Verilich moves towards the exit in an attempt to block it and readies to stunning fist a mite if it attacks or flees down the exit.
stunning fist DC 15
As Verilich crouched at the edge of the tunnel mouth, still half-shrouded in shadow, one of the small blue creatures lifted its head and locked eyes with him. A twitch ran through its limbs—a startled reaction that spread quickly through the others. One by one, the mites paused in their chipping, their bulbous eyes wide with alarm.
Then, as if on some silent cue, they all turned toward him, tools raised like makeshift weapons, their snarling mouths twisted in a poor imitation of courage. The first of them, emboldened or foolish, darted forward, shrieking in its high-pitched tongue.
Verilich did not flinch.
He waited until the creature was nearly upon him—and then struck.
With a single, sharp motion, his fist snapped out and cracked squarely into the mite’s face, the crunch of bone audible even over the skittering footsteps. The creature flew back, collapsed into the stone with a wet sound, and did not rise. It twitched once, then began to bleed out at Verilich’s feet.
The others saw.
And they broke.
The remaining mites turned as one and fled, squealing in terror as they scrambled past Verilich, heedless of the danger. They scurried through the tunnel to the east, shoulders hunched, abandoning their tools and their newly-carved chamber in a frantic bid for escape.
In seconds, the room was empty—
—except for Verilich, and the dying blue thing at his feet.
Round 1
Verilich AOO
Round 2
Caius <== Up!
Verilich <== Up!
Mites
Ghaernan
Gundar
Khalid
Round 2
Caius <== Up!
Verilich <== Up!
Mites
Ghaernan
Gundar
Khalid
Caius double moves.
Verilich will follow, draw his 3-section staff, and attack the one that is at the back since they became hostile.
Verilich chases the mites down the rough hewn tunnel and runs into a blank wall.
Round 2
Caius
Verilich
Mites
Ghaernan <== Up!
Gundar <== Up!
Khalid <== Up!
Khalid will enter the tunnel and search for Mites.
Ghaernan strides swiftly behind Khalid, reaching the top of the mound holding the foul little tunnel into which his companions have ventured...
Round 2
Caius
Verilich
Mites
Ghaernan
Gundar <== Up!
Khalid
Round 3
Caius <== Up!
Verilich <== Up!
Mites
Ghaernan
Gundar
Khalid
Gundar will enter the hole keeping pace with the others.
After a quick search of the chamber, Verilich found what he was looking for: a faint seam at the far end of the tunnel where the freshly chiseled wall gave way to a cleverly hidden secret panel. He pressed against it with one clawed hand, and the stone swung inward with a faint grind, revealing a passage beyond.
The moment it opened, sound rushed in—the sharp chittering of panic, the skitter of claws on stone.
He peered through onto a landing alive with motion.
The mites that had fled from him only moments ago were here, gathered in a loose cluster at the center of the platform, their faces twisted in frantic confusion. Several pointed back toward the secret door, shrieking in alarm as Verilich came into view.
Amidst them, hunched and twitching, was a large spider, its hairy legs tapping along the stone as it turned toward the commotion, multiple eyes fixing on the newcomer with unnatural speed.
The landing itself was carved expertly from the rock, this was original Thassilonian work. Steps extended up and to the left, and down and to the right.
The mites had cornered themselves.
And Verilich had found them again.
Seeing that the mites seem to be less of a threat than the spider, Verilich's standard action is to read a 5' step next to the spider if the space opens up and strike the spider.
Round 3
Caius <== Up!
Verilich Readied
Mites
Spider
Ghaernan
Gundar
Khalid
Caius moves across the cave to the opposite entrance, drawing forth a javelin as he advances. He hurls it passed Verilich and goblin blocking the far exit at the spider beyond.
x2 P 30'
From the chamber beyond, Caius stepped into the corridor, eyes narrowing as he caught sight of the large spider beyond Verilich. With practiced speed, he drew a javelin and hurled it forward, the weapon spinning end over end through the air.
But the shot went wide—a fleeing mite darted across the hall, and Verilich's presence in the tight quarters threw off his aim. The javelin clanged against the stone behind the spider, embedding itself uselessly into the far wall.
Even before the sound faded, chaos erupted.
A section of the opposite wall suddenly shifted with a grinding scrape, revealing a second secret door, and the mites began pouring out. Shrieking in panic, they scrambled into the hall, desperate to escape the deadly intruder in their midst.
But not all were fast enough.
The nearest mite, just within reach of Verilich, made a frantic dash past him—
—and paid the price.
With a sharp twist and a blur of motion, Verilich's strike landed true, smashing into the creature's side with a sickening crunch. It crumpled mid-step and collapsed in a heap, twitching once before going still.
The others fled, heedless of the danger behind them, their cries echoing down the hall, until the door was closed behind them.
The spider remained and stepped forward to bite Verilich, which it accomplished, sinking its teeth deep into the wyvaran's leg.
Verilich could feel the creatures poison being injected into him.
Fort Save DC 17
Round 3
Caius
Verilich
Mites
Spider
Ghaernan <== Up!
Gundar <== Up!
Khalid <== Up!
+2 more if it is an illusionary poison ;)
Khalid double moved.
Round 3
Caius
Verilich
Mites
Spider
Ghaernan <== Up!
Gundar <== Up!
Khalid
Ghaernan double moves as well...
"Verelich, can you maneuver beyond the spider to open another flank?"
Gundar will move behind Verilich ready to tap him with the wand if he takes another bite.
The sounds of fleeing mites faded into the stone corridors as the rest of the party closed ranks behind Verilich, their boots thudding softly on the rough-hewn landing. The last echoes of chaos gave way to a tense stillness—save for the quiet clatter of the giant spider’s legs as it shifted in place, bracing itself for a strike.
Verilich gave it no quarter.
With a sudden burst of motion, he lunged forward, his fists and weapon striking in a rapid, relentless rhythm. The spider hissed and flailed, but each blow landed with brutal precision—cracking carapace, crushing limbs, and finally driving the creature to the ground in a pulpy heap of twitching legs and oozing ichor.
Its final spasm echoed off the walls. Then all was still.
The hallway, now cleared of foes, fell into silence. Dust settled. The only movement was Verilich’s steady breath and the shifting forms of his allies behind him.
His sharp eyes turned forward once more—
—and he immediately spotted it.
The wall just across the hall, where the mites had fled moments earlier, held a false seam still ajar, the poorly concealed “secret” door now obvious under scrutiny.
The way forward was revealed.
Round 4
Caius <== Up!
Verilich
Mites
Ghaernan
Gundar
Khalid
Under Verilich's guidance, Caius advanced into the room to stand before the "secret" door.
Round5: Verilich moves to the wall, and opens the secret door he saw them go through.
The rest of the party waits for Verilich to use his expertise in these doors. Verilich doesn't disappoint, and he opens the door...
... to reveal another 20' of diggings that ends in another wall, where Verilich can again, spot the secret door.
Round 5
Verilich
Caius <== Up!
Ghaernan <== Up!
Gundar <== Up!
Khalid <== Up!
Mites
Caius again moves to the door Verilich points out and opens it.
"They are fleeing that way!" As Caius looks through the door into the large chamber beyond, he points to the south stairway.
I don't see Caius' token, but since it must be in front of the door, and it doesn't look like he could run through those tunnels, Khalid will double move to right behind Caius.
Gundar will continue to follow his compatriots!
The mites continue their exodus away from the invaders, down the steps to the south.
Round 6
Verilich<== Up!
Caius <== Up!
Ghaernan <== Up!
Gundar <== Up!
Khalid <== Up!
Mites
Verilich double moves 80' total
"Quickly companions, our speed advantage should over take them now that we are clear of infernal maze of secret doors.."
Caius rushes in trace of Verilich.
Ghaernan eases his backpack to the ground by the door in a familiar tactic, then moves down the stairs with intent, setting his sling in his hand into a rapid spin. The Bard comes to a stop, and hurls a sling bullet at the closest of the mites, just at the edge of his first range increment...
HerAt the top of the stairwell, Ghaernan stepped forward, loaded a sling bullet with practiced speed, and let it fly. The shot whistled down the steps and struck the nearest fleeing mite squarely in the shoulder with a sharp crack. The creature squealed and staggered, momentarily disoriented by the blow—
—but it kept running, vanishing into the gloom below.
Verilich, already descending ahead of the others, reached the base of the stairs—and found trouble waiting.
The narrow tunnel widened into a shallow chamber, and nearly a dozen mites clustered at the far end, hemmed in with nowhere left to run. Backed into a corner, their panicked flight twisted into desperation. They shrieked and turned, raising tiny daggers with trembling blue hands.
Two broke from the pack and rushed Verilich. The first lunged low and slashed, the blade slicing a shallow line across his side—drawing bloo*. The second jabbed clumsily and missed entirely, the blade scraping harmlessly against stone.
Above, something shifted.
With sudden, skittering motion, two large spiders descended from the ceiling, their legs unfolding as they dropped onto the stone floor. Chitinous limbs tapped rapidly across the stone as they advanced—closing the distance toward Verilich with silent, deadly intent.
Round 7
Verilich<== Up!
Caius <== Up!
Ghaernan <== Up!
Gundar <== Up!
Khalid <== Up!
Mites
Spiders
Khalid will charge the closest spider.
Khalid hits the spider, hard, but it stays up.
Verilich knows the spiders are the bigger threat, so he 5' steps towards the near one and flurries it.
Verilich takes out the wounded spider, and the mite next to him as well.
Gundar will tap on whoever is in front of him with resistance.
"Many thanks, friend Gundar! It appears we are slaying these small beings..."
Caius will move forward to stand beside Verilich and strike the mite at nearest him.
19-20/x2 S
Ghaernan moves down the stairs across from Gundar, now able to see the second spider without obstruction from his higher elevation. He sets his sling again into a rapid spin, and hurls a bullet at the beast...
Ghaernan's stone strikes the spider, but it appears mostly undamaged.
The mites move forward, fully engaging Caius and Verilich...
Verilich is struck by one of the mites. Caius dodges all of the attacks.
The spider advances, climbs the wall, and fires a web at Khalid...
vs Touch
Khalid is caught by the web...
DC 12 Strength to break free.
Round 8
Verilich<== Up!
Caius <== Up!
Ghaernan <== Up!
Gundar <== Up!
Khalid <== Up!
Mites
Spiders