Chapter 1b: Mystery of Odlo - The cavern

[AleBelly]

Chaos envelops the cavern. Hundreds of bats swirl around in the large expanse, a cacophony of leathery flaps and short, sharp squeaks.

On the cavern floor, Rimilda tears at the web strands encasing the dried corpse with padded armor, freeing it it will take about 5 minutes to equip properly. She finds a pouch containing coppers, unlike any she's seen before.

Up above, Deuteria cuts something from the corpse on the high ledge and begins to beat a hasty retreat. Hanson pulls a dagger from the corpse's hand and flings it at one of the oncoming spiders. It sinks into its flesh but keeps coming.

Attack [1d20]=19 (Legless +2)
Damage [1d4-1]=3-1=2

Sisyphus nocks an arrow and lets fly at the oncoming creatures, but his aim is too high and it flies deep into the alcove beyond them.

Hunwald is the only adventurer brave enough to step forward into the melee as Deuteria and Hanson try to retreat.

The spider-toads are now in melee with the party, against Hunwald, Deuteria, and Hanson!

Actions?

[Rex]

Hunwald, Nordman, Rimilda, & Wenyld

Hunwald will attack the nearest toad/spider with his torch.

Torch [1d20-1]=14-1=13 to hit [1d4-1]=4-1=3 damage

Nordman continues to guard the exit.

Rimilda will continue her search of the corpse. What is unusual about the coin pouch?

Wenyld will continue to strip the armor off the corpse.

[gurusql]

Ayre, Baye, Cotgric, Duala

With there not being room on the ledge to fight, Ayre will back up with his friends and be ready to defend himself with his staff if attacked.

Baye she continues to hold the torch for the group.

Cotgric will continue to examine the architecture. If this a natural cave or was it carved out?

Duala holds her pitchfork and looking for something else evil to attack this group.

[AleBelly]

Ayre, Baye, Cotgric, Duala

With there not being room on the ledge to fight, Ayre will back up with his friends and be ready to defend himself with his staff if attacked.

Baye she continues to hold the torch for the group.

Cotgric will continue to examine the architecture. If this a natural cave or was it carved out?

Duala holds her pitchfork and looking for something else evil to attack this group.

Sorry gurusql, I forgot to include Cotgric’s observations in my update.

Cotgric is certain this is a naturally occurring cavern. Its rock is similar to others known in the area.

[Marullus]

Now face to face with the monstrous creature, Deuteria's lips tighten with grim determination as she thrusts her dagger into it's blubous froglike eyeball!
Dagger [1d20]=19 [1d4]=4

[OGRE MAGE]

If he is unable to escape the horrible threats by retreating, Hanson stands his ground with the others on the ledge. Attack [1d20]=12 Short Sword Dam [1d6-1]=2-1=1

Palmero and Sully continue to hold the ropes and watch the action from below. If there is an opening to climb up to support the battle, Sully will advance to attempt firing an arrow into one of the spiders. (if possible) Attack [1d20]=6

[CAI4]

Sisyphus loads another arrow into his short bow and flings it towards the spider

[AleBelly]

In the flickering torchlight, far above the cavern floor, another melee between the party and spider monstrosity begins!

Initiative: Hunwald [1d20]=12, Hanson [1d20]=11, Deuteria [1d20-1]=11-1=10, Sisyphus [1d20-1]=14-1=13

Initiative: Toadspiders [1d20+2]=9+2=11, [1d20+2]=19+2=21

Luck-weighted Target [1d397]=257 1-81 Hunwald, 82-217 Hanson, 218-397 Deuteria

Deuteria's lips tighten as she readies her dagger, preparing a thrust into her foe's black, bulbous eye...but she underestimates its speed and it's on her too quickly. A forelimb knocks her arm back, exposing her midsection. The toad-head's mouth opens wide and sinks its teeth into her flesh with a sickening crunch, ending her brief career as an adventurer.

Spider bite Deuteria [1d20+2]=12+2=14, damage [1d4]=4



Marullus, please feel free to narrate the wizard's apprentice's tragic death.

Sisyphus fires his second arrow at the spiders...

Hit ally in firing into melee after miss? yes = 1 no = 2 [1d2]=2

...but it bounces harmlessly off its rubbery green hide, leaving the hunter with just two arrows.

Hunwald swings his torch at the spider standing over Deuteria. With a hiss, the torch sputters, but does not go out (-3 hp).

Target [1d217]=182 Hunwald 1-81, Hanson 82-217

The other spider, seeking revenge for the wound inflicted on Hanson, seeks revenge on the outlaw. It leaps at him. The leather-clad man slices weakly into its exposed abdomen (-1), but it knocks him to the ground and engulfs his neck with a fatal bite!

Spider bite Hanson [1d20+2]=18+2=20, damage [1d4]=4

Jeez. OGRE MAGE please give Hanson a proper sending off.

The spiders eye Hunwald as they begin to lift the limp bodies of Hanson and Deuteria, looking as if they are making a retreat back to their alcove. But the spider holding Hanson appears unaware his body is still fixed to the rope.

Wenyld started up on the ledge (per previous updates). Wenyld climbs down to the cavern floor to join Rimilda in freeing the padded armor. The coin pouch on the body appears to be a normal leather pouch, but it contains 14 copper coins with unfamiliar markings, likely minted in an area unfamiliar to Rimilda.

The others watch the battle, or guard the exits, looking for any other danger that may rear its head.

Sully was way down by where the rope is tied off, so this round he moves towards the action and will be in position to fire an arrow this coming round if desired.

Actions?

[gurusql]

Ayre, Baye, Cotgric, Duala

Seeing how much tougher these monsters are than the last batch Cotgric says, "Let us get out of here." And he lowers his rope to get down. (Climbing down if there is time)

Ayre being the closest to the creatures has his staff ready defend himself

Baye continues to hold the torch

Duala holds her pitchfork watching for these vicious monsters to jump over and attack the smaller group.

[Rex]

Hunwald, Nordman, Rimilda, & Wenyld

Hunwald will attack the toad/spider with his torch again.

"Die beast!"

Torch [1d20-1]=19-1=18 to hit [1d4-1]=3-1=2 damage

Nordman slings a stone at the toad/spider not engaged with Hunwald.

Sling [1d20-1]=2-1=1 to hit [1d4]=3 damage

Rimilda looks for a stone she can throw.

Wenyld looks for a stone she can throw.

[Marullus]

Deuteria's eyes go wide as the dagger-like teeth of the frogspider disembowel her. She reflexively lurches backwards away from it - tumbling backwards off the ledge. She shrieks all the way to the floor below, her intestines unfurling behind her like wet streamers in the mouth of the monster, until she hits the ground with a WHUMP and goes abruptly silent.

Hailey leaves the others counting their coins and rushes over to check, against the obvious reality, if the woman can be saved.

[OGRE MAGE]

As he dies, Hanson takes solace in the fact that the spider will have trouble pulling him very far while still attached to the rope he found. His gurgling death throes don't bother the others on the ledge much, as the outlaw wasn't very well liked to begin with.

Sully gets into a position to fire at the spiders, but only if it seems like the fight will continue. (assuming you will use the same roll?)

Palmero will try to aid anyone who is attempting escape back down the ledges.

[AleBelly]

Please post a new roll for Sully’s bowshot. I don’t carry over rolls….just remember this when you have a good roll that doesn’t carry over

[OGRE MAGE]

Thanks!

Attack [1d20]=8

Almost as bad.

[AleBelly]

The toad-spider's eyes follow Deuteria's leaking body as she falls to the cavern floor, shrieking. The body whumps as it hits the floor, and the shriek stops abruptly. The contents of Deuteria's sack are scattered across the cavern floor as it too crashes to the ground...
Contents:
A thin black grimoire
An old cracked leather pouch containing coins
A set of tools (lockpicks, etc.)
6 candles
flint and steel
6 bulbous spiderfrog eyes

Her lifeless hand also lightly grips a dagger.

Then, perhaps driven by hunger, the spider's eyes turn to Hunwald and attack the brave ostler...

Spider bite Hunwald [1d20+2]=6+2=8, damage [1d4]=4

...jaws snap sharply inches from his leg. He swings a torch in retaliation as he yells "Die, beast!", bludgeoning and burning it. The toad spider is injured, but will fight on.

The other spider takes Hanson's corpse in its forearms as the outlaw's short short clatters on the ledge. It pulls back towards the alcove, but progress is stopped by the rope tied to Hanson's waist. The spider pulls mightily on Hanson's corpse but can't break the rope.

Spider strength test DC 16 [1d20+2]=4+2=6

Sisyphus fires his penultimate arrow at the struggling spider, but barely misses.

Sisyphus arrow [1d20-1]=11-1=10 dmg [1d6]=1

Sully also misses with an arrow.

Nordman, having been far from the action, will take a couple rounds to get in range of the spiders. Rimilda and Wenyld find stones on the floor of the cavern, but as they pick them up they realize the spiders are 40' above them, and out of range.

The rest of the party up along the cavern wall begin their retreat back down to the cavern floor. Cotgric sees that he can get down quicker if he uses his rope, but will need to use his grappling hook to form an adequate anchor, losing it in the process. Ayre covers their retreat, staff in hand.

Does Cotrgic use his anchor and repel with his comrades or pick his way back down with the others? Actions?

[Rex]

Hunwald, Nordman, Rimilda, & Wenyld

Hunwald will attack the toad/spider with his torch again.

Torch [1d20-1]=2-1=1 to hit [1d4-1]=1-1=0 damage

Nordman slings a stone at the toad/spider engaged with Hunwald.

Sling [1d20-1]=16-1=15 to hit [1d4]=1 damage

Rimilda will position herself to cover those climbing down.

Wenyld will position herself to cover those climbing down.

[CAI4]

Sisyphus Draws his last arrow back and with a look of pride aims at the nearest spider before murmuring “My aim is true”



Finally I actually hit one of these bastards, albeit for only 1 hp

[Rex]

Sisyphus Draws his last arrow back and with a look of pride aims at the nearest spider before murmuring “My aim is true”



Finally I actually hit one of these bastards, albeit for only 1 hp

A lot better than my roll to hit of 1 and damage of 0.

[OGRE MAGE]

Sully doesn't want to see anyone else die, so he fires another arrow into the spider toad fighting with his friends.

Attack [1d20]=17

Arrow Dam [1d6]=1

Palmero will help folks retreat off the lower ledges, wondering why the tied off rope keeps getting so taught.

[Marullus]

Hailey reaches Deuteria's obviously dead body, looking upon her with dismay with her one good eye. This strong female leader, so different from herself. Brushing her hair behind her ear, she picks up the black grimoire beside her and regards it thoughtfully. Deuteria inspires her still. She tucks the grimoire under her arm and begins scooping the other belongings back into the wizard apprentice's satchel while the others are busy with the spiders above.

If others are also scooping things up, this is her order of preference after the grimoire:
6 candles
flint and steel
6 bulbous spiderfrog eyes
An old cracked leather pouch containing coins
A set of tools (lockpicks, etc.)

...if not, she leaves nothing behind.