Astrapios who definitely was no outdoors man, agreed with Ktinos.
As the woods begin to grow dark around the party, Gosor speaks a mystic word and his fauchard lights up like a torch. "I know that the dark can be troublesome for some of us." Letting Ktinos take the lead, he helps when the massive catfolk hesitates using both his direction sense and divine guidance to help point the way.
Combining Ktinos instincts with Gosors innate abilities and some helpful words of Astrapios, the group manages to stick together and keep their bearing despite the forests serious effort to thwart them away from its black heart below the mountains.
Having walked for a time that feels like several hours through the dense, dark forest, your strained senses finally cause adrenaline to flush your bodies: there is movement coming towards you from dead ahead.
Unmistakably caused by several creatures rushing through the forest at high speed.
Were you detected and your unseen enemy is sending a full wave of monsters your way this time?
The sound is drawing near at a fast speed, but you estimate about a minute before whatever is causing this tumult get to your current position.
How will the group react on this sudden change?
"INCOMING! Everyone in position!" Astrapios doesn't even think about ambushing or simiar doomed-to-fail techniques. He goes for full confrontation. A translucent shield appears on his left arm, while he himself starts to shine brighter and brighter.
Again? We really must be on the right track. Ethana thinks, spotting the incoming incursion.
As they brace for impact, she adjusts her implicit directions towards combat
Without knowing the exact nature of their adversaries, she doesn't bother enchanting her spear, instead flying forward and assuming a protective, bracing stance.
If Ethana is attacked this round, she'll spend an AoO to block it with her shield for a +4 bonus to AC. If the attack misses (whether a ranged attack or weapon), it gets redirected (with a -2 penalty) to another target within range.
Gosor hears the commotion with the other, but as he tilts his head to hear better, he nods. "I agree, brace yourselves for this, but do not assume that we are being attacked until the attacks come. Our enemy would not charge us like this if we were the goal when they could lie in wait and ambush us. In my experience, haste like this is driven not by bloodlust, but by fear. They likely flee something." Moving to the front of the group, Gosor plants the base of his fauchard in the ground.
"Ktinos, to my side. Everyone else get behind us and leave as much room for passage as possible. If they attack then attack back, but if not, let them pass by. Ktinos and I will make sure that they know to fear us as well."
If the others listen, the two monstrous humanoids stand side by side, awaiting the coming creatures. In the brief moments before the encounter Gosor calls for guidance once more for both of them.
When the waves nears Gosor nods to Ktinos to join him and lifts his fauchard, making a dazzling display of its moves and shouting, "YOU SHALL FLEE FOR YOUR LIVES AND WILL WILL ALLOW YOU TO KEEP THEM FOR NOW! BEGONE!"
Ktinos takes up a position next to Gosor, but he does not add his own roar just yet, nor call on the Beasts' forms. Who knew what was truly coming after all? Best to wait until it was seen before choosing his actions.
The group prevents themselves as well as possible without actually knowing what it is they will soon face.
It is a nerve wrecking minute you have to wait until finally, the group's sharp eyes are able to make out a silhouette rushing through the pitch black forest some 60 feet dead ahead.
It is of a humanoid shape and seems to wear some kind of cloak or robe. He or she is running in a dead sprint and keeps looking over the shoulder every other step.
Moments later, you detect the hellish red eyes of more ebon spiders following the person on the ground as well as above - taking leaping jumps from tree to tree, clearly trying to overtake the humanoid they are clearly hunting.
30 steps from your frontline, the person stumbles over a fat root as Gosor shouts his challenge into the forest. After a painful looking misstep, the person crashes to the ground in a heap. The hunters are closing in fast now! The nearest one is already within charge distance of the person, but the tight forest prevents any direct-line charges thoroughly.
As the person falls, you get a glimpse on the skin below the hooded cloak. While you still cannot be sure whether it is a male or female, you certainly got a glimpse of white skin covered with black script and tattoos.
Seeing the person stumble, Gosor hesitates not at all and moves to put himself between the figure and the nearest spiders.
"There are few people we'd expect to see out here. This is either an victim of the spiders we should protect, or someone we need to question and thus need alive for now. Come let us drive the spiders off once more!"
Ktinos hustles forward, aiming to reach the person before the pursuers did.
Gosor and Ktinos nearly reaches the prone person, as do two spiders, as the cloak covering the person starts to sink to the ground as if the body it just covered had simply disappeared.
<=
Gosor roars in rage as the figure disappears and attempts to take his frustration out on a spider.
A deliberate trap, or a desperate one? No matter...
The Sphinx is a canny beast, and willing to use others' power to her ends. And so it was unclear if it was she or Ktinos who first thought of calling upon the Chimera at this point. Ktinos's tail shifted, growing longer and thicker, its fur changing to scales as the tuft on the end became a serpentine head. His new head spit out a cone of flames, aimed to engulf as many of the spiders as possible while leaving everyone else (even the 'fleeing' stranger's former position) out of the flames.
Ethana, as always, springs into action, flying through the air and standing over the fallen man, preparing to defend him, friend or foe.
Ethana: Joins Ktinos and Gosor. Readies her deadly spear to punish any enemy drawing close.
Gosor: Delivers a shattering blow with his weapon, drawing foul blood from the spider as well as a long clicking-hiss.
Ktinos: Spits fire from his tail-head. This surely is a sight to remember. Some of the undergrowth around the spiders is smoking and glim dully.
?????: Suddenly, soon after having spit flames from his head-tail, Ktinos falls to the ground as if dead!
Spider #1, close: Its many eyes avert looking at the (smaller) humanoid and instead focus on the flame-spitting creature. Its frightful side-glances at Gosor hinders its precision though and it misses. It also misses the waiting spear of Ethana and the elven combatant manages a piercing thrust with some effort. A steady trickle of foul blood is her reward.
Spider #2, close: This one, having evaded the worst of the flame wave too, engages Gosor in that crazy lighting fast passing assault you begin to hate. It is much more risky with watchful allies around though and its fast movement is not quite fast enough for Ethana's spear. Gosor is barely fast enough to block its bite, before the spider is gone. It climbed onto the tree behind him and is 20ft up now!
Spiders (#3,#4,#5,?), far: Approach fast, leaping from tree to tree, only one row of trees lies between them and you
Astrapios: UP
Lady Zal?: UP
#1: Took 34+9+18=61
#2: Took 9
Attacks:
#1 vs Ktinos:
#2 vs Gosor:
#? vs Ktinos:
Astrapios joins the fight late, but he took the time to aim.
Lightning bolts form in his hands and he throws a barrage of them at the nearest spider.
Lady Z runs to Ktinos and when her hand touches him they wink out of being.
She will use Fold Space, teleporting them both 400' away, so she can check him for toxins
He does not seem to be poisoned - at least he shows none of the usual indicators.
But a quick check with detect magic will tell you that a magical effect has been put on Ktinos.
You recall that all but the most powerful sleep effects can be broken by simply shaking the affected person awake.
If it is a magic sleep effect that is.
It is at least not the typical sleep spell you know fairly well.
Astrapios find it annoyingly difficult to hit the fast moving spider through the dense trees and more than half of his attacks only hit one or another tree that is in the way.
One lightning bolt is clearly hitting its mark though, singing the leg of the spider rushing past Gosor, frying it black. This spider does not look very good after being slashed twice, burned once and lightning-fried on top.
As Ktinos falls Gosors eyes narrow, and it is with some relief that he sees Lady Z remove their fallen comrade from the battlefield. "Ethana, this spider is yours. Something else hunts us here."
You see nothing invisible around.
Your keen eyes do spot a small wasp or bee sitting up on a branch in a tree a few meters off to where Ktinos just stood.
Nothing remarkable if you were in a normal forest, really, but this is the first normal animal you saw in this forsaken forest.
Gosor moves adjacent to the insect and keeps a keen eye on it, prepared to swing if it attempts to move. "A stinging insect here might be connected to the one who just disappeared. Everyone be on your toes."
Ethana, as her allies leave her to defend, plants her feet and focuses on her goals. First, she prepares to push back any spiders that get too close. Then, summoning magical energy, the tip of her spear bursting into blazing flames as the haft crackles with lightning. Finally, she attacks the closest spider to her with the enchanted spear.
She gives Ktinos a good lap to see if that wakes him.
If that dose not work she gives him a tap with a mind thrust.
a kind of mental slap.
Ethana: Hits a spider with newly burning and crackling spear but the spear does not fully penetrate the foul hide of the beast.
Gosor: Considers a tiny wasp some three trees away much more interesting than lots of spiders larger than himself
Spider #1: Having had not much fun with Ethana and Gosor, rushes off towards Astrapios and bites him on another rush-by attack! His divine protections is barely able to hold off this rotten evil from deep within the lightless forest!
Spider #2: Snarls at Ethana ducks below her threatening spear and snaps at her leg while racing past! The foul fangs bit through a weak point in her boot and draw blood! A second of rushing weakness tells her that her body was assailed by poison, but she does not feel any ill effects.
Spiders #3-5: Have reached the fighting area, 30 feet above ground level, looking down at the melee as if ... searching. One his shooting a web at Gosor, hitting him with those annoyingly sticky webs. (Gosor is now entangled).
Lady Zal: Slap-a-cat!
Ktinos: Wakes with a suddenness that is shocking. All four monster voices are shouting in his head, screaming at him and each other about the failure to resist the magic.
Astrapios: Throws lightning like confetti into the dark forest, singing one spider twice, cooking off one of its many eyes.
#1: Took 34+9+18=61+21=82
#2: Took 9
Attacks:
Stands back from the angry cat.
She points to some way off.
"Fights that way"
And stats that way her self in a brisk walk.
"Very tough beasts, I must admit. But stupid, too"
Astrapios steps 5ft backwards and starts shooting lightning again.
"It is as much your fault as mine," Ktinos growls back at the Beasts as he gets back to his feet. "Were I not so occupied defending myself against you, I would have more left to resist other magics."
He realizes that Zal was talking to him, unaware of the voices in his head. "Thank you," he says to her, then starts jogging back in the direction she indicated, not wanting to talk about just who his first comments were directed towards.
Gosor again attempts to clear the battlefield of foes that aren't worth his time. Brandishing his fauchard still dripping with the ichor of the spider that has felt it's bite he warns the others off. "Stay here and we WILL kill you. Flee now and you can have your worthless lives! The target of your hunt is ours now and if you wish to see another day you will find other prey."
Gosor, slowed by the webs though he is, still moves towards the insect which is the focus of his attention. Ready to strike should it try to flee.
Any opponent who is shaken will be sickened and flat footed to Gosor until the next round if hit.
"It is as much your fault as mine," Ktinos growls back at the Beasts as he gets back to his feet. "Were I not so occupied defending myself against you, I would have more left to resist other magics."
He realizes that Zal was talking to him, unaware of the voices in his head. "Thank you," he says to her, then starts jogging back in the direction she indicated, not wanting to talk about just who his first comments were directed towards.
She joins in the telepathy conversation
So she just follows him back to the fight
With a last sweeping look around the battlefield, the spiders still up in the trees turn and jump-climb away with low hisses and clicking sounds from their poisonous mandibles - you wonder if this is some kind of language of these foul beasts.
They leave behind one dead - very crispy after a prolonged assault from Astrapios' lightning and one limping away, bleeding from encountering Ethanas spear at several occasions.
You have the distinct feeling that this is not the last time you saw them today. Nor are you all too sure if Gosor did indeed fear them off with his challenge-warning or if they rather chose to fight at another point in time when the odds are more in their favour.
Having sent the spiders fleeing, Gosor turns around to face the bee/wasp up the branch with his full attention and is striken by the unnatural depth in the facet-eyes of the creature. A feeling of sleepiness creeps up his bones as if he had just had another very hard day sailing a storm aboard the Fleeting Gull.
The thought of Captain Bestor calling him to order prevents him from dropping, and he resists the now clearly unnatural urge to lay down and have a nap.
This is no ordinary bug!
This might very well be the person who fled from the spiders, having used a polymorph magic to transform into this wasp.
You remember that certain spells that do not require special gestures only a human could perform or, uttering of arcane syllables requiring the ability to speak or the usage of material components can be used by a polymorphed spellcaster!
With the spiders leaving, Astrapios turns looking for the person they were hunting. It stumbled and fell down somewhere here in the undergrowth. If he can't see him, he'll call him out.
"This insect seems to have almost cast some enchantment on me. I can't place it, but something is wrong with it. Ethana, could you take a look and see if you know what it is?"
Astrapios closes up to the Ethana and Gosor quickly.
The Minotaur is some twenty steps off the area where the hunted person fell (you find the dark, hooded cloak on the ground but to trace of the person itself).
To your bewilderment, he seems very focused on something up in one of the trees but by the honour of Kelksiomedes you cannot tell what he is seeing up there. The only thing you can see, is small bee or wasp up one of the dark branches.
"Are you afraid of a silly little wasp, Gosor? There's nothing magic here."
Astrapios turns to pick up the cloak and gives a quick glance.
Then he looks towards where the person came from and points. "We need to hurry this way!"
As you lift up the cloak, you notice a tiny hole buried below it.
Likely from just about any burrowing creature the size of a small mouse or large bug.
Nothing interesting, really.
Zal helps by telling them.
This might very well be the person who fled from the spiders, having used a polymorph magic to transform into this wasp.
You remember that certain spells that do not require special gestures only a human could perform or, uttering of arcane syllables requiring the ability to speak or the usage of material components can be used by a polymorphed spellcaster!
grml, that woman knows everything....
Astrapios shouts into the trees: "Come out! We mean no harm to you. As you can see, we fought of your pursuers. We just need some information, if you could be so kind and help us."
"I doubt anyone casting such magic upon us is looking for our help," Ktinos growls, reaching for his bow.
Moving the best he can with the hindrance of the webs, Gosor makes sure that he's within reach of the wasp, ready to attack should it try to fly away.
"Does anyone among us have the ability to contain an insect or dispel magic? I'm of the opinion that we aren't looking at a friend just now as well. An innocent unrelated to our current task would have little reason to be in this forest, but our quarry would have every reason to try to bring those spiders down on us should she have the chance."
She takes a deep breath.
"I will try"
She then closes her eyes and then she seems to glow for a moment.
If its a humanoid that has changed shape she is fine. Just has to have the mind of one.
Range is fine, 200'
it gets a DC22 Will save.
::"Come here"::
is her command.
The bee/wasp slowly moves down the branch towards the commanding voice of Lady Zal in a somewhat creepy forced kind of way.
When it gets to here she says
::"Stop, if you can change back onto your true from."::
"Stop, if you can change back onto your true from."
It stops, slightly shivering as if anticipating what is about to be the next command.
"Change back onto your true from."