Cave of the spiders - Newbie PbP GM

[Ranger Rick]

Donnybrook, stops and turns to the party whispering, "They may have set up sentries. I think we should have Ery and myself go and see if it is safe. You two stay hidden but watch us and we can call you up to follow us."


Move silently +4, hide +15, listen +14, spot +14

 

[Ferrix]

"Go 'head, I'll be at your back, axe at the ready should ye spring a crawly-one," Sirius says, hefting his axe with a thoughtful smile.

 

[Jdvn1]

"Sounds good to me--how many cures are you going to need when you get back?" Girble smiles at his own joke. "Just be careful."

 

[Lord_Raven88]

Hoisting packs and checking weapons, you all set off after Donnybrook. The tracks go in a nearly arrow-straight path to the Northeast, diverting only to avoid the large outcroppings of rock common in the area. At one point, about a quarter mile from where you started, you come upon a strange scene. Shredded webbing is scattered across a large area and another of the enormous spiders lies dead, without a mark on it. Donnybrook looks around and says it looks as though a fight broke out within the group. In addition to the tracks you've been following there are suddenly wide bootprints present. On the other side of the battle-site the original tracks continue (minus one spider, probably ).

The forest abruptly gives way to a long slope covered with loose rocks and scraggly bushes. At the tope of the slope, you can see a wide cave opening. Just above that, a sheer cliff, about as tall as a good bowshot, rises the cliff proper.

Stopping at the base of the slope Lucas turns to his companions, see two of his companions ready leave Lucas addresses then

"By all means go and check the mouth of the cave to ensure that noone has seen us, but go no further than that, as I'm going to cast a couple of spells, one to allow me to see in darkness and another to summon an invisible floating eye which will then scout ahead for us. All up this is going to take approx 20 minutes, 6 seconds or so for the first spell, 10 minutes to cast the second spell then I'll have 9 minutes to scout ahead. So protect me at all cost."

Smiles hopefully at his friends

"Once I'm done I should be able to draw a map of the caves and hopefully I'll even be able to find where this dwarf is."

OOC: Lucas cast Darkvision (Grants Darkvision 60' Duration 9 hours) & Arcane Eye (Invisible Floating eye moves 30' (or 10' if seaching the walls and ceiling) per round, Duration 9 minutes which equates to 2700' or 900' if searching walls and ceiling)

Arcane Eye: When the eye is in a normal passage, then it will proceed at the 30 per round speed, if the eye comes to a chamber then it will slow down to 10' per round while it searchs the ceiling walls and floor.

Also due to Darkvision the eye has a viewing range of 60'

 

[D20Dazza]

Ery Elf Rogue

Ery concurs with Donnybrook and Lucas and moves quietly towards the entrance "We'll yell if we have any trouble so be prepared to run to our aid" she suggests as the pair leave.

Move silently +13, hide +9, listen +7, spot +11

 

[Ranger Rick]

Donnybrook looks quizzical at Lucas, "so we need to sit for 31 minutes to scout ahead for 9 minutes? They must teach new math at your wizardry school. Ha ha....... Ok Ery, let us go and you 1st my friend, as I feel you can sneak upon them better than I can. Lead the way."

 

[JimAde]

Lucas makes a quick pass with a small crystal over his eyes. The crystal vanishes and he knows that he can see as well as Sirius in the dark now. But the view is unchanged as the sun continues to shine down from the brilliant blue autumn sky. He then begins a much more complex ritual. He intones words of power while he focuses his perceptions on a spot before him, willing into existence a locus for his vision.

Meanwhile Donnybrook and Erethinol begin making their careful way out of the tree line and through the talus field at the bottom of the slope. They are careful to keep large rocks between themselves and the cave entrance as much as possible, but the slope is very exposed.

[sblock]Hide checks (with -4 circumstance penalty): Donnybrook rolls 13+15-4=24, Ery rolls 13+9-4=18[/sblock]

As they climb, Ery suddenly crouches behind a rock and hisses "There!" She points to the left side of the cave's wide entrance and Donnybrook just makes out the top of what is unmistakably a helmet. Its wearer is mostly obscured by the ledge on which he stands, and from that angle he clearly can't see the approaching adventurers, but if he moves forward they might be spotted.

[sblock]Spot checks: Donnybrook rolls 7+14=21, Ery rolls 20+11=31! For that roll you get a chance to act before they spot you. [/sblock]

I also made Spot checks for Sirius and Girble, but given the greater range and the fact that I rolled lousy, they don't see anything. Also, on those rare occasions when I assign dialogue to a PC (like Ery's "There" above) I'll try to use the color coding you are all using. NPCs will continue to speak in uncolored bold and OOC comments like this will be in red as Ranger Rick is doing. So...Lucas is about 5 minutes into his casting, and Donnybrook and Ery are about 80 feet from the ledge leading into the cave. However, that 80 feet will cost 160 feet of movement because it's rough terrain.
Actions?

 

[Ranger Rick]

Assumption, I am further behind Ery.

I quietly get to within whispering range. "Shall we move closer? As we get closer, I will stop, stay back and cover you. I would like to eliminate only one sentry. If there are two, than we need help."

 

[JimAde]

As Ery and Donnybrook whisper, they see the sentry (or at least the top of his head) move to the right side of the cave. As he does so he comes slightly closer and they see that he is a bugbear, carrying a bow and well armored. He stops with his back to them and though he is too far away to hear anthing, it is obvious that he is speaking to someone out of sight.

Sirius and Girble see their two scouts pause and point. With that aid, they spot the sentry moving as well. From their more distant vantage they actually have a clearer view and see that there are two bugbears. Both were sitting behind screening rocks and scrub, but now that one has moved they can both be seen.

There are obviously at least two sentries. Lucas is still casting furiously away behind the tree-line.

 

[Ranger Rick]

Whispering, "damn bug bears. I think we can take them. What do you say?"