Search Posts
Really? Even I hadn't considered myself THAT famous yet. Thanks for stoking the ego! :D Fame is fleeting RD. Those two haven't been on the boards in a very long time. It might just be their time is past and yours is just beginning. From the ashes and all that.
Of course, the 3 posts directly after mine may indicate I'm completely wrong :)
I once went and asked James Jacobs if he was interested in joining a PbP I was going to run. He's about the level of person I think it warrants for a DM to go out of their way to convince to join their game. You're not even close to that RD. Especially since many folks who come here to play PbP don't even read the threads you're most active in. Not sure if this is meant to be tongue in cheek from you, but it may just backfire on you. I reckon if you actually want to get involved in this part of the boards, you wait and apply like everyone else. Or, do like some do and start a game as DM for something you want.
Gern keeps an eye on Zalen as he searches, just to make sure the rogue doesn't run into any trouble as he goes. Who knew if the king of spiders had any type of traps around the place or not. As he searches Devargo's bedroom more thoroughly, Zalen finds a small compartment concealed beneath the dresser. The false bottom comes out easily enough and inside the rogue finds a small cache jewellry. A jasper studded amulet, a gold necklace fitted with emeralds, and a platinum ring that bears a tiny jade dragonfly. The remainder of Devargo's belongings and possibly the majority of his accumulated wealth are probably in the chest at the foot of his bed, or possibly kept at the bank of Abadar. The spiders den contains nothing of value. Each of the bodies in there have been well and truly stripped of their wealth before tehy were thrown in to feed the spiders and the ettercap. From the guards, Zalen is able to remove two sets of chain shrts, two lonswords, two heavy wooden shileds and about 4 daggers. Between the two of them they have about 10 gold and 15 silver. (assuming krek smashes up the drug den)
Krek Spoiler: .
Both the venom and the drug have street value. The drug itself goes for about 25g a dose. If you wanted to keep some note it on your character sheet and let TerraNova know when he takes back over. Just letting you know the option is here if you want it With that final act, the now somewhat larger group emerges from teh dark confines of teh ships hold as the last rays of the afternoon sun fade into the darkness of another Korvosan night.
Zalen carefully opens the door to the last room, having to use one of the keys from Devargo. This wooden chamber is clean and dry. An ornate bed rests against the far wall, while a single dresser and a round table and chair fill out the rest of the room. A wooden sea chest sits
The bed itself is covered in good sheets and a quilt of fine eider down. Some of this perhaps could be used to cover the two drugged women up. Both them are not putting up a fight at all, though they occasionally turn as if to return to the room and check things. One of them has a vapid smile on her face, and her hands often push past her face, her eyes following the movements of the fingers as if they were leaving a trail in the air. They're certainly not going to enjoy coming down from the high. A quick serach of the room reveals nothing else of interest. The only chest here is the one at the foot of the bed. The one that Halvara wants.
The girls have been repeatedly drugged. The wound in their arm is the same as in Nayrs, probably from hollow reed or bamboo being shoved into the skin and allowing liquid to run down into the blood flow. The girls are compliant and follow the first male voice to address them. It would seem they have only recently been "administered" their latest dose. The prsioner almost collapses in fear as the bolt touches his knee.
Majenko nods his head "He appears to be telling the truth, he's too terrified to lie" The drugs on the shelves would be familiar to anyone who's had time on the streets. Knowledge local or Krek, DC is only 10 Spoiler:
Its a local concoction known as shiver. It causes severe halucinagenic states and can knock people out with vivid dreams. Highly addictive, it's usually taken by mouth, but can be adminsitered in other ways.
Kreks augmented vision can clearly detect the effects of a toxin running through Nayr's veins. He and Gern and Zalen all have lingering effects of toxins in their system as well. Nayrs seems a little different to the half orcs eyes, almost refined compared to the raw effects in the others blood stream. Nayr tries to explain his presence on the ship, his obvious grogginess making it a little unclear for the others to fully grasp what had happened to the man. Ayedah moves further down the hall, as she prepares tokick in the door on far left wall, she is joined by the little dragon Majenko. His snakelike head wraps around her waist and he eys the door warily "There are two people in there. Women fld I think, though their minds are cluded with toxin and it makes me ill to touch thoughts with them". Nodding her understanding the big Shoanti kicks in the door, her hammer ready for any trouble. The room she exposes is warm and humid. The reek o cooking alchemical substances is quite strong, even masking the unpleasent odour of bilge that had premeated this level so far. Rows of glassware are stacked in shelves around the room, some of them full, others empty. Two young women, maybe in their late teens, are tending to fires that are rendering down some sybstance in a pots. Kreks detect poison lights up in this room. The vats themselves are showing signs of toxicity, though the effects are changing from lethal poison to addictive drug. Many of the full vials also seem to be full of the drug form of the toxin. One or two are unrendered posion. Both women are naked, completely and opnely. Large numbers of puncture wounds seem to marr their bare arms, and there is definite evidence of scrathing and self harm o the lower limbs, as if they've scrathed at something irritating their arms. AS they move around the room, prparing bottles and tending the fire, it is obvious they are both completely zoned out on drugs. They haven't even responded to the door being kicked in. Their movements are slow and lethargic, but obviously trained as they keep repeating a pattern of checking the fire - tubing - glassware, fire - tubing - glassware, over and over.
Gern moves and quickly places the business end of his axe against their prisoners throat. "Dinnae do anything te give me axe a reason te slip now laddy" he growls at the man. He nods his head at Ayedah and Krek to let them know he's ready for them to open the other door and see what the noise is. Ayedah is just about to open the door to the hall when another loud crash can be heard, this time followed by the sound of splintered timber and a muffled groan as someone hits the floor outside the room. Wrenching the door open, the big Shoanti and the half orc burst into a hallway. Lying on the floor at their feet is a dishevelled looking man lying atop a broken door. The smell of rank sweat, stale urine and bilgewater is almost overwhelming. As the man tries to raise himself from the ground, both fighters can see the great welt on the back of his head, the skin having been split at some stage and congealed blood starting to heal a wound from a blunt object. As he gets to his knees, the voice of Zalen can be heard behind them "Don't hit him! It's Nayr!" With some disbelief the group realises the truth of the rogues statement. The man at their feet is indeed the cleric of Shelyn who orginally helped them rescue the children from Lamms operation. He looked a mess.
Lowering themselves gently into the web laden hold, Alandra and Zalen carefully make their way to the other three members of their group. Zalen fumbles in the magically enhanced light from Ayedahs hammer and brings out the keys he looted from Devargo's body earlier. Trying the biggest key he opens the door before them. The thing creaks open, the generally damp conditions on the ship making it impossible for the hinges not to be rusty. As the door swings away from Zaeln, it reveals a room about 15 feet square. Two other doors seem to exit this room, one on the left wall in the far corner, the other on the opposite wall. The room has a single porthole that allows the afternoon light to shine in, lighting the room dimly. A single large table has been tipped over in the far corner, near the door on the opposite wall. As Zalens door creaks open, a man calls from behind the table "By great Pharasma, please don't kill me!". A sword clatters to the ground from behind the table, qickly followed by a dagger. As the last weapon hits the ground, a booming crash comes from somewhere outside the room, off to the left. Krek and Gern, both standing in sight of the open doorway can also see a pile of equipment lying on the floor near the tipped over table. Nayr
Spoiler: Nayr's kick had him reeling back from the door, the wooden structure having just barely held. He had heard the telling crack of timbers as he kicked though, so maybe the thing had weakend some more. Just before he had struck the door, he thought he had caught the sound of someone else calling out in the ship.
Nayr
Spoiler: Under the light from his glowing holy symbol, Nayr can clearly see a number of puncture wounds near the inner elbow of his left arm. It looks like someone stuck a needle or bamboo shoot into his are a number of times. There is a sticky residue there, it smells funny, like burnt sugar or maple sap.
Alandra's magically enhanced gaze lights up the armour of the now dead Devargo. A slight hew of abjuration surrounds the piece, showing it to have enhanced defensive properties. . Neither the gauntlest nor the hand crossbow have an aura of magic about them, though their construction and quality clearly marks them as above average. . Interestingly for the priest, the forst potion she had tasted also glows with a moderate level of magic, its ara clearly that of the healing school . In the hold below, all three warriors can suddenly here a thumping noise coming from deeper in the sheep. The sound appears to be coming from behind the wall that the door is on, but at the other end of the room. Those with good ears can just make out the sounds of a man shouting as well. Gern moves to stand beside Krek. The dwarven warrior seems to be able to continue at this stage, he certainly hasn't made any complaints, though he occasionally flexes the arm holding his shield as if it pains him. He nods to teh big half orc, giving his ascent that he is ready for them to open the door. Zalen listens ans Alandra itemises the magical gear upstairs. His eyes light up a little at the magical armour and potion, but he quells his excitement long enough to move to the door leading downstairs. Opening it a crack, he peers down into the well lit stairway and the little hallway beyond. It seems empty, though he can hear some one yelling and banging on a wall or maybe a door below. The suddeny raspy feel of a scaly neck nearly makes the rogue jump as Majenko pokes his head over Zalens shoulder to get a look down the hallway as well. "Smells bad down there, like the spiders only stronger" the little dragon says into everyones mind. Nayr
Spoiler: Nayr continues to beat against the door and yell. So far no one has responded but the door itself seems to rattle a little more as he beats into it. The wood itself is swolen and warped, but it loosens as you bash it. For some reason the priest can't seem to clear the fog from his head, and strange colours are starting to dance around his vision. Nayr gets the distinct feeling that some form of drug or posion has been gven to him. The itching pain in his arm is starting to get worse.
Krek fairly rips Gern from teh webbing on the floor. The stout dwarf seems very embarrased at needing the half orcs help, but offers his thanks none the less. The three warriors look around the room. The place is a warren of spider tunnels and irridescent webbing. Masses of bones fill all parts of the place, many of them look humanoid. The webbed remains of a fresh corpse lays close by. The contorted face of the victim is clearly visible, and the ructus mask of pain it shows is quite disturbing. The body appears nearly mummifed, as its fluids have been drained. Apart from the trapdoor leading into the room above, there is a single door that leads from here. A narrow pathway appears to have been left amongst the webbing, allowing access to and from the room. The door is shut. Upstairs, with the combat over, Zalen quickly pins and ties teh unconcious thug up. Majenko replies to Zalens query, a hint iof distaste in his thoughts. "I cannot force thoughts to come to a person I am afraid. It causes them pain to do so, and is quite....how do you humans refer to it. Unpleasent, that is the word. Yes it is quite unpleasent for me. I can listen to his thoughts as you ask him questions though and maybe I can pikc things up from him." Along with the hint of distaste, the group gets the distinct impression the psedodragon is very wary of the task. There appears to be no more movement from downstairs, and the noises from outside appear to have abated.
Upstairs
Spoiler:
"There is a single man I can detect downstairs. He is afraid and has hidden in a small room. Two others are making something in a room they think of as heavenly. I think they are females of your species but it is hard to tell, their minds are fogged. It is difficult to reach people in this place. My mind is also somewhat clouded here, and sensing them through these timbers is ...hard. I think there may be one other, but I cannot be sure. That mind is very difficlt to reach". Majenko's mind voice is calm in its assertation of the situation. The little dragon looks to Zalen and ALandra for approval at its actions. In the spiders den
Spoiler: As the spider scuttles across its web to attack Gern, Krek's great sword blade slashes around and up. The heavy blade slices neatly through the spiders body, severing the thing in a spray of green black goo. Almost immediately, there is a meaty thwak as Ayedah desperately smashes her hammer into the last spider. Again its body is mashed into pulp, the slightly irridescent webbing surrounding everyone taking the brunt of the splattered remains. A strange odour permeates the room at the death of the two spiders. From the floor, Gern states in mild frustration "Bah, ye coulda' left me at least on o' the scunners te take on.". He struggles to burst from the webs again but is held back by his awkward position. "Ahh, a little help wouldnae go astray if anyone has the time".
upstairs
Spoiler:
[ooc]There are two heavy tables that could be used to build a barricade across the double doors or single door. The doors open into the room, so it is possible to use these tables to jam the doors shut as well, if you can effectively brace the table.
Zalen and Alandra
Spoiler:
The door to the audience room is suddenly kicked inwards and two men rush the room. Both are armed with sowrds and shields, and chain armour of some desccription hangs over their clothing. With a sudden burst, a range of coulourful lights emerge from Zalens outstretched hands and engulf the two men. Their is a scream and one the men drops to the floor, his hands clutching at his eyes for a brif moment before he becomes motionless. The second man is protected by his upraised shield, so isn't affected at all. He is just about to rush the exposed rogue when a blast of ice comes from the side and strikes him solidly. The magical blast seems to catch him completely unawares and his body is rimed in horfrost as it engulfs him. The shock in his eyes is complete as his frozen body topples lifelessly to the deck . Both therogue and the cleric clearly hear a shout of fear from downstairs, through the passage that these two just emerged. Krek, Gern, Ayedah
Spoiler:
Krek's readied defense barely misses the spider as it rushes to attack the downed dwarf. His great blade slices through some of teh nearby webbing , creating a greater area for the 3 companions to move unhindered in though. Ayedah swings her hammer innefectively at the spider approcahing from her side, the webbing surrounding her seriously impeding her ability to attack. Not so for the spider. It lunges at teh girl, and large fangs sink into the exposed meat of her forearm as the hammer strike falls wide. Venom once again pumps into the big shoanti girl. The spider attacks the helpless Gern, its fangs sinking deep into the now heavily wounded dwarf. He groans as the bite strikes and the venom enters his system. With a heave, the tries to burst from the webbing, but the combined effects of various wounds, falling and venom leaves him too weak to succeed.
The trio of warriors leap into the darkened hold bravely, but the heroic charge turns almost farcical immediately. Ayedah, lands with grace on the floor, her knees bending to absorb the impact of the drop and her hands stabilizing her body. As they do though, she inadvertantly puts them into some of the irridescent webbing that fills the hold. The web clins and wraps around her, designed to collapse on prey as it touches the strands and she becomes hopelessly tangled. The magical light from her glowing hammer shows her the instant response from the two spiders. They tense their legs, felling the panicked movements through their contat with the webs and both of them emerge from their web tunnels. Krek follows the big Shoanti girl into the hold. While not as graceful in his landing, he does manage to avoid the webs, though his ankle twists badly in the attempt Gern cries out as he practically trips into the hold. His tumble quickly spins him onto his back and he falls prone on the ground, tangled in webs and winded. Above this tummultuous start, the little Pseudodragon snakes around Zalens legs, rubbing his scaled head up and down the leather trues of the rogue. "I have no idea what that animal kept on his person. He was foul minded, making poisons below this ship that he happily spread throughout this city. Making money from the in...". His head suddenly snaps to the side, staring directly at the single closed door that leads into the lower deck of the ship. A warning hiss escapes the little dragons mouht and he darts into the shadows above teh door. Two men are coming up the stairs, they are nervous but intent on searching this room". The warning comes into both Zalens and Alandras mind simulataneously
Alandra finds the meuve liquid to be sweet and gives her tongue a sense of wellbeing and general healthyness. The other vials all taste bitter, to match the strange smell they have. What's more the cumulative effects of the tastings leave her tongue numb and tingly, a strange emptiness trying to fill her mind. They were obviously poisons of some description.
The little dragon flies a blissful loop and lands gracefully before the young rogue. It's serpentine head stretcehs tall as it stares into Zalens eyes, its own brilliant orbs swriling with a myriad of colours and patterns, and a slight gleam of irridescence lighting teh bone ridge around them. All those gathered in the room can hear as the pseudodragon speaks in their minds. "My dragon name would not suit those of such limited tongues. For you, my most brilliant of saviours, I would ask to be called Majenko.' as it speaks, you can all hear the purring noise which escapes from his chest. "I will most certainly assist you in your endeavours to further destroy this vile place. It is but a pittance for me to stand guard at the door and warn of approach from anything that is not one of you. Indeed, it is my great pleasure to offer you all my services in whatever endeavour you wish to partake, for the term of no less than a year and a day. For that is the correct conditions of service when one is rescued by heroes such as yourselves." Gone from the mental voice are all sounds of fear and begging. A cunning intelliegence tinged with great joy and humour can now be sensed beneath the words permeating your heads, though tinged with something alien to you all. On Devargo's body, Zalen finds a variety of potions. One of tehm is filled with a meuve liquid in a clear vial. Five others seem to be stone or clay with wax stoppers, impossible to tell what is in them without opening one. The wax is red in colour. The man is also dressed in extremely well built leather armour. While the deack and his other clothes seem covered in blood and gore from the horrendous injury, this armour seems barely touched by more than felck of blood. Also, the weapons the man carries are unique. Gauntlets with sweeping blades where the knuckles would be. The make of such things is sure to make them valuable. Slung at his waist is a small handcrossbow. The stock seems to be inlaid with a silver motiff of a deer running in woods. Not something you'd reckon to find on a criminal living in the docks of this city. Around his neck a are tied two small keys, hanging from a leather necklace.
Slowly the sounds of the world outside began to filter in to the group. Some shouting could be heard in teh distance, possibly from one of theother shps. What was happening couldn't be determined from this distance, but it certainly sounded like voices raised in anger. In the darkened hold below, Krek's orcish blood enabled him to pick out details Ayedah couldn't hope to tell. The grey green vision of his eyes pickeed out the two spiders, deep in the corners of a large room. Ther were tensed on webs of fine silk, even his colourless darkvision could tell these webs were not ordinary. Obviously the arachnids had felt threatened or exposed by the course of the fight, as they had retreated to the depth of the webs where a type of funneled nest had been built. Worming them out of such a position would prove difficult. Both Ayedah and Krek could see the body of the Ettercap lying tangled in the webbing directly below them. In death the thing looked even more grotesque. The legs were bent and crooked, and the stench of its open stomach wound was quite vile. Also from here both companions could make out the remains of humanoid shaped bodies, coccooned in more silken webbing. Zalens shaky hands eventually managed to open the lock to the cage in which the little pseudodragon lay. As the door latch came free, the little creature burst from the cage and soared exultantly around the room, all the companions could clearly hear both a audible and psionic cry of joy escape from the beautiful beast. "Freeeeeeee!" it called, and never had that word carried such connotations for those around it.
The battle within Devargo's sanctum continues to rage unabated.
Zalen also proves better at his aim, striking the creature with a cunningly placed bolt of electricity. The stuff sparks across its body, again causing the involuntary jig of its limbs. The rogue then turns his attention to the cage of the little Pseudodragon. A brief glance reveals it is far too complex for him to open while the spider behind him is so threatining, so instead he tumbles past it and onto the throne area, near the Ettercap. Krek swings his mighty blade in a low arc, trying desperately to prevent the spders from attacking the bound Ayedah. His blow was timed perfectly, but the spiders height served to foil the attack, its legs flexing and causing it to sway out from under the murderous arc of the weapon Ayedah, realsing she couldn't shrug off the webs decides on a more direct approach. She brings her huge hammer up in a massive move, tearing free of restricting webbing. As it slams down, the spider at her feet seemingly ducks into her blow, moving as it was away from Kreks attack. The resultant spattering of spider bits covers all three of the group at the back of the room in dark blood and ichor. Krek almost appears comical, a great glob of goo sliding from his face, and only his somehwat surprised eyes visible through the mess. Stepping up to the now struggling Ettercap, Gern swings his waraxe with deadly efficiency. The blade sinks into the creatures abdomen, opening a huge rent in its already weakend body. Greenish blood and intestinal organs spill from the gash, but still the creature stands able to fight. With a hissing scream, it chooses to flee instead, withdrawing from Gern and diving down into the darkened hold of below the open trapdoor. As it rushes past Zalen, the young rogue slashes with his rapier and its blade sinks into the spot near the base of its head. The retreat turns into a formless flop as the now dead Ettercap tumbles through the hatch and gets caught in the webbing below it. The last two spiders seem to shudder at the death of the Ettercap, and both of them retreat into the hole of the trapdoor and down into the relatively safety of their webbing. With a collective sigh, the group realised they were suddenly free of threats. The silence in the room was only marred by the persitant creaking of the planking as the ship rocked on the water.
Things seemed to go from bad to worse for the group as teh arachnid foe pressed their advantage. Alandra seemed to grow in power and combat prowess as she called on her godess to provide her with aid. The spiders were slowly forcing her companions back towards her and the open doorway, a feww short feet at a time. Krek swung again at the 8 legged menace before him, but again his sword blow went wide. As he stepped back to survey the scene, his face took on a grim turn as he watched another web engulf his friend. Ayedah desperately tried to break free of teh webbing, but the sticky mass resisted all her attempts. Her weapon was abe to be used, but at much less efficiency. Zalen, desperately trying to bring down the controlling creature at the back of the room unleashed another sparking bolt of electric energy. The bolt missed the creature as it dexterously moved below the arc of fire. Gern, also noting through the fatiguing venom just how desperate things were, again brought his weapon to bear and with a massive blow took the creature cephalothorax right off at the hinge joint. The spiders legs beat a staggered tatto on teh floor as it went through its death throws. Snarling a threat in dwarven, the dwarf rushed forwards to engage the thing he recognised as an Ettercap. With a chittering cry of fear, the Ettercap stepped away from the dwarf and flung a web at him, hoping to entangle and imobiise this close threat. The attack was wide though, and now the man spider new it would face the enraged dwarfs axe. "Gods Devargo" it screamed, the common tongue sounding shriekish and high piched through its mandibles "Please, help me if you can. I don't want to die!". The voice was pitiful. The remaining three spiders followed up the oponents. One of them skittering after the tumbling Zalen while the last two engaged kreak again. The one on Kreks left was now within reach of teh bounf Ayedah as well,if only she could swing her weapon accurately through the hampering webbing. Kerns two spiders again seemed to catch the big man with his defenses down. The left most spider, the one that had the most success so far again manage to bit the Half orcs leg, pouring more venom into his overloaded system. The final spider easily catches up to zalen, seemingly fixated on this moving prey. This time though, the tumbling maneuvres of the rogue make it impossible for the spider to hit him.
We seem to have few players MIA at the moment. Will give them a bit more time to post before making any further decisions or progressions. If I havn't heard from them by the end of the week, we'll make a decision then. Cheers
Zalen
Spoiler: In his head, zalen begins to hear a plaintive whimpering. He risks a brief glance at the little dragon in its cage and sees it curled in a ball, shivering with obvious terror. The roges attempts at reaching its mind are met with a wall of fear and fragmented images of being tomented by this creature now attacking the party. He can do no more before having to return his eyes to the combat at hand.
Alandra directs her fear as a focused thought at the new attacker. The ugly creature seems to shudder briefly before shaking its head and ignoring the attack completely. Zalen steps back and seemingly by accident unleashes a small bolt of electricity at the man spider. It shrieks and twitcehs briefly as the sparking fore jolts through its body, but the attack isn' deadly enough to finish the beast. Kern's frustrations again come to the fore as his blow goes horrbly wide of the attacking arachnids, the sword nearly slipping from his hands as it thuds solidly into the wood of the decking. More frustrating again is the fact that his defenses are down slightly and the spiders again land another stinging bite on the big half orc. More venom pumps into his body, making the dose harder to fight off. Ayedah fights with all her rage built strength and bursts free of the web, readying her great hammer to charge teh nearest opponent. A snickering laugh escapes from the spider thing as it again spits a sticky mass of webbing at the big shoanti, again entangling the woman and her dangerous weapon. Even as the web is flung, it drects the spiders to press to tehir attacks. Zalens opponent moves in and sinks a fang into the exposed leg of the magic wielding rogue. The blow would be very serious but the shock of it casues Zalen to pull his leg back at the last minute, preventing further damage. Gern swings his axe against the great spider, but his wekend strength from its venom prevents the weapon from biting in. It bounces from the wounded vermins carapace and leaves a scrape in the natural armour of the thing. It tries to attack back, but the stalwart dwarfs shield comes up and deflects the bite. The two opponents circle each other, looking for more openings.
Yep, a full round action sorry. Will update later tonight.
Far from being cowed by the new threats, the group seems galvanised into further action. Alandra's scream is loud and effective, serving as warning to her friends. Not so the blast of ice that she unleashes across the room. It goes wide of the big spider, commonly known as an Ogre spider in this part of the world. The ice crystals strike one of the heavy curtains in the back of the room and it quickly frosts with ice, putting out the smouldering fire that had started there from one of the previously burnt spiders. Zalen shifts his position, trying to avoid being hit by Devargo as he casts his spell. Room was tight though and he couldn't get out of range of the mans reach and avoid the spiders now threatening his back. Dodging nimbly, and focusing as much on defense as he does on the arcane powers building within him, Zalen manages to release another burst of clourful spary. Devargo screams and cluthces at his face, the bladed gauntlets in his hands useless for defense as he tries ot overcome the pain in his eyes. Ayedah is ruthless, not flinching from the duty at hand. With a slight grunt she raises her earthbreaker over her head and brings it down on Devargo. The great metal head of the weapon smashes through the arms of the man and thuds into his head with a sickening crunch. He drops to the ground, his legs doing a mad twitching jig as his body fails to realise the brain is now well and truly dead in the pulped mass that was his head. Krek, seeing that the gangster is no longer a threat, steps back and strikes at one of the smaller spiders. His great blade hums through the air and strikes true, cleaving through chitinous armour and soft innards with ease. The spaider falls into two halves, and black ichor sprays out from its body as its legs curl up in death. A strang smell fills the room as the other spiders let forth a mad keening. Gern, confronted by the huge spider in front of him, growls and sweeps his dwarven waraxe in a vicious arc. The blade of the weapon all but severs one of the arachnids legs and slices an arc through the creatures abdomen. In response, the giant sider lunges forwards and sinks its fangs into teh stout fighter. Gerns screams in pain as the massive fangs rend his flesh, and the venom from those huge glands is pumped into his blood. Even his great constitution and the antivenom they took earlier fails to overcome such toxic stuff. A scream, both human and arachnid in sound erupts from a new threat emerging from the trapdoors. A creature with a bulbous humanoid frame, spindly arms and the twisted head of a spider emerges from the darkened hold. At seeing the fallen Devargo it unleashes a horrible wail and launches a net of webbing at the mans slayer. Ayeadh feels the sticking webbing envelop her and bind her arms and legs. The more she struggles the tighter the silken threads seem to pull, unitl she is cmpletely imboilized.
The remaining three spiders move as a coherent unit, swarming forwards to attack the group. Two of them scuttle in and attack Krek, one moves to the lightly armed Zalen. One of the spiders attacking Krek strikes him and he feels a mind effecting venom immediately start to bubble through his blood. Visions and colours dance before his eyes as his tough body tries to fight the effects of the venom. The spider attacking Zalen doesn't seem to be able to pin down the nimble rogue, and its attacks miss completely. .
Alandra steps away from her attacker, presenting the symbol of the death goddess and demanding that Devargo fall to the ground. A look of stunned shock corsses the mans face as his body betrays him and he falls prone, unable to keep himself upright despite his efforts to do so. Zalen, taking advantage of teh situation rushes in and stabs teh downed bandit, though at the last moment, Devargo seems to twist and avoid a more serious injury. Fearing for her "sisters" life, Ayedah dashes through the swarming spiders and brings teh big earthbreaker down on the shoulder of the gangster. He screams in pain and anger at the blow, calling out ina language you don't understand. Below the floor, his cries are answered by more sibilient hissing and a chittering scream. Krek moves through the mass of spiders to close the gap as well, then calls on his god to prvide him with enough health to carry the day. He realises that now Alandra has stepped back, he will be able to attack the enemy soon as well. At the back of the cabin, Gern finally gathers the lantern and hurls into the milling spiders. "Take that ye drogney" he curses as the glass shatters. A billow of flame engulfs the remaining spiders of the swarm and many of them doe, twitching as they crisp on the wooden deck. The rest of the vermin sem to lose any coherency and drift off into the darkened corners of teh ships room. Gern grins at his friends, and is about to say something when the floor beside him suddenly drops away. A creature from nightmares comes bursting from the darkened opening, eight massive hairy legs drawing it quickly fromt he hold beneath. The bulbous body and many eyes of its cephalothorax celarly denote this to be another spider, though of a size none of you have seen before. It was easily the height of the dwarf, and maybe as long as a small pony. It immediately moved to engage Gern, raring back and showing retractable fangs gleaming with venom. To the horror of those in the room, four more arachnids also climb from the hole. These are the size of dogs and bare colourful markings along the abdomen. As they climb, their spinerets and bag legs are busily weaving silken fibres across the floor and into the hold beneath them. The thread seems to jerk and move, as if somtheing else were climbing it. On the floor at their feet, Devargo laughs merthlessly and lashes out with both his weapons at Zalen. "I warned you not to come here again you freth.". His anger and the desperate position he's in obviously spoil his ability to strike though, and both attakcs go wide of the rogue.
Krek slashes and stomps futilely at teh spiders swarming over him. The big half orc is a picture of anger and frustration, but still the spiders attack. Gern, flapping wildly at the arachnids all over him follows Ayedah's lead and rushes to the back of the room to gather another lantern. He reaches it and drags it off its mount but cannot throw it before the spiders again swarm forward over his friends. Zalen, krek and Ayedah are again covered by the creatures, but to their horror, Alandra is confronted by something far more dangerous. Devargo appears as if from thin air right next to the young cleric of Pharasma. He is dressed in dark leathers and has two hand blades strapped across his knuckles. One of them slashes out at the suprised girl, striking her firmly and cutting a shallow graze across her cheek. The priestess can feel the burn of poison as it seeps into her blood. The self proclaimed ruler of Eel's end snarls at her "You think you can come in here and attack ME! You will all die for your impertinance!". As he speaks, all those in the room clearly hear the sound of something big thumping suddenly into the floor below them. A sibilent hissing permeates through the floorboards and the spider swarm goes into even greater throws of frenzy. Devargo grins madly.
The piping mind voice of the little Pseudo dragon penetrates the minds of those in the room once more. "I cannot see him!" is the desperate response "Be wary though, he armed himself when the spiders warned him of your approach" The words of the little dragon are all it takes to give Alandra and Zalen the edge they need. Both of them catch a sense of something unseen moving towards the cleric at the back of the room. Ayedah again bursts out of the swarm and grabs a lantern hanging on the wall. With a cry she throws it into the mass of spiders. The glass shatters, and flaming oil spills across the mass, sending flaming arachnids scurrying like dancing sparks acrss the floor. Between the table and the lanterns, many of the spiders are now dead, though the ones remaing still pose a threat to those in the swarm.
As Zalen tries desperately to bring the table down on the advancing swarm, he too fumbles with the awkward table and it tips uselessly amongst the spiders. Before the fighter and rogue can regain teh table, the vermin have swarmed all over it and across the arms and torsoes fo the two of them. Their fangs sink into unprotected flesh and venom pours into the two companions from a dozen small bites. Ayedah and Krek desperately brush the spiders from thei bodies and dash to the other table. They just get the heavy objuect into postion when the skittering mass swarms towards tehm again. With a small shriek Ayedah drives teh table down and with Kreks added help, they smash a large number of teh spiders beneath the heavy cedar table.
The spiders contnue to stream around the big Half orc and the Shoanti girl. The forward mass forms and arrow shaped stream coming from those two, seeming to desperately stretch towards the three companions near the doorway. Alandra shouts her question to Zalen and then unleashes a bolt of ice at the mass. One of the spiders, an orange and black beast about the size of her hand, frosts over and falls aart under the magical assault. Unfortunately it is like burning a single straw in field of chaff and the swarm continues. Zalen - "What little confidence Zalen had in his new found magical abilities evaporates instantly as he sees his spell have no effect and his two friends get swarmed. Panic begins to fill him as he thinks 'What happened! Did I do it...wrong! Oh Gods look at them! They may die from the poison! No! No! Calm Zalen! Stay Calm! They need you!' Backing away from the swarm while looking about the room, his mind frantically trying to think of what to do. Spying the the big table to his left, the young rogue calls to Gern to help him lift it and try to slam it onto the spiders coming their way. The dwarven fighter looks incredulous for a moment before he puts his axe back into its sling and helps Zalen heft the table. "Swing 'er some more thisa way Zalen!" the fighter urges, before slamming the table down into the mass of spiders at his feet.
Edit - As the group desperately struggle to find a way and defeat the spiders, a terrified voice comes into their minds "Be careful, he's taken a potion and can't be seen! Watch your backs!". The mind link seems slightly alien to you, and leaves you feeling a little giddy from the contact, as if the world doesn't look quite right any more. The effect passes very quickly though.
As the spiders crawled across the bodies of the two companions at the front of the group, they could feel them biting at the exposed flesh. Venom quickly made its way into their bloodstream and the feel of hairy legs scuttling over their faces, in their mouths and probing their noses was terrfying and nauseating.
The spray of colour from Zalens hands washes across teh mass of spiders, seemingly having no effect. The creatures swarm forward to meet the charge of Ayedah and Krek, maintianing their large humanoid shape only so long as it takes to chitter up and around the two fighters, Some of the swarm moves through adn around tehm, taking up a large area behind them and skittering towards the three comanions who had remained at the back of teh room. Neither Krek's nor Ayedah's weapons seemed to affect the spiders. While they certainly seemd to have sliced one or two, there were so many of the little things that their blades had no effect on the swarm as a whole.
|
