K swings his quarterstaff at bugbear 2 (24 to hit (+flank), 5 bludgeoning) and punches him (21 to hit (+flank), 6 bludgeoning). He moves east and south to the pillar.
Ash shoots his shortbow at spider 2 (10 to hit). He backs up east and Hides behind a pillar using Cunning Action.
Badger shoots 3 magic missiles at spider 2 (6 force) and also backs up east 30'.
K runs at the spider (presumably flanking it with Ash) and swings his quarterstaff (22 to hit (+flank), 5 bludgeoning) and kicks it (16 to hit (+flank), 6 bludgeoning)
Ash slices at the spider in his face (25 & 26 (crit!) to hit (+flank); 19 piercing (+sneak))
Badger yells, "Let's find sanctuary!" He dashes back the way they came.
Kristofferson spins, flinging his quarterstaff into the spider (19 to hit, 4 bludgeoning) and kicks it (21 to hit (+luck reroll); 7 bludgeoning). K then circles the spider, hoping to aid Ash by pulling the spider's attention (and flank).
Ash moves forward to flank and slashes (26 (crit!) & 14 to hit; 19 piercing (+sneak)). He then moves towards the exit Badger took.
Badger stealths in to check if anyone has entered the cavern. Stealth: 1; perception: 20
Badger: You see no creatures in the cavern other than the dead bodies you left there, which are still dead.
Ash & K: Through the sounds of crashing waves and rushing winds, you hear the faint incoming sounds of gruff goblinoid voices and rattling shields coming from the south entrance to the hall.
K: it takes you some effort to get down, so you start the next round at the bottom of the rift. You can then use the last athletics roll to get up the rift on the other side without a problem.
Ash: you fall and take 1 bludgeoning. You get up and help Badger up (giving him more movement). You also start the next round at the bottom of the rift on the other side and can use the 10 to get up next round.
Badger: Because of Ash's help, you get up and to the other side of the rift without a problem. You climb up and dash into the tunnel.
At this point, we are out of initiative, as you've managed to get away from the threat.
A narrow ledge overlooks a large cavern that houses a surging, seething body of water. The rhythmic booming heard throughout the mines is louder here. At regular intervals, a fresh surge of water funnels into this chamber and slams against the wall just below the ledge. The echo suggests that this cave might be one arm of a much larger cavern to the northeast.
Ash: you walk through a low-ceilinged channel and peek through the opening.
A blast furnace and a mechanical bellows powered by a waterwheel dominate this large chamber. The furnace is cold and dark, but heaps of coal are piled nearby, along with carts full of unrefined ore. The waterwheel sits in a ten-foot-wide channel cut into the floor of the room, but the channel is dry. Passages exit to the west, south, and east. The empty channel exits to the north and east. More than a dozen withered corpses are scattered around the room. These slain dwarves and orcs are still wearing the remnants of their armor. Floating above them is a skull engulfed in green flame watching over the corpses.
Ash: You ascend a staircase to see a gigantic cavern.
Glittering minerals in the ceiling of this large cavern catch the light and send it back to create the impression of a starry night sky. Dozens of skeletons —many crushed under fallen debris—are scattered across the floor.
The cave is large enough that it contains freestanding structures. A stone building is proportioned for human use, as opposed to the dwarf-sized doorways and furnishings you’ve seen elsewhere in the mines. It has battered and blackened masonry walls, its doors cracked and scorched.
Ash returns to the others. "Corpses and a flying flaming magic skull that way. Skeletons and a building in a sparkly cavern that way."
K: "Perhaps the corpses room is where the Black Spider is having such a hard time. Were they bugbear corpses?"
Ash: "No, dwarves and orcs."
K frowns. "Then they'd be from long ago. If they aren't skeletons yet, I wonder if they are the living dead. Perhaps that's why the Black Spider can't get through there—a magic skull and a room full of zombies."
Badger: "Maybe. Getting into a building would make me feel much safer about a long rest anyway."
Ash: "Agreed. Let's see if we can get in. The door looked damaged." Ash leads them to the door and tries to open it.
K swings his quarterstaff at bugbear 2 (24 to hit (+flank), 5 bludgeoning) and punches him (21 to hit (+flank), 6 bludgeoning). He moves east and south to the pillar.
Ash shoots his shortbow at spider 2 (10 to hit). He backs up east and Hides behind a pillar using Cunning Action.
Badger shoots 3 magic missiles at spider 2 (6 force) and also backs up east 30'.
Spider 1 gets back his web and shoots it at Badger (9 to hit) and it flies well over his head.
Spider 2 crawls down and towards Ash. It has to dash to get into melee and is ready to bite.
Nezznar has acted out of sight.
K runs at the spider (presumably flanking it with Ash) and swings his quarterstaff (22 to hit (+flank), 5 bludgeoning) and kicks it (16 to hit (+flank), 6 bludgeoning)
Ash slices at the spider in his face (25 & 26 (crit!) to hit (+flank); 19 piercing (+sneak))
Badger yells, "Let's find sanctuary!" He dashes back the way they came.
Spider 2 is dead.
Spider 1 climbs down and dashes to get into melee with K.
Nezznar acts out of sight.
Kristofferson spins, flinging his quarterstaff into the spider (19 to hit, 4 bludgeoning) and kicks it (21 to hit (+luck reroll); 7 bludgeoning). K then circles the spider, hoping to aid Ash by pulling the spider's attention (and flank).
Ash moves forward to flank and slashes (26 (crit!) & 14 to hit; 19 piercing (+sneak)). He then moves towards the exit Badger took.
Badger stealths in to check if anyone has entered the cavern. Stealth: 1; perception: 20
Spider 1 is dead.
Badger: You see no creatures in the cavern other than the dead bodies you left there, which are still dead.
Ash & K: Through the sounds of crashing waves and rushing winds, you hear the faint incoming sounds of gruff goblinoid voices and rattling shields coming from the south entrance to the hall.
K looks at Ash, eyes wide, then runs east towards Badger, dashing for 70' of movement
Ash runs east, too, dashing and using Cunning Action to Dash further for 75' of movement
Badger sees the others run at him and starts down into the cavern, heading to the north passage. Athletics: 3 (sigh)
We'll stay in initiative for now as there are time sensitive things happening that might resolve to further battle.
For now, none of you see any threats.
Badger: Your armor might have blunted the fall damage, as you take only 1 bludgeoning, but you are prone at the bottom of the rift.
K runs to the rift and climbs down. Athletics: 8. If he has action left, he'll Dash to the other side and start up the other side. Athletics: 16
Ash follows K. Athletics: 4. If he has fallen, he gets up, uses his Action to help Badger up, and uses his Cunning Action to Dash to K. Athletics: 10
Badger gets up and follows K. Athletics: 17. He'll Dash into the tunnel if he can.
K: it takes you some effort to get down, so you start the next round at the bottom of the rift. You can then use the last athletics roll to get up the rift on the other side without a problem.
Ash: you fall and take 1 bludgeoning. You get up and help Badger up (giving him more movement). You also start the next round at the bottom of the rift on the other side and can use the 10 to get up next round.
Badger: Because of Ash's help, you get up and to the other side of the rift without a problem. You climb up and dash into the tunnel.
At this point, we are out of initiative, as you've managed to get away from the threat.
A narrow ledge overlooks a large cavern that houses a surging, seething body of water. The rhythmic booming heard throughout the mines is louder here. At regular intervals, a fresh surge of water funnels into this chamber and slams against the wall just below the ledge. The echo suggests that this cave might be one arm of a much larger cavern to the northeast.
Map:
Badger rests against the cavern wall. "So that was the Black Spider."
Ash: "He had giant spiders."
K: "Yes, and he vanished before our eyes."
Badger: "He must still have the Rockseekers somewhere, holding them hostage until someone helps him find the Forge of Spells."
K: "Do we keep searching for the Rockseekers, or do we assume they're locked away and try to bargain with this evil mage?"
Ash: "What if we find this Forge and bring him evidence in exchange for the dwarves?"
Badger: "That won't be sufficient. The mine is worthless to Phandalin if it is under control of that Spider. We must defeat him."
K: "In order to do that, we must rest. Do we search for a safe place to do so?"
Ash: "If we could go invisible, we could just rest here."
Badger smiles. "Or we rest here a bit, then push forward to find a safer spot for a full rest."
K: "That's probably a safer idea. I'm reluctant to do too much exploring in our current state."
Ash: "Ok let's rest while keeping an eye out." Perception: 10
K perception: 12
Badger recommends they huddle close in the crook west and a little south of the 16 on the map. perception: 13
No one interrupts your short rest.
Badger used 3 hit dice and is feeling better.
Ash used 3 hit dice and is feeling much better.
K used 3 hit dice and is feeling okay.
Ash stealths the south (middle) passage to see what lies that way. Stealth: 21
Ash: you walk through a low-ceilinged channel and peek through the opening.
A blast furnace and a mechanical bellows powered by a waterwheel dominate this large chamber. The furnace is cold and dark, but heaps of coal are piled nearby, along with carts full of unrefined ore. The waterwheel sits in a ten-foot-wide channel cut into the floor of the room, but the channel is dry. Passages exit to the west, south, and east. The empty channel exits to the north and east. More than a dozen withered corpses are scattered around the room. These slain dwarves and orcs are still wearing the remnants of their armor. Floating above them is a skull engulfed in green flame watching over the corpses.
Map:
Ash backs away with a slight urgency in his step. He just shakes his head at the others as he passes. He stealths the south-east passage. Stealth: 27
Ash: You ascend a staircase to see a gigantic cavern.
Glittering minerals in the ceiling of this large cavern catch the light and send it back to create the impression of a starry night sky. Dozens of skeletons —many crushed under fallen debris—are scattered across the floor.
The cave is large enough that it contains freestanding structures. A stone building is proportioned for human use, as opposed to the dwarf-sized doorways and furnishings you’ve seen elsewhere in the mines. It has battered and blackened masonry walls, its doors cracked and scorched.
Map:
Ash returns to the others. "Corpses and a flying flaming magic skull that way. Skeletons and a building in a sparkly cavern that way."
K: "Perhaps the corpses room is where the Black Spider is having such a hard time. Were they bugbear corpses?"
Ash: "No, dwarves and orcs."
K frowns. "Then they'd be from long ago. If they aren't skeletons yet, I wonder if they are the living dead. Perhaps that's why the Black Spider can't get through there—a magic skull and a room full of zombies."
Badger: "Maybe. Getting into a building would make me feel much safer about a long rest anyway."
Ash: "Agreed. Let's see if we can get in. The door looked damaged." Ash leads them to the door and tries to open it.
Ash: The door is scorched and cracked, its iron hinges partially melted. It'll take a strength check to force it open.
Ash whispers to Badger, "Help me pull this open." Strength (+adv for help from Badger): 14