The poison requires two saves to clear- it's pretty strong.
Glitterdust: I actually searched for a ruling on this, and debated how to deal with it. My interpretation: ethereal is 'invisible' to those on the material plane, but because the creature is on a different plane. So the glitterdust would prevent invisibility, but would be pulled into the ethereal plane with the spider. Essentially, it's glittering in the ethereal plane. Does that make sense?
"What is this beast?", Awnara cries, searching her memory for a book she might have read at the Professor's mansion.
@Awnara: read the spoilered post above.
Anyone heard from Garin lately?
"Oh yes! I remember now, it's a phase spider! It's like trying to strike at a ghost, but positive energy won't harm it! Does anyone need me to make their weapons magical?"
I do
Awnara rushes over to the Shoanti, prayer chants to the Heavens on her lips. By the time she reaches Vachordi, her hands glow white with holy power. She hops to reach his shortbow, and the glow transfers to his weapon. "Get it, Vachordi!"
"Nothing phases the dwarves" Gilda growls. She looks a little peeved.
Combat has ceased while the phase spider is jaunting about in the ethereal plane.
Garin and Kendra arrive on the scene, horses foaming and stamping at the unnatural scent of the spider in the area.
A quick search of the now bloodied clearing finds that there are drag marks leading toward the eastern trees.
How are you preparing?
Shel, unharmed, decided to go stalking the spider or whatever had dragged off the child. She continued following the trail with her blade drawn.
Awnara follows Shel closely, the words to a prayer silent upon her lips. She kept an eye out for the phase spider's return, and inwardly wished she had some way of keeping it from returning to the ethereal plane.
Vachordi still keeps that shot ready
Garin, presumably updated on the events, stays on his mount, wielding his lance. He stays close to Kendra, aware that they might be attacked from anywhere at any moment. "A phase spider? Well, I have little that can harm the ethereal, but I'll certainly do what I can."
H 11
H 8 for Shel.
H9 is the spot for me.
As soon as Shel and Gilda separate from the bulk of the group, the air swirls in mist again and the spider returns from the ethereal plane to attack.
Save vs poison.
DM note my readied shot
1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 7 + 1 = 27 for 1d6 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 + 1 = 6
Current Hp 19/34
Fort save
Garin, without the charging space, decides for closer combat. He holds his lance in one hand, taking his halberd out with the other and directs his mount with his knees closer to the spider.
The cavalier slashes his weapon while Brun kicks out with a hoof.
Gilda readies her crossbow.
R1 (starting over).
The spider's bite tears deeply into Shell. It damages constitution.
The readied arrow flies true and strikes the beast.
Garin advances and attacks.
Other attacks?
Shel will take a swipe at the spider with both of her daggers.
+1 Sm. Mithral Dagger
Damage
Sm. Dagger
Damage
Vachordi seizes the opportunity to do a full attack now that the spider is visible as he continues his rumbling battle chant
Rapid shot for
Rapid shot for
to confirm Rapid shot for additional damage
Shel's daggers leave a jagged gash in the abdomen of the giant spider beast. Vachordi's arrow strikes true, but narrowly misses the creatures head.
Garin continues his attack, slashing his weapon at the spider as his mount kicks out with both hooves before biting the beast.
"Garin, do you need an enchantment on your weapons?"
"That would be appreciated, Miss Awnara."
Addendum:
Garin's mount, Brun, takes a bite out of the spiders leg.
It howls in pain, looking quite wounded.
It hisses and looks quickly left to right as if debating whether or not to flee into the ethereal plane.
30 feet southwest in the clearing, a tightly wrapped cocoon of phase spider silk shudders. Inside, Tibor Sokesh, an Ustlavian cleric of Pharasma gasps for air as his body is wracked with pain. The spider venom has left his body weak, but he's awake and able to reach and draw his dagger.
Round 3: The spider will swipe at Shel before she flees.
Your actions?
Vachordi sends two arrows after the beast [ooc additional +1 from magic weapon[/ooc]
for
for
Sensing weakness, Garin spurs his mount to attack, already striking with his halberd, balancing the lance on his other hand.
Despite the pain caused by the venom running through his veins Tibor draws his dagger. Seeing vague figures outside the webbing, figures that seem to be fighting with the spider, he cuts himself free. Once he gets a view of the outside the first thing he does is send his thank to the Lady of Graves, thanking her for given him another chance to serve.
Shel again swings both of her tiny blades at the monstrous spider, hoping the combined assault might finish the beast.
+1 Sm. Mithral Dagger Attack
Damage
Sm. Dagger Attack
Damage
Focused as she is on the spider, Tibor's thrashing as he escapes his cocoon goes unnoticed by Awnara. She conjured a ball of acid in her hand and throws it at the spider as well, hoping to kill it, or at the least, drive it away.
Move to a place where I don't have cover on the spider, and cast acid splash at it.
Plagued by cuts, bruises, and bites, the Phase Spider hisses and makes her last bite at Shel. She catches only air.
The mists swirl about her and she dissolves into the ethereal plane.
Combat is over, for now.
A thorough search of the clearing finds a variety of bones- likely victims of the spider. Most of their gear and clothing have been destroyed by the elements, but you do find:
A potion of fox’s cunning,
A magnifying glass with a gold handle (worth 100 gp),
A small wooden box containing a set of brass weights
Three silver ingots worth 100 sp each
A walnut traveling case with a pair of superior locks and their keys
sealed in wax,
and a jar of pickled garlic cloves
Finally, the webbed and drained body of the missing Aleece is found amid the swamp. She is beyond saving.
"Are you alright, Miss Lorrimor?" Garin asks, not yet sheathing his weapons, unsure if the danger has passed.
Finally finding the missing girl's body, Garin gently suggests that they bring it back for her family to bury.
Perception
"You're right, Garin. We need to take her back to her family. Stupid spider. We also need to warn them that it only retreated, and the threat still exists. Stupid spider."
Coughing and plucking bits of webbing from his hair and clothes a well tanned man wearing a silvery grey trench coat step out of one of the spider's cocoons, "Thank you. Your attack gave me the chance I needed to delay my journey into the Lady's arms."
The man sheathed the skane he had used to cut himself free and extended a hand to whomever stood closest to him. Despite the bits of webbing and the tired look on his face he was quite a handsome man. "My name is Tibor Sokesh, I am a wandering priest of our Lady of Graves. That fiend ambushed me and I was forced to watch as it ate both Jahel and Luna, my mule and the horse I borrowed from the temple for this journey."
He then started collecting his own belongings which laid strewn out on the floor near his cocoon. While doing so he kept an eye out for whatever else remained of previous victims.
Before Tibor has a chance to speak, Awnara finally notices movement from the cocoon. She shrieks, and clutches a pendant around her neck. "EEEEK! Spider zombie!" She chants a quick spell and a lance of white energy strikes Tibor in the chest. She blinks when it does little more than illuminate the man's torso.
Once he's had a chance to explain himself, she blushes beet red. "I beg your pardon, Mister Sokesh. My friends and I just recently had a frightful experience in Ravengro not a fortnight ago, and I thought you might have been one of the walking dead. Oh! You're a Pharasman! I'm sorry, is that an insult? I didn't mean it, honest! You're alive, though, and that spell can't hurt living beings like yourself!" She fidgets with her hands as she tries to find a way out of the awkward apology she's started.
"Greetings, Sir Tibor," Garin says, satisfied that the man was not an undead abomination. "Would you like to accompany us to a nearby camp? We can discuss things in a safer place, unless you have a method of hunting the spider in the ethereal plane."