Hru looks quizzically at the new arrival, wondering if he sees a kindred spirit, that, like himself is overcoming the vile nature of his race, or something else entirely. He says in orc "do you speak orc?" Knowing that his companions do.
Rellios also looks quizically at the new arrival...but decides that the enemy of an enemy is at least not trying to kill them. He follows up Kyndak's attack with one of his own on the same spider, and manages to dramatically sink both blades into the the spider's hide.
Rapier, Short Sword (1d20+4=19, 1d20+4=20)
Rapier Damage (1d6+2=3) Sword Damage (1d6+1=4)
Sneak Attack - if applicable (2d6=9)
Rellios and Klyndak bring down the fourth spider while Hru misses the mark on the fifth. That final spider sinks its venomous fangs into Hru.
The bugbear is too far away to reach this fifth spider but Hru, Klyndak and Rellios can take a swing.
Hru howls in pain as the venom courses into him, causing his next swing to go horribly wide and richochet off the stone floor of the spire.
Attacking the fifth spider: (1d20+4+1+1=11)
The remaining spider darts back and away from my hammer as I move to finish off the last of these monsters, or at the last of the five we currently see.
"Urgh," I mutter as I hit only the air.
"Rellios, I be 'avin' quite a reach, as does Hru. Work yer way around ta the other side of Hru' n' be boxin' im in."
The bugbear, too far away to hit with his hammer but not wanting to miss out on the fun entirely, throws his warhammer. It hits the spider with a crunching sound and then falls into the web.
Hru howls in pain as the venom courses into him, causing his next swing to go horribly wide and richochet off the stone floor of the spire.
Hru punches the spider with all the might he can muster given the toxins racing thru him. "AAARRGH!"
enlarged fist, non-lethal, (1d20+5=18, 1d4+3=6)
[ooc] How you like me now, shelob?
Hru punches the spider with all the might he can muster given the toxins racing thru him. "AAARRGH!"
enlarged fist, non-lethal, (1d20+5=18, 1d4+3=6)
[ooc] How you like me now, shelob?
Rellios does his best to swing around the spider's side, and does his best to avoid getting stuck in the process. He dances along the web's strands and dips in with elven grace to make his strikes.
Rapier, Short Sword (1d20+4=16, 1d20+4=20)
Rapier Damage (1d6+2=3) Sword Damage (1d6+1=7)
Sneak Attack - if applicable (2d6=5)
Acrobatics (1d20+8=16)
The spider teeters backwards and sinks into the web dead as Hru kicks and punches at empty air.
The web in front of you is now heavy with the corpses of five spiders the size of horses and gucky with the bile coloured fluids that pour through the holes you have punctured in them.
"Haroooo!!" cheers the bugbear.
At the bugbear's cheers and maybe out of sheer relief, Rellios does a bit swordly flourish at his successful kill. Hopefully, he's not stuck in the web.
Letting Rellios examine the corpses for the moment, I turn my attention to the newcomer. As the bugbear seems to be speaking common, I stick to that tongue for the moment.
"Alright then, who are ye and what do ye be wantin'. We're dangerous individuals and not ta be trifled wit'. Hru, do ye be wantin' ta pick up yer sword now. After all that, I'd 'ate ta be 'avin' ta make ye climb down this tower ta be fetchin' it. N' take care of spiders."
Hru continues to query our new found ally as he attempts retrieve his battleblade. "do you understand me?" (in orc)
The bugbear looks quizzically when spoken to in orc and responds with what sounds like a mocking imitation of orcish. Then grins and turns to Klyndak "Name Quarrel. Look for brother. Spiders too many. No go through." As he says this he points in the direction of the first spire you encountered.
In a quieter voice he says to Klyndak: "Elf fight well but human ugly and clumsy."
Hru grins at the bugbear's words, then looks taken aback as he realizes the human that the bugbear is referring to is indeed himself. "I wonder if that poor fellow we left with the creep, is his brother?" he muses (IN ORCISH) as he cleans some errant webbing off giant dwarf-forged blade.
"'E 'as 'is uses," I tell the Bugbear, "Fer one thing 'e's a 'oly man o' sorts. From whence da ye be comin' 'n do ye know iffin there's more o' these wee spiders?"
The bugbear looks puzzled for a second then laughs. "Dwarf talk funny. Quarrel come from there." He points to the side of the valley and the mountains opposite of the way you came.
"Many spiders in valley but five here."
"Darkflapwings take Quiver long days time past. Quarrel tracker."
"We were after killin' the batwings some two weeks ago but there might be more o' them now. Straight through this spire there is a door that will be takin' ya straight ta a bridge across which yer brother is bein' kept. We were after barrin' it against hobgoblins whilst we explored the rest o' the spires."
"We were after killin' the batwings some two weeks ago but there might be more o' them now. Straight through this spire there is a door that will be takin' ya straight ta a bridge across which yer brother is bein' kept. We were after barrin' it against hobgoblins whilst we explored the rest o' the spires."
"Quarrel go?" he asks hopefully pointing in the direction Klyndak indicated.
"Why not," I say and then to the other two, "shall we be unbarrin' the door for 'im. We can always be barrin' it again after." I turn to the bugbear, "Iffin we let you out that way, we'll be after lockin' ye out. We don't want no gobbos, no offense, stickin' us in our sleep."
"That's fair enough by me, Master Klyndak. His...err...distraction certainly gave us the chance we needed to defeat those spiders. We can certainly help him out. If we are going to make our way to the next spire, maybe he can tell us of anything else unusual we'll find there."
"Let us be lettin' this... lad out the door," I say, refering to the Bugbear, "'N then be collectin' our thoughts and makin' plans. The dice were after tellin' me that the regent was up 'ere and I doubt 'e was one o' them spiders. Which means that further up we may be findin' somethin' we won't be likin without bein' ready."
I will detect magic on the spears and daggers as we head down in the elevator.
As he shrinks back to normal size, Hru looks a little woozy. "I need some rest-ugh!"
Quarrel is very appreciative of your help. He even takes time to swing by the rope to a balcony on the spire other side of the web. The doors connecting that balcony to the spire are locked, he tells you, but he climbed up from around the outside. He returns from that spire with two leather strings hung with small animals that looks like a cross between a rabbit and a pig. He assures you that they are delicious when cooked.
When you escort him through the spires and allow him to exit the other side, this is what you see: the bridge that connected one spire to the other has been put back in place. (Clareg told you that it had been removed but you never checked). At the end of that bridge (the end opposite the side you are on), Hru's greatsword has been set up with Dareg's head mounted on it. The head, somewhat gnawed at but still recognizable, stares at you.
Rellios cringes at seeing the other Kannonfodder brother in such a grisly state. He looks to Klyndak for confirmation of their next action, voicing his own opinion:
"Master Klareg, I think we all know this is a trap. Nonetheless, if you are so inclined, I'll do my best to retrieve Dareg's remains for proper burial with his brother. You have my blades at your disposal."
"Let's not be bein' 'asty," I say and I take the time to look carefully for signs of any enemies.
"I wouldn't be after bein' surprised if that bridge weren't after bein' rigged ta fall or some such."
I say to the strange bugbear, "Yer brother's up the ramp aways. The monster there is after keepin' people fer snacks."
"Never in my stay in the Reserve of the Iron Lord, did I think my fate to be intertwined with that of dwarves, the hated foe of my once tribe" utters Hru, emotion starting to seep thru a bitter veneer. Then unconciously slipping into orcish he rumbles on "Red war will come to my enemies, by the might of Gorum!" It takes every dram of wisdom Hru has to keep him from rushing across the bridge and finding some foe to destroy!
"RRrrrrrr," growls Quarrel.
"Let's not be bein' 'asty," I say and I take the time to look carefully for signs of any enemies.
"I wouldn't be after bein' surprised if that bridge weren't after bein' rigged ta fall or some such."
I say to the strange bugbear, "Yer brother's up the ramp aways. The monster there is after keepin' people fer snacks."
The huts on the balcony have flaps cut into their back that allow the bridge to be watched. These flaps are open and from at least one you can see eyes peering out into the darkness.
"There are eyes across the way," I say, "Iffin' we are thinkin' of takin' them on, we should be prepared fer the worst. 'N we should be 'avin' a plan."
"I don't know if it'll be in time to save his brother, but maybe he'd like to fall back with us and prepare an assault?" says Hru gesturing towards Quarrel the Bugbear. "It may be too late already, if that fiend got hungry." He takes one more look at Dareg and bowing his head moves to go back inside.
I wait to see which way the Bugbear will go before barring the door again.
Quarrel looks grimly at the scene and make a decision.
"Quarrel brave," he says with a forced grin and slowly walks out across the balcony and the bridge speaking in goblin.
His goblin is, oddly enough, worse than Klyndak's:
"What tribe this? Quarrel no heard of Dwarven-head-on-sword tribe."
Quarrel is no more than halfway across the bridge when several hobgoblins charge out of huts with bows drawn. Rather than run back, he continues across and dives down between the huts. He is soon tackled by a swarm of nasty little goblins who begin to tie him up. In all, you see 6 hobgoblins and 10 goblins.
Quarrel does not resist but looks back at the balcony where you remain out of sight with a blank expression.
Rellios will look to see if he spots any further observers. Perception(1d20+8=28)
If it looks like Quarrel's action have provided a distraction away from them, he'll quickly dash as carefully as possible towards Dareg's head and see if he can grab the dwarf's head first and the sword second. Then he'll dash back.
Stealth (1d20+8=17)
Acrobatics (1d20+8=16) - if needed
Strength check (1d20+2=11) - if needed
Although it is daylight, the distraction caused by Quarrel allows Rellios to get part way across the bridge before enough of the goblins spot him that they are able to get the attention of the hobgoblins who had been focussing on the bugbear.
I sigh, pull out my crossbow and laying it beside me, I cast a flaming sphere, aiming it for one of the huts. ()
I sigh, pull out my crossbow and laying it beside me, I cast a flaming sphere, aiming it for one of the huts.