Spider Silk

[Bluetongue]

Golgarth

Lunges at the provoked spider, trying to grab it around the abdomen and wrestle it away from the cliff face.

Not sure, the attempt is close but I suspect it wriggles free.Golgarth attacks spider [1d20]=13

[Nordbo]

Cosmo

holds one dagger ready for emergencies.

[gurusql]

Cadeweed

Draws his short sword, and positions himself closer to the cliff face than the spider (but not in the way of the tunnel), keeping his head on a pivot and looking around.

[Spearmint]

I think nets should go to folk who have good throwing and dexterity skills.

It was never written who took them, I presumed Cadeweed or Cosmo may have one each. Perhaps Sigrid can attempt to catch it then?

roll d20 I will adjust modifiers and update result

[gurusql]

Cadeweed

Then I will assume that I have a net an change my action.

Cadeweed will attempt to throw the net over the spider, but it appears that he should have practiced at least once. Fumble.

Throw with Net[1d20+2]=1+2=3

[Darithe]

Sigrid frowns as she looks for an opening to grab the creature and then makes an attempt.

[1d20]=5

[Spearmint]

April 29th 1066.

Early afternoon.
Weather: Sunshine but cloudy, light breeze.
Visibility: normal, reduced in forest.
Light: Torch carried by Solly.

Conditions: Golgarth -5hp, Sir Dewey -5hp

The spider, a bloated orb of shadowy grey black, dusted with a coat of chalk dust. Long legs streaked with yellow and black. It is fast and nimble, out reaching the grasp of the lunging cleric. Cadeweed and Sigrid throw the entangling nets but they only seem to entangle themselves. This time, the spider dashes away and retreats into a crevice, squeezing his bloated body into the small gap.

Despite the group's best coaxing, neither it nor any other spider appears. So the option to explore the mining shafts is taken.

Solly strikes a firebrand and you go in. The tunnel is wide enough for two or three abreast but tapers in length. After a score of yards the tunnel branches with side excavation shafts. The walls are covered with lichen and in some spots various graffiti is scrawled. Most relates to ex-miners comments, "while you're here, I'm shafting yer missus!", "How do you confuse a dwarf? Put two spades against a wall and tell him to take his pick!" bonus XP to anyone scripting a dwarf mining joke

Then there are a few warnings, "mind the men in black", "don't harken to Spoonie's ghost", "tunnel unsafe, liable to collapse".

You see the debris of previous mine works, broken barrows and rusted lanterns, birdcages long since emptied of songbirds, a ripped backpack here, hobnailed boots there.

You follow the main branch until you come to a 'Y' junction. Just off to one side a slope of scree stones, some large land limpets scurry over the lichen and moss, nibbling endlessly with their grinding teeth. The left chamber echoes with the plinking of water droplets, the right descends down into the dark recesses under the hill. A smell of damp and rot permeates the air, a cold chill. Chalky filaments of webbing lead in both directions.

next actions please.

[Bluetongue]

Golgarth

I have a lantern in my pack and some oil so I will prep that and give to to someone to carry as the vicegripper-spear is two handed to wield.

He reads the scrawled writing, thinking he could add to it, a few ribald gestes like the one about 'the seven dwarves who went to bed feeling happy but Happy got out so they felt Grumpy instead' but thinks better of it.

"Kraal the gnoll said there was a pool and spiders close but. Let's choose that way." he thinks following the sound of water rather than exploring a fetid tunnel a better choice.

[Monsieur Rose]

Sir Dewey

The Knight curses their luck and follows Solly into the cave. He advances warily, ready for an ambush while he tries to make small talk with the group.

"This would be a decent place to have an outpost. Defensible, full of crevices to lay ambushes, plenty of reading material."

He nods at Golgarth. "Agreed. Towards the water."

[Urson]

Mai Ronin
Mai has nothing to add, but takes the lantern.

[Nordbo]

Cosmo

fully agrees with Golgarth's suggestion, but before the lantern is lit, test-blinks his eyes a bit to see if his infravision gives any reading when peering into the unknown - and upwards. He keeps his dagger ready in case something should maliciously descend.

[Spearmint]

April 29th 1066.

Early afternoon.
Weather: Sunshine but cloudy, light breeze.
Visibility: normal, reduced in forest.
Light: Torch carried by Solly.

Conditions: Golgarth -5hp, Sir Dewey -5hp

I will move this one as the major consensus agrees to take the side tunnel.

Sigrid and Cadeweed remain silent in offering an opinion but practise a little net throwing in the tunnel. Any extra proficiency gained would be useful.

Cosmo Snag peers into the darkness of the tunnel to the right. His eyes adjusting after a few moments to the radiant temperature. You see the grey and black times of cold rock and in places like veins crawling along the wall, more vibrant yellower shades of lichen and fungi. The tunnel extends beyond your infravision comprehension, but not red heat of spiders jump out at you.

Progressing down the left side, the tunnel inclines down, the passage following the softer rock in a circular hewn passage. You pass a thick set of cobwebs, a decayed corpse hangs tangled up inside. It looks like a large primate with white fur but different in type to the mandrills that attacked you earlier, more ape rather than baboon.

By the light of Mai's lantern and Solly's torch you come to a cavern. The floor is covered in sludge and slit, water drops in a little cascade over a ledge to pool before draining through many crevices. There are scattered bones in the pool and decayed food, husks of fruit and forest gourds cast haphazardly around. Golgarth and Sir Dewey both feel the heckles of their spines chill in anticipation of lurking spiders.

The are many claimable routes to get above the water where an area of cavern stretches back into the darkness. To the right of the pool below the waterfall ledge, three dark openings like maws invite you to inspect the darkness inside the caves beyond, their entrances covered in silky threads.

actions please

[Bluetongue]

Golgarth

Assesses the cavern. "We came for spiders and their silk. I don't think the spiders eat fruit and veg. Maybe a tribe of neanderthals might or troglodytes.

But those three caves covered in silk look most likely spider holes. Let's just 'do it'" he says, trying to rally himself a little.

The ledges do look interesting to explore but wait until we have some spools worth.

How should we tackle this? Can I suggest Golgarth with the pincer in the middle, the two net throwers either side then behind them in each side two others, Solly & Mai, Sir D & Cosmo. We nab a spider, entangle it, spike the nets to the ground. Then, squeeze it's abdomen like milking a cow's udder.

He picks cave three to prod first if we all agree or have an alternative.

[Nordbo]

Cosmo

readies himself for assisting with the art of throwing nets, while pondering inwardly: <He-hm, here we are, planning to use nets against expert net-weavers....interesting irony>

[Monsieur Rose]

Sir Dewey

"Sounds good to me. Side Tunnel it is." He lays a hand on Golgarth's shoulder. "We can do this. Just grab it and hold, I'm right behind you."

"Everyone ready and know the plan?" He turns to the backup and lowers his voice. "Our priority is making sure nobody is grabbed. If more than one spider is found, we need to defend them. Killing the extra spiders if necessary."

Onwards!

[Darithe]

Sigrid tries not to embarass herself as she practices with the net. As they move forward she readies to spring into action whether with a net toss or a spell to help with the situation as needs arise.

[gurusql]

Cadeweed

Cadeweed follows Sigrid lead and practices a few times with the net

[Spearmint]

April 29th 1066.

Early afternoon.
Weather: Sunshine but cloudy, light breeze.
Light: Torch carried by Solly. Lantern by Mai

Conditions: Golgarth -5hp, Sir Dewey -5hp

Decided to stick to the ground floor, the intrepid group advance warily into the beckoning caves. The webs easily shrivelled by the tongues of fire. One step, two, beyond the threshold and already crunching underfoot the remnant bones of feasted upon victims.

Forewarned of your approach, the large arachnid arches it's abdomen and hisses, darting across the tunnel roof, but back in a corner it has nowhere to go. Snapping mandibles and wriggling legs, the aggressive territorial instinct kicks in and the fight to snatch it on.

actions and attack rolls by gripper and net throwers. Others attacking, I will count their strike as either against the spider or in hammering a net spike into the ground

[Darithe]

Sigrid holds her ground and tosses the net at the spider.

Spider Net [1d20]=4

[gurusql]

Cadeweed

Also throws his net.
Throw with Net[1d20+2]=10+2=12