"Southeast? And what direction is town from here?" Shayne asks. He'd navigate via the stars only he never quite learned how to do that. And it's daytime so there are no stars... "But sure. A tweet is as reliable as anything else. Or so I've heard..."
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
In response to Shayne's comment Eric replies "Don't believe every tweet you hear. Most of them are full of bird brain comments. As for what lies to the southeast, yes, home lies almost due southeast from here. Could be that the bird considers US to be dangerous."He looks towards Tilford and studies the area in hope of finding some small clue. "If I've got my bearings right, it may even be something on the path where the stone was found. I'm pretty sure that path lead southeast from the wagon."
"Either way I think it deserves further investigation. If it is something other than the townsfolk, we should find out and warn everyone."
Sarcasm was not known to Alyna, so she just nodded and followed the ranger and the city boy down the south path, expecting it to turn east toward the unknown danger.
The party hikes for fifteen minutes or so, and comes into a broad meadow of grass, wildflowers, and brambles. A sluggish, shallow stream bisects the broad meadowlands; most likely the same creek that spills out of the southern edge of the forest to join the River Rill in the marshes upstream from Rillford.
Three trails lead out of this broad grassy patch, one across the water and running west, one east, and one south. Taking the southern trail, your party goes toward the southeast as the long, shady trail wends through the towering trees. After walking for well over an hour, you find a branch heading north. Time drags on. You hear birds and scampering beasts, but see no large creatures and no obvious signs of the missing miller.
Continuing east as the shadows slowly thicken over what feels like hours of hiking, you come to a place where what looks like strings or ropes hang across the trail from tree to tree...
No, not ropes. Webs. Finger-thick coarse silk. The webbing runs into the trees on either side of the path, at least thirty feet. You could go around it by leaving the game trail. Small shapes hang in the weave: birds and squirrels, some dried and shrunken in death, others still struggling feebly.
(Map update showing new clearing and trails coming soon. But this was as far SE as you could take the trails, and the path is now blocked unless you go around. So I'm pausing here. Act as you please.)
"Ok, we are going back now, this is clearly the wrong trail." Alyna was not truly arachnophobic (nor familiar with the word) she just did not like spiders very much. Especially spiders that could produce web that thik.
"But the miller may have gone down the wrong trail," Shayne said with what he hoped was a reassuring smile. "Maybe we rescue a couple of the animals still squirming and you do your talking to them thing? Besides, how big can a spider possibly be?"
"At least you did not suggest to talk to the spiders," sighed Alyna, realising Shayne was serious about going forward. She made one last attempt. "Imagine the biggest spider you ever saw. Now remember it's web - you can hardly see it, right? Look again at those ropes for the web and think of the size of the monsters that left it here."Alyna sighed again. "May be if we are very-very careful?..." She did not move forward, though.
Xylys looks at the others as though they were crazy, “I’m not going down that way any further,” he shudders visibly. “If he went that way he’s probably hanging a tree being sucked dry by a ‘little’ spider. This is obviously the wrong way, at least I am fairly certain of that.”
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Panic is a mechanism that strengthens the gene pool.
"I certainly don't wantto go down this way. But we've not heard from the miller, that suggests he went down a way we likely don't want to go. If he is in trouble we've gotten ourselves assigned the job of rescuing... or recovering,' Shayne answers. "Werthan very well could be hanging from a tree awaiting being some Gorcrow-sized spider's meal... But isn't that why we've been sent out?"
Shayne approaches the webs. Not close enough to entangle himself in them, just enough to make a point. "That animal there is still alive. As is that one... If they are, perhaps Werthan the miller is as well. He's much larger and thus, I assume, would take longer to be fed upon?"
"I get it. This path is gross. Scary. Dirty. Totally not what any of us want to be doing... But if we're not willing to step into the scary places, well then I guess we might as well just go home then."
“Feces, dung, cow pie, excrement and plain old turds! Well, let’s at least try and take these things on one at a time.” Xylys is definitely not happy. “We are the cavalry, but I don’t want any of us to end up as bug food.”
Shayne was right, of course. Alyna swallowed and stepped forward. "Whatever you do - do not touch the web! Not every string is sticky but spider will feel the touch to any of them." The girl brushed away the - very understandable if fleeting - wish to light a torch and made another step.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
"Are we preceding in? No talking to the trapped but live critters first?" Shayne asked, but will head inside if no talking to critters is going to happen.
"We either free them - and call upon us spiders right now, or leave them. They are panicking and can only beg for help." Alyna stopped and looked at Shayne with a new interest "If you you are willing to fight for their life or can think of a way to yank them out of the web - I will help."
"Southeast? And what direction is town from here?" Shayne asks. He'd navigate via the stars only he never quite learned how to do that. And it's daytime so there are no stars... "But sure. A tweet is as reliable as anything else. Or so I've heard..."
In response to Shayne's comment Eric replies "Don't believe every tweet you hear. Most of them are full of bird brain comments. As for what lies to the southeast, yes, home lies almost due southeast from here. Could be that the bird considers US to be dangerous." He looks towards Tilford and studies the area in hope of finding some small clue. "If I've got my bearings right, it may even be something on the path where the stone was found. I'm pretty sure that path lead southeast from the wagon."
"Either way I think it deserves further investigation. If it is something other than the townsfolk, we should find out and warn everyone."
Survival 8
"Sounds like a plan to me," Shayne says, picking up Fammy and plopping her down atop his backpack so she could ride for a spell.
"You two coming?" he asks Alyna and Xylys. "Don't lag behind or the Gorcrow will get ya!"
Sarcasm was not known to Alyna, so she just nodded and followed the ranger and the city boy down the south path, expecting it to turn east toward the unknown danger.
Meili Liang Lvl 5 Monk
Dice
9
4
The party hikes for fifteen minutes or so, and comes into a broad meadow of grass, wildflowers, and brambles. A sluggish, shallow stream bisects the broad meadowlands; most likely the same creek that spills out of the southern edge of the forest to join the River Rill in the marshes upstream from Rillford.
Three trails lead out of this broad grassy patch, one across the water and running west, one east, and one south. Taking the southern trail, your party goes toward the southeast as the long, shady trail wends through the towering trees. After walking for well over an hour, you find a branch heading north. Time drags on. You hear birds and scampering beasts, but see no large creatures and no obvious signs of the missing miller.
Continuing east as the shadows slowly thicken over what feels like hours of hiking, you come to a place where what looks like strings or ropes hang across the trail from tree to tree...
No, not ropes. Webs. Finger-thick coarse silk. The webbing runs into the trees on either side of the path, at least thirty feet. You could go around it by leaving the game trail. Small shapes hang in the weave: birds and squirrels, some dried and shrunken in death, others still struggling feebly.
(Map update showing new clearing and trails coming soon. But this was as far SE as you could take the trails, and the path is now blocked unless you go around. So I'm pausing here. Act as you please.)
"Ok, we are going back now, this is clearly the wrong trail." Alyna was not truly arachnophobic (nor familiar with the word) she just did not like spiders very much. Especially spiders that could produce web that thik.
Meili Liang Lvl 5 Monk
Dice
"But the miller may have gone down the wrong trail," Shayne said with what he hoped was a reassuring smile. "Maybe we rescue a couple of the animals still squirming and you do your talking to them thing? Besides, how big can a spider possibly be?"
"At least you did not suggest to talk to the spiders," sighed Alyna, realising Shayne was serious about going forward. She made one last attempt. "Imagine the biggest spider you ever saw. Now remember it's web - you can hardly see it, right? Look again at those ropes for the web and think of the size of the monsters that left it here." Alyna sighed again. "May be if we are very-very careful?..." She did not move forward, though.
Meili Liang Lvl 5 Monk
Dice
Xylys looks at the others as though they were crazy, “I’m not going down that way any further,” he shudders visibly. “If he went that way he’s probably hanging a tree being sucked dry by a ‘little’ spider. This is obviously the wrong way, at least I am fairly certain of that.”
Panic is a mechanism that strengthens the gene pool.
"I certainly don't want to go down this way. But we've not heard from the miller, that suggests he went down a way we likely don't want to go. If he is in trouble we've gotten ourselves assigned the job of rescuing... or recovering,' Shayne answers. "Werthan very well could be hanging from a tree awaiting being some Gorcrow-sized spider's meal... But isn't that why we've been sent out?"
Shayne approaches the webs. Not close enough to entangle himself in them, just enough to make a point. "That animal there is still alive. As is that one... If they are, perhaps Werthan the miller is as well. He's much larger and thus, I assume, would take longer to be fed upon?"
"I get it. This path is gross. Scary. Dirty. Totally not what any of us want to be doing... But if we're not willing to step into the scary places, well then I guess we might as well just go home then."
“Feces, dung, cow pie, excrement and plain old turds! Well, let’s at least try and take these things on one at a time.” Xylys is definitely not happy. “We are the cavalry, but I don’t want any of us to end up as bug food.”
Panic is a mechanism that strengthens the gene pool.
Shayne was right, of course. Alyna swallowed and stepped forward. "Whatever you do - do not touch the web! Not every string is sticky but spider will feel the touch to any of them." The girl brushed away the - very understandable if fleeting - wish to light a torch and made another step.
Meili Liang Lvl 5 Monk
Dice
Even proceeding with care, entering the area without disturbing the webs will be challenging.
DEX checks for everybody going in, please. DC 15
Alyna Dex check: 13
Meili Liang Lvl 5 Monk
Dice
(Xylys will lay down on the path and make his DEX - just kidding)
DEX 8
Panic is a mechanism that strengthens the gene pool.
"Are we preceding in? No talking to the trapped but live critters first?" Shayne asked, but will head inside if no talking to critters is going to happen.
Dex Check 21 (Just check, not save, yes?)
"We either free them - and call upon us spiders right now, or leave them. They are panicking and can only beg for help." Alyna stopped and looked at Shayne with a new interest "If you you are willing to fight for their life or can think of a way to yank them out of the web - I will help."
Meili Liang Lvl 5 Monk
Dice