Vagrant Tower - Spectral Labyrinth

Log Info

• Title: Vagrant Tower - Spectral Labyrinth
  
• GM: Subduction
• Characters: Elisabeth, Eztli, Rune, Harkashan
  
• Location: Vagrant Tower
  
• Summary: Some months ago a group of adventurers had a harrowing encounter in the drifting ruins of an ancient magus' tower drifting between the planes. The society of scholars have been pouring over and translating the tomes recovered from this foray through the portal, but there has not been word from the forward camp in some time and the guild of explorers have grown concerned that something has gone awry. As such, a group of adventurers is to be dispatched to investigate.

It has been a couple of months since the first foray into the unstable portal, a portal to a place dubbed by researches as the Vagrant Tower, took place. Following a rather explosive rescue operation to retreive a umber of stranded adventurers from a tumbling and seemingly doomed segment of tower adrift in the astral ocean, it has been decided that further exploration efforts had better wait until the researchers can learn more about the portal, its destination, and how to vouchsafe further exploration.

That was some weeks ago. And regular reports have been detailing the slow but steady process of translating the books and scrolls found by the first time into more modern tongues, that their knowledge could be turned towards discovering more about the vagrant tower. So called because of its transient nature, drifting between the planes. However, the latest report is well past due, and concerns grow that the researches have befallen some ill fate. While they did have a handfull of sellswords to guard their research camp, the guild of explorers felt it prudent to dispatch a band of fairly experienced adventurers to look into the matter- after all, sellswords are fine for brigands and wild beasts, but there are more esoteric threats they are ill prepared to handle.

As such, a caravan relays the team towards the site. Upon drawing nearer, though, it soon becomes clear something strange is afoot. Shimmering walls of ethereal light form rough shapes. The caravan stops well back from the unexpected vista- there should, according to the reports, be a simple crater here with the portal at its center, and tents ringing it. None of that can be seen- instead, the shimmering force, which seems to be clearest in the periphery- waning and shifting when one tries to look directly at it- appears to be a ring of walls surrounding where the crater once was.

GAME: Harkashan refreshes spells.
<OOC> Subduction says, "Common knowledge about the Vagrant Tower is that the first group of adventurers accessed it using a magical portal which appeared out of the blue one day. The portal lead them to a fragment of a wizards tower floating on the edge of the plane of air."
<OOC> Subduction says, "The fragment they visited tumbled into one of the world-sized storms that forever rage in the elemmental plane of air, and in doing so seemed to bolster the energies of the portal."

Elisabeth hasn't been in town but for a day or two when she learns of problems at some research site, involving portals to other planes. Being as the assistance of adventurers with experience have been called for, she's chosen to make herself part of it.

On arrival at the site, she frowns. "Can anyone make an educated guess as to what's going on here?", she wonders of the others also present as she looks at the shimmering walls of energy.

Mysterious towers with a tie to other planes. Harkashan can't help but feel a bit intrigued. He was around in the Alexandrian area the last time that people entered the Vagrant Tower, but he wasn't experienced enough to join the expedition at the time. But he'd kept an ear out for the rumors about them.

Now that there's another chance to enter, he's jumped on the 'wagon' so to say to join the new expedition. But the fact that things have gone silent since, has drawn him particularly to this.

Stepping out of the caravan, with the shimmering walls already in view, Harkashan rumbles; "Something odd is afoot." While the red markings on his body glimmer more notably than normal. Strange lava-like patterns sliding across his body as he adjusts his buckler and touches a spell over it.

"Let's get a bit closer to get an idea of what is going on. But stick close to me. If we get stuck, I have a way to get us out. But if we get separated, this can become a larger problem." He rumbles.

He then looks to Eztli for a moment, smiling at the smol one. "Glad you could join us once again, Kin." Then, to Elizabeth; "And it seems we meet again rather soon. How is it to be back in the area again like this?"

The last time there were explorations into the Vagrant Tower, Rune had still been only newly returned to Alexandria. Enough so that she hadn't taken on very many more advanced missions from the Guild at the time. Even so, stories had reached her ears. Rune loves stories, and this place seems like it holds many tales and mysteries.

So, with the possibility of getting to see more of the strange forces that influence Ea, Rune had decided to accompany the group going to help with the problem of the missing researchers. However, unlike others, she has no set expectations as to what they might encounter. The fact that others may recognize it as unusual, only has her tilting her head, "When are things /not/ odd in Ea?" She smirks.

The rogue falls into step next to the lava-scaled Makari, rolling her shoulders to loosen them. "I'm betting this falls more under your strengths than mine, but... we'll have to see. If nothing else, it's fascinating magic."

Eztli wasn't available last time the tower had been rediscovered, or rather, a portal leading to where it was. When the call went out again however, she was quick to jump on the chance for more work that others may not be capable of handling. She wasn't entirely sure she was, but worth a try, wasn't it?

The small makari readjusted her robes as the caravan came to a stop and the small makari hops down.

"Not nearly enough information save for second hand accounts to make an assumption on what is on the other side, but as for this? Give me a moment, maybe I'll figure it out." She answers the cleric, before grinning to Harkashan. "Well, happy to help out you know, Hark. Hoping this goes a bit smoother than the last one but not expecting anything, so I'm prepared for what we might find!"

<OOC> Eztli will activate detect magic and investigate the phenomenon
GAME: Eztli casts Detect Magic. Caster Level: 8 DC: 15
GAME: Harkashan casts Magic Vestment. Caster Level: 9 DC: 18

With a nod of her head, Elisabeth awknowledges Harkashan and the greeting he offers, glancing to the others she's also previously met to include them in the gesture. "It feels... familiar, actually. Alexandria, its surrounds, and those from the city seem to always find more than their fair share of interesting events", she verbally replies to his question, gesturing with one hand at what's in front of the group, after she's taken a moment to get her shield properly situated on her arm as she steps over closer to Harkashan. With Eztli having cast a spell, clearly one meant to gain information about what's before them, she waits a few moments before asking, "... have you learnt anything?", of the caster.

The Caravaner's horses are clearly perturbed by the scene- as is the caravaner himself. He struggles to keep the nervous horses still, and he himself finds his gaze darting about the place. "I do- the horses don't like this. I'll pull back a ways." he tells the adventurers as he struggles somewhat with the reigns. Being a guild contractor, he's an old hand at wrangling frightened horses though, and manages to get the caravan turned around and heading back down the path- away from the spooky visage.

While focusing on the walls is difficult because of their shifting nature, in the corners of ones vision they sometimes look entirely corporeal and rather mundane- blocks of well quarried, square granite, mortared. But trying to take a closer look at them is like trying to chase the floating shadows in ones eyes. They always seem to be just at the periphery. Glimpses of other things can be caught occasionally as the group draw nearer. Strands of silk shimmering in colors that are difficult to describe, colors which do not- can not- exist in the material plane, draped between nooks and crags in the etherial walls.

The unsettled movements of the horses cause one pointed ear to twitch in their direction, Rune's blue eyes taking in the driver with a nod of understanding. "Take care of yourself and your horses, first. If we don't return in a reasonable amount of time, carry word back for us to the Guild."

Then, she reaches underneath her shirt and pulls out an amulet that appears to be wrapped in dusky blue scales. As her hand moves over it, those scales seem to appear across the rogue's visible cheeks and on the forearm of her bare, tattooed arm. Then, it is tucked away again as she reaches to unsheath the two blades from their scabbards along her back.

"Certainly have never seen anything like this. It reminds me a bit of Telamon's teleportations. As if someone splattered every paint that exists and some that don't onto a canvas." She lingers slightly back from the spellcasters, likely knowing all too well that this is not something that can be solved by 'stabbing things'. At least not directly, anyways.

While she waits for the caster to give whatever more information she's able to glean with her magicks, Elisabeth reaches into a pouch and pulls out a ring. "Rune", she says to the rogue, stepping over to offer it over. "Put this on. If worst comes to worst, it will allow me to call for Daeus' favor and shield you from harm." The ring is made of platinum; while it's a simple enough band, it's well-crafted and seems worth a fair amount of money. "I will, of course, be asking for its return once our mission is complete."

The small makari snaps her fingers with a quick word growled in draconic, causing their eyes to glow with a fiery orange light for a split second before vanishing. Followed by a long moment of staring at the phenomenon with one claw tapping one of their horns. "It's hard to get an exact feeling on what's going on here. Doesn't help that there are a bunch of different things going on here, as well." Eztli muses. "Biggest thing is some sort of teleportation magic, and a powerful effect at that, given none of this really belongs here, but it is still present regardless. Can't pinpoint an exact time, some of it's new, some of it is older, couple hours at most, but some of it is, new? Something is still active, I guess."

The sorceress glances to Rune, and tilts their head. "Huh. Is that the amulet you've got there Rune, or do you have some dragon blood in you?" The artificer wonders aloud. "Sorry for prying, but it's something I know a bit about, I guess."

GAME: Eztli casts Mage Armor. Caster Level: 8 DC: 16

"I guess the biggest concern from what we were told, is that this looks to be a fair bit bigger of a portal than what we were expecting to see, right?" Rune asks, making sure that she isn't completely off the mark there. Not being versed in magic means that it is very hard to guage what is normal and what is not.

The sound of her name and the approach of Elisabeth has her brows lifting. Then, the rogue gives a soft laugh before pulling off one of her gloves, revealing that she has a very similar platinum ring. There's a small flick of her eyes towards the lava-scaled Makari, "He gave me this one a few months ago. You're welcome to use it as a spell focus if you'd like." She is very much familiar with the spell in question, it seems.

Eztli's question gets a slight nod, "It's a defensive amulet that Alaryn crafted for me. I wanted it to be fashioned after Makari scales since I consider most Makari closer than my own blood-kin."

GAME: Harkashan rolls Knowledge/The Planes+Ancestor+OtherworldlyKnowledge: aliased to Knowledge/The Planes+2+2: (10)+8+2+2: 22
GAME: Eztli rolls knowledge/arcana: (7)+8: 15
GAME: Rune rolls knowledge/the planes: (11)+4: 15

Harkashan rumbles a sound. He's been quietly watching all of this. The walls, the strange shimmering. He then snorts his nose a bit, and begins to just walk forward. No words, hand forward, reaching out at the wall and... tries to just walk through without explaining anything. There's this kind of 'far-off' expression Rune is used to seeing on him from time to time. Those red markings on his body glowing. But he has more control now.

Elisabeth nods, smiling a bit at what Rune shows her. "To best of my knowledge, the blessing best takes when the rings are meant as a pair. Yours is meant as a pair with the one he wears, not with the other of this set. We can try it using your ring as the other part of the focus, but I've never tried with a ring not specifically made as a match for the one I already wear under my gauntlet", she says, leaving the choice to Rune.

And Harkashan passes right through the wall- he doesn't disappear entirely from view, more- like the walls- he becomes difficult to focus on, visible in stolen glances but not a determined stare.

For his part, Harkashan finds himself standing in a curving hallway, the walls made of blocks of grey-blue granite. The hallway coils around to his right, and a narrower passageway lays directly ahead. And now the outside world is still visible to him- but like the walls when he looked from without, the world around appears as fleeting glimpses at the edge of awareness. He knows his companions are behind him, but should he turn to look at them he will find them passing from view.

"No, you're right, Rune. I don't like this." The small makari huffs. "Maybe something went wrong on one of their expeditions? It's possible, but, I'm not sure how powerful the main portal was supposed to be. If we find any information, it might help with that."

"... Wait, no, they're all teleportation magic. The small ones too, just different, less powerful sources, and they aren't nearly as stable as the one that... Hark just walked through? Well, I'll trust he knows what he's doing, and follow him through."

Eztli sighs, taps her horn once, and waves a hand over her robes, which shimmer and fade just as quickly as the magic with their eyes. "Huh. I get that, Rune, more than you'd think. Now's not the time though, Hark's counting on us to back him up." They answer a touch cryptically before striding into the portal as well.

There is a moment of thoughtful consideration from Rune before she slips off the ring and tucks it into one of her belt pouches, accepting the other and sliding it on beneath her glove. "Better safe than sorry." She agrees.

Then, her eyes flick over to Harkashan, right as he walks into the wall of magic with that distant expression on his face. "Oh crap, not again. If I ever get a chance to meat that fucking dragon, they and I are going to have some words about this." What in the world is Rune talking about?

So, off goes the rogue, trying to track down her wayward cleric, swords in hand and looking as if she may want to punch an extraplanar being.

Elisabeth says, "I will bring up the rear, I suppose...?", letting the others step through ahead of her, once the situation with the ring's been settled out. She draws her own sword from its sheath, too, as she strides forward.

And so the group find themselves standing inside a building which for all intents and purposes is not there. WHile they passed through the walls without issue, they should be some dozen feet up in the air from the reports of the place being a crater- and yet here they stand, the ground beneath their feet feeling every bit as solid as it looks. The outside world, however, looks much less solid from here- wispy and distant, like a dream fading on waking. The halls are well lit, though no single source of light is readily apparent- it is as though subtle light suffuses every inch of the place.

Harkashan, having stepped through, takes a moment to wait. Glancing around the hallways but, then remaining in place. He knows the others will join him soon, now that they know it's safe. Or at least, they know they can just walk through.

He slowly unsheathes his blade, making sure it's still sharp, and then touches above his head. Reaching to the lava-stone hanging between his horns, he sets alight a Light spell, reaching further for those who don't have darkvision or the like.

When people start coming through, he steps back to make room. "I didn't go further yet. Who knows if there's traps ahead." He remarks.

GAME: Harkashan rolls Perception: (3)+6: 9
GAME: Elisabeth rolls perception: (7)+16: 23
GAME: Rune rolls perception: (14)+18: 32
GAME: Subduction rolls 7: (5)+7: 12
GAME: Harkashan casts Light. Caster Level: 9 DC: 15
GAME: Eztli rolls perception: (3)+5: 8

"Eh? What's that about a dragon?" The sorceress immediately asks, looking a bit more alert, in the completely wrong direction as she nearly goes sideways through the portal, and walking straight into Harkashan. Not that the much larger makari would notice much.

"Ah! Sorry, just, nothing to worry about." She apologizes, turning back to see the others entering. "Good idea, I don't know much about this plane, or this tower, but it's better safe than sorry."

"I'll explain later." Rune murmurs to Eztli. Talk of dragons would have to wait.

"Seriously, scales for brains, you need to not just go wandering off on your own without saying something." There is a thud as Rune clanks the back of one of her swords against Harkashan's shield and gives the Makari a glare that doesn't quite look as intimidating as it should, figuring that he has nearly a foot and a half of height on the half-elf.

Then, almost as soon as her admonishment had come, Rune quiets, her ears perking as she seems to be listening. She takes a step back, closing her eyes as if she were trying to focus in on the specifics. "There's... something." At first, her description is not helpful, but there is a brief pause.

"Insects, or at least something hard and chitinous on stone." Her blue eyes open again, looking between them, "Somewhere north, maybe northwest. There's a lot of echo in here."

Elisabeth nods. "I hear it, too...", she says, in a quiet voice. "Doubtless, if we've heard them, they've heard us, as we were not being silent on arrival..." She looks to the east, watching in that direction, even though that's apparently not where she heard the sound from -- watching the party's six, as it were.

To the north is a narrow passage which seems to open up into another wider, arcing hallway. To the east, where Elisabeth casts her gaze, the hallway seems to open up into a circular room. At the center of this room seems to be a raised platform, upon which arcane sigils glow faintly. The skittering noises continue. Drawing closer? Perhaps. It is difficult to tell.

Harkashan smiles at Rune, and taps the shield back to her blade; "You came, didn't you?" He answers her playfully. He then touches his tail to her leg and rumbles. "But I'll try to be more... outspoken." Before looking in the direction she's warning them of.

"Let's move towards them then." He notes. "If there are threats, let's take care of them so they cannot ambush us while we're trying to get other things done." Harkashan offers.

"Something in the air?" Eztli wonders, dropping their voice much quieter just as quickly. "Insects? A lot of them, or big ones?"

The small makari turns in the direction she thought the sound was coming from based on reactions. "That platform seems to be important, it might explain what's going on here in some way, but if it's not safe to check at the moment, then, lets keep a path narrow that they'll have to come through. I've got an idea of something I could do. Never tried any long lasting flames, but, first time for everything, right?" They consider, getting a slight glint to their eyes.

The narrow passage opens up, swinging around to the northeast and northwest in wide, arcing paths. Now Harkashan can hear it as well, the sound of claws on stone. As well as something else. A... wet tearing sound. It echoes around the corner, from around the corner heading northwest. Out of sight for now.

"While I laud the adventurous courage, whatever makes the sound is coming towards us. Perhaps a defensive stance is more warranted?", Elisabeth questions. Looking to Eztli, she adds, "Sounds like they're walking, as we are... and they sound larger than a typical insect."

When Harkashan moves forward, she shrugs and asks of Rune, "Will you watch the rear? I'm better suited to the front line...", before also stepping forward.

Rune eyes before she looks along the northern passageway. "We should be careful to watch in both directions. There's no way of knowing if there's more than one path to get to us, and I'm not looking forward to being flanked by... whatever it is." It seems that she and Elisabeth are on the same page, there. So, the rogue gives a nod of assent.

She looks towards Eztli, seeming to consider both possible avenues of investigation. "Well, I'm not going to be much help in researching magics, but I can deal with monsters if they end up being a problem."

"I have no problems taking up the rear to ward off creatures." Harkashan answers when the offer is raised. "But taking a defensive position means waiting in one place most of the time. And that will be disadvantageous for us if we have no chance to explore this place and come to understand its layout." He warns with a soft rumble of his voice. Remaining for now, at the ready facing north-west.

"True enough", Elisabeth says, still keeping her voice low. "Let's put our shields forward, then?", is her following suggestion to Harkashan, although she's trying to make sure the others hear her idea, as well. She steps up to let others fall into place as they will, bringing her shield up, her sword up and resting lightly on her shoulder... relaxedly couched yet ready, should it be needed.

"Well, whatever the plan, lets all get in agreement, quickly." The small makari nods, taking a few more glances around. "Even I can hear it now, and it doesn't sound quite right."

Eztli sticks near the center of the group, adjusting her robes again. "I'll follow your leads, here. Need a bit of a boost, big guy?" She asks of Harkashan. "Might make getting back through the doors a bit harder though, but if they are coming to attempt to kill us, might help to be a bigger threat, yeah?"

Harkashan shakes his head; "Nah, I'll remain this size for now." He thanks Eztli for the offer though

As the party continue to discuss their options and get into something resembling a formation, the skittering noise draws nearer still. Long, sinewey legs emerge from around the corner Harkashan and Elisabeth watch, claws scraping against the granite. Mandibles follow the legs, dripping with ichor and blood.

And while this appearance is alarming, perhaps more so is the appearance of more spindly legs bristling with glowing blue hairs through the walls towards the group- translucent and hazy but gaining substance by the moment. And in that moment, Eztli realizes this is the recent teleportation magic she sensed. These critters, whatever they are, are hopping between planes.

GAME: Subduction advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 26.
It is now Rune's turn! Phase Spiders is next!

The spiders make noises- chittering and clacking of their mandibles, but it is indistinguishable as speech.

<OOC> Rune says, "Okay, rolling Feint at -4 due to non-humanoid."
GAME: Rune rolls bluff-4: (15)+19+-4: 30
GAME: Rune rolls weapon1-2: (6)+14+-2: 18
<OOC> Subduction says, "Hits"
GAME: Rune rolls damage1+4d6: aliased to 1d6+1+4d6: (2)+1+(13): 16
<OOC> Rune says, "Forgot the Acid damage on that one, so..."
GAME: Rune rolls 1d6: (2): 2
<OOC> Rune says, "So 18 on that hit."
GAME: Rune rolls weapon2-2-5: (10)+14+-2+-5: 17
GAME: Rune rolls weapon1-2-5: (13)+14+-2+-5: 20
GAME: Rune rolls damage2: aliased to 1d6+1: (5)+1: 6
GAME: Rune rolls damage1+1d6: aliased to 1d6+1+1d6: (3)+1+(5): 9

GAME: Subduction advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 24.
It is now Phase Spiders' turn! Eztli is next!
GAME: Subduction rolls 10: (6)+10: 16
GAME: Subduction rolls 10: (11)+10: 21
GAME: Subduction rolls 10+2: (15)+10+2: 27

One moment, the hallway beside her is clear, and the next there is that sound of clattering chitin that draws Rune's attention around towards a creature that is far too close to herself and Eztli. "Fuck! They can teleport!"

As if that wasn't obvious. Thankfully, Rune had her weapons prepared, meaning that she is able to quickly respond and slash at the creature that had just appeared with bloody fangs right in front of her. "Get out of my face!"

Her blade sweeps forward as if going for one leg, then she turns mid-movement and slashes at one of the others before following up with two quick flashes of blades across the spider's face.

... Only to have it disappear a moment later. "What the fuck? I'm not sure what is worse, fighting these, or fighting those invisible Fey the one time."

The roiling mass of legs and palps and mandibles comes bursting from the wall towards Rune- she's able to deftly avoid and get a couple of licks in before the chitin and bristle fade once more to where they came. Even as Rune fends off this assault, another is occuring against Harkashan- but he, too, is able to fend off the gnashing fangs.

The pace of the blooded Spider quickens, and it skittes, half across the floor, half along the wall, towards Elisabeth and its fangs clash with her shield, dripping poison which fumes and sizzles where it hits the stone below.

GAME: Subduction advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 12.
GAME: Eztli rolls knowledge/arcana: (1)+8: 9 (EPIC FAIL)
GAME: Eztli casts Scorching Ray. Caster Level: 8 DC: 18
GAME: Eztli rolls 1d20+8+1+1: (19)+8+1+1: 29
GAME: Eztli rolls 1d20+8+1+1: (12)+8+1+1: 22
GAME: Eztli rolls 4d6+5: (18)+5: 23
GAME: Eztli rolls 4d6+5: (15)+5: 20
GAME: Subduction advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 11.
It is now Phase Spider Queen's turn! Elisabeth is next!
GAME: Subduction advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 9.
It is now Elisabeth's turn! Harkashan is next!
GAME: Elisabeth rolls weapon5+1: (2)+13+1: 16
GAME: Elisabeth rolls weapon5+1: (13)+13+1: 27
GAME: Elisabeth rolls 1d8+5: (8)+5: 13
GAME: Elisabeth rolls weapon5+1-5: (3)+13+1+-5: 12
GAME: Elisabeth rolls 1d8+5: (6)+5: 11
<OOC> Subduction says, "With a shudder, it stops moving and its legs curl up."

Eztli nearly jumps out of their skin as a spider teleports into view right next to them, only for Rune to get right on that threat. "Too much to hope you stabbed it out of existence, I'm assuming?" The small makari asks as she ducks between everyone, and finds one remaining spider. "Incinerate!" the sorcerer growls, conjuring a pair of fiery lances next to them, which hurtle past Harkashan and Elizabeth and straight into the remaining phase spider for the moment.

GAME: Subduction advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 2.
It is now Harkashan's turn! Rune is next!
GAME: Harkashan casts Blessing of Fervor. Caster Level: 9 DC: 19
<OOC> Harkashan says, "And then walk 3 squares to the right."
GAME: NEW ROUND!
Subduction advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 26.
It is now Rune's turn! Phase Spiders is next!

Harkashan, watching the spiders, lets out a small chuff of a sound. "What strange creatures." He remarks as the big spiders rattle forward. There's a startled 'WAH!' when comes half out of the wall, but his shield is quick to get in the way of its pincers and halts its bite!

Ducking moments later as the scorching rays come sailing over. Only for Elisabeth to finish the only one still visible.

"Prepare the retaliate. They will be back." Harkashan speaks out of instinct, rather than knowledge. As he sends out a pulse of grey-red light, searing across peoples' bodies. Setting their bodies momentarily alight before their sight before more keen. Their bodies feel lighter. A sense of awareness and reflex growing.

"I am going to step a bit around to get a better look at our surroundings. I will not go far."

Giant spiders are suddenly, literally, coming out of the walls. Even as two of them make surprise strikes, though one came off worse for the wear afterwards as they vanished back into the walls, Elizabeth sees another one charging her way. She brings up her shield, leaning foward into the attack, stopping the big spider cold and tossing it back and off herself.

Then, the wizard's fire burns it... and Elizabeth steps forward, slapping the heel of her rearmost boot against the side of the other boot in the process. Suddenly, she's moving her sword in almost a blur as she unleashes three strikes against the burnt spider. The first slash misses, but the second connects and knocks it to the floor... and she slashes down at its head to finish it off, leaving the big spider curling its legs up underneath itself as it dies.

<OOC> Rune says, "Taking the +2/+2 from BoF and then move to the squareish looking square just one nw of Hark. Hold action to strike if a spider apperas in reach."
GAME: Subduction advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 24.
It is now Phase Spiders' turn! Eztli is next!
GAME: Subduction rolls 10+2: (8)+10+2: 20
GAME: Subduction rolls 10+2: (10)+10+2: 22
GAME: Subduction rolls 10: (2)+10: 12

"I don't think we're that lucky." Rune replies, looking over towards Eztli. The slightly pointed ears of the half-elf seem to be twitching at surrounding sounds, trying to guess where the next attack will be from, but the Makari gets to it first, sending a blast of fire just next to her that leaves the rogue giving a small impressed whistle.

With no enemies in view, she moves out from the narrower hallway, taking up a position with her weapons at the ready. Her eyes look down one way, then the other, ready to jump as soon as something gets in range.

Harkashan finds himself walking almost into the waiting jaws of a spider they had not thusfar seen- the beast appearing before his very eyes, reared up and ready to strike. It comes down hard on the redscale, but its fangs find no purchase, sliding against armor. As fast as it appeared, it is gone again- like a bolt from the blue gone again without a trace.

Meanwhile, the space recently vacated by rune is suddenly filled with more chittering legs- either side of Elisabeth the fangs strike out, but her deft movements drive back the assault and they find no purchase. One dissapears again, but the other remains to menace those present.

GAME: Subduction advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 12.
It is now Eztli's turn! Phase Spider Queen is next!
GAME: Subduction advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 11.
It is now Phase Spider Queen's turn! Elisabeth is next!
GAME: Eztli casts Scorching Ray. Caster Level: 8 DC: 18
GAME: Eztli rolls 1d20+8+2: (6)+8+2: 16
GAME: Eztli rolls 1d20+8+2: (20)+8+2: 30
<OOC> Eztli says, "threat!"
GAME: Eztli rolls 1d20+8+2: (1)+8+2: 11 (EPIC FAIL)
<OOC> Eztli says, "I would like to reroll that, I'll make a request"
<OOC> Subduction says, "Go ahead and use RPP reroll"
GAME: Eztli rolls 1d20+8+2: (13)+8+2: 23
GAME: Eztli rolls 8d6+8: (31)+8: 39

Further up the corridor- outside of melee range of Harkashan and Rune, another spider steps out of the gap between realities. This one is less spindly than the others- its abdomen is huge and bloated, its legs are sturdier and covered with more numerous bristles. Its inner glow is more intense, and its eyes are crimson. It clacks and chitters as it steps into reality- and it is carrying something with its palps. A sack made of spun silk, roughly the size and shape of a lucht. The silk is the same impossible hue as the strands that hang from the walls here and there, almost dazzling to look at with material eyes.

"Keep an eye out! Hard to teleporting, or just vanishing." The small makari shouts as more strike at her allies as she stands restlessly between the others, waiting impatiently for some sign of multi legged movement, which she finds. Two more lances are conjured, both streaking towards the even more formidable looking foe, one bouncing harmlessly and fizzling out on the ground, while the other finds much better purchase, landing hard on the abdomen and searing away the carapace of the beast.

"... Spiders wrap their prey up sometimes, right?" She wonders the moment after, sounding more than a bit concerned. "So. big spider, big prey wrapped up?"

GAME: Subduction advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 10.
It is now Eztli's turn! Elisabeth is next!
GAME: Subduction advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 9.
It is now Elisabeth's turn! Harkashan is next!
GAME: Elisabeth rolls weapon5+1: (14)+13+1: 28
GAME: Elisabeth rolls damage5: aliased to 1d8+5: (8)+5: 13
GAME: Elisabeth rolls weapon5+1: (8)+13+1: 22
GAME: Elisabeth rolls damage5: aliased to 1d8+5: (4)+5: 9
GAME: Elisabeth rolls weapon5+1+2-5: (15)+13+1+2+-5: 26
GAME: Elisabeth rolls damage5: aliased to 1d8+5: (6)+5: 11
GAME: Subduction advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 2.
It is now Harkashan's turn! Rune is next!

Elisabeth, small as she is, shows that she knows what she's doing -- and how to use her size to her advantage. Even when she can't see the enemy, she's moving to keep her shield and sword in defensive motions and positions. When the two phase spiders reappear and attack her, her shield and sword are there to interfere with their attempts to bite at her small form. When one of the two vanishes, she continues her motions to bring her blade around towards the one whose fangs and legs are still sticking out of the wall near her, her heels clacking together again -- it's almost a dance, the way she does it, bringing her heels together in a sort of beat as she strikes.

Bringing her shield around, she hooks the lip of it into the spider's mandibles and lets it bite down... then hauls back, dragging the spider out of the wall a bit, so that its head is revealed. Then, her blade falls three times, and ichor is sent flying as she pummels the thing back into the wall itself as she backs away to put her back against the far wall.

GAME: Harkashan casts Bestow Curse. Caster Level: 9 DC: 18
GAME: Harkashan rolls 9+1d20: 9+(15): 24
GAME: Subduction rolls 18: (2)+18: 20
GAME: Subduction rolls 8: (6)+8: 14
GAME: NEW ROUND!
Subduction advances the initiative order.
Round Three - Init 26.
It is now Rune's turn! Phase Spiders is next!
GAME: Rune rolls weapon1+2+2: (12)+14+2+2: 30
GAME: Rune rolls damage1+1d6+4d6: aliased to 1d6+1+1d6+4d6: (3)+1+(6)+(20): 30

Harkashan ducks again as more flames rush over him, watching as another spider disappears. He quickly begins to move towards it to help flank it, only for the queen to appear. He shifts along it while sending a curse into its body. A black 'aura' beginning to appear around its outlines as he shifts through its long spindly legs and gets behind it. "Rune!" He calls out. Looking to help support her.

In a blink of the eye, spiders appear and disappear around Rune, but there's no chance for her to actually get close to them. "Damnit, why can't these things fight like normal monsters?"

It seems that the one that has lingered near Elisabeth is well taken care of, but the larger creature that seems to have populated the northeastern hallway is another matter entirely.

With a glance to Harkashan, she nods her head, waiting for him to take position before she darts forward into the fray, using the distraction that the Makari offers to be able to stab one of her blades into the bulbous backside of this more monstrous looking abomination.

GAME: Subduction advances the initiative order.
Round Three - Init 24.
It is now Phase Spiders' turn! Phase Spider Queen is next!
GAME: Subduction rolls 10: (11)+10: 21
GAME: Subduction rolls 10+2: (20)+10+2: 32
GAME: Subduction rolls 10: (18)+10: 28
GAME: Subduction rolls 4d6+17: (15)+17: 32
GAME: Rune rolls fortitude: (1)+5: 6 (EPIC FAIL)
GAME: Subduction rolls 1d2: (2): 2
GAME: Subduction rolls 16: (4)+16: 20
GAME: Eztli casts Liberating Command. Caster Level: 8 DC: 16

Eztli blinks, not like the spiders in and out of existence, but out of surprise at Rune being snapped up by one of the spiders.

"Let go!" <Draconic> The small makari growls again in draconic, the words carrying much more weight than might be expected, as Rune finds herself reinvigorated for just the moment necessary to attempt to slip away.

One moment, Rune is stabbing a large spider in the backside. The next moment, she feels the hot slice of fangs enter into her shoulder, spearing through where her armor doesn't fully protect the flesh beneath. The feeling comes more as a gasp than a cry of pain, more surprise than anything else. Her body doesn't have the time to react.

At first...

That's when the searing pain flares into her system with the next pulse of her blood. The sound of a scream rips through her but is then cut off into a raspy breath before she is being pulled by that point where the spider still has hold of her.

The sudden command snaps Rune's attention to Etzli though, overriding the momentary pain. So, the rogue kicks out with a remarkably limber display, the motion snapping the spider's mandible back and releasing her from it's grasp.

When she falls to the ground, the rogue lands in a heap, but at least she is free. "Ow..." She murmurs, skin pale, blood and venom oozing form her shoulder. With a look to the Makari, she murmurs, "I owe you one."

GAME: Subduction advances the initiative order.
Round Three - Init 10.
It is now Eztli's turn! Elisabeth is next!

GAME: Eztli casts Scorching Ray. Caster Level: 8 DC: 18
GAME: Eztli rolls 1d20+8+1+2: (8)+8+1+2: 19
GAME: Eztli rolls 1d20+8+1+2: (9)+8+1+2: 20
GAME: Eztli rolls 4d6+1+4: (18)+1+4: 23
GAME: Eztli rolls 4d6+1+4: (12)+1+4: 17

<OOC> Elisabeth says, "how do i cast a spell? gonna give up my own blessing of fervor to do... Cure Critical is the 4th level one, I think?
GAME: Subduction rolls 10: (4)+10: 14
GAME: Elisabeth casts Blessing of Fervor. Caster Level: 8 DC: 17
GAME: Elisabeth rolls 4d8+8: (11)+8: 19
GAME: Subduction advances the initiative order.
Round Three - Init 2.
It is now Harkashan's turn! Rune is next!
GAME: Harkashan casts Comprehend Languages. Caster Level: 9 DC: 16

Harkashan remains in place, listening to all the chittering. He watches Rune take a fierce bite, and is about to step forward, but he watches Elisabeth and Eztli already on the uptake, rescueing the young woman.

So instead, he listens to the spiders. Trying to figure out what's with the incredibly constant chittering.

GAME: Subduction advances the initiative order.
Round Four - Init 24.
It is now Phase Spiders' turn! Phase Spider Queen is next!
GAME: Subduction rolls 10: (15)+10: 25
GAME: Rune rolls weapon1+2: (13)+14+2: 29
GAME: Rune rolls damage1+1d6: aliased to 1d6+1+1d6: (2)+1+(5): 8
GAME: Subduction rolls 10: (17)+10: 27
GAME: Subduction rolls 2d6+7: (6)+7: 13
GAME: Rune rolls fortitude: (14)+4: 18
GAME: Subduction rolls 1d2: (1): 1

The pain from both the injury and the poison makes mere seconds feel like an eternity before the shadow of Elisabeth moves over her and that prayer seems to offer some measure of relief to the throbbing. There is a sound of a crack as the broken collar-bone snaps back into place and a wince from the rogue as she slowly pushes herself back to her feet.

"Thanks." There is a grunt, showing that the rogue still isn't quite back to normal. The strange glowing venom still lingers near the bite wounds that haven't completely sealed shut. It... bubbles there ominously.

"Watch out for the venom. Nasty shit." There is a pallor to her skin, but she manages to grasp for her weapons, which is likely a very good thing as an enemy appears a heartbeat later, getting a slash of her blade in retaliation.

The spider left behind by Elisabeth in her haste to aid Rune lashes out at the retreating woman, but fails to find purchase on her armor. Its arachnid gaze finds itself on Eztli, then, a tasty morsel left behind. It snaps its fangs towards them, but they find only air- Harkashan's blessing granting the smaller makari the otherwordly grace to avoid the attack.

The other spider reappears, and sustains a slash across its carapace for its effort. It recoils- but only briefly. It has it's slavering maw and cold heart set on Rune, now, having tasted her flesh once- it lunges for her again and once more its fangs sink deep. More of that poison floods into her veins, burning as it tears its way through her body, making her feel sick to her stomach and sapping away her energy with each beat of her heart.

The spider queen appears again, between Harkashan and the beleaguered Rune- already bearing down on Harkashan, he has no time to react before he is grabbed by the spider's massive forelimbs and lifted to its jars. It bites deeply into his chest and holds him before her octuplet eyes. "Y-you s-should have taken the off-offering fleshthing. Now you a-are meat." she chitters to him. "Meat f-for uss. Or meat for the Enemy, for t-th-their s-spawn." she speaks- and now he understands. The spell allows him to comprehend the nuance of her words. There is some level of reverence in the word 'Enemy'. It is more significant than simply a combatant.

It is spoken in the manner one might speak of a god, or a force of nature.

GAME: Subduction advances the initiative order.

     Round Four - Init 10.
     It is now Eztli's turn! Elisabeth is next!

GAME: Eztli casts Scorching Ray. Caster Level: 8 DC: 18
GAME: Eztli rolls 1d20+8+1+2: (9)+8+1+2: 20
GAME: Eztli rolls 1d20+8+1+2: (14)+8+1+2: 25
GAME: Eztli rolls 4d6+4+1: (15)+4+1: 20
GAME: Eztli rolls 4d6+4+1: (20)+4+1: 25
GAME: Subduction advances the initiative order.
Round Four - Init 9.
It is now Elisabeth's turn! Harkashan is next!
GAME: Elisabeth rolls weapon5+1+2: (10)+13+1+2: 26
GAME: Elisabeth rolls damage5: aliased to 1d8+5: (4)+5: 9
GAME: Elisabeth rolls weapon5+1+2: (6)+13+1+2: 22

"Venom generally is...", Elisabeth replies about the 'nasty shit', then she starts bringing sword and shield to bear, defensively, as that particular phase spider reappears next to her.

She shifts her position, her heels clacking together yet again, just before her blade lashes out, scoring against the chitinous hide of the phase spider. Ichor flies, but the spider remains conscious.

GAME: Subduction advances the initiative order.
Round Four - Init 2.
It is now Harkashan's turn! Phase Spiders is next!
<OOC> Harkashan says, "I will start with a Quick Channel"
GAME: Harkashan rolls 5d6: (16): 16
GAME: Harkashan rolls Diplomacy+2: (1)+15+2: 18 (EPIC FAIL)
<OOC> Harkashan says, "I will RPP that to reroll."
GAME: Harkashan rolls Diplomacy+2: (9)+15+2: 26

As the Spiders' chitters start to reach him, he frows his brow. "I can't make much sense of them. They're talking about an offering." Pause. "One that the Queen took first. I imagine they're talking about the one balled up by the really big spider. I'm not sure how this fits together yet." He rumbles to his allies as another bites Rune once again. He winces.

Don't freak out. Don't freak out.

Only for the queen to re-appear and bite into his shoulder and grab him with its spindly legs. Pulling him in while his muscles tense enough that the venom sprays outside of his body rather than managing to enter him! Reactively, his healing gift shimmering out to Rune and himself, sealing some of their wounds.

Only for the Queen to speak. To explain. And a spell suddenly ripples out. A voice, connecting Harkashan, Rune, Eztli and the Queen at the same time!

"I don't know if you understand me, but we were not aware of any offerings. But if you wish for an Enemy to disappear, then we can make that happen." He growls at the Queen, staring into its many eyes. "However, it may be about to be too late." He adds. "So either surrender now and disengage, or be slain. You have five seconds to answer, before the girl behind you turns on you for hurting me."

The voice that responds in Harkashan and the others minds' is powerful- she is not an especially intelligent creature, but she is old, and powerful, and her words have weight when given form in the mind. "The Enemy cannot be slain. The Enemy is eternal. If the Fleshthings take the offering, and dash themselves against The Enemy, this brood will go, and eat no more of the fleshthing meat in this place." it agrees almost too readily. Of course, she's seen better days- and the implication is that they have eaten some 'fleshthing meat' already. Whatever this Enemy is, it's clear though that the spiders fear it more than they care about sating their hunger.

And it is a powerful hunger, a painful craving for fresh, material meat. It bleeds through the psychic link, and shows in the dripping of her talons and the hungry stare at Harkashan.

GAME: Subduction advances the initiative order.
Round Five - Init 11.
It is now Phase Spider Queen's turn! Eztli is next!
GAME: Subduction advances the initiative order.
Round Five - Init 10.
It is now Eztli's turn! Elisabeth is next!

"We will see about that." Harkashan answers. "Describe - show me - The Enemy." He answers. "And these Fleshthings will take the offering and dash against The Enemy." Accepting the trade being made here. After all, it is offering no eat /no more/ of the fleshthing meat in this place.

Eztli hesitates as the bond takes effect, and Eztli glares at Harkashan for a moment with flames flickering on their fingertips, directed at the spider. A gesture that breaks nearly instantly when they see that state Rune is in. "I can't believe we are even thinking about this, but you're right, Harkashan." The small makari grumbles to herself. "Elisabeth? These spiders are willing to stand down if we help them with one of their other problems. And, I think they've been eating the researchers here."

Eztli growls again, and nods once. "We won't kill you, and you won't kill or eat any... fleshthings." She agrees through the shared bond, inching closer once it seemed safe to get to the cocoon the queen had been carrying

The queen shows Harkashan The Enemy. It comes in flashes, a festering spider corpse bursting with writhing eggs. And then ranks of strange creatures, looking like a Makari crossed with a mantis, marching. They cut and they burn. They lay their eggs, and then they march again. The images are devoid of the notion of time, as though it is all happening in an instant. Or as though it is always happening, has always been happening, will always happen. There are no words. Only the knowledge, this is the enemy, and they are close.

THe queen drops Harkashan unceremoniously, allowing him to fall the few feet to the ground, and then she steps back away and into the nothing from whence she came.

The webbing is thick and tough, it can't be torn, but Eztli is able to cut it open with a knife. And inside is a Lucht woman, pale as death, cheeks sunken. She looks dead, but her eyes snap open- a look of wild panic in them, and she screams and begins to frantically struggle against the bonds that still hold her.

Elisabeth watches the spiders, all save the BIG one, vanish... then she's told that they're standing down. She immeidately says, "Sit!", to Rune and all but drops her shield and sword in her haste to put them on the ground. Even before Rune's had a chance to react, she's already chanting a prayer to Daeus in the Celestial tongue, asking him to stave off the worst of the venom in her blood, while Elisabeth and the others do what they can to cleanse her of it.

GAME: Elisabeth casts Delay Poison. Caster Level: 8 DC: 15
GAME: Elisabeth casts Neutralize Poison. Caster Level: 8 DC: 17
GAME: Elisabeth rolls 1d20+8: (17)+8: 25
GAME: Elisabeth rolls 4d6: (15): 15

For a long moment, it seems that sheer stubbornness is the only thing keeping Rune on her feet. Even after the Spider Queen vanishes, she seems to struggle with being pulled under by the venom.

Until Elisabeth tells her to sit.

Rune doens't so much sit, as she collapses to her knees, weapons clattering to the ground. She seems to be still struggling with staying awake. Enough so that as her vision starts to go cloudy around the edges, she reaches out towards Harksahan.

"I'm... adding these particular spiders... to the list of monsters I hate." Along with mimics and werewolves. Thankfully it's a short list.

The spells wash over her and it does ease the sensation, but the exhaustion left behind on the wake of it has her looking not just pale, but deathly pale. No, Harkashan has seen this particular effect before. One of her eyes is slightly clouded and there are dark bruises across her cheek where no attack had hit.

It seems that when Rune suffers this sort of long-lasting impact to her health, it also triggers something else as well. Something that gives her a strange, half-dead look despite being very much alive.

Harkashan is glad that Elizabeth has brought the right kind of spells to help Rune. Being dropped to the ground, he lets Eztli deal with the captured Lucht, while kneeling next to Rune and putting a hand on her shoulder. Helping Elizabeth hold her still and aiding her as well as he can.

"How are you holding up?" He rumbles.

"Sorry about that. I know we could have wiped them out further. But I saw the possibility of an easier progression through this area. Who knows how many more Phase Spiders are up ahead. And if the Queen had retreated, it could have licked its wounds and terrorized us again later." He notes.

Of course, the option of 'we will stop eating the fleshbags' helped make that decision.

"And based on what we saw, there may be undead ahead. We do not want to deal with a war on two sides. Let's just hope that its experience of Time means it'll allow us to step out and then in again if needed."

He is talking, but his speech slows as he takes in Rune's physical appearance. Little stutters of his eyes shifting over her body. Gripping her shoulder a bit more firmly. He doesn't say anything else. Instead, touching his horns to her forehead.

Eztli knows her place, and that was not attempting to get in the way when there were two clerics to deal with Rune. "Hey, It's a bit of a dangerous spot to be taking a nap, Rune. Keep your eyes open and your breathing steady, don't move more then you gotta, just let them do their work." The small makari states firmly as she reaches into her robes for something, gives up with a huff, and tears open the cocoon with a claw that suddenly grows frighteningly long and sharp. She stops, and freezes up, closing her own eyes and sighing. "Undead and spiders eating everyone. Just great." The small makari curses to herself. "I'll be alright, just a bit of discomfort." <Sildanyari>

The Lucht woman takes some time to calm down- she's malnourished, dehydrated an traumatized, but otherwise physically unharmed. Emotionally, is another matter. She's no adventurer, and being cocooned by extraplanar spiders as a take-away meal would be terrifying enough for people who willingly wade headfirst into danger. When she calms enough to speak, she reveals that she is one of two head researchers who had been here since the portal was first discovered. The spiders appeared with the Labyrinth, and overwhelmed their guards. She doesn't know where the rest of the team are, or if they are still alive.