Aspiring Heroes of Faerûn

"I think the choice is either risk that somehow the silk burns her if she's really stuck in a cocoon like you hear in the stories, or try to get through ourselves and likely get stuck. I won't make the choice for the group, but my vote's the torch. Maybe Vesper can try a section that's not connected to the rest, to see how hot it burns."

He's still got his spell ready, looking up and around for any movement...

„How ‚bout another option: we sit here for a bit, an‘ watch that web ta see if anything comes by.  An’ what happens if it does.“

Chrys crosses her arms and scrutinizes the net.  „Would give us all a bit o‘ time to recover from that scare with the plant life earlier, too,“ she adds, feeling at the wound the orcish javelin left on her.

(short rest?)

Krackle would look at the web in awe. "I bet that spider is like... at least twice as big as the one I had seen" He would say with his mouth hanging open. "I say we take a little rest and watch the web. I have my fancy sword i could try to use to cut the webs if you don't want to burn them" He would add as he makes himself comfortable next to a tree. "I could also tunnel us under them if you wanted." 

Lumen nods at the idea of a short rest and keeping watch for anything odd. He suggests stepping back and hiding behind trees, only peeking out a bit to be able to watch the web and any activity.

During the rest, he will give a quiet, inspirational spoken word performance as a Song of rest for an extra d6 for anyone rolling hit dice:

Standing there in front of the web, you all keep your eyes peeled for any signs of danger as you continue to contemplate the best course of action for how to deal with the sticky barrier in front of you. Meanwhile, Chrys tries to rest for a bit and recover whatever strength and resolve she can after the recent orc encounter. The air seems so eerily quiet around you in this disconcertingly dim section of the forest, almost as if it's the calm before the... 

Suddenly a flash of motion catches your eyes, although it happens so fast, there's almost no time to respond. A thick strand of spider web shoots down from somewhere up in the trees directly above you, apparently aimed right at Vesper. Web Attack: 24. The strand glops onto her head, neck and body, and she finds herself tightly bound and restrained by the sticky fibers and unable to move.

Then, another movement... off to the side. You hear the quick rustling of leaves and catch sight of a giant wolf spider the size of a small black bear that scurries out from beneath a pile of brush and sticks as it darts with surprising speed right at Krackle. Crawling partway up the kobold's leg with its own bristled, spiny limbs, Krackle gets a very close and terrifying look into the beast's array of black, seemingly lifeless eyes as the thing sinks its fangs deeply into his thigh. Attack: 9 Damage: 4. (Need a CON saving throw from Krackle.)

Everyone roll initiative. 

(Does Chrys get a reaction attack from my readied action? :)  )

Chrys initiative: 12

Initiative18

Unfortunately, no. Since you're surprised, you cannot take any actions or reactions this round. :(

((Dang, that is one sneaky spider!))

Initiative: 21

Lumen initiative: 21

Initiative! 18

con save! 7

Initiative Order

1. Giant Wolf Spider
2. Kess 
3. Lumen
4. The Spidery Humanoid Thing up in the Tree
5. Vesper
6. Chrys
7. Krackle

As the eerie silence is broken in the surprise attack, Krackle feels the sharp pain of the spider bite on his upper thigh, and he also feels the intense sting of the spider's poison as it enters the wound and begins circulating through his small body. Poison Damage: 10. With no hesitation and a relentless predatory instinct, the spider continues to attack the kobold with another vicious bite of its large, razor sharp jaws. Attack: 9 Damage: 5. Fortunately, Krackle's frantically desperate kicking and wriggling allows him to escape being bitten for a second time. 

The rest of you look up in the trees to try and spot whatever it was that has now entrapped Vesper it its web. It's hard to see at first, hiding in the shadows of the heavy branches and against the dark canopy overhead, but it's there... your eyes lock onto a large spider creature peering down at you from about twenty feet directly overhead. However, something seems odd about this creature, it's definitely not a regular arachnid. It does have the typical fangs of a spider, but only two beady black eyes, and instead of an oversized abdomen and eight legs, it has a humanoid body, roughly the size of a large human or half orc, and four muscular clawed limbs. 

Already at high alert, both Kess and Lumen are at the ready. They can both take their turn now. 

With lethal purpose, Kess propels herself towards the back of the giant spider, gritting her teeth in disgust as she brings both blades down into its carapace for harming her little kobold companion:

First attack: 16
Damage if it strikes true: 10

Offhand Scimitar attack: 8
Damage if it strikes: 6

With focused fury, Kess launches at the spider with both blades. Unfortunately, she finds it quite difficult to land an effective strike against the creature. Between its quick movements and the hard protective hide on its back, the spider proves to be a hard target to hit, and it easily escapes being skewered by the pair of elven swords. 

Lumen is up.

Lumen casts vicious mockery on the spidery thing in the tree. "Gross! Use a handkerchief next time you sneeze!" Lumen says, for 3 psychic damage and disadv on its next attack with a failed WIS 14 save.

He will also inspire Vesper, assuming her ears are not completely covered in spider web goo. "Shake it off, shake it off!"

Monster Wis Save: 19

Although Lumen casts his cantrip with seemingly powerful projection, the spidery creature in the tree appears to shrug off the effects of the spell. You then watch as the creature quickly and quietly climbs down from the branches above with deft agility, its sharp claws digging into the bark as it descends.

Once on the ground, the thing takes a swipe at Chrys with one of its razor sharp talons, Attack: 18 Damage: 5and then moves towards its capture prey and bites at Vesper with its sharp jawed mouth. Attack: 13 Damage: 7, plus 3 poison damage. 

Fortunately, Chrys is able to bash the creature's arm away with her shield. However, Vesper is so tightly bound within the web that she cannot move enough to avoid falling victim to a horribly painful bite on her left shoulder. In addition to the bite, she can feel the creature's poison begin to flow into her body. (Need a DC11 CON save from Vesper. Failure means that she is poisoned and has disadvantage on attack and ability rolls. 

Vesper, Chrys and Krackle are now up. Vesper is restrained, and can make a DC11 STR check to try and break free from the web. Since she is inspired by Lumen, she can add 1d6 to her ability check. 

Krackle would struggle to stay on his feet as the poison from the spider burned through his veins. he would grit his teeth before transforming into a brown bear. He would then snarl and lash out at the creature!

bite Attack: 19 Damage: 11
Claws Attack: 16 Damage: 10

Con:18

4

Well that was a wasted action.

Transforming once again from a little kobold to a massively powerful brown bear, Krackle slams his huge paw down on the giant wolf spider and rakes across its abdomen with claws the size of small daggers. The blow crushes the spider’s body into a mess of crunchy, greenish black pulp. 

Assuming you use you second attack on the humanoid spider, Krackle then turns and leaps at the other creature, with jaws gnashing. However, the thing manages to sway at the bear’s face with one of its clawed, muscular limbs and successfully rebuffs the attack.

Vesper’s fortitude allows her to ward off the effects of the poison, but she finds herself wrapped too tightly in the spider web to move. Despite her efforts, and Lumen’s bardic inspiration, she remains trapped and restrained by the strong silky fibers. 

Chrys is up. 

"We ain't got time for this tomfoolery," Chrys swears, aiming her hammer at the clawed creature who attacked her.  "Get away, ya clawed pain in my ass!"

Attack: 21
Damage: 8

If it hits, divine smite for an extra 13 radiant damage.