DC is 12 or you are Frightened.
Woah! Someone has a flare for the theatric. Is everyone ok?
"Trithereon! What?" Venn takes a full step back and prepares for combat, though me makes no motion forward.
vs DC 12
Baghotir draws his warhammer and takes a step back from the mouth, "Holy beer - did you see that? It was a mouth! Do you think it was a mimic that ate 'em?"
He panics a bit and tries to calm himself down.
The baron is momentarily surprised, but picks up the same thinking as Alisanne. "An illusion, perhaps?"
"Hold strong!" Caelius calls back, though his voice cracks a little in fright. "It doesn't seem to be attacking." Sheathing his blade he rushes to the trap door and flings it open, wondering if whatever creature that was went below.
Caelius flings open the trap door. He sees a staircase. The room below is illuminated with flickering torchlight.
He looks up to see Baghotir and Venn, so frightened that they cannot move towards the trap door.
"I'm not going down there. That's consumption that is."
Baghotir continues to refuse to enter.
"Let's check the rest of the house." he says non sensibly.
[dice=Wisdom save (DC 12)]1d20+0
The baron is momentarily surprised, but picks up the same thinking as Alisanne. "An illusion, perhaps?"
Perhaps...
Intelligence (Arcana) if you please, Alisanne.
A magical spell. An illusion creating images and sounds. Likely set up with conditions, similar to a trap. One of you sprung it.
It was an illusion, likely meant to frighten us away. Successfully, no less. Might be worth checking out if someone went to all that trouble.
"Aye. There MUST be a better way. Let's hit that other room we just passed."
We can circle back. Lead on, Venn.
The party backs out into the hallway and checks the room on the north side of the hall.
This room was once a writing room or study. Against the wall under the windows sits a large wooden writing desk, partially broken and riddled with damp rot. There are three drawers in each side of the desk and a large central drawer; the latter is closed, but the others are all open — and two of them have been broken open forcibly.
"An illusion? But it all seemed so real!" Caelius had never seen one, or at least one he was aware of before. He tries to open the closed drawer as he looks about the room. "Looks like scoundrels hit this place up years ago."
The large drawer is locked.
"Is there any reason we want this intact?" Baghotir inquires. He waits for a more subtle method of entry, but he stands ready to smash it open with his warhammer if no one steps up.
- - -
"Where there is one trap, there is more. I'd recommend making sure it's not trapped before opening the drawer," Belwick warns. He then sees Baghotir lifting his warhammer and adds, "And let's not smash the contents please. We want to leave with the riches, not the shards of the riches. Muscle should be enough."
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sigh Let me take a look.
Alissane gently pushes Baghotir aside and pulls out her picks. She kneels down to inspect the drawer and see if she can open it with as much ease as she’s hoping to display to the others.
Alisanne doesn't see anything to be concerned about. Is isn't a very good lock, and the drawer itself is like the rest of the desk--spotted with damp rot.
She thinks she should have no trouble picking this lock. She reaches into her pack and discovers she doesn't own a proper set of theive's tools!
Alisanne reaches into her pouch for the picks and realizes her mistake. She surreptitiously continue reaching up into her backpack for her crowbar. She fits the crowbar into the drawer by the lock and gives a good pull.
Alisanne easily breaks open the drawer. Inside are old documents--receipts for the purchases of laboratory equipment and chemicals.
Belwick volunteers to give the documents a quick skim, with the hope of identifying if any of it is either a) valuable or b) noteworthy in its uses.
Nope. Apparently worthless.
Belwick looks momentarily irritated, but it passes. "Useful as fire starter. Let's keep looking around."
The baron walks back, calling for his servant to follow. He then orders it open the nearest door.
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[b]"Why would a bunch of useless junk be locked up in a drawer?"[b] Caelius follows the servant down the hall.
The party moves to the north, and opens the first door on the left.
At one time a long table stood in the center of this room; now it lies broken on the floor. A broken chair sits against the wall between the windows, and there is a heap of broken dishes in the northwest corner.
Baghotir suggests, "Let's check this door quickly - I bet it's a closet, or pantry, or maybe a small kitchen. Then north?" he suggests with a question pointing to the door across the hall from the room they're in.
Across the hall, Baghotir opens the door and feels the presence of Belwick's unseen servant enter the room. Peering through the doorway:
Two stuffed armchairs stand near the fireplace of this room. The covers of both have been torn and the stuffing has been pulled out, but the wooden frames are intact. A broken table lies on the floor near the north wall.
Caelius grabs at some of the stuffing. "Someone was looking for something. Why destroy these chairs."
"Why indeed," Belwick agrees, though he doesn't ponder it any further. "Search the debris if you like. I'll keep us moving."
He then orders his servant down the hall to open the door.
Caelius moves to investigate the stuffing in the chairs and Belwick sends his unseen servant north to the end of the hall... And spiders are vomited forth from the fireplace! Caelius turns and stands dumbfounded for a moment, clutching a wad of stuffing. The Spiders swarm and engulf him.
Initiative rolled in D&D Beyond:
Caelius 19 (Surprised)
Baghotir 15 (Surprised)
Alisanne 10 (Surprised)
Swarm of Spiders 9
Venn 8 (surprised)
Baron Belwick 8 (surprised)
The spiders attempt to crawl into Caelius' clothing and armor (And mouth), seeking flesh...
Bite:... But can't seem to get there!
That was Round 1. It is now round 2. Caelius is up, Baghotir is on deck. No one is surprised any longer.
Baghotir steps to the spider swarm, "There are so many, I can only get a few at a time!"
Never the less, knowing no better, he attacks the swarm.
- - -
Caelis begins to scream. "Spiders! Why did it have to be spiders?" He grabs his shield in both hands and begins smashing it into the mass of spiders, trying to squish as many as he can.
HP 9/12
AC 17 (+2 (19) w/ Shield)
Alright... I moved Caelius north, out of the swarm to give him a target.
The Swarm gets an oppo attack:, which because of your preferred fighting style of DEFENSE, misses!
The Shield bash from Caelius misses, as does the warhammer attack from Baghotir. Baghotir can move if he likes.
Alisanne is up, and then the swarm.
As per slack, Baghotir moves through the swarm. The Swarm has taken an oppo attack already this turn and does not get another.
Alisanne is up.
Hearing the high pitched screams of, "Spiders!", Alissane decides to stay back to allow room for the others to engage the creatures.
The spider swarm surges over Baghotir
... Miss, no damage.
The crawl all over the dwarf and get tangled in his beard and in his clothes and mouth and ears and...
Baghotir steps away from the spider swarm, "Dear god that's nasty!" he cries as they crawl in all his orifices.
He'll then swing away!
Swearing at his weak swing, he prays to Clangeddin for another swing (as a bonus attack)!
"Aaaarrgh!" he swears further at his poor showing. He can do better...
- - -
Belwick moves close enough to see the spiders. His first action is an admonition. "What are you doing, Baghotir? Hold still!"
He works through a simple spell, one that he's typically used to light the hearth fire back home. A ball of flame coalesces at the tip of his finger, and after pointing it at the spider swarm he barks a final word before it flies out!
He then steps out of the way, letting others make way.
Bot Venn:
Venn prepares and lights a torch.
Crit Damage:... Lackluster, sorry friend. Belwick aims the spell with flawless accuracy and burns away a number of spiders.
Baghotir moves out of the swarm...
Oppo Attack from the swarm: does not score a hit.
Clangeddin Silverbeard inspires Baghotir and he attacks the swarm with his hammer, and kills many of the spiders in the swarm.
Caelius is up!
Caelius! You got this! Those little buggers can't bring usdown!
Alissande steps closer to the action and continues to keep her distance.
Caelius continues to smash the spiders with his shield. "There are too many off them." he watches in horror as the stuffing in the chair moves with spiders.
HP 9/12
AC 17 (+2 (19) w/ Shield)
The spiders, diminished by the swatting and beatings in the room, surge towards the door and move to engulf Belwick!
I offer an opportunity attack from both Baghotir and Caelius. If they fail to disperse the swarm then
Baghotir takes advantage of the opportunity to attack!
(crit damage)
"Damn spiders just keep going don't they?"
Caelius smashes at the spiders as they skitter past him.