Kimberly catches up with the other children. She immediately starts helping out with the chores as she tells about the trip and the big wolf-man guy that they encountered.
she does not go into great detail but it still sounds frightening enough.
as she continues her story,
... Oh and I heard something and I was wondering if you guys knew anything. before we arrived here, have there been any other unusual visitors? I heard about these guys that whisper, or some such thing. I was listening to some people talk and I think they might have been here.
The children are much appreciative of Kimberly's help, even if their mother gives them a frown at 'dawdling'. They do know that not long ago, three strangers came to the Lodge. They did not stay in the normal rooms, but spent the night in the tower with Madame Ivanja.
"One of them had a right-scary little man with him. All gray and red eyes!" they whisper.
Anna quickly arranges Estovion's desk back the way she found it before the trap door opens. Then she activates the ring and takes a step toward the door, out of the way of the path that the halfling will likely take. She keeps her breath slow and steady, noting that she just heard Belik, and not Estovion.
She decides to wait to see what he does in the office before attempting to sneak out. She only has a few minutes before the ring's magic expires, but she is curious to see what the halfling is up to. She pauses near the trap door and lets him past.
Tolvan's curiosity is perked at the mention of the maline sprit. [b]A vilkacis.[/i] he ponders the word as he writes it down.
Oathar thinks on it also wondering if he has heard the name before
The guests shudder as the howl fades. Margrave Cilas steps into the light of the fire. "Indeed, it was only four years ago when such a spirit was within these very walls," he says with some relish. "I witnessed its handiwork, bloody mess it was."
"Indeed." Is Estovion's only reply.
------------------------------------------------------
Belik enters the room and begins to go through the papers on the desk. As he reaches the journal, he frowns and picks it up. He turns it over, front to back, and then sets it down. Then he notices the quill. Reaching over, he lifts the quill to his tongue, and tastes it ever so slightly. He jerks back, and reaches to the tip of his tongue with a hand, and pulls away a finger wet with ink. He drops the quill on the desk and hurries out of the door. The last thing Anna hears is the click of the lock and the scamper of small feet.
4 years ago it was here in these walls? Oh I must hear that story as well. What handiwork did it do and how was it defeated or driven off? Tolvan looks quite intrigued.
"I am afraid I must retire to my chambers now. Perhaps the Margrave will be so kind?" Estovion bows to all assembled, and leaves the room. The Margrave is only too pleased to be the center of attention again.
"It was a dark and stormy night," he begins, speaking slowly, "we were all here in this very room. Lightning crashed, the thunder rolled like the voice of the gods. Count Belisle had stepped out on to the veranda to take in the sights of the storm when it struck! There was a horrible scream and the sound of tearing and rending. When we rushed outside to see what was the cause, we found the Count - ripped to shreds and torn nearly asunder." The Margrave pauses in his tale as he moves from the fireside across great room to the windows overlooking the veranda. "It was right here that we saw the vilkacis, a dark shape bounding across the lawns and over the wall in a single leap."
Just then a huge dark shape looms up from above and behind the Margrave. With a rush, it crashes through the floor-to-ceiling windows and knocks the man prone. It is not a wolf-spirit, but a giant tarantula, and it has the Margrave down in front of it!
Recovering quickly from his surprise Tolvan tells his comrades to wait on his haste. He then steps back 5' from the spider and casts the spell to hasten his group and the Margrave, extending it to last 14 rounds. As he casts he also studies the creature trying to identify it and looking for some sign that it might be summoned or controlled. After casting he jumps back 15' through his dimensional shift ability.
Oathar will draw his sword and after the haste will look to attack the spider depending on the map.
This spider is a serious threat team. I recommend we dispose of it quickly and holding nothing back.
Clever, for a halfling, Anna thinks bitterly as she stares at the trap door. Not trusting him to actually leave but remain hiding out to see who might be coming out of the office, she looks for another way out. She checks the window to see if there's enough room for her to squeeze out, and then to see if there's any roof access. She opts for the roof access if she can, and then makes her way to one of the two eastern balconies. Once there, she returns her dress to its normal state, rolls down her sleeve, and wills away her invisibility before stepping back into the second floor hallway.
Kimberly thanked them for the information they had. and joined the others at the story telling. she was a little late arriving so Kimberly tried to remain as quiet as she could so she did not disturb anyone.
she was very interested in the story as it began, ideas formulating in her head as to what tales she could tell. but suddenly things changed and the stories became all to real.
Kimberly is in such shock at the spider's appearance, she hesitates and this slows her response to the threat. --
Once she has her wits about her, she holds out her hand toward the spider, Your judgment is at hand and a beam of black light shoots at the spider.
--
Danica too waits until Tolvan's spell is complete and will flank with Oathar. She call upon the power of the Dawnflower to cast upon Her Judgement. (using Judgement: Destriction)
"Oathar....protect the Margrave....Outflank the creature. All of us combined can dispatch it quickly"
+2 if flanking
The guests scream in terror and stumble backward away from the gargantuan spider, tipping chairs and spilling their drinks as they flee. Oathar and Danica move to the sides of the beast to try and flank it. The spider lunges with blurring speed to attack the paladin, its fangs sinking deep into his shoulder. For a moment, a searing pain courses from the wound, sapping his strength, but Oathar shakes off the effects to continue his attack. Danica and Oathar strike hard, their blows spraying green ichor on the wall of the great room. Unfortunately, the barbed hairs of the spider stab each hero as they attack, piercing the flesh of their sword-arms. The agony of the poison is excruciating, but neither is adversely affected...for now.
The spider turns toward Oathar, intent on finishing him. Once again, the fangs lock on the paladin, crushing several ribs. This fire from the poison burns deep within, sapping Oathar's ability to fight!
Kimberly's judgement hits the spider square in the eyes, causing it to squeal in pain.
The Margrave rolls over onto his back, under the spider. "Someone throw me a weapon!" He orders.
Oathar continues to press the attack.
"Someone throw the Margrave a weapon while I keep it occupied."
Unlike most wizards, Tolvan has a marshal side to him and he carries an enchanted blade. He slides it across the floor to be wihtin the Margrave's reach and then takes a 5' step further back.
Danica calls upon the power of Sarenrae once more. This time imbuing her temple sword with the power to vanquish this type of creature.
Bane Use: Round 1 of 5
Danica and Oathar continue their assault, piercing the tarantula in the thorax and hacking at its legs. The vicious spines stab at their hands, but again they manage to fight off the nausea of the poison. The spider screeches in pain and rears back, raising its forelegs. It lunges at Oathar, catching him by the abdomen. The fangs drive deeply into his body, causing severe damage. The great beast pulls its fangs free, throwing Oathar against the far wall in a bloody heap.
Roll to stabilize for next round
Danica screams aloud as she sees Oathar's body being thrown. "Nooooooo....." Anger begins to swell within the Inquisitor
"Anyone....help me in finishing this creature off."
Bane Use: 2 of 5
As the screams and commotion reach her ears, she shakes her head and starts running. By the time she reaches the downstairs, she realizes that she's running toward the danger and marvels for a moment.
She pulls out her magic dagger from its hiding spot, saving her last use of invisibility for the day in case she really needs to get away. When she reaches the main foyer, the sight of the immense spider takes her breath away. Gaping in shock, she pauses just long enough to formulate a plan.
She veers out the back door and plunges into the hedge maze, hoping that she can get close and flank the beast from its rear.
Kimberly sees the paladin fall, she remembers the others before him and the ways she may have failed them, first Kimgald her first friend, then Pyotr, and finally Andjela.
No more will leave us she cries as a wave of black energy engulfs everyone in the room.
the light binds the wounds of her friends and allies.
Anna moves outside, reaching the porch to look in on the melee inside the great room. Kimberly's channel is timely, keeping Oathar from the Great Beyond.
Cilas looks at Oathar, at the sword, and back at Oathar.
"Damn!" he swears, rolling out from under the huge spider and pulling hard at something around his neck. He reaches the paladin's unconscious body and shoves a small flask into Oathar's mouth.
Tolvan moves back a little further and lets loose with magic missiles.
Oathar first lays on hands on himself as a swift action:
Then he picks up the sword and strikes and the spider from prone Vital striking and power attacking
The spider squeels in pain, the entire body quivering violently. It rises up on all of its legs, the body slamming into a chandelier filled with burning candles. Then it crashes to the floor, dead. The chandelier falls from where it hung, the candles spilling about and starting a small blaze on a chair.
Guests begin to appear from around the corners to see the dead monstrosity. The Margrave is the first to speak.
Margrave Cilas Graydon stands up, dusting himself off. "Put that fire out! Where in the name of the abyss did that thing come from? Delgros!"
Oathar grabs something quickly to help put out the fire.
With the spider dead, Anna hears the shouts coming from the inside. Paranoia strikes her as she realizes that she may have been missed during the evening, so she needed to establish an alibi -- from both the spider attack and the office break-in.
She stealthily moves back inside and runs upstairs to her room, hopefully avoiding anyone else, occupied as they would be by the spider attack.
Once in her room, she throws on an evening robe, making sure it covers her notes along her arm.
Kimberly quickly notices the fire and with a little wave of her hand the chair is dowsed in water.
Danica cast Detect Magic in the area where the spider first appeared. Then she scans the area.
She then moves over to dead spider and examines it.
Tolvan also moves up to examine the spider, looking for any signs of control or ownership. Its so large. How could it hide near by or approach without being spotted? Could it have been summoned?
"That is why I an trying to detect if there is any residual magic in the area." Danica continue but whispers towards her companions. "This little encounter has revealed who we are. Whoever brought the spider now knows our capabilities."