PlanetADnD.com

"Indeed..." Jerrard ponders under his breath. "Can you track the others?" He asks Babuskha quietly.

The Daergar grins evilly. "Whisper spider," he says.

Babushka was familiar with that particular breed. Unlike ordinary giant spiders that, despite their size, behaved like any other arachnid, whisper spiders were intelligent--and quite malevolent. They would often tease their prey, savoring the fear and panic before killing it slowly, for fun.

"While you lot have been futzin' 'round here, the elves probably are dead already," the Daergar points out.

"All right, I think we got all the information we are going to need," Imani says. "Let them go, and we need to get moving."

An involuntary shudder shakes Babushka for a moment. A whisper spider! Arachnids in general were bad enough, but that kind...
"We need to go and kill that beast if we can" she says, her face set.

When they reach the place of the carnage, she asks: "Could you try to find out what killed the dwarves, and if anyone we know is among the dead Kirath? I will advance and see what's in the depression, then come back"

Closely on the tracks, Babushka advances carefully until she can see into the depression, remaining hidden as best she can.
Hide in shadows: 1d100=31

Fikod appears from the brush as the party approaches the ruins proper. "No sign of activity." He says softly, keeping his voice barely above a whisper. "Did ye manage to learn aught?" He needs little encouragement to do what Babushka suggests, and to search the personal effects of the fallen combatants for 'evidence.'

Fikod searches the bodies of the dead dwarves and elves, but finds no valuables--they have obviously been stripped already, probably by the surviving Daergar. It's clear that they killed each other, judging from their wounds.

Babushka sneaks forward to the lip of the depression. Just as she reaches it, she hears someone cry out in pain down below. She sees that the entire formation resembles a huge bowl, with walls sloping downward in a 100' drop. The arrangement is reminiscent of a crude amphitheater or stadium. Heaps of rubble lie jumbled around the pit’s rim, most of the rocks appear to be decorated with dwarven runes.

At the bottom of this primitive arena, she sees two staggering kirath, both bleeding profusely as they try to remain standing and defend themselves against their opponent, a whisper spider.
==========

Babushka makes a Hide in Shadows check (1d100): 31, fail.

(OOC: By the way, NoTrammeling, you never mentioned if Fikod took any of Oddom's belongings when you searched her. Did he?)

(Locky took her weapons, and gave them to imani)

Babushka has to look down and place her hands over her ears, applying all her strenght of will to avoid rushing down recklessly into the pit to confront the spider. After gulping a few times, she lifts her head again. Can she see any daergar watching what to them is a spectacle?

(OOC: in case some of you wonder why Babushka is reacting like that, giant spiders are her species enemy)

Imani hands Locky's weapons back to her before she follows after the gnome. "We need to get down there."

Strangely enough, Babushka does not see any Daergar in the vicinity. Instead, she watches as the whisper spider leaps upon one of the elves--both are exhausted and covered in wounds, but to their credit, the spider appears wounded, as well.

The kirath screams in pain as the spider sinks its fangs into her neck. The other kirath, a male, calls out in defiance but is so weak he can barely lift his sword, much less intervene. The bitten woman goes rigid and then drops to the ground, unmoving. The spider than turns to the male one, blood dripping from its mouth.

===========

(OOC: Horizon, I think Jenara meant Locky gave Imani Oddom's weapons--the axe, crossbow and bolts--not Locky's own weapons. Incidentally, that means Imani is now in light encumbrance.)

Babushka grits her teeth, then turns back to the group.
"Wel'll probably come too late to save the kirath" she tells them hastily. "But I do think we should kill that eight-legged monster. What surprises me is that I couldn't see any Daergar, so we probably should scout arund the depression first. I don't want any extra enemies when I tackle that one."

"We can still give them a hand." Jerrard suggests, "Take it with ranged weapons while you can, I can get a few hits with some spells."

Speaking a few words of magic he lets loose three bolts of magic at the spider. (Magic Missile, Range is 110 yards so he can easily hit it)

3d4+3=11 Damage.
Init: 1d10=6

Taking the idea, Locky grabs a stone from her pouch and lets it fly at the spider, "What an Evil looking thing!" She shouts, worried for the Elves.

1d10, 1d20+5, 1d6=[6], [5, 5], [6]
Hit AC 8, so forget it.

"You're right" Babushka says, relieved she can take some action. She lets loose two arrows from her short bow.

hits AC -6 for 6 dmg and AC -1 for 5 dmg

Imani shakes her head at the others and just runs down into the depression. She was better with her scimitars anyway.