Zokon moves to the spider attacking his horse, drawing his longsword at the same time and delivers an attack at that spider.
As the rider approaches it is apparent all is not well.
"Oh. *huff, huff* hiya *huff, huff*. Gimme a sec to catch *huff* my breath." She pulls a long drag from her own waterskin before pulling out a bowl from her saddle bag and pouring some for her mount. She dumps the rest over her head. "Whoo! Okay, I'm good. What did you say again? Charter? Huh, maybe that's what they're doing down there then."The wolf finishes its water and growls at the pink haired gnome.
"Right Vinegar. Manners. I am Squire Droo and this is my partner Vinegar."
Cyrielle looks at Posh, rolling her eyes, and turns to face the other gnome. "Well, Miss Droo, there's not time quite like the present. We've been assigned to explore south of Oleg's, and we're to meet up with a group of explorers to do so. Was it a straight ride the way you came to find them, or would it be best to continue down the road to the trading post?"
She glances at the wolf uncomfortably. "And why did you name your mount Vinegar?"
"Whoa! Whoooooooaaaaaaa!" Fronar slides off the saddle as the spider tries to clamp on and drag him.
"That thing tried to drag me away! Watch yourselves everyone!"
Fronar moves into help Zokon with the spider that bloodied his horse.
Zokon moves to the spider attacking his horse, drawing his longsword at the same time and delivers an attack at that spider.
His blade strikes true causing the spider to reconsider chasing down its wounded prey. This new morsel might have a sting, but will be easier to store into its larder.
Fronar's and Zokon's unattended horses flee in a panic inviting attacks of opportunity.
Spider 2 = Hit
Spider 3 = Miss
--------------------
Numalar
Giant Spiders
Luna
Celyne
Fronar
Zokon
Horses
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Cyrielle looks at Posh, rolling her eyes, and turns to face the other gnome. "Well, Miss Droo, there's not time quite like the present. We've been assigned to explore south of Oleg's, and we're to meet up with a group of explorers to do so. Was it a straight ride the way you came to find them, or would it be best to continue down the road to the trading post?"
She glances at the wolf uncomfortably. "And why did you name your mount Vinegar?"
"Wow, there are a lot of you folks trying to get into the Stolen Lands! I just left some 'charter holders' on my last stop southwest of here. As for which way to go, I'd say take the road hands down, there's some nice rolling hills and you can see to the edge of the valley, it takes you right to Oleg's gate.... there are probably a lot less giant spiders lurking there waiting to pounce on you too."
"Oh and I didn't name him silly, I expect his parents did that."
Vinegar nods sagely.
Meanwhile...
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Fronar's and Zokon's unattended horses flee in a panic inviting attacks of opportunity.
By Macrathane's Rotten Left Testicle! Will we have to chase these horses every damn day? Better switch to some combat trained ones as soon as we can manage.
Numalar eases the horse 5' closer to Luna's position.
Numalar scowls darkly, and his right hand bursts into flame. He hurls a ball of this flame at the spider that no longer faces an enemy.
"Blast you, you misbegotten ball of legs! We're going to have roast spider for dinner tonight; how do you like that?"
Luna moves and attacks spider 2
Celyne takes a few steps, bringing her horse along with her, and finishes her spell and an eagle appears, attacking spider 3.
Since it cannot hover, it flies 5' up and will have to continue it's flight and wheel around getting only one attack next round.
Celyne pulls out her light crossbow and readies it for next round. (moved and finished spell this round, so another move action is all she has left.)
Spider 2 lunges toward Zokon
Spider 3 charges past the fiery ball toward the nearest would-be morsel, Zokon
Celyne takes a few steps, bringing her horse along with her, and finishes her spell and an eagle appears, attacking spider 3.
Since it cannot hover, it flies 5' up and will have to continue it's flight and wheel around getting only one attack next round.
Celyne pulls out her light crossbow and readies it for next round. (moved and finished spell this round, so another move action is all she has left.)
An eagle appears and gouges the spider twice, while at the same time Luna bites away at the remaining spider's back.
"Wow, there are a lot of you folks trying to get into the Stolen Lands! I just left some 'charter holders' on my last stop southwest of here. As for which way to go, I'd say take the road hands down, there's some nice rolling hills and you can see to the edge of the valley, it takes you right to Oleg's gate.... there are probably a lot less giant spiders lurking there waiting to pounce on you too.""Oh and I didn't name him silly, I expect his parents did that."
Vinegar nods sagely.
"His parents? What..you know what, nevermind." Cyrielle rolls her eyes. "Thank you for the directions, Miss Droo. Have a safe ride back to Restov, and try not to get caught in that storm."
Climbing back onto her horse, she nods to the gnome and spurs forward. Giant spiders? I wonder why she mentioned those?
The eagle wheels around and attacks spider 3 again
Celyne fires her crossbow at spider 2.
Luna takes a full round of attacks on spider 2.
"His parents? What..you know what, nevermind." Cyrielle rolls her eyes. "Thank you for the directions, Miss Droo. Have a safe ride back to Restov, and try not to get caught in that storm."Climbing back onto her horse, she nods to the gnome and spurs forward. Giant spiders? I wonder why she mentioned those?
The eagle wheels around and attacks spider 3 again
Celyne fires her crossbow...
Zokon ducks and weaves blocks flailing legs and fangs with sword and buckler and maneuvers so his allies may take advantage he then uses studied target on the spider between him and Fronar and then attacks that spider in a moment of opportunity.
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The eagle wheels around and attacks spider 3 again...
Luna takes a full round of attacks on spider 2.
...
[dice=grab, cmb vs cmd]1d20+3
Cat, Big (Lion, Tiger)
Starting Statistics: Size Medium; Speed 40 ft.; AC +1 natural armor; Attack bite (1d6), 2 claws (1d4); Ability Scores Str 13, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 15, Cha 10; Special Attacks rake (1d4); Special Qualities low-light vision, scent.7th-Level Advancement: Size Large; AC +2 natural armor; Attack bite (1d8), 2 claws (1d6); Ability Scores Str +8, Dex –2, Con +4; Special Attacks grab, pounce, rake (1d6) .
Zokon continues dodging and maneuvering to not get bitten
"No worries anytime...
Daggers flash, and the spider slumps to the ground with a sickeningly wet thud.
Zokon doesn't give it a second look as his sword bites deep into the next spider.
Two fleeing horses continue to flee, the other two look nervously on.
--------------------
Numalar
Giant Spider (-15 hp)
Luna
Celyne
Fronar (-5 hp)
Zokon
Horses (Zokon's -13 hp)
--------------------
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Numalar spurs his horse around the eagle to the south, and reins in fifteen feet away from the last standing spider.
He grits his teeth and steels himself against the bouncing of the horse's gait. He gestures, and shouts: "Qa' quv!"
A tongue of flame roars out of his mouth scorching the life spider and charring the remains of the dead one.
Numalar coughs and wisps of smoke come out of his mouth. His face looks ashen. "I'm going after the horses! Catch up when you can!" He turns his horse around and prepares to continue on.
Numalar spurs his horse around the eagle to the south, and reins in fifteen feet away from the last standing spider.
He grits his teeth and steels himself against the bouncing of the horse's gait. He gestures, and shouts: "Qa' quv!"
[dice=Concentration DC 11 (vigorous motion)]1d20 + 7
A tongue of flame roars out of his mouth scorching the life spider and charring the remains of the dead one.
The charred spider falls over, its legs mechanically contract in on itself.
Numalar coughs and wisps of smoke come out of his mouth. His face looks ashen. "I'm going after the horses! Catch up when you can!" He turns his horse around and prepares to continue on.
Numalar pounds to the top of the rise and spies the horse--only one of them standing nervously in a shallow valley filled with small mounds like those you have just left.
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Zokon recoils back from the tongue of flames coming towards him and leaps backwards and out of the way
"Numalar watch where your aiming that stuff, that was wayyyy too close!... do I still have eyebrows.... "
Zokon feels his eyebrows to see if they are still there.
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Zokon feels his eyebrows to see if they are still there.
"Good Zokon, your eyebrows were too bushy anyway. But no time for that; time to get your bow out. Looks like one of our horses is surrounded by more of these mounds. I can't see the other horse."
Numalar looks around warily, looking for more spiders or other movement. His flaming hand is held high like a torch, ready to blast the first thing he sees.
"Selbina's Tears! I do not like the look of this. Come here girl, come on now." Numalar calls out to the horse, making a clicking sound with his mouth that he has heard other horsemen make.
Numalar looks back to the others. "In fact, perhaps all of you should get bows out. Maybe that way we can be the ones to strike first this time."
Zokon draws his bow and walk/runs up to where Numalar is...
Fronar's horse looks dumbly at Numalar but doesn't move from its spot. Beyond it the sky is has gotten as dark as night.
Wild berries and humming birds seem aplenty along the edges of the road whose former grandeur is apparent. The Taldan of antiquity had built it to last but now the brick edges have frayed and loose cobblestone are aplenty in the shallow drainage ditches to either side. Grass and wild flowers grow amid the cracks--taller away from the central path with shows some modern use. From the road you can see the beautiful and perilous rolling plains for miles around. The land itself was obviously once tamed but has grown wild and dangerous again. Its wind swayed grasses beckoning you to leave the road and walk through them like as you might have as children upon a family farm marveling at nature's vastness. But with the storm brewing on the horizon, the plains to the southwest seem a windswept sea full of hard tors and high stones, and the siren grasses that hide dangers undreamt of in their depths.
You come upon a copse of trees lining the road. At one time, much of the road was flanked by such ornaments, most are long dead, and those that were left closed ranks in places like this. They, like the land rest of this place seem to have reverted to their primeval selves and now form a sort of half open cave through which the road leads. No birds sing (nor hum) here. There is only the wind, the grass and the leaves.
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Numalar dismounts, and hefts his spear. He looks around at the others and prepares to advance towards the horse.
"While it would probably be best to eliminate these creatures to spare others this sort of fate, I have no particular grudge against them, and frankly, if we can retrieve Fronar's horse I am happy to quit this place without needless battle. I fear though that Zokon's horse is likely now dead. Zokon, was there anything vital to you in the horse's tack? Do we need to recover it?"
"Yes several things that i'll not be able to replace easily out here and a compass specifically especially vital for our exploration. We will also want to check the holes of the spiders we have and may kill as they may have useful gear in them."
"Y'know, Posh, I've been thinking. I know that's dangerous, but still, I have. Now, that gnome said something about giant spiders, and if that other chartered group finds some, they'll either need saving or get all the glory to themselves. I bet they're somewhere south of here. You want to see if we can find them?" Cyrielle looks south into the distance. "Of course, those stormclouds are pretty ominous too..."
"Y'know, Posh, I've been thinking. I know that's dangerous, but still, I have. Now, that gnome said something about giant spiders, and if that other chartered group finds some, they'll either need saving or get all the glory to themselves. I bet they're somewhere south of here. You want to see if we can find them?" Cyrielle looks south into the distance. "Of course, those stormclouds are pretty ominous too..."
"Hmm...Well if we go find them we best be careful in case we come across the spiders first." he states as he gives her a soft smile. "If you want to get going quickly, you'll need to have me on the horse with you. Perhaps we come in all heroic-like and save them from somekind of monster?" he chuckles before then proclaiming "Poshment the Savior! Cyrielle the Monster Slayer!"
After removing the thistles from her horse's legs, Celyne moves over to where Numalar is standing and tries to call the lone horse among the mounds to come to her.
Cyrielle and Poshment spot the band they think they are searching for on slight rise ahead. The group seems to be trying to summon a horse to them from the other side of the vale.
The horse snorts, kicks at the earth as if not trusting it but relents to patiently beckoning Celyne. It nervously approaches her.
It is eagle eyed Fronar however who notices the danger first, silken tripwires cast amid the rough foliage collecting leaves and dead grass--and the vibration of prey. Luna too seems on edge. The horse steps upon one of these strands with immediate result--a much, MUCH larger spider emerges from earth. In the blink of an eye it bears down on the horse!
Surprise Round
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Really Giant Spider
Fronar
Luna (basically takes a defensive stance until Celyne goes)
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The spider strikes out at the horse who is oblivious to the creature until it strikes with its scimitar-sized mandibles!
None of you have probably ever seen nor heard a horse so terrified as the nightmarish spider wrestles it to the ground, its fangs buried deep in the animal's flank.
Studied target on spider
"Gah!... kill it while it's occupied with the horse
Zokon fires an arrow at the spider
Really Giant Spider's Initiative: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22
Horses' Initiative (Eloi goes at Cyrielle Init.): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7
Celyne's Initiative: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13
Cyrielle's Initiative: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12
Fronar's Initiative: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13
Luna's Initiative (typically holds action until commanded by Celyne): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9
Numalar's Initiative: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8
Poshment's Initiative: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
Zokon's Initiative: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16
Amended order
-----------------
Really Giant Spider
Zokon
Fronar (highest Dex)
Celyne (Luna)
Cyrielle (and mount, Eloi)
Numalar
Poshment
Other Horses (unless someone wants to control them)
-----------------
On reflecting upon the lengths of the blades he normally wields and the prodigious size of the spider, Fronar produces his bow and takes aim.
The shot clatters across the beast's chitinous hide and the creature instead concentrates on subduing its current prey.
The horse suddenly stops its struggles, and lies still. The spider drags it to its den and drops it is when like a bolt of lightning Zokon's arrow pierces its abdomen down to its fletching. The spider hisses and seethes in pain, its primitive black eyes lock on the party with undeniable hatred.
Guessing where the beast is heading, Fronar, very quickly nocks another arrow hoping that together the group might be able to bring it down before the enraged, buffalo-sized monster tramples them beneath its eight, thickly plated legs.
This time he hits!
Initiative order
-----------------
Really Giant Spider (-14 hp)
Zokon
Fronar
Celyne (and Luna)
Cyrielle (and mount, Eloi)
Numalar
Poshment
Other Horses (unless someone wants to control them)
-----------------
Cyrielle taps her heel lightly against Eloi's side, spurring him into a gallop. Riding straight for the creature, she pulls her sword from its sheath, shouting.
"Fear not, travelers, for I, Cyrielle, will save you!"