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"Oh, I think I may know this one. What is a hole for a copper, Mr Irontoe?"
Nokazi cackles in delight.
"You two are the best! I could listen to your wonderful stories until dawn. I relish the comradeship with our team. If you don't mind, I'll scout ahead as before."
Nokazi stealthily scouts fifteen ahead in the same marching order wary for more traps.
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"Two excellent answers. I was thinking of a cave, or a mine, or even a hole. I do like the mothers heart though - very figerative."
He looks at the swordslady with a shrewd eye.
"An answer I have not been given before. Then again, that may say more about the company I usually keep. Miners - given them a seam of ore and an ale and the quality of the humour doesn't have to be high."
He peers into the cave, trying to see the stealthy Tengu.
"Time to follow Mr Stoneclaw I think."
Giving Nokazi a thirty foot head start, Rhuul follows as quietly as he can.
Down the dark passageway, you find a grisly scene.
The tunnel opens into a large cavern. Thick layers of sagging
webs choke the room from floor to ceiling. Beyond the mass
of tangles, jade flames burn about a rough pyramid-shaped
dais, bathing the whole chamber in an eldritch green glow.
Gruesome carcasses and human-sized cocoons dangle from
ghastly strands. In places, walls are covered with worn-out
bas-reliefs and faded markings. The air smells of dust, decay,
and death.
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"I recall that many spiders keep their, ahh, food, alive but paralyised. It stops it going off so fast. If those figures are the crew, some may yet live." offers Rhuul.
He hurries up to join Nokazi.
"Do you see any movement?" Rhuul looks up as well as down.
Once again he unfurls his pathfinder flag, waving it in the still air of the cave.
"Explore! Report! Cooperate! Even with pirates!"
He adds in a lower voice. "I draw the line at cooperating with spiders. Especially when it comes to dinner."
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“Miners - give them a seam of ore and an ale and the quality of the humour doesn't have to be high.”
Eadie’s eyes sparkle. “Perhaps there is something to what you say, Master Dwarf.”
“Often when I have come across working men in social situations, I have found their laughter come to an embarrassed halt as I approach. And their stories too! Except for when they take a most unexpected turn, judging by the looks on the audience’s faces. The punchline appears shortly after, and is far less amusing than I would expect from such fun-loving folk.”
♞♞♞♞
Eadie whispers. “Is this some kinda weird shrine?”
She takes her cue from the scouts and keeps a sharp lookout for hidden foes.
As your group moves into the larger cave, despite the shadows and webs, Nokazi spots something on the eastern wall that looks suspicious. The glint of trip-wires crossing the floor.
Nokazi moves up to disable to the trip threads while assisted by Holman and Malus.
Once the last string is successfully cut, a brutally large slab of stone swings down and slams into the wall.
At that point there is movement 20' high on the ceiling as crawling humanoid creatures spring into action.
Eadie:
Holman:
Malus:
Nokazi:
Rhuul:
26-Malus
21-Nokazi, Holman
17-Monsters
16-Eadie
9-Rhuul
=== Surprise Round ===
These hideous purple creatures walk upright like a man, but their faces are of a spider, and hands are sickle-shaped claws.
Web Eadie DC15 or entangled
Web Rhuul DC15 or entangled
Malus, Nokazi and Holman are up
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Rhuul does his best to avoid the webs coming towards him.
"Not again!" he sighs.
And luck would seem to be with him this time. Or maybe it is the razor sharp dwarven reflexes.
"Luck it is! What did one fly say to the fly next to it in the web?"
He looks around, in case Eadie wasn't so lucky.
"I'm happy to be stuck with you."
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Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (a pinch of wool or similar substance)
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target one humanoid creature of 4 HD or less
Duration 1 round
Saving Throw Will negates; Spell Resistance yes
This spell clouds the mind of a humanoid creature with 4 or fewer Hit Dice so that it takes no actions. Humanoids of 5 or more HD are not affected. A dazed subject is not stunned, so attackers get no special advantage against it. After a creature has been dazed by this spell, it is immune to the effects of this spell for 1 minute.
Malus reacts to the dark creatures and aims a spell at one of them on the cave wall.
However the spider eyes do not flinch as the spell strikes their many facets.
Nokazi fires a pair of arrows upward and both bury deep into the creature despite cutting through the cover of the webs. The creature shrieks in pain.
Holman prepares to charge.
The two creatures effortlessly climb down the thick webs and attack Eadie and Rhuul at the rear of the party.
On Eadie for plus fort vs poison
On Rhuul for plus fort vs poison
However, both miss their targets.
Rhuul steps over, but not quite enough to flank the creature with Eadie.
Eadie steps up despite being entangled in the web and swings her falchion.
on 1-20
In an area of dim light, a character can see somewhat. Creatures within this area have concealment (20% miss chance in combat) from those without darkvision or the ability to see in darkness.
With a single slash across its throat, the creature drops to the ground twitching.
Nokazi, with bow in hand, moves over to the remaining spider creature and attempts to bite it.
on 1-20
The birdman's beak takes a big chunk out of the creature.
=== Round 2 ===
26-Malus
21-Nokazi, Holman
17-Monster
16-Eadie (entangled)
9-Rhuul (inspiring)
Malus and Holman are up...
Holman dashes up and stabs at the spider creature.
misses on 1-20
The Halfling connects with a dagger through the neck of the remaining creature.
Malus waits for an opening to act (delays).
The creature swings its claws madly at the Halfling that just stabbed it.
On Holman for
On Holman for
And tries to bite with chitin mandibles at the still entangled Eadie.
On Eadie for (hits) plus fort vs poison
Rhuul continues to banter and swings at the creature, hitting it solidly with his waraxe, sending a spray of ichor into the surrounding webs.
The creature falls to the ground twitching with its companion on the cave floor.
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Eadie’s passes her CLW wand to Rhuul as she frees herself of the entangling webs.
“Thank-you, Mr Irontoe. I’m feeling better all ready!"
“Shall we see if any of the Black Marquis’ men are willing to be cut loose from their premier holiday accommodation? ‘Cos it’s almost time to go home!”
Eadie will stick close to the trap-spotters, lending her assistance where appropriate.
Once you deal with the twitching inhabitants of this dreadful place, you are free to explore the green glowing cavern and altar within.
The ettercaps’ nest suspends from the
ceiling. It will require climbing up to reach the nest to search it.
Also, the cocoons hanging behind the altar contain a number of
human bodies suspended in midair.
Nokazi climbs to the ettercaps’ nest and finds within various
shiny objects the monsters collected from their victims:
a few gems, pendants, and gold pieces, and a masterwork
silver short sword.
The cocoons contain a number of human bodies that appear to be
crewmen from the Hanspur’s Luck. Nokazi notices two individuals appear to be barely alive, though unconscious.
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Eadie sheathes her curved blade and lifts her arms to receive the cocooned bodies as Nokazi lowers them from the ceiling of the loathsome shrine.
“Steady … steady … handsomely now, Mr Stoneclaw! And … gotcha!”
After gently placing each body on the ground, Eadie pulls a dagger from her right greave and attempts to carefully cut the pseudo-mummies free. She also helps Holman assess their injuries.
“My diagnosis is that each of them has a chronic case of arachnophobia.” The young warrior then draws her CLW wand. “Mr Irontoe, please feel free to use my wand to bring them around.”
As you carefully lower the two men and revive them, you find they are too weak from poison to do much more than lean against the wall.
"Thank you...whoever you are. We were as good as dead with these ones. Thought we'd never live to see daylight again in this sickly place."
One is an elderly Osirion man who introduces himself
"I am Zukka Nephmet...I uh...thank you again."
The other adds...
"You have my gratitude as well. I am a close friend of the
Black Marquis. Perhaps...you have heard of him if not me. My name is One-Eyed Farl.
Our crew...we were setup by one of the Black Marquis' own captains. Riverbane's her name.
Watch out for that witch if you see her. I'd kill her if I had the strength."
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"Ahhah. The plot thickens. Captain Riverbane took us here. We found your ship covered in webs, and the log that indicated you had been ordered to wait there by her. It didn't seem wise to press the point on her at the time..."
He looks from person to person.
"There is an Azlanti ruin to explore here, is there not?"
Rhuul moves the lights around the room and starts to explore, once the crewmembers are made as comfortable as they can be.
"We should keep an eye on our stern me-hearties. Why would Riverbane try to undermine her own lord? Me thinks there be Mutany in the offering."
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"I am Zukka Nephmet...”
“And I am Eadie Navhelan. How do you do?” She lifts her helm’s visor and curtsies as best you can in full plate. “We’re Pathfinders sent to rescue you at the request of the Black Marquis. In return, our bosses get some boring old book that your Captain obtained through legitimate channels.”
Eadie will try to draw the elderly Osirion alchemist aside for a private conversation. “Mr Nephmet, I am an authorized representative of the Scarab Sages. Identity number 69095-3.”
“We’re currently under new management, after severing ties with the Ruby Prince, Khemet III. Our new big boss is the Diamond Sage. Her fortress of solitude remains in the desert wastes of Osirion. I can’t tell you exactly where … Well I could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you, so I won’t. Anyway if you need any consular assistance – just let me know!”
“Ahhah. The plot thickens ...”
Eadie closes an eye and drawls. “Like week-old fish stew … and it smells just as bad.”
The young warrior draws her blade and moves to guard the party’s six. “Do you think Lady R could have followed us here, letting these spidermen weaken us before trying to finish us off?”
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"Maybe I'm just the suspicious type - but Riverbane looks like a woman with ambition, and while the Black Marquis may have had some in days gone by...he looks kind of comfortable now."
Rhuul tries to keep the conversation away from the two crewmen - more to avoid upsetting them than any real subterfuge.
While no traps are found, no more treasure is uncovered either.
Both men respond that they are too weak to walk far and will hang back until they recover their strength.
"Nay, we cannot do much but get in your way. Lead on and we will do our best to keep up.
Someday, we may be able to repay you for saving us from certain doom."
The altar appears to have been stripped clear as well. It appears to have carvings of a large hairy spider-like creature with a female humanoid head with a mouth full of fangs, commanding dozens of supplicating slaves in horrid sacrifices and battles.
You do not find anything else of value on the altar or the rest of the cave, just more webs in the back. The other bodies are very much dead.
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Feeling that the dreadful cavern is starting to take its toll on her morale, Eadie hums a tune to lift the party's spirits.
Rising up,
In the Fever Sea’s heat.
Wasted too much time
Not taking chances.
Sailed the distance
Now I’m facing eight feet.
A sell-sword
And her will to survive.
So many times
Entangled too fast
Poisoned for the sake of the story.
Don’t lose your grip on the dreams of the past
You must fight just to keep them alive!
It’s the … eye of the spider,
It’s the thrill of the fight.
Rising up to the challenge of our rival.
And the last known survivor
Traps her prey in the night.
And she’s watching us all with the eye …
… of the spider ♪♫
“Guys, I agree with Mr Irontoe that it’s time to head back to the Scrag Fisher. We could say the captives were already dead when we assaulted the cave complex, so Lady R doesn’t get suspicious before we confront her.”
Eadie ponders the return trip. “Of course, she could have set an ambush for us in the forest somewhere. Maybe we should keep an eye out for her on the way back?”
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Holman shrugs, "Regardless of whether she's gonna attack us or not, we need to get back to the boat. Let's go, and just be ready for whatever happens."
With that, he begins making his way out of the cave. However, he keeps to the shadows, in order to get the drop on anyone with ill-will against the adventurers.