Clara shoots again, after she sucessfully hit it the first time.
Tarjun hits the spider breaking two legs - which causes the vermin to look crooked - but it still stands. Tarjun starts feeling weakened.
Clara shoots an arrow into the dark of the cave.
Remembering how poorly she did with the target practice, Jewel reaches out to the spider with her magic. "Stop!"
"Nobody bites MY people. They're MINE!"
Brina goes into a flurry against the spider, determined to protect one of HER children.
If possible, she'd 5 ft step into a flank
for
for 2
for 2
for 2
"Behold the MIGHTY LION ROAR!!!!!"
"Mew"
Tobar looks on impressed, not daring to shoot an arrow into the furball that is a spider and a cat
The spider doesn't react to Jewel's casting, but it hasn't much time left for that anyway. Brina takes the spider apart in her angry fury.
Checking behind the rock shows that the mini gobbers have left. There is another one of those small tunnels, that they must have used. Searching the cave brings up a small dagger and some leftover from a meal.
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With a relieved sigh, Tarjun lowers his weapon. He feels a bit dizzy, his side is still bleeding, and his arms are shaking like a leaf, but he's never been happier to be alive.
"Thanks, girl." he tells Brina, taking a few wobbly steps to scratch the cat behind the ears. "Er, Jewel? You think you can do one of this healing trick of yours? 'Cause I could really use one right now."
Glad to have the enemies gone, Jewel pulls out the marble to check for the septer again. She looks at Tobar's wound but has to shake her head. "I only prepared the spell for one casting today, and I used it on Clara. But she has her healing hex. Maybe...." She lets her voice trail off while trying to get Clara's attention.
"Oh, sure." Clara replies and hurries over to Tarjun to give him a healing touch.
The marble pulls deeper into the rock. Like before, not exactly the way the tunnel goes but the general direction is right.
Once Clara heals Tarjun Jewel shows the others the way that the marble is pointing. "The gobber things must have the septer still, and they're moving away. The tunnel must turn or open up ahead. Do we keep going? I used the only healing spell that I had ready, and Clara's healing touch has limits too. And there's no chance for us to sneak along since we need light...."
"Those are cowards. If they don't have their vermin they are nothing! They don't get to keep our scepter." Clara states matter of factly.
Clara tips with her foot at Tarjuns stiff leg. "I want to get that scepter really bad. But you telling of running away smell of lying to yourself."
Jewel nods then and tucks the marble away for safety. "OKay, so we follow along the tunnel. They'll see the lights so we can't sneak. Let's just move slow, watching for trip wires and traps and have our weapons ready. The marble pointed that way. We'll check again once we're moving along and can see where the tunnel leads."
The tunnel winds through the stone some more and then ends on a natural gallery above an even larger cave. The mites are in a state of alarm and as soon as the magical light appears out of the tunnel they disperse to hide in holes in the walls and the ground. You can't see far, but there have to be many of them, telling by the noise. One of the mites is rinding an oversized ant into hiding.
"Let's keep going. But everybody should try and keep behind Brina! She is pretty tough and hard to hit!"
...
"Uh, am I seeing things? That goblin baby is riding an Ant! How can you ride an ant? That is just wrong"
Although she's worried about how many of the strange things seem to be there Jewel still pulls out the marble to sense where the septer is. Once she gets it she tucks the marble away again. "Yeah, and that freaky one has the septer. Maybe he's important to these things. I'll bet they all run if that one gets knocked off of the ant!"
That is easier said then done. As you're up on a ledge and the way straight there would be jumping down 10 feet. Hopefully there will be a way down, but where that is is everyone's guess. To the left and right there are holes in the wall, like that behind the kids where they came from. And if the ledge itself goes down further away is unclear.
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"It's like a giant anthill in there."
Tarjun looks down. Then left. Then right.
"If no one's got a rope, I ain't seein' us goin' down there. Do you see an entrance somewhere? Or somethin' we could easily climb onto? Can Brina track one of those whatstheirname and find us a path?"
They all look like far-fetched solutions, but he can't think of a better one.
"Don't anybody jump! If this is a nest of big ants we're likely going to need to be running. And if we can't we'll be ant food! Just watch. Clara can you please send your light around the place? Random directions until we see some sort of reaction."
Tobar will look around for tracks. Maybe following tracks will show a way up and down to the floor
As there were quite some of the baby gobbers fleeing from them Tobar can make out where they went. But where that leads is unknown. It's the second hole to the left that starts another tunnel.
Due to the limited reach of the light, the only thing that can be told, is that this thing has a lot of holes in the wall and that everyone living here avoids being in the light.
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Tarjun clunches his quarterstaff, glancing distrustfully at his surroundings.
"They better not come near us," he grumbles, occasionally knocking on the walls in a (hopefully) intimidating fashion. "I hope this place isn't runnin' too deep below the surface. Ye think we're in the right direction, Jewel?"
Jewel looks around, holds out the marble to get a direction then glances around again and again. "No. The marble gives me a direction but the tunnels go all over and it's dark, and I don't know. I just don't know...."
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Tarjun stops his banging on the walls, letting out a heavy sigh.
"Well, makes no sense to run in circles if we ain't got no chance to find it then."[b]
He looks around one last time.
[b]"Obviously, they all know where they're goin' and we ain't got no clue. Maybe we'd have more chance to find'em if we come back tomorrow with a plan. Take them by surprise."
He scratches his head.
"For example -the dagger we found, it must have been one of the baby gobbers' weapon. Maybe Brina -or that dog of yers, Clara- can sniff it, and then lead us directly to the buggers, like they do in huntin'."
"I think Tobar found something. Can you lead us Tobar?" Clara asks.
As it suddenly goes dark, she renews the dancing lights.
Surprised Jewel glances up from the marble, "Tobar? What have you found? "
"I nearly lost my sister today. I don't want to put her in more danger"
"I know where the one fleeing went. But I'm not sure we should follow. We'd end up in a bunch of REALLY small tunnels just ASKING to be attacked from all sides. Maybe we should give up? Or at least retreat for the moment and come back with more stuff? Rope? Maybe somebody at home knows something about this place or these things? Or at least come back when we have more thingies to throw?"
Clara would like to go after those little bastards, but her brother is the reasonable one. And being overwhelmed by those little guys doesn't sound desirable. So she he waits for the others to weigh in into this discussion.
Clara jaw drops and she stares at Tarjun.
Jewel nods, and tucks the marble away. "Cloths can be mended and cleaned. But we can't suffer more wounds, at least not today. And maybe we need to admit that we're over our heads? Maybe Gertrud might know more about these things. And we've got the marble. We can check again tomorrow and see if the septer moved."
"We're moving back then?" Clara asks and on confirmation trots after the others through the tunnel and swims out which is harder against the current.
"How will I get back up out of this hole?" She asks as climbing the steep wall would be the next step.
Brina will assume the form of the Frog and Tobar and Brina will swim out
If you allow it, Brina will aid all the other children in swimming out (taking 10 for a 20)
Tarjun sinks and gets carried away by the current.
"I'll save him. Ugh. Water. Wait, I'm the mighty swimming cat!!"
Brina jumps in after Tarjun and tries to pull him back. At the least, she pulls him to the surface
Jewel watches, then tries to follow along swimming out.
Seeing Tarjun in trouble she wishes that she could help, but holds back to let the others, that are much better at swimming than she is, help.
Jewel also makes it out of the cave back into the sunlight. Brina manages to pull Tarjun out too. It's no joy for him, as he has to hold his breath all the way, but it's better than drowning on his own.
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Water is dripping off Tarjun when he finally reaches the shore. He coughs up some water, and pet Brina's wet fur.
"Thanks. Tobar, your kitty saved my life twice today -better get her some ham when we get home!"
Joining Clara, Tarjun inspects the wall critically.
"Seems doable. I'll help you if you want."
"How'd you help?" Clara asks curious.
Jewel studies the vines before reaching up to try climbing. "When we come back we need to bring ropes and stuff to help. Don't want anybody falling again."
With Tarjun's guidance Clara makes it up the wall without incident.
Brina scrambles up the hillside with no difficulty while Tobar finds it a little harder
At first he makes no progress, but Brina then gets below him and helps to push him up
With Brina's help Tobar positively FLIES up the second time. Those whiskers tickle!!