Knivey Ivy points at the runes on the silk, and very quietly whispers to the group. This is definitely the place, how nice of them to label it for us.
Nurin make sit to the rest of the group. "What the devil is all this?" he says quietly. Hearing the moaning, he points with his axe to the back of the room. "It's coming from over there."
Following Nurin, Grimdahl looks carefully at where the moaning is coming from.
He glances at Ivy - "Care to translate those squiggles?"
Grimdahl is not good with languages; it took him years to learn the human tongue, and even longer to learn Druidic.
Bali gets ready and takes up position behind Pravic. Let's squish 'em and slash 'em!
Pravic whispers back, Bali, yer speakin the words that'll melt a dwarf's heart.
He turns and winks at Grimdahl, Squish first, read later!
He sets his jaw, and moves quickly into the space. Ready to let loose a battle cry, he holds his tounge to make sure he and the rest of his party can still get the drop on the critters if they don't already know the dwarves are in there.
Bah! Bali got me all excited, and this is what I come in to? So much for the squishing... Pravic mutters as he quickly moves to uncover the deep gnome's mouth. He cuts the webbing free, and goes to work on cutting each one out, one by one, with his hammer always at the ready so as not to let the spiders get the drop on him.
At least yer still breathin, He says to the first gnome he cuts out, the one he locked eyes with. Quick, tell us what ye can about what happened. If yer lucky, we will get ye out of here and get ye back home before we see the spiders again. If I'm lucky they'll be waiting for us at the door. The longer ye take, the luckier I'll be, if ye get my meaning. He says with a broad, confident smile.
A six-foot tall stone rise behind you is the end of this small cave.
Grimdahl doesn't need to understand the language to understand what he has to do. Drawing his scimitar, he starts slashing at the webbing to cut the svirfneblin loose.
He whispers back to the others "No sign of the spiders here - keep an eye out in case they return, ok? Don't want them creeping up on me."
Nurin watches out for spiders while the others cut the gnomes look. He casts a detection spell to see if he can find anything else. "What are they saying? Do they know where the spiders are?"
Ingrid looks around, one hand on her waraxe, before she clears her throat awkwardly. "So," she says, somewhat stffly, glancing across at Reginald. "How long did you say you've been serving the Tharnhammers?"
Reginald looks up from some internal reverie at the young girl and smiles as he calls up the memories. I am currently 361 years old. My family has been in the service of your house for as long as your house has been, it is said. Personally, I entered the traditional service of my house at the tender age of 30 as a cook's apprentice. That really means I ran trash and carried fire wood, but it was good work. I was still a child, really, but my father thought it time. I was a rowdy youth, and needed occulation. In all, I have been at your families service 331 years as of two months ago.
Ingrid listens quietly, looking into the gloom before pulling on her helmet. Just in case there was trouble approaching. She shifts in place, thinking for some time before asking the burning question.
"I am a Tharnhammer by marriage, not by blood, and now I am but a widow. Why do you still consider me family?"
While Ingrid turns her attention to the surrounding tunnel, Reginald turns his ancient gaze on her fully. Because I taught you, my dear. he begins softly. You can't have forgotten. All my life, I have taught none but Tarnhammers. Even during my training for tutorship, I was teaching this family. When you married into this family you proved your worth, or at least a chance to prove the worth that your late husband saw in you. Some fail at that stage. About 200 years ago, a lady was put out because she couldn't take life as a Tarnhammer. You, my dear, did not fail to prove your worth. In spite of how you see it. Not to me. I have seen your heart in the manner of your learning. You are a Tarnhammer.
Bali, realizing that the danger will come from below, will head back down to the others to take up a more defensible position.
The lair of Skethyk, Azraak, and Jthaith. They are welcome. All others are food. Ivy said to Grimdahl, as she looked cautiously around.
She walked up next to the dwarves, and leaned down next to one of the gnomes. In a calm voice Knivey Ivy said Älä huoli veli, toin apua, enemmän kääpiöt ovat alhaalla.
She turned to the dwarves and repeated what the gnome had said, They say we have to leave before the spiders return. Which would mean they aren't in here... She suddenly looked backwards towards where the caravan was.
Pravic, for his dim-wittedness at times, immediately picks up on Knivey Ivy's thoughts, and bolts for the rope. Not caring about the burns he may get, he grabs it with both hands and launches himself through the opening, squeezing on the rope to slow his descent just enough to not leave a crater in the floor when he lands. BARAMPH Nearly 300 pounds of armor, weapons and dwarf hit the floor of the cavern as Pravic's knees bend to absorb the impact.
Weapons ready! He says firmly to Ingrid and Reginald as he pulls his hammer and readjusts his shield, scanning the tunnels in the opposite direction that Ingrid is already looking.
Reginald hears an impact and his focus immediately snaps to the cave. At Pravic's command he simply stands in the wagon, staff planted firmly on the wood of the floorboard.
Ingrid is quiet aqs Reginald speaks, taking in his words. Though a fair amount of it didn't seem to quite make sense to her, he seemed convicted enough...
Just as she's about to speak, the others come back down - Pravic in a most dramatic manner. She flips her axe into one hand, her shield drawn in the other, saved from having to reply to Reginald.
Grimdahl continues to cut the webbing surrounding the svirfneblin. He trusts his companions to watch his back, but he does his best to keep his own eyes and ears alert.
"There's something else here..." Nurin moves over to the other bundle of webbing as the others cut the gnomes out of theirs. He cuts the webbing off to see what magic might be underneath.
Surprise Round
"Yeye ni mmoja muafaka, upendo wangu. Yeye itabidi kufanya karamu faini."
"Oh, ndiyo! Kubwa ya nyama kwa wote wa kwetu, upendo wangu. Na mimi hivyo upendo mwili kibete. Hivyo tamu, upendo wangu. Hivyo zabuni."
They gleefully sink their fangs into Nurin and Grimdahl.
[ooc]Nurin and Grimdahl are both entangled (DC 13 Str or Escape Artist to break). Nurin takes 5 damage. Grimdahl takes 6. The dwarves in the lair may now act.
“Oh, yes! Ample meat for the both of us, my love. And I do so love dwarf flesh. So sweet, my love. So tender.”
Lothar did not hesitate. He knew his role was to be a warrior among the esteemed group, to bring force of arms to bear. He moved decisively into the fray with his spear, expertly plunging it into the centre section of one of the spiders, dragging it clear and spraying spider-blood over the cavern.
Reginald grins at the spider like he knows something the spider does not. He yells something in Undercommon followed quickly by a few arcane words of power. At the same time, small dollop of butter is drawn from a pouch at his waist. At the end of the spell the butter disappears, and the ceiling that the spider is clinging to suddenly becomes much more precarious.
Nurin shouts as he is covered in webbing and then a moment later sharp fangs pierce him. "Spiders! Spiders are here!" He struggles to step away while he tears at the webs, trying to free himself. Unfortunately, he only gets move entangled with the sticky strands.
An entangled creature moves at half speed, cannot run or charge, and takes a –2 penalty on all attack rolls and a –4 penalty to Dexterity. An entangled character who attempts to cast a spell must make a concentration check (DC 15 + spell level) or lose the spell.
The spider manages to cling to the slick stone, but only just.
Nurin moves a bit away from the spider as he struggles with the webs.
Grimdahl swears loudly in Druidic as the spider's fangs bite deeply into him through his leather armour, but easily tears away the webbing that was entangling him.
He swipes his scimitar at the spider-thing with all his rage and fury.
"A little help here, guys...?"
Blasted Spiders! I'll... Gnraa... What is this stuff made of? Pravic's arm is caught at an odd angle, not allowing him to get any leverage to break free from the strong silky strands.
I'll fight ye with both hands tied behind me back!
Pravic slides to his right a step and takes a powerful swing at the Spider
for
Take that ye googly eyed creepy!
Bali, hearing the call for help, dashes (or what a Dwarf might call a dash) over to help.
Ivy sees her opening, and dives swiftly into a roll, dodging through the small gap the enemies left.
She breaks out of the roll, into a low slide on her knees, thrusting her small dagger into the already wounded Skis'rall's side.
A critical hit means that you roll your damage more than once, with all your usual bonuses, and add the rolls together. Unless otherwise specified, the threat range for a critical hit on an attack roll is 20, and the multiplier is ×2.
Exception: Precision damage (such as from a rogue's sneak attack class feature) and additional damage dice from special weapon abilities (such as flaming) are not multiplied when you score a critical hit.
Increased Threat Range: Sometimes your threat range is greater than 20. That is, you can score a threat on a lower number. In such cases, a roll of lower than 20 is not an automatic hit. Any attack roll that doesn't result in a hit is not a threat.
Increased Critical Multiplier: Some weapons deal better than double damage on a critical hit (see Equipment).
Spells and Critical Hits: A spell that requires an attack roll can score a critical hit. A spell attack that requires no attack roll cannot score a critical hit. If a spell causes ability damage or drain (see Special Abilities), the damage or drain is doubled on a critical hit.
Seekng the beast on the ceiling, Ingrid spins her axe in her hand, muttering a short prayer under her breath. In an instant, the tarnished axe-head begins glowing with a warm, golden-white light.
Round 2
Active Effects -
Holy Strike (Ingrid's Warhammer)
Entangled (Pravic, Grimdahl, Nurin)
Map (Round 2) -
Current Damage -
Lothar - 2
Nurin - 5
Grimdahl - 6
Skis'raal 2 - 21
Notes-
The skis'raal on the bottom floor is now on the ground.
It leaps from the cave ceiling, gnashing at Ingrid with its venomous fangs.
The skis'raal crunched down on the scale mail guarding Ingrid's arm, but the armor held true, protecting her from the poison.
Sensing its partner in mortal danger, the other skis'raal scrambles to flank the dwarf monk, searching for a weakness in Lothar's defense.
The flanking skis'raal manages to land a bite on the monk, but the dwarf's hardy nature saves him from the venom.
PCs now act!
Bali 5-foot steps into position and attacks the nearest spider.
Pravic roars in frustration at the webs restricting him, and strains his muscles in an attempt to break free. As he does so, he carefully circles around the spider so as to pinch it between Ingrid and himself.
I'll cut yer legs off one by one ye overgrown mud flea! Pravic spits, unable to break free. He holds his shield as best he can, prepared to swing his hammer should the spider try to escape the flanking maneuver.