Rall is not as certain as Arla but he concurs "Yes. The children are why we are here."
"Verry well," growls the monstrous wolf, "brringg me the slain spider and I shall let you pass."
Rall checks the directions one more time, bows slightly to Mr. Big-and-furry, and then heads to the spider's lair.
Arla nods to the large wolf and turns to follow Rall back out towards the courtyard. Ash follows closely at her heels.
The gray pelted monstrous wolf makes no attempt to follow them, but his eyes follow them closely as they leave the chamber.
Returning to the courtyard, the eyes of the three companions are drawn to the squat toware in the south-east corner of the overgrown yard. There is a single door on the north side of the tower, next to the crumpling yard wall.
The gray pelted monstrous wolf makes no attempt to follow them, but his eyes follow them closely as they leave the chamber.
Returning to the courtyard, the eyes of the three companions are drawn to the squat toware in the south-east corner of the overgrown yard. There is a single door on the north side of the tower, next to the crumpling yard wall.
Rall quietly approaches the door and then scans it for traps.
The door appears to be untrapped and unlocked, but exposure to the elements seems to have expanded the wood and made the door stuck.
As Rall sneaks up to the door and begins examining it thoroughly, Arla stops a short way behind him, motioning for Ash to stand still as well.
The druid watches the sheriff curiously, wondering what he is looking for in the door.
The door appears to be untrapped and unlocked, but exposure to the elements seems to have expanded the wood and made the door stuck.
At Rall's suggestion, Bowen puts his broad shoulders to the door and pushes. The door squeaks, moves just a bit and then all at once flies open. The room beyond is dark, the companions just able to make out a hint of thick webs hanging from above.
As Bowen heaves open the door to reveal the darkness behind it, Arla recasts Light on her spear and follows after the ranger, calling Ash to heel.
After pushing the old door open Rall steps back and draws his scimitar.
Rall moves quickly, drawing his longsword, Init (1d20+2=17) and moving through the door and stabbing anything with 8 legs: sword (1d20+2=21, 1d8+2=4)
Things happen fast as soon as Bowen gets the door opened. A huge spider, the size of the Ranger, descends from above, poisoned mandibles clicking. The venemous weapons just miss Bowen, who leaps back, out of the doorway, drawing his weapon.
Arla cast her light spell just as all this is happening and it is Rall who therefore is the first to strike blood, as he leaps forwarda nd wounds the creature.
When Bowen finally sees the creature that nearly bit him he swings at it but his mind is still distracted of the thought of those mandibles piercing him.
The spider turns its attention to the man who wounded it, scuttling into the doorway and biting Rall upon the leg with its envenomed mandibles. It's multifaceted eyes glitter black in the sunlight. The hide of the spider is brown, with wide black stripes.
Attacking Rall: (1d20+4=20)
Damage: (1d6=5)
The spider turns its attention to the man who wounded it, scuttling into the doorway and biting Rall upon the leg with its envenomed mandibles. It's multifaceted eyes glitter black in the sunlight. The hide of the spider is brown, with wide black stripes.
Attacking Rall: (1d20+4=20)
Damage: (1d6=5)
Rall doesn't feel so well. Fort (1d20+0=9)
He lurches forward and attacks again:
Sword (1d20+2=20, 1d8+2=9)
Strength Damage for Rall: (1d4=1)
Rall feels the venom, but it does not stop him from piercing the spider with his weapon. The creature spasms backwards, ichor dripping from its wound. And then it collapses upon the floor of the tower.
Arla rushes forward to help Rall as she sees the spider bite him. Intending to attempt to spear the huge arachnid, the druid stops as she sees it collapse to the ground, killed by the sheriff.
She turns to Rall with some concern. "Are you alright? Your leg.."
"Wow, I may make an outdoorsman out of you yet." Then he bends over and removes his survival kit from his pack. "I think I've got something for venom in here somewhere."
"Wow, I may make an outdoorsman out of you yet." Then he bends over and removes his survival kit from his pack. "I think I've got something for venom in here somewhere."
"Yes, Arla will make a ... a ... good outdoorsman..." says Rall feeling woozy.
She turns to Rall with some concern. "Are you alright? Your leg.."
"Someone ... should ... suck the poison out ..." mumbles Rall.
Thick webs cover much of the inside of the tower. Ancient crates and barrels sit moldering throughout the room. Along one wall, a rickety wooden staircase ascends along one wall to reach an open trapdoor above. Here and there in the web, small bodies, bats and mice most likely, lie mummified and dessicated, testimonies to the appetite of the webmaker.
Stepping inside the tower Bowen begins looking for anything of use or interest. "So how long do we trust this creature that sent us on an errand?"
Bowen's search of the room initially shows the crates and barrels to mostly contain goods that have long perished under the ravages of time. Then, in one old crate, he uncovers an oil cloth wrapped around shining steel. It is a masterwork short swort with a red hilt and dwarven runes.
Taking the shortsword up in his hands, "Now this is nice craftsmanship. Any need of it Rall?"
Taking the shortsword up in his hands, "Now this is nice craftsmanship. Any need of it Rall?"
"You can probably wield it better than I," says Rall.
Rall will listen below the trap door:Perception (1d20+4=16)
After Bowen has treated Rall's wound, Arla moves into the room after the two men. She holds up her spear to allow the light to give a better view of the room before glancing up at the trap door briefly. She then turns her attention to the huge body of the spider, wondering how heavy it is.
"It may be ..interesting trying to bring it back to the wolf.." the druid muses.
"So are we going to actually trust that thing?" Bowen walks over and examines the stair case.
The staircase appears dry-rotted in places. Rall hears nothing of signifigance from above.
"So are we going to actually trust that thing?" Bowen walks over and examines the stair case.
"What thing? The spider or the stairs? I don't trust either."
Arla glances at Bowen. "The wolf? Well, we did kill his mates, which would be reason alone to bear a grudge. However, if we can avoid a fight with him, we should. I've never seen a wolf of his size before, nor one capable of speaking our language..
I think we should stay alert around him, just in case. There's no harm in being cautious."
The staircase is about a twenty foot climb to the trap-door. It does not look particularly safe.
"Well, we've done what we promised. Whatever is up there could wait until we've found the children," says Rall.
Actually, surveying the height of the interior and the exterior might lead one to believe the trapdoor leads to the roof.
Actually, surveying the height of the interior and the exterior might lead one to believe the trapdoor leads to the roof.
"Do we want to go on the roof? I could ... umm .. try climbing the walls outside," offers Rall.
"I doubt anything of value would have been left on the tower top. And even if it did the weather would have had its way with it. Let's continue on with the children... Though I think this side trek we are doing for this wolf creature is slowing us down and I think he is just stalling for some reason. After the spider he said something about bats. I think we need to take an offense against him. We can use this spider as part of it. You know coat our weapons in its venom give us a little of an edge. What do you two think?"
"I don't think we need to go up there either.." Arla adds, before looking at Bowen with a faint frown. "Rall asked if we could do anything further for the wolf after he asked us to deal with the spider. I think we should stay cautious, but I don't like the idea of attacking him unprovoked if we don't have to.
If he will let us pass, then we should leave him be."
Rolling up his sleeves Bowen begins removing the spiders head keeping his hands away from the creatures mouth.
The head seperates easily from the body and soon Bowen has a rather grisly souvenir.
Grabbing the head, "Are we ready to give our gift?" And with that Bowen walks out the door with the grisly trophy in his weapon hand.
The great wolf is waiting for the three companions when they return and they can't help but notice that there is blood on his muzzle. Of his 'wives' only one corpse is in sight.
The great beast gives each a cursory glance, lingering for a moment on Rall's wound and there is a suggestion of deep thought behind his eyes.
"So you killed the spiderr did you? Verry ggood and now I will keep my worrd and allow you to enterr the rrealms below in exchange forr those trreasurres you brringg back with you."
There is a certain sound of satisfaction in his voice. He motions with his head towards the door on the west wall of the room.
I glance at the others to see if they intend to attack the wolf. If there eyes don't show me otherwise, I head for the door indicated by the wolf.
Bowen moves closer to Rall as they approach the door, "I hope we aren't going to slow. I don't want any more dead children on my conscience.
The room beyond the western doorway is larger but bears the same stench of wet fur. There are gaping holes in the roof that allow light to illuminate the room. A broken column, once used to support the ceiling, lies in peices on the floor. In the north-eastern corner, a patch of black mushrooms provides an earthy scent to the room, mingling in with the smell of fur.
There is a stairwell in the west end of the room descending down.
"Don't dawdle," growls the wolf, "move alongg."
Rall heads through first hoping this isn't a trap.