Very well, I suppose we could start by watching Kolgradd climb. We should pay attention to reactions of others nearby. If they make a fuss, perhaps some invisibility is in order for him.
Kolgradd carefully climbs the ladder, after stowing his weapons and looking around to ensure that no-one is actively watching.
If he makes it to near the webbing he'll peer in, and call out for Maudette, cupping his mouth to try to direct the call upwards.
When the amnesiacs prepare to climb up the ladder, the nearby partygoers all quickly look away to not be implicated in this impropriety.
As the amnesiacs ascend the ladder, the area gets darker and darker until it is practically impossible to see for everyone except Kolgradd. Even Jevar’s aeon stone cannot seem to pierce the shadows. But as Boodiddly casts his light cantrip, the spell lights up and illuminates.
To say that the upper part of the ballroom is covered in cobwebs would be an understatement. The upper catwalk is covered with spider webs of various sizes. Spiders of unnatural sizes skitter about on the webs and the clicking echo of these spiders and stranger arachnoids is practically overwhelming. The arachnoids seem to be minding their own business—consuming things wrapped up in cocoons of webbing.
The amnesiacs search along the narrow catwalk for Maudette and find someone: wrapped in a web cocoon and attached to the side of the catwalk is a woman in an awkward orientation. As the amnesiacs go to help her, they find an expression of sheer terror plastered on the woman’s face, but as they approach closer, the woman’s eyes (but not her head) turn to look at them. She’s paralyzed.
Seeing this woman, Shakur takes a knife off from his necklace and begins to cut the woman loose from her cocoon, only to be surprised at the sheer strength of the webbing holding her. The Pharasmin then tries to force his knife to cut through a section of the cocoon and succeeds, but as he does, he inadvertently sends vibrations through other webs on the cocoon that connect back to the greater web system. The reverberations are so slight that the amnesiacs don’t notice, but that doesn’t mean it goes unnoticed.
Before they can fully comprehend what is going on, several strange creatures enter into the sight of Boodiddly’s light: creatures that are an unholy mix of humanoid and arachnoid, with vestigial limbs, spiderlike fingers, and enormous, wicked grins! But as horrifying as these creatures are, much more prominent is a colossal spider that skitters across the many webs with disturbing grace!
If, for some reason, you fall off the catwalk, the various webs slow your descent, so creatures don’t take fall damage as they fall back to the ballroom floor (but you still land prone despite not taking fall damage).
The enemies in this combat can effectively “fly” using their climb Speed as they crawl across the webs up here. If you *looks at Kolgradd* knock them prone, they will begin falling normally, but they can Grab an Edge to grab onto the webs (you guys can technically do that too, but the DC will be higher because you’re not, well, spiders).
Round 1
==============
Boodiddly
Goliath Spider
Shakur
Jevar
Kolgradd
Red
Yellow
Green
Blue
==============
Boodiddly’s eyes dart back and forth between the spider-things, the paralyzed woman, and the very very very large spider. “Ummm… Hang in there everyone and let’s keep calm about all this.”
Boodiddly begins singing and sends calming energy at two of the arachnoids.
Both of the arachnoids seem calmed, but Blue less so.
The goliath spider looks over the amnesiacs briefly and then looks directly at Kolgradd.
The spider then quickly shoots several thick ropes of webbing out from its abdomen at Kolgradd!
The sticky silk hits Kolgradd and quickly immobilizes the dwarf!
With its prey restrained, the goliath spider Climbs across the webs to be about level with Kolgradd and bites the dwarf!
As the massive beast’s fangs sink into Kolgradd’s skin, he can feel the spider’s venom entering his bloodstream!
But Kolgradd manages to shake off the spider before too much of its venom is injected. Nevertheless, the area around the bite wound has gone a bit numb from what little venom did enter.
Round 1
==============
Boodiddly {Lingering Defense: Round 0 of 4}
Goliath Spider
Shakur
Jevar
Kolgradd (-20) {Restrained}
Red
Yellow {Calmed: Round 0 of 10}
Green
Blue {-1 status to attack rolls: Round 0 of 10}
==============
It's not real. It's not real
◆◆ Create Impossibility
Kolgradd imagines that the webbing holding him is no stronger than wispy cobwebs.
◆ Escape
He then confidently slips free of his bonds, and hopes that he doesn't have to repeat that trick after being swallowed.
Here Kolgradd, see if this helps you get around.
As Kolgradd struggles against his restraints, Jevar incants and eventually touches his shoulder. The dwarf immediately becomes invisible!
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Shakur breathes, feeling like the air's getting thick. "Not ghouls. Not lake monsters. Not ghouls. Not lake monsters."
Shakur, feeling suffocated by the darkness, quickly takes a bright beam of light from his hand and points it at the large spider.
Shakur then throws up a Shield spell. "STAY BACK!".
[AA]Searing Light
[A]Shield
Shakur fires a fiery ray at the giant spider.
Jevar makes Kolgradd invisible.
Kolgradd uses the power of the Dreamlands to believe he is as unrestricted as a protean and easily slips out of the spider’s web.
Yellow just lounges about.
The three other arachnoids each shoot a web at a different amnesiac that they can see , then Climb across the webs and attack their target with their claws.
Red vs Boodiddly w/inspire defense
Blue vs Jevar w/inspire defense and shield; calmed
Round 2
==============
Boodiddly (-14) {Lingering Defense: Round 1 of 4}
Goliath Spider (-18)
Shakur
Jevar (-14)
Kolgradd (-20) {Freedom of Movement: Round 0 of 3; Invisible: Round 0 of 10}
Red
Yellow {Calmed: Round 1 of 10}
Green
Blue {-1 status to attack rolls: Round 1 of 10}
==============
Maybe we can just cut her loose and all drop down to the floor… No, they’ll just follow us down or pull us up with their webs like really strange fish. The thought entertains Boodiddly so much that he can’t help but chortle - and then direct that mirthful energy towards the very very very large spider.
Boodiddly sends a wave of mirth to the goliath spider.
The beast is clearly confused by Kolgradd’s sudden disappearance, but lets out a guttural chittering akin to a laugh. But this does not end its hunger. The goliath spider turns to Jevar and begins moving to wrap the wizard up in its web using its legs!
The spider then lunges out at the restrained wizard with its fangs!
Failure
The spider’s fangs sink deep into the wizard, causing terrible numbness in his body!
plus slowed 1
Round 2
==============
Boodiddly (-14) {Lingering Defense: Round 1 of 4}
Goliath Spider (-18) {Slowed 1 & no reactions}
Shakur
Jevar (-39) {restrained; Goliath spider venom stage 1: slowed 1}
Kolgradd (-20) {Freedom of Movement: Round 1 of 3; Invisible: Round 1 of 10}
Red
Yellow {Calmed: Round 1 of 10}
Green
Blue {-1 status to attack rolls: Round 1 of 10}
==============
Jevar stumbles and rubs his head, clearly some venom taking hold.
This is just a dream after all...
Jevar imagines that his shield attracts the webbing and diverts it from enveloping him...
Kolgradd marvels at being invisible, ◆ Draws his Maul, and attacks his nearest creepy arachnoid
◆ Strike vs. FF
◆ Strike vs. FF
"Ha!" he says, followed by a sheepish "oops" after remembering he's supposed to be trying to hide
"LET. HIM. GO!" Shakur shouts at the spider, using magic to amplify his words.
[AA]Fear. 3rd level. Let's target all of 'em! DC 26
"NOW!" Shakur adds with just a touch more magic
[A]Jealous Hex on the big spider. That one's only DC 24
Shakur sends out a wave of fear at the creatures .
He then uses a hex on the giant spider.
Jevar follows in Kolgradd’s footsteps and uses the Dreamlands’ power to escape from the webbing.
Kolgradd draws his maul and attacks Blue.
Kolgradd then swings his maul once more, utterly destroying the creature!
Yellow continues lounging about.
Red, utterly terrified of Shakur, climbs across the webs to get away!
Green, totally unaffected by the Pharasmin’s magic, attacks him!
Round 3
==============
Boodiddly (-14) {Lingering Defense: Round 2 of 4}
Goliath Spider (-18) {Slowed 1 & no reactions; frightened 2}
Shakur
Jevar (-39) {Freedom of movement: Round 0 of 3; Goliath spider venom stage 1: slowed 1}
Kolgradd (-20) {Freedom of Movement: Round 1 of 3; Invisible: Round 1 of 10}
Red {frightened 2}
Yellow {Calmed: Round 2 of 10}
Green
==============
Boodiddly continues chuckling and making soothing sounds in alternation as he reluctantly wracks his brain for an idea what these little monstrous things might be.
Boodiddly continues his spells.
Failure
Jevar begins to lose feeling in his body as his entire left side has become completely numb!
plus slowed 2
The goliath spider, utterly oblivious to the magical nuance of what is affecting Jevar, continues to do as its base instincts dictate: wrap up its prey and eat them.
Failure
As the spider bites down on Jevar, he loses consciousness and all feeling in the rest of his body as he completely tenses up!
First of all, in a weird twist of fate, stage 3 of the spider’s venom is actually more advantageous than previous stages (if I had a nickel for every time I said that about goliath spiders, I’d have two nickels, which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird that it happened twice). Shakur’s Channel Succor feat allows him to spontaneously replace one of his font heals with a curated list of other healing spells. Remove paralysis is one of those spells, but neutralize poison is NOT. And I’ll have to make a ruling based on remove paralysis’s clause of “This does not cure someone who is paralyzed from some natural state or effect, such as paralysis caused by non-magical wounds or toxins.” (I’ll get to that ruling in a bit)
Second, Jevar became paralyzed right as he fell unconscious, so some weird stuff happened. What I’m going to say is that, because Jevar’s body is frozen in place, he did NOT actually fall prone when he fell unconscious—his body physically could not become limp enough for him to lose his footing. Technically against RAW, but that’s what I’m going with because that makes sense to me.
Now, for my rulings on the remove paralysis thing: If Shakur casts remove paralysis on Jevar while Jevar is still unconscious (and, obviously, succeeds at removing the paralysis), then Jevar’s body is capable of becoming limp and he immediately falls prone. In that instance, Shakur will have cured the paralysis, but NOT the poison. Jevar will still be at stage 3 of the poison, he just won’t feel its effects and it won’t advance on its own; the paralysis is the last stage of the poison and has no time in which the stage changes (because the poison’s max duration is 6 rounds, but the last stage is paralysis for 2d4 hours, done with the intention that the poison subsides, but not any of the conditions caused by it). BUT, if Jevar gets exposed to another dose of the poison again (such as by getting bit by the spider and failing the save), then he IMMEDIATELY re-experiences the effects of stage 3 of the poison and becomes paralyzed again (because that would normally increase the stage, but since stage 3 is the last one, he just experiences that stage again).
I hope I communicated that well. It makes sense in my brain what I’m trying to say, it’s just a weird to try to write it out. The only other way I can think to interpret the aforementioned clause in remove paralysis is by just saying that the spell literally can't work on paralysis imposed by poisons, which is just...such a dickish RAW interpretation.
Round 3
==============
Boodiddly (-14) {Lingering Defense: Round 2 of 4}
Jevar (-56) {Restrained; Freedom of movement: Round 1 of 3; Goliath spider venom stage 3: paralyzed; unconscious; dying 1}
Goliath Spider (-18) {Slowed 1 & no reactions; frightened 1}
Shakur
Kolgradd (-20) {Freedom of Movement: Round 2 of 3; Invisible: Round 2 of 10}
Red {frightened 2}
Yellow {Calmed: Round 2 of 10}
Green
==============
Kolgradd moves to put himself between the goliath spider and Jevar, having to settle for hoping Shakur can help him with the poison. Finding that attracting attention is harder when you're invisible, he shouts at it as he brings his maul around.
"Right here you oversized pest!"
◆ Stride
◆ Strike
◆ Strike
Round 3
==============
Boodiddly (-14) {Lingering Defense: Round 2 of 4}
Jevar (-56) {Restrained; Freedom of movement: Round 1 of 3; Goliath spider venom stage 2: slowed 2; unconscious; dying 1; prone}
Goliath Spider (-18) {Slowed 1 & no reactions; frightened 1}
Shakur
Kolgradd (-20) {Freedom of Movement: Round 2 of 3; Invisible: Round 2 of 10}
Red {frightened 2}
Yellow {Calmed: Round 2 of 10}
Green
==============
Shakur casts a two-action heal on Jevar then casts shield.
Kolgradd moves over and attacks the giant spider, and completely misses.
Red comes back into the field of battle.
Yellow continues to lounge around.
Green attacks Shakur.
Round 4
==============
Boodiddly (-14) {Lingering Defense: Round 3 of 4}
Jevar (-6) {Restrained; Freedom of movement: Round 1 of 3; Goliath spider venom stage 2: slowed 2; wounded 1; prone}
Goliath Spider (-18) {Slowed 1 & no reactions; frightened 1}
Shakur
Kolgradd (-20) {Freedom of Movement: Round 2 of 3; Invisible: Round 2 of 10}
Red {frightened 1}
Yellow {Calmed: Round 3 of 10}
Green
==============
Jevar growns as he becomes conscious and drops to (what amounts to) the floor. He weakly reaches into his pack, his arm moving slowly the whole way, and retrieves a lesser antidote.
No... I can't reach that antidote...
*squirm squirm*
Boodiddly considers moving away from the returned ettercap. But that would mean it would attack Jevar instead, and he can’t take much more of a beating! Geimly the bard continues his spells and conjures a translucent disk around himself. “Don’t try to freeze the little ones - they’re descended from Leng spiders!”
Boodiddly continues sustaining his magic.
Jevar squirms out of the goliath spider’s web.
plus slowed 1
The goliath spider looks ready to attack Jevar again, but an invisible Kolgradd gets in the way and makes his presence known as he attacks the beast! The spider clearly looks confused, but eventually just tries to wrap Kolgradd up in its webs yet again!
When it misses, it still tries to bite at Kolgradd!
Round 5
==============
Boodiddly (-14) {Lingering Defense: Round 3 of 4}
Jevar (-15) {Freedom of movement: Round 2 of 3; Goliath spider venom stage 1: slowed 1; wounded 1; prone}
Goliath Spider (-18) {Slowed 1 & no reactions}
Shakur
Kolgradd (-20) {Invisible: Round 3 of 10}
Red {frightened 1}
Yellow {Calmed: Round 3 of 10}
Green
==============
↻ AoO
Kolgradd dances away from the strikes with glee, and continues trying to draw the attention of the biggest spider.
I'll need to thank Jevar for this spell later, it's amazing!
◆ Cast True Strike
◆ Strike
◆ Strike / Advantageous Assault
Groaan... Is that you there Kolgradd? Maybe stay... right there... between me and it... Groaaan...
Jevar had found something of a surge within himself against the poison, but he wasn't out of the woods yet and his speech is pained.
"I sure hope it is!" Shakur adds in response.
Shakur then turns to the giant spider as his eyes go pitch black. "Leave!"
"NOW!"
"speaking of leaving..." Shakur steps away from the green thing attacking him.
Kolgradd slams his maul into the goliath spider’s legs and completely trip it!
Shakur sends a terrifying spell at the goliath spider.
Kolgradd slams his maul into the spider twice!
Green Climbs over to Shakur and continues attacking the Pharasmin!
Success
Red likewise attacks Shakur!
Success
Round 6
==============
Boodiddly (-14)
Jevar (-15) {Freedom of movement: Round 2 of 3; Goliath spider venom stage 1: slowed 1; wounded 1; prone}
Goliath Spider (-127) {Slowed 1 & no reactions; frightened 1}
Shakur (-22)
Kolgradd (-20) {Invisible: Round 3 of 10}
Red
Yellow {Calmed: Round 4 of 10}
Green
==============
Boodiddly alternates between chuckling, hushing, and whistling in rapid succession.
Jevar tries his best not to make too much excessive noise as he stands up. He probably sounds like someone near the end-of-life due to the effects of the poison. He waves a hand at the goliath spider, sending a bolt of force at it.
Boodiddly continues his song.
Jevar stands and sends a force bolt at the giant spider.
And just like that, the spider’s venom dissipates from the wizard!
Even with its animalistic intelligence, the goliath spider recognizes that trying to wrap Kolgradd in its web is a detrimental endeavor, so it works to do the next best thing: paralyze with its venom!
plus slowed 1
Round 6
==============
Boodiddly (-14)
Jevar (-15) {Wounded 1}
Goliath Spider (-135) {Slowed 1 & no reactions}
Shakur (-22)
Kolgradd (-77) {Invisible: Round 4 of 10; Goliath spider venom stage 1: slowed 1}
Red
Yellow {Calmed: Round 4 of 10}
Green
==============
Right stop capering around and finish this thing off
◆ Strike
◆ Strike
◆ Cast Shield
Shakur moves out from being flanked and uses Battle Medicine on himself.
Shakur then tries to use Battle Medicine on Kolgradd.
Kolgradd continues to attack the goliath spider.
Green Climbs over to flank against Boodiddly and attacks the gnome!
Success
Red likewise attacks Boodiddly.
Success
Round 7
==============
Boodiddly (-40)
Jevar (-15) {Wounded 1}
Goliath Spider (-161) {Slowed 1 & no reactions}
Shakur (-3)
Kolgradd (-72) {Invisible: Round 4 of 10}
Red
Yellow {Calmed: Round 5 of 10}
Green
==============
Boodiddly alternates between crying out in pain, chuckling, hushing, and whistling in rapid succession.
Ah! I feel much better. My hardy body has consumed the poison!
He looks in the direction where Kolgradd was recently, calling out
Kolgradd, where are you? Touch my hand and receive this enchantment!
He then turns to face the other two spiders, eyeing them dubiously.
Boodiddly continues singing.
Jevar hastens Kolgradd and protects himself.
The goliath spider continues to bite at Kolgradd!
Round 7
==============
Boodiddly (-40)
Jevar (-15) {Wounded 1}
Goliath Spider (-161) {Slowed 1 & no reactions}
Shakur (-3)
Kolgradd (-72) {Invisible: Round 5 of 10; Hasted: Round 0 of 10}
Red
Yellow {Calmed: Round 5 of 10}
Green
==============
"Thank you Jevar, this big bugger is proving challenging, everything ok back there?"
In between shouts he brings his hammer around at the goliath spider with as much force as he can muster.
◆ Strike
◆ Strike
Then with his enhanced speed, he finds the time to imagine a spell he hasn't prepared today, and he dreams of flames shooting out in a fan from his maul.
◆◆ Create Impossibility 3rd level burning hands toward the goliath
Ug. It's better. The poison truly has left me, but... we're surrounded here the mage calls back. Facing the other way now, he is likely back-to-back with the invisible Kolgradd.
Shakur casts true strike followed by spiritual weapon against the goliath spider.
Kolgradd then attacks the giant spider, and after two swings, the goliath spider goes limp!
Red and Green continue to attack Boodiddly (whom they’re flanking).
*
Round 8
==============
Boodiddly (-68)
Jevar (-15) {Wounded 1}
Shakur (-3)
Kolgradd (-72) {Invisible: Round 6 of 10; Hasted: Round 1 of 10}
Red
Yellow {Calmed: Round 6 of 10}
Green (-26)
==============
Jevar backs away carefully and incants an acid arrow at the spider-creature behind Shakur.
Relieved to no longer need to keep up the presence of laughter, Boodiddly rushes out from between the two not-spiders to the other side of Jevar - obviously to be closer to the target of his shushing and not to put something between himself and his attackers, no siree!
Like an invisible bull in a spider shop, Kolgradd goes to town smashing things!
◆ Strike
◆ Strike
After getting a couple of hits in, he juggles the maul around in his hands and tries to pull his opponent off-balance / out of the webbing.
◇ Release Grip
◆ Trip with Assurance
◆ Interact to change grip
Boodiddly continues singing.
Jevar launches an acid arrow at Green and hits.
Shakur Demoralizes Red.
Then Sustains spiritual weapon twice.
Kolgradd completely destroys Green! He then strikes at Red and manages to trip the arachnoid!
And the arachnoid tumbles far down to the ballroom below.
Yellow just stares at this and decides it’s not worth it and disengages.
As Shakur is spending the better part of an hour patching up the amnesiacs’ wounds, Kolgradd finally saves the cocooned woman and brings her onto the catwalk. Shakur then uses some of his divine font to end the woman’s paralysis.
The woman’s body ceases to be rigid as she looks at the amnesiacs with grateful eyes. ”Thank you…”
Jevar pulls away some of the strands cocoon'ing her so that she can easily turn her head, see the party, and speak.
So... you've had quite a time at this ball. Tell us, do you know why you got drawn up into this place and captured by them?
He continues cutting her out of the rest of the webbing with his dagger.
"Aye and speak plain if you can, we're strangers to this place and don't know it's ways"
Kolgradd listens to her response, but his lack of patience with niceties gets the better of him and blurts out the questions that have been bothering him.
"The Viscount has decided he can't dance with anyone but his beloved and asked us to let you know. Do you know who his beloved is? And why he is coughing up black tar like a man drowning in the stuff?"
So... you've had quite a time at this ball. Tell us, do you know why you got drawn up into this place and captured by them?
"Aye and speak plain if you can, we're strangers to this place and don't know it's ways"
”I-I don’t know. I was just mingling—I’ve never been to a party like this before, so I was feeling out of place—and out of nowhere I was just being pulled up and—“
"The Viscount has decided he can't dance with anyone but his beloved and asked us to let you know. Do you know who his beloved is? And why he is coughing up black tar like a man drowning in the stuff?"
”Y’know, I don’t even care anymore! I was flattered that he wanted to dance because of his station, but then he just coated me in that tar and gods I wish I could’ve said no then and there! And everyone keeps bending over backwards to please this guy! No one would dare tell me what on earth was going on with the tar and the spiders and…You know what? I’m done. I’ve had tar spit on me, disregarded by these hoity-toity assh*les, and to top it off, I almost because spider chow! I appreciate y’all helping me out, I really do, but I’m going home! Excuse me.”
Maudette huffs and begins moving away—nearly tripping a couple times due to being paralyzed for a length of time. She disappears from the amnesiacs’ sight , then awkwardly comes back into view. ”Um…how did y’all get up here? I can’t see a thing…”
The amnesiacs direct Maudette toward the ladder and escorts her back down to the ballroom floor. She turns back to them, says ”Thank you again.” and disengages as she begins walking away.