Zodagh's tribe is nomadic, which is why they didn't know about the abandoned city that they were on top of until it was too late.
As for scouts... he sent a few who didn't see anything except a few spiders. They were caught by surprise because they had no idea that there was an intelligent creature directing the spiders, so they were caught completely off-guard as they started getting picked off by traps. They tried to escape but were cut off by a massive number of giant spiders... it seems that you were lucky enough to catch the drider and its minions off-guard. Unfortunately, now it knows you are here.
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'That drider is going to be a real wrench in the works for us when we try to traverse the city tomorrow', thinks Nickeline after talking with Zodagh. She goes into a tent and attempts to [Tooltip Not Found] on their troublesome mutual acquaintance. If the spell doesn't work, she would next scry on the drider's last known location and attempt to track him and the giant spiders with consecutive scrying spells.
OOC: I think it will be a DC 17 wisdom saving throw for the drider with no special modifiers on Nickeline's end. Survival/Perception for Scrying & Tracking: 6 Second roll in case it is at disadvantage: 8 Curse: 3
Other than this drider and it's spiders, did Zodagh and his troop encounter any other creatures in the city or in the surrounding area?
Hewelathan asks Zodagh, "Did you see any alternate paths? And did you hear the drider speak of anything it wants or fears? Unfortunately, drider or no, we must traverse this city."
When asked about other creatures, Zodagh described encountering a number of undead... several of which he recognized as missing members of his tribe. As for traps, they encountered a number of snares and pit-traps (the latter of which were also full of spiders).
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Jodie looks disheartened when she hears Nickeline's description of the drider web. "Perhaps I should have torched them. We may have spider scouts looking for us tonight. At least we know what we're up against."
Jodie turns to Zodagh, "We could help you finish what you started and avenge your fallen tribesman and deal with these driders. Nickeline can help reach your clan and send for help. If you can describe someone and have a possession or hair, she can use the crystal ball to communicate with them. We can explain what happened and send for help."
Zodagh seems a bit reluctant to call more of his tribesmen to descend into the darkness... but eventually he nods.
"Call my son," he says at last, pulling out a rusty locket, which looks like it probably was not crafted by orcs. "He can bring more warriors to fight the spiders now we know what we face..."
He opens the locket to reveal a chipped tooth. The orc smiles, presumably thinking of some fond memory.
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Nickeline holds the locket in one hand, her crystal ball in the other. She says to Zodagh, "I'm going to talk to your son through this crystal ball, but please don't touch it or else your head will explode. Is there anything you want me to tell him?"
She says the incantation, 'Oh, Flandal, great Pyromancer, show me Zodagh's son and heir.'If she connects, she says to Zodagh's son telepathically (without any regard to how it must feel to receive such a message out of the blue), 'Ahoy, Zodagh Jr.? This is Nickeline; I am a friend of your father. He is alive and well, mostly. But he needs your help! Plus he has vital information about the spider attacks. Please come to our camp just outside the underground city with all your best warriors and we can be friends, too.' Nickeline will describe the relative location of their camp as best she can and relay any message from Zodagh.
OOC: DC 17 wisdom saving throw for Zodagh Jr. with a net -5 modifier to his roll because Nickeline has only heard of him but has a body part. Curse Roll: 3
Yeah, it's easy to establish a telepathic link with him. Zodagh gave you Nickeline a secret to establish that the communication is indeed from him (he told you the name of the woman who gave him the locket, which happened to be Elea. He doesn't give you a lot more detail, but you can probably guess that the two of them had some kind of relationship)
After a few minutes, you get a reply: orcs are coming to avenge their fallen brothers!
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After hearing the news, Korba looks to the orcish leader and says, in orc, “It will be good to fight among your troop, and we will spill the blood of the unworthy!” Then, to the others he says, “It seems tomorrow will be quite a fight. We should rest while the orcs assemble so that we will be prepared.”
It's seeming like there's no way to get through the city without facing the driders and their army of spiders. That puts Hewelathan in a somber mood.
Hewelathan tries to find a time to ask the party: "Do you think that the drider serves the drow priestess, Talice? Do you think that they'd let us pass if we claimed to have business with her?" He tries to ask that when Ruby and Zodagh aren't nearby since he doesn't want to share any details of their quest if he can help it. If nothing else, he simply asks party members individually and gathers their input.
"Ruby can help find a spot that spiders cannot easily find us as we sleep," the little kobold offers.
Hewelathan will gladly accept Ruby's help in this matter. He needs to rest before he can even take a Wild Shape again, and he definitely doesn't want to spend the night fighting off giant spiders. Before he goes to sleep, he will use 3 spell slots to create 30 goodberries for the next day, thinking that they're going to need them. He just hopes that Ruby's campsite lets them avoid having to fight anything else before morning.
It looks like there will be enough light for Hildegard to see in the city. (That is, there seems to be dim light in most spaces they've seen so far, not the absolute darkness Hewelathan expected from underground caverns.) It seems like the party is bound to fight the driders and their spiders tomorrow. They'll need some "firepower," but Hewelathan talks to Nickeline about defenses against the spiders' poison. He will probably prepare Protection from Poison, and maybe Nickeline should do the same? Preventing harm is a good way to extend the party's healing capacity, and with so many spiders, it seems like poison will be a major factor in tomorrow's fight(s).
Given that the drider they saw was a spellcaster, if anyone can Silence it, that spell may be worthwhile to prepare. Without magic, they'll just have to fight the drider with tooth and sword, and Hewelathan doesn't like their odds after facing its attacks (3 per round!) today. If they can prevent the drider from getting away (e.g., surround it in combat or confront it in an enclosed space), then silence may be their best bet. If the drider cannot simply dispel all of their spells, Tamphalic's spell seemed like a great way to restrain the drider, and hitting it with Faerie Fire would make it much easier to attack.
Of course, if they have to fight all 3 driders whom Nickeline saw at once, the party should probably just run. Even with Jodie's Fire Storm and the orc reinforcements, he doesn't think that they can withstand three driders at once. Maybe they could win if they were drawing the creatures into a trap or could force the Large-sized creatures to fight them in narrow tunnels, but if they're fighting on the drows on their "home turf," he feels like they'll just be walking into a trap.
Tamphalic doesn't have much options to change in his spellcasting. He is mostly wondering if he should go for Maximillians earthen grasp again the next day if it is dispelled so easily. Other than that he'll try to get into range to use his breath weapon, both to do damage as well to ensure the creatures do not have any reactions for some time beings.
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"grandpa" Salkur, Gnome Arti/Sorc: Forged in Chaos | Pepin, Human Arti/Cleric: Goblin horde | Mixtli, Volc Genasi Arti: Champions of the Citadel | Erix Vadalitis, Human Druid: Rising from the last war |Smithy, Human Arti: Night Ravens: Black orchids for Biscotti | Tamphalic Aliprax, Dragonborn Wizard: Chronicles of the Accursed | Doc, Dwarven Cleric (2024): Adventure at Hope's End | Abathax, Tiefling Illriger: Hunt for the Balowang | Gorin Mestel, Human Arti: Descend into Avernus
Hildegard looks around at the cave they had settled in before the scout party went to the city. "Do you think they will be able to track us here?" she asks Ruby. "Should we move elsewhere?"
Ruby is of the opinion that a cave like the one you found may be a bit too dangerous based on the fact that it only seems to have one entrance/exit... and, more importantly, that said entrance is big enough that the giant spiders and/or their drider masters could use to get in.
She, being more familiar with the Underdark and especially caving, can show you how to find a somewhat smaller cave that has multiple narrow passages in and out, which should prevent large-sized creatures from getting in easily and give you options to retreat in an emergency.
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Hildegard begins to put out the fire and help the others pack up the camp. "Ruby, lead the way... in case any spiders come looking for us, I'd like to be better prepared to defend ourselves."
Ruby is of the opinion that a cave like the one you found may be a bit too dangerous based on the fact that it only seems to have one entrance/exit... and, more importantly, that said entrance is big enough that the giant spiders and/or their drider masters could use to get in.
She, being more familiar with the Underdark and especially caving, can show you how to find a somewhat smaller cave that has multiple narrow passages in and out, which should prevent large-sized creatures from getting in easily and give you options to retreat in an emergency.
Certainly! Hewelathan thanks Ruby (in Draconic) for the suggestion.
As long as the cave or chamber where they sleep for the night is large enough to fit the whole group comfortably, and they can have room to stand up without squatting, Hewelathan is even willing to squeeze through a small passage to get there. If the passageways are small enough for the party to need to squeeze or crawl to get through, then it should be completely impassable for a creature as Large as the drider or giant spiders.
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Zodagh's tribe is nomadic, which is why they didn't know about the abandoned city that they were on top of until it was too late.
As for scouts... he sent a few who didn't see anything except a few spiders. They were caught by surprise because they had no idea that there was an intelligent creature directing the spiders, so they were caught completely off-guard as they started getting picked off by traps. They tried to escape but were cut off by a massive number of giant spiders... it seems that you were lucky enough to catch the drider and its minions off-guard. Unfortunately, now it knows you are here.
Unhappy that the market got rid of individual purchases for one-off subclasses, magic items, and monsters?
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'That drider is going to be a real wrench in the works for us when we try to traverse the city tomorrow', thinks Nickeline after talking with Zodagh. She goes into a tent and attempts to [Tooltip Not Found] on their troublesome mutual acquaintance. If the spell doesn't work, she would next scry on the drider's last known location and attempt to track him and the giant spiders with consecutive scrying spells.
OOC: I think it will be a DC 17 wisdom saving throw for the drider with no special modifiers on Nickeline's end.
Survival/Perception for Scrying & Tracking: 6
Second roll in case it is at disadvantage: 8
Curse: 3
Traps? What sort of traps?
Other than this drider and it's spiders, did Zodagh and his troop encounter any other creatures in the city or in the surrounding area?
Hewelathan asks Zodagh, "Did you see any alternate paths? And did you hear the drider speak of anything it wants or fears? Unfortunately, drider or no, we must traverse this city."
"Let us hope that its army of spiders has been reduced enough..." Korba adds with concern.
when they take shifts, Korba's perception: 24
PbP 🎲: Tyekanik; Moneo Noree; Korba Muris; & occasional DM:
Drider's Wis save vs. scrying: 19
When asked about other creatures, Zodagh described encountering a number of undead... several of which he recognized as missing members of his tribe. As for traps, they encountered a number of snares and pit-traps (the latter of which were also full of spiders).
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Nickeline peers into the crystal ball and sees the drider... but he's not alone.
He is conversing with two female driders in Undercommon in the middle of a gigantic spider web, which is crawling with numerous oversized spiders.
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Jodie looks disheartened when she hears Nickeline's description of the drider web. "Perhaps I should have torched them. We may have spider scouts looking for us tonight. At least we know what we're up against."
Jodie turns to Zodagh, "We could help you finish what you started and avenge your fallen tribesman and deal with these driders. Nickeline can help reach your clan and send for help. If you can describe someone and have a possession or hair, she can use the crystal ball to communicate with them. We can explain what happened and send for help."
persuasion: (9, 17 if advantage)
Fargen Hill Dwarf Cleric/Barbarian - Hoard of the Dragon Queen, Jodie Olwen Half-Elf Bard- Chronicles of the Accursed
Zodagh seems a bit reluctant to call more of his tribesmen to descend into the darkness... but eventually he nods.
"Call my son," he says at last, pulling out a rusty locket, which looks like it probably was not crafted by orcs. "He can bring more warriors to fight the spiders now we know what we face..."
He opens the locket to reveal a chipped tooth. The orc smiles, presumably thinking of some fond memory.
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Nickeline holds the locket in one hand, her crystal ball in the other. She says to Zodagh, "I'm going to talk to your son through this crystal ball, but please don't touch it or else your head will explode. Is there anything you want me to tell him?"
She says the incantation, 'Oh, Flandal, great Pyromancer, show me Zodagh's son and heir.' If she connects, she says to Zodagh's son telepathically (without any regard to how it must feel to receive such a message out of the blue), 'Ahoy, Zodagh Jr.? This is Nickeline; I am a friend of your father. He is alive and well, mostly. But he needs your help! Plus he has vital information about the spider attacks. Please come to our camp just outside the underground city with all your best warriors and we can be friends, too.' Nickeline will describe the relative location of their camp as best she can and relay any message from Zodagh.
OOC: DC 17 wisdom saving throw for Zodagh Jr. with a net -5 modifier to his roll because Nickeline has only heard of him but has a body part.
Curse Roll: 3
Zodagh Jr. Wis save: -2
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Yeah, it's easy to establish a telepathic link with him. Zodagh gave you Nickeline a secret to establish that the communication is indeed from him (he told you the name of the woman who gave him the locket, which happened to be Elea. He doesn't give you a lot more detail, but you can probably guess that the two of them had some kind of relationship)
After a few minutes, you get a reply: orcs are coming to avenge their fallen brothers!
Unhappy that the market got rid of individual purchases for one-off subclasses, magic items, and monsters?
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After hearing the news, Korba looks to the orcish leader and says, in orc, “It will be good to fight among your troop, and we will spill the blood of the unworthy!” Then, to the others he says, “It seems tomorrow will be quite a fight. We should rest while the orcs assemble so that we will be prepared.”
PbP 🎲: Tyekanik; Moneo Noree; Korba Muris; & occasional DM:
Zodagh grunts in agreement with Korba.
Ruby gives the orc another nervous glance, but nods as well.
"Ruby can help find a spot that spiders cannot easily find us as we sleep," the little kobold offers.
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At this news, Hewelathan shakes his head in amazement and says (in Elvish):
Hewelathan will gladly accept Ruby's help in this matter. He needs to rest before he can even take a Wild Shape again, and he definitely doesn't want to spend the night fighting off giant spiders. Before he goes to sleep, he will use 3 spell slots to create 30 goodberries for the next day, thinking that they're going to need them. He just hopes that Ruby's campsite lets them avoid having to fight anything else before morning.
Planning for the next day
It looks like there will be enough light for Hildegard to see in the city. (That is, there seems to be dim light in most spaces they've seen so far, not the absolute darkness Hewelathan expected from underground caverns.) It seems like the party is bound to fight the driders and their spiders tomorrow. They'll need some "firepower," but Hewelathan talks to Nickeline about defenses against the spiders' poison. He will probably prepare Protection from Poison, and maybe Nickeline should do the same? Preventing harm is a good way to extend the party's healing capacity, and with so many spiders, it seems like poison will be a major factor in tomorrow's fight(s).
Given that the drider they saw was a spellcaster, if anyone can Silence it, that spell may be worthwhile to prepare. Without magic, they'll just have to fight the drider with tooth and sword, and Hewelathan doesn't like their odds after facing its attacks (3 per round!) today. If they can prevent the drider from getting away (e.g., surround it in combat or confront it in an enclosed space), then silence may be their best bet. If the drider cannot simply dispel all of their spells, Tamphalic's spell seemed like a great way to restrain the drider, and hitting it with Faerie Fire would make it much easier to attack.
Of course, if they have to fight all 3 driders whom Nickeline saw at once, the party should probably just run. Even with Jodie's Fire Storm and the orc reinforcements, he doesn't think that they can withstand three driders at once. Maybe they could win if they were drawing the creatures into a trap or could force the Large-sized creatures to fight them in narrow tunnels, but if they're fighting on the drows on their "home turf," he feels like they'll just be walking into a trap.
Tamphalic doesn't have much options to change in his spellcasting. He is mostly wondering if he should go for Maximillians earthen grasp again the next day if it is dispelled so easily. Other than that he'll try to get into range to use his breath weapon, both to do damage as well to ensure the creatures do not have any reactions for some time beings.
"grandpa" Salkur, Gnome Arti/Sorc: Forged in Chaos | Pepin, Human Arti/Cleric: Goblin horde | Mixtli, Volc Genasi Arti: Champions of the Citadel | Erix Vadalitis, Human Druid: Rising from the last war | Smithy, Human Arti: Night Ravens: Black orchids for Biscotti | Tamphalic Aliprax, Dragonborn Wizard: Chronicles of the Accursed | Doc, Dwarven Cleric (2024): Adventure at Hope's End | Abathax, Tiefling Illriger: Hunt for the Balowang | Gorin Mestel, Human Arti: Descend into Avernus
Hildegard looks around at the cave they had settled in before the scout party went to the city. "Do you think they will be able to track us here?" she asks Ruby. "Should we move elsewhere?"
Ruby is of the opinion that a cave like the one you found may be a bit too dangerous based on the fact that it only seems to have one entrance/exit... and, more importantly, that said entrance is big enough that the giant spiders and/or their drider masters could use to get in.
She, being more familiar with the Underdark and especially caving, can show you how to find a somewhat smaller cave that has multiple narrow passages in and out, which should prevent large-sized creatures from getting in easily and give you options to retreat in an emergency.
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Hildegard begins to put out the fire and help the others pack up the camp. "Ruby, lead the way... in case any spiders come looking for us, I'd like to be better prepared to defend ourselves."
Certainly! Hewelathan thanks Ruby (in Draconic) for the suggestion.
As long as the cave or chamber where they sleep for the night is large enough to fit the whole group comfortably, and they can have room to stand up without squatting, Hewelathan is even willing to squeeze through a small passage to get there. If the passageways are small enough for the party to need to squeeze or crawl to get through, then it should be completely impassable for a creature as Large as the drider or giant spiders.