The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

[Stelio Kontos]

”Are you sure I’m the b—“ Aliani began, before realizing that yes, he really was the best (probably the only) option. The others would be useful for fighting things.

“Right.”

Gingerly l, he made his way into the rope ladder and began to climb down.

[Inspectre]

Jakkin dives down headfirst through the open trapdoor, followed only a moment later by Gavin who decides on a bit more prudent of an entrance via swinging down by the rope ladder. As the ioun torch clears Jakkin’s hand and begins to spin around his head, the downstairs abode of Chittersnap is illuminated . . . perhaps to the eternal regret of the two would-be heroes’ stomachs.

There is a cloying mélange of scents down here – the musty smell of slowly decaying wood, the vaguely salty tang of the Jeggare River, the putrid smell of rotting flesh and moldering bones, an acrid scent that those familiar with the drug would associate with Shiver, and yes, mingled in with all those a pleasant though faint floral perfume. But it is the sights within this former cargo hold that are truly dismaying, as the floor is sprinkled with old bones, at least some of them from humanoids as at least one broken-open humanoid skull can attest to. At numerous spaces around the room, thick gooey strands of web stretch from floor to the hold’s ceiling, serving as anchor points for thin, delicate sheets of an eerie pale blue webbing stretched between the heavier strands. Just shy of half a dozen dog-sized (Small) spiders sit in these webs, the ghostly skull-like patterns decorating their backs also in that same eerie shade of pale blue.

Off to the right, the hull has split open to allow a gurgling rush of water to spill out across the floor, rapidly beginning to deepen and spread a pool of water on that side. Off to the left, a misshapen blend of human and spider (Medium) crouches, pulling on an old door leading out of the hold that has been webbed over after it had already warped shut with age and exposure to the sea. It turns to look over its shoulder, revealing a face that is decidedly more arachnid than humanoid at the sound of Gavin and Jakkin calling out not to attack. The creature seems to hiss to itself “YES, ESCAPE, YESSS” before returning to its work on the door. Sadly, the mutated hybrid’s pets don’t seem to get the message as the pale blue spiders begin to descend from their webs and skitter towards Jakkin and Gavin. (Diplomacy enough to convince Chittersnap to keep working on the door, but not enough to call off its “pets”).

But the real terror is at the far back of the room. Partially concealed by shadow and a thick sheet of the gooey webbing, a truly immense spider (HUGE!) lurks, watching. Far bigger than anything the group has collectively ever heard of existing within or beneath Korvosa, the hulking mass of chitin must have grown up within this cargo hold, as it seems impossible that the thing could leave through even Devargo’s sizable trapdoor in the ceiling. Like the humanoid/spider hybrid by the door, this gigantic brute also has a vaguely humanoid face, although its dripping fangs and eight glittering eyes show no sign of any humanity.

Next to the immense monstrosity, strung up on the back wall like some sort of macabre trophy is Elliana – at least, the figure is wearing clothes matching the description that Seamus gave to Jakkin. But the figure’s arms are stretched up over its head, and used as anchor points for a pale blue sheet of webbing that is wrapped around the arms and head, obscuring the figure’s face and leaving long curls of flame-red hair to stick out from the webbing here and there. Several thick gooey strands of webbing secure the queen’s handmaiden(?) to the wall, although a third, much-thinner thread-like type of webbing is wrapped around her wrists and legs, keeping her completely immobile as she occasionally twitches and reflexively struggles, with about as much success as a fly wrapped up for a later meal.

As the immense spider in the back gathers itself up to defend its lair, and its five much smaller cousins rush forward, a man-sized centipede appears next to Jakkin from a cloud of magical smoke. It immediately lashes out at one of the spiders descending the web, narrowly missing scissoring it in two with its mandibles but still managing to snip off one of its legs before the spider retaliates with a bite to the side of the centipede’s head. It’s companion in the webs also jumps at the centipede, but its fangs fail to find purchase on its armored hide.

“Figured I’d check out whether Aliani’s claim is true!”

Atavian calls out from above, having joined Aliani and Dalen at the lip of the trap door. At Dalen’s urging Aliani descends down into the hold as there is another loud crack from the wall as it further gives way, allowing a fresh gout of water to push into the empty space. A fresh gout of water that suddenly rears up, forming a fist that comes crashing down on a nearby spider and splattering it against the wall of the cargo hold with as much effort as it would take one of you to swat a fly. As the watery arm continues to grow and form a towering vaguely humanoid figure (Large), the immense spider surges forward with a roar, burying its fangs into its side and injecting a stream of venom that seems to harmlessly dissipate inside the elemental’s watery body.

While these two titans brawl it out along one side of the cargo hold, and Atavian’s centipede holds off two of the dog-sized spiders, the last surviving two finally skitter across the floor to leap at Jakkin and Gavin. With practiced ease Gavin swats the one leaping at him back down onto the floor, twisting his rapier and driving it partway into the beast as its own momentum impales it on his blade. As the creature crashes back down to the ground, it rolls back up onto its feet, leaving a trail of ichor wherever it goes but still snapping its fangs at the fencer’s feet (Parry and Riposte successful, but not dead yet!) Jakkin meanwhile, manages to duck under the creature's lunge, grabbing it and throwing it back down to the floor in front of him in preparation for his own follow-up attack.

Spoiler: Elliana

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Elliana has been bound in webs by each of the three spideroids present, each of which has different effects on her and DCs to cut/remove. They can be burnt or cut away to remove them, or ripped apart via Strength checks although I will note that even without the -4 penalty due to being caught in the web yourselves, these are still very high STR checks (requiring 15+ to remove, most likely). The webs can be damaged by Bludgeoning/Piercing damage as well, although they do have DR 5/Slashing.

• Thick Gooey Strands – Strongest, Hold Her to the Wall and She Cannot Be Moved Until These Are Gone
• Thin Wire-Like Strands – Second strongest, these are the ones actually Binding her and she will be helpless until they are removed.
• Pale Blue Sheet Around Face/Arms – Least strong, may have unknown strange effects?

Spoiler: Status

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Good Guys
Aliani
Gavin
Jakkin
Dalen
Atavian
Celestial Giant Centipede 1 – 2 Damage
Elliana – Immobile, Helpless (Tied-Up), Unconscious


Bad Guys?
Devargo
Chittersnap
Ogre Spider
Dream Spider 1
Dream Spider 2 – 6 Damage
Dream Spider 3
Dream Spider 4 – 2 Damage
Dream Spider 5 – 10 Damage, DEAD

Bad Guys!
Large Water Elemental – 8 Damage

Battle Music!

Battle Map

[THEChanger]

"I am - by the Hells - thoroughly done with - get off me you - DONE WITH ALL THESE INSECTS."

Dropping back for just a moment, Gavin lunged forward, attempting to skewer the spider with his rapier to open a path to the erstwhile handmaiden. As he did, under his breath the Hellknight whispered a prayer, though to what deity or power he could not have told you.

Let me get this one right. Please, let me get this one right.

Spoiler: OoC

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Gavin attacks the Dream Spider he parried, in an attempt to clear a path to Elliana. Based on the description of events and positions on the map, this should be Dream Spider 1, which is directly in front of him. However, under status, Dream Spider 2 is marked with 6 damage. Gavin attacks whichever the damaged spider is.

To Hit - (1d20+8)[16]
Damage - (1d6+3)[5]

If this opens a path for him to do so, Gavin moves to F2, to begin freeing Elliana. Otherwise he takes a five foot step to square G7.

[PiccadillyPi]

Unsure of what to make of Dalen's message aside from the obvious, he hoped they'd have negotiated their point and already be on their way out. Unfortunately, the attack came too soon. The moment the ship bowed toward the river, Silas ran to the vessel. He pleaded fate on his side as panic struck the people around the dock. Devargo was likely already finding a route in which to escape, but Silas had the opposite of goals until he could see his companions alongside the queen.

"Dalen! Where are you?!"

He thought to himself that if the great old bastard king of spiders happened by him, he might consider demanding the location of his company with a steel tongue and then cutting down a wart on his city. However, with the rate the ship was sinking, Silas didn't expect to have the extra thirty seconds it might've taken, so he knew he'd have to settle for a quick query and let them go.

[Stelio Kontos]

Here we were again, in another basement (or basement-like vessel), with another set of foes; surely one of these times the warnings would come true. At least Aliani had been given the gift of foresight to apply the insect repellent... though he wasn't at all sure it was designed to work against spiders larger than himself.

Quickly he cast a shielding spell, one of the few he had left for the day, before looking uneasily up at Dalen. "I'm not sure I'm the best choice for this plan..."

Spoiler: OOC

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Cast Shield, because why the heck not.

[Darvin]

"Not the... well, there isn't exactly anyone else, now is there?" Dalen sighs as he peers down into the illuminated hold when he hears Silas.

"In the spider king's lair. He's gone and run away and left us to recover Elliana from his pets," he rushes to the doors to open them, hoping to find Silas on the other side.

[Captain Jak]

Having spent several years plying the ship-born trade up and down the coast, Jakkin is well familiar with the dangers posed of getting caught in the hold of a sinking ship. They need to get the handmaiden and get out of here, fast; and that means clearing the way, fast. No time for anything resembling civilised behaviour; rescue and get out, by any means necessary.

Stiffening his fingers, Jakkin smashes his hand through the thorax of the spider menacing him, ripping it free in a spray if ichor. Drowning in a sinking ship is high on his list of ways he has not planned on dying by, and today will be no different.

Spoiler: OOC

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Move action, Martial Flexibility (Bleeding Attack).
Standard action, attack Dream Spider 1: 19
Damage: 7 Plus 1d4 Bleed: 1

[Inspectre]

The battle rages between the group struggling to rescue Elliana and the dream spiders, as does the battle between gigantic spider and the immovable force of water off to one side.
Taking careful aim with his outstretched hand, Atavian summons a jolt of electricity to arc down into the hold at the dream spider that his centipede had wounded, while the summoned bug presses the attack against its hated foe.
The two dream spiders attempt to prove their side of the argument by working together to kill Atavian's summon.
Unfortunately, no one manages to gain an advantage on the other, with spell and fang glancing off chitinous armor.

Spoiler: Atavian

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Electric Arc at Dream Spider #4
To-Hit: (1d20+2)[12] vs. Touch
Damage: (1d6+1)[2]

Giant Centipede at Dream Spider #4
To-Hit: (1d20+2)[5]
Damage: (1d6-1)[0]

Spoiler: Dream Spider #3 & #4

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#3
To-Hit: (1d20+4)[9]
Damage: (1d3)[1]

#4
To-Hit: (1d20+4)[14]
Damage: (1d3)[2]

Jakkin delivers a brutal hand spear to the spider attacking him that ruptures its carapace, causing it to pump out more and more of its precious lifeblood ichor with each passing second.
With its dying breath, however, the spider lashes out and sinks its fangs deep into his arm as he wretches his hand free of the gooey mess. (Jakkin takes 3 damage and needs to make a Fort DC 11 save or be poisoned).

(Dream Spider #1 is now Bleeding for 1d4 each round.)

Spoiler: Dream Spider #1

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Counterattack at Jakkin
To-Hit: (1d20+4)[22]
Damage: (1d3)[3]
Fort Save DC 11

Gavin skewers his spider again, kicking it off the length of his blade before stepping over the body to dash towards Elliana, heedless of Jakkin's spider whirling at the sudden movement near it and attempting to bite his heel.
Unfortunately, the Hellknight-in-training does not notice the noose of spiderweb carefully concealed on the floor in his path until it is wrapped around his legs, and pulling him sideways off of his feet and up into the air, flinging him into the nearby webs stretched from floor to ceiling. The sticky strands of the web immediately hold him fast, and his skin starts to grow numb where the pale blue webbing touches.

(OOC: Gavin kills Dream Spider #2, and then attempts to move up towards Elliana. When he steps into G4, he steps on a noose trap, which hits his CMB and drags him 10' into the web in E4. He is immediately Entangled in the poisonous webs, but makes his Fortitude save for this round.)

Over by the doorway, Chittersnap continues to tug and pull at the webbing coating the door, managing to clear the doorway of webs but failing to pull it open just yet (OOC: Next round Chittersnap will succeed in opening the door.)

And over in the corner of the hold, the titanic brawl between spider and elemental seems to only be a fight from the perspective of the spider, as it continues to bite at the elemental while the massive surge of water simply absent-mindedly swats back at the creature with one arm, a hellacious blow that sends the massive spider flying backward and upward, smashing into the ceiling before crashing back into the water. Meanwhile, the elemental continues to hammer away at the side of the ship with its other fist. The repeated blows crack and splinter the wood further, allowing more water to rush in at a faster rate. As the water surges in, it flows over the patch of webs closes to the break, which still contains the splattered remnants of the dream spider that the elemental swatted upon entry. As the waters rush up and over the spider webs, they begin to dissolve and melt away, leaving the remains of the dream spider to tumble into the growing surf within the ship's cargo hold. As if in response, lesser impacts come from outside the ship's hull, working their way closer to the breach that the water elemental has created.

Upstairs, Dalen throws open the doors that has swung closed behind Devargo's would-be thugs, revealing Silas just climbing up onto the deck. The tiefling hurries to join his adventuring companion at the doorway, now able to speak face-to-face (Silas has arrived, and is now on the board at EE3!)

Spoiler: Ogre Spider

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To-Hit: (1d20+8)[26]
Damage: (2d8+7)[10]

Spoiler: Water Elemental

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Fist #1
Attacking Boat, Power Attack, Water Mastery
To-Hit: (1d20+13)[21]
Damage: (1d8+15)[23]

Fist #2
Attacking Spider, Power Attack, Water Mastery
To-Hit: (1d20+13)[26]
Damage: (1d8+15)[18]

Spoiler: Status

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Good Guys
Aliani
Gavin - ENTANGLED, CMB or Escape Artist DC 18 (-4 STR to Burst Self Out), POISONED WEBS (End of every round until escape, Fort Save DC 11)
Jakkin - 3 Damage, Fort Save DC 11 OR POISONED
Dalen
Atavian
Celestial Giant Centipede 1 – 2 Damage
Elliana – Immobile, Helpless (Tied-Up), Unconscious


Bad Guys?
Devargo
Chittersnap
Ogre Spider - 18 Damage
Dream Spider 1 - 8 Damage, 1d4 BLEED
Dream Spider 2 – DEAD (11 Damage)
Dream Spider 3
Dream Spider 4 – 2 Damage
Dream Spider 5 – DEAD (10 Damage)

Bad Guys!
Large Water Elemental – 13 Damage

BOAT - 23 Damage

Battle Map

[THEChanger]

Gavin cursed under his breath as he was suddenly pulled into the mass of webbing. Twisting about, Gavin managed to find a broken piece of deck to grab hold of, and pry himself out of the trap. Note to self. Get a dagger for cutting things

Having successfully escaped his own sticky demise, the Hellknight continued towards the woman they were here to rescue, not daring to look towards the giant spider and even larger mass of water, lest he draw the attention of the two battling titans.

Spoiler: OoC

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After successfully removing himself from the webbing, Gavin continues to F2, where next turn he can hopefully begin freeing our friend.

[PiccadillyPi]

Silas stopped only briefly to confirm with Dalen the whereabouts of Elliana before plunging himself into the mess of webs below, weapon drawn, only asking that his boots take the brunt of his landing.

"Hello, darlings! What have we - ugh!"

As he turned to face the disgusting creatures around him, the uncouth slayer attacked the nearest eight-legged freak while still in the process of getting his bearings.

Spoiler: OOC

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Move and drop to F7, attack dream spider 1.

Attack: (1d20+8)[10]
Crit check: (1d20+8)[12]
Damage:(2d4+4)[9]

[Captain Jak]

Knowing the spider is already dead, even if it hasn't dropped yet, Jakkin dives forward to get past it even as Silas drops through the hatch to join them. Weaving away from the arachnid's dripping mandibles – that bite had hurt! – with feints and rolls, Jakkin comes up on the far side of the doomed spider and scurries toward the enwebbed Elfmaid. He himself isn't the best suited to try to haul her down...but he can provide cover to those who are so.

Spoiler: OOC

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Acrobatics rolls to avoid AoOs from leaving threatened squares E7, E6, F5: 26, 21, 31
Double move, avoiding blundering directly into webs, ending up at E2…hopefully.

[Stelio Kontos]

"Where are you... the spider! ... oh, nice moves." Aliani commented to Jakkin as he outmaneuvered the spider on his way toward Elliana. Just as he planned to step forward himself, Silas appeared out of, well, above he guessed, and took a swat at the spider. "Nice of you to drop in..."

That left two spiders for one centipede, and Gavin and Jakkin were clearly handling things with Elliana better than he could himself, and Silas could surely handle the other...

Nothing to do but go for it. He drew his morningstar and lunged at the spider nestling in the corner of the room.

Spoiler: OOC

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5 foot step to D8, attack Dream Spider 4 in the corner (1d20+4)[17]attack, (1d8)[3] damage. Make witty comments with my move action.

[Darvin]

Dalen moves to the edge of the opening behind Silas, kneeling down to peer at the battle. He stands quietly before reaching into his pocket and withdrawing a vial of alchemist fire. He turns to his familiar, "take it to whoever is closest to Elliana; a last resort if they can't break the webs by other means,"

Spoiler: OOC

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All Dalen can really offer is a vial of alchemist's fire, and Gavin/Jakkin are in a better position to use it

[Inspectre]

Pausing his attempts to aim his arm for a moment as Silas jumps down and Dalen sends Rhetoric down into the hold, Atavian takes more care in lining up his next shot.
This time the arc of lightning wizzes past Aliani's ear as he goes charging in at the spider with his morningstar, and still manages to strike the dream spider dead center.
There is a sharp crack and a lingering sizzle as the spider jerks about spasmodically within its web, before hanging limp, quite dead.
The one remaining spider chooses to continue attacking the conjured giant centipede, giving it another nick as its fangs find purchase between armored plates of chitin.

At the other corner of the battle, the spider that Jakkin had injured and Silas narrowly managed to avoid cutting in two rolls over onto its back and curls up its legs as it too bleeds out.

That leaves just one of Devargo's dog-sized pets left, and of course Chittersnap and the gigantic monstrosity engaged in furious combat with the equally massive water elemental.

This time its the giant spider that gets the better of the fight, as it drives the water elemental to the bottom of the boat, savaging its form with its fangs before it manages to flow out of its grasp.
Of course, the heavy impact of the water elemental against the floor of the cargo hold has secondary effects on said floor, and the power of the impact sends shudders racing across the floor of the cargo hold that crack several of the floorboards.
At the weakest point left by this impact and the mounting damage on the ship's hull, water begins trickling up beneath the webs Gavin had been caught up in.

Perhaps its this water that gives the Hellknight fencer the advantage he needs, or perhaps its simply pure skill and raw strength, as Gavin manages to untangle himself from the web and tumble across the wall over to Elliana, joined by Jakkin a moment later.
A few seconds after that, and Dalen's pet thrush, Rhetoric, flies down between them, a flask of alchemist's fire clutched in his claws.

"Use as last resort, to free the Queen's consort!"

The thrush trills.

Meanwhile, Chittersnap manages to finish prying the door open, and just in time as the trickle of water beneath the webs that had been holding Gavin erupt into a geyser as something breaks through the weakened spot in the hold. The water fountains up, and then resolves into the form of another elemental, this one smaller than the first, about man-sized. It lashes out a psuedopod arm at Chittersnap as the creature flees out into the hallway, but the elemental's arm only crashes harmlessly into the doorframe.

Spoiler: Atavian

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Electric Arc at Dream Spider #4
To-Hit: (1d20+2)[14] vs. Touch
Damage: (1d6+2)[8]

Giant Centipede at Dream Spider #4
To-Hit: (1d20+2)[7]
Damage: (1d6-1)[2]

Spoiler: Dream Spiders

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#3
To-Hit: (1d20+4)[22]
Damage: (1d3)[1]

#4
To-Hit: (1d20+4)[24]
Damage: (1d3)[2]

Spoiler: Ogre Spider

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To-Hit: (1d20+8)[20]
Damage: (2d8+7)[18]

Spoiler: Water Elemental

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Fist #1
Attacking Boat, Power Attack, Water Mastery
To-Hit: (1d20+13)[15]
Damage: (1d8+15)[17]

Fist #2
Attacking Spider, Power Attack, Water Mastery
To-Hit: (1d20+13)[15]
Damage: (1d8+15)[19]

Spoiler: Status

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Good Guys
Aliani
Gavin -
Jakkin - 3 Damage, Fort Save DC 11 OR POISONED
Dalen
Atavian
Celestial Giant Centipede 1 – 2 Damage
Elliana – Immobile, Helpless (Tied-Up), Unconscious


Bad Guys?
Devargo
Chittersnap
Ogre Spider - 15 Damage
Dream Spider 1 - DYING (11 Damage), BLEED 1d4
Dream Spider 2 – DYING (12 Damage)
Dream Spider 3
Dream Spider 4 – DYING (13 Damage)
Dream Spider 5 – DYING (13 Damage)

Bad Guys!
Large Water Elemental – 26 Damage
Medium Water Elemental

BOAT - 33 Damage

Battle Map

[Captain Jak]

Pulling his Any-Tool from his belt, Jakkin quickly unfolds, extends, and adjusts it until he’s holding a long, curved scythe that’s almost twice as long as he is tall.

"Here," he says, awkwardly holding it up to Gavin before accepting the flask from the cheerful familiar. The arrival of more Elementals isn’t good; they’ll break up the ship even faster.

They might just have to engage them in order to distract them from that end....

Spoiler: OOC:

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Retrieve Any-Tool and turn it into a Medium sized scythe, give to Gavin

[PiccadillyPi]

"Al, dear, maybe leave the spiders to the leak on the boat?"

Silas abandoned the actor as he navigated around the dying arachnids to approach Elliana's silk prison. He couldn't do much about the elemental if it attacked, but he did his best to avoid it.

"This ship is going down faster than anyone I know."

Quick as a cat, the dandy began cutting at the layers of web between him and the handmaiden.

Spoiler: OOC

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Move to E6, F5, to G2.

Acrobatics to avoid AoO from water elemental moving at full speed: (1d20+4)[16]

Attack on web: (1d20+8)[17]
Damage: (2d4+4)[11]

[THEChanger]

Gavin took the Anytool from Jakkin, holding it somewhat awkwardly. "Better than what I had.
Thank you, Mister Longshanks."

Being very careful not to harm the entangled elf, Gavin began to cut away at the webbing, doing his best to sever the thin blue strands he knew would sap her strength. Better to have her assistance in getting her free.

Spoiler: OoC

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Gavin sheathes his rapier, taking the Anytool scythe from Jakkin. With the improvised weapon penalty, that's...a flat d20 roll. Huh.

Gavin targets the pale blue webbing, which he knows from personal experience is poisonous.

To Hit - (1d20)[11]

Damage - (2d4)[5]

[Stelio Kontos]

Aliani had a plan. Always dangerous, that, but with the centipede handling the job of distraction well enough, and the others retrieving the maiden well enough, it seemed like a good option.

Moving away from the living spider, he took a short step away and crashed his morningstar down on the one that was already laying unmoving on the ground.

Spoiler: OOC

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5 foot step to E7, coup de grace spider at D6 for (2d8)[13] damage (auto crits), it needs a fort save DC 10+damage or dies, and the damage may just murderface it anyway.

[Inspectre]

Working together, Jakkin providing the tool and Gavin providing the muscle, the two manage to carefully slice through the sheet of pale blue webbing covering the handmaiden's face, the stickiness of the webs working against it as parts of it cling to the sides of the scythe as they are cut through and allowing Gavin to start peeling the webbing off with minimal loss of skin for Elliana. At least, that was the process until Silas came in and made his own contribution. Heedless of the danger of standing right next to an elephant-sized spider while it is fighting for its life against a living tsunami, Silas rushes in and hacks wildly at the thick strands of webbing holding the handmaiden aloft. His falchion easily bites through the thick gooey strands, until the last of them rupture of their own accord from Elliana's weight, ripping the last of the pale blue webbing off of her face and sending her unceremoniously crashing to the floor.

The water that has continued to relentlessly spread across the floor's hold laps up against the handmaiden's face, and she stirs weakly, her movements sluggish and instinctual as she blinks and attempts to focus her eyes at her surroundings. Feeling the webbing still wrapped tightly around her wrists, the handmaiden pulls and twists, and whether due to natural skill or a weakening of the thin strands from their brief contact with the river water, her right wrist slips free of the bindings before reaching down to unwind the thread from her ankles before she staggers up to her feet, swaying back and forth and holding her hands up defensively in front of her as she continues to blink at Gavin, Silas, and Jakkin, clearly unable to focus well enough on them to identify them at this point. With the webbing covering her face removed, this is clearly the queen's handmaiden, although she has definitely seen better days with her make-up smeared and her crimson-flame colored hair sticking out in all directions, pulled every which way by tufts of surviving webbing.

Spoiler: Elliana

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Wakes up at 1 Wisdom after the removal of the dream spider webbing.
Standard - Attempts to escape the webs binding her.
Escape Artist: (1d20)[20]
Move - Stands up
Free Action - Attempts to figure out where she is and who these people in front of her are.

Spoiler: Jakkin

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You pride yourself on being a lady's man when the mood strikes you, but unlike those amateurs trying and failing to spend the evening with the local barmaid, you have a secret technique. It's quite simple really - rather than rely on some "irresistible" pick-up line, you pay attention to the lady. Seems like they almost one and all love it when someone notices the little details - how they're wearing their hair that day, that new perfume they're trying out - even trivial details seem to disproportionately please them if you notice. So you've developed an eye for picking up those little details, and just now your attention to detail has delivered a doozy to you. The woman standing in front of you is supposed to be Elliana - she's dressed in the clothes described by Seamus, she has the rough appearance of an elf, but it's not her. It's Queen Ileosa, and it has to be her because the evidence in favor of that is overwhelming.

• Elliana's hair was raven black, yet this woman's hair is flame red - just like Ileosa's.
• Although you don't think the others have noticed it as yet, when "Elliana" fell off the wall the last of the pale blue webbing ripped free of her face, and took with it one of her pointed ears. That gave you quite a momentary shock of horror, until you realized that the ear trapped in the webbing was a prosthetic, and that there was still a perfectly fine, perfectly round-shaped human ear still attached to that side of her head.
• While "Elliana's" face is a mess of smeared make-up, and while the odd patches of different skin color could be passed off as smeared make-up and dirt, you don't think that's it. Rather it looks like make-up was applied evenly over the skin to alter and darken the skin tone, and now that it's smeared everywhere there's patches of darker, heavy make-up and patches where the the make-up has been largely scraped away, leaving Ileosa's flawless alabaster skin.

Meanwhile over by the rope ladder, the battle against the last dream spider continues to rage. Atavian re-summons his giant centipede as his first one begins to fade away after yet again failing to hit the dream spider. The newly summoned one doesn't have any better luck, and in fact is rather unlucky in that it appears just as the dream spider lunges at the fading out centipede, and since they disappear and reappear in nearly the exact same spot, the newly summoned centipede is not prepared for a spider to suddenly be sending its fangs into the side of its neck.

Spoiler: Atavian

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Atavian resummons a giant centipede, both his previous summon and his new summon miss due to rolling "2"s to-hit.

Spoiler: Dream Spider #3

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To-Hit: (1d20+2)[22] vs. Giant Centipede
Damage: (1d3)[2]

The gigantic spider takes one last lunge at the water elemental, and then either frustrated as its lunge leaves it splashing face first into the surf or dismayed at the water starting to surge up around its body, beats a nasty retreat back into its corner lair. The water elemental is largely content to let the spider flee, turning its full attention to the boat as it brings both fists together over its head and then delivering a blow to the floor that sends broken boards flying in all directions. The water surges and bubbles, geysering up into a second man-sized elemental while the first flows forward to deliver a hard punch to Aliani's sternum that is deflected only at the last minute by the magical shield of force he had conjured a moment earlier. Just before that, the playwright had stepped forward to smash in the curled up chest of one of the dream spiders, decidedly splattering it into a gooey mess that no longer resembled a creature so much as a smear of ichor.

Spoiler: Ogre Spider

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To-Hit: (1d20+8)[13]
Damage: (2d8+7)[10]

5' Steps backwards

Spoiler: Water Elementals

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Large Water Elemental - Continues to wreck the boat
To-Hit: (1d20)[15]
Damage: (1d8+12)[20]

To-Hit: (1d20)[13]
Damage: (1d8+12)[17]

Medium Water Elemental #1 - 5' Steps to D6 (Water Walk), and tries to punch Aliani
To-Hit: (1d20+7)[13]
Damage: (1d8+4)[8]

Medium Water Elemental #2 - Enters the boat through the hole that the Large Water Elemental just bashed in the hull.

Spoiler: Status

Show

Good Guys
Aliani
Gavin -
Jakkin - 3 Damage
Dalen
Atavian
Celestial Giant Centipede 2 - 2 Damage
Elliana - Awake (1 Wisdom)

Bad Guys?
Devargo
Chittersnap
Ogre Spider - 15 Damage
Dream Spider 1 - DEAD
Dream Spider 2 – DYING (13 Damage)
Dream Spider 3
Dream Spider 4 – DYING (14 Damage)
Dream Spider 5 – DYING (14 Damage)

Bad Guys!
Large Water Elemental – 26 Damage
Medium Water Elemental #1
Medium Water Elemental #2

BOAT - 70 Damage

Battle Map

[Stelio Kontos]

"You've got her!" Aliani exclaimed joyfully as he smushed a spider's skull. (Do spiders have skulls? He supposed they did...) "Gavin, YOU grab her, and Dalen can do his magic on you and then we can -- ah, crap!" It was just about then that the water decided to take a swing at him, splashing against the shield inches in front of his face.

"Uh, little help here please!" was his next cry, as he took a halfhearted swing at the elemental, as much to keep it at bay than actually to do any meaningful damage, before skedaddling up the ladder to relative safety.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Attack fighting defensively (AC 19, for the moment): (1d20)[14], damage (1d8)[1]
Move: away from the elemental (provokes AOO) and up the ladder

[PiccadillyPi]

"Elliana, darling! Silas et al forever for our queen. No time to rest! Sights to see, scourges to slay. Take Gavin's hand so we might leave this pit unerringly."

He had to speak quickly as water filled his pantaloons. He could only Wade away into the shallow tides as he made his way to assist Aliani, leaving the heavy lifting to the duo behind him.

"Bloody tangling tides! Off with ye!"

With his words, Silas swung at the water weight as if it were a metaphor for his personal diet.

[THEChanger]

Gavin placed his shoulder under Ellianna's arm, helping her to get steady as the water filled the hold. "Ellianna, my name is Gavin. I'm a friend. We are here to help you get to safety. The ladder out is across the room. Can you make your way up and out, or do you need assistance?"

Spoiler: OoC

Show

Conditional actions!

If Ellianna makes some manner of reply that she can make it out on her own, Gavin allows her to go first, and moves behind her to cover her escape.

If Ellianna does not reply, or replies in the negative, Gavin hoists her onto his back and moves to F7, where hopefully Dalen and Atavian can assist him in getting Elianna out of harms way.

[Captain Jak]

Taking back the Any-Tool, Jakkin began to fold it back into a more portable form.

"Go, get out of here before the water gets too deep," he urges those who have a lot more height with which to avoid it. "I'll cover your backs; get her out of here no matter what."

He’s no stranger to the water, but being trapped in the hold of a sinking ship with several hostile Elementals isn’t anyone’s idea of a good time.

[Darvin]

Hearing his compatriots ready to make their escape, Dalen kneels by the lip of the hatch to assist anyone in bringing Elliana up.

[Inspectre]

As you all struggle to escape the hold, the massive water elemental dives beneath the surface of the water and seems to exit the hold to find another spot in the ship's hull to smash apart as you don't see it again.
That still leaves the man-sized elemental to continue its assault on Aliani, while the second one dives beneath the surface of the water in the hold in preparation of some sort of ambush.

Seeing the playwright under assault, Silas explains the situation to Elliana before charging across the increasingly flooded hold to attempt to assist Aliani.
This movement sparks a reaction from the house-sized spider in the corner, which blindly lunges at Silas, ripping a gash across the back of his shoulder with its fangs, before the creature recoils back into its corner.
Reaching the confrontation, Silas swings his falchion into the side of the humanoid mass of water, but it seems to only harmlessly splash through the back, sending droplets of water flying but doing little less than to catch its attention from the glancing blow. But not its full attention, for as Aliani withdraws the water elemental lashes out a fist at him.
Even so, it can't stop the playwright's retreat, and he manages to ascend up into Devargo's throne room again without further difficulty.
Atavian covers Aliani's retreat with another arc of lightning, which passes into the water and gives Silas a not-entirely unpleasant tingling in his legs.

Spoiler: Atavian

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Lighting Arc on Water Elemental #1
To-Hit: (1d20+2)[15]
Damage: (1d6+1)[2]

Centipede vs. Dream Spider
To-Hit: (1d20+2)[5]
Damage: (1d6-1)[0]

Dream Spider vs. Centipede
To-Hit: (1d20+4)[12]
Damage: (1d3)[1]

Spoiler: Silas

Show

Provokes an AoO from the ogre spider, takes 13 damage but passes the Fort save vs. poison.
He misses the water elemental.

Spoiler: Aliani

Show

Aliani moves back to the rope ladder and climbs, provoking an AoO from the water elemental as he leaves his current square in E7.

Water Elemental AoO - (1d20+7)[11] vs. Defensive AC of 19
Damage: (1d8+4)[9]

Elliana stares blankly at Gavin for a moment, until Silas's voice seems to startle her, and recognition dawns in her eyes.

"Y-yes. I can walk."

She replies softly, following Gavin's pointing finger towards the distant rope ladder across the hold. The handmaiden takes a step forward and nearly pitches forward onto her face as the deck sifts and tilts slightly from all the water the ship is taking on one side, causing it to list more and more. She manages to catch herself from her stumble by crashing into Gavin, leaning up against him for support.

"I could probably use a shoulder for support."

She confesses, and Gavin reflexively offers her his shoulder to brace against as the two stagger over to the rope ladder. They are nearly there when a man-sized shape of water looms out of the rising surf and threatens to crash into them both. Gavin reacts by shoving Elliana the rest of the way to the rope ladder before turning to confront his new threat, buying the handmaiden time to struggle her way partway up the ladder. But that's all the farther she needs to get before Dalen and Aliani both kneel down and offer hands up from above, helping the queen's handmaiden ascend the rest of the way up to safety.

Spoiler: Elliana

Show

With Gavin's aid, walks across the non-flooded portion of the hold, and manages to get 5' up the rope ladder on her turn. On her next turn, which is coming around after the water elementals punch people, she climbs the rest of the way up to safety. With Dalen and Aliani there to help pull her up, she manages to climb up without provoking an AoO from the water elemental attacking Gavin

A few moments later, a new complication appears in the form of Devargo tromping up the stairs off to one side of the throne room, a heavy wooden trunk slung over each shoulder.
He freezes as he sees everyone clustered around the hole down into the cargo hold, including Elliana.

"Well, looks like you managed to save your friend! So, our business is concluded then, aye?"

Devargo says boisterously, eyeing both the group and the door out onto the deck.

Meanwhile still down in the hold, Silas, Gavin, and Jakkin are surrounded by two water elementals and trapped with a truly gigantic spider.

The spider, at least, seems more interested in escape than battle, as it flounders in the rapidly rising water.
Desperate, it turns and begins slamming its bulk against the northern wall, clearly intelligent enough to realize there is something on the other side of the wall, which is hopefully not more water.

Spoiler: Ogre Spider

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Attacking northern wall
To-Hit: (1d20+8)[22]
Damage: (2d8+7)[16]

Spoiler: Large Water Elemental

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Double moves down into the water and out of the cargo hold through the hole it's bashed.

The water elementals remaining in the hold deliver punishing blows to both Silas and Gavin.
The fist of water upside the head to Silas leaves him swooning and seeing stars (not sure if Silas is at 22 HP at the start of the fight or after the ogre spider bite, but if he started at 22 HP, looks like he's at 0 and Disabled).
Gavin also takes a punishing blow from the wall of water rushing into him (unless he parrys and ripostes it, anyway).

Spoiler: Medium Water Elementals

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#1 - Swinging back at Silas
To-Hit: (1d20+7)[26]
Damage: (1d8+4)[9]

#2 - Swinging at Gavin (Charge)
To-Hit: (1d20+9)[21]
Daamge: (1d8+4)[7]

With the two water elementals in the way, Jakkin's escape looks potentially cut off . . . although there is the open door that Chittersnap used to escape, now allowing water to flow out into the hallway beyond.
That's closer and easier for the halfling to reach, although he just has to hope then that there is nothing else dangerous waiting out in the hallway if he takes that route, separating himself from the rest of his allies.

Spoiler: Status

Show

Good Guys
Aliani
Gavin - 7 Damage
Jakkin - 3 Damage
Dalen
Atavian
Silas - 22 Damage
Celestial Giant Centipede 2 - 2 Damage
Elliana - Awake (1 Wisdom)

Bad Guys?
Devargo
Chittersnap
Ogre Spider - 15 Damage
Dream Spider 1 - DEAD
Dream Spider 2 – DYING (13 Damage)
Dream Spider 3
Dream Spider 4 – DYING (14 Damage)
Dream Spider 5 – DYING (14 Damage)

Bad Guys!
Large Water Elemental – 26 Damage
Medium Water Elemental #1 - 2 Damage
Medium Water Elemental #2

BOAT - 86 Damage

Battle Map

[Darvin]

Dalen gives Devargo a cold glare before ignoring him and turning to Atavian, "dismiss your existing summons and replace them with Dolphins. If our compatriots can't escape through the hatch, they can escape through the hole that's been torn in the hull,"

[Stelio Kontos]

Even as he extended one hand down to try to help Elliana up the hold, he took a moment to straighten out his oft-askew brooch, sending forth a wave of healing in all directions -- including, importantly, downward.

He had but two words for Devargo: "For now." What that meant could be left to the imagination.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Channel Energy for 10 points of healing goodness, rolled in Discord.

Witty banter.

[Captain Jak]

Gritting his teeth, Jakkin eyes his likely escape routes, the number of potentially hostile opponents in the hold, and his companions about the ladder. He needs to hold position to ensure the others have sufficient light to fight their way clear, but the waters are rising far too fast for comfort.

Spoiler: OOC:

Show

Holding his action until everyone is up the ladder; if/when, head out the door at B4, B4 the water gets too deep.

[THEChanger]

Seeing the pulse of divine energy flow from the deck above, Gavin shouted towards his smaller companion. "Go, Mister Longshanks, we're fine!"

Once Silas was clambering up the ladder, Gavin followed suit, eager to escape the flooding hold.

Spoiler: OoC

Show

Once Silas has made it to safety, Gavin ascends the rope ladder.

[PiccadillyPi]

"Thank ye, kind bard!"

Silas only recouped his senses as Aliani's magic channeled through him. With that and a quick twirl of his sabre, he dashed away leaving at least one of the elementals unable to easily follow.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Withdraw action. Shortest route up the ladder as quick as he can.