Session 7: Carrion and Cobwebs Report

General Summary

The heroes awoke in the crypts after a night of uncomfortable sleep, all save for Omar, who was still resting from his injuries that almost took his life a few hours prior. It was still evening when they awoke, about one in the morning. They discussed the task at hand and began making preparations.   Each of them felt more confident in their abilities than the prior day; something about their previous encounters filled them with them with newfound strength. Nahar found that his source of nature magical had grown deeper roots and he felt a stronger connection to his wild spirit. Meanwhile, Dane felt divine energies moving in him as he had his morning prayer time; he could feel that Eiso had blessed him with more power to aid him in his task. While everyone slept, Vallis finally mastered some of the spells recorded in his spellbook which he had been unable to cast previously. And, when she awoke, the draconic spirit residing inside Marnie finally burst forth taking shape and form. A small dragon, about the size of a mastiff, manifested in the room with the group, revealing itself to be the dragon soul bound to Marnie's soul from the Egg Ceremony many moons ago.   After making plans, Dane, Marnie, and Nahar decided to scout ahead to the final room in the passage, while Vallis stayed behind to tend to Omar. They entered the southern chamber and found it littered with debris as though it had been ransacked. Within a moment, a pale slightly green hued light began casting across the chamber. From the stone coffin at the end of the room rose the translucent image of a young woman in regal clothing. The ghost called out and begged the group to leave her alone and hurt her no more. The three spoke with her and convinced her that they meant her no harm. She revealed herself to be the spirit of Evelina Avitus, a member of one of the noble families of Aerdaris. After a short conversation, Evelina told the group that Zander was buried here some time after she was, and that he would had to have been buried in the newer sections of the crypt, deeper underground to the north east. She asked the group to retrieve her heirloom which was stolen by one of the Children of Cinder. Luckily, Marnie had already found it in the tunnels overhead previously. She gave it back to her, and Evelina promised that her family would perform them a favor in the future if they repeated the phrase: "The rosebud blooms the brightest at midnight". Dane then prayed over her spirit and aided in putting her back to rest.   The three reconvened with Vallis and the now awake Omar. Omar too seemed like he had stronger control over the magics of his music after his long period of rest. The group, now all conscious, made their way towards the cavern they had found previously. Marnie, Vallis, and Ralphie, the pet name given to Marnie's dragon, snuck into the tunnel to investigate. As they looked into the dark cavern, they saw the walls and floors covered in cobwebs. Two giant spiders hung on webs, and an Ettercap was present residing over them like a shepherd over his sheep. There was also a strange darkness present on the ceiling of the cavern. The three returned and informed the others of what they found.   Nahar decided to take the form of a giant spider to distract the monsters, while Dane began breaking down the barrier that blocked the larger members of the group from passing through easily. As a massive arachnid, he crawled down the walls of the cavern and approached the denizens of the cave. The Ettercap immediately called him over and after a thorough investigation, welcomed Nahar into his flock. It permitted Nahar a chance to investigate the area, which allowed him to find another section of collapsed crypt that led deeper into the catacombs. He found the double doors that lead to the chamber with the statue of Necruus, but the ceiling had collapsed in an explosion, blocking off the doors with fallen debris. There was also blood pooled on the floor near the debris, as well as sword and smoke that was billowing from somewhere. In this area he began to hear the sounds of bones crunching, and in the distance he could make out the shape of a carrion crawler in the crypts feasting on human remains. Nahar returned back to the cave, and the Ettercap commanded him to begin wrapping the broken body of the fallen priest in webbing, to which he begrudgingly complied.   The others grew impatient of waiting and entered the cave to investigate. As they approached they saw the shadowy figure of spider Nahar webbing the priest, but Omar was clumsy with where he stepped. He kicked a pebble off of the 20 foot ledge, making noise and alerting the Ettercap. It pointed a claw up at them and commanded the spiders to attack.   The spiders quickly rushed towards the group, attempting to shoot webbing but failing. Nahar began to act as though he was attacking, but did everything he could to help his companions. Marnie and Vallis began slinging attacks at the beasts, while Omar began preparing a rope to throw down into the cave. The Ettercap then rushed forwards and started climbing the wall of the cavern to reach them. Omar and Marnie descended the rope, but Ralphie was knocked off the ledge as he tried to leap down to join them. As they reached the bottom, Omar channeled his new magics and played a song that created multiple illusory copies of himself to confuse the spiders. But, as he did so, the darkness in the ceiling began swooping down and enveloped them!   The darkness had been coming from a darkmantle that was hiding on the ceiling, and it flew down and attached itself onto Marnie's head! Without warning, she began suffocating from the lack of oxygen as the monstrosity's beak-like mandibles began scratching at her head. She struggled with it, attempting to stab it off, but due to the magical darkness it produced, none of her companion could see her plight. Omar continued fighting the spiders, while Dane and Vallis fought against the Ettercap that had climbed up to engage them. After a few moments of combat, Marnie began to grow light-headed from the lack of oxygen, but luckily in his spider form Nahar could sense the danger she was in. He reared up on his hind legs and with his large fangs ripped the darkmantle from her head.   With the magical darkness gone, the group could more effectively combat their opponents, and they began slaying the giant spiders. However, once they were dispatched, they heard scratches coming from overhead. Out from the dark portal in the ceiling came the hulking form of the carrion crawler who had heard the skirmish from the other chamber. It slithered down the wall and grabbed Omar in its tentacles, applying its paralytic venom to him, and began to retreat with its meal. Vallis used his magics to slay the Ettercap, and Dane grabbed his holy symbol calling out prayers of justice to Eiso. He lifted his hands and ushered forth a glowing ball of light, a guiding bolt. He cast it out and it traced its way up into the ceiling tunnel, following its twists and turns, finally making contact with the carrion crawler. Its fleshed burned as explosive light shot through the tunnel, killing the beast on impact.   The group took a moment to catch their breath and waited to see if Omar was alive. After a minute of fighting off the paralysis, Omar awoke and poked his head out from the tunnel. The heroes helped him descend down to join them, and they all took a pause to collect themselves after the life-threatening encounter.

Rewards Granted

• The heroes have earned a favor from the noble house Avitus in Aerdaris 

Character(s) interacted with

• Evelina Avitus, a ghost from the noble family Avitus in Aerdaris whose tomb had been defiled.

Notes

Evelina Avitus gave the party the phrase "The rosebud shines the brightest at midnight" to say to her family.