Barty's "Hoard of the Dragon Queen" (Tyranny of Dragons Part 1)

Merric sighs as he deftly steps away from a mass of webbing, narrowly avoiding becoming stuck again. ”Yes, it doesn’t look like they are in the mood to talk, does it?” He calls back to Hono. “Shame, really. I’d hoped to learn more about those in front of us.”

Talking out of the question, Merric draws his bow and sends 2 arrows towards the spider engaged with Rogram.

Attack: 29 Damage: 16.

Attack: 20 Damage: 9.

DM Screen:

2/23-ro

Rolls:

Giant Spider WIS Save: 5

The glowing hammer splatters the limping spider's head onto the ground of the marsh, mixing the spray of blood with swamp water that splashes across Rachael as she charges at the remaining spiders. Her warhammer smashes twice into a spider's carapace, crushing its abdomen inward. Hono's flame spirit spits a stream of red hot flame into the wound, burning the creature too badly for it to recover. Rogram faces down the other, plunging his sword through its frame. The spider lifts itself high on its back limbs, ready to dive downward at Rogram, who nearly stumbles when his sword is almost wrenched from his grip. In a heartbeat, Merric's arrow strikes its underbelly, then the pealing of a bell, following Karib's arcane chant, announces the end of the conflict. The spider falls sideways, shriveling and dying from the necrotic magic.

OOC: Each character has received 133 XP for defeating the giant spiders! For our new party members, I'll always add XP to your sheets, you never have to worry about that yourselves.

Rachael slowly turns about, making sure there are no further hidden dangers once the last spider is killed. "Good job everyone. Though I presume anyone else out here likely heard all of that." She takes a look around, checking to see if the spiders left behind anything of interest or if there are any signs of other victims of the creatures. "We should make sure there isn't anything else here before we head on," she suggests to the others. 

(Perception: 15)

Rogram grins broadly as he surveys the carnage around them. "Well ... That started out a little rough, but I think we worked pretty well as a team." He shakes the arm that was stabbed, then extends and contracts the fingers of its hand a few times. Finally, he rubs the side of his face where Hono's snake had burned brightly. The beard hairs on that side are a little curlier than usual. There's also that unpleasant burnt hair smell. He'd ask about the wildfire spirit later. He still feels a little unsure around Hono.

Looking around and seeing he seems to have taken the most damage, the half-dwarf decides that's okay.

He walks over to Merric, slipping his sword back into its scabbard. "You wanted to talk to those spiders. Is that something you can do? Have you had luck convincing wild creatures to not attack you before?"

Like Rachael, Karib is wary of other threats. He turns slowly in a circle as the glowing forge hammer seems to follow his line of sight, circling the group as if hunting for more spiders to smoosh. When it finally disappears, Karib looks back to his companions, his eyes settling on Rogram.

"How are you doing, lad? Spider poison can be nasty," he says, scanning the half-dwarf for any sign of poisoning.

When he is satisfied that Rogram is only beaten but not poisoned, he too turns his attention to the bodies, listening with interest for Merric's response.

Hono smiles as the Wildspirit coils above him, "I told you I had a way of getting us unstuck  that was a bit... noticeable. Well he's with us for a little while now, he can hang back a bit if needed but he's better... up." The flames on the snake like creature start to settle down and and lower in intensity as the excitement level starts to lower after the spiders fell.

A search of the perimeter and your surroundings doesn't turn up anything unusual. Rachael gets herself caught in a nearly-invisible web at one point, but it would seem that the only threats have been dealt with, as nothing else skitters down the webs to find prey. You find a few more unfortunate creatures who found their way into this spiders' nest - the wilted skins of a pair of massive frogs, and the long, scaly shell of a crocodile.

Without the threat of attack, Rachael carefully extracts herself from the web she gets caught in. Convinced there is nothing else here, she suggests they move along. "Shall we keep on trying to see where this path takes us?" 

Merric moves to recover his arrows and search the surrounding area as he answers Rogram. “Sometimes it works, I once talked down a charging owlbear!”  He flashes a grin at the memory, then turns serious. “Most animals are just looking for food or trying to protect their home from danger.  If we can explain we are neither…” Merric shrugs “It was worth a try, but I didn’t see them until it was too late.  They were not in the mood to talk and I was not in the mood to be a snack.”

He glances at Hono and to the flame spirit rising above them. "Yes, I appreciate the help out of the web, but that was most unexpected.  What is it?  Does it have a name?"

Satisfied with the others that there is nothing of interest here, he nods to Rachael. “Yes, let’s move on before anyone following us from the camp can catch up.”  He takes the lead along the trail, remaining alert for any threats.

"Tis a spirit that heeds my call to this existence. I can pull one and force it to my will but this one seems to eagerly volunteer for the opportunity. I think it has tried to tell me it's name before but unfortunately the the telecommunications only travel one way. So Spirit, Wildfire, Flicker, Sparks, whatever you wish to call it as I don't think it can understand our verbal voices. Yet it seems to be able to understand my wants of it." Hono stares at the coiled creature floating above him, wishing he knew more about their connection. "Alast I can only keep him here for a short time before it dissolves and returns to which it exists."

"Shall we keep on trying to see where this path takes us?" 

"Aye," says Karib with a questioning glance at the battered Rogram. "At least until we find a spot to rest."

As they start to move Karib turns briefly to Merric, "Good instinct. I'll try to hold my response next time we meet any animals, but ... spiders ..." he grimaces, "Even the little ones make me shudder, though I try to leave them alone."

Rachael glances to Rogram as well. "It would be nice to find somewhere at least reasonably dry. And free of spiders of course," she comments. "We can keep any eye out if anyone is need of a rest. It would be good to keep moving a bit in case anyone followed from the camp though."  She tries to keep on the trail of the footprints they had followed. Or at the very least stick to whatever seems a likely path.  And she will keep in mind finding a decent spot for a rest, at least once they've made a little bit of progress. (Survival: 16)

“So you can summon it at will? That’s a handy trick.”  Merric looks from Hono to the spirit. “I will call you Sparks then, and whether you understand or not, thank you for the help.”  Merric inclines his head toward Sparks. 

He glances back at Karib as he begins to move out. “Like I said, it doesn’t always work, but it is worth a try.  And everyone is a little creeped out by something, I am the same way with centipedes.  Way too many legs.”  He flashes a grin and turns his focus back to the trail.

Rogram uses prestidigitation to erase some of the party's footprints in the dirt. "I can try to hide our tracks," he comments. His efforts aren't producing much success — especially amid the carnage — but he is clearly happy to be contributing to the party's efforts. As they begin moving again, he continues for a while to attempt to hide their footprints.

"I've never seen an owlbear myself," he says, walking backward and speaking between castings, "but my uncle, Dorgol, has. Many times. He says they're fierce and cunning. One time he rode on an owlbear's back!" He pauses and scowls. "Well, that's what he said. Aunt Daniel said he's full of bluster, but he swears."

Finally, the half-dwarf gives up, turns around, and continues talking. "Ah ... Hono. Did your spirit find you, or did you find it?"

The spider silk from earlier still clings to you in places, refusing to go away completely. The colder air of the swamp begins to settle into your joints, the smell of rot and brine stronger the further you follow the trail. The trail winds through patches of higher ground, as it has since you departed the roadhouse, but just as much of the travel is through knee-deep stagnant water.

After an hour of this, your eyes are drawn to movement less than sixty feet away through the reeds and hanging moss. Six figures move quickly through the swamp in single file, almost crossing paths with you. They easily thread a narrow channel through the higher ground, their bipedal, lizard-like forms fluid in a way that makes your muck-covered boots look out of place. Their mottled brown and green, scaly skin almost camouflages them in the surrounding reeds. Each one carries a spear, a heavy club, a shield covered in spikes, or some combination of the three. They move with purpose, not speaking, heading deeper into the swamp, but not along the trail you have been following.

They do not seem to have noticed you, and they will not stay visible for long at their current pace.

Spotting the lizard-like creatures, Rachael comes to a halt, raising a hand to try to wordlessly get the others to do the same.  For the moment she tries to keep silent and out of sight, hopefully signaling to her companions to do the same. 

Rogram hunkers down and moves up beside Rachael. "We should follow them, right?"

Rachael shrugs to Rogram, though as the lizard-folk get a bit father she whispers, "Perhaps. It might be nice to know where they're going." 

Receiving what he perceives as assent from Rachael, and not wanting the lizardfolk to get too far away, Rogram immediately begins following as quietly as he can, but fast enough to keep up.

Conveniently yet unfortunately, the wild spirt curled up on itself and appearing to return to the flame in Hono's hand. At least the wild spirit light hadn't given them away, but Hono always hated seeing the spirit return, where it returns too. He follows up in the rear and nods in agreement to the idea that they should spy on the suspicious Lizardfolk.