Vlad considers, then points his sword-blade at the door leading to the squat tower.
"Perhaps this one first? I'll lead the way." He unlimbers his shield and straps it on to his left arm, trying to ready himself for the adrenaline of a sudden attack.
You find the door of the tower held fast. With a powerful kick you hear the sound of splintering wood. Another push and the door gives way.
Thick webs cover much of the ancient crates and barrels stored inside the base of the tower. A rickety wooden staircase ascends along one wall to reach an open trapdoor above.Vladimir or any who enter the tower
Spot DC 15
You find the door of the tower held fast. With a powerful kick you hear the sound of splintering wood. Another push and the door gives way.
Thick webs cover much of the ancient crates and barrels stored inside the base of the tower. A rickety wooden staircase ascends along one wall to reach an open trapdoor above.
Hrafn lingers outside the broken door, reluctant to relinquish this last breath of mountain air, waiting for Vlad to beckon him forwards.
The stout man whispers a quick prayer to Thor for strength and guidance, then prepares to enter at Vlad's beckoning.
Vlad moves cautiously into the tower, keeping his shield at the ready and his sword raised.
Vladimir
As you enter the tower you sense movement overhead. Looking up you see the menacing shape of a great man-sized black spider. The arachnid moves quickly to attack.
Dorvarr
As you enter the tower you sense movement overhead. Looking up you see the menacing shape of a great man-sized black spider. The arachnid moves quickly to attack.
The spider sweeps down to attack:
The spider nestled amidst the rafters near the staircase leading up, hisses and issues a stream of webbing down upon Vladimir.
[ooc] Rng touch atk =17 Vladimir is entangled.
Hrafn and Ragnarr are surprised but are outside the tower. Act next round.
Spider 23
Hrafn 22
Vlad Init: 19
Dorvarr Init: 14
]Ragnarr INit: 5
The spider is effectively out of melee reach if you are ascending the stairs
Vlad moves cautiously into the tower, keeping his shield at the ready and his sword raised.
You must've posted while I was editing. I rolled Spot and Init for you so just go ahead and use those results.
Vlad
Vlad lurches forwards, his muscles straining against the sticky webbing in a desperate effort to escape.
Vlad lurches forwards, his muscles straining against the sticky webbing in a desperate effort to escape.
Heaving with effort the sticky webbing is torn permitting the young knight to move freely.
Dorvarr up.
Dorvarr drops his hammer and hefts a javelin, taking aim at the monstrous arachnid. "May Thor's lightning lash at you, creature!" he cries as the javelin flies.
Dorvarr drops his hammer and hefts a javelin, taking aim at the monstrous arachnid. "May Thor's lightning lash at you, creature!" he cries as the javelin flies.
The javelin sails true biting deep into the abdomen of the loathsome arachnid. Its body shakes with tremors of pain.
The clikking of the mandibles sound as it spits forth another stream of webbing this at the stout cleric.Hrafn up
Hearing the sounds of combat from within the darkened door, Hrafn steels his nerves and rushes, heat-pounding, to the fray.
Vlad lunges forwards and swings a mighty overhand blow at the arachnid beast, his blade swinging past it to smash a chip from the floor.
Hearing the sounds of combat from within the darkened door, Hrafn steels his nerves and rushes, heat-pounding, to the fray.
The sling aims true and the stone strikes the monstrous spider clear in the head. A brief frenzy of pained cries issues from the creature as it thrashes amongst its webbing. It appears deeply wounded.
Vlad lunges forwards and swings a mighty overhand blow at the arachnid beast, his blade swinging past it to smash a chip from the floor.
The stout man takes a moment to dislodge himself from the web.
"Now that's what I call a sticky situation... Shall we proceed into this accursed place? Was anyone badly hurt?"
"Now that's what I call a sticky situation... Shall we proceed into this accursed place? Was anyone badly hurt?"
"I'm fine. And yes, lets get in and out of here... quickly."
Ragnarr regards Dorvarr as the cleric disentangles himself from the sickly smelling webbing. "Very sticky." His nostrils snort in irritation. "Bad smell too"
The tower has been left undisturbed for some time. All that remains at the base of the squat tower are a few web-encrusted crates and barrels. The rickety staircase leading up to the trapdoor would seem to lead to the top of the watchtower.
Search DC 15
Ragnarr regards Dorvarr as the cleric disentangles himself from the sickly smelling webbing. "Very sticky." His nostrils snort in irritation. "Bad smell too"
The tower has been left undisturbed for some time. All that remains at the base of the squat tower are a few web-encrusted crates and barrels. The rickety staircase leading up to the trapdoor would seem to lead to the top of the watchtower.
Hrafn is deeply uncomfortable in the squat shabby building; structures of this size are foreign to the woodsman. He looks briefly around the area but takes little in.
Vlad heads up the stairs cautiously, keeping his shield high and his sword ahead of him.
Vlad heads up the stairs cautiously, keeping his shield high and his sword ahead of him.
As Vladimir ascends the stairs with care the worn wood heaves and the planks splinter. Losing his balance he nearly falls off the rickety staircase but manages to brace himself at the last moment. The structure would appear to be very unsound.
Ragnarr guffaws at his companion. "Better watch your step there!"
Dorvarr prepares himself to follow Vlad up the stairs, watching to make sure it will hold the stout man's weight.
"Could've sworn that I was the funny one..." he grumbles to himself...
Vladimir and Dorvarr with extra caution navigate the hazardous stairs to the top of the watchtower. The trapdoor hinges upwards revealing the crumbling battlements of the tower. A magnificent vista of the black hills, winding rivers and the forest's autumnal colours of the Darkmoon Vale can be seen to the southeast. The sight is made beautous by the dappled soft amber light of the setting sun amidst patches of dark clouds. As autumn falls the long days of summer are past and now begin to give way to the long cold winter nights of Norvanbard. To the northeast like some clawing levianthan the glaciers and icefields that cap the Droskarfell lie sprawling over black rock.
The rest of the ruined monastery seems quiet and forlorn.
Vlad gazes out at the spectacle, speaking over his shoulder "Nothing up here, let's try to finish this before nightfall." He then turns to make his way back down the stairway carefully and slowly.
However, his footing betrays him and he slips...
Vlad gazes out at the spectacle, speaking over his shoulder "Nothing up here, let's try to finish this before nightfall." He then turns to make his way back down the stairway carefully and slowly.
However, his footing betrays him and he slips...
Hrafn, standing at the bottom of the steps, sighs in relief as he hears Vlad's words. At least he won't have to ascend this rickety construction... doesn't look safe.
It really doesn't look safe; Hrafn starts forward as Vlad slips and starts to fall.
The stout man takes careful stock of where the worst spots on the staircase seem to be before beginning his descent.
Vlad votes to explore some of the other entrances.
Back in the courtyard two exits from the yard remain -a pair of double doors to the east that would seem to have once been the main entrance of the monastery, a single door to the north that leads into a crumbling wing of the building.
Whispering a quick prayer to Thor, the stout man steps forward.
"Perhaps the main doors will be the fastest way to what we need. The single door would probably allow for a bit of stealth, but what kind of heroes use that, eh lads?"
"I agree. The main doors, my friend."
"I agree. The main doors, my friend."
"I will follow you... I have no head for such places. I hope we're quick."
Beyond the double doors is a small dark hall. Littered with mounds of debris and a year’s worth of dead leaves. Two hallways branch off here beckoning either north or south. To your imediate left and right two plain wooden doors stand. Straight ahead a pair of ornately carved double doors barely stand resting at awkward angles. The sense of a large darker chamber beyond.
Survival DC 20
With a quick gesture and a prayer to Thor's light, the stout man illuminates his hammer.
"May Thor show us the way. Come, let's get this over with."
As the light from Dorvarr's warhammer illumines the interior. You can see past the broken onrate doors into the chamber beyond. Pews of darkwood lie tipped over and covered in dust on either side of this ancient shrine. At the far end sits a large ceremonial anvil, but
its surface is defaced and ruined.
Vlad advances cautiously into the chapel, shuffling his footsteps a little to avoid tripping on anything. His sword is held pointed forwards, his shield raised high. He tries to move to an angle from Dorvarr, avoiding blocking the light for others.
Vlad advances cautiously into the chapel, shuffling his footsteps a little to avoid tripping on anything. His sword is held pointed forwards, his shield raised high. He tries to move to an angle from Dorvarr, avoiding blocking the light for others.
Warily entering the defaced shrine Vladimir espies five strange depressions carved into the surface of the anvil. Marks of scraping and scratching can be seen around them. Whatever decorative wealth was mounted upon the shrine seems to have long since been looted.
For those examining the anvil shrine:
Knowledge(religion) Dc 10
The stout man enters the small chapel, using his warhammer as a torch.
"Hmmm, looks like a Dvergar shrine, dedicated to the master smith Dvalin, who crafted Gungnir, the spear of Odin. This whole place may be Dvergar in origin..."
"Dvergar?" Vlad frowns. "Are there likely to be traps? Are Dvergar cunning like that?"
Taking a slow look around the room, pausing at the missing ornamentation, the stout man glances back at Vlad.
"Aye lad, there may have been, once upon a time. But look around you, the Dvergar have long since left this place. With any luck, the looters this place have seen have triggered the worst of it. I doubt if any significant traps remain. On the plus side, if there are still any traps, we may find a significant treasure..."
Hrafn stands at the threshold of the chapel as Vladimir and Dorvarr stand examining the altar. Suddenly a blanket of shadow falls over the shrine. Dorvarr's shining warhammer flickers abrubtly and then sputters out. An unearthly shrieking sound emanates from the impenetrable darkness overhead.
Init:
Hrafn 21
Vladimir 19
Critters 18
Dorvarr 12
Hrafn stands at the threshold of the chapel as Vladimir and Dorvarr stand examining the altar. Suddenly a blanket of shadow falls over the shrine. Dorvarr's shining warhammer flickers abrubtly and then sputters out. An unearthly shrieking sound emanates from the impenetrable darkness overhead.
Hrafn calls out to his comrades, "Hai - over here. We need to see to fight!"
At the same time Hrafn listens intently to the shrieking sound -- bird, bat, spectre? What can he glean from the sound; and does anything emerge from the darkness?
Hrafn stands at the threshold of the chapel as Vladimir and Dorvarr stand examining the altar. Suddenly a blanket of shadow falls over the shrine. Dorvarr's shining warhammer flickers abrubtly and then sputters out. An unearthly shrieking sound emanates from the impenetrable darkness overhead.
Hrafn calls out to his comrades, "Hai - over here. We need to see to fight!"
At the same time Hrafn listens intently to the shrieking sound -- bird, bat, spectre? What can he glean from the sound; and does anything emerge from the darkness?
Based on the sound:
Knowledge(nature) 15
Knowledge(nature) 17
Vlad whirls, shield raised, sword high. He looks to the darkened areas of the room for trouble, mind keenly aware of the presence of his comrades- or at least, where he last remembered them.
The shrieking increases in pitch and amidst the darkness Dorvarr and Vladimir sense movement overhead.
Vladimir's sword stands ready and slices out into the darkness as a shape moves to envelop the young knight. Luckily, the sword bites into flesh and the creature writhes in pain.
Its tentancles flash and flail at your face but then abrubtly ceases motion.
The other lashes out at Dorvarr but also is unable to get purchase for its coiling tentancles.
Ragnarr bellows and strides towards the area of shadowy illumination. Cautiously moving at half speed to traverse the darkness.
He moves to attack the alien creature floating near Dorvarr but his aim is well wide of the mark.
Gritting his teeth against the feel of tentacles in the dark, the stout man swings his warhammer.
Misses terribly...
The sounds are not familiar, and Hrafn can remember no lore that might help.
"So this is what that fae fire incantation was about." Hrafn mutters under his breath as advances to keep up with Ragnarr, trying to get in range to strike without losing sight of the door.
Stressed and discomforted in the closed-in dark surroundings, Hrafn's attacks lack all grace and poise.