Week 15
In the courthouse, the collapsed woman seems to be more than meets the eye - part woman, part spider, a Drider! She speaks, asking Sorrel who she’d like a meeting with. Talking normally for the most part, interspersed with creepy spider mannerisms.
Jaxzon and Sorrel ask about certain councillors that have gone missing. The drider does not have information, Jaxzon notices her slowly climbing the wall behind her, and readies a weapon. Jaxzon tries to organise a meeting instead of fighting, which surprises everyone.
Iliqua shakes Jaxzon’s coin purse, the drider stands taller and says she needs to talk to others to organise the meeting. The party move to give her room, she walks to the door and opens it - taking a bunch of arrows, falling unconcious or dead.
Jaxzon and Sorrel check to see if she’s actually dead, getting a look through the door to see that the barricade has been moved. Iliqua checks the body for loot, spots a small spider escaping from one of the arrow wounds.
Zer0 knocks on the door from where the arrows came from - shuffling sounds come from the room and a voice that says - “This is Dalton of the Phoenix Guard - friend or foe? How many of you are out there?”
Sorrel replies with the count and Dalton asks for people to enter one at a time. Jaxzon offers to go first, walks to the door and gets grabbed and pulled in. Several elves check him out, spotting that he’d been bitten, but not yet affected.
Dalton explains what he’s doing to Jaxzon. Zer0 goes next, and everyone jumps in surprise - Dalton asks Jaxzon if Zer0 is safe. An invisible Iliqua knocks on the door, temporarily confusing Dalton, but soon seeing through and making Iliqua drop the invisibility.
Iliqua gets checked in the same way as Jaxzon. Sorrel is subjected to the check as well. A short converstation brings information that two councillors are here, but three are dead and two others are in an unknown state.
A conversation about the change from humanoid to drider and how to spot it happening. The party is herded off to another room, a large metal, circular door. One of the guard motions to the door which opens in a circular method, the room beyond is a cavern, with several people inside both alive and dead.
The dead have been killed by physical means, often violent. Councillor (something) comes over to chat, the party state that they’re here to rescue him. The other known councillor is pointed out, looking extremely old, beyond the normal levels. Asked about the unknown councillors, an assumption of them being dead is given.
A short rest is taken, Zer0 attempts to examine the dead bodies, gets warned off by some of the guard. Jaxzon sharpens his axe, possibly in a phallic manner.
Zer0 stands behind Iliqua, Jaxzon does some fight prep, and a bit of praying. A conversation about heading out and getting back in is dependent on how many insects are with the party. A temporary curfew is set and the party sets off.
Iliqua goes out alone to scout, making a bunch of noise (nat 1 baby). The rest of party follow, with a 30 minute time limit given before the door is blocked for the night. No insects are seen in the building, but a vast amount of ants are spotted outside, along with flying insects upon the other buildings, and a very large insect nearby.
Iliqua opens the door and finds another cowering person. He asks if they’re a councillor, and if they’ve been attacked. The councillor appears to be in full panic mode, looking toward a corner of the room. Zer0 offers to go into the room to rescue the person, Jaxzon uses divine sense, finding nothing.
Zer0 enters the room, gets grabbed and pulled up and combat begins. Iliqua activates his bladesong and casts blur on himself, then enters the room, spotting three Ettercaps, and attempts to move to where the councillor is - he is held down by many small threads.
Sorrel walks in and asks Zer0 for a status check, attacks one of the Ettercaps in the corner, hitting with her mace and doing a small amount of damage. She also brings out her spiritual weapon next to the same monster, attacking, and doing similar damage.
Jaxzon walks in and uses his fear ability, affecting one of the three (holding Zer0), and moves to help Iliqua.
The ettercaps attack, one hitting Sorrel, causing some damage and poisoning her. An attempt to garrote misses her. A second ettercap attacks Zer0 but misses twice. The third drops to the ground and moves to attack Iliqua, also missing twice.
Zer0 attacks the one holding him, causing some damage, but staying grappled.
Iliqua attempts to cut the councillor from the web, succeeding and attempts to move him to the door. The ettercap nearby attempts to attack but misses.
Sorrel tries to toll the dead but fails, her spiritual weapon attacks and hits, causing a small amount of damage.
Jaxzon attacks the same ettercap that tried hitting Iliqua, using divine smite and causing a fair amount of damage, then uses Shield of Faith.
Alistair (councillor) tries to escape out the door, but Iliqua holds him back.
Sorrel’s ettercap spits but misses, Zer0’s one also misses. The third tries to spit web and garrote, but also misses.
Zer0 uses his swords dash ability, escaping the grapple and damaging two ettercaps. Several smashing sounds can be heard nearby.
Iliqua moves out of the room with the councillor, the ettercap attempts to grapple but misses. Lots of ants can be seen trying to enter the room. He directs Alistair to the door where the guard is waiting.
Sorrel’s spiritual weapon attacks the ettercap doing good damage, while she tries to run from the room, getting garotted and pulled back. An attempt to break the grapple succeeds, and she runs from the room.
Jaxzon attacks the nearby ettercap, hitting normally and nearly killing it. He then makes a dash for the door, almost getting out.
Alistair gets to the door and gets pulled in by the guard.
The ettercap by the door tries to attack Jaxzon but fails. A second ettercap gets out of the door, attacking Jaxzon but missing. The third tries attacking Zer0 and misses.
Zer0 attacks and kills one ettercap, tries to attack the one by the door but misses. Escaping the door attracts an attack of opportunity which misses. Some ants gain access to the room, the guard uses a special effect that flings fire against them.
Iliqua tries to firebolt an ant, but misses. He then casts booming blade, attacking the nearby ettercap, doing some good damage, and surrounding it in an aura. Misty step transports him nearer the door, movement gets him the rest of the way.
Sorrel’s spiritual weapon moves and attacks the ettercap outside, missing. Sorrel runs for the door and gives some guidance to the guard.
Jaxzon gets into a flanking spot, attacking and hitting. He then moves and avoids an attack of opportunity, preparing a javelin.
The frightened ettercap tries to move but cannot get closer, but tries to spit web, which fails. The other ettercap attacks Zer0, finally hitting twice.
Zer0 attacks and hits, tries to escape but can’t get out of the grapple. The ants appear to be making headway against the guards block. Things with wings can be heard getting closer.
Iliqua casts firebolt against the ettercap, but misses. A second firebolt hits, killing it.
Sorrel blesses Zer0, Jaxzon and herself, then moves back toward the door.
Jaxzon throws his javelin in a gangsta style hitting the ettercap by the door, doing some damage, but not killing it. He then moves closer to the door.
The remaining ettercap snarls and can’t do more. Zer0 dashes for the door, prompting the rest of the party to follow. Sorrel grabs the guard and pulls him in with her. The guard thanks her for saving his life, and organises a repayment of the life debt.
The guard re-enables the barricade, the party and the guard return to the cavern and partake in a long rest. The guard gives Sorrel a potion as payment for the life debt.