A'ru squirms a little atop Sneech, painfully aware that the wedding at the heart of all this trouble is proceeding upstairs. He holds up an arm and whispers, "Hold a bit, there, Oo'loo." He turns Sneech so he can address the others. "We might hafta leg it before it's all over. Hlin, I seen yez get a fair turn of speed, and Sneech here's swift as well. But we don't wanna be leavin' anyone behind."
He holds out his staff and closes his eyes, then touches Nukky and Laisren in turn, chanting in Sylvan:
"Mothaím an gá
An gá atá le luas"
Each time, the holly leaf in his cap glows, and the recipient of the ranger's boon feels their legs twitch momentarily.
Five stories on the Prime, and all in some way or another are still unfolding: A ruined love. An imperiled herd. A fey-threatened village. A trapped family. An approaching extinction.
You all choose together to take up a story happening here, instead. This Marda family; they have no idea that they died. They are still urgently looking for a way to freedom, life, joy...
Behind you, the Banshee's tale unfolds. How many times have all these souls trapped here put on this passion play for no one? It never had a witness before. It will not have one now.
Hlin, you care for your little charges---bugs and the unconscious Ra'rar now added to your scalp and vine-y armpit charges--- and the Marda sinks down so deep into the ghost-horse-of-you it's hard to tell when you end and she begins. You are sweet with them, and they with you. No bugs re-bite, no vines try a mind-coup, the young woman sleeps.
Nukky, your stalwart heart decides, and you sacrifice to save another. This is what your family chose as well. They chose you.
Laisren, you are a light, brighter than the lamp in the centaur's mage hand. Do you need to solve the riddles or learn how the old man you are won the war without ever knowing of those riddles? Perhaps it;s fine to never think of it again. Perhaps Fain is right, and you aren't the consort. What you are doing now, after all, is not what consorts do. Your party is doing big hero s***, Laisren, and you lead the way.
A'ru, screw the Prime. Here, you are not last or alone. You cast a spell to speed your allies, and you make good time. For a little.
The tunnel floor is sticky under your feet. Thick cables of gluey silk criss-cross here and there, and the farther you go, the more they thicken.
It's right there! Oo'loo insists. Go forward! There is a ladder maybe sixty feet ahead? Climb up! It is as if he doesn't even see the web, and why would he? He and Hlin's butt could both pass right through it...
Web strands grab at you, and in the depths of them, in the lantern's dim light, you see movement; a tacky ball of webbing shoots out and blats against your leaders!
GREY is webbing, red dot is where the WEB came from.
The two in the front (Lais and A'ru) need to make a DC 14 dex save or be restrained.
Then EVERYONE roll initiative. If you beat the roll below, you can go. You do not SEE the enemy, but you can attack using an area of effect or with disadvantage as if against an invisible opponent or in darkness.
Dice Roll:
d20+3
(9)+3
Total = 12
If you failed the first save, you can repeat the save at the end of your turn. For the second save, you can choose to use strength instead.
__________________
DMing: Fey Ghosts of Saltmarsh DMed: Battle of the Bards, Banshee Bride, NPSG, Clockwork Sienna, The Witch is Dead Playing: Ozbox Souptoot Played: Fioravanti-Anya-Ripper-Malyth, Ingetrude Frostblossom, Myrrh the Burned, Primble Thorne, Ozbox, Ferrar, Burnapolia Bronkus
Last edited by Fillyjonk; Mar 13th, 2023 at 07:25 PM.
Amid all these ghostly dangers, Hlin had not expected a creature of the woods and crevices to be the one which would attempt to stop them.
The kentori fires his bow into the area from which he thinks the predator would be placed, and then prepares a rebuke to any attack their enemy might make ... should it show itself.
Suddenly, A'Ru and Laisren are surrounded by sticky webs. Laisren Succeeded at the DEX save to avoid being stuckcasually ducks out of their way, not seeming to notice the potential danger as the ghost guide glides ahead.
"Ah, hey! Wait up though!"
In all the shadow and webbing, it's hard to see much of anything, but the whole group is quickly on edge. Laisren Move 5 feet forward. If it's kosher to say "if anyone else advances, I want to advance too", then I hereby say it.steps ahead, trying to interpose himself between his new friends and whatever danger might be coming.
"What is it?" he says, looking around. "I mean, spiders, right? But: where?" he points his fork this way and that, ready to poke at any threat that approaches.
I'm reading an action to attack. I will attack if an enemy comes into my reach (which is 10 feet, and I'm hopefully standing a square ahead of the group), and either 1) I can see it, or 2) I can't see it but it's obviously attacking a member of the party (including myself). If I make that attack and it has disadvantage, I rolled a 13 to hit. If I make the attack and it doesn't have disadvantage, I rolled 25 to hit. If I make an attack and it hits, I do 14 magical piercing damage.
Laisren's stat block (full sheet link) HP: 18/32 | Armor Class:With a very high probability in combat of also having an additional 1d8 added on.14 | Saves: Str +5 ; Dex +2; Con +4; Int -1; Wis +0; Chr +1 Senses: Passive Perception 12 (+2); Passive investigation 9 (-1) | Move: 30' | Conditions: (None)
Default melee:+6 to hit, 1d10+4 piercing (1d10+6 while Raging)The Family pichfork | Default ranged attack:+5 to hit, 1d6+3 slashing, 20/60 rangeHandaxe Expendables: . . . As a bonus action, activate Rage. +2 damage to STR-based melee attacks. Resistance to nonmagical BPS damage. Advantage on STR checks and saves. Ends if I don't either attack or take damage. Cannot cast spells.Rage 2/3 LR | Make a ranged spell attack against the target (+3, with CHA as casting stat). On a hit, the target takes 2d8 poison damage and must make a Constitution saving throw (DC 11). On a failed save, it is also poisoned until the end of your next turn. Acquired via Magic Initiate (Sorceror)Ray of Sickness 1/1 LR | Hit dice 3/3 LR | Inspiration: Yes Passive: . . . When I enter a Rage, I can use my tail both offensively and defensively. As a reaction when hit by a creature I can see within 10', I can add 1d8 to my AC. I can also use the attack action to attack with my tail with 10' reach, +5 to hit, and 1d8+3 damage.Form of the Beast: Tail Ie, my cantrips acquired through Magic Initiate (Sorceror)Tail Utility: A creature within 10' must succeed on a Constitution saving throw (DC 11) or take 1d12 poison damage.Poison Spray | Until the end of your next turn, you have resistance against bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage dealt by weapon attacks.Blade Ward
-----
Turn Summary Move: 5 feet forward (hopefully keeping just in front of everyone else) Action: readied action: attack. See details in OOC Reaction: Bonus/object interaction/other:
__________________
On indefinite hiatus from the site.
Thick strands of spider silk land all around Sneech in a circle, but fail to touch mount or rider. "Well, that was lucky."
He whispers loudly, unsure if Oo'loo can hear his thoughts, "Calm yer dander, friend. We got somethin' ta sort first."
Holding his staff aloft in his right paw, A'ru calls out, "Lasair!" A ball of red fire appears in his other paw, and he hurls it down the corridor to strike the web with their hidden assailant. Holding onto the fey magic a moment longer, he channels it into his staff in preparation for battle.
Out of Combat:
Saving throws: Dex 20 vs. web
Move:
Action: Produce flame at web we just got attacked from
Bonus Action: Shillelagh
Reaction:
Conditions:
Concentrating:
Other:
OOC info:
The young Kobold instinctually ducks as he hears the whooshing of something in the hallway. Looking up he can see Laisren and Aru react quickly enough to retaliate on their own as Nukky sits there a bit dumbfounded.
Hlin, your silver-tipped arrow disappears into the thick webbing, and you hear it clatter against the stone wall.
A'ru you send fire zinging into the sticky thick webbing, and it catches and begins to burn. Thick smoke billows and rises, an d from in the web, 4 fire damage.something shrieks Oo'Loo says, Oh she never bothers us. You can just go through. (Sure, ghost! Because you have no delicious bloods!)
Nukky, you blink and freeze as the whatever it is comes running out of the burning web. It is nto an animal, not exactly. It is spider-like --- but it has human hands. Hands encrusted with rings, one "wrist" encricled with a many-stranded pearl bracelet.
Laisren it runs at the flame-weilding Marda, it gets within range of your pitchfork, and you pierce the thing, deeply, in one of its many shoulders. It spasms and makes angry jazz hands at you, spitting and chittering.
The Hand Spider is large. Very large. It lurches at A'ru and bites, its chelicerae closing viciously on the Marda's arm. A'ru, you feel a terrible, gellid poison entering your bloodstream, and Oo'Loo says, Oh dear! She never does that! Why, she always just lets us walk right through her webs! (YEAH, Ghost, she probably lets you walk right through her BODY!)
Then the hands reach beneath her belly, and you all hear a strange snick of metal on metal, and when her jhands appear, she is holding two elegant long daggers. A matched pair, in the elven style.
Oh, my darling meats, so fine and fresh and pulsing!the spider says. My dear bloodful baggies! When have I seen such as you? Not in a thousand years! I cannot tell you how tired I am of eating that old ghoul!
Behind the spider, the webbing continues to blaze. It seems as if it could begins to spread, and black smoke billows and roils...
The red is fire, the purple is smoke, gray is webbing.
BTM, as I recall your spirit would still be up and likely have another half an hour? Yes?
Name
Health
AC
Damage
Conditions
Concentrating
A'ru
14/28
17
-14
dc 13 con save or poisoned condition
Sneech
20/20
15
Hlin
18/18
13
Laisren
12/32
14
-6
Nukky
27/27
15
Fire Spirit
20/20
13
Hand Spider
HURT
16
-4 -14
__________________
DMing: Fey Ghosts of Saltmarsh DMed: Battle of the Bards, Banshee Bride, NPSG, Clockwork Sienna, The Witch is Dead Playing: Ozbox Souptoot Played: Fioravanti-Anya-Ripper-Malyth, Ingetrude Frostblossom, Myrrh the Burned, Primble Thorne, Ozbox, Ferrar, Burnapolia Bronkus
Now seeing the spider, Hlin directs his silver-barbed whip toward the creature. The whip--a thing loathed by horses and kentori--hangs over the enemy, ready to befuddle it as soon as it makes another attack for a move to avoid a spell. At his end of the whip, Hlin holds the handle above A'ru, ready to confer any benefits to the marda in the front row.
And, with a clearer view of the spider, he releases another arrow.
When the unholy horror of legs, fangs, and hands gallops into A'ru's face, the marda instinctively brings his magic-charged staff around and lands a blow across the creature's carapace. But the ranger has not even a moment to triumph, for the beast's bite tears a wound through his fur. He feels Oo'loo's panicked confusion as an excruciating burning spreads from the puncture. In the haze of his sudden fight or flight response, A'ru notices the venom pain subside as quickly as it arose, as strange silvery motes from Hlin's whiplash settle around his body.
Beneath him, Sneech howls angrily and goes into a defensive crouch, as A'ru slams his shillelagh into the monster once, then wheels the butt end around for another attack, which glances away harmlessly.
Out of Combat:
Saving throws: Con 15 vs. poison
Move:
Action: Attack with Shillelagh
Bonus Action: Attack with Shillelagh
Reaction: Polearm Master
Conditions:
Concentrating:
Other: Sneech Dodges, AC 16
OOC info:
The group is packed in tight as the awful spider scuttles in. Before he can fully process the creature's aspect, Laisren has This is just my AoO from last turn.taken a stab at the thing.
"Ugh, I expected bad things, but this is somehow worse."
Then it's upon the group, with stinger and daggers? In its hands? Laisren again readies his fork. But shoulder-to-shoulder witk rock and dog and Marda and ghost-horse, he can't find a way to put solid leverage on his long strike. He pokes the creature, but it's Hit, but with the least damage possible, 5 magical piercing.a feeble effort.
Laisren's stat block (full sheet link) HP: 12/32 | Armor Class:With a very high probability in combat of also having an additional 1d8 added on.14 | Saves: Str +5 ; Dex +2; Con +4; Int -1; Wis +0; Chr +1 Senses: Passive Perception 12 (+2); Passive investigation 9 (-1) | Move: 30' | Conditions: (None)
Default melee:+6 to hit, 1d10+4 piercing (1d10+6 while Raging)The Family pichfork | Default ranged attack:+5 to hit, 1d6+3 slashing, 20/60 rangeHandaxe Expendables: . . . As a bonus action, activate Rage. +2 damage to STR-based melee attacks. Resistance to nonmagical BPS damage. Advantage on STR checks and saves. Ends if I don't either attack or take damage. Cannot cast spells.Rage 2/3 LR | Make a ranged spell attack against the target (+3, with CHA as casting stat). On a hit, the target takes 2d8 poison damage and must make a Constitution saving throw (DC 11). On a failed save, it is also poisoned until the end of your next turn. Acquired via Magic Initiate (Sorceror)Ray of Sickness 1/1 LR | Hit dice 3/3 LR | Inspiration: Yes Passive: . . . When I enter a Rage, I can use my tail both offensively and defensively. As a reaction when hit by a creature I can see within 10', I can add 1d8 to my AC. I can also use the attack action to attack with my tail with 10' reach, +5 to hit, and 1d8+3 damage.Form of the Beast: Tail Ie, my cantrips acquired through Magic Initiate (Sorceror)Tail Utility: A creature within 10' must succeed on a Constitution saving throw (DC 11) or take 1d12 poison damage.Poison Spray | Until the end of your next turn, you have resistance against bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage dealt by weapon attacks.Blade Ward
"Khaaaa! Big spidey with big nasty hands!" Nukky panic sends out a Fire Bolt, which goes long. However, his spirit is able to find the mark where her master did not. The Mother Forest raises its arms as a flaming seed shoots out towards the spider creature.
Fire Bolt (misses), commands Flame Spirit to strike with a Flame Seed (hits for 8 damage)
Hlin, again your silver-tipped arrow clatters harmlessly into the wall, but you prepare to protect A'ru.
A'ru you hurt it, and you hurt it again, this spider who has hands. And talks. And wears jewelry.
Nukky, your fire misses, but your ally hits. Luckily, no more webbing lights up.
Laisren, heroes are hard on themselves. You hit true, but still berate yourself.
The Hand Spider focuses on Nukky and Laisren, surprised. You can speak! I am so used to the mindless and the dead. You, I see, have intellect and reason, but are----well, quite rude. Are these your animals? Shall I eat them? First, anyway.
She blats out a wide goo of webbing on the diagonal, doing her best to envelop A'ru (and therefore Sneech) and Hlin, then leans forward to delicately bite at A'ru again, missing, as do both her daggers.
Behind the spider, more webbing catches. Now the thick smoke is roiling up, pressing into the ceiling, and the air in the tunnel begins to feel hot and thick, so that breathing is a labor.
The red is fire, the purple is smoke, gray is webbing, Blue is spit webbing.
Hlin and A'ru and Sneech need to make a DC 14 dex save or be restrained. Sneech has adv from dodge.
Was not sure if Hlin had a spell slot, but the first roll was a miss anyway so SILVERY BARBS did not go off. NO adv for A'ru but if Hlin DID have a spell slot, he still does. Let me know.
Name
Health
AC
Damage
Conditions
Concentrating
A'ru
14/28
17
dc 14 dex save or restrained,
Sneech
20/20
15
dc 14 dex save w adv from dodge or restrained,
Hlin
18/18
13
dc 14 dex save or restrained,
Laisren
12/32
14
Nukky
27/27
15
Fire Spirit
20/20
13
Hand Spider
HURT
16
-18 -8 -11 -5 -8
__________________
DMing: Fey Ghosts of Saltmarsh DMed: Battle of the Bards, Banshee Bride, NPSG, Clockwork Sienna, The Witch is Dead Playing: Ozbox Souptoot Played: Fioravanti-Anya-Ripper-Malyth, Ingetrude Frostblossom, Myrrh the Burned, Primble Thorne, Ozbox, Ferrar, Burnapolia Bronkus
Last edited by Fillyjonk; Mar 20th, 2023 at 08:24 PM.
"Laisren! Push up, please! Surround it so we're not lined up for its attack!" Hlin shouts as the spider's web passes across his ghostly regions and he notches and releases another arrow.