Spider Silk

[Monsieur Rose]

Sir Dewey

"Peace would always be welcome. Good journey to you, Kraal." He's a bit relieved to see the gnoll leave with his pack.

"Ok. That worked out rather well, considering. I do fear that one day we will be enemies, but I'm glad today is not that day. What did we learn, the spiders are in the caves?"

Sir Dewey calls out to the group. "Let's check out the cabins, having an outpost out here may be quite valuable."

[gurusql]

Cadeweed

With the tense situation outside past for now, Cadeweed lends his skills to the searching of the cabins.

[Nordbo]

Cosmo

now that everyone seems to go cabin-exploring, tells Golgarth "Uh...I'll wait outside", intending to stand watch and make sure that Kraal does indeed disappear beyond the horizon, and that no one else appears.

[Urson]

Mai Ronin
IF the hyenas leave when they see the goat has escaped, Mai will make a short-lived attempt to recapture the animal 20 minutes, max

IF the hyenas stay, keeping the goat "treed", Mai will join the people searching the huts. Be sure to look under the floor in the shop. Many dishonest shopkeepers hide wealth beneath the floorboards, stealing it from their Emperor.

[Spearmint]

The Chalk Quarry.

Blackened Forest, North of Helix. Duchy of Aerik.

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 -7hp


Billy the Kid scrambles up the chalk cliff, his hard rimmed hooves and soft pads bending to get secure an almost imperceptible grip on the loose exposed rock. The hyena pups whoop in frustration, jumping up behind but the bleating goat remains out of grasp. Kraal exits the quarry basin using the same steps you did. The observant notice he greets another gnoll figure at the top of the cliff and he disappears from view into the forest without looking back. The pack of hyenas give up the chase and following their canine faced shepherd.

Mai Ronin goes below the cliff to coax the billy goat down but that extra green, munchy tasty grass growing just a ledge up takes the goats eye. From the jaws of death to another as described earlier. The cliff face is covered in thin filaments of dusty silk webs. Dusty but still sticky and the goat, unbeknown has wound its feet in threads which tremor with each movement he makes. Out of a crevice, a large man sized spider erupts with venomous speed, grabbing the sacrificial lamb with four legs and biting with drooling mandibles. The goat struggles momentarily, a last bleat of breath and then succumbs to the paralyzing poison. The prize is drawn back into a dark crevice to feast upon, the goats hind legs jerking with spasms sending little grains of chalk down the cliff. This spider is about halfway up the cliff face, over thirty feet and well out of reach of any contact from the ground.

Cosmo keeps guard as Cadeweed and Golgarth search the first of the cabins. Sir Dewey and Sigrid check out a second.

Solly, your torch bearer guide accompanies Mai.

They are simple affairs, derelict shacks with little furniture. Most have been repeatedly used for ad-hoc camps with signs of mattresses and fires. One is a store, long since looted. Another a larger cabin of bunks. A third maybe some kitchen and mess hall and the fourth seems an office.

The team casually search, turning over mattresses, checking cupboards, rooting through debris. It looks at though the gnoll may have camped here too as embers are warm from a hearth fire, a couple of skewered rat remains tossed aside. There must be a rat nest under the floorboards as several scratching sounds and squeaks are heard from rodents who flee from your presence.

Checking the store you can cobble together a few bits of stock equipment if you need. Wedging spikes, old rope, small hammers and some loose headed picks. All rusty with age but functional. The office cabin is the only one still 'lived in'. As you can hear a slight humming or buzz coming from inside. The cause is easily noted by the sporadic coming and going of large (cat sized) bees which flit through the broken portals and out into the surrounding forest. You can prudently evade exploring the interior of the office cabin in favour of not exciting a bee nest or take a risk to search for any wealth hidden from emperors and commoners alike.

Your assessment is that the cabins, while full of detritus and in some cases excrement, could give you a sheltered place if needed.

give me your actions please. If you continue to explore the cabin area or the mining shafts or even attempt to nab the spider sucking in Billygoat's blood.

You have Kraal's peace offering as well if you wish to administer them.

[Bluetongue]

Golgarth

I do have one healing spell left out of the two Cure Light Wounds I memorized but I want to reserve one to use in case someone gets bit by a spider.

I will counsel Sir Dewey to 'lay hands on himself' if the paladin may and "not to trust in the virtue of a dogman savage.".

He has yet to be convinced that any humanoid types have goodwill towards civilized people (human and demi-human) and treats the healing folds of spider webs with suspicion. Could they really graft over wounds and regenerate or speed up healing?

they probably do and wisdom would say apply them to heal us up but I want to roleplay his xenophobia and ignorance of humanoid tribal cultures until his in-character experiences shape his knowledge better.

[gurusql]

Cadeweed

After completing his search and hearing the tale of the spider eating the goat, Cadeweed looks more closely at the cliff wall and specifically for the various crevices, what is the lowest one of these that he can find? Given that the spider was man-sized, it would be nice to find one that is a little smaller.

[Darithe]

Sigrid follows Sir Dewey into the cabin peering around the sparse and rather smelly accomodations. "Well, I'm slept in worst places and at least the walls appear solid. It will need a thorough cleaning though." Wishes she had a broom.

[Urson]

Mai Ronin
Hai! We have trapdoor spiders in the cliff! Come and see! Mai watches, angry that the goat is too far away to serve it's purpose as bait- but she studies the cliff where the spider emerged, looking for any signs that may indicate the presence of another lair.

[Monsieur Rose]

Sir Dewey

"Your counsel is wise, Golgarth, I will call upon St. Ygg to lessen my wounds." Sir Dewey then 'places hands' upon himself to heal.

After searching the cabins and finding rats and bees, he regroups with the others. "It looks like we could shelter here if pressed. Fate has smiled upon us. But always with a twist, the bees this time." He opens the question to the group.
"Anyone know how to deal with bees? Normal ones, I mean. Maybe they can be smoked out? Or left alone so we can focus on our task."

Coincidently Mai calls out about spiders at this time, focusing his attention on the cliff. "Ah. There must be more closer to the ground. Let's find another crevice. Entering the cave will be the last resort."

Sir Dewey joins the visual search for an accessible crevice.

[Nordbo]

Cosmo

to no one in particular, speculates half audibly: "Hmm, bees. Bees like flowers. Big bees like big flowers ? If one could summon such an apparition, it might distract...yeah, giant poppies - now that would be a sight."

[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

Sir Dewey can you confirm the hp restored by the laying in of hands please. I applied +2hp

The group prudently back out of disturbing the giant bee hive that has taken residence in the office cabin. The honey inside could be sweet indeed but angry bees might have stingers which do more than irritate the skin.

Up in a crevice out of reach, the orb weaver spider vampirically sucks out the blood of the stricken goat. The party search the cliff face looking for more of the arachnids hiding in nooks and crannies at ground level that may be gripped and milked also of their precious spider silk.

The group poke and prod into crevices hoping to provoke a spider to show itself but the nests and hidey holes are devoid of occupants so far. One hole does look more promising, surrounded with a tunnel of webs that a gnome might crawl down (to his doom probably).

You can search another 60 yards cliff or take one of the mined tunnels or another option.

actions please.

Orb weaver encounter [1d6]=2

[Bluetongue]

Golgarth

We could keep searching the cliff but the inference from Kraal was that spiders lurk in the tunnels.

So I suggest we work our way searching the cliff crevices hoping a spider turns up and then search the first tunnel.

Does that work for everyone?

[Nordbo]

Does that work for everyone?

Cosmo

agrees "I'll go along with that, good sir - although not as guinea pig".

[gurusql]

Cadeweed

"Sounds like a plan."

[Urson]

Mai Ronin
Mai nods her agreement. The mineshafts will be dangerous- but they seem the best choice.

[Monsieur Rose]

Sir Dewey

+2HP is correct. 2/lv

The Knight is disappointed that no spiders show themselves on the cliff where the party could have an advantage. He sighs. "Very well. The tunnels it is. Lead on Golgarth." He looks around to assess the group.

"Who is handling that trap thing? Maybe a spider could be put to sleep as well? I will shield those who try to trap one, as I thought keeping them alive was preferred."

Sir Dewey makes his way towards the entrance, hoping that they can find one before they enter.

[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 agreed plan to search the nooks and crannies of the cliff whilst walking towards the first tunnel seems a labourious task. That spiders are evident is noted by the presence of webs and dessicated morsels, mostly avian, that cover the chalk surface. You are about to give in when Sir Dewey's hopes are realised as a large spider erupts from a slim crevice, provoked by the tremor shakes of some newly spun silk threads.

Some among you have entangling nets (two I think?) and Golgarth wields the vice gripper lance. So give me an initiative roll and then attack roll to try and snare the creature.

The nets may be thrown up to 30'ft (with increment modifiers for range). The gripper effectively a 'touch' attack to grapple with it.

Others who don't have nets may try actions to stop the creature retreating or moving out of reach.

actions and rolls please.

[Monsieur Rose]

Sir Dewey

"There! Get her!" The Knight details the plan.

He stands ready, waiting for the nets to be launched and ready to move in as one with Golgarth the gripper. He raises his shield and morningstar and nods to Golgarth. "On your mark."
Sir Dewey will interpose himself if the spider lunges for Golgarth.

Initiative: [1d6]=2

[Urson]

Mai

Mai will attempt to get between the spider and her hole, blocking her retreat.

init [1d6+1]=4+1=5