IC Area - Chapter Two - "Welcome to the Jungle..."

[apn]

"...we got fun n games..."

Summary of last Chapter:
Three adventuring strangers were brought together in the frontier town of Jepistra in the Dragons Claw bay region of the Dragon Continent. They weren't there long when they were called on to defend the honour of another adventurer and stumbled into something else. A former Pirate turned Quartermaster for the worlds biggest trading fleet of SONAN IE was poisoned by a Shapechanging assassin. In addition one of the parties allies turned out to be a shapechanger themselves, dispatched by the adventurers though the would be assassin escaped.
Recruited by Captain Franick of Jepistras' militia and a mysterious Old Crone who lives on the jetty amongst the flotsam and jetsom the party are venturing into the jungle to find a temple where an antidote for the poison killing Rathmere can be found.

These are...

The Days of High Adventure!

---

Chapter 2 - Welcome to the Jungle

---

Sergeant Klemitz and a few Militia walked the party and their mounts to the gates of Jepistra. From here the group could see the constant work required to clear the land around the town.

Set on the equator, the town was a sweaty edge of the jungle settlement and a strange magical byproduct of ages past meant that whatever grew around here grew much faster than most other places so there was always work for anyone prepared to clear land and cut the jungle back. If left the trees would restore in months to a height that would normally take decades thanks to the sun, heat, moisture and magical 'radiation' around this place from ages past.

Plentiful around here, jungle wood brought good prices elsewhere but previous attempts to mass clear the jungle met a storm of arrows from the inhabitants...

Klemitz stood by the side of the road as people trudged in and out of the town bearing wood, plants, fruit or anything else that the Jungle/Forest had given them or going back to get more.

"Right lads. Eeer." he says with a nod and A militia man comes up with what looked like oiled skins. "Rain coats, big enough fer yer ponies too. When it comes down ya'll be wet through in seconds. This might 'elp."

"You've got about a day ta get there an back or Rathmere's a gonna. On yer way." said the grufff sergeant.

With map in hand Firdle followed the reasonably simple instructions...

The roads had been at some point the focus of an attempt to upgrade to cobblestones but were only partially successful. Still, a day without rain meant the going was reasonable save for the crowds of Jungle cutters who gave surly glances at the trio riding past.

OOC No idea how well your guys ride but the ponies are docile, tough things and can put up with you bouncing down when you should be bouncing up, at least for a while.

With the forest becoming sweaty overgrown jungle in a short time - less than a mile from Jepistra, the 'road' became something of a rutted overgrown mess and tricky for the ponies to negotiate without tripping in a deep rut. All around the jungle trees curled over the path and were wrapped in vines and other flora as the jungle fought itself for dominance.

Wind picked up in the leaves and with a nervous look at each other the party found they'd need their waterproof ponchos sooner than desired as a steady rain began to pitter patter down.

Checking the map Firdle sees a cross where they were - it was magical and though devoid of too many details suggested a dotted line as path they followed without error so far.

Up ahead the path dipped into and out of a stream which forked and the rough path through the jungle split into North, East and West.

Sat on a log at the fork in the stream sits a young man huddled under large leaves and looking quite miserable as tries in vain to avoid the rain.

He clutches a leather satchel and looks around nervously. Then he sees the party in the distance (about a hundred feet away) and stands.

Is he waiting for the party?

Behind him the leaves stir... and a large, long, thin hair leg starts to emerge, some four feet high up to the knuckle and the rest starts to slowly creep from the jungle behind the young man who is unaware it seems though the party recognise a Giant Spider start to emerge only fifteen or so feet behind the young man!



OOC you are around 100 feet away from the young man who is dressed in simple peasant sack clothing and looks to be around fifteen years old or so. The rough satchel is made of some kind of leather. The Spider looks to be a big one, about the size of a horse...

[houndle]

Will Darness
Slides off his pony and rubs his aching buttocks. "Next time I'll take the boat, it can scarcely be more uncomfortable than this," he thinks.

 " Halloa there! " he hails the young fellow in a friendly manner. "I say, is that your spider?" At the same time he unships his new sword in a not overtly threatening manner, ready to take on whichever of his two new acquaintances looks most hostile.

ACTIONS 
Gets ready to fight. Sword only at this point. More suspicious of the spider, but wary in case things are not as they seem; looking for clues that the young man is not what he appears. If he happens to drop the sword, try and retrieve it if Klarrrrchr is close enough to protect him, otherwise run away a short distance and go to short sword.

[nialldubh]

Klarrrrchur Deathaxe:

“RUN!” Roared Klarrrrchur,”DO NOT LOOK BACK!”

Mindful of shapechanger, the Dwarf could not believe a shapechanger could be so stupid to sit at the side of the road to be eaten, unless it had made a pact with a giant spider to dupe them...

Cursing the Dwarf throws himself from his pony, “Blast it Fridle,” called out Klarrrrchur and he pulled forth his axe and mace, “darn I not throwing his thing again, I either lose it in jungle or embed it in the Human!”


Actions:

Actions of Dwarf... Slam the mace into the closest kneecap of spider, it collapses to one side for a few seconds, he jumps on behind it, slamming his axe into is shoulder to ride it like a horse, then smash his heavy mace onto its napper!

Nialldubh rolls 18d6+48 = 2 +4 +3 +1 +4 +6 +2 +3 +6 +4 +2 +4 +6 +6 +4 +2 +1 +1 + 48 = 109

Nialldubh: Combat Tactics:

Nialldubh (Swordsman) rolls 2d6+61 = 2 +4 + 61 = 67

[apn]

The young man stands and hears Will shouting at him. "What?" calls the young man in return as the bushes behind him continue to part. "Spider?" he starts to look down and around at his feet.

The Spider moves in the way they do, stalking silently and inching closer to its' prey...

The young man blinks and looks up when the Dwarf yells "RUN!" and "DO NOT LOOK BACK!" which of course elicits the response where he turns, sees the spider and wails, flailing arms and legs and tumbling backwards.

He is wearing a satchel on his back and tied to it are what seems to be a bunch of sticks. As he falls onto the jungle floor a sound of 'Krish!' rings out, like glass breaking.

OOC in order to close the distance you have two choices. Run (the safe-ish option on the rutted parts of the jungle trail) or ride your ponies towards a giant spider on the rutted, uneven and frankly quite trip likely jungle floor.

With the young man having fallen to the ground (as opposed to running which was the more sensible option) the Spider is exposed to any distance attacks (100' away) you may try.

Firdle, unusually quiet, forms a word in a long dead language on his lips whilst the image of a rune fills his mind. Whirling his fingers he traces a shape of the rune in the air which sparkles with light for a brief instant before going off with a CRACK! and a BOOM! and he cries out "TAKE THAT YOU FIEND!"

A fizzing Wooosh! like a firework speeds from the wizards' hand across the distance past where Will and Klarrrrchur have started running towards the Spider with weapons drawn. The sputtering, sparkling, smoking missile weaves and wobbles and spins into the Spider!

OOC 12 Damage to the creature reducing it to MR88 (from 100). Firdle gets 2AP for the 2 Wiz expenditure and is on 17 Wiz (of 19) and 59AP

Not that you know this but it's easier for me to keep track of the creature if I put it in a Spoiler box which you won't peak at...

SPOILER: Click to show

Giant Jungle Spider - MR100
A five foot high spider with six foot legs and the same length hairy body. Those dripping mandibles inject a paralysing poison which drains Strength on a 1 point for 1 Spite basis on the round it is injected and for two further rounds afterwards. Additional Spite damage reduces Con and additional Spite damage reduces Dex before looping around to Str again on Round 4 of combat.

When a stat drops to zero the target is paralysed and the Spider webs it up with its bulbous abdomen and hefts it into a tree for eating at its pleasure.

To stop the effects of the poison the victim must make a Con L1SR PLUS the number of Spite inflicted. Example: Spider bites a victim with 4 Spite. The CON L1SR +4 has a target of 24.

This creature has no home as such, instead wandering the jungle and preying on whatever it can (up to its own size so quite a lot is on the menu) including other Jungle Spiders. Females are even larger with an MR of 125-150 but tend to be less aggressive and more likely to consider their targets carefully as they generally have a brood of hundreds of fist size baby spiders to feed and protect.

OOC hope Spoiler code works...

The blast gives the Spider pause and the young man scrambles backwards and struggles to his feet, sprinting towards the warriors.

OOC Is Will pitching in with the Spider Fight? Roll up the attack if you will please houndle . Klarrrrchur is attempting Combat Tactics... with Strength. Not sure that would be effective from a distance to be honest. Up close you could use that strength to kick leaves/twigs/floor debris up then lunge inwards for a bonus die to your attack or to gain a one round Spite as Exploding dice effect on L3SR (which should be a 'don't fumble' check only I guess).

You can attempt to close the distance quickly with a Dex L1SR. If you make it you can attack this round otherwise it will be next when you reach it. Failure means you trip in the rutted jungle trail...

[houndle]

Will Darness
Is good to go but explicitly takes care not to out-distance Klarrrrchur.

ACTIONS
Fight!

OOC The rules are not quite clear when the SR is taken for using a too heavy weapon. I'll do the SR first

WillDarness rolls 2d6+11 = (1 +2 )+ 11 = 14

OOC Obviously not the result I was hoping for
Six numbers: 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 15

I guess I'm not going to score mega damage this round.

[apn]

OOC Those numbers don't look likely to win £145 million (tonights rollover) either... Still, stranger things have happened... FUMBLE on the sword use! No AP...

Will Darness hefts the too heavy sword and charges forward with Klarrrrchur at his side... and suddenly feels the weight gone!

Slowing, he turns to see the bushes behind and to the left rustling...

The sword is no longer in his hand.

OOC Klarrrrchur can go it alone this round (Dex L1SR to reach the spider - fail=fall over) or wait for Will to take a sword he doesn't want to throw into the jungle and join him next round, your choice. Your attack roll will be used this round (upon making the Dex roll) or next. However, the Spider might get the kid next round...

[houndle]

"Lucky" Will Darness
 "I never realised swords were so complicated," thinks Will. " Thank goodness I didn't buy a gunne. "

ACTIONS
Assuming Will hasn't actually managed to cut off his own leg, he will hurry forward to get into the action as soon as he can. Using the short sword for now, he'll go back for the other one after this fight is over, assuming he is still able to.

[nialldubh]

Klarrrrchur Deathaxe:

The Dwarf short legs cause him to be slow to reaching the spider, near stumbling... “By Aroshnavaraparta the Sea God, give mi more wind ta ma sails?!”

“Aaaaaaaaaarrrr,” Bellows the Dwarf at the giant spider, to try and attract its attention, “aaaaaaaaaaahrrr!!!”


Actions:

Actions of Dwarf... Still attempt his last bout of attacks, if he can... Get to spider fast, but fail....

OOC: More considering the Swordsman, (Combat Tactic) thing, like the Hobbit fighting the Giant, Dodge through it legs and inflict damage without any of giants MR having any affect, but left it to you to decide what you think is right?

Concept is to distract spider my causing it so much pain in its knee-cap, that give the Dwarf time to drop his full weight on its back, to then avoid its fangs (poison, etc.) and crack its skull open!!!

Nialldubh rolls 2d6+13 = 1 +3 + 13 = 17 L1SR on Dex, fail.

Nialldubh: CHR to attract G. spider's attention...

Nialldubh rolls 2d6+8 = 5 +5 + 8 = 18 + TARO Nialldubh rolls 2d6 = 1 +5  =6 TOTAL: 24?

[cupboardgnome]

Firdle
Glances nervously at the rustling bushes before focussing on the spider again.
"Klarrrrchur, I thinks there's more of them!"
ACTIONS
Blast the first spider again with TTYF for 12 points of awesome destruction.

[nialldubh]

Klarrrrchur Deathaxe:

Oblivious to Firdle's call, and Will's dilemma the Dwarf leaps at the spider!


Actions:

Actions of Dwarf... KILL! KILL! KILL!

www.flickr.com/photos/nialldubh/52050705275/in/dateposted-public/

[apn]

OOC Effectively we're still on Round One.

Will tossed his sword into the trees (who needs a sword anyway?)

Firdle fired off a "Take That You Fiend!" and got the things' attention.

Klarrrrchur trips up after climbing down from the horse, pulling his weapons out then running along the rutted jungle track before falling face first then yelling to get the Spiders' attention. For his efforts Klarrrrchur earns 20AP and is on 23AP.

The Spider?

It sees a target running away (the teenager) and another target lying on the floor making noises that suggest it is wounded prey! It scuttles forward and the boy yelps before steering off at an angle into the jungle!

Klarrrrchur climbs to his feet with dirt and debris from the ground falling off him. With Axe and Mace in hand he roars as plunges forward with the weapons just as Will pulls his short sword free of its scabbard and adds with his own attack!

Firdle once more forms the words and gestures to go with the minds' eye image of a rune that sends a rocketing Take that you fiend! into the creature again!

The Spider finds its prey isn't quite as vulnerable as it thought but is hungry and attacks anyway!

OOC Klarrrrchur is too tall to get under this creatures' legs which stands at about the Dwarfs' own height. A bigger spider? The plan would be sound.

Giant Spider attacks! 1 +3 +4 +3 +2 +1 +3 +1 +3 + 44=65HPT no spite but it may as well not have bothered! Short changed the spider, it gets two more dice. Spider gets 6 +3=9 total 74HPT with 1 Spite

Klarrrrchur attacks with Axe and Mace! Nialldubh rolls 18d6+48 = 2 +4 +3 +1 +4 +6 +2 +3 +6 +4 +2 +4 +6 +6 +4 +2 +1 +1 + 48 = 109 HPT with 4 Spite which is a moot point.

Will plunges in from the side and sticks the sword in, time and again even as the Dwarf pounds and smashes with his weapons! APN for WIll Darness rolls 6 +5 +6 +1 + 4=22 HPT with 2 Spite

Firdle zaps the Spider for 12 IQ damage and earns 2AP (total 61AP) and currently on 15/19 Wiz

Boom, crunch, SPLAT!

Party 143HPT vs Giant Spider 74HPT 1 spite
Party win by 69 points. The Spider is on 19MR and has had enough!

Klarrrrchur takes a bite as he's facing the Spider face on but probably won't be bothered by it...

APN rolls for Klarrrrchur CON check. 6 +3 + 32=41 passed easily. The poison stands no choice against the granite con of the Dwarf who earns 9AP putting him on 32AP.

Despite the Spider lunges with those poison dripping mandibles the Dwarf is undaunted and smashes, pounds, swipes and stands even as a spell slams into the creatures' side and Will pokes it from the other side with his short sword!

The creature is badly wounded and ichor spouts from multiple wounds prompting it to scuttle backwards slightly then turn and make for the jungle! Wounded as it is the thing probably wouldn't last long though the party can finish it off if they require...

OOC Your call. You get AP for the win either way. No way that Spider can last another round.

Either way (party finish spider off or let it go and avoid Will getting any spite damage - it's his turn to get the odd point next time!) the youth who was to be the Spiders' next meal pokes a head out of the jungle foilage and looks about before stepping onto the trail. He's white as a sheet.

Klarrrrchur earns 100AP and is on 132AP
Will Darness earns 120AP and is on 200AP - hasn't had chance to look for the sword yet. He is still on 6/8 Con.
Firdle earns 120AP and is on 181AP and 15/19 Wiz

"I... I'm Skurve. That's what they call me. The other kids dared me ta nick from th' old womans' place an' she caught me. A spell she casts on me!" he said, glancing around as if the crone were able to hear him. "She says I got two choices. Be a toad or come give you this. Wait for you I was supposed ta, at the stream fork, with this satchel I was. Assuming you is..." he thought for a moment then "She made me recite it over an' over... Will Darness, Firdle the Adequate and Klarrrrchur Deathaxe. She said ta be careful n watch out fer th' spider, an' 'elp th' old fella wi' 'is wheel. Whatever that means..."

Suddenly there is a crashing sound of foilage breaking and clatter of something coming through the jungle towards the party!

[houndle]

Will Darness
 "With such a stalwart band of comrades the jungle holds no fear," says Will out loud. " As long as I can hide behind someone, " he thinks privately.
 
"Let us bravely face whatever new peril comes to menace us, Klarrrrchur."

 " Good Firdle, do your magical powers or your powerful intellect tell you anything about the satchel or its origin? "

 "Is there any possibility of marshalling evil against itself by harvesting the spider's venom do you think?"

ACTIONS
Try and find his sword as long as that doesn't involve getting too close to the mysterious sounds. 

OOC As soon as he can, Will spends 110 points to raise his DEX to 12 and avoid any further embarrassments.

Unless I have missed something lost CON was restored in part 1, page 7? (With Will's luck I might have overlooked some other injury)
trollbridge.proboards.com/post/61751

Any saves needed to follow the actions Will has suggested in the italic section?

[nialldubh]

Klarrrrchur Deathaxe:

"Conjure a greater spell Wizard and shot that beastie,” calls Klarrrrchur, “I not want to meet that thing on the way back!”

After a brief moment of brushing the dirt and leaves off, him, the Dwarf composes himself.

“Skurve is it, yes thanks for the warning, we'll make sure to be mindful of the big hairy spiders from now on,” stated the Dwarf as grumpy as he could be, “help the auld fella with his wheel. Ach, it nae safe to ride a pony through these jungles, what person would take a wagon?”

“Darn,” reacting to the noise, “if that was a spiderspawn, I hope this is not the mother!”


Actions:

Actions of Dwarf... Oblivious to why Will is looking in the bushes and staring at the fleeing spider. Now staring at this foolish youth with a deathwish and now readying himself for a bulldozer coming through the undergrowth, yip he ready!!!

[cupboardgnome]

Firdle
Still with one eye on the rustling.
ACTIONS
Blast the fleeing spider into icky goo with one last TTYF (and look triumphant and impressive). 12 points of damage at the cost of 2 points of WIZ.

[apn]

OOC houndle you are right about the recovery of Con/Wiz but I was getting ahead of myself. You will have full Con, no worries, but I had originally intended it because of a gift...

Firdle lines up the fleeing spider and utters the word from a long dead language under his breath before firing off another Take That You Fiend! at the fleeing spider!

OOC cupboardgnome If you stick to the 2 pt spell (IQ 12 damage) the Spider limps off with what's left of its life and dignity. If you double it (level 2) the way I read it is the spell cost jumps from 6 to 12 then you knock off 1 for the ring, 3 for the school of Combat wizardry and get a cost of 8 points. Am I reading that right? It's been a while since I cast any spells in T&T (in most games I ran warriors) and I want to get the math right. The more I read DT&T the more I think the book should be split up into smaller sections (Character Creation, Magic, Combat and Bestiary, Equipment and Weaponry/magic items) and given another editing pass.... Your mileage may vary of course. Of course in the grand scheme of things it doesn't matter either way if you kill this thing unless you are determined to hack it up to get at that venom (which might be worth something) but that's your call.

Skurve jumps at the noise but relaxes when he sees Firdle shoot the Spider.

Like everyone else he turns to the bushes to hear crashing and clattering, bushes and leaves moving and shaking... and a braying sound!

"Heee hawwww!" shrieks a mule as it pulls a rickety old cart into view, twigs leaves and bushes jutting from everywhere and falling to the side. The man 'steering' the cart (I use the term loosely, it looks more like the mule is doing more of that) is old - around 70 years of age or more but despite that is large of frame and wears a warriors' garb. Garb that hasn't seen oil to maintain it in some time as his chain mail is rusted and torn in places and the leather beneath it paper thin and patched up.

"I'll save you!" he yells, pulling a bush away from his face and shaking leaves from his hair as he clings onto the flimsy cart which is laden with... logs?

The Mule slows to a halt and the cart with it but it settles in a jungle trail rut and there is a loud CRACK! A moment later the cart lists to one side and tips the old fella out onto the floor!

"Blast it Trombone!" he hisses at the Mule. "When I say Whoa I MEAN whoa!"

The mule turns its head then brays "Heee Hawww!" at the old warrior before picking at some grass by the side of the trail as much as its able to reach with the crippled cart on its side.

With the immediate threat of death by spider or by mule and cart somewhat nullified the party can relax slightly.

OOC Will is going to need a L2SR on Luck to find his sword. If he instead searches for 10 minutes that's a L1SR. If you fail either check (choose which you'd prefer) the next search will take 30 minutes (L1SR)

Firdle can certainly check the satchel if he wishes or just open it and see what's in it. Or he could ... See below.

Klarrrrchur the old fella might need a hand to fix that wagon...

Skurve muttered "The crone told me to have the sticks ready and that it would change the rest of my life. I don't know what she meant by that but..." he walks over to where he'd been sat and picks up a bundle of tightly bound staves. Four of them, a couple of feet long apiece. He returns to the party.

The old man sits up and spits a leaf out. "I ahhh... I see you don't need my help! Ah... oh dear. I don't suppose I could impose on you fine fellows to ... ah... help me? I'm Ser Bordello Raggins, formerly Knight of the Order of the Crimson Blade. That was a long time ago though, I'll admit." he harrumphed.

He sees the state of his wagon and sighs. "Well, we've gone and done it now Trombone." he mutters, looking at the shattered spokes on the wheel.

Skurve hands the satchel over to Firdle who glances inside. Potions? There are small vials of coloured liquid in there and some breakage.

OOC Right then chaps.

Open ended luck saving roll each please!

Add your luck, see what you pass.

L1 pass - you have a healing potion that recovers 4D6 Con or splits into three doses of 1D6 each.

L2 pass - this is something of a cureall. Restore Con, Wiz and any stat loss to their starting value and allow you to re-roll any Con checks against any active poisons in your system. You also get the L1 pass vial.

L3 pass - Add 1D6 points to a stat of your choice, permanently! you also get the L2 and L1 vials...

There are potentially 9 intact vials in the satchel if all of you pass a L3SR on luck.

At the bottom of the satchel (OOC somewhat soaked, I don't expect there to be 9 intact vials!) is a note with a scrawled message on, still dripping with spilled potion.