IC II

[thirdkingdom]

Feargus
"Yeah, I'll stay down here as well." Feargus begins pacing the room and inspecting the walls and ceiling, making sure that the building is still structurally sound.

"Mardan Cy - Stay outside and keep your outward. Let us know if you see anything."

The building looks to be structurally sound, based on a quick visual inspection. Perhaps the floorboards are a bit rotten where the rain has blown in, but otherwise it looks fine.

Newton pokes his head up. The second story is low -- he estimates there's barely enough room for him to stand at the ridge, and it slopes down sharply to the walls. At first he doesn't notice anything, but then, as his eyes adjust to the dim light, he sees bats. Hundreds and hundreds of bats, hanging upside down in the rafters. The floor is caked with guano, and a rustling sound can be heard.

The bats do not yet appear to notice him.

[shaidar]

Newton speaks quietly:

"Bats, and...rats... I hope. I doubt the bats would inhabit this place if there were those shadows here. Let us move on to the next building"

[beniliusbob]

Zellar

"Let's try the one directly in front of the gate, with the thatched roof. Same approach."

[shaidar]

Newton

"Agreed, good choice"

house #4 I believe

[thirdkingdom]

The Village of Shadows
2 turns elapsed

The adventurers leave the first house and head to the nearby house with thatched roof. The door here is ajar, and the companions are able to peer inside. This residence, with stacked stone walls and a thatched roof, is in much worse shape. Large portions of the thatch have collapsed in, and the floor is caked in mud and debris. It looks as though the structure is a single story, with a larger section in the back. One wall -- the eastern wall -- is scorched, as if by flame, and those looking inside can see scattered, yellowish bones that have a suspiciously humanoid appearance.

[shaidar]

Newton

"This looks more likely. Cover me"

He starts to move slowly through the door, keeping alert.

Which two houses did the shadows come from on our first visit?

[beniliusbob]

Zellar

The dervish holds forth the icon of the Mnencir and whispers prayers to the sphinx-god as she follows Newton inside.

[thirdkingdom]

The pair step into the room, Newton in the lead, Zellar following close behind . . . and nothing happens. The bones -- for they are bones, and either human or something close to it -- seem to be inanimate, the floor a mire of mud and muck that drags at their boots as they advance.

The shadows emerged from 6 and 7.

[shaidar]

Newton

"If my memory serves me well, then when we were here last the creatures came from the two houses behind this one. At least we know these two buildings, and the route to the exit, are clear. How about we proceed to the house on the right? But we should be wary of the other house as well"

house #5

[The_Wanderer]

Feargus

Feargus gives out a half laugh. "Maybe they're gone...moved on. Sure would make our job easier here...especially seeing as how we aren't being paid." He quickly inspects the bones for any valuables.

[shaidar]

Newton shrugs "We really should have cleared this place as part of the Kimrid trip. Once we've cleared the place of the shadows we can have a good search, not that I'm expecting to find much. Although, the bodies of the warriors might have something worthwhile, and they deserve a proper burial"

[beniliusbob]

Zellar

Zellar falls in behind Newton to check the next house, words of turning at the ready.

[thirdkingdom]

The Village of Shadows
3 turns elapsed
Building #5

As the adventurers leave the previous house the drizzling rain ceases, and a pall of humidity settles over the village, wisps of steam rising from the sparse undergrowth. The companions approach another house, this one a large, two story structure with a slate roof and a well-laid chimney rising through at the peak. The doors and windows of the house are shuttered and closed tight, and do not open when Newton puts a hand to them. Either the wood is swollen or the door is locked.

[shaidar]

Newton takes his enchanted axe and uses it to smash the shutters on a window

He will select a window on the same wall as the door, but the furthest from the door.

[beniliusbob]

Zellar

Zellar finds a stone and casts light on it, then stands next to the window. When Newton chops it open, Zellar lobs the stone through to illuminate the interior.

[thirdkingdom]

The Village of Shadows
3.5 turns elapsed

Newton smashes the shutter with an axe, followed quickly by Zellar lobbing a stone imbued with a light spell. The magical illumination reveals the room to be large, well-appointed -- as if belonging to a merchant or well-to-do village hetman -- and filled with strange, shadowy strips the crisscross and fill the space, like webs spun from some tenebrous substance.

Movement, quick and fluid, can be seen within the room.

[beniliusbob]

Oh boy, this is spookier than anticipated!

Zellar

Zellar pushes Newton aside, brandishes her holy symbol, and cries:

"Begone, foul creatures of the night!"

OSE doesn't specify a range, so I assume turning is line of sight.

Also, I apologize for being too weak of a human being to resist using the cheesiest words of turning imaginable!

[thirdkingdom]

Oh boy, this is spookier than anticipated!

Zellar

Zellar pushes Newton aside, brandishes her holy symbol, and cries:

"Begone, foul creatures of the night!"

OSE doesn't specify a range, so I assume turning is line of sight.

Also, I apologize for being too weak of a human being to resist using the cheesiest words of turning imaginable!

The Village of Shadows
House #5
4 turns elapsed

Brandishing her holy symbol, Zellar steps forward, commanding the creatures to depart. Whatever dwells within this shadowed place does not seem to hear her calls, as she continues to see movement from around the perimeter of the room, skirting the light shining from the stone. There are at least two creatures in the room, their appearances shrouded by webs and shadows, but from what Zellar can see they are certainly large and spider-like.

Turn result: https://orokos.com/roll/800968: 2d6 5
Reaction roll: https://orokos.com/roll/800968: 2d6 5

[beniliusbob]

Zellar

The dervish narrows her eyes.

"Perhaps these aren't undead after all, Drakesbane… Why, if I didn't know better..."

Mumbling something about "the tower," Zellar makes sure the "shadows" aren't about to make any hostile movements, then steps back and observes the building they've smashed into and the others near it more carefully. She looks for any signs of webbing, molted carapaces, or holes in the roofs that could allow clandestine ingress and egress by eight-legged web-spinners...

[beniliusbob]

Zellar wasn't present during the original encounter, so I guess my post stands, though on reading the thread, I'd say they are obviously not spiders as I was thinking from tk's description:

viewtopic.php?f=783&t=8786&start=140

So, something pretty monstrous in that case. Ooze? Pudding? Might still be worth luring the things out of this house if possible and skirmishing a bit to learn what we can.