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Dasur seems to be deeply troubled by something after the svirneblin speaks. His hand reaches up to his chin, and he grips it in thought. Fingers trail down his single-braided beard in a repetitive motion as his thinking intensifies.
Finally, after everyone has said their piece, he looks at the gnome gravely. "Does ivy grow in the underdark?"
Turing to stare at Dasur with a confused look. Is he drunk?
Knivey Ivy gives Dasur a long look before turning to Snorri and the others. "We were travelling from Fasturvault. Then the skis'raal attacked us. Three of them dropped from the ceiling, spraying us with web. I managed to slip free and hide out here. Poor Sheriff Gunther though, they cut his throat immediately and dragged the others away."
Ivy bit her lip. "I've been hiding here since yesterday, in case they came back again, looking for another snack. They hid the wagon above the embankment over there and took the rest of my companions away. It doesn't add up though. Skis'raal don't live in this part of the Azathyr and they never kill their prey outright. They drag them back to their lair and..." The deep gnome leaves the rest unsaid.
"Sounds unusual," says Glenda. "How long do captives usually last? Do you think we have enough time to rescue the others?"
Dasur seems oblivious to the stares, and completely nonplussed that his question was ignored. "If this is so unusual," he continues off of Glenda's statement, "do you believe they could be working for someone? Drow?"
"These Skis'raal are a kind of giant spiders then? Spiders and drow go together like bad news. I say we advance cautiously but swiftly, and make a battle plan if we get the drop on them. And we'll need a marching order...
I suggest having Ukrim in the front as a scout, within shout distance. Then me in the front and Glenda as a rearguard, since we're the ones with the heaviest armor, you others in the middle. "
Dagmar will point out to Ukrim how the tracks look and what kind of things to look for to follow, and to signal for her if he thinks he's loosing the trail.
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Nodding along, "That should be fine." Let me out! Drumming her fingers on the blade of her axe. Oh and how am I to explain you. Don't mind the ghost, he lives in my head! But he is really nice. Which is a lie. Not true.
"That seems a sound tactic," says Glenda in response to Snorri's directions, and she moves to take up position with him.
Dagmar finds a distinct trail that something was dragged away from where the wheel was left: a large quadroped pulled by a few medium arachnids.
Ivy's eyes widen in surprise at Dasur's question. "The drow, of course! There are drow in Fasturvalt right now! Just a few, but they're trying to secure some kind of deal with our idiot lord. Gunther didn't trust them, so he was riding to Kladdenvalt to convince their king Fasturvalt needed help! If we hurry, we might be able to save some of the gnomes that were captured."
Dasur draws a deep breath, and then sighs just a long. "Then we must make haste." Despite his words, the wizard doesn't seem to be in a great hurry, or particularly rattled by the situation.
He turns to their cart and nonchalantly picks up his backpack, puts a book inside, and throws it over his shoulder. "I will take the center."
What am I doing? Am I leading them into a trap? Am I really fit to rule? Am I ready for the responsibility? Gods of the Stone, watch over us.
"Yes, let's hurry. Ivy, can you show Ukrim where they went? You two scout, we'll follow behind."
Snorri braces his shield and checks that the others are behind him before heading onwards.
Ukrim will listen in carefully now, silent and with his arms crossed, looking between the bald woman and the rest of his comrades. The mention of the drow made his brows furrow more then, lips pressing together. He had trained to fight such ancient enemies, the dark-skinned elves of the Azathyr. They were cunning, devious, and incredibly dangerous.
The mention that there were Drow within the village right now, even as they spoke, brought a look of anger to Ukrim's face.
"Thay cannae be trusted. Let us rescue yer friends then 'n' then see tae this envoy thay sent."
Turning, he'd nod back to both Dagmar and Snorri before mentioning for Ivy to travel with him. He'd draw back out his sling, just in case an attack came, and would follow the path that Dagmar pointed out upon the ground.
Moving quietly, he'd keep his eyes focused on the dark and look for the terrible creatures that had claimed the travelling wagon.
Quietly resuming her place near the end of the line with her axe in her hand now.
You follow the drag trail east for four miles before it abruptly turns into a tight cavern branching off from the main road. Inside, the trail vanishes.
Dasur actually bumps into Dagmar when the they suddenly stop their marching while inside the cavern. "Oh! Pardon me." he mutters, reflexively smoothing his braided beard.
He glances around, the black and white outline of the cave illustrated by his darkvision revealing little. Turning and sticking out a hand, he touches the wall of the cave and begins speaking. "Hmm. The trail dwindles... Did they climb up at an unseen overhang?"
It's not abundantly clear if Dasur is asking the wall of the cave, or the group, but the question remains.
Snorri looks up worriedly. "A secret passage? An illusion, perhaps? Or did the spiders rappel upwards?"
He grabs his axe, ready for a fight.
Dagmar can't see much with all the other dwarves in the way.
"Could have simply taken to the walls or ceiling, but looks like into the cave either way? See any webbing or scratches on the walls or ceiling?" Dagmar readies her axe.
Snorri spots a hidden portal in the ceiling of the cave: a stone cunningly webbed into the stone around it.
"There's a door hidden here! By the spiders, it would seem... either we're dealing with smart vermins, or there are drows afoot. Axes ready. Now to get through. Ivy, you look like a crafty one, can you open it more subtly then I'd do?"
The deep gnome eyes the rock door.
"I probably could," she begins. "But I've no skill for climbing."
"I see. Anyone has any idea? How about fire? Would burning the webbing help?"
Snorri draws a torch from his backpack, judging the height of the ceiling.
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"Ah kin reach up thare, ah think. Used tae dae a lot o' climbing 'n' ah dinnae hae th' weight oan me lik' ye folks dae." Ukrim offers up, looking over the walls for a moment. "Add th' fact ah git magic oan me 'n' ah shuid be safe."
Ukrim looks over the walls carefully, estimating how difficult it would be to climb up them barehanded without any climbing gear.
"Let Magrim carry you safely on your way," says Glenda with a touch of her holy symbol.
Dasur looks up at the rocks, the webs, and then to Snorri. "They seek to challenge us vertically." He says, walking up behind their future king to grasp his shoulder. "They did not anticipate the presence of a wizard."
The proclaimed wizard reaches into his spell component pouch and begins to sprinkle powdered iron over the fated skald, Dasur muttering words more incomprehensible than even Ukrim can muster.
"ພະລັງງານໃນລະດັບຄວາມສູງ, ພະລັງງານຢູ່ໃນຫຼາຍ. ການຂະຫຍາຍຕົວແບບຟອມຂອງທ່ານແລະຮູ້ວ່າພະລັງງານນີ້"
When complete, he looks back up at the hole, which is partially blocked from view by the suddenly giant dwarf. "Now we can be easily lifted up. Make haste; it is a short spell."
Reaching back and giving a quick look though her bag. You left with no rope? Mumbling under her breath, "Shut up."
Lifting her eye to realize that things have moved on while she dug though her bag. Haha, you are to slow Nalnera. Be quiet damnit!
Frowning then walking on to be lifted up to the ledge.
"Woah! Nicely done!" exclaims Snorri, as he gets taller than any dwarf was ever born. "Now to open it."
Pressing both of his arms against the stone, he tries to dislodge it.
"Curses, it might be stuck. Care to climb up?"
He extends a hand towards Ivy and anyone who might want to climb him.
Ukrim grins widely as the man begins to grow larger and larger; larger than any man or any dwarf he had ever seen. Without hesitation, he moves to climb up their fearless leader's armor and form to reach the ledge and the stubborn stone.
Once upon the ledge, he grabs hold of the rock any way he can and begin to pull to assist.
Cunningly engineered webbing acts as a hinge of sorts, allowing the stone in the ceiling to swing open easily. Above that is a 5-foot-long chimney ending in a small chamber blanketed in webbing. Woven into this bizarre decoration are Undercommon runes fashioned in discolored silk.
The chamber continues west, opening into a larger cavern.
Snorri frowns looking at the Undercommon runes. "Three literate spiders up ahead. Be careful."
One by one, he raises all of the team members to the ledge before trying to climb up himself.
Dasur takes a moment to read the runes once they are on the ledge, admiring the unique writing materials. "The lair of Skethyk, Azraak, and Jhthaith. All others are food, it says. Ahh, it is a warning. If they were clever enough to make the door, they are shrewd enough to make traps. Be receptive of our surrounding stone for any warnings."
Initiative:
Ukrim
Nalnera
Snorri
Dasur
Dagmar
Skis'Raal
Glenda
As you climb into the lair of the Skis'raal, you see two spiders as big as yourself hanging in webs. Behind them, through a narrowing in the cavern, you see several gnome sized web bundles. Clearly these are the villains you are pursuing.
As you drag yourselves through the portal, the Skis'raal slowly awaken from the slumber brought on by sating themselves on pack-lizard yumminess. Finally coming to, they are surprised to find a bunch of dwarves invading their lair.
In undercommon: "Skethic, Into our web come a gaggle of greedy dwarves. Let us show them the welcome they deserve."
"Bade behind me Dasur, ah will tak' care o' thae beasts!" The short dwarf murmurs, cracking his scarred knuckles. He still feels the wave of energy resonating in his bones, keeping him aware that the mage's magic was still working.
"C'moan, let's barnie!" The monk say as he rushes in towards the first talking spider, leaping off the ground in an incredible display of athleticism. His knee comes soaring in, aiming to take the spider's head off and disorient it. He'd try to hold them off and let the others come in afterwards, keep the space of the floor open and draw in any other foul creatures that were hiding.
Hearing the shrieks of the spiders and Ukrim's cry, Snorri looks at those who remain down. Careful. It's just like it was in the guard. "Support!" he calls out. "Glenda, get up there and keep the beasts occupied! Dagmar, keep to the back and use your magic! Nalnera, are you good in a fight?"
He extends his hands, steadying and helping anyone who tries to climb up.
The Skis'raal named Skethic, smashed in the face by dwarf knees, reels at the blow.
Undercommon: "The soft one hits us with itself, Azaak, it doesn't even have a steel. We will enjoy biting it."
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Dasur stands by the hidden entrance, seemingly unfazed by the appearance of the gnashing spiders and their thirst for dwarf blood. "Ah. Skis'raal. Yes, that makes sense, given the writing. They are normally quite civilized creatures and live in communities, so it bears reason these may be outcasts." The wizard drones as Ukrim charges screaming into battle.
He casually reaches into the front of his shirt, removing the sizable ruby Zhashilgeax into the open air. It swings from its luxurious and sturdy chain of gold as he walks forward into the cavern. "Take care, Ukrim. They are quite venomous!"
A bit of cloth-wrapped butter finds its way from Dasur's spell component pouch and into his palm. He crushes it, causing fat to squirt between his fingers while words of arcane power fall from his lips and distort the barrier between planes.
"ໄຂມັນທານຈາກກ້ອນຫີນ" A temporary portal to the elemental plane of lard manifests itself under the nearest spider; a puddle of magical grease suddenly squirts from the stone beneath its once sure legs.
The skis'raal's many legs and the surrounding webs allow it to maintain its balance.
Glenda scrambles to get up into the aperture and put her armor in the way of the enemies in order to protect her companions.
As Glenda climbs over Snorri, his oversized arms support her, easily pushing her over the aperture.
Dagmar waits for her turn to be hoisted up, going over her options, fire probably wouldnt be good in such a small confine unless absolutely necessary.
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Rushing over to Snorri, "Yes I can help!" Shifting on her feet while waiting her turn.
The Skis'raal skitter across the cavern, one moving across the ceiling and dropping down beside Ukrim, the other swinging on a bit of loose webbing to flank him.
The one that Ukrim struck retaliates with a poisonous bite, while bite of the other is deflected Ukrim's force armor.
Strength
As the poison flows through Ukrim's arm, a tingle flows from the bite, weakening him.