Sparlock's Hoard of the Dragon Queen

OoC: Valji is on fire... er... the spider is on lightning... something like that

Also, I feel like if you crit on witch bolt, you should get double damage dice every turn. That's how that works, right?

Valji aims directly at the smoldering side of the spider, and the arachnoid monstrosity's exoskeleton cracks with the force of the electrical energy that slams into it. It shrieks and turns toward Valji, catching the continuing bolt of energy in its fanged mouth. Its eight eyes stare through Valji"s soul, mandibles flaying towards him as the blue light mixes with the green of the spider's magic as the smaller spiders around Valji converge and attempt to distract him from the painful electric spell. (Attack: 21 Damage: 6)

Round 3

Skiaceq
Darvin (prone,restrained)
Zombie Spider
Lissandra
Eadyan
Valji

The spider is looking unhappy, but nonetheless ready for another round. Skiaceq is up, followed by Darvin, and Valji needs to make a concentration check.

Concentration: 13

The streak of lightning makes Skiaceq jump. But a moment later, his heart feels reinforced by this vestige of the sky illuminating the bowels of the earth.

Streaking forward, he grasps the distracted spider's rear-leg, then raises his other hand in a clenched fist before smashing down hard on the high joint.

Unarmed Strike: 13 Damage: 6 Blessing: 1
Bonus Attack: 17 Damage: 5

But instead of the sickening crack Skiaceq expected, there is only a sound like a palm slapping bone. Muttering an Aarakocran curse, he releases the limb and stumbles back, braced for the creature to retaliate.

With the spider illuminated by Valji's lightning, Darvin reasons that he had better try to kill it now, before it had the chance to scurry away again out of sight. With his arms bound by the cocoon, his options are limited, but he settles quickly on a course of action. He whispers something in infernal. Wisps of black smoke begin to travel out of Darvin's mouth and into the spider. The incantation is made so quietly that to anyone watching it looks like Darvin is silently moving his lips.  However, to the spider, although it doesn't understand language, the sound brings to mind images of a giant spider-wasp coming in to sting it.

 Casting sleep for 19 HP. If the spider is less than 20 ft from a PC, Darvin will target a point of origin above it so it doesn't affect anyone else.

Casting dissonant whispers (DC 13 Wisdom Save) for 9 psychic damage on a failed save, or half on a success.

(Wisdom Saving Throw: 11)

The spider wretches in agony as the black smoke of the spell enters its body. It looks to and from, seeking out the unseen enemy which seeks its end, momentarily ignoring the enemies in front of it as it turns from side to side. Valji continues electrocuting it as the spider retreats towards the nearest pillar, blinded by the pain wracking its fragile mind. As the last of the black smoke coming from Darvins mouth fills it, the spider shrieks, its dessicated carapace cracking under the weight of the combined assault. Green light flows out of the growing rifts in its exoskeleton until there is an explosion of arcane energy which fills the entire cavern with an otherworldly light. As your eyes readjust to the dimly lit cavern, the lifeless carcass of a giant spider lays in front of you, legs pulled inward in a last ditch effort to protect itself. All is quiet with the exception of the skittering of the smaller spiders all around, terrifying in their own way, but mostly harmless without the leadership of their queen.

With the terrifying foe dead, Darvin begins struggling once more against his bonds.

Strength Check: 7

His attempts proving ineffective, Darvin pauses to pout slightly. "Little help?" he says, before trying again.

Strength Check: 1

OoC: Paaahhhhahaha

"Fourth time's the charm?"

Strength Check: 0

"Gods dammit"

Strength Check: 19

The long comical series of failed escape attempts must have loosened the silk bonds just enough that on his fifth try they finally tear. Darvin stays lying on the ground until somebody suggests he stand.

When the beast collapses in a smoldering heap, relief washes over Skiaceq. He realizes he’s breathing heavily and keels over, bracing his hands against his knees and struggling to catch his breath.

”Sorry,” he says quietly to no one in particular. The feeling of uselessness settles atop his sunken stomach.

He remains leaning over once his breath returns to normal, trying to calm his nerves with no success. Limbs still humming with adrenaline, he finally gives up and walks over to retrieve his torch before looking over the others.

”The chest is trapped. Don’t go near it,” he says, somehow before remembering. His mind is tripping over itself, thinking out of order. “Is everyone alright?”

Valji cheers at the final demise of the undead spider queen. "Garl's nuggets, I detest creepy crawlies - especially giant ones that look at me like a nice snack! We really showed what's what, didn't we?!! Now to find out what those cultists are after..." he says, looking towards the center area but not moving towards it yet. He will check his wounds and look in their immediate area to ensure no more spiders were coming after them.

"Oh, fine, I suppose," Darvin says, pushing the horrifying memory of his brief webby imprisonment deep down below his consciousness, as he had long ago grown used to doing with traumatic experiences. "I'm especially fine down here on the ground. I think I'll stay awhile. What was that about the chest? Trapped? Can anybody do something about that?"

"Oh," Eadyan says, walking up to the spider web in front of the treasure chest and hitting it with his club (Attack: 26 Damage: 9), "I think the spider was the trap. Typical of kobolds." His club passes nearly through, not even catching any webs on the side of it as the web falls to either side, leaving a passage to walk tehiugh to the chest. "I know a bit about traps from my years hunting, if you want me to take a look." Everyone briefly wonders what type of hunting would involve placing traps on chests, but it seems the offer is genuine. 

Lissandra walks to Darvin, kneeling next to him and looking him over. "You doing alright there? That webbing wasn't poisoned, was it? Who knows with a creature of such foul magic.

"I don't... I don't feel poisoned, just shaken. You should save your magic; I'll let you know if I start to feel nauseous, though." Darvin pulls himself up off the ground and walks toward the chest with Eadyan. "Be my guest," he says. "Anything I can do to help out? Can't say I know much about traps, I'm afraid."

 Grabbing Skiaceqs torch, Eadyan walks forward to where the chest is, looking carefully around the latch and edge. Opening his bag, he pulls out a set of tools and slides a thin metal tool in to the edge, looking for tripwires before it opens. "I don't see any traps," he says, lifting the lid and peers in. "Shit!" he exclaims, "It's not here..."

Eadyan stands and starts looking around in the immediate area, walking forward just past the chest and looking from left to right. In front of him, the cave floor gives way to a mesh of thick white webbing.

Chest Contents:

"What are ya looking for that this chest is so devoid of? Hmmm? Is it what these cultists are so eagerly looking for?" Valji stands apart from Eadyan , hoping the man isn't a cultist using them to gain access to the treasure!

Insight: 14

(Valji is most interested in the scroll. He's fine with selling off the chalice, handkerchief, and bracelets and splitting all of the coin...)

Eadyan appears legitimately flustered that "it" wasn't in the chest, scanning the distance with the light of the torch. "Some sort of mask. The man with the map didn't tell me anything more." He stumbles slightly over the second sentence (Lissandra, Valji)

 The trinkets are worth 25gp each if no one wants them.

"Wait a second...what mask? And which man?!! I'm starting to think that maybe Skiaceq is right and you aren't who you are pretending to be. Do you want to join this giant spider queen? Cold and dead on the floor, to be consumed by the thousands of other spiders in the cave? If not, come clean now - we'll know if you are lying!" For good measure, and a bit of intimidation, Valji creates another one of his now famous fire bolts, holding it at the ready to hurl at Eadyan if he runs or does something aggressive...

"All I know is what that tiefling told me. Put up that flame before you embarrass yourself. I'm a Cleric of Chauntea! I won't be so easily intimidated."

As he speaks, Eadyan tests the strength of the webbing in front of him. As he pushes down with his shoe, the webbing holds strong, and as he pulls back his boot, he struggles for a minute, his foot sticking to the steel-like web.

Make an intimidation or persuasion roll as you feel is necessary. Just in general... will make life easier if you need a roll, as you would in this case.

"Wait, tiefling? What tiefling?" Darvin says.

OoC: Bookkeeping, did somebody add the loot to their sheet? Valji should definitely have the scroll. Should we just add 25gp for the trinkets if we're planning to sell them, or do you want us to track the actual objects and RP selling them at some point? Divided by 5 (I'm assuming Eadyan gets a cut), the cash is 24gp (or 23gp and 10sp for one person; I'll go ahead and take the change share), 256sp, and 347cp each.

"The one who stole the scroll and brought it into the temple was a tiefling. That's neither here nor there, though. I swear, it should be here," he says, continuing to search around. Kicking through a spiderweb and sending its denizens scattering, he uncovers a strangely designed, kobold-sized saddle and harness. He looks it over a second before tossing it aside and continuing his search.

OoC: I think that, strictly speaking, no one has looked into the chest besides Eadyan. I just supplied the loot list so you could RP going through it. XD Intelligence[Survival/Animal Handling/Investigation] if you're curious about the saddle.

(Valji was going for intimidation...let's see how the gnome does! 7)

"Well, I guess you are who you say you are...so tell us about this mask while we help you look for it. Why are they searching for it? What does it look like? Is it magical? Is it valuable? Can you actually wear it?" the wizard starts asking one question after another, not even breathing between them!