Familiar Matters Part 2

Log Info

• Title: Familiar Matters Part 2
• Emitter: Whirlpool
• Characters: Skielstregar, Barclaiigh, Ravenstongue, Shilde, Vaera, Lyme
• Place: Lower Markets, Sewers
• Time: December 29th, 2021
• Summary: The party has encountered a drider, a half spider, half person. Tension gets high as they try to talk about getting the pig familiar free from a cocoon. But just as they're about to inspect the other cocoons, a different party attacks the drider! Things get messy as some members try to free whatever is still alive in the cocoons, the drider dropping the light to being near impossible to see. The new party is blood thirsty and glory seeking, them getting angry at our party and accusing them of working with the drider. They try to subdue one of the party, but end up getting clocked into next week. Their resolve is tested, and the familiar rescuers are not happy in the slighest.

So, there you are.

Your search for a missing familiar, a hog in this case, has lead you into the sewers. Naturally. It stinks down here, and it wasn't long before you found the webbing. Anticipating giant spiders, you found yourself face to face with a bigger one.

.. with a humanoid torso. Like a centaur except with even more legs and also spider parts.

In any event, it's staring at you. Very much.

Skielstregar, a giant makari man with a flaky tarnished scales blinks twice at the sight before them.

He doesn't move. He barely even breaths. "... uhhhh..." he murmurs, glancing to the others.

Barclaiigh was hanging back while others chopped at the webbing, his arm folded up in a V with the lower half of his face stuffed into the pit of his elbow. "Mnt fhee 't rrrdeh." Mutters the grubby (and now stinky!) Khazad from the rearguard.

Calloused feet slap and squelch as he walks across the grime to have a better look, weaving his free, sausage-fingered hand. "H'lle," he greets through his arm, a little raspberry farty-noise slipping out whis his breath on the meat of his bicept.

Shilde spits to the side. "Abomination." She doesn't look very pleased, and her posture has shifted to something... not hostile. Tense, like a wound spring. But also restrained. She doesn't look at Barclaiigh when he openly greets the creature... a scowl, instead, directed at the spider man. But she does nod. 'Do y'understand us? We mean t'be going through here, lookin for a wee one. Best step out of the way.' <sylvan>

Ravenstongue stares at the spider-humanoid creature from her safe position in the back, her head craning over to Shilde's brief remark in Sylvan as her expression changes to that of recognition and a bit of surprise. "Yes, we mean you no harm!" she reiterates in tradespeak, before saying it again in sildanyar: "We mean you no harm! We are just looking for a little pig." <Sildanyari>

Vaera was remaining back near the group, keeping out of the way of the webs that formed. her thunderbelcher was tucked under one arm as they regard the creature. "I do not know if it is friendly, but it is worth speaking with it perhaps. Just make sure none sneak up on us while we do so." She warns.

"...mmmmmmmmm...."

A low, rumbling hum comes from it. It seems to understand you well enough, but given the tension, the way it hunches down and stares at Shilde in particular, it's clear it's not happy about the intrusion, or the 'abomination' threat.

A bit of venom drips down on of the mandibles on its face.

That hum turns into a rattling hiss.

Skielstregar rumbles back in a similar manner, his dead eyes squinting as a hand tightens its grip on his halberd. "... we need passst you. Pleassse step aside," he politely warns, shifting slightly to be in front of Shilde.

"I... only have berries and mushrooms," Barclaiigh announces after taking a breath from inside his arm and then pulling his face away. "Do you like berries or mushrooms?"

The Khazad sets the back of his hand against his mouth and asks his companions in a stage whisper, "Does anyone have flies?" A glance up and down the so-called abomination before he amends "a LOT of flies?"

"Please, we really need to get going. It'd be a lot of trouble for everyone here if we came to blows. Just need to find a pig that's been lost down here. In and out, easy adventure, five minutes tops. Promise!" Ravenstongue says. She reaches into her pockets and holds out a big loaf of berry bread, which makes Pothy's eyes go wide on her shoulder. "A gift for our safe passage? If you'd like?" <Sildanyari>

"Snacks," Pothy says sadly, hanging his head a little. First his mistress wastes her time (*his* snack time) looking for another familiar, and now he has to have his snacks taken *away* from him? Why, cruel world, why!?

"I do not know if they will be friendly or not." Vaera chuffs as she looks between the back and the creature. "Those fangs are likely venomous, do not allow yourself to get hurt by them."

"We are here for the animal you have cocooned there. If you can let us leave with them, we will be on our way. And, do you know what may have caused the street to collapse?"

"Yes," agrees the spider-creature.

".../snacks/."

The cocoons in the background, several of htem wiggle as their contents struggle.

"Hey!" The golden haired druied starts as her vision gets mostly filled by the intrusion of the massive sith-makar. She makes like to spit again, then stops herself, instead trying to sidestep back around Skeilstregar. Then gives up. "Wonder how many children this thing's et, eh? Don't think flies'n bread are gonna do much fer it." As the cocooned forms wriggle, she pulls the cudgel from her belt.

Ravenstongue blanches as she sees the wiggling cocoons. She growls a little. "Nevermind. Let's go," she whispers, low enough for the others to hear. She holds her hands up, ready to sling spells.

Skielstregar growls, him glancing back as Shilde tries to see past him before looking back to the half spider thing. "... it will eat no more..."

Spear tip of the halberd angles downward, parallel to the ground.

GAME: Barclaiigh rolls Perception: (1)+10: 11 (EPIC FAIL)
GAME: Barclaiigh rolls Knowledge/Nature: (15)+9: 24

"You seek something from my stock. What is it?"

There is a loud squealing from one of the cocooons.

That'd be the one you seek, naturally.

It's looking pretty unhappy that you're here, but so far none of the cocoons have screamed for hep, unless you count the hog.

Barclaigh gets a look from the creature. Then its eyes sweep over the rest of you again. It's definitely being guarded, waiting for a specific answer.

For the moment.

Lyme points towards the squealing bundle. "The pig. That's why we're here." He should never play cards.

Skiel is about to say something, but his maw snaps shut with a 'click'. A dead silver eye squints at Lyme.

Ravenstongue just waits, still posed in a combat-ready position. She doesn't seem to think this is ending any way other than violence. Better to be prepared than to not be.

"You can not take animals from people without clearing it with them first. Just because it was wandering around, does not mean it is up for grabs for your own property." Vaera sighs. It was a very frustrating rule that got more than one swiftclaw into trouble in the city. "We will take them back with us. And likely we will need to determine what else is stored here."

It's many eyes take on a glint of confusion. Pig. What is a pig.

The squeals make it pause.

It moseys over towards the coccoon and then proceeds to split it open, releasing the hat-wearing pig out of it, which scurries over to you and hides behind you quickly as soon as it can.

The creature gives a flat look in your directions, as if to say 'is this enough for you to leave me alone'.

Shilde's gaze follows the pig until its well out of the spider man's reach, then looks back up at the creature... from behind and around Skielstregar.. with slightly squinting eyes. Then she shrugs. "Well, we got what we came for." For having been so hostile, she sure seems ready to consider the matter settled.

GAME: Vaera rolls perception+2: (17)+10+2: 29
GAME: Vaera rolls knowledge/nature: (16)+5: 21
GAME: Skielstregar rolls perception: (7)+8: 15
GAME: Skielstregar rolls knowledge/nature: (3)+2: 5
GAME: Shilde rolls perception: (18)+10: 28

<OOC> Whirlpool says, "It doesn't /appear/ so, but some of them are large enough to contain it easily. They not obvously bipedal in shape, however."

Ravenstongue looks around nervously. "So... Are we leaving then?" she asks. She's not keen on staying down here any longer than she has to.

Skielstreagr squints som, looking to and fro before taking a half step back from where they came after confirmingly the little piggy was, indeed, coming all the way home. "... thisss one thinksss so...?"

GAME: Skielstregar rolls perception: (17)+8: 25
GAME: Shilde rolls perception: (6)+10: 16
GAME: Ravenstongue rolls Perception: (5)+4: 9
GAME: Lyme rolls perception: (13)+4: 17
GAME: Vaera rolls perception +2: (14)+10+2: 26

Vaera sighs, and gestures the pig back, but she crosses her arms when they arrive. "Thank you, but you must understand, all like your sort who wish to stay in Alexandria must be registered with the guards here. And they must abide by various rules from what I have heard. I have familiarized myself with various rules for those living here, for the work."

She gestures to the larger cocoons with her hands. "I am sorry, but we will need to see what is going on with those larger cocoons. Please show us what is within them.

There's a sound, coming from down the other way opposite the entry you came from.

It's one of those coincidences, you know? The Guild operates on a pretty free-wheeling way, with different mercenaries working on different things. Sometimes, those things come to the same place.

It's why you have the chacne to dive for cover as the fireball explodes on the spider-creature, setting it alight along with burning the webs on either side of it.

It screeches, of course, and staggers forward.

The clanging of blades can be heard as a figure in plate armor runs down through the webs, as they barely seem to touch them, and he leaps at the drider to drive his twin blades into it.

"DIE, MONSTER," he yells.

"Sogladyou're here to help! Thanks for distracting the beast!"

A half-elven girl suddenly appears and dances forward, slashing at the drider with twin daggers, wounding him further.

Marginally. They're daggers. It hurts, but he's quite large.

"C'mere, pig," Shilde says, stepping backwards, then kneeling to scoop up the cosplaying pig and straightens. "Not sure we need t'be here anymore," she comments to the others.

"BACK FEL CREATURE!" yells a tiny halfling that just arrived with the other adventurers. The webs are on fire. There are squirming things in some of the coccoons. These adventurers don't even seem slightly concerned. if you'd been a minute later, your pig friend might have been bacon.

"IN THE NAME OF ANGORON, I DEMAND YOU ... DIE!"

... the light suddenly dims deeply in here. Very deeply. To the point of blindness.

"Bugger," says one of the other adventurers.

Ravenstongue runs up until the point where the light is suddenly dead. "Shit," she says before she can even think. Time for plan... C. Or D.

GAME: Vaera rolls perception +2: (17)+10+2: 29

Vaera grumbles when the beast is jumped by the adventurers that are likely behind them getting such a bad name. "WE WERE JUST SPEAKING WITH THEM!" She shouts at the group, before she notices the fire spreading to the cocoons. "Did you stop to read the situation at all? There may be people in these things!"

Vaera ducks past the melee, and fumbles for a knife from her coat, to begin tearing open one of them before the turned into a makeshift roasting pan.

"Fear not! The fire will light up the room!"

And then wizard is casting again. Seems *they* definitely don't care about the animals, or that you're even here! A jet of flame can be *felt* but the darklness seems to swallow it whole.

GAME: Skielstregar rolls perception: (14)+8: 22

Skielstregar staggers back from the sudden onslaught of violence. His building anger shifts from the half spider, to the new party. And then everything goes dark, his dead eyes barely able to pick up shifting shadows and movement. The rage builds, but he has a tighter leash on it this time around. "DAFT FOOLSSS! There might be PEOPLE in these COCOONS!" he roars at them before bounding off to a set of cocoons, a dagger in hand as he tries to carefully cut them open before they burn.

The bronze/silver scale pulls out something, his eyes widening at the tentacled creature. ".... uhhhhh there's SOMETHING STILL ALIVE IN HERE!" he yells back.

It is now Swordsmen's turn! Sneaky Lass is next!

There is the sound of fighting from within, a groan of pain and then a crackling hisss from the drider. T hose with darkvision have a clearer sense of the swordsmen and the drider fighting, exchanging blows.

The drider seems to be eager to get the heck out of dodge.

"What? Well... get them out of here, then, and don't you dare try to take our kill!"

<OOC> Ravenstongue says, "Magic Missile-ing the drider." GAME: Ravenstongue rolls 2d4+1: (8)+2: 10

"Politely go roll in a ditch and expire," Ravenstongue hisses, as Sylvan is a language that is impossible to convey the true vulgarity of cursing. The others can get the webbed people out. She doesn't even particularly care about the glory. She just wants that thing dead so it doesn't harm anyone else, and if the adventurers don't grow a few more brain cells, they might be next. She sends two magic darts at the drider. As always... They find their mark. <Sylvan>

"DOWN, FOUL CRATURE! MAY YOU BE RETURNED FROM THE PIT FROM WHENCE YOU SPAWNED!"

The cleric is casting a spell, it would appear..

... "...bring down the holy FLAMES upon you!"

The drider is doing his level best to get aside of the HOLY PILLAR OF FLAME that *explodes* where it was mere moments ago.

Seems they aren't really listening to you.

"..oi! WSAs that a magical missile? What did we say about trying to STEAL OUR KILL?"

The wizard sounds incensed. "Boss, should I put these lurkers under? Maybe they were consorting with the creature! They did say it was involved in exotic meat smuggling."

Oh boy.

Lyme curses quietly and profusely under his breath, then readies his falchion as he backs up towards Shilde. He peers into the gloom, eyes faintly glowing. He does try to zero in on the sound of the wizard's voice, and hisses to Shilde: "If it all goes to shit, save the pig."

GAME: Vaera rolls perception+2: (10)+10+2: 22

Vaera manages to free something from the cocoon, and she stops and holds onto something. "Be still, and do not bite." She requests, before she turns to the next one to see what could be done. "Stay your blades! Just who is telling you about meat smugglers in Alexandria?""

GAME: Skielstregar rolls intimidate: (16)+9: 25 GAME: Skielstregar rolls perception: (7)+8: 15

Skielstregar as to pull away as he holds the foul smelling tentacle creature in his hand, close to him. His nose crinkles. Now there's shouts of glory stealing, turn coating and potentially a new fight on their hands.

The half-undead man was getting angry.

A pair of red eyes glint through the darkness for the briefest of moments.

"We care not for your kill, but watch where you sssling your magicsss or I will rip your LIMBS OFF AND BEAT YOU WITH IT!" he roars at them.

"....they must be working with the drider, or else they'd be fighting it with us. Quick, subdue them with your magics, wizard!"

.. oh boy, now you have them to worry about, as the drider?

...well ...

The drider is taking this turn in their attention to VANISH.

He is very good at vanishing.

GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+11: (7)+9: 16 GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d4+2d6: (1)+(6): 7 GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d6: (6): 6 GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+11: (15)+11: 26 GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d100: (39): 39 <OOC> Whirlpool says, "Skiel, you are tripped by a pair of bolas that wrap around your feet!"

Despite the darkness, Skiel's yelling makes it an easy guess as to where he's at. Skiel has a pair of bolas around his feet that leave him hitting the ground with a thunderous crash.

"Right. You're down. Stawy put while we disable your friends, we've got a few BONES to pick with the lot of you!"

The half-elf is thrilled with this turn of events. More fighting.

GAME: Ravenstongue casts Glitterdust. Caster Level: 4 DC: 16
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+5: (6)+5: 11
<OOC> Whirlpool says, "The rogue is blind"
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+6: (19)+6: 25
<OOC> Whirlpool says, "The fighter is not!"

"I think you're the only ones getting disabled," Ravenstongue mutters as she points her hand up and a cloud of sparkly dust settles onto the rogue and the fighter enemies. They are now much easier to spot in the melee.

"Lies! You'll pay for that! May the divine strength of Angoron flow through the veins of my comrades," booms the improbably deep voiced halfling.

GAME: Vaera rolls spellcraft: (12)+6: 18 GAME: Skielstregar rolls spellcraft: (10)+5: 15 GAME: Ravenstongue rolls Spellcraft: (6)+8: 14

"..angoron's strength in their veins, in their blades. May his power grant them victory!"

His holy symbol cuts through the darkness in the briefest of moments and the ground seems to groan beneath your feet, as if the god of strength had briefly trod upon it.

<OOC> Vaera says, "I'm going to use my action to undo the bola on Skiel"

Vaera growls as she hears something sailing by in the air, only to find that it was some manner of bola around Skielstregar's legs. She crouches down to undo it, quickly, before she is back on her feet. "They are using divine magic to fight better!" She shouts to the others. "IF I HEAR THE SOUND OF ANY OF YOU FIGHTING US, THEN THIS THUNDERBELCHER ROUND GOES THROUGH YOUR SKULLS, IF IT CAN GET THROUGH THE THICKNESS OF IT."

GAME: Lyme rolls 1d20+11+2-4: (7)+11+2+-4: 16 (nonlethal charge)

Lyme goes barreling forwards, bringing the pommel of his sword up to smash into the mouth of the wi-- and it deflects away on wards that pulse suddenly with energy. "Fuck."

GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d100: (17): 17

"Gyah, go down will you?!" yells the wizard as he skitters back, blasting Lyme with a ray of sickly, green energy. Or at least he tries to. It goes wide.

GAME: Skielstregar rolls weapon12-4: (20)+12+-4: 28 (THREAT)
GAME: Skielstregar rolls weapon12-4: (18)+12+-4: 26
GAME: Skielstregar rolls damage12+6+damage12+6+damage12+6: aliased to 1d10+9+6+1d10+9+6+1d10+9+6: (5)+9+6+(3)+9+6+(1)+9+6: 54 (Nonlethal)

Skielstregar snarls as someone approaches, but sees it is his redscaled friend. He gives a thankful chuff towards her, and he grunts getting up to his feet, and grips his halberd in both hands.

"Are you ssstupid? What did we sssay..."

He shoves the rogue with his foot, knocking them off kilter as he winds his halberd up. "About fighting..."

The entirety of Skielstregar's massive weight twists into this swing with such force that there's a loud >>CRACK!<< that echoes in the chamber, and the rogue is baseball batted. They sail out a few feet in the air, only to crumble to a heap on the ground.

"US!"

He turns to the rest of the enemy party. His eyes grow wide, he starts to drip black ichor from his maw and his scales. "STAND DOWN OR THISSS ONE WILL BEAT YOU WITH YOUR FRIEND'S UNCONSCIOUS CORPSE!"

GAME: Skielstregar rolls intimidate: (11)+9: 20

"...Briiff! Tend to her wounds! I'll take ... that BEAST," says the swordsmen, his sword tips trembling in the dark as he sees what violence Skiel visited upon his friend.

"You'll pay for that. You'll pay for that when I even the scales."

Did ... did he just make a joke?

He's trying, okay?

-End Scene-