DM Carbide's Core Emerald Spire

Game Master John Woodford

Corbrae, you know that the rune is separate from the item, and that the item won't function if you're not within a few feet of the Spire core.

Gathered my bow during all of the examining.

Joseph smiles.

"Sure. I can try it on."

Stat boost items take 24 hours to work if I remember correctly.

"Just the effects like new spells per day and such that. Not sure of the exact list, but I am pretty sure you would immediately get the extra HP and saving throw from the belt, much like the bear's endurance spell."

Stat boost items take 24 hours to work if I remember correctly.

Just the effects like new spells per day and such that. Not sure of the exact list, but I am pretty sure you would immediately get the extra HP and saving throw from the belt, much like the bear's endurance spell."

AIUI, Mrs. Book is right; the item takes 24 hours for its CON bonuses to stop being temporary bonuses.

There are two other concealed doors in the room, in addition to the visible door.

Where to from here? Blitz and Tibearius are down some HP.

”Oh so sorry Blitz. I did not see this cut from the other side. By the Green, we Will get you patched up. “

Viridian notes the blood on blitz and will dig out his cure wand unless a channel will be used on the group.

clw wand: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

Blitz is back to his usual cheerful self.

Tibearius is still wounded (-9 HP).

Where do you want to go next?

"We done here? Think maybe there is another level to this place? We should probably finish our exploration."

Looking around she adds, "How about we look into that door over there,", while pointing to the door at the far end of the room.

CLW: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

Tibearius feels somewhat better. Currently at -4 HP.

After checking the door, finding no traps, and hearing nothing, the party opens it to reveal a small anteroom with another door directly opposite.

Naturally we will pause to explore the new room. But if we find nothing interesting we continue on to the next door.

The anteroom is empty but for a few wisps of webbing.

Move on through then.

Viridian motions to Blitz

Come! as he follows Mrs. Book through and checks ahead

perception: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (9) + 14 = 23

Joseph tightens his bet and follows bow in hand.

Gray webbing fills this chamber. Huge cocoons of spider silk hang suspended in the webs, and the strands crawl with a myriad of pale little spiders. As soon as Viridian and Blitz enter, the spiders begin to move towards the door.

Round 1:

Initiative order
Spiders
Joseph
Mrs. Book
Tibearius
Viridian
Corbrae

The spiders move, starting to coalesce into a swarm.

Everyone can act!

Spiders: AC ? T ? FF ? HP taken: 0

Mrs. Book steps into the room and hammers them with a DC 16 color spray. All those eyes and so much light!

The spell has no discernable effect.

Viridian looks at the collection of spiders.

”We may all need to move back. By the Green, we are probably going to need to burn these!“

He ushers Blitz back then draws acid vial and hurls at the square centers on blob

range touch atk: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8 for acid dmg: 1d6 ⇒ 6

might be a splash miss?

They're not yet concentrated enough in one area to qualify as a swarm, so there isn't really a distinct target.

Ok, I was not sure…hold as a readied (to hit a concentration if one forms)…if that works.

Sure. It'll be a couple of rounds, though, and it's possible that they might form up around you if you stay that close to them.

"Maybe we should just move on through the room and close the door before they form up?"

Viridian nods ”you are probably right. But I suspect we will need to go back in here to get some thing or someplace.“

The way forward is impassable (without considerable effort and time) due to the profusion of webbing, and the perceptive druid realizes that the spiders can probably fit through the narrow gaps under the doors.

Just so I'm clear, This is a swarm and not single big spiders right? As in nothing to shoot at?

It's a whole lot of small spiders that are in the process of aggregating into a swarm. So still nothing to shoot at, but nothing immediately capable of damaging the party.

"Any ideas?

Joseph draws some Acid and waits.

The spiders seem intent on overrunning the party.

Since Viridian has Knowledge (Nature) and is a druid, he can tell that in a few seconds there will be enough of them in one area to do some damage to people, and potentially poison them if the spiders are venomous. They're not quite as fast as the fastest party members, though, so it should be possible to keep away from them while waiting for them to present a better target for splash weapons.

"Anyone with a decent aim need a vial of acid to toss when they arrive?"

Joseph begins backing away as his standard action.

"After I toss this one sure."

Mrs. book readies a vial and moves away from the group so that when the spiders attack she will be alone.

Viridian continues to hold his vial of acid ready

Blitz backs 20’ away from the critters.

Corbrae steps back too, knowing neither her crossbow or her rapier are up to the task

I still have a vial of alchemic fire...That can be useful

Throw: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21
dmg: 1d6 ⇒ 6

OK, the spiders are going to be double-moving 40' per round. The party can keep out ahead of them before they coalesce, with quicker members opening doors for slower ones.

Once the swarm is fully manifested, Viridian throws an acid vial and misses, but Corbrae nails it with alchemist's fire. Enough of the spiders are caught in the fire that the swarm discorporates.

Out of combat!

[b]"Better than a broom, to be sure. Though I sure am glad there are not that many spiders at my place."[b]

anc back we all go to the tiny room to go through the next door. Usual procedures now that the spiders are not rushing us.

Viridian kicks the piles of burnt spiders.

Whether these were acting on their own, or under some power within this tower, by the Green, we may never know. But better them dead than us. Blitz come!

Once the wolf has rejoined, he investigates the next chamber.

perception: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (11) + 14 = 25

It takes time to clear the webs from the spider nursery to the point where it's possible to cross the room without becoming entangled, even using fire. The door on the far side of the room opens onto a short hallway, with two visible doors leading north. Viridian looks around and spots another apparent pit trap filling the hall to the east. He also notices a concealed door due east.

Where to now?

Second random check: 5d20 ⇒ (16, 5, 2, 16, 8) = 47

”By the Green if the webs were not enough, someone did not want us to find this door.“ he points.

Mrs. Book nods in agreement, wondering if they missed something because of it.

"Sure seems a strange way to build a place. I mean. as secret door here and there to hide a room or two, but, to borrow a phrase, by the Green this is absurd.

Maybe the architect had orders, or a plan we can't realise... or maybe it's just to confuse us and keep us on our toes. The Tower seems to hide many secrets, and we are just uncovering a few of them..

Where to? There's a door you can reach without crossing the pit trap, or Joseph can try to disarm it.

I vote we just cross the hall and open the convenient door.

Agreed

Agreed.

Joseph and Viridian check the door, hearing nothing and finding no traps. The door opens to reveal a hallway, with one door in an alcove on the east side and another door at the end.

Viridian and blitz scan the hall then proceed

Perception: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (15) + 14 = 29

There's nothing apparent in the way of pit traps or other hidden features, at least as far as Viridian can tell. The door on the north wall is locked, but opens to the key taken from the crushed skeleton.

This way. Bring that key.