Jetro nocks an arrow, ready to shoot if it appears again.
Jetro notches an arrow ready to fire at spiny should he show himself. The undead creatures rush forward in an amazing display of speed as the attack Helgash and Orgar.
You swear you hear the sounds of feet scraping on stone on the stairs to the west on the far side of the room.
charge attack Orgar for
Attacks on Helgash for
second attack on Helgash for
The little miscreants are horrible though and worth nothing more than a few blows with a sword, glaive or any other sharp stick.
"That didn't take long! So, where's the porcupine thing now?"
Well we better keep an eye out, no sense hanging around the door like this.
"Sarenrae's judgment is just," says Cynehelm. "Shall we go?"
All set
"I'm ready."
"Let us search the premises then, and then press on friends"
Venja joins in the effort to find anything in the area.
Nothing but rotted flesh and dead hoarpanthers can be found in this chamber.
The path continues on upward for almost 100ft until you reach an intersection. Straight ahead of you the hallway continues on with a bend to the right. However there is a door to the left in the hallway.
The dirt has been disturbed by the doorway indicating that someone just went through the door recently.
Jetro checks the ground near the left doorway.
Somethin went through this door recently. Don't know if it was that thing we just fought
"Well, we best be ready for a less-than-friendly welcome."
"That seems to be about right for this place, I reckon."
".. and just about every place we go... What I wouldn't do for a good night's sleep in a safe place again!"
"I'd settle for a good rest for now, if that's possible."
That should be something we can make and sell, a special tent or even cabin where people can rest in safety. Maybe have some kind of mangic door leading to it.
Duardlara checks the door for traps but does not see any. However close inspection reveals a set of Iobarian glyphs that read As the seasons of life change, so must we sacrifice our past
for the wisdom of our winter years.
Not finding any traps though Duardlara opens the door slowly. Inside you se a dark tunnel that twists off into the darkness after only 15 feet. Stepping across the threshold of the doorway you see more sigils written on the walls. These continue the saying form the outside. "Blessed be the path you are about
to walk. Cling not to what you were, but only to what you
shall become."
the phrase is part of a "croning ritual" performed by older witches to celebrate the symbolic and spiritual transformation from motherhood into their elderly years. Most witches revere crones for their wisdom
and see the ritual as a blessing, but there is no requirement
to undergo a croning ritual if one is not ready.
Moving downthe hallway just 15 feet to get a glimpse of the rest of the passageway a single solitary rune is etched in the first step of a long set of stairs.
The rune is the symbol for youth.
If a witch wished she could start the croning process by voluntarily stepping over the rune and speaking the phrase [b]"I, [name], sacrifice
my [sacrifice coinciding to the rune] to the Three Who Are
One."
+1 if cold/winter/ice related
+1 if cold/winter/ice related
"These words are the beginning of the croning ritual.. a great blessing if one feels ready for it. Crones are greatly revered among witches. I'm not sure how one goes about it exactly."
So...Just what would happen if non witches go in there?
"I'm not sure... but if you don't actually perform the ritual, I would think nothing would happen... but then again, I'm not sure of what the actual ritual is, so no telling if it can be done accidentally."
"This rune is the symbol for 'youth'. The ritual requires voluntarily stepping over the rune and speaking the phrase [b]"I, [name], sacrifice
my [sacrifice coinciding to the rune] to the Three Who Are One."
"Unless one of you can give me a strong reason to advance, mayhaps we do not need to chance this route immediately" - Helgash nods - "There are still other paths of exploration open to us"
Let's explore other ways first... let's stay on the path we were already following for now."
"I trust your instincts, Helgash. Choose a path and we will follow."
Duardlara nods, "Another route is fine. Shall I scout ahead?"
She doesn't really expect a negative response, and turns to do just that.
Moving on from the doorway you continue to follow the rough path ahead. The passage is dark and cold, with a motif of winter, darkness, and death. 25 feet farther on the dark hallway opens up to a large chamber. A forest of stalactites covers the high ceiling of this enormous cavern. Several stalagmites rise from the floor as well, most
with their tops shorn off. Huge webs fill the north end of the cavern, and a large, cryptic rune about the length of a grown human is carved into the ground at the south end of the cave. In the middle of the room you can spot 5-6 cocoons hanging from the ceiling among the stalactites. Another rough hewn passageway leads out of the room to your left.
The rune is a rube of binding used in creating a hedged prison. The size of the rune might give an indication to the creatures size as well as normally they are not needed to be this large.
Duardlara you see nothing of the creature though that may have created the cocoons or webs.
"Hmmm... lots of webs and a huge rune... not good signs... You know... the more i know about this whole place, the more I'm glad I failed here and was sent away."
"We need to search the cocoons" - Helgash urges his companions - "I'm sure some monstrosity awaits us in the darkest corner of this cave, but there may be survivors in there"
"Let us not hesitate" - he adds, after the blessings of Iomedae are bestowed upon them.
Probably filled with baby spiders. Jetro keeps his bow ready.
"Better try to flush that spider, then. It might near be the middle of all that webbing."
With that, Orgar lets loose two arrows (the first at square N44, the other at M47), to see if he can flush out the spider.
"I think I hate this place," says Cynehelm, half-joking.
To Cynehelm, the elf offers, "I understand fire is a good way to cleanse webs from an area, should it come to that." She might be joking, it's hard to tell.
Sorry guys will have an map and combat update tomorrow. Been in an interview all day (4 hours long interview) and heading to bed.
I hate whoever made this place. Jetro mutters.
Orgar's second arrow passes through the webs and you hear it hit...something...
Orgar
Cynehelm
Helgash
Jetro
Duardlara
Venja
creature
From the depths of the webbing comes a creature of huge size. The size of an elephant this dark blue arachnid rears up on its six hind legs to raise its barbed and razor edged front claws at you. As it does so it fires out a sticky web at Duardlara trying to pin her in place.
web
the web lands on the scout keeping her in place.
escape artist/strength DC 23 to escape. If caught in the web you suffer a -4 on the strength check.
HP 11 with DR 5/- to cut your way free.
"Orgar! I found something!"
Not held for long, the elf moves to her left, hoping for an opening as the fight proceeds.
Greta roars and moves forth without hesitation - "Let's finish this then. Spread out!"
Helgash steps forward also - "Attack at will friends" - he nods at Jetro, Venja and Cynehelm - "The monstrosity will not reach you.
Jetro fires