the eight-legged adversaries fight. A high-pitched chitter tells you that another of Lym's creatures has met a grisly fate.
On the far side, Shalelu reaches the cage and makes short work of the lock on the door. The lone figure in the cage sits up weakly, looking at her. For a moment they stare at each other, then she drops her bow and rushes to him, taking him in a fierce hug. One word only comes across the terrible din to you...
Father...
"This is very touching, but we don't have time just now!" Lym calls to Shalelu. "Tomaru, grab the other one, Shalelu, bring your father and let's go! My summonses are running out!"
"If either of ya be needin' help, just say the word." Thordak offers.
Praxim's face shows his surprise, but he quickly gets it under control. "Not meaning to rush this happy reunion, Shalelu, but we do have to move!"
He keeps his bow pointing down where the spider went.