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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Capellan" data-source="post: 437352" data-attributes="member: 6294">Amberdale 0 : "An Introduction to Amberdale" by PDabble Games - Part 14The group were right: the steps do indeed turn into a ramp.  This occurs just as the three adventurers reach the mid-point of the staircase.  To add insult to injury, when the individual steps drop down, they reveal small openings in the wall.  Out of these openings pours a slick and slippery flood of grease.The Padre is at the rear.  He falls on his back, but immediately jams both feet out against the narrow walls.  This quick thinking allows him to lodge himself in place, though it does not prevent him from ending up doused in the foul-smelling grease.Rose is next, and despite her innate dexterity, she is unable to keep her feet.  Unfortunately, being smaller than the Padre, she is unable reach the walls and stop herself from sliding.  She consequently shoots down the ramp, knocking Stormstrider off his feet as she goes.  The two of them hurtle down into the darkness (Rose grimly holding onto the lantern as she goes).  Both are braced for a bone-jarring impact, and are thus surprised to land in something soft and yielding.This momentary relief turns to mounting horror, however, as they realise that they are both stuck fast in a giant spider web, and that their arrival has not gone unnoticed.  A huge black spider, covered in thick hairs and nearly as large as a man, scuttles out of the darkness and toward the helpless adventurers.Rose attempts to wriggle free of the sticky strands, but her skills as an escape artist are not up to the task, and the spider is rapidly bearing down upon her.  With a mighty shout, Stormstrider rips himself free of the confining web, his brute strength succeeding where Rose's skills and guile have failed.  The action proves as much of a boon for the halfling as it does for the ranger, however, as the spider - no doubt attracted by the ferocity of his struggle - moves straight past Rose to attack him.Stormstrider tries to fend the creature off with his weapons, but the spider rushes on, not in the least intimidated.  It's mandibles, drooling poison, bite deep into the elf's leg.Still on his back, lying on the stairs, the Padre calls upon his god to place a bane on the spider.  It is a difficult position in which to cast spells, but he is able to focus his mind, and cast successfully.  Seeing Stormstrider visibly wilt from the spider's poisonous bite, he can only hope his spell has affected the beast.Meanwhile, the three who were let at the top of the stairs rush to the door and try to re-open it.  To their relief, it proves not to have locked when it swung shut, and Ming Li quickly wrenches it open, while Elspeth loads her bow and Mantreus his crossbow.Rose continues to try and escape, but again fails.  Meanwhile, Stormstrider is the only thing holding the spider's attention away from her.  The ranger swipes twice at the beast, scoring a minor hit with his sickle, but neither of his blows displayed their usual strength - a worrying sign.The spider, seemingly unaffected by the Padre's magic, bites again, scoring another hit - this time on Stormstrider's trailing arm.  Poison once more washes through the Ranger, and he staggers, his strength failing still further as the foul liquid enters his bloodstream.Unable to rely on his god, the Padre raises his already loaded crossbow and lets fly at the beast.  The quarrel sinks home, plunging deep into the spider's abdomen."Get out of the way!" Mantreus and Elspeth are both yelling at Ming Li, who coolly hurls a sling stone at the spider before stepping aside to give them a clear shot.  Unfortunately, the monk's missile flies wide, but both of her companions prove more accurate: their shots plunge into the creature's thorax, and it collapses to the ground, stone dead.Moments later, Stormstrider also collapses, the continuing ravages of the poison leaving him trembling and weak (went from 18 STR down to 6).Gingerly, the Padre moves down the stairs, which have re-set to their original position.  Quickly, he checks on Stormstrider.  The young elf is weak, but does not appear in imminent danger of death."Hey!  What about me!" Rose yelps, from where she is still suspended in the web.  Abashed, the Padre quickly cuts her free.  As he does so, he notices two other things in the strands: the first is a man-sized bundle; the second and a small, wriggling ball."Spider eggs!" the priest has a torch and his flint and tinder out in an instant.  His gaze is fixed fearfully on the wriggling ball."Wait!" Ming Li calls, "The large bundle!  I think that's Ai Ling in there!"Staying well away from the wriggling ball, Rose investigates the man-sized shape.  Ming Li's hunch proves accurate, and the Padre - now even more abashed - cuts the goal of their quest free from his sticky prison.  It seems they have come within an instant of killing the very man they came to save.  Ai Ling is in a bad way - even weaker than Stormstrider - but between them the Padre and Rose are able to carry him to the base of the stairs.  From there, those at the top throw down a rope, and the group climbs up hand over hand, wary in case the stairs suddenly become a ramp once more.  They then repeat the process with their elven companion.Once everyone is safely at the top, the Padre again produces his torch and lights it.  This time there are no objections as he hurls the burning brand down into the spider web.Flames immediately engulf the wriggling ball, which lets out a plaintive - and feline - yowl of pain before being forever silenced.The group looks at one another in shock as they realise that they are watching the missing Scratches - and their fifty gold piece reward - go up in smoke.</blockquote>

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