Maidens of the Kaleidoscope
~Beyond the Border~ => Rumia's Party Games => Mystia's Stored Games => Topic started by: DracoOmega on August 10, 2011, 06:45:14 AM
-
>You are Nazrin, a newly inducted member of the Seeker's Guild. It's your third day on the job and you've already had a few misadventures.
>You found and retrieved a cat for a witch named Ellen, and were rewarded handsomely for your efforts. You found two stay cats for a group of fairies to adopt as pets. You got into a fight with an oni who was attacking a man outside a restaurant, and assisted Orange in arresting her. You found and delivered a lost fruit shipment to the Melon Bowl in Braston, retrieving it from Cirno, a self-styled swordsman who had driven its rightful owner off in the name of defending her fellows from harm. In the process, you met another fairy named Honeysuckle Dewdrop and adopted her as a sidekick of sorts, with the promise that some day she might be experienced enough to be a sidekick to Cirno. You left her the tutelage of Marisa, who promised to at least try and teach her a few things.
>You've now returned to Easthaven to investigate a series of cattle disappearances there and have discovered giant spiders living in the woods north of town. After much searching, a tense battle, and many, many hills, you have finally found what may be an entrance to their lair.
>How far does the wall run? What does the general shape of the spider house seem to be?
>Given that it is the same wall that has run along the side of the gully all this way and continues into the distance, you would say it runs a very long distance indeed. The shape of the wall in the immediate area does not seem notably different than elsewhere along the gully.
>What does the air smell like down there, or can we tell through the brush?
>Can we hear any sounds of movement from behind the brush, any sounds of moo-ing?
>The air in general does smell somewhat more of spider than it did earlier, but it would help if you were closer.
>You hear neither sounds of movement nor mooing from that direction at the moment.
-
>Are we aware of the existance of trapdoor spiders?
>If so, examine the ground directly in front of the lair for any sign of incongruity or anything else out of place.
>In fact, do so anyway. Never a bad idea.
-
>Do we have any beer on hand?
>Search for a rock, throw it in, hide. Peep to see if there are any guarding spiders.
>Are we aware of the existance of any spiders that could jump down and devour us?
-
>How large would we estimate the area covered is? House sized, guild-halled sized, block-sized, East-haven sized?*
-
>Are we aware of the existance of trapdoor spiders?
>If so, examine the ground directly in front of the lair for any sign of incongruity or anything else out of place.
>In fact, do so anyway. Never a bad idea.
>You are aware of the existence of mundane-sized ones, though you don't think they're common in this part of the world. You shudder at the thought of one half as large as the giant spiders you tangled with earlier.
>Looking at the ground directly in front of the lair, you see signs of creatures having passed by there - some trampled grasses and such - but nothing you would consider otherwise incongruous. You feel relatively confident the concealment is natural, rather than spider-made. Either that or they're very, very good at it - a disturbing thought, certainly.
>Do we have any beer on hand?
>Search for a rock, throw it in, hide. Peep to see if there are any guarding spiders.
>Are we aware of the existance of any spiders that could jump down and devour us?
>None whatsoever.
>You scan about for a stone light enough to reach the distance, then hurl it towards the spot the spider appeared from and dart behind a nearby tree. You hear the rustle of the stone sailing through brush, followed by several light tapping impacts of stone against stone. You wait a moment. No other sounds of motion answer it. Poking your head out of cover, you see no sign of other spiders.
>You don't know about the jumping, but those larger ones looked plenty capable of devouring you.
>How large would we estimate the area covered is? House sized, guild-halled sized, block-sized, East-haven sized?*
>The plant cover runs unbroken for about 15 feet of gully wall, though you're unsure if it's even as tall as you are, and certainly not much taller.
-
>Perhaps a more direct approach, then.
>Slide back down into the gully.
>Poke the ground in front of the entrance with the pitchfork from as far away as we can manage.
>Assuming nothing reaches out to snag us, approach the lair cautiously, and have another listen for any signs of movement from the other side of the plant cover. Or anywhere else around.
-
>Perhaps a more direct approach, then.
>Slide back down into the gully.
>Poke the ground in front of the entrance with the pitchfork from as far away as we can manage.
>Assuming nothing reaches out to snag us, approach the lair cautiously, and have another listen for any signs of movement from the other side of the plant cover. Or anywhere else around.
>You decide to get more up close and personal with the foliage.
>You slide back down into the gully and approach the apparent entrance. Once you get within maximum pitchfork range, you prod the ground in front of the entrance several times. Nothing pounces out to grab at the tines, or you; the place is quite and still.
>You walk a little closer and have a listen. You don't hear any sounds on the other side of the foliage, nor notable ones elsewhere.
-
>Reach out with the pitchfork and peel back some of the plant covering the lair and have a look inside. How dark is it down there?
-
>Reach out with the pitchfork and peel back some of the plant covering the lair and have a look inside. How dark is it down there?
>You reach out with the pitchfork and push aside some of the brush. Behind it there is a hole in the side of the gully, very roughly circular and perhaps four feet in diameter. Soil is gathered around the edges of it, but it looks like the interior is mostly rock. You can see inside for a couple feet before the passage twists and descends out of sight. It does look quite dark, and the smell of spider emanating from it is pungent. There's definitely more of them down there, somewhere.
-
>Do we have anything on hand that we can use as a light source?
-
>Do we have anything on hand that we can use as a light source?
>You aren't carrying anything that readily lends itself to the task. You suppose it's not out of the question that you could improvise something, but you're not certain what.
-
>You aren't carrying anything that readily lends itself to the task. You suppose it's not out of the question that you could improvise something, but you're not certain what.
>Inventory.
>What do we know about flammable things? Particularly tree resins and the like?
-
>Inventory.
>Pitchfork (in hands)
>Prism Pendant (around neck)
>Seeker's Badge (pinned to chest)
>195 Val Razuan guilders
>Compass
>Traveling pack
>Traveling rations
>Canteen (mostly empty)
>Lockpicks
>2 kunai
>Picture of Sokrates
>Fuwafuwa Heart Droplet
>Mysterious rusty part
>Antique Val Razuan 1 guilder coin
>Dowsing rods
>Tie-dyed umbrella
>Spool of baling twine
>Oversized belt
>Hunting knife
>What do we know about flammable things? Particularly tree resins and the like?
>You do know of some tree resins that are suitably flammable and could identify a couple of said trees if need be.
-
We could get a stick, wrap it in baling twine, and have a poorman's torch. Though we'd need to soak it in something so it doesn't burn too quick.
-
I'm afraid this is outside my expertise. Did you have anything in mind?
-
Actually...
>Does the twine seem to be treated at all to avoid rotting?
-
>Does the twine seem to be treated at all to avoid rotting?
>You believe so; it's not uncommon for baling twine to be treated with tar for that purpose.
-
>Look around for some decent kindling.
-
>Look around for some decent kindling.
>There was a small dry and dead tree a short way back that you think could yield many twigs suited to that purpose.
-
>Retrieve a medium-sized twig from dead tree. Grab a smaller one for later use.
>Construct poorly-made torch as best as you can.
>Find a chestnut, a particularly large one. Cut a small hole in it. They're said to repel spiders, but you don't know about supremely large ones.
-
A chestnut? That's a new one on me, where's that come from?
-
>Also gather a pile of tinder, wrap a bit of the tinder up with the twine. Make two of them.
>Once we have it all set up, find a good spot to set fire to the tinder, then use that to light the torch. Afterward, stamp out the tinder pile.
-
The smell of chestnuts repel spidars. Or so they say.
>Get Flint to light the tinder, if unable to, do it the old fashioned way by rubbing it until it bursts into flames. Or something along those lines.
-
>Find a chestnut, a particularly large one. Cut a small hole in it. They're said to repel spiders, but you don't know about supremely large ones.
>Unfortunately, you haven't seen any chestnut trees in the area at all.
>Retrieve a medium-sized twig from dead tree. Grab a smaller one for later use.
>Construct poorly-made torch as best as you can.
>Also gather a pile of tinder, wrap a bit of the tinder up with the twine. Make two of them.
>Once we have it all set up, find a good spot to set fire to the tinder, then use that to light the torch. Afterward, stamp out the tinder pile.
>Get Flint to light the tinder, if unable to, do it the old fashioned way by rubbing it until it bursts into flames. Or something along those lines.
>You walk back to the dead tree and tear a few suitable twigs free, then use the hunting knife to scrape shavings for tinder. Then you select a pair of solid fresh branches for the base of the torches from a nearby tree and strip the excess foliage from them. You wrap numerous rounds of the baling twine around the head of the two branches, working some tinder in, then knot them securely. They look more than a little crude, but they might just work.
>Lighting them takes a little more effort. You fail to find any flint nearby, though you do manage to dowse out a suitable quartz after a minute or two of searching; it should serve the purpose nearly as well. You chip away at it until there is a sharp enough edge to strike sparks from steel and then set to work, trying to coax fire from quartz and hunting knife. This takes more than a couple tries, but eventually the tinder catches alight and you hold a torch against it. After a few uncertain moments, the head starts to smolder and fire slowly grows to engulf the twine. You think you may be in business. You stamp out the rest of the burning tinder on the ground.
-
>Let's head into that spider house.
>But do we wary for new spiders being around along the way.
-
>Let's head into that spider house.
>But do we wary for new spiders being around along the way.
>You return back to the tunnel entrance, keeping alert for any newcomers that have decided to appear. A cautious assessment suggests the place is still as empty as it was earlier, thankfully.
>Passing through the wall of brush while carrying a lit torch and without setting the whole thing on fire takes some finesse, though you eventually manage to move enough aside with the pitchfork to clear a safe path. The flame of the torch casts flickering light against the rock walls of the interior. You step inside.
>The air inside feels stagnant and smell strongly of spider and several other unidentifiable things. There isn't a lot of room in here; the low ceiling forces even you to crouch a little. A few feet ahead of you, the tunnel curves downwards and twists to the left and out of sight.
-
>Follow the tunnel. Be sure to let out ears do some work, too.
-
>Follow the tunnel. Be sure to let out ears do some work, too.
>You proceed further into the tunnel, keeping your senses peeled. Beyond the first turn, the tunnel continues to descend and twist, growing sometimes wider, and sometimes even narrower. After a frustratingly short time, it becomes difficult to tell where you are in relation to the entrance beyond 'dozens of feet lower'. There is little visible sign of habitation, and the ground is too firm to leave trails.
>After a little while, you think you hear movement ahead. Glancing in that direction, you note what looks like a small side tunnel - the first such thing you've seen - intersecting with yours about 12 feet ahead.
-
>Draw closer to that side tunnel and listen. Don't expose ourself to the opening, but get close to it.
>Be ready to make a jabbing weapon of that torch.
-
>Speaking of that torch, are we capable of carrying it in our tail?
-
>Draw closer to that side tunnel and listen. Don't expose ourself to the opening, but get close to it.
>Be ready to make a jabbing weapon of that torch.
>You move closer to the tunnel. After a few more steps, the sound stops entirely.
>You get ready to jab with the torch if anything emerges.
>Speaking of that torch, are we capable of carrying it in our tail?
>It might be a bit on the heavy side given how you'd have to hold it, but you think you could probably manage.
-
>How small is this tunnel? And what did those noises sound like?
-
>How small is this tunnel? And what did those noises sound like?
>It looks smaller than the one you are in - perhaps 2 feet in diameter or so - although your position allows you only a view of the opening at a fairly severe angle. The noises sounded like skittering movement against rock - quite possible a smaller spider.
-
>Get fairly close to the edge of the smaller hole, and extend the torch into it. Keep a good grip on onto it, and be ready to shove it into a spider's face.
-
>Get fairly close to the edge of the smaller hole, and extend the torch into it. Keep a good grip on onto it, and be ready to shove it into a spider's face.
>You put your back up against the wall next to the side tunnel, then reach the torch out and into it. You hear a small high-pitched squawk, followed by sounds of scurried movement in the opposite direction.
-
>Are we familiar enough with spider noises to guess what that one might have been?
-
>Are we familiar enough with spider noises to guess what that one might have been?
>The tunnel is far too small for the larger of the spiders, and arguably too small for the spitter you encountered, although you don't know how uniform the size of the species might be. The sound was somewhat different than those you'd heard the smaller spiders make, though not so much as to rule them out.
-
>Shift torch to off hand, draw knife in main hand.
>Stick our neck out to have a look in, see just what's squaked in there.
-
>Shift torch to off hand, draw knife in main hand.
>Stick our neck out to have a look in, see just what's squaked in there.
>You shift the torch to your other hand, and replace it with the hunting knife.
>Then you stick your neck out and peer into the tunnel. You catch only the tiniest flash of dull gray legs before their owner disappears around a bend and out of sight.
>The tunnel itself is similar in appearance to the one you're currently in, though much smaller; you could only manage it with a prone crawl, and even then it would be tight. You can see about 8 or so feet down it before it twists aside.
-
Best to pass it. As long as we have a source of fire, we can probably keep spiders off of us. There is a chance of being surrounded, but worse comes to worst we can step over small spiders.
Another possibility might be to collapse the side tunnel entrance. But that is a very bad idea; it'd take time and is likely to drop the roof on us, too.
-
Another possibility might be to collapse the side tunnel entrance. But that is a very bad idea; it'd take time and is likely to drop the roof on us, too.
My thoughts exactly. I just wanted to make sure there wasn't anything else at least close by to shank us as we went past or just after.
>Continue down the tunnel.
>Sheathe knife, place torch in tail, and grip pitchfork with both hands.
-
>Sheathe knife, place torch in tail, and grip pitchfork with both hands.
>Continue down the tunnel.
>You adjust your gear once more, sheathing the knife and transferring the torch to your tail. It takes a couple moments to get the balance of it right, but you feel comfortable enough with it after that. Then you grip the pitchfork firmly with both hands and proceed.
>A fair bit more distance passes without event. You other side tunnels, every now and again, each similarly small to the first one though nothing appears to be moving in them at this moment. In one, you see a small scrap of material against a protrusion of rock by the entrance. It looks rather like the webbing-like substance that you encountered in the woods earlier in the day. You see nothing beyond this one piece, however, peering as far into the tunnel as you can see.
-
>Don't lead with the pitchfork, and hold the torch like before. Spiders are going to be much more afraid of fire than pitchfork tines. Not to mention the benefits of having the fire where we can see it to prevent accidentally brushing against something flammable.
>Proceed.
-
>Don't lead with the pitchfork, and hold the torch like before. Spiders are going to be much more afraid of fire than pitchfork tines. Not to mention the benefits of having the fire where we can see it to prevent accidentally brushing against something flammable.
>Proceed.
>You continue playing musical equipment, shifting the torch back to your main hand while keeping the pitchfork in the other.
>You continue onward. More time passes; you think you have easily descended 100 feet by this point. Eventually the tunnel emerges into a larger chamber, perhaps 20 feet tall. Small stalactites dot the ceiling, and there are a few hints of stalagmites on the ground, though you would be apt to simply call the floor 'lumpy'. You step out into the chamber and stretch. Oh, it feels nice to be able to stand again.
>The room is large enough that the opposite walls are poorly illuminated by your torch, though you can see well enough to spot several more tunnels branching off of it. There is a tunnel of similar size to this one along the southeast corner and taller, but somewhat rougher looking one several feet up the western wall. Towards the south, you see a significantly larger passage, nearly as high as the chamber itself. Scattered about are also several smaller tunnels, not unlike the ones you passed earlier. There are at least three of them, two in the southwest and one to the north. The tunnel you just exited from is in the northeastern corner.
-
>Is there something near the tunnel we just exited we can tie a bit of twine to, to mark our passing? Place is twisty enough to lose track of that. If there is, do so.
>Assess the scents and sounds here.
-
>Is there something near the tunnel we just exited we can tie a bit of twine to, to mark our passing? Place is twisty enough to lose track of that. If there is, do so.
>Assess the scents and sounds here.
>You find a small nub of protruding rock near the tunnel you just exited and affix a small segment of twine to it.
>You take a moment to assess the scents and sounds in the chamber. On the acoustic front, the area seems quite quiet aside a faint hint of water slowly dripping. Scent is a somewhat different matter. The air in this whole place is thick with the scent of spider, and while it varies somewhat from tunnel to tunnel, it doesn't necessarily do it in a way that is immediately helpful to you. Moving about the room, you're quite confident spiders have moved through all these tunnels, though some seem more traveled than others. The western tunnel smells less of spider than some of the others, though you also catch a hint of that acrid scent you have come to associate with spitter acid. In one of the smaller tunnels in the southwest, you detect a somewhat different scent; it smells vaguely like carrion. Beyond the large tunnel to the south are several vague new smells that you cannot readily identify.
-
Vague new smells intrigue me.
-
>Approach the large tunnel. Slowly and carefully.
>Would we be able to determine the scent of dead cow from other decaying flesh?
-
>Approach the large tunnel. Slowly and carefully.
>Would we be able to determine the scent of dead cow from other decaying flesh?
>You approach the large tunnel slowly and carefully. Fortunately, this caution seems to be unnecessary; for the moment, the passage seems unoccupied, at least as far as you can see. It is straighter than the tunnel you came from, extending off into the darkness beyond the limits of your light. The floor here also has a pronounced downward slope.
>You suspect not.
-
>Into the tunnel. Stay wary for spiders.
-
>Toss a small rock into the tunnel before proceeding, listen for anything. If not, continue on. Try not to breathe too heavily.
-
>Toss a small rock into the tunnel before proceeding, listen for anything. If not, continue on. Try not to breathe too heavily.
>You pick up a small rock and throw it into the tunnel. It sails past the limit of your sight, then you hear it clatter against the floor and skid to a stop. No sounds answer it but its own echo.
>Into the tunnel. Stay wary for spiders.
>You head into the tunnel. By this point, you're almost having a harder time remembering when you weren't keeping wary of spiders. Might be nice to get back to some peace and safety after this is all said and done...
>You walk for what grows to feel like a very long time, though you think your vigilance is making the moments stretch. The hall is too wide to be well-illuminated by your light and intermittent limestone columns further block your sight lines. While you think you could catch sound of one moving from a fair distance, this would do nothing to detect any that might be lurking motionless nearby. It is a somewhat disquieting thought. Somewhere in the distance, you hear the slow and steady drip of water continue without end.
>You catch a glimmer of light in the corner of your eye, towards the ceiling.
-
>Glance toward the light.
-
>Knock one of the limestone pillars before glancing towards the light.
>Attempt to find the source of water.
>Be on guard, living things drink water.
-
>Knock one of the limestone pillars before glancing towards the light.
>Don't do this until we confirm the light isn't a threatening thing.
-
>Glance toward the light.
>You look up towards the glimmer. Along the ceiling there, spanning between a pair of limestone columns, is a very large spiderweb. The light from your torch casts flickering shadows upon its threads, while other strands seem almost to gleam in its reflection. At first you think the web must be unoccupied, but you eventually notice a pair of dull yellow limbs drawn into a shadow behind a stalactite. You can't see the rest of it from this angle.
-
>Look around the ground, and ascertain it is free of spiders as near as we can tell.
>If the coast is clear, look back up toward the yellowish legs. Then try to move so we can get a better view of it.
-
>Can we still smell the unfamiliar scent that we picked up before we saw Yellow up there?
>Glance around for the dripping source.
-
>Look around the ground, and ascertain it is free of spiders as near as we can tell.
>If the coast is clear, look back up toward the yellowish legs. Then try to move so we can get a better view of it.
>You look around, but see no spiders lurking about.
>You look back up at the spider limbs hiding in the corner of the web then try to move to get a better view. As you circle around to the other side, they pull back further behind the stalactite, however it offers increasingly poor cover as you shift your vantage. Soon enough you catch a glimpse of the spider they belong to. Its long thing limbs are drawn close and almost curled around it, making it hard to gauge its size. Its body - at least what you can see of it - seems small compared to its legs, but you guess that it might have at least a five foot leg span if it didn't appear to be trying to hide.
>Can we still smell the unfamiliar scent that we picked up before we saw Yellow up there?
>Glance around for the dripping source.
>You can. It isn't a great deal stronger, and no more identifiable, but still present.
>There is the occasional drip of water running down along some of the stalactites, but you've seen no large concentrations of water in this hall. You suspect it may be coming from an adjoining area, or possibly a tunnel running alongside this one; echoes make it harder to pinpoint.
-
>Are there any other signs of webbing about?
>Can we ascertain where the unfamiliar scent is coming from?
>Guesstimate how high Yellow and his web are above us.
-
>Are there any other signs of webbing about?
>Can we ascertain where the unfamiliar scent is coming from?
>Guesstimate how high Yellow and his web are above us.
>You can see some scattered strands among the nearby stalactites, though no other complete webs.
>If you had to guess, you'd say somewhere further ahead.
>The web starts at perhaps about 8 feet above you and continues up to the ceiling、at least another 8 feet above that.
-
>Live and let live. Just stay up there, ugly.
>Continue on ahead, following the unfamilar scent.
-
>Live and let live. Just stay up there, ugly.
>Continue on ahead, following the unfamilar scent.
>You decide to leave the spider be and continue forward. For its part, it seems just as content to let you pass by and you move out of sight of it without further incident.
>The tunnel continues on for another while and then slowly flares out into an irregularly shaped chamber over the course of few dozen feet.
>This new chamber seems quite a bit larger than the last, though its extent is harder to gauge; its contour is ragged, forming numerous alcoves along the exterior wall, while large rock formations divide sections of the space. At some points, the ceiling descends almost to touch the floor. All in all, it is difficult to observe a very large part of the chamber at once. A couple of the alcoves end in small tunnels winding away in to the rock. Most of these are too small for you to do more than stick a hand in and certainly too small for any of the spiders you've observed to fit through, although there is a somewhat larger one in an alcove along the southwest wall which is probably wide enough; it would be little more than a crawlspace for you, however.
>Moving around the room, you find a small and largely stagnant pool in another alcove. Water drips torpidly into it through a crack in the adjacent wall. The scent is rather pungent, through very little down here could be described as pleasant-smelling.
>As you work your way towards the northwest of the chamber, you start to hear sounds of activity in the distance ahead, followed by a skittering noise considerably closer to you and moving closer, also from the north and beyond the range of your light.
-
>Sniff for unfamiliar scent.
>Scan chamber for available cover.
>Listen closer to skittering noise, try and identify numbers and/or size of skitterers.
-
>Sniff for unfamiliar scent.
>Scan chamber for available cover.
>Listen closer to skittering noise, try and identify numbers and/or size of skitterers.
>You think it's stronger towards the northern end of the chamber, at least vaguely so.
>A chamber with as poor sight lines as this offers multiple points of cover close-by. You could duck into a nearby alcove further back along the western wall, or shift behind a place where the ceiling sweeps downward, a couple feet to your right. This would only conceal you above the ankles, though. There is also a large outcropping of rock about 20 feet southeast of you that you could hide behind. Unfortunately, being physically behind an object will do little to conceal your presence while you're carrying a torch in a pitch-black area.
>Listening to the closer sound, you think it may be a single spider, of moderate to small size. Or at least what passes for small these days.
-
>"Hello there. Shall we have nice chat, perhaps?"
>Listen for spitter noises.
-
>Add: "I come in peace?"
-
>"Hello there. Shall we have nice chat, perhaps?"
>Add: "I come in peace?"
>You greet the as-yet unseen spider and offer it a proverbial olive branch. The sound of its movement stops after a few more moments. You can just barely make out a vague form in the dim light at the edges of your vision. It seems approximately similar in build to the smaller spiders you've encountered several times already, although perhaps slightly smaller. Its coloration is indistinct in this light.
>Listen for spitter noises.
>You hear nothing of that nature at the moment, though you remain wary. While this spider has stopped moving, there are still sounds of more numerous activity further onward in the distance to the north.
-
>Observe the spider for a few moments. Does it seem to be doing anything?
>If not, say, "So, you going to say anything?"
-
>Can we guess at just how much more numerous the activity furthur on is?
-
>Can we guess at just how much more numerous the activity furthur on is?
>The sound is too far and faint to really tell. The best you can say is 'probably more than a couple'.
>Observe the spider for a few moments. Does it seem to be doing anything?
>If not, say, "So, you going to say anything?"
>You observe the spider. As best you can tell, it appears to be observing you back. Either that or scared rigid, but you're not willing to bank on that just yet.
>The spider does not react to your question and is silent for several more moments. Then it makes a series of short shill sounds, rather loudly in fact. Your musing about whether this counts as a response is cut short when another sound calls out from the distant caverns to answer it, and then another and another. Soon, a whole chorus of them echoes away into the distance, each further than the last.
-
>Do we hear any of the others coming?
-
>Do we hear any of the others coming?
>Nothing close enough to hear over the echo of vocalizations, at any rate, though that seems to be dying down.
-
>Take a step forward. Let's get a bit more light on this spider.
-
>Take a step forward. Let's get a bit more light on this spider.
>You take a step forward, hoping to get a better look at the spider. As you do, it turns and scurries away to the northwest, although not particularly speedily. It wasn't in the light long enough to get a good look at, though you think it was greyish-red in color, and of a somewhat more slender body than the other smaller spiders you've seen.
-
>Can we hear much from the others?
-
>We've never seen one that colored before, have we?
-
>Can we hear much from the others?
>You still hear activity to the north. Some of them may be heading towards you, although most don't seem to be; it's a little hard to tell, to be honest. You don't hear anything obviously close to you, aside from the fleeing spider.
>We've never seen one that colored before, have we?
>You hadn't, no.
-
>From where we are, can we determine where the sounds are going, at least the sounds that don't seem to be coming towards us?
-
>From where we are, can we determine where the sounds are going, at least the sounds that don't seem to be coming towards us?
>Not especially. You don't think they're all moving in one direction, or necessarily all moving all that much, for that matter.
-
>Edge towards the north.
-
>Stick close to a wall is possible.
-
>Stick close to a wall is possible.
>Don't do this. We don't need to be hemmed in if they charge.
-
>If they charge, would'nt they charge straight? I doubt they're smart enough to instantly surround you. Everything needs some time to coorodinate themselves, well as long as you spot them before they spot you.
-
>Edge towards the north.
>You edge northwards, passing several more alcoves along the western wall. A high rock formation presses close on your right as you proceed, forcing you further west, though a narrowing of the path alongside this end of the chamber. You emerge into a wider open area on the other side of the rock, near what you suppose could be considered the northwest corner of the overall chamber. It extends out of sight to the east, with the ridge of rock that you just passed serving as its southern edge, forming almost a secondary chamber. The ground here is fairly level, with a scattering of medium-sized stalagmites, rarely large enough to block sight except immediately at their base.
>You can see two tunnels extending off this corner, one leading west, and the other more northward. Both are large enough to comfortably stand in.
>You can heard something approaching from the western tunnel, and several somethings coming from further east.
-
She raises a decent point. And given the option between having our back to a wall and being surrounded, I personally would lean towards the former. And if I'm right, we may have to choose between the two very soon.
>Assess the incoming sounds.
>Check for the unfamiliar scent we followed here in the first place.
-
>Assess the incoming sounds.
>Check for the unfamiliar scent we followed here in the first place.
>They are definitely the sounds of spiders moving, but it's hard to tell much more than that. You hear only a single creature approaching from the west while there are perhaps three coming from the east. These seem to be moving quicker than the solitary one. The one in the west might be larger, but you can't be confident of this.
>It's hard to be sure, but you think it may be coming moreso from the east.
-
Spiders are much, much easier to move through and around when we don't have solid rock to restrict how we can move.
>Do we hear a larger one coming toward us?
-
Spiders have a fail sense of sight. As long as we generate enough air movement by breathing if it charges at us, while we're at the wall, and we dodge, it'll most likely knock itself out. But, a rock does restrict movement somewhat.
-
>Do we hear a larger one coming toward us?
>It's possible the one to the west may be, but the lack of foliage here for it to be disturbing as it moves makes it somewhat harder to gauge size.
-
>Is there anywhere near by we can use for high ground? Be it against a wall or otherwise?
>"I didn't come here for trouble, but I'll defend myself if I have to! If anyone out there can understand me, give me a sign! Anything!"
-
>Is there anywhere near by we can use for high ground? Be it against a wall or otherwise?
>"I didn't come here for trouble, but I'll defend myself if I have to! If anyone out there can understand me, give me a sign! Anything!"
>The rock formation forming the southern border of this part of the chamber rises quite a ways off the ground, though climbing it would be awkward - the ceiling interposes in inconvenient ways and the rock itself offers few places level enough to stand on. There is a slight slope on the approach to the rock that might offer a marginal advantage. Aside from that, most of the stalagmites flat enough to stand on wouldn't qualify as very high.
>You cry out into the cavern, but no words answer your call. The spiders continue to approach.
-
>Place torch in tail an take pitchfork in a two handed grip.
>Take a couple steps to the west, see if we can see if it is indeed a big one coming from that way.
-
>Toss a rock to the other side of you. Hopefully the sound and the rock as it wafts in the air will make the zpidars go the other day. Best throw plox
-
>Toss a rock to the other side of you. Hopefully the sound and the rock as it wafts in the air will make the zpidars go the other day. Best throw plox
>Let's not waste time or our precious pitchfork grip with this.
-
>Place torch in tail an take pitchfork in a two handed grip.
>Take a couple steps to the west, see if we can see if it is indeed a big one coming from that way.
>You shift the torch back to your tail and get a firmer grip on the pitchfork.
>Then you take a couple steps to the west. Your light stretches further into the tunnel leading that direction - enough to see it shift and angle towards the north. You can't see far enough along it to spot the spider yet. It sounds like the ones approaching from behind you are closer than it is now, and closing quickly.
-
>Alright, first things first, then.
>Turn and look east, and prepare pitchfork to intercept any that might be leaping at us.
-
>Alright, first things first, then.
>Turn and look east, and prepare pitchfork to intercept any that might be leaping at us.
>You turn and look east, readying the pitchfork against any incoming attacks. The spiders don't seem to be in sight just yet, though you expect you have no more than a few seconds before that changes.
-
>Can we gauge how much longer before the one coming from the west comes within defense range?
-
If they're coming, it'd be a good idea to head back toward the southern tunnel, I suspect.
-
>Can we gauge how much longer before the one coming from the west comes within defense range?
>Somewhere in the range of 20 seconds, you think.
-
>Ouch time soon...
>Dash back to that slope to the south. Best not face attack on two fronts.
-
>Ouch time soon...
>Dash back to that slope to the south. Best not face attack on two fronts.
>Hopefully you will be giving rather than receiving...
>You dash towards the rock to the south, scampering up what purchase you can find and putting your back to the wall. As you do, you see two spiders come into view from the northeast- wait, three. They appear to be of the smaller green variety you have encountered several times so far, though moving more quickly than the one you first chased.
>The spiders start to fan out around you, still keeping their distance. You can hear the sound of at least one more still approaching from that direction.
-
>Try to get a good look at the mandibles of these little ones, get a grasp of their offensive potential.
-
>Try to get a good look at the mandibles of these little ones, get a grasp of their offensive potential.
>Their mandibles seem about proportionate to their body size: a couple inches long and relatively slender. While they don't look capable of ripping you apart like their larger cousins', you're sure they could still be significantly unpleasant.
-
>Apart from the eastern and western passages, can we hear the sounds of incoming from any other direction?
-
>Apart from the eastern and western passages, can we hear the sounds of incoming from any other direction?
>Not currently.
-
Now at this point, as I sees it, we can either take the offensive against these little guys or hold our ground and wait for them to make the first move. Trouble is, we could be facing massive numbers if we wait that long, and I'm not certain which is the right move.
-
I think it doesn't matter how awesome you are if you have 20 spiders a round chewing on your face.
I would suggest, unless we intend to set the place on fire, now is time to withdraw. Staying in one place and getting swarmed is bad. The question is, to we withdraw backward, or do we charge right through the crowd and hope to find something new and fun?
-
Not backward. Through the crowd has potential, though. They'd never expect that.
We were still picking up signs of that unfamiliar scent to the east. I say we go that way and see what we can find.
-
I concur. And since I'm too lazy to look up specific details, I leave it to you. =]
-
Well then wish me luck. I haven't had the best track record lately.
>Can we see the passage east well enough to determine if it's large enough to accomodate us?
-
>Can we see the passage east well enough to determine if it's large enough to accomodate us?
>To the east, the open area that you are currently in extends out of sight. You see no tunnels along visible walls to the northeast, and these spiders came from well beyond the reach of your light in any case.
-
Let's try for it.
-
>Make a dash towards the east.
>Be prepared to meet any attacks along the way with the pointy end of the pitchfork.
-
>But only to deflect said attacks, don't need anything stopping the mouse train!
-
>Make a dash towards the east.
>Be prepared to meet any attacks along the way with the pointy end of the pitchfork.
>But only to deflect said attacks, don't need anything stopping the mouse train!
>You break and dash eastward. The spiders that had been spreading west of you turn to pursue, while the nearest leaps at your side as you pass near it.
>You bring the pitchfork round to intercept the attack, thrusting at the spider mid-leap. You feel the tines pierce its underside as the spider's pounce meets metal instead of flesh. Its cry of surprise and pain is so shrill you nearly wince. Without breaking stride, you give the pitchfork a hard swing in the other direction, flinging the spider free of the tines and into the rock face. It tumbles off in a twitching heap.
>You keep dashing forward, covering another dozen feet or so. You seem to be outpacing the spiders behind you, but they're still pursing rapidly.
>Two more spiders come into view ahead of you: another green one, charging straight for you, and a larger dull gray spider, following more slowly to its side.
-
>Jump straight over the green one, let it smack into some tines if it's having ideas of leaping at us. Until that point, use the pitchfork to ward off the gray one.
-
>Jump straight over the green one, let it smack into some tines if it's having ideas of leaping at us. Until that point, use the pitchfork to ward off the gray one.
>You keep dashing towards the green spider, aiming to leap straight over it. As you close in, it makes a quick leap off to your right, landing against the wall to your side. The gray spider is moving in from your left, still about 20 feet away.
-
>Keep going. Does the gray spider seem small enough to vault over?
-
>Does the gray spider seem small enough to vault over?
>The gray spider is considerably bulkier than the green ones, perhaps 4 feet across with thick mottled limbs. You could probably leap over something that size from a running start, but it would have plenty of room to get in your way if it reared up just a little. Fortunately, it isn't directly in your path, either.
>Keep going.
>You ignore the spider and keep going forward. The gray spider shifts another foot wide of your path and stops moving, still facing you. It seems to be adjusting its legs, almost as if it were crouching forward.
>You hear a scraping sound along the rock behind you and then feel something large land on your back.
-
>First: Do we retain our footing?
>Secondly: Does it feel like a rock, or something more organic?
>Thirdly: how bad does it hurt?
-
>First: Do we retain our footing?
>Secondly: Does it feel like a rock, or something more organic?
>Thirdly: how bad does it hurt?
>The weight made you stumble a little, but not enough to really lose your footing.
>Given the multiple points of contact shifting around on your back, you're quite certain it's organic
>The impact was relatively light, and while what you assume are limbs are digging into you, this is more uncomfortable than outright painful.
-
>If the impact didn't knock the torch out of our tail, press the flame to that thing on our back. See how he likes a little fire.
-
>Aim the torch for what we think is the center of our passenger, don't bring the torch close enough to actually burn ourself. be ready for it to try to bite us or something.
>Glance up, can we see any more airborne surprises waiting to happen?
>Keep moving forward is Graynor is giving us a way through. Do be ready to pitchfork him if he tries something untoward.
-
>If the impact didn't knock the torch out of our tail, press the flame to that thing on our back. See how he likes a little fire.
>Aim the torch for what we think is the center of our passenger, don't bring the torch close enough to actually burn ourself. be ready for it to try to bite us or something.
>You still have a grip on your torch. You bring it towards your back, pointing the flame at where you expect the center of the spider is. You feel something sharp drive into your upper back and then suddenly stop as a loud squeal rings out from behind your ears. You're pretty sure your passenger is not enjoying itself.
>Glance up, can we see any more airborne surprises waiting to happen?
>Keep moving forward is Graynor is giving us a way through. Do be ready to pitchfork him if he tries something untoward.
>You glance up. The ceiling looks clear of anything aside from stalactites and is low enough that you can make out most of it fairly clearly.
>You keep dashing forward, squealing occupant in tow. You can feel it scrabbling around on your back and are starting to smell hints of something distinctly unpleasant and smoky.
>As you near the gray spider, it thrusts its body forward on its legs, launching a swift projectile of something viscous and white at you from its mouth.
-
>Pause our progression, lower the torch.
>Point our back towards the grey spider and it's spoogy white projectile.
>And hope that the little guy on our back doesn't come off before intercepting his friends' shot.
-
>Pause our progression, lower the torch.
>Point our back towards the grey spider and it's spoogy white projectile.
>And hope that the little guy on our back doesn't come off before intercepting his friends' shot.
>You lower the torch and turn so that your back is exposed to the spider's projectile. You hear the sound of a wet impact behind you, though feel only a few points of splatter against your back itself. They feel slightly damp and a little cool, but not otherwise strongly unpleasant. It's hard to tell if the spider on your back was more affected by it; its earlier squeal remains relatively unchanged.
-
>Get the Mouse Train back back into motion. And if the opportunity presents itself, pitchfork the gray one in its mouthparts. We don't need any more of that.
>Also reapply the torch to our stowaway.
-
>Have a listen behind us, if we can hear over our passenger's wailing. See how many are behind us, and how far behind they are.
-
>Get the Mouse Train back back into motion. And if the opportunity presents itself, pitchfork the gray one in its mouthparts. We don't need any more of that.
>Also reapply the torch to our stowaway.
>The gray spider is still about 12 or so feet further northward from the direction you had been running. Did you want to adjust course to pass close enough to stab at it along the way, or simply keep your original course?
>You swing the torch back up, adding a renewed vigor to your stowaway's squeals.
>Have a listen behind us, if we can hear over our passenger's wailing. See how many are behind us, and how far behind they are.
>The screeching does make it harder to tell, but there were still clearly two pursuers before this. You'd been opening a nice gap between yourself and then, though this pause cost a little. They're perhaps 20 feet away at the moment.
-
>Does the gray one look like it's about to spit again? Or could we not read that motion at all?
-
>Does the gray one look like it's about to spit again? Or could we not read that motion at all?
>The spit seemed to be accompanied by it bending its legs in such a way to thrust the head and body forward, but the motion was very swiftly followed by the actual shot. It seems to have returned to a neutral position now; you have no idea how often it can repeat that.
-
> Take a hand off the pitchfork.
>Reach back, grab our stowaway by a leg, and try to fling it toward the gray spider. Or at least off of us.
-
> Take a hand off the pitchfork.
>Reach back, grab our stowaway by a leg, and try to fling it toward the gray spider. Or at least off of us.
>You take a hand off the pitchfork and reach back to grab at the spider. As you grasp a limb, you feel a squishy wet substance under your hand. Aww, dammit... Cringing just a little, you yank at the spider but find it doesn't easily dislodge; you can feel your clothes being pulled on at the same time. Odd. The spider itself feels relatively limp.
-
>Does it feel connected to our flesh?
-
>Does it feel connected to our flesh?
>Perhaps to a small degree at a couple points. Largely no.
-
>Limp? Is it still squaking?
-
>Limp? Is it still squaking?
>Yes, but it doesn't seem to be physically struggling much anymore.
-
>Give him a good tug and whip at Graynor.
-
>Give him a good tug and whip at Graynor.
>You give the spider another good tug and... dammit, it's clinging tight! Grimacing a little, you give it an even fiercer pull. You hear the back of your dress rip and then yelp a little as you feel what you're pretty sure is some skin following it. But you manage to tear the spider free!
>You move to hurl your improvised arachnid projectile towards its gray counterpart and instead find yourself flailing the air with it. You hand appears to be stuck to its limb; you're having a hard time even opening your grip.
-
All for using our new "friend" as an improvised club?
>Give the Spider that's stuck to our hand a quick look over, to see what all happened to it.
Worst comes to worst, we can rip the leg off and try to go back to just the pitchfork.
-
Good to see you back, Hanzo. Got your computer issues sorted out, I trust?
>"Bwagh!"
>If we can manage, thrust pitchfork as best we can at the glue-spitter's face.
-
I like Hanzo's plan, actually,
>Rather, If we can, close the distance toward Graynor,, Open our hand as much as we can, and smack our promptu club right into it's face, see if that loosens him up or not.
>Be prepared for it to sting like the dickens.
-
Why can't we do both? Pitchfork's at half effectiveness, thanks to being down to one hand, so if we can club it AND prod it, might take it down in one go.
>Give it a good clubbing, indeed, but thrust pitchfork at its face as well.
-
>"Bwagh!"
>You let out a incoherent yelp of something approaching both surprise and irritation. Of all the bloody things...
>Give the Spider that's stuck to our hand a quick look over, to see what all happened to it.
>There is a palm-sized spot on the spider's back which looks severely charred and blackened; in the very middle it looks to have almost buckled inward. There is also a large splatter of the gooey white substance across the left side of its body and a couple limbs; several pieces of your dress seem to be stuck to these, trailing away like tattered ribbons. And, of course, you are currently gripping one of these very limbs, goo visible between its surface and your hand's.
>Rather, If we can, close the distance toward Graynor,, Open our hand as much as we can, and smack our promptu club right into it's face, see if that loosens him up or not.
>Be prepared for it to sting like the dickens.
>Give it a good clubbing, indeed, but thrust pitchfork at its face as well.
>You dash towards the gray spider, wielding your newfound mangled spider attachment. And doing your best to unattach it in the process, for that matter. The thinness of this spider's limbs proves to be an asset in this endeavor; they were narrow enough that the pads of your fingers curled only against your own palm as you grasped it and thus remain free of gunk. You put as much muscle as you can into prying away the rest of them.
>The gray spider sinks down on its limbs as you close the last couple feet towards it, looking almost as if it were preparing to strike. You lash out with your hand-arachnid before it gets the chance, giving it a reverse strike across the face. Given that a spider makes a rather top-heavy weapon and you've been actively trying to weaken your grip on it, this doesn't end up having a lot of force. You doubt it would do more than stun your foe. But this is enough. As your weapon's path is stopped by the other spider head, you feel a sharp pull across your palm as the limb rips free and the spider tumbles away. You waste not another moment, thrusting your pitchfork square into the gray one's face. You feel a grim satisfaction as your weapon meets its mark, puncturing deeply inward. The spider makes a gurgling sound.
>You hear the other spiders closing in from the west. Diverting your path to the northeast allowed them to close some of the distance you opened and the pauses cost you several feet more. The nearest is almost in jumping distance again now.
-
>Back to running the direction we were!
-
>Do we have any residual gunk stuck to our hand? If so, does it still appear to be sticky?
>Assessment of the spiders coming up from west.
>Listen ahead of us for any more spiders coming from the east.
-
>Do we have any residual gunk stuck to our hand? If so, does it still appear to be sticky?
>Assessment of the spiders coming up from west.
>Listen ahead of us for any more spiders coming from the east.
>A little, yes. You suspect it's still sticky, but you're not sure how much adhesion this quantity would provide on its own.
>You think it's still the two green spiders that have been chasing you from the start of your flight.
>You definitely hear more motion in the distance, though you don't think there are any in the immediate vicinity.
>Back to running the direction we were!
>You yank the pitchfork free of the gray spider's head and then keep on running, darting around stalagmites and over small rocks. You quickly widen the gap between you and your pursuers and manage to cover several dozen feet without anything else unpleasant showing up.
>Soon you catch sight of a small tunnel in an alcove along the northern wall of the chamber, the first you've seen since you started running. From what you can hear, you're pretty sure it leads somewhere inhabited.
-
>How big is this tunnel?
-
>How big is this tunnel?
>Large enough for you to walk upright, you think, but only barely so.
-
>Sniff the air and have a listen. What can we detect down that way?
-
>Sniff the air and have a listen. What can we detect down that way?
>You can hear sounds of activity that seem to be coming from the tunnel, some of them close and some further away. You think at least a couple of them are moving in your direction, though these are still out of sight. On the olfactory front, you do seem to be getting closer to the unusual smell from earlier, but it would be hard to tell if it was coming from that tunnel in particular without tracking in that direction.
-
>Come this far...
>Start down that tunnel.
-
>Come this far...
>Start down that tunnel.
>You shift course towards the tunnel, letting your pursuers close the gap a little, though you've opened enough distance now that this shouldn't be a short-term problem.
>You dart around a pair of stalagmites and then skip over some rubble between you and the tunnel. As you close the last couple feet, another green spider emerges from the tunnel entrance. You can hear a second spider of some sort following close behind.
-
>Is the little green one directly in our path?
-
>Is the little green one directly in our path?
>It is essentially standing in the mouth of the tunnel. The entrance is no more than three or four feet wide, not nearly wide enough to pass by without giving the spider free reign to bite at your legs.
-
>Can we estimate how far ahead we are of the spiders chasing us?
-
>Can we estimate how far ahead we are of the spiders chasing us?
>You think they're around 20 feet or so behind you now. Perhaps a little more.
-
>From what we've seen of the green one's speed, can we estimate about how long it would take them to catch up to us if we came to a stop?
-
>From what we've seen of the green one's speed, can we estimate about how long it would take them to catch up to us if we came to a stop?
>You'd have a few seconds, you think, but not a whole lot more than that.
-
>Slow down only as much as we need to get a good shot at that green one, then give it a face full of pitchfork.
>Assuming that works, continue on towards the tunnel.
-
>Slow down only as much as we need to get a good shot at that green one, then give it a face full of pitchfork.
>Assuming that works, continue on towards the tunnel.
>The spider backs up a little as you bear down on it, withdrawing into the tunnel. You follow in after it and thrust your pitchfork at it, but the spider makes a low leap the moment you start the motion and narrowly passes underneath the tines, pouncing towards your leg.
-
>Swing the butt end of the pitchfork up to catch it in mid-air and knock it silly.
-
Should have gotten to this earlier. No need to stab little ones, we have a pitchfork, just pitch 'em out of the way.
-
>Swing the butt end of the pitchfork up to catch it in mid-air and knock it silly.
>You flip the butt of your pitchfork forward and into the leaping spider way, catching its underside as it nears your leg and sending it tumbling backwards down the tunnel. Unfortunately, it starts to right itself almost immediately as it lands.
-
Pitch em out of the way, huh. Alright, let's give that a bash.
>Continue on forward, and try to, well, pitch the green one out of our way.
-
>Continue on forward, and try to, well, pitch the green one out of our way.
>You dash forward and scoop up the spider with the pitchfork before it can fully regain its footing, then crouch and pitch it behind you. Without pausing to see how it lands, you keep on going.
>Another green spider darts out from around a bend in the tunnel, roughly 10 feet ahead of you.
-
>Can we hear anything beyond that one?
-
>Can we hear anything beyond that one?
>There definitely seems to be more activity in that direction; you think you can hear some chittering, for one thing, along with other sounds of movement. You don't think another is about to pop around the corner at any moment, though.
-
>Well, this worked well enough last time.
>Close the distance and try to pitch this one behind us as well.
-
>Well, this worked well enough last time.
>Close the distance and try to pitch this one behind us as well.
>Without losing your momentum, you rush the new spider and thrust the pitchfork forward to repeat your last maneuver. Unfortunately, you don't catch this spider as it's scrabbling to regain footing, and when you move to scoop it up, it leaps towards your face instead!
-
>Bring up the pitchfork anyways, and smack it from underneath while in the air, hopefully deranging it's rhythm.
-
>Bring up the pitchfork anyways, and smack it from underneath while in the air, hopefully deranging it's rhythm.
>You quickly yank the pitchfork back and try to bat the spider from beneath. Unfortunately, it leaping from point blank range leaves little time or room to knock it aside in this manner and you only connect with the spider as it's mere inches away from your face. The blow knocks it off course somewhat, but you still feel a couple legs brush through your hair and across your shoulder before it smacks lightly into the wall beside you.
-
>Give it a solid stab with our polearm, before it gets its legs under it again. One leap is all you get.
-
>Don't bother with stabbing, instead, if we can, use the pitchfork to sweep it aside and behind us, and keep our momentum up.
-
>Don't bother with stabbing, instead, if we can, use the pitchfork to sweep it aside and behind us, and keep our momentum up.
>You bring the pitchfork around - just a little awkward in the confined space - and sweep the spider away and behind you, doing your best to keep up your momentum. As you run on, you hear the spider quickly right itself behind you and join its brethren in pursuit.
>After another dozen feet or so, you come to a branch in the path as the tunnel splits into two. One fork leads northwest, sloping mildly upward; the other leads northeast, sloping somewhat more strongly downward.
-
>Sniff the air for the unfamiliar scent. Or any other scents, for that matter.
>Open ears, see what they tell us.
-
>Sniff the air for the unfamiliar scent. Or any other scents, for that matter.
>Open ears, see what they tell us.
>You detect curious scents from both tunnels. The smell of spider is most dominant but there is definitely something else... The most unidentifiable smell is coming from the eastern tunnel, while from the western tunnel you catch hint of something smelling almost like... rancid meat?
>There seems to be spider activity in both directions, though neither of it immediately approaching you. You think there is more noise coming from the western tunnel.
-
I'm willing to bet that the rancid meat smell is whatever's left of the cows, which means their larder.
>Take a couple seconds to glance down both tunnels, see if our eyes can see anything our other senses can't.
-
>Take a couple seconds to glance down both tunnels, see if our eyes can see anything our other senses can't.
>The western tunnel seems clear as far as your light extends. The eastern one twists out of sight after no more than 30 feet, but what you can see of it is nondescript.
-
>Is there anything here we might be able to tie some twine to to make a tripwire?
-
>Is there anything here we might be able to tie some twine to to make a tripwire?
>Unfortunately, the rock here is smooth and doesn't present any particularly suitable outcroppings to tie a tripwire across.
-
Rancid meat does suggest dead things, I can't imagine we'd find much of use there.
>Go east.
-
>Go east.
>With the spiders hot on your back, you decide to take the eastern fork. As you step into the tunnel, a shrill cry rises from your pursuers; you hear it echoed down the chain of spiders behind you, and then from further corners of the cavern. Curiously, you don't hear it answered from ahead of you.
-
>Does this noise sound like any other noise we've heard them make before?
>Does the sound ahead of us appear to have changed from what it was before that cry went out?
>Quick visual inspection of the tunnel to see if anything's amiss.
-
>Does this noise sound like any other noise we've heard them make before?
>Does the sound ahead of us appear to have changed from what it was before that cry went out?
>Quick visual inspection of the tunnel to see if anything's amiss.
>It is not dissimilar to earlier cries, although perhaps not exactly the same. You're not certain what, if any, significance this might have.
>Not appreciably so.
>The tunnel ahead looks perfectly mundane and not especially different than the one you were following a moment before.
-
>Continue on.
>Try to pin down how many distinct sounds are coming from ahead of us. As in, how many spiders we think we can hear.
-
>Try to pin down how many distinct sounds are coming from ahead of us. As in, how many spiders we think we can hear.
>Part of the issue is that the sounds are not especially distinct. This implies there might be more than a couple, but fairly distant. At the moment, you can't be certain.
>Continue on.
>You continue onward, following the tunnel as it twists downward in something of a wide spiral. You hear noises still echoing into the distance, and though you're not entirely certain of it, you almost feel as if the spiders chasing you are moving more quickly than earlier. You're still managing to outpace then, though.
>After some distance, you spot another tunnel branching off from the left wall. It is narrower - not much more than a crawlspace for you - but one feature about it is striking: just beyond the entrance, the entire width of the tunnel is sealed off with some sort of thick webbing.
-
>Can we see through this webbing at all?
>Does this seem to be the source of the unfamiliar scent?
-
>Can we see through this webbing at all?
>Does this seem to be the source of the unfamiliar scent?
>Only enough to suggest that there is open space behind it, but you can tell little more than this.
>You do think some of it may be coming from behind, but also that this is not the only source.
-
>How much webbing does there seem to be?
-
>How much webbing does there seem to be?
>The webbing spans the entire diameter of the tunnel. It seems spun of multiple layers of silk, though the weave of each of these is neither uniform nor extremely dense; the opacity varies a little from place to place. If you had to guess its thickness, you might say around a half inch, though it's a bit hard to tell.
-
I realize this probably means fighting the ones chasing us, but I think this tunnel is worth exploring. It's really piqued my curiousity here.
And if we have to fight the chasers, this seems a decent time for it, since nothing's coming at us from the other way.
-
Burn it. There's a fair chance the spiders are not going to want to get close to it.
-
Probably the fastest way through, too. Let's try it.
>Press torch to webbing till it ignites, then see what happens.
-
>Press torch to webbing till it ignites, then see what happens.
>You press the torch against the webbing and wait a moment. While it does not catch alight, you see the strands starting to whither and shrivel beneath the flames.
>One of the green spiders pursuing you comes around the bend and into view again, about 15 feet away. It sounds like the other spider you passed in this tunnel is close behind, with several more a little further than that.
-
>Withdraw torch from webbing, and brandish pitchfork before us.
-
>Withdraw torch from webbing, and brandish pitchfork before us.
>You pull the torch back and brandish your pitchfork in the oncoming spider's direction. However, unlike earlier, it stops moving once it gets about 10 feet from you. The second comes around the corner and moves to join it.
-
>Move torch towards web, but not close enough to affect it. Let's see if that provokes a reaction.
-
>Move torch towards web, but not close enough to affect it. Let's see if that provokes a reaction.
>You move the torch a little bit closer to the web again. Other than appearing to visually track your movements, the spider makes no obvious reaction to this.
>The second spider reaches its companion and then also stops moving, standing abreast of it. The other spiders sound like they're getting much closer now.
-
>Hoping to gang up on me, eh. Not today.
>Draw a kunai, dash forward.
>Throw a kunai at the second spider, and be prepared to bring up pitchfork to counter the other one's attack, if there is one.
-
>Hoping to gang up on me, eh. Not today.
>Draw a kunai, dash forward.
>Throw a kunai at the second spider, and be prepared to bring up pitchfork to counter the other one's attack, if there is one.
>You shift one hand off your pitchfork and draw a kunai, then dash towards the spiders. The moment you shift forward, they bolt apart, each scampering quickly up the opposite wall and towards you.
>You fire the kunai at the spider on the left, but it suddenly changes trajectory, springing back to the ground before the projectile has even fully left your hand. It narrowly misses, clattering against the rock where the spider had been just a moment ago. It lands near your leg.
-
>Impale the thing upon our pitchfork before it can bite us.
-
>Impale thing thing upon our pitchfork before it can bite us.
>You bring your pitchfork around and stab at the spider as it appears to try dashing past you. Though you miss impaling its midsection as it scampers around your ankle, you do manage to drive the tines through several of its rear legs, tearing one off completely and pinning another other against the ground.
>In the corner of your eye, you see the other spider spring from the opposite wall and land against your shoulder, or perhaps more accurately half your left side, such is its size.
-
>Does this impact knock us off balance/off balance?
>Is it more on our back, our side, or front?
-
>Does this impact knock us off balance/off balance?
>Is it more on our back, our side, or front?
>These spiders seem surprisingly light for their size. The impact alone was not enough to seriously affect your balance.
>It is hanging somewhere between your front and side, with several of its forelimbs grasping over to the back of your shoulder. Its mandibles are poised above the front of your shoulder, below the joint.
-
>That makes things simpler.
>Pull the knife from our belt and stick it in this things guts.
>Try to shove the thing off once it's been shivved.
-
If it didn't burn, we should have tested how strong the webs are and see if we could just fork them aside, rather than getting into cornered and unnecessary combat. This is going to be endless and achieve nothing but a bunch of dead spiders at the best of cases.
Also, if there's room, let's try to fling one onto the webs.
-
>That makes things simpler.
>Pull the knife from our belt and stick it in this things guts.
>Try to shove the thing off once it's been shivved.
>Keeping one hand firmly pinning the first spider to the ground, you pull the hunting knife free of its sheath. As you do, the spider drives its fangs into your skin, feeling not unlike a pair of stilettos, you imagine. Gritting your teeth against the pain, you slip the knife in between the spider's limbs and stab it through the underside, nearly piercing clear through. The spider's reaction is shrill and immediate. So near your ears, its cry borders on physically painful and the sensation of its many limbs twitching against your body remains distinctly unsettling despite the far more immediate pain from its bite.
>Pushing against the knife, you try to shove the spider off your shoulder. While the convulsing arachnid itself offers no apparent resistance, you feel the fangs catch in the wound as you push. You wince a little. With a bit more effort you feel them tear free, eliciting another grimace from you. The spider flops off your shoulder and onto its back, twitching ineffectually as ichor oozes from a large puncture in its abdomen.
>Looking ahead, you can see a third green spider round the corner.
-
>Do we smell anything that might be poisonous from the wound?
>Since we have our new friend out now, give the pinned spider a solid stab as well.
-
>Do we smell anything that might be poisonous from the wound?
>Since we have our new friend out now, give the pinned spider a solid stab as well.
>Nothing distinct above the scent of blood and ichor. Although... you think you may be feeling a slight searing pain spreading slowly through the wound.
>You shift around and stab the pinned spider with your knife. This strike does make it all the way through to the floor, eliciting a similar reaction from this spider as its partner's.
>The third spider closes another few feet while a fourth rounds the corner after it. You think this accounts for all the ones you've actually visually confirmed so far.
-
>Searing pain like the acid that hit us before?
>Do we know how to identify if a bite if poisonous or venomous? If so, do we know how to go about fixing the problem, if only temporarily?
>What's our fort save bonus?
>Withdraw knife from victim, sheathe it, then place both hands upon trident.
>If we can retreive our kunai before the closest spider is on us, do so.
-
>Searing pain like the acid that hit us before?
>Do we know how to identify if a bite if poisonous or venomous? If so, do we know how to go about fixing the problem, if only temporarily?
>What's our fort save bonus?
>Withdraw knife from victim, sheathe it, then place both hands upon trident.
>If we can retreive our kunai before the closest spider is on us, do so.
>No, the sensation is definitely different than that. It is subtler, but somehow... deeper, almost like you were standing too close to a flame that was on the inside of your shoulder.
>You have some familiarity with poisonous fauna and could probably detect a few poisons by scent, but are far from extensively versed on the subject. Given that most mundane spiders are poisonous on their own physical scale, you suppose it shouldn't surprise you if these are too. Short of an antivenom, you don't know what you could do about it at this point.
>Youkai get a +3 racial bonus. Try your best not to roll a 1, now.
>You pull your knife free of the spider, then resheath the ichor-coated blade.
>Then you dash towards your fallen kunai and scoop it back up again before the next spider closes into leaping distance. Somewhat curiously, it also stops about 10 feet away from you. The fourth spider is quickly catching up to it.
-
>
>Short of an antivenom, you don't know what you could do about it at this point.
>What about bleeding the wound? Do we know enough to know if that would work?
>Listen again for any nearby spiders other than those two.
-
>What about bleeding the wound? Do we know enough to know if that would work?
>Listen again for any nearby spiders other than those two.
>Contrary to common belief, this doesn't actually do much once the poison has already spread into the blood, unfortunately.
>You think there's at least one other spider making its way down this tunnel, although it's a fair ways back yet. Further than that, you can't tell distinctly.
-
>Have we ever been poisoned before?
>In general, how resistant are youkai to poisons?
>Press the torch against the webbing in the tunnel again, this time to do more damage to it. See if THAT provokes a reaction.
-
>Have we ever been poisoned before?
>In general, how resistant are youkai to poisons?
>Press the torch against the webbing in the tunnel again, this time to do more damage to it. See if THAT provokes a reaction.
>Yes, once. It's something of an embarrassing memory, looking back. It was during the time you were paired with Marisa. You'd gone to Welmark to retrieve some stolen property from group of small-time robbers. The two of you traced them to a cabin outside of town, and Marisa set you on watch while she went in to clean things up. You were supposed to make sure no one sneaked the back way while she was raiding the place. ...unfortunately, a banded arbor snake took objection to you hiding in its bush. It was distinctly unpleasant experience, and to make matters worse, your presence turned out to be entirely superfluous in the end.
>As a general rule, youkai are more resistant to a broad range of physical ailments than human; this includes poison. The level of resistance does vary some from youkai to youkai. You've never had the misfortune to test yourself against anything truly nasty, but you were told you got off fairly light with the aforementioned snake. Not that it felt much like that at the time...
>You press the torch back against the webbing, close enough to start withering the strands again. The spider closest to you holds its ground, while the other falls into place beside it, forming up similar to the last pair.
>The sensation in your shoulder grows more distinct. Yeah, you don't think there's any mistaking it for pain radiating from the bite itself at this point; it feels too dissimilar.
-
>Dash forward a couple feet, draw a kunai... then stop.
>If those two start moving, draw a bead on whichever one is closer before throwing a kunai at it, and be ready to intercept the other one with Pitchy.
-
>Dash forward a couple feet, draw a kunai... then stop.
>If those two start moving, draw a bead on whichever one is closer before throwing a kunai at it, and be ready to intercept the other one with Pitchy.
>You dash towards the spiders, kunai in hand. Their reaction is a near exact repetition of the last pair. As soon as rush them, they bolt and scurry across the walls towards you.
>This time you wait a moment more before striking, lining up a sure-fire shot. As the right spider pulls just a little ahead of the other, you let the kunai fly. It covers the few feet between you in a moment and drives into the spider's head. Even before it tumbles off the wall, you round on the other spider, interposing your pitchfork along its vector of attack. Rather than leap into the tines, the spider scrambles further up the wall towards the ceiling.
-
>Wallmaster, you ain't. That ain't gonna fly here.
>Follow it's movement, watch its legs to see where it's going, then strike!
-
>Wallmaster, you ain't. That ain't gonna fly here.
>Follow it's movement, watch its legs to see where it's going, then strike!
>Ah, but that would provide a convenient way out, would it not?
>You follow the spider as it rounds onto the ceiling and seemingly tries to move past your side. You shift the pitchfork around after it, angling it to block off a likely path of escape and then drive it home, skewering the spider against the rock before it can leap away.
>That... felt more awkward than it should have.
-
>We're going numb in that arm, aren't we.
>Withdraw Pitchy, retreive kunai, and see what the last spider coming is.
>Afterthought: If we have time enough before it comes within visual range, use the torch to melt off more of the webbing before it arrives.
-
>We're going numb in that arm, aren't we.
>Withdraw Pitchy, retreive kunai, and see what the last spider coming is.
>Afterthought: If we have time enough before it comes within visual range, use the torch to melt off more of the webbing before it arrives.
>Not numb, certainly. The pain from the wound is still quite evident, but... your shoulder feels stiff, moreso than you think you can attribute to just the injury alone.
>You pull the pitchfork free, letting the spider tumble to the ground and add its body to the pile of mangled and twitching spiders now surrounding you. Then you go and retrieve your kunai from its companion's head. The spider makes another thin squawk as the weapon comes lose, ichor gushing from the wound. The sound trails off almost as soon as it starts, though one limb keeps moving reflexively.
>The last spider you can distinctly hear approaching your position is still a few more moments away, so you decide to take this time to burn away more of the webbing. As the strands shrivel and fall apart, you start to get a better glimpse at what lies beyond them. There seems to be a small chamber on the other side of the tunnel; you can't see it very clearly yet, but you think there are signs of more webbing from within.
>You see a set of distinctive angular legs emerge from around the corner, and can't help but grimace.
-
>Do those legs look like the ones the spitter had?
-
>Do those legs look like the ones the spitter had?
>They do indeed.
-
>Which arm is injured? Our throwing one?
-
>Oh, goody...
>Can he hear any of the sounds we heard the last one make?
>Draw a kunai, and move closer carefully. When that things's head comes around the corner, fill it full of kunai.
>How much room do we have to either side of us? In terms of dodging incoming acid splashes. Be prepared to take advantage of any available space if it comes around spitting.
-
>Which arm is injured? Our throwing one?
>The spider bite was on your left shoulder. While you have thrown with both hands, as convenient, at different points of this expedition, your right is your dominant one.
>Oh, goody...
>Can he hear any of the sounds we heard the last one make?
>Draw a kunai, and move closer carefully. When that things's head comes around the corner, fill it full of kunai.
>How much room do we have to either side of us? In terms of dodging incoming acid splashes. Be prepared to take advantage of any available space if it comes around spitting.
>Yeah, this just keeps getting better....
>You haven't heard it make any noises aside from the sound of its feet skittering across the rock.
>You take kunai in hand and start to creep closer. The rest of the spitter predictably follows its forelimbs into view and a moment later you see its head poke around the corner. Unfortunately, its large limbs provide significant cover for the tiny head when in profile, especially at this distance. Do you still want to take the shot?
>The tunnel is no more than 4 feet wide. Even if you flattened yourself against the wall, you're not sure you'd miss an acid volley fired down the middle.
-
>Not yet.
>Think back to the last one we fought. About how long did it take between acid-sound and acid-shot?
>How much distance is there between us now?
-
>Not yet.
>Think back to the last one we fought. About how long did it take between acid-sound and acid-shot?
>How much distance is there between us now?
>You hold your fire for the moment.
>You're reasonably certain the sound was the acid being fired. There might perhaps be a moment's notice between it and the volley flying free.
>About 20 feet.
-
At this point, I hope somebody has an idea. I've only got one, and I'm not exactly sold on it.
>If we flattened ourselves against a wall before it fired, so that it basically fired along the wall at us, would we have enough room to dodge it then? If we had basically the whole width of the tunnel to maneuver with?
-
>If we flattened ourselves against a wall before it fired, so that it basically fired along the wall at us, would we have enough room to dodge it then? If we had basically the whole width of the tunnel to maneuver with?
>Judging by the size of the globs the first one fired, you think this plan could work, assuming it aimed directly at you.
-
Another plan may be lobbing the corpse of a small spider at it. This idea being to stun it long enough that we can reach it and deal with it before it can fire.
-
That might work.
Alternately, we could use a corpse as an improvised shield, although I admit I'm not sure if they're big enough to serve that purpose completely.
-
>Furthur judging from the earlier acid blasts, would one of the corpses at our feet be wide enough to provide sufficient cover against one blast?
>Now that we have a grasp for how heavy these little ones are, how effective would we be if we were to throw one as a projectile?
-
>Furthur judging from the earlier acid blasts, would one of the corpses at our feet be wide enough to provide sufficient cover against one blast?
>Now that we have a grasp for how heavy these little ones are, how effective would we be if we were to throw one as a projectile?
>Their bodies could probably catch a fair chunk of the blast if it hit them dead-center, but a significant portion of the spiders' overall footprint comes from their legs, which are far too thin to count as a shield against anything. Basically, while you expect you could block the worst of it this way, there's a good chance you wouldn't be able to block all of it.
>While you could throw one a moderate distance, you think it would make about as effective a projectile as a small dog; perhaps enough to surprise someone, but not enough to do any harm.
-
>From what we remember about the acid's velocity, if we were within 10-15 feet of the spitter, and it fired at us, would we have enough response time, and accuracy, to throw the spider at the acid and intercept it in midair?
-
>From what we remember about the acid's velocity, if we were within 10-15 feet of the spitter, and it fired at us, would we have enough response time, and accuracy, to throw the spider at the acid and intercept it in midair?
>The acid volleys traveled very quickly, but a spider is a relatively large object to hit it with. You're reasonably certain you could make the two things connect with each other. Unfortunately, spiders also don't make very aerodynamic projectiles and it would be hard to control which part of the spider hits the stream, and more importantly, at what angle. A poor shot could easily end up deflecting very little, or simply splatter it in all directions instead.
-
>What if we used two spiders at once as a shield from the acid? Would that provide total cover? Or at least cover from everything except a tiny drop or two, we've proven that a couple drops doesn't do that much damage.
-
>What if we used two spiders at once as a shield from the acid? Would that provide total cover? Or at least cover from everything except a tiny drop or two, we've proven that a couple drops doesn't do that much damage.
>Two spiders obviously provide more surface area than one, but would likewise be more awkward. There is the issue of getting their bodies pressed tightly enough together with all the legs in the way, particularly given you wouldn't have more than a moment to do this. Otherwise you might well be left with a gap in the middle of your barricade - likely the last place you would want one.
-
Seems the best way is to get as many kunai in the air as possible. Go for body shots; hopefully we can pierce it's acid sac.
-
>Get close to the left side of the tunnel, draw a kunai.
>Dash forward, throwing kunai at the spitter, hard.
>Be prepared to dodge to the right at the first sign of it returning fire.
-
>Get close to the left side of the tunnel, draw a kunai.
>Dash forward, throwing kunai at the spitter, hard.
>Be prepared to dodge to the right at the first sign of it returning fire.
>You press yourself against the left side of the tunnel then dash forward, kunai poised to throw. The moment the spitter fully rounds the corner and exposes its head, you take your shot! The spider shifts its mouthparts as the kunai flies towards it. You hear a coarse squishing sound followed almost immediately by a cohesive blast of acid from its mouth.
>You leap to the right, then notice that the blast seemed aimed not directly at you, but rather at the incoming kunai. The blob of viscous fluid engulfs the projectile and while your blade cuts through it, the impact is enough make it wobble off course. Your shot veers wide and jabs shallowly into the spider's abdomen, its acid coating slowly dripping off onto its body. The rest of the volley splatters against the wall and floor, a safe enough distance away from you.
-
>If that melts, gonna be trouble later. Still we know it can't fire one shot after another.
>Close more ground, pull our last kunai, and take another shot at its head.
>Observe the kunai stuck in its' side, to see if it is immune to its own corrosive attack.
-
>If that melts, gonna be trouble later. Still we know it can't fire one shot after another.
>Close more ground, pull our last kunai, and take another shot at its head.
>Observe the kunai stuck in its' side, to see if it is immune to its own corrosive attack.
>You keep running forward, past the small puddle of acid on the ground, then draw your other kunai and let it fly! The spitter attempts to back up from the projectile, but your weapon meets its mark nonetheless. The spitter lets out a strangled gurgle as the blade sinks into the middle of its head, it's legs fumbling at the ground.
>You give the other kunai wound a glance, but can't tell for sure whether the spider's carapace is affected by the acid or not, at least not without a closer inspection. A sharp odor in the air, however, suggests that your weapon is not faring so ambiguously.
-
>Of course. Already lost one kunai, why not another.
>Come to within stabbing range and intorduce the spitter to our friend Ptichy.
-
>Of course. Already lost one kunai, why not another.
>Come to within stabbing range and intorduce the spitter to our friend Ptichy.
>You close the rest of the distance and bring the pitchfork around to thrust. Or... attempt to, but find your shoulder isn't bending right. Grimacing, you pull the haft up with the other hand and thrust one-handed at the spider as it makes a feeble effort to back further away. Less force, perhaps, but still enough. You feel a moment's resistance and then its exoskeleton gives way. The tines puncture deep into its head and mouth; acid starts to seep onto the ground below from the holes in its mouth.
-
>Quickly snatch the second kunai out of its head, then skip backwards away from the acid.
>How's our other kunai looking?
-
>Quickly snatch the second kunai out of its head, then skip backwards away from the acid.
>How's our other kunai looking?
>You yank the kunai free again, then step quickly away from the spider.
>It still looks largely ok, although you can see some signs of corrosion on the blade, particularly along the edge.
-
>Do our kunai have anything we can use to hook our pitchfork into and retreive it without getting close to the acid? Like a hoop and the end of it?
-
>Do our kunai have anything we can use to hook our pitchfork into and retreive it without getting close to the acid? Like a hoop and the end of it?
>Your kunai do have a ring on the base of the hilt. You're pretty sure you could snag it with the pitchfork, if you tried.
-
>Try, then.
-
>Try, then.
>You bring the pitchfork up and try to thread one of the tines far enough into the kunai's ring to pick it up. Your stiff arm makes this more awkward than it would otherwise be, but you eventually slip a tine through and pull the kunai free.
-
>Does it look safe enough to touch?
-
>Does it look safe enough to touch?
>There is still acidic goo coating most of the surface. It is much thicker near the tip, where gravity has caused it to pool, but you can see a thin sheen extending even to the ring at the other end. The texture of the metal below looks coarser than earlier and slightly pitted. Parts of the edge are worn and rather dull, though you could sharpen most of that back into shape if you got it clean. The tip itself seems to have escaped most of this, perhaps by virtue of having been embedded in the spider?
-
>Move back to the nearest little one corpse, and place the kunai on the ground.
>Unsheathe hunting knife and cut off one of its little green legs.
>Use that leg to scrape the acid off our kunai.
-
>Move back to the nearest little one corpse, and place the kunai on the ground.
>Unsheathe hunting knife and cut off one of its little green legs.
>Use that leg to scrape the acid off our kunai.
>You move back to one of the dead green spiders and let the kunai fall on the ground beside it.
>Then you unsheathe the hunting knife, still sticky with spider blood, and cut one of its limbs off.
>You attempt to use this leg to scrape off the remaining acid. This, too, is a little awkward, but you manage to clear off some of the larger remaining globs. The thin sheen that remains along the surface of the kunai is going to be hard to remove this way, although it does seem to be slowly dissolving as it eats away at the metal.
-
>Do we have a good thick rag to clean it off with?
Might have to leave it behind.
-
Judging from the effects, it's not a very lethal poison I'd say.
However...it's the sort of poison that spiders who like to have live prey use.
For example, Shelob from LoTR.
"This one's not dead. She just gives 'em a little prick with 'er stinger, and they go limp as a boned fish. likes 'em warm she does."
Quote may not be exact, but I haven't read LoTR in a while.
As for the Kunai, I'd say we might be able to find someone back in the village who can fix it.
We just need to find a way to carry it.
>Well, there's nothing for it. We'll just have to take it in for repairs after all this.
>Would there be someone capable of doing such repairs back in the village, like a blacksmith? Or are we capable enough normally?
-
>Do we have a good thick rag to clean it off with?
>About the only things you could muster in the vein at the moment are the umbrella and your own clothing.
>Well, there's nothing for it. We'll just have to take it in for repairs after all this.
>Would there be someone capable of doing such repairs back in the village, like a blacksmith? Or are we capable enough normally?
>The damage doesn't seem too terrible, considering, but it's definitely the worse for wear for the encounter.
>There is a blacksmith in the Easthaven, and even better ones in Braston, although your weapons are only of common make; you imagine any competent smith could fix them up. You knew well enough how to sharpen your kunai and otherwise care for them, but lack the metalworking skill to make any more complex repairs to them.
-
Using it again might not be as viable as it was before, but I'd really rather not abandon it. That would leave us with only one, after all. Damaged or not, we may need it again, and like Hanzo said, nothing stopping us from getting it fixed later.
>Tear off a strip of material to wipe the rest of the blade clean, then drop it before the acid burns through.
-
>Tear off a strip of material to wipe the rest of the blade clean, then drop it before the acid burns through.
>Figuring your outfit is already a lost cause, you tear another strip of material free and use it to try and wipe the residual goo from your weapon. Predictably, the acid immediately sets to work on this as well, but you manage to clean off a little more before you feel holes being eaten in the cloth and abandon it. You can still see traces of gunk upon the kunai, here and there - you doubt you could get all of it without a proper wash - but you think you could pick it up now. It might sting to hold, but you don't expect it would cause any significant damage.
-
>Does it appear safe enough to attempt a quick repair job? And do we have the tools to do so?
>If yes to both, sweep the tunnels around us with our ears to make sure there's still nothing coming. If there's not, try to put more of an edge back on this thing.
-
>Does it appear safe enough to attempt a quick repair job? And do we have the tools to do so?
>If yes to both, sweep the tunnels around us with our ears to make sure there's still nothing coming. If there's not, try to put more of an edge back on this thing.
>You don't have a sharpening stone on you, and while you don't hear any more spiders approaching at this very moment, the process would take long enough in any case to make you wary of trying it in here.
-
>Par for the course.
>Pick it up with our left hand, let whatever aci'd left take care of whatever glue might be left.
>Have a more careful look down that side tunnel, burining away any residual webbing that might still be obscuring our view/passage.
-
>Par for the course.
>Pick it up with our left hand, let whatever aci'd left take care of whatever glue might be left.
>Have a more careful look down that side tunnel, burining away any residual webbing that might still be obscuring our view/passage.
>You did not pack for spot acid-repair, sadly.
>You pick the kunai up with your left hand, finding it easier to simply put your whole body into the motion rather than fight with your arm to bend properly. You fingers fumble a little as they grasp at the handle, but it feels secure enough in your hand once you pick it up. Gripping it does sting, but probably no moreso than unpleasantly hot water, and the sensation starts to fade quickly.
>You go back to the side tunnel and set to clearing away the rest of the webbing. With a frown, you note that your torch has burned down significantly from when you lit it, although you think you can get a little more use of it before you need to light the second.
>Shortly enough, the barrier gives way entirely. Looking through, there appears to be a small chamber on the other side of the tunnel, no more than 10 feet away. You can't see much of it through such a narrow space, though you think you see thick webbing along the visible wall, not unlike what was blocking the passage.
-
>Wait for whatever residue is left of the webbing to cool enough not to burn us, then...
>About how badly would our useless arm affect our crawling speed?
-
>Wait for whatever residue is left of the webbing to cool enough not to burn us, then...
>About how badly would our useless arm affect our crawling speed?
>You wait a bit to let the residue from the webbing cool, although most of it seems to have been simply consumed by the flame.
>It would probably slow you down a little, but not cripplingly so.
-
>Is that arm numb as well, or simply useless?
>If we don't hear anything on the other side of the tunnel, start crawling through.
-
>Is that arm numb as well, or simply useless?
>If we don't hear anything on the other side of the tunnel, start crawling through.
>It does feel like it's grown slightly numb, especially around the wound, but not enough to mute the pain entirely, and sensation in the lower arm is close to normal. In terms of mobility, you essentially can't move your shoulder joint at all, while your elbow can bend a little with concerted effort. Your fingers feel clumsy, but you still have a decent range of movement in them.
>Judging the chamber ahead silent, you crawl into the tunnel and work your way through. Emerging on the other side, you find the chamber is perhaps even smaller than you expected. It is roughly oval and little more than 10 feet across at its widest. Against the far side are several large silken structures, roughly spherical and affixed securely to the walls and floor with a mesh of webbing. The weave of them is too thick to peer inside.
-
>Other than the way we came, does this hatchery have any exits?
-
>Other than the way we came, does this hatchery have any exits?
>It doesn't appear so.
-
>Just how large ARE those coccoons?
>Do they appear to be the only thing of interest in the chamber?
>How hot is it in here?
-
>Just how large ARE those coccoons?
>Do they appear to be the only thing of interest in the chamber?
>How hot is it in here?
>They range from about 2 feet in diameter to nearly 5.
>As far as you can see.
>It is perhaps a bit humid and clammy, but you wouldn't describe it as hot. If anything, this cave is on the chilly side.
-
>Do we know enough about spiders' egg sacks to determine if these are said?
>If so, can we determine if they are close to hatching?
>So far as we know, cows were the only things that went missing, correct?
>Is it possible that the larger coccoons could contain anything humanoid?
-
>Do we know enough about spiders' egg sacks to determine if these are said?
>If so, can we determine if they are close to hatching?
>So far as we know, cows were the only things that went missing, correct?
>Is it possible that the larger coccoons could contain anything humanoid?
>They do look quite similar to some normal-sized ones you've seen. You wouldn't be at all surprised if that is what they were, though the events of the day make that a rather disquieting thought...
>You have no idea.
>At the very least, you've heard nothing about any other disappearances.
>Some of the larger ones are certainly more than big enough to contain a humanoid, even a relatively tall one if they were in fetal position.
-
>Take our damaged arm in our other hand, and try to move it around a little. See if it's just dead, or if our muscles are locked up.
-
>Take our damaged arm in our other hand, and try to move it around a little. See if it's just dead, or if our muscles are locked up.
>You try moving your left arm around with your other hand. It seems about as flexible as normal, even if you can't get it to move this way on its own.
-
>Turn around and get out of here. Whatever's in there isn't going anywhere.
>Once we're out of here, start down the way we were going before we came in here.
-
>If the way seems clear, try to work our arm a bit more, maybe assuage our shoulder, and get some life back into it. But only if the way seems clear.
-
>Turn around and get out of here. Whatever's in there isn't going anywhere.
>Once we're out of here, start down the way we were going before we came in here.
>You decide to leave the contents of the room alone. You turn and crawl your way back to the main tunnel.
>Then you continue on as the tunnel winds further downward. After another few dozen feet, you spot a second side tunnel, a little larger than the last. It, too, is sealed with webbing.
>If the way seems clear, try to work our arm a bit more, maybe assuage our shoulder, and get some life back into it. But only if the way seems clear.
>The way does seem clear for the moment, so you decide to try working your injured arm. The wound still feels quite tender when you try massaging your shoulder, but the rest of it feels little different than usual. You're not sure whether this is helping much, though.
-
>It's like licking a wound to make it feel better, really.
>Examine this next webbed over door. Can we see through it?
-
>It's like licking a wound to make it feel better, really.
>Examine this next webbed over door. Can we see through it?
>That may be so, but it's a very disquieting sensation to be moving a limb which you cannot otherwise coax to move.
>You cannot, at least not very well. There is just enough transparency to suggest another chamber beyond it, but that's as much as you can tell.
-
>Melt that thing open, see what we can see.
-
>Melt that thing open, see what we can see.
>You set the torch to this web as well and burn it away quickly enough. On the other side, you see what looks like a similar chamber to the last, perhaps even smaller. There are hints of more silken spheres at the edge of what you can see around the corner of the tunnel's exit.
-
>Do these silk balls seem about the same size as the last bunch?
-
>Do these silk balls seem about the same size as the last bunch?
>You can only see the very edge of one or two at the moment; the bulk of them is around the corner. That being said, the contour suggests they are likely similar.
-
>Have a sniff down there.
>If our nose reveals no different scents than the last chamber, continue on down the tunnel.
-
>Have a sniff down there.
>If our nose reveals no different scents than the last chamber, continue on down the tunnel.
>You take a sniff of the tunnel. You don't note any smells obviously different than the last chamber, although you're starting to suspect that the dense concentration of webbing and perhaps whatever is inside those spheres may be a large part of the unidentified smells you were noticing in this direction.
>You continue downward. You had been hearing faint spider movement in the distance of this direction for some time now - since before your last fight, even - though it had not drawn closer. Now, as you close the distance yourself, you are growing inclined to suspect it may in fact not be distant, but simply quiet. And numerous.
>You spot a third side tunnel, smaller than the first but otherwise remarkably similar, with webbing once again covering the entrance. You're... fairly certain much of the movement you're hearing is coming from behind it.
-
>Try to look through the webs.
-
>Try to look through the webs.
>Like before, the density of the weave leaves little transparency. You can see another chamber beyond, but- ...you think you just saw something small move in front of the other side of the web.
-
Hey, Hanzo. Are spiders poisonous from birth, or does that develop later?
>Back away from the baby swarm. That's more trouble than it's worth, without a better source of fire handy, or a Marisa.
>Are there any more of these sounds coming from furthur down?
>If not, continue down the tunnel.
-
Some are, but that's negligible. As their fangs, or whatever else they have to use it, are generally too weak to damage anything.
However, these aren't the average spider...
Sadly, I have no commands as of right now.
-
>Back away from the baby swarm. That's more trouble than it's worth, without a better source of fire handy, or a Marisa.
>Are there any more of these sounds coming from furthur down?
>If not, continue down the tunnel.
>You back away from the side tunnel. If those little things are content to stay on the other side of that web, you're more than content to let them. Had enough spider bites for one day, as it is...
>You don't believe so, at the moment.
>You continue down the tunnel. The wide curvature of its path soon starts to straighten out, stretching away far beyond the range of your sight. The rock around you grows rougher and more uneven here, with long angular slabs running along the cavern walls almost like narrow ledges. Small pieces of loose debris are scattered about. The path starts to narrow as you continue forward, nearly imperceptible at first, but undeniable after you've traveled far enough and the walls start to press in towards you. You wouldn't even have room to spread your arms now - assuming more than one of them would respond to the attempt. You have neither seen nor heard sounds of any more spiders, though you can faintly hear the sound of running water somewhere in the distance ahead, growing clearer as you proceed.
>Eventually the tunnel comes to an abrupt end in a pile of interlocking slabs and smaller rocks, barring the way forward. It looks like this may be the remains of an old rockfall. However, a closer inspection reveals a narrow gap along the left side where a fallen slab itself seems to have shielded part of the tunnel from debris. Moving the torch towards the gap, you can see what looks like open ground again after a half dozen feet or so. It look large enough for you to squeeze through with a little effort.
-
>Assess that gap, and what we can see beyond, with sight, sound and scent.
>Do we think we can safely widen that gap without collapsing it all together?
>Have a listen behind us to make sure nothing else followed close behind that spitter.
-
>Assess that gap, and what we can see beyond, with sight, sound and scent.
>Do we think we can safely widen that gap without collapsing it all together?
>Have a listen behind us to make sure nothing else followed close behind that spitter.
>The gap is something more than a crawlspace, but less than an actual walkway. It is formed between the tunnel wall and a large slab of rock fallen against it, with some smaller rocks scattered about its course. It is narrow enough that you cannot see much beyond it, except hints that the tunnel carries on a little further. The only sound you can currently hear in that direction is rushing water; it sounds like a sizable volume of it. The scent is... indeterminate, though you think this place has seen less spider activity in general than the earlier sections.
>You aren't certain the slab could be disturbed without upsetting the pile of rock resting upon it and causing the entire thing to collapse like a house of cards. That being said, this is mostly academic, since moving it is almost certainly beyond your strength. Maybe if you had an oni in tow...
>You pause and listen, but don't hear anything moving close by.
-
>Rushing water, eh. Did we see/hear any rivers or sources of water at all, for that matter, around the entrance to the lair?
>Glance backwards one more time to make sure the babies are staying snug in their hole, then crawl through as carefully as we can with a useless arm.
-
>Rushing water, eh. Did we see/hear any rivers or sources of water at all, for that matter, around the entrance to the lair?
>Glance backwards one more time to make sure the babies are staying snug in their hole, then crawl through as carefully as we can with a useless arm.
>You saw none near the entrance, though there was a river further west. You aren't certain its course once it gets much further north of Easthaven.
>You take another glance back to reassure yourself that you aren't about to be swarmed by tiny giant spiders, then work on squeezing your way through the gap, flattening yourself against the tunnel wall and sliding sideways. The rock grazes roughly against you at several points and a protrusion near the middle requires some extra time and finesse to work your way past, but your arm manages to not be a major impediment. You eventually make it clear to the other side.
>The tunnel here is much like it was on the other side of the rockfall, rough but fairly straight. The passage remains narrow, but you think you can spot a wider chamber in the distance ahead.
-
>Any furthur alcoves that appear to be birthing chambers like the one's on the other side?
>Proceed anyway, slowly.
-
>Any furthur alcoves that appear to be birthing chambers like the one's on the other side?
>Proceed anyway, slowly.
>The tunnel does not appear to have any obvious alcoves or interesting passageways that you can see.
>You continue slowly forward, keeping wary of your surroundings. The tunnel continues to slowly narrow to the point where you can barely fit through it without walking sideways, but nothing leaps out to exploit your restricted mobility. Before the passage squeezes shut entirely, it gives way to open space.
>You are on a narrow ledge of rock overlooking a very large chamber, substantially larger than any you've yet seen. A sizable river rushes in the depths below and the chamber follows its course, extending out of sight in both directions. The air above is moist, with just a hint of mist. The river is largely without bank, though you spot a few small expanses of stone by the water's edge, perhaps 100 feet below you. While you can make out the opposite wall only barely, both sides of the chamber seem striped with rocky ledges; some of them are quite large, while others look too narrow even to stand on. Many disappear into sheltered alcoves in the chamber wall and perhaps tunnels beyond that, though you cannot tell for certain. Looking down, you see several larger ledges below you and along the rock face to your right, though no obvious way to reach them at the moment. Aside, perhaps, from an unpleasantly long fall. At several points, the chamber is spanned by large natural rock bridges. Most of them are likewise out of reach, either too low or too far away, but a narrow path extending along the rockface to your left connects with a sizeable one a little distance away.
>....it takes a moment for you to become aware of it, but you think something is brushing against your treasure sense.
-
>Spider-horde? NOW we're talkin'.
>Any sign of webbing about?
>If our arm isn't so useless as to be immobilized, pull out our dowsing rods and have a scan.
-
>Spider-horde? NOW we're talkin'.
>Any sign of webbing about?
>If our arm isn't so useless as to be immobilized, pull out our dowsing rods and have a scan.
>Would be nice to get a pleasant surprise down here, for once.
>You don't see any at the moment.
>While your left arm is not much improved, you nonetheless place a dowsing rod in that hand, and try to scan for the source of your sensation. It turns out that while your lower arm is not technically immobilized, moving it and particularly keeping it elevated for a prolonged time takes so much concentration that it interferes with the focus you need to dowse properly. And one rod on its own doesn't cut it. You're quite certain there's something out there, though. The reaction when you tried to dowse it was fairly immediate, even as impaired as you are. Something magical, in some sense. You think it's somewhere downstream, still fairly distant. With a tired and frustrated sigh, you let your arm drop again.
-
>Follow that path to our left.
-
>Follow that path to our left.
>You follow the path left, skirting along the rock face and ascending slightly. The ledge is quite narrow, but not so much so that careful passage is nerve-wracking. You really wouldn't want to have to make any sudden movements, though - it's barely wide enough to walk straight along.
>As you make it about halfway to the bridge, you think you hear a noise along the rock far above you.
-
>Is this path going up or downstream?
>Look to the noise.
-
>Is this path going up or downstream?
>Look to the noise.
>You are currently walking upstream.
>You turn to look to the noise and see a small stone crumble from a ledge far above and clatter down the rock face some distance ahead of you before falling into the water below. The sound of the river's rushing swallows any splash it might have made.
-
>Just a falling stone? No figures moving? Look harder.
-
>Just a falling stone? No figures moving? Look harder.
>The ledge is at too sharp an angle above you to see beyond its edge, but at the moment you can see only rock and open air. You spend a few more seconds staring closely in that direction, but neither see nor hear anything else of note.
-
>Catch you next time.
>Continue.
-
>Catch you next time.
>Continue.
>Vowing to catch whatever may be lurking above, you continue onward. Whether they retreated unseen into the shadows or really were just a stone, you cover the remaining distance to the bridge without further incident.
-
>Hasty glance overhead for whatever that was the first time.
>Cross the bridge.
>Prepare to answer the questions 3.
-
>Hasty glance overhead for whatever that was the first time.
>Prepare to answer the questions 3.
>You glance back overhead. The rock does not seem to have undergone rapid geological change since last you observed it.
>"What is the airspeed velocity of an unladen Night Sparrow?"
>Cross the bridge.
>You set out across the bridge. The rock beneath your feet is smooth and even, nearly as much as you might expect from a constructed bridge, though this is clearly a natural formation. Its width is more ample than the path up to this point, perhaps about 8 feet across. Below you, the river rushes steadily.
>As you process across, details of the terrain ahead become clearer. On the opposite side of the bridge is a wide flat area, covered by a low overhang. Several large columns of rough stone join rock above to rock below as the ledge sweeps further to the right and inward, beyond the dimming light of your torch. A rocky path also descends along the exterior slope, moving downstream. You don't know whether it would take you all the way towards whatever magical signature you were sensing, but it does seem to go a long way. Looking further to the left, you see another plateau even higher along the wall. A significant part of the cliff seems to have cracked away at some point, judging by the angular shear marks along the rock and rubble below. ...wait a moment. Is that...? You squint for a moment in that direction. It's small enough that you overlooked it several times, but you're growing increasingly convinced something on that plateau is not a natural formation. It almost looks like a... torii, or part of one, at least.
>You hear another noise from somewhere overheard.
-
>African or European?
>How much longer before we have to ignite the other torch?
>Torii as in a torii gate? Like to a shrine?
>Does the treasure reaction seem to be coming from around or beyond the torii?
>The same kind of sound as before? Look up anyway.
-
>African or European?
>How much longer before we have to ignite the other torch?
>Torii as in a torii gate? Like to a shrine?
>Does the treasure reaction seem to be coming from around or beyond the torii?
>The same kind of sound as before? Look up anyway.
>Neither! To the Gorge of Eternal Peril with you!
>It's getting pretty low, although you think you can get another couple minutes out of it before the flame gets too close to your tail to be safe holding.
>It does look a bit like that, although not fully intact. It's hard to tell much more at this distance.
>The sense is relatively non-specific, but when you dowsed for it, the reaction you got was clearly in the opposite direction.
>This noise was quieter than before, but you look up just the same. The ceiling here is far enough away that it's hard to make out and a few moment's careful observation turns up nothing but stalactites. Lots and lots of stalactites.
-
Treasure or shrine?
-
Shrine.
>Can we see a way to reach this torii from here?
-
I say the shrine too, shrines mean gods or shrinemaidens.
And Shrinemaidens are Mikos, and Mikos often mean Healers. And healers means that this arm of ours gets fixed back up.
We can get the loot later, getting back in proper condition comes first.
>If there is a way to reach it, then go there. Maybe there's someone home who can lend us a hand?
>..Try not to cringe at the bad pun on our current condition.
-
Sounds good to me.
My only concern was time, as we do have only a finite source of illumnation on hand. But, on the other hand, we might be able to find something in the shrine we can use in that capacity- an old lantern, a spare torch or two, ynever know.
>Apart from the noises above us and the water below us, what can we hear here? Specifically from the direction of the torii?
-
>Can we see a way to reach this torii from here?
>Not directly. There is no visible path to the plateau on which it stands, but you cannot see very far into the interior from this height. It seems possible that one of the tunnels along the wall ahead might lead up there. Presumably whoever built it had some way of reaching it aside from scaling a sheer cliff.
>Apart from the noises above us and the water below us, what can we hear here? Specifically from the direction of the torii?
>You hear nothing in particular in that direction.
>If there is a way to reach it, then go there. Maybe there's someone home who can lend us a hand?
>..Try not to cringe at the bad pun on our current condition.
>Figuring that looking for a tunnel on the other side is probably your best bet for the moment, you continue across the bridge.
>Right now you'd gladly trade a bad pun for a good shoulder.
>After a few more feet, you hear a faint rustling in the air above you.
-
>Move before another spider can drop on us!
>Assuming something of that nature doesn't happen, scan the ceiling.
-
>Move before another spider can drop on us!
>Assuming something of that nature doesn't happen, scan the ceiling.
>You bolt forward! A moment later, you feel something land across the top of your head and back, almost like a heavy mesh.
-
>Keep moving, until it's off of us, and look up.
-
>Keep moving, until it's off of us, and look up.
>You keep running, and feel whatever it is start to slide off from the momentum. Then you feel a light impact against your right arm, followed a sharp tug backwards.
>You look up. Suspended in the air above you is a blond-haired girl, dangling from the distant ceiling by a long silken tether. She is garbed in brown and black, with a brown ribbon her in hair and bands of dull yellow around the waist of her dress. A rope of webbing extends from her hand to your arm.
>The girl scowls darkly as you look at her, then flicks her other hand towards you. Another thick rope of webbing flies forth from it towards you.
-
I knew it.
Time for some conversation.
>roll eyes slightly. this is the last thing we need right now..
>dodge the other webshot as best we can.
>"I take it you're the one in charge of the spiders here, eh?"
-
>"I take it you're the one in charge of the spiders here, eh?"
>Don't say this. Conversing requires some efforts to calm.
>"Wait stop! I don't want to fight you!"
>Do we see anything that suggests a civilized or non-civilized demeanor?
-
>roll eyes slightly. this is the last thing we need right now..
>dodge the other webshot as best we can.
>As if you haven't had enough problems already today...
>You try to dodge forward, but the youkai jerks hard on your arm, pulling you off-balance and back towards her. As you see the second shot close in the corner of your eye, you shift into the motion and crane your neck aside. The webbing flies narrowly past your shoulder and sails over the side of the bridge. You hear the spider youkai hiss as she yanks up on the strand, sending it rippling back towards her.
>"Wait stop! I don't want to fight you!"
>Do we see anything that suggests a civilized or non-civilized demeanor?
>Her scowl deepens and she gives your arm another fierce pull, nearly toppling you over. You glace warily at the edge of the bridge, just a few feet away. As the second rope arcs into the air, she snaps her wrist down and lashes out at you again, almost whip-like.
>She seems obviously angry, but whether this implies a lack of civilizing or not, you can't be sure. Simply living in such a reclusive location might suggest she isn't, but that isn't always true.
-
>How long do we think it would take for the torch to burn through this web strand, given prior experience?
-
>How long do we think it would take for the torch to burn through this web strand, given prior experience?
>It looks denser than the webbing you burned through earlier, though there's obviously much less of it . It would probably take several seconds, at least.
-
>Well fuck, two can play at this game.
>Yank sharply against the webbing and throw our weight against it. Either it's going to give, or she is.
-
>Well fuck, two can play at this game.
>Yank sharply against the webbing and throw our weight against it. Either it's going to give, or she is.
>You give the webbing attached to your arm a sudden jerk, throwing your weight into the action. The force sends the dangling youkai swinging through the air towards you, though she loses neither her grip nor her aim.
>The second strand cracks sharply across your back, its heavy tip whipping around your side and clinging to the front of your left hip.
-
>If she's swinging, throw some weight to swing her into something unpleasant.
>"You know, it's going to be a real problem for you if I don't go back!"
-
>If she's swinging, throw some weight to swing her into something unpleasant.
>"You know, it's going to be a real problem for you if I don't go back!"
>You throw some more weight into pulling on the tethers, sending the youkai swinging faster towards you. Unfortunately, you don't see much nearby that you could make her swing into. The air above the bridge is empty save for the stalactites on the ceiling and she is hanging well below them. Unless you can find a way to make her swing a couple dozen feet up, you don't think you can pull her into harm's way.
>"I'm... I'm not letting you go." Her voice is grimly resolute, yet strangely halting; it seems to take her a moment to form the words.
-
>"Then you're going to have way worse than me coming! We can either settle this here, or you can make it so I don't go home and people worse than me come."
>Set to burning one of those strands.
-
>"Then you're going to have way worse than me coming! We can either settle this here, or you can make it so I don't go home and people worse than me come."
>Set to burning one of those strands.
>"Then I'll stop them too," she says.
>You shift the torch and apply it to the strand binding your hip. Sparing a glance towards the flame, you see the webbing very slowly start to waver beneath it.
>The youkai grabs the end of both threads in one hand and binds them tightly around that arm, then lashes a third strand towards you with her now-free hand.
-
>"You think there's just going to be one? And you think they're going to be anything like me? Because I did my best to spare whoever didn't come after me. They're not going to be so nice."
>Leap back, if we can. And keep moving so that we draw her to the edge of whatever she's swinging on.
-
>"Is this really necessary? I didn't come down here to threaten you, or hurt you, or anyone else. Just come down here and talk to me, save us both some pain."
-
>"You think there's just going to be one? And you think they're going to be anything like me? Because I did my best to spare whoever didn't come after me. They're not going to be so nice."
>Belay this.
-
>"Is this really necessary? I didn't come down here to threaten you, or hurt you, or anyone else. Just come down here and talk to me, save us both some pain."
>Her lips churn wordlessly for a moment, almost as if she were too impassioned to put voice to her them. Her expression darkens further, an ember of something almost feral in her eyes. "You killed them!"
>Leap back, if we can. And keep moving so that we draw her to the edge of whatever she's swinging on.
>You try to leap back out of the way of the incoming shot, but as your feet leave the ground, the spider youkai gives a sharp tug on the tethers, throwing your balance off. You fall awkwardly onto your side, narrowly moving the torch out of the way before you land on it as well and start burning more than webbing. The third shot whips closely past you.
-
>Try to roll away from her and spring back to our feet, and get back to work on the strand we were torching earlier.
>"I defended myself! I came out here looking for the cows, and I got attacked. I didn't wanna kill anything, but I had no choice!"
-
>Try to roll away from her and spring back to our feet, and get back to work on the strand we were torching earlier.
>"I defended myself! I came out here looking for the cows, and I got attacked. I didn't wanna kill anything, but I had no choice!"
>You roll the side and spring back to your feet. Unfortunately, all the roll accomplishes is twisting the two tethers around you; your right arm gets constricted against your body somewhat. You set the torch back against the second strand, though its current position forces you to start burning from a different point lest you set fire to yourself in the process. You feel a tug forward as the youkai begins to swing back again.
>"Liar," she hisses. "But you won't find it. Nobody will."
>She sweeps the third rope wide and then lashes it towards you again.
-
>Well at least she's civilized enough to have a concept of lies. Means we've got an outside chance to reason with her. Maybe...
>"I'm not even looking for an 'it'! Tell me where the cows are, if you know, that's all I was sent out here for."
>About how far away is the strand she's dangling from? At least, is it out of our effective throwing range?
>Spring backwards to get out of the incoming strands' range.
-
>Well at least she's civilized enough to have a concept of lies. Means we've got an outside chance to reason with her. Maybe...
>"I'm not even looking for an 'it'! Tell me where the cows are, if you know, that's all I was sent out here for."
>About how far away is the strand she's dangling from? At least, is it out of our effective throwing range?
>Spring backwards to get out of the incoming strands' range.
>She doesn't seem entirely feral, at the least...
>"We're hungry," she says, sounding somehow like an accusation.
>At its closest, it's a little over 10 feet away; the point tethered to the ceiling is perhaps 30 feet away. While the lower portion is closer, the upper portion is swaying less and might make an easier target. Although it's relatively narrow, you think you might still be able to hit it if you focused.
>You try to spring backward, but with the strands wrapped across you and the and the spider's weight pulling against them, you fail to leap very far - not enough to make it clear. The third strand hits against your left knee and clings fast.
-
>Mutter, "Well, I guess that answers that question..."
>As near as we can determine, would we be able to cut these threads with one stroke of a kunai? Either thrown or swung with.
>"So, I guess you want me on the menu, too?"
-
>Mutter, "Well, I guess that answers that question..."
>As near as we can determine, would we be able to cut these threads with one stroke of a kunai? Either thrown or swung with.
>"So, I guess you want me on the menu, too?"
>Not exactly the best news to come back with...
>The silk looks fairly durable; you expect it might take some sawing to cut through. Stabbing it might be more effective as a way to split the strand apart, though you doubt you could sever clear through on one stroke.
>"You chased us," she says. "You killed us. We won't go back."
>The section of the strand beneath the torch's flame starts to wither and buckle.
-
>Pull the dulled kunai and slash at the weakened thread. Charred thread can't survive a slash.
>"Those spiders attacked me. I defended myself. Just like I'm doing now. I don't want to fight you, but if you make me, I will."
>Get to work on the strand holding our arm with the torch.
-
>Pull the dulled kunai and slash at the weakened thread. Charred thread can't survive a slash.
>"Those spiders attacked me. I defended myself. Just like I'm doing now. I don't want to fight you, but if you make me, I will."
>Get to work on the strand holding our arm with the torch.
>With your right arm pinned as it is, you don't have the leverage you'd need to slash at that part of the strand.
>"Then bring them back!" she cries. "She was the last one left!"
>You switch the torch's position to start burning at the thread holding onto your arm.
>The youkai jerks sharply on the tether at your knee, buckling it and nearly making you topple over. You feel a wash of sharp heat as the torch passes uncomfortably close to your shoulder before you set it right again. Then she binds the third rope around her arm and sweeps the fingers of her other hand across the air. Thin tendrils of webbing cascade from each, rippling out like a gossamer scarf.
-
>Try to unwind the thread from our torso, so as to free our arm. Be prepared to compensate for the loss of balance when the third thread entangles our legs, as it must.
>"Last one of what? Will you stop shooting this stuff at me and talk to me?!"
>Can we cut that first strand NOW? If so, do it. If not, return torch to that thread and then cut it.
-
>"And go back where? Who said anything about you going back anywhere?"
-
>Try to unwind the thread from our torso, so as to free our arm. Be prepared to compensate for the loss of balance when the third thread entangles our legs, as it must.
>"Last one of what? Will you stop shooting this stuff at me and talk to me?!"
>Can we cut that first strand NOW? If so, do it. If not, return torch to that thread and then cut it.
>You twist yourself around to unwind the thread wrapping your torso, unfortunately twining the cord around your knees in the process. But you do manage to pull your arm free!
>"There's nothing else to say!" she cries.
>You draw the damaged kunai and slash at the scorched part of the second tether. Despite being burnt and buckled, it remains surprisingly tough, and the first strike scores only a shallow cut. As you pull the blade tighter against the strand, the youkai shifts her weight against the first set of tethers and jerks sharply on the other. Your knee buckles and you stumble in your bindings, falling forward onto the ground. But you feel the burnt strand give way under your kunai!
>Glancing up, you see the ribbon of webbing waft through the air towards you, streaming from the youkai's hand as she traces her fingers across the air, piling ripple upon ripple.
>"And go back where? Who said anything about you going back anywhere?"
>She simply glowers at you.
-
So, vectors we can take with this. We're going to have to tread on some eggshells, but I think we can pull this off.
Points to consider:
-Someone is going to come after us. People know about the spiders already.
-She could have approached us herself; instead she sent footsoldiers to die.
-She is probably aware, to some degree, that it was a mistake. I would propose she's kind of hoping if she buries us, she'll bury the mistake and can move on with things.
We're going to have to drop the challenging tone. She has no reason to react to it.
>"Do you want to save the ones that are left?"
-
>"Do you want to save the ones that are left?"
>"That's what I'm doing," she says darkly.
>The ribbon of webbing brushes across your shoulder and clings to it, while more of it ripples towards you, undulating with the motion of the spider's hand as she traces it across the air.
-
>"No. You're dooming them. Tell me, do you know how many people are in Braston? Not Easthaven, Braston."
-
>"No. You're dooming them. Tell me, do you know how many people are in Braston? Not Easthaven, Braston."
>Her eyes narrow slightly. "What are you talking about?"
>A second swath of webbing sticks across your arm and part of your chest. A glimmer of motion upon your shoulder catches your eye, and a quick glance turns into an abrupt head turn. The strands of the first part of the ribbon seem to be... moving, growing thicker and slowly spreading across your shoulder.
-
>"You're declaring war by doing this. People know where I am, people stronger than me. People more numerous than you. Do you know what a war is?"
-
>"You're declaring war by doing this. People know where I am, people stronger than me. People more numerous than you. Do you know what a war is?"
>"....we remember," she says, steel in her gaze.
>Another band of of webbing falls across the side of your head and neck while the strands clinging to your shoulder and chest start to bind together.
>The tether stuck to your arm starts to buckle and wither beneath your torch's flame; you think it would be worn enough to cut now if you tried, though the strands of creeping webbing are starting to constrict your arm against your body.
-
>"Hundreds of soldiers. Hundreds. Soldiers with weapons that can kill from dozens of yards away. Have you ever seen a bow? They put my knives to shame. These soldiers who will not hesitate to burn this place to the ground, and every young spider with it. And do you know why? Because you've proven you're willing to strike at us. You struck at me, rather than try to communicate. Your spiders attacked me when they didn't need to. You can bury me, but it's not going to change what happened or what will happen."
>"I can change what will happen. And you're going to lose that chance if you keep doing what you are doing."
>Work those strands with our knife.
-
>"Hundreds of soldiers. Hundreds. Soldiers with weapons that can kill from dozens of yards away. Have you ever seen a bow? They put my knives to shame. These soldiers who will not hesitate to burn this place to the ground, and every young spider with it. And do you know why? Because you've proven you're willing to strike at us. You struck at me, rather than try to communicate. Your spiders attacked me when they didn't need to. You can bury me, but it's not going to change what happened or what will happen."
>"I can change what will happen. And you're going to lose that chance if you keep doing what you are doing."
>"They were defending their home!" she cries. "And I'm defending them! I don't want your help, you... murderer!"
>Work those strands with our knife.
>You struggle against silk across your arm and manage to win just enough leverage to bring the edge of your kunai against the scorched and withered part of the tether. You pull! The blade digs into the damaged silk and tether snaps, the longer part of it going limp and sliding off the edge of the bridge.
>The spider youkai continues to sweep the tendrils of silk towards you, another section landing across part of your back. It's becoming rather difficult to move your right arm at all now, and the webbing upon your head is starting to creep up your ear and flatten your hair against the side of your face.
-
>"It's not murder when I'm attacked first. And why didn't you come out yourself to deal with me? Why'd you hide in here if you were so concerned? Why didn't you come out to save them? Did you listen to any of the ones I let go, when I kept trying to speak with them, in hopes they would carry the message to whoever was giving them their orders? This didn't have to happen, but it did, because you tried to fight. Are you going to keep fighting? Are you going to get even more spiders killed over this? Do you really and truly think I'm the last one who's going to come?"
-
>"It's not murder when I'm attacked first. And why didn't you come out yourself to deal with me? Why'd you hide in here if you were so concerned? Why didn't you come out to save them? Did you listen to any of the ones I let go, when I kept trying to speak with them, in hopes they would carry the message to whoever was giving them their orders? This didn't have to happen, but it did, because you tried to fight. Are you going to keep fighting? Are you going to get even more spiders killed over this? Do you really and truly think I'm the last one who's going to come?"
>"I will save the rest of them," she says. "From you, and from anyone else like you. I won't let it happen again!"
>She continues to pile more webbing onto you while the tendrils already clinging to you kit tighter together. Wisps of sticky silk start to creep across your cheek while the webbing upon your chest rises to meet your neck. The strands holding your arm to your side binds more firmly, their weave growing denser.
-
>Continue to work at it with the torch and the knife.
>"How? How are you going to do it? What's your plan?"
-
>When was the last war around here?
>Are we aware of any records of conflicts or infestations involving giant spiders before this one?
>Try to stand and move away from her, tense up the webbing to make it easier to cut.
-
>Continue to work at it with the torch and the knife.
>"How? How are you going to do it? What's your plan?"
>The webbing creeping across you is too tight against your body to set torch to without also burning yourself. It might be somewhat hard to cut at it without cutting yourself, as well; certainly it would require some care and finesse. Aside from that, there is one thick tether remaining, stuck to your knee and twisted around your lower legs. Seeing as this presents the only easy target for your torch, you bring it around and set it against a clear spot a safe distance from your knee.
>"Next time I'll be quicker," she says.
>When was the last war around here?
>Are we aware of any records of conflicts or infestations involving giant spiders before this one?
>Try to stand and move away from her, tense up the webbing to make it easier to cut.
>As far as you know, Estval has never seen open warfare since it was settled. As a major port and mining operation, Braston has been peripherally involved in a few conflicts, but its physical isolation and the influence of Val Razua has kept most real fighting away from it. Although you're no history buff, you think most of the Outer Freelands have had a peaceable history outside of perhaps a few proxy skirmishes for the major nations, particularly in the early colonial days.
>You don't believe so, and certainly not anywhere in this area.
>You try to bring yourself to your feet and pull the last tether taut. The youkai pulls against it as you back up, but you manage to maintain your balance this time.
>Tendrils of webbing upon you neck grasp towards the strands descending upon your cheek, while other threads inch inward, towards the underside of your eye. Another swath brushes past your side, mostly missing you, though a few more threads find purchase. The weave of the first webbing that landed upon you is starting to look almost solid.
-
Just so y'all know, for those that haven't read the postscript of Magical Lotus, I'll be leaving in a few hours' time on the family vacation, where I'll be incommunicado.
>Got to get our arm free. She'll have us coccooned at the rate she's going.
>Press the torch against the webbing around our right arm and try to cut it at the time. Cuts and burns can't be as bad as the alternative.
-
>"Quick enough? You have...maybe three hours until they notice I'm gone. By tomorrow, the first wave will be here, people from my organization. They know about this place, they know about the spiders. How many of your spiders are you going to sacrifice on them? Ten? Twenty? Do you even have that many? Do you think all those little ones in the cave back there are going to be able to take care of themselves? Because once they find what happened to me, that'll it. And if you're really unlucky, they'll have a magician."
>How close are we to that stream?
>"And that's just the first wave. Braston's home to thousands of people, with hundreds of trained soldiers. Soldiers who are not going to be happy there is a hostile force nearby. What're you going to do, when a spider cannot even show it's face without being killed from a distance, even faster than your acid spitters could hope to do? What are you going to do when your fangs and claws can't get through their armor? You aren't the only person on the island, and you're certainly not the most powerful, if even little old me can cause the damage I did. And don't even get me started if an oni decides to wade in."
>"You have to make a choice. Do you stop now, while we can agree this is all misunderstandings, or do you bring about the beginning of the end? You have neighbors, and you can't pretend we aren't here. The worst part is, you might not have even needed to steal those cows, if you had just tried to work with everyone. But you didn't, and here we are. Are you going to stay on that course? Or do you want the rest of your friends to live and be happy?"
-
>Got to get our arm free. She'll have us coccooned at the rate she's going.
>Press the torch against the webbing around our right arm and try to cut it at the time. Cuts and burns can't be as bad as the alternative.
>It certainly does seem that way...
>You bring the torch about and press it against the webbing binding your right arm. The warmth of the flame soon turns to an uncomfortable heat and then a painful one as you keep it held close, but you see the webbing start to pucker. You try not to wince too obviously although you suspect this will soon become difficult. The thin tendrils creeping in to strengthen the weave quickly shrivel before the flame, effectively halting its growth, but you won't have enough leverage to bring the kunai to bear against it until you can free your arm at least a little more.
>How close are we to that stream?
>You are no more than a couple feet from the edge of the rock bridge. The river churns many dozens of feet below.
>"Quick enough? You have...maybe three hours until they notice I'm gone. By tomorrow, the first wave will be here, people from my organization. They know about this place, they know about the spiders. How many of your spiders are you going to sacrifice on them? Ten? Twenty? Do you even have that many? Do you think all those little ones in the cave back there are going to be able to take care of themselves? Because once they find what happened to me, that'll it. And if you're really unlucky, they'll have a magician."
>"And that's just the first wave. Braston's home to thousands of people, with hundreds of trained soldiers. Soldiers who are not going to be happy there is a hostile force nearby. What're you going to do, when a spider cannot even show it's face without being killed from a distance, even faster than your acid spitters could hope to do? What are you going to do when your fangs and claws can't get through their armor? You aren't the only person on the island, and you're certainly not the most powerful, if even little old me can cause the damage I did. And don't even get me started if an oni decides to wade in."
>"You have to make a choice. Do you stop now, while we can agree this is all misunderstandings, or do you bring about the beginning of the end? You have neighbors, and you can't pretend we aren't here. The worst part is, you might not have even needed to steal those cows, if you had just tried to work with everyone. But you didn't, and here we are. Are you going to stay on that course? Or do you want the rest of your friends to live and be happy?"
>"Sacrifice!?" she cries. "How dare someone like you say that! You killed them! They were just hungry!"
>You grimace as feel what you assume is your skin starting to burn beneath the torch. The thinner webbing is withering much more quickly than the larger tethers did, though it doesn't quite give yet when you pull on it; you can't exert a great deal of force with your arm pinned as it is. The strands of silk start to reach across your nose and you feel your other arm being pulled towards your chest. Other tendrils begin to creep down your legs.
>Her voice wavers. "Why do you hate us? You could have left us alone. Everyone should just leave us alone!"
>Gritting your teeth against the pain, you pull hard against the webbing once more. You struggle for the first inch of movement and then the webbing suddenly gives way and your arm rips free!
-
>Would we survive that kind of fall? And if so, what kind of shape would we be in?
>Don't scream at the pain of the burning. Don't give her the satisfaction.
>"Prey defends itself. That's the way of things. Hungry or no, I didn't want to die. I didn't want to kill, but I had no choice. I didn't hate them. I don't hate you."
>"I'm sorry it has to be this way. But I'm not going to die here, either."
>Would we be able to draw another kunai if we threw this one?
>If so, draw as much of a bead on the cord that she's swinging on, and let fly with that kunai. Draw another kunai afterwards and set that torch and knife back on the thether on our leg.
-
>Would we survive that kind of fall? And if so, what kind of shape would we be in?
>Don't scream at the pain of the burning. Don't give her the satisfaction.
>Would we be able to draw another kunai if we threw this one?
>You would certainly survive it, though you can't imagine it would be even slightly pleasant. Depending on your form, the impact might range from hurting significantly to actually breaking things, but you're reasonably sure you could make a direct dive without serious injury, if the water's as deep as it seems.
>You're definitely not about to let yourself scream, given the circumstances, though a fierce grimace is proving hard to avoid at the moment.
>With your arm mostly free, retrieving the other kunai should be no issue.
>"Prey defends itself. That's the way of things. Hungry or no, I didn't want to die. I didn't want to kill, but I had no choice. I didn't hate them. I don't hate you."
>"I'm sorry it has to be this way. But I'm not going to die here, either."
>"Prey doesn't chase predators," she responds. "And it's already over. You won't escape a tsuchigumo's web."
>If so, draw as much of a bead on the cord that she's swinging on, and let fly with that kunai. Draw another kunai afterwards and set that torch and knife back on the thether on our leg.
>You take a moment to line up a steady shot with your eyes, then quickly take aim with the kunai and fire! As the projectile leaves your hands, you feel a sharp tug on your knee and stumble forward. Quickly glancing up, you let out a small sigh of relief. Your shot held true; the spider was ever so slightly too slow in her response. Your kunai drives firmly into the drop line and embeds itself there, splitting the weave apart where it penetrated.
>The youkai turns her attention upward for a moment, ceasing to trace more webbing across the air. The strands already upon you seem to stop moving as well. You quickly draw your other kunai and shift the torch to the charred spot on the remaining tether line. As the silk begins to waver beneath the flame, you hear a loud snapping sound from above.
-
>"Care to place a wager on that?"
>Torch and cut that last tether, before she can recover, and try to put some distance between us.
>If this webbing doesn't fall off, removing it could be a task.
-
>If this webbing doesn't fall off, removing it could be a task.
>Torch and cut that last tether, before she can recover, and try to put some distance between us.
>You can just see yourself spending hours trying to pick all this stuff off...
>You keep the flame fixed over the tether and try to cut it quickly. Glancing up, you see the spider youkai plummeting towards the river, her torn drop line swaying from the ceiling. The tether goes slack for a moment as you try to work the kunai against it. Despite furious cutting, you fray only shallow scratches in the tightly corded silk; without more time for the flame to disintegrate its structure, it feels almost like trying to carve stone. Then the youkai falls past the bridge and a moment later the tether goes sharply taut again.
>You feel a heavy jerk against your knee as her weight pulls against yours, and you stagger. She's... surprisingly heavy. You fight to regain your footing, but the tethered knee buckles under the force and you tumble forward towards the edge of the bridge.
-
>Oh, crap. That may have backfired...
>Lean backwards, stretch our tail backwards, try to regain our balance, all of the above!
-
>Oh, crap. That may have backfired...
>Lean backwards, stretch our tail backwards, try to regain our balance, all of the above!
>This wasn't part of the plan!
>You stretch your tail back as far as it can go and try to lean against the pull, but it's too late. With nothing to brace yourself against, your joint simply isn't strong enough to resist this much force. Your foot slips across the mist-slick edge and the rest of you follows swiftly after. With a last desperate motion, you try to twist and grab onto the edge, but your fingers simply paw at the side of the rock. You feel your breath catch in your throat as the bridge shrinks away from you and you tumble through the open air towards the river below.
-
>Is there anything around we can grab on to to break, or even slow our fall?
>Hope that tether stays attached and intact. No way she'd let us fall, certainly not if we're connected.
>If splashdown is inevitable, BRACE FOR IMPACT.
Well, that, uh... didn't go quite the way I'd hoped, but at least we're not coccooned by a pissed off spider youkai that wants to eat our head.
That'll be it from me for a week or so.
-
>Is there anything around we can grab on to to break, or even slow our fall?
>Hope that tether stays attached and intact. No way she'd let us fall, certainly not if we're connected.
>If splashdown is inevitable, BRACE FOR IMPACT.
>The air beneath the bridge is completely open until the river. The only thing in arm's reach to grab is the tether itself, and a plummeting youkai doesn't make a very good anchor.
>You try to lean against the direction you're tumbling and straighten your fall. Below you, you see another thick silken cord flying upward from the youkai's extended hand. Its tip hits the underside of the bridge and clings fast, sending her fall into a wide swing as the webbing stretches beneath her weight, greatly slowing her descent.
>The tether attached to you goes slack again for a moment as you sink past her. It feels like the river is rushing upwards far more quickly than it should, the misty air streaming past your webbing-streaked face. You still haven't been able to break your tumble and can barely catch your breath. If you hit the surface like this, you're in for a world of pain...
>You feel another sharp jerk against your knee, bringing your fall to an abrupt stop and wince-inducing stop. The joint almost feels wrenched, though you imagine this is peanuts compared to the alternative. You flip upside down and mostly stay that way, swinging and twisting below the hanging spider like the bottom of a double pendulum.
-
Maybe we should wait until a player comes along with words meant as an attempt to persuade Yamame to stop attacking us. That would be a better idea than not attempting to persuade her while trying to escape and dying when we could have argued our way out.
Unless you think that can't get us out of this situation.
-
Yeah...um...we kinda were getting her to come around. Oh well, maybe this can be salvaged.
>What is our situation right now, in regards to position, binding, and so on?
>"No one hates you! But they will if you keep this up. You talk about things like they're just predator or prey, but you know what? The world's more complex than that! I didn't come here to be predator or prey! I came here to try to figure out what is going on, and had to defend myself! If I hated you, why is that webspinner out there still alive? I had a clean shot at that one. How come I didn't smash the eggs, or burn the babies in that cave out there? If I'm your enemy, wouldn't I have done this? This isn't about predators and prey, this is about people! People are above that!"
-
We're still on the bridge right? I got a plan.
It might be risky, but even that spider oughta understand a show of faith and such.
See, I'm thinking that if we're still on the bridge, we can cross back to the side she's on, and put down our weapons, that will show her we're done with using combat to solve things.
See, she may still be uncivilized, but she should still understand a largely universal gesture.
-
I am reasonably sure we're dangling off the edge of it. Or rather, off the edge of Yamame's line. I'm also pretty sure we're too bound up to walk.
Otherwise, yeah, I'd do it. But I got an angle here.
-
>What is our situation right now, in regards to position, binding, and so on?
>You are currently suspended about halfway to the river's surface, dangling from the tether connecting your left knee to the spider, herself swinging from a second tether stuck to the underside of the rock bridge you had been standing on moments ago. Both of you are swaying back and forth from the moment of the momentum of the fall; you in particular are still spinning as your attitude slowly rights itself.
>A dense mesh of webbing covers your right shoulder and part of your neck, while thinner strands stretch across your face, over your nose and below your right eye. At least half of your hair is plastered against your head by the sticky strands. You've torn your right arm mostly free of them, though some patches of webbing remain glued to its surface, while another band of webbing stretches across your chest and lightly binds your left arm against it. A loose mesh clings to parts of your torso, while tendrils of thin gossamer stretch down your right leg, not yet enough to appreciably constrain their movement.
>"No one hates you! But they will if you keep this up. You talk about things like they're just predator or prey, but you know what? The world's more complex than that! I didn't come here to be predator or prey! I came here to try to figure out what is going on, and had to defend myself! If I hated you, why is that webspinner out there still alive? I had a clean shot at that one. How come I didn't smash the eggs, or burn the babies in that cave out there? If I'm your enemy, wouldn't I have done this? This isn't about predators and prey, this is about people! People are above that!"
>The youkai glares at you as you speak, her own breathing heavy. "Stop it..." she hisses. "Stop it! I don't care what you say. They're dead! They're dead because you killed them. They were defending their home and you killed them!"
>She claws her hand against the air, sending more thin stands of webbing towards you.
>"You won't hurt another one of them now," she says, her words seething coldly.
>You hear a thin ripping sound from above you and glance towards it to see the part of the tether you had been cutting at start to snap under your weight. The youkai seems to notice it as well, her eyes darting away from you for a moment; she frowns.
-
>"I won't, in either event, unless I am forced to defend myself. But others will, which much greater ruthlessness than possible. You're still ignoring that you have neighbors, and that you don't have to do this. Think about it, did you find yourself with this marvelous ability to talk to other people just to go on like you always were? Don't you think there's more that you can do?"
>Keep an eye on that tether.
-
>"I won't, in either event, unless I am forced to defend myself. But others will, which much greater ruthlessness than possible. You're still ignoring that you have neighbors, and that you don't have to do this. Think about it, did you find yourself with this marvelous ability to talk to other people just to go on like you always were? Don't you think there's more that you can do?"
>Keep an eye on that tether.
>You start to speak, but before you can get more than a sentence or two out, the burnt and withered cord of webbing tears violently apart.
>A look of alarm on her face, the youkai lets the strands forming at her fingers fall away and thrusts that hand towards you. A silken cord flies out from it as the tether against your knee snaps clear through. You plummet towards the river, the strand of webbing chasing swiftly after you. It takes no more than a moment's glance in both directions to know it won't reach in time.
-
>Take a deep breath, hold it, and prepare for impact! Hopefully it'll only be water...
-
>Take a deep breath, hold it, and prepare for impact! Hopefully it'll only be water...
>You take a deep breath and hold it, twisting your position into the best dive you can manage under the circumstances and brace yourself. As the churning waters rush up at you, you hear the youkai above cry out in frustration. Then you hit the water's surface and plunge beneath, everything going black around you as your torch is smothered by the river. You feel its rushing current take you.
-
>Are we going unconscious or is it just dark?
-
>Struggle like hell, we need to get our limbs free and working.
>We do know how to swim, right?
-
>Are we going unconscious or is it just dark?
>You're definitely quite conscious. The impact was fortunately no more than a little wince-inducing; your momentary perch helped straighten out your descent a little and cut the distance significantly. But the cavern is still pitch black.
>Struggle like hell, we need to get our limbs free and working.
>We do know how to swim, right?
>You struggle against the waters and try to get both of your limbs working. Your right arm is already about as free as you'd need it to be, but your left remains mostly immobile. As you struggle to move it, you think the spider venom may be wearing off a little, but it's still nowhere near strong enough to force off even the mild bindings upon it. You can move your hand and a little of your lower arm, and not much more.
>Yes. You haven't had a lot of experience outside wilderness tracking classes, but you're competent enough at it. Unfortunately, this current might be too much to fight even under the best circumstances. Without being able to see, you can only guess at how far you've moved already.
-
>We're going to have to use that right arm, then.
>Kick up toward the surface first thing!
>Do we know of any underground rivers in the region, or where they would lead?
-
>We're going to have to use that right arm, then.
>Kick up toward the surface first thing!
>Seems so!
>You kick up towards the surface, fighting the turbulent current as it throws you from side to side and pushes you downward again. Your side scrapes roughly past against something and you grimace to keep from letting your mouth slip open underwater. Seems there are some rocks down here after all...
>After some more struggle, you break the surface of the water, spray lashing against your face.
>Do we know of any underground rivers in the region, or where they would lead?
>You do not, unfortunately. It's possible this might be connected to the river you followed part of the way here, but you don't know where that ultimately leads once it gets further from town.
-
>If possible, try to angle outselves so we're floating largely on our back and lead with out feet. They can probably take a hit better than we can
>Can we see anything?
>If so, try to look for something to grab onto.
>If not, the next impact we feel, try to latch onto it, if it feels like it's not fully below water.
-
>If possible, try to angle outselves so we're floating largely on our back and lead with out feet. They can probably take a hit better than we can
>Can we see anything?
>If so, try to look for something to grab onto.
>If not, the next impact we feel, try to latch onto it, if it feels like it's not fully below water.
>You try to flip over onto your back and lead with your feet, but it proves very difficult to maintain a consistent posture as the current buffets you about. Waves crash across your face and you tumble beneath the surface again for a few moments. Fighting your way back up you grab a quick breath before more water slops against you.
>You still cannot see anything
>You tumble onward for a few more seconds without colliding with anything, though the ride is anything but smooth and the water is quickly growing unpleasantly chilly. You think you can hear a change in the acoustics ahead of you.
-
>Try to swim perpendicular to the tide, there's got to be banks somewhere.
-
>Try to swim perpendicular to the tide, there's got to be banks somewhere.
>You turn and try to swim perpendicular to the current. After a few seconds of struggle, you feel smooth rock against your hands, the bumps and depressions of it skimming swiftly beneath your fingers. Were it not so water worn, you expect it would quickly leave them bloody. You reach further up, but feel no purchase; simply more stone. From what you saw of this chamber earlier, the river largely filled the bottom level with most of the ledges elevated well above the water's surface, although there were a couple of points that were level with the water's edge. If you can find one of them.
>From the sounds ahead, you think the river may soon split in two; at the least, you can hear the flow of water cascading in more than one direction.
-
>Stay on the left side for now, but be ready to kick off a wall if needs be.
-
>Stay on the left side for now, but be ready to kick off a wall if needs be.
>You keep close to the wall you're beside as the river starts to diverge. From the sound of the water reverberating against the walls, you think the chamber is narrowing; sounds of a second stream grow more distant to your right. Then the current churns more fiercely and you get pulled underwater again. Trying to surface, you bang the back of your head against rock. You're either underneath a ledge or being carried down a nearly-filled tunnel.
-
>Explictive!
>Try to stay low for now, hold our breath.
-
>Explictive!
>Try to stay low for now, hold our breath.
>You cringe and curse wordlessly.
>You keep low to avoid bashing your head or perhaps even your face against oncoming rock, and hold your breath. A little while passes and you feel your breath starting to grow short. Unfortunately, it's hard to tell the acoustics of the terrain above with your ears submerged, so you can't be sure if it's safe to poke your head out again.
-
>It's less safe to keep out head down, so let's risk it. Just don't automatically let our breath out until we know it's clear and we don't get a mouthful of water for our trouble.
-
>It's less safe to keep out head down, so let's risk it. Just don't automatically let our breath out until we know it's clear and we don't get a mouthful of water for our trouble.
>You poke your head tentatively out of water again and once more it brushes against rock. There's a narrow distance between the water's surface and the rock above, enough to try for a breath if you lean your head back, although there's still a lot of spray and you couldn't be certain you wouldn't breathe in some water, too.
-
>Try for this, take very short breaths, rather than one long one.
-
>Try for this, take very short breaths, rather than one long one.
>You lean back and try to poke your mouth just a little past the water's surface. Your lips taste open air and you take a quick breath. Oh, that was long overdue... You wait another few moments as spray splashes across you, then take another. And another. And... ack! A sudden wave hits you and you breathe in water. You cough sharply, narrowly managing to avoid sucking in more water in the process.
>Shortly you hear your surroundings growing wider and the rock retreats from overhead. The current seems to be slowing considerably.
-
>Surface again.
-
>Surface again.
>You surface fully and take a deep breath. The current is slow enough now that you think you could fairly freely navigate, assuming you didn't try to go back the way you came.
>As best you can tell, you're in a moderately sized open area again, considerably smaller than the chamber where you confronted the spider youkai, but not closely confined.
>Now that the aquatic chaos has subsided and you have time to be aware of such things, you realize that your treasure sense is tingling fiercely. You're pretty sure you've ended up close to whatever it is that you sensed earlier.
-
>Might as well close in on the treasure.
>Can we see anything at all?
-
>Might as well close in on the treasure.
>Can we see anything at all?
>Your treasure sense doesn't have very good directionality, but you swim about a little to get a sense of where it gets stronger and where it gets weaker, then angle roughly towards the source. A few seconds later, you feel your feet kick against the bottom. You pull yourself to your feet. Oh, it feels so good to be able to stand upright again.
>Unfortunately, it's still pitch-black.
-
>Start to feel around a bit, see if there is a proper shore or not.
>If there is, and we don't stumble across the treasure, go to it and have a seat for a bit. Try to account for our inventory by touch.
-
>Start to feel around a bit, see if there is a proper shore or not.
>If there is, and we don't stumble across the treasure, go to it and have a seat for a bit. Try to account for our inventory by touch.
>You step carefully around the area and follow where the rock seems to slope up. Soon enough, your feet step out of the water and onto solid, mostly-dry rock.
>You walk a little inward and then flop down. You're cold, soaked to the skin, and feeling several different kinds of pain from too many places, but it still feels good to be still for a moment.
>Feeling about, you confirm the presence of your worn items and remaining kunai, and your pack still seems to be undamaged and unopened; you are immensely glad at the moment that it's waterproof. You recall the contents from memory, to save rifling through it with sopping sleeves.
>Inventory:
>Prism Pendant (around neck)
>Seeker's Badge (pinned to chest)
>195 Val Razuan guilders
>Compass
>Traveling pack
>Traveling rations
>Canteen (mostly empty)
>Lockpicks
>1 kunai
>Picture of Sokrates
>Fuwafuwa Heart Droplet
>Mysterious rusty part
>Antique Val Razuan 1 guilder coin
>Dowsing rods
>Tie-dyed umbrella
>Spool of baling twine
>Oversized belt
>Hunting knife
>Unlit makeshift torch
>Sharpened quartz stone
-
>Well, time to do something about the sleeves at least. Let's get our shirt off, move the pack well away, and wring it out. Afterward, replace it and do the same with the rest of our garments one by one.
>Are there any interesting smells to be found?
-
>Well, time to do something about the sleeves at least. Let's get our shirt off, move the pack well away, and wring it out. Afterward, replace it and do the same with the rest of our garments one by one.
>Are there any interesting smells to be found?
>You take your pack off and stow it several feet away, then start to strip off your wet clothing so that you can wring it out. Unfortunately, this quickly hits a snag of the literal sense: the bands of webbing binding clothing to flesh or other pieces of clothing make it essentially impossible to properly undress without somehow removing them first.
>Aside from the smell of water and the general aroma of the cavern, you don't smell anything of note. You can still detect traces of spiders, but not strongly enough to suggest that some are immediately nearby.
-
>Doggonit. Wring them out as well as we can while wearing them.
>Then go back to our stuff, break out the rods, and see if we can douse out any sign of that treasure.
-
>Doggonit. Wring them out as well as we can while wearing them.
>Then go back to our stuff, break out the rods, and see if we can douse out any sign of that treasure.
>You settle for wringing your clothes out as best you can while still wearing them. This is a little more awkward and less effective, but you still hear a substantial quantity of water drip onto the rock at your feet as you work your way around the material. Of course, this is merely exchanging 'dripping wet' for 'pretty damp'. You find yourself starting to shiver a little. While the water wasn't quite icy, it was certainly cold enough to be unpleasant and the air inside most of the cavern is damp and chilly. But this whole expedition's been one long exercise in making due, so you guess this is just par for the course. Doesn't entirely stop the grumbling, though...
>You go back to your pack and feel about for your dowsing rods, then take them in hand and try to pinpoint the treasure. This takes very little time or effort at all; you are quite close by and there is nothing else remotely similar in kind to mask its signature. The item is metallic with a subtle, yet deep magical resonance; it is perhaps not precisely enchanted in a conventional sense, but there is definitely some sort of power within it. The object is probably no more than 30 feet away, although you obviously can't tell what terrain lies in that direction.
-
>Head thirty feet in that direction, feeling ahead of us and taking it a step at a time.
-
>Head thirty feet in that direction, feeling ahead of us and taking it a step at a time.
>You head in the direction of the treasure, moving slowly and feeling the terrain ahead of you. After no more than a couple feet you end up ankle-deep in water again, then knee-deep, with no signs of it stopping. So much for wringing out your clothes...
>Your feet hit a rock; feeling about with your hands, it seem to be fully submerged. You try to step over it, but quickly hit another rock; this one does have a small tip poking out of the water's surface, knobby and rough. Rather than try walking blind over such uneven terrain, you attempt to move around them, but find that similar terrain extends for a decent distance in either direction. It feels like something of a rocky shoal.
-
>Do we feel rested enough to brave the wily waters again?
>If so, might as well, since we're wet again.
-
>Do we feel rested enough to brave the wily waters again?
>If so, might as well, since we're wet again.
>You don't feel much rested, but the current in this part of the river wasn't terribly strong; in and of itself, it shouldn't give you any trouble.
>You try navigating around the shoal, feeling for rocks and moving aside them. There are some open gaps which you use to attempt to get back on course, though this is a haphazard thing. Progress is slow, given the terrain and the fact that you're navigating by feel, but soon enough you estimate you've covered about 30 feet, even if it hasn't been an entirely straight line. You're in water up to your waist at this point.
-
>Does it feel like the treasure here?
-
>Does it feel like the treasure here?
>You haven't felt or bumped into anything that would suggest it, and you still can't see, but briefly dowsing again confirms that whatever it is is among the rocks immediately to your right, somewhere beneath the water's surface.
-
>Take a good breath, turn right, dive down, and let our hands do the looking.
-
>Take a good breath, turn right, dive down, and let our hands do the looking.
>You take a deep breath and dive beneath the water's surface, feeling your way towards the treasure. You slowly work your fingers across the rocks, their texture smooth and waterworn. You feel your way down to the riverbed, but find nothing by stone. Moving laterally across the rock, you find a gap, perhaps about as wide as your head. You reach inward, following the curvature of the rock. The bottom is still bare, save for more rocks. Then you finger slides across something very sharp and you wince, drawing your hand back. The fingertip stings distinctly; you think that probably drew blood.
>Gingerly, you prod at the spot again. You feel a largely flat metallic surface with a slight curvature, acutely sharp on one side. You're reasonably certain it's a blade of some sort. It seems to extend further than your arm can reach through the gap.
-
>Try to take it by the non-edged side and lift it out.
-
>Try to take it by the non-edged side and lift it out.
>You feel along the non-edged side and get as good a grip on it as you can, then try to lift it out. This is a little awkward to do blind; you feel it catch on something after a few inches and have poor leverage to reposition it, but after some wiggling accompanied by sounds of it scraping against the rocks, you draw it clear.
-
>Let's get a look at what we found then.
-
>Or rather, since it's probably not a light source, give it a good palpating, avoiding the edge.
>Do we sense any anything else around. Like a sheathe?
-
>Let's get a look at what we found then.
>Given that your surroundings are still pitch black, this remains rather difficult. You have very good night vision, but still require some light.
>Or rather, since it's probably not a light source, give it a good palpating, avoiding the edge.
>Do we sense any anything else around. Like a sheathe?
>You carefully feel along the length of the object, keeping clear of the edge. The blade is moderately curved and seems to be a couple feet long, tapering slightly in one direction, while in the other, it ends in an oval piece of metal followed by a ridged grip. This is almost certainly a sword.
>You have another feel around the area you retrieved this from, but don't find anything else of note.
-
>Get out of the river.
>Then...give the sword a few slashes in the air. Hee hee hee...
-
>Get out of the river.
>Then...give the sword a few slashes in the air. Hee hee hee...
>You carefully wade back to where you left your pack.
>Then you give the sword a few experimental slashes. It feels surprisingly lightweight, but well balanced. The air parts before it with a satisfying whistle.
-
>Grab our stuff, and head downriver. Use our new sword as a poking stick.
>Keep the non-visual senses peeled.
-
>Grab our stuff, and head downriver. Use our new sword as a poking stick.
>Keep the non-visual senses peeled.
>You grab your pack and then follow along beside the river, using your ears to steer your course and the sword as a sort of walking stick to check for obstacles. After a short distance, you find yourself poking the blade at a wall. The river itself sounds like it continues on for some distance to your left, but continuing to follow it from this position would seem to require walking in the river. Unless, of course, there is some path to your right that eventually leads back around to the river, but the wall feels like it extends for at least a couple dozen feet in that direction, and you can't easily appraise the geography past that without light.
>The ambient scent of the area remains unchanged, nor do you hear anything but the river and the sound of your own travel.
-
>Check alongside the river, are the banks shallow enough we could wade onwards?
-
>Check alongside the river, are the banks shallow enough we could wade onwards?
>Feeling with the sword, they seem about ankle deep for a couple feet, and then swiftly descend at least halfway to knee depth. You're not sure how deep it would be further along than that.
-
>Let's find out. Follow it.
-
>Let's find out. Follow it.
>You wade back into the water, trying to stay close to the cavern walls while you carefully navigate your feet along the uneven riverbed. It doesn't take long before the water reaches almost to your knees. The wall beside you continues unbroken, as best your sense of touch can determine, without any relatively dry ground to stand on. A little further and you are up to your hips once more, feeling thoroughly chilled and uncomfortable.
>With your sword, you feel a pronounced drop-off ahead of you, sloping quickly beyond reach. You expect you're going to have to resort to swimming if you want to go further in this direction.
-
>Pull up the sword for a moment to stare at it, despite there not being any light.
>"If you got any tricks in you, like making light or something, that'd be real helpful right about now."
>"...Look at me, I haven't even been down here for very long, and I'm already talking to a sword I just found...and myself. Hello me!"
>Chuckle a bit at our current state of affairs before moving back along.
(Yeah, the dialogue's kinda inspired by the ps2 version of The Bard's Tale, it works better if you read it in the Bard's voice, with all the snark that entails.)
-
>Pull up the sword for a moment to stare at it, despite there not being any light.
>"If you got any tricks in you, like making light or something, that'd be real helpful right about now."
>"...Look at me, I haven't even been down here for very long, and I'm already talking to a sword I just found...and myself. Hello me!"
>Chuckle a bit at our current state of affairs before moving back along.
>You hold up the sword and stare at the darkness where you assume its blade must be.
>You try asking your new weapon if it can provide some navigational assistance beyond serving as an improvised walking stick. It is regrettably silent (and dark).
>You try to give a wry chuckle at your situation. You're not sure it helps your spirits all that much. Then you step over the slope and swim forward.
>Swimming proves to be a rather awkward thing to do with a sword in your hand, particularly when you cannot see where its blade is. Given that only one of your arms is mobile enough to swim with, you transfer the sword to the other hand and try to hold it in such a way that your legs aren't likely to bump into it. This still doesn't quite alleviate your nervousness, and it is a cautious swim forward.
>After a short distance, your right hand catches on something sticky mid-stroke, a foot or two above the water's surface. It... feels like a thick web.
-
>Gently try to pull our hand back.
-
>Gently try to pull our hand back.
>You gently pull your hand back, but the strands clinging to it pull back with it.
-
>Is our other arm even a little bit unparalyzed at this point?
>Regardless, tug harder.
-
>Is our other arm even a little bit unparalyzed at this point?
>Regardless, tug harder.
>You have full use of your left hand, and you think you would have most of the movement of your lower arm if it wasn't still bound to your side by the youkai's webbing.
>You pull harder at the web, feeling the rest of the structure vibrate against the strands still stuck to your hand.
>You hear sounds of movement from above, descending towards you.
-
>Is there a wall nearby? Try to kick off of it.
-
>Is there a wall nearby? Try to kick off of it.
>You aren't certain how close you are to one at this point. Your legs aren't immediately brushing against it, in any case, though you could try shifting your body about in the water and trying to feel for one with your feet. You were relatively close to one on your right a short while ago, but you suspect that the current combined with swimming one-handed means you aren't keeping an entirely straight course.
-
>Shift and feel for one.
-
>Shift and feel for one.
>You rotate your body and reach your legs out to the right, feeling about for the wall. As you paw at the water, you hear what is presumably the web's owner quickly descending closer towards your hand.
>One of your feet brushes against rock and you scrabble to get enough purchase to propel yourself off it.
-
>Coil our legs under us as much as possible and kick off the wall. Prepare for it to feel unpleasant.
-
>Coil our legs under it as much as possible and kick off the wall. Prepare for it to feel unpleasant.
>You bend your knees into the jump as much as you can, then push off the wall! As you start to spring, you feel two thin needles drive into the top of your hand, barely painful among all the other injuries you've sustained today. Your momentum pays it no heed. There is a moment's resistance as the webbing stretches with your hand, and then rips free. You feel the back of your hand bat against something as it pulls away from the web, followed shortly thereafter by a splash and thrashing in the water beside you. You have no idea how much of the web you took with you, but you can still feel strands stuck to your palm.
>Thin tendrils of pain, almost electric, start to lance away from the bite. You find yourself already starting to cringe.
-
>Get some distance from the web; keep our stung hand in the water and hope it does something for any venom that may have gotten involved.
-
>Get some distance from the web; keep our stung hand in the water and hope it does something for any venom that may have gotten involved.
>You quickly paddle back away from the web, keeping your bit hand submerged. You don't know whether the water is providing some small amelioration or not, but it's clearly not enough to stem off the rapidly intensifying pain. Sharp and vivid jolts shoot down your fingers and across the surface of your hand, seizing it in their crushing grip. You fingers start to stiffen, and you bite down hard on your lip, breathing forcefully. The bite itself may have been a minor hurt, but this is something else entirely.
-
>If we feel we're sufficiently far away from the web, seek out the wall again. It'll be something to brace against if needs be.
>Use our feet to get us back to the shallow places so we can ride this out.
-
>If we feel we're sufficiently far away from the web, seek out the wall again. It'll be something to brace against if needs be.
>Use our feet to get us back to the shallow places so we can ride this out.
>You're a couple feet away from the spot you bumped into it, but you have no way of knowing what angle the web was spun along, or whether it might be closer or further away, close to the wall. The spider itself is fairly clearly several feet away from you. It sounds like it's losing its battle with the water.
>The water here is too deep for your feet to reach the bottom, at least without swimming a moderate ways back.
-
>Swim back. Let our legs do the work to take the pressure off our arm.
-
>Swim back. Let our legs do the work to take the pressure off our arm.
>You turn and swim back, following your original course as best you can approximate. The seeping chill of the water seems a distant irrelevancy at the moment, barely perceivable beneath the storm raging within your hand. You wonder, briefly, if this is what it feels like to be electrocuted. It is a small mercy that pain seems highly localized, barely radiating past your wrist, but this does little to mute its intensity. You take deep, forced breaths, as steady as you can manage, and try to focus on something, anything other than that. This is only passingly successful. Eventually you stumble back onto land again, feeling only half-aware of how you got there.
-
>Sit in the water and let our hand soak. Whether or not it may eventually numb, it's got to help.
>Try to ride things out without screaming too much. She's not going to get the pleasure of hearing it.
-
>Sit in the water and let our hand soak. Whether or not it may eventually numb, it's got to help.
>Try to ride things out without screaming too much. She's not going to get the pleasure of hearing it.
>You let your hand sit in the water and soak. You really don't know if this is helping at all, but you're not at all eager to test whether it would be worse without it.
>You keep taking focused breaths and try to wait for the pain to pass. You dimly feel your fingers contort and spasm in the water, though it is hard to perceive anything about your hand beyond how much it hurts; were it not attached to your arm, you probably wouldn't even realize it was in the river. It feels like someone is driving needles through your nerves. You take some grim satisfaction in keeping your silence though this, though it is an act of sheer will. After all the things which have gone wrong today, you're not about to let this faze you any more than your body forces you to.
>Time passes. Perhaps not even a minute, though each second is drawn out beyond all reason, as if the world had slowed down just to let you savor the experience. Eventually the pain starts to wane. You let out a ragged breath and slump. You feel... exhausted and your fingers are clumsy and half-numb to touch. But you can move them and think about things beyond how much they hurt. At this point, you'll take it.
-
>Lay down, preferably at a place where we can keep our hand soaked and our everything else dry. Take a bit of time to rest up.
-
>Lay down, preferably at a place where we can keep our hand soaked and our everything else dry. Take a bit of time to rest up.
>You find a spot where you can keep your hand in the water, while keeping at least most of the rest of you dry and lie down. You hand settles into a dull ache punctuated by occasional twinge of pain, almost like something pinched you. It is a surprisingly extreme contrast to how it was so briefly ago, though a welcome one.
>Even on this cold and hard ground, rest is a wonderful thing, although with the pain passed, you quickly become aware again of how chilled you are. You find yourself shivering.
-
>See what we can do to work our other arm free of the webbing now.
>If our pain-wracked arm feels steady enough, apply the blade to it.
-
>See what we can do to work our other arm free of the webbing now.
>If our pain-wracked arm feels steady enough, apply the blade to it.
>Your right hand still feels clumsy, but you think you can manage this if you're careful. The most awkward part proves to simply be taking hold of the sword by feel, with such diminished sensation in your fingers. Using the fingers of your left hand to guide your right's, you slowly wrap your fingers around the hilt and bring the blade around. Gingerly, you line it against the webbing binding your left arm, taking care not to cut your own skin, and press. The webbing parts beneath the blade as though it were little more solid than air and your arm comes free. While it still isn't fully limber, you can move it around once more.
-
>Take some time to work our hitherto trapped arm.
>"I can only wonder what kind of silly bugger left a rustproof thing like you laying around..."
>No it's not the first sign of going crazy, shut up!
>Do we have any other restrictive webbings?
-
>Take some time to work our hitherto trapped arm.
>"I can only wonder what kind of silly bugger left a rustproof thing like you laying around..."
>No it's not the first sign of going crazy, shut up!
>Do we have any other restrictive webbings?
>You take a moment to work your left arm. You're fairly certain most of its stiffness is due to the remaining venom in that arm and not the constriction, but this does seem to help a little, just the same.
>You ponder what a weapon like this was doing in the middle of a pile of rocks in an underground river. Sadly (or perhaps fortunately?), no one shows up to answer your question.
>The sword continues to shut up
>You still have quite a bit stuck to you in various places, including your across your face, but it's mostly not constricting your movements. The patch running up the side of your neck does restrict how far you can turn your head, a little.
-
>Cut the webbing on our neck; try to slide the blade under it and cut away rather than slicing it toward us.
-
>Cut the webbing on our neck; try to slide the blade under it and cut away rather than slicing it toward us.
>You carefully maneuver the blade to the webbing at your neck and try to slide the blade beneath it and pull. The webbing splits along its path with barely any resistance at all. There's still more patches of it stuck to your skin above and below the incision, but you feel like you have your normal range of movement again.
-
>Try to cut away a bit more, so it won't run the risk of sticking anew.
-
>Try to cut away a bit more, so it won't run the risk of sticking anew.
>You start shaving some more of the webbing away from your neck when you hear faint sounds of movement from somewhere off to your side, still a decent distance away.
-
>Which side, as near as we can tell direction down here?
>Pause and listen to it.
>Do we have any skill at swording things up?
-
>Which side, as near as we can tell direction down here?
>Pause and listen to it.
>Do we have any skill at swording things up?
>It seems to be vaguely perpendicular to the river's flow, on the same side of it that you are, and further upstream as well as inward.
>You pause and listen. Soon enough, the sounds resolve into footsteps, moving quickly, and roughly approaching the river from a short ways upstream.
>You have practiced with them a little, though you've generally favored throwing weapons and daggers and trained foremost with these. That being said, you're sure you could be reasonably competent with this weapon, provided you weren't squaring off against another swordsman.
-
>How distant do those footsteps sound?
-
>How distant do those footsteps sound?
>It hard to tell exactly. Judging from the sound, you think they're coming from a tunnel or some sort of space connected with your location, but not directly part of it. You estimate they're probably at least 100 feet away, but you're not certain how circuitous the connection is; it's possible they could be nearer or farther.
-
>Time to make for the water. Don't run, unless those footsteps start moving faster. If at all possible, try to keep our steps light and trust our ears would be better than a spider's.
-
>Time to make for the water. Don't run, unless those footsteps start moving faster. If at all possible, try to keep our steps light and trust our ears would be better than a spider's.
>You creep lightly back to the river's edge, only a few short feet away. The footsteps continue to grow louder, though you note no change in their pace.
-
>Head into the water, if we can do it with a minimum of splashing, and head for the deeper parts. Earlier than would be preferable, but nothing can be done about that...
>If the oncomer's pace picks up, pick up our own.
-
>Head into the water, if we can do it with a minimum of splashing, and head for the deeper parts. Earlier than would be preferable, but nothing can be done about that...
>If the oncomer's pace picks up, pick up our own.
>You step into the water as silently as you can and head downstream again.
>The oncomer's pace remains more or less the same, but they're clearly gaining on you, given how slowly you need to move to avoid splashing.
-
>Once we're in deep enough that we can properly swim, do so. Take a good breath, dive underwater, and swim underneath the surface until we need to come up for breath
>How long do we estimate it will take us to get to the web?
-
>Once we're in deep enough that we can properly swim, do so. Take a good breath, dive underwater, and swim underneath the surface until we need to come up for breath
>How long do we estimate it will take us to get to the web?
>You wade a little further in and then switch to swimming as soon as it grows deep enough to do so. You take a deep breath and cover as much distance as you can beneath the water's surface. Your hearing is muted and unreliable while underwater, though you continue tracking the footstep's advance when you surface for breath. By now, you think they're close to where you were resting a few moments earlier, though you have no idea how visible your current position is from there.
>You can only estimate roughly, but you'd say it's anywhere between 15 and 40 feet away at the moment.
-
>Surface, take a very deep breath, submerging, and swim with the current as long and steadily as we can, in hopes of swimming under it. If we do not get caught, repeat this process a few times.
>Stay aware of the possibility of underwater obstacles, so they don't catch us totally by surprise.
-
>Surface, take a very deep breath, submerging, and swim with the current as long and steadily as we can, in hopes of swimming under it. If we do not get caught, repeat this process a few times.
>Stay aware of the possibility of underwater obstacles, so they don't catch us totally by surprise.
>You surface and take a very deep breath, then dive again and try to cover as much distance in one go as possible. When your feel your lungs start to gasp for air again, you surface. No spider web in the face! You're probably past the web now. You take another deep breath and repeat the maneuver anyway.
>You try to be cautious about underwater obstacles, and indeed do run into a few rocks, though fortunately not in the collision sense. You feel about with your hands and the sword as you swim, keeping a slow enough pace that you have time to shift around obstructions as you encounter them.
>The second time you surface, you note that the footsteps seem to have stopped.
-
>Pause, float a bit to give our poor lungs a rest, and listen to see if we can hear anything.
>How are our arms and hands doing?
-
>Pause, float a bit to give our poor lungs a rest, and listen to see if we can hear anything.
>How are our arms and hands doing?
>You pause for a moment and give your lungs a rest. The cavern sounds silent, save for the flow of water.
>Neither arm is much changed from when you were resting on land a few moments ago. Your left shoulder still doesn't move quite right, although it is progress that you can move it at all. Your lower arm is a bit stiff, but largely functional and that hand is fine. Your right hand is still partially numb to sensation and feels clumsy as a result. The pain in it is reduced to a dull ache with the occasional sharper twinge, though frankly the memory alone is more unpleasant than what's left of the venom.
-
>Some improvement is better than none. We need something else to be optimistic about...
>Continue on down the river, take a relaxed float.
-
>Some improvement is better than none. We need something else to be optimistic about...
>Continue on down the river, take a relaxed float.
>Well, you did find a magical sword of some sort. Surely that's at least a little bright spot among the rest of this sorry expedition?
>You let yourself float down the river for a bit. After a few more moments, you hear faint skittering somewhere off to your left, fairly distant.
-
>That would be the else part.
>Pay attention to the skittering, but continue to float on. Stay ready to submerge.
>Do we have an estimate how deep this river is?
-
>That would be the else part.
>Pay attention to the skittering, but continue to float on. Stay ready to submerge.
>Do we have an estimate how deep this river is?
>Fair enough.
>You keep an ear on the skittering, but it doesn't seem to rapidly approaching you, or giving off any other sign that it's aware of your presence. You suspect wherever it's going probably has nothing to do with you. You drift past and the sound starts to fade away.
>You made no effort to dive very far below the surface on your previous attempts, so you could barely hazard a guess beyond 'over your head'. You could always attempt to find out, if you wished.
>You hear another sound from somewhere upstream, like something faintly brushing against rock.
-
>Does it sound like the noise that preceded the footsteps before?
-
>Does it sound like the noise that preceded the footsteps before?
>Not particularly. You're actually inclined to think what you first heard back there were footsteps; they were simply too distant and muted to properly identify at first, until they drew a little closer. This noise, however, was definitely not a footstep.
-
>Regardless, things from upstream aren't good.
>Let's start swimming with the current again.
-
>Regardless, things from upstream aren't good.
>Let's start swimming with the current again.
>That certainly seems likely.
>You pick up the pace and resume swimming downstream again. A couple moments later, you hear a similar sound to before, though closer. Then there is nothing for a few more moments, though you have to admit that they're quiet enough that you might well miss some over the sound of the current and your own swimming.
>The top of your head brushes against another spider web and you feel some of its strands cling to you.
-
>Does the clinging feel strong enough to impede us?
>If so, take the pilfered sword in hand, and give the strands clinging to us a snickersnee treatment. Try not to go hog wild, we don't need more cut strands adhering to us.
-
>Does the clinging feel strong enough to impede us?
>If so, take the pilfered sword in hand, and give the strands clinging to us a snickersnee treatment. Try not to go hog wild, we don't need more cut strands adhering to us.
>It doesn't feel as strongly adhered as the last web was to your hand, but still enough that you would have to pull against it a little.
>In lieu of this, you bring the sword up and slice across the part clinging to you. The threads part so readily that you would barely realize there was anything in the blade's path, were it not for your head coming free. A few short strands settle gently against it afterward.
-
>Continue on.
>Do we still hear that sound from upstream?
-
>Continue on.
>Do we still hear that sound from upstream?
>You keep swimming forward.
>Things seem quiet enough in that direction at the moment, though you're starting to hear what sounds like rapids in the distance ahead, growing slowly more distinct as you approach.
>There it is again! And significantly closer this time! It seems to be coming from a higher elevation than your position.
-
>Keep moving, keep ears open.
-
>Keep moving, keep ears open.
>You keep moving forward, the sounds of the rapids growing stronger. You... think there may be a waterfall somewhere ahead, judging by the sound. Not a tremendously large one, but a deep enough drop that height difference is audible.
>You hear another light impact against rock, overhead and close behind you, followed quickly by one some distance lower and to your left.
-
So, we have two options.
It seems pretty obvious something wall-crawly is following up. Assuming it was also the source of those footsteps, it's probably Yamame.
Option A: Try to talk to her. The problem being that chances are she's not had any kind of change of heart; otherwise she wouldn't be dead silent; she'd be communicative. Not to mention she can function in the dark. We really can't. So we'd be at a huge disadvantage against someone who can see us and attack at a distance in a way we can't reasonably counter more than a couple times (Maybe until she figures out to fuck up the sword arm. ). I don't consider it a real option at the moment. About the only way we could win would be to drag her into the drink, and given her habit of making tethers that won't actually do a lot if we can even win a strength contest as we all.
Option B: Risk that waterfall and hope this place opens up to daylight soon. The problems being our pursuer is way faster than us, and even swimming with the current working for us we can't seem to actually outdistance her at all. On the other hand, it's also the only option we have in the long run to actually get out of here.
So at this point, I'm open to novel ideas.
-
I say we go for the waterfall. Our previous attempt at talking with Yamame was less than successful, to say the least. Like you said, she probably hasn't had a change of heart, and she's pretty good with those tethers. Not to say it would happen, but stopping to engage her now may end up with Nazrin all tied up, drowning at the bottom of the river. On the other hand, if we go for the waterfall, we have a chance of escape so we can get help.
So, I say we just keep going for now, and only engage if we think we won't make it to the waterfall without being attacked.
(Oh yeah, I've been watching this thing since near the beginning, but I've decided not to post in these things yet because I have trouble making actions that are actually helpful and accomplish something. That, and staying in character with other people's characters, namely ZUN's. So yeah. Just watching for now and giving out my ideas.)
-
Yeah, that seems like it. It's pretty clear water doesn't do a thing for the adhesive or the silk itself once it's caught on, but maybe we'll luck out and it'll keep it from setting, so to speak. I'm convinced, though, if we can get her outside, we can deal with her., if only due to her likely not being used to light.
>Dive again, and proceed underwater as well as we can, come up for air when we need to, but only when we need to.
-
>Dive again, and proceed underwater as well as we can, come up for air when we need to, but only when we need to.
>You dive under and continue to follow the current from beneath the water's surface. The rumble of the falls changes tone as your ears submerge, growing deeper and more diffuse. It's a little harder to gauge its distance, but you're fairly certain you're quickly closing it. You try to put on as much speed as you reasonably can, though navigating the obstacles of the terrain while effectively blind does slow you down appreciably.
>As your lungs reach their straining point, you surface and take a quick deep breath of air. It's probably about another 20 feet to the edge of the falls now. You hear no other sounds now, but might easily miss something subtle of the noise of the tumbling water.
(Oh yeah, I've been watching this thing since near the beginning, but I've decided not to post in these things yet because I have trouble making actions that are actually helpful and accomplish something. That, and staying in character with other people's characters, namely ZUN's. So yeah. Just watching for now and giving out my ideas.)
Always happy to see another interested party. No need to be shy! With characters like Touhou's (even in a canon Gensokyo, let alone an alternate universe), 'in-character' is open to a lot of personal interpretation, so you needn't feel there's some specific 'Naz-ness' that you need to make sure you capture. And you might be surprised how often even experienced players are only getting by on hunches and keeping their fingers crossed. No pressure, of course; if you'd rather observe, that's fine, but no need to feel nervous either. I won't bite (though the spiders might! ^^;)
-
For reals. Pretty much all of spider times has been hunches and deductions.
>Welp, we've chosen to risk the falls, and there's no time to hunt for a shore now. Onward. Prepare for a fall!
>Try to cannon-ball if we go over and have enough time to react, probably the best way to not hit the bottom and present minimal surface for rocks to beat up.
-
>Welp, we've chosen to risk the falls, and there's no time to hunt for a shore now. Onward. Prepare for a fall!
>Try to cannon-ball if we go over and have enough time to react, probably the best way to not hit the bottom and present minimal surface for rocks to beat up.
>You dive down again and press forward! The sound of the falls churns in the waters around you as you cover the last few feet. You feel an abrupt shift in the current and then you're falling!
>You pull your arms and legs inward as you plummet over the edge, bracing for your impact with the waters below. It never comes.
>A half second after you tuck into your dive, you feel two soft impacts against you, one against your torso and the second against your right leg. Something pulls against you, sending your dive into a wide and rapid lateral arc.
-
>Throw our weight against it when we feel it would be most effective.
-
>Throw our weight against it when we feel it would be most effective.
>Most effective to do what?
-
>To pull against it whatever is trying to catch us.
-
>To pull against it whatever is trying to catch us.
>You are not being pulled directly towards the tethers, but rather the force applied against them seems to be steering your descent, using gravity and your own momentum against you. You descend near enough to the water to feel the spray from below as you sweep sideways, accelerating. It almost feels as though you're being swung like the weight of a bola.
>As your arc grows tight, you throw your weight against it, trying to pull yourself back towards the water. You feel your course shift and wobble in response, but have little time to ponder whether this accomplishes anything before you are slammed back-first against the cavern wall. You cry out and most of the rest of your breath leaves after it.
-
>Are we out of the water, or slammed into the waterfall?
-
>Are we out of the water, or slammed into the waterfall?
>You are at least a couple few above the water's surface and quite a few feet ahead and to the side of the waterfall. The rock you were thrown into feels mostly dry.
-
>Do we think we have enough mobility with our arm to cut the tether that's holding us?
>Are we currently above water or ground?
-
>Do we think we have enough mobility with our arm to cut the tether that's holding us?
>Are we currently above water or ground?
>Neither tether is binding an arm. You should be able to reach either fairly easily.
>You aren't certain what's directly below you, nor indeed how high you are above it, though the sound of flowing water nearby suggests you probably aren't too high.
-
>Slash the strands, get ready to take a fall.
-
>Slash the strands, get ready to take a fall.
>As you start to bring the sword around to cut at the strands, you feel yourself pulled away from the rock face again and swung. You quickly slash the blade across the air where you know the tethers must be, aiming a safe distance from your own body.
>Whereas your earlier attempts to sever them with your knife had felt like carving stone, this time you slice through them as though they little more than string. The force holding you up gives way and you tumble to the ground a few feet below, hitting it with your shoulder and rolling side over side from the momentum.
>You hear a voice from somewhere above you, its words more breathed than spoken. "No... How did you..." There is a strange note of despair in them.
-
>"Same way I did it the last time!"
>Run for the water whilst giving useless non-taunts.
-
>"Same way I did it the last time!"
>Run for the water whilst giving useless non-taunts.
>You call out an answer to the youkai's question as you scramble to your feet and dash for the water. The ground you're running on ends in a sudden drop as a foot hits open air rather than rock. You tumble forward. Fortunately, it is a soft landing in the water a couple feet below.
>"No... no... no!" The youkai's voice grows more impassioned with each repetition, swelling from quiet disbelief to angry defiance.
>You feel a soft impact against your back as you hit the water's surface.
-
>Is the water deep enough to swim in?
>If so, surface for a moment, get a proper breathe, and sever this strand too.
-
>Is the water deep enough to swim in?
>If so, surface for a moment, get a proper breathe, and sever this strand too.
>Yes.
>You take a good breath and slash the sword across the air above your back, severing this new tether as easily as the previous two.
-
>Dive, and it we can orient ourselves properly, continue downriver.
-
>Dive, and it we can orient ourselves properly, continue downriver.
>You dive beneath the water's surface, then use the feel of the current against you to orient yourself downriver and keep swimming. Vaguely, you hear the youkai seem to say something else, but you can't make out the words with a couple feet of water between you. Then you hear what you think are running footsteps from the same direction.
>You hear a light splash above you. Then a few moments later you hear another and feel something brush against the back of your leg. If it was a tether, it failed to stick. You keep on moving.
>The footsteps nearly keep pace with you for a few more seconds, then seem to stop altogether.
-
>Keep going. Push our breath-holding a bit further than usual before coming up for more, then dive again.
-
>Keep going. Push our breath-holding a bit further than usual before coming up for more, then dive again.
>You press forward, holding your breath past the point of distinct discomfort. You hear some more vague sounds above the water, but not distinct enough to resolve them. The seconds pass slowly as your lungs strain for breath. Finally, you decide that you've pushed it far enough and surface for air.
>The moment your head breaks the surface of the water, you feel a light impact against the side of it, followed by a sharp jerk in that direction. You narrowly avoid taking in a breath full of water as your mouth splashes below the water's edge once more.
-
>What direction is it pulling?
>Try to regain our balance and slash this tether too.
-
>What direction is it pulling?
>Try to regain our balance and slash this tether too.
>To your left.
>You try to right yourself, but can't exert enough force to resist the pull without something solid to brace yourself against. Instead, you bring the sword up and sweep along your upper left, leaving a generous distance to avoid cutting yourself. You feel the tension against your head go slack, but another tether immediately sticks to your exposed sword arm.
-
Welp.
>Have we gotten a decent breath, at least?
-
>Have we gotten a decent breath, at least?
>You only had time for a quick gulp of air before you had to close your mouth again to avoid the water. Enough to submerge for a couple moments, but not long.
-
>Swim toward the direction we're being tugged toward, long enough to get a good breath, then dive while she has to recover the slack, switch the sword to our other hand and try to sever the line while underwater. Hopefully the sharpness will overcome water resistance.
-
>Swim toward the direction we're being tugged toward, long enough to get a good breath, then dive while she has to recover the slack, switch the sword to our other hand and try to sever the line while underwater. Hopefully the sharpness will overcome water resistance.
>You bank towards your left, keeping your head up long enough to get a solid breath, then you dive. As you move to switch the sword to your other hand, you feel a tug forcing your right arm backwards. You pull against the force and shift your right hand back towards it. Then the force suddenly changes directions and your arm jerks in the opposite direction. You... think you may just have narrowly avoided slashing yourself with it...
-
Welp.
>Get our left hand over there to get the sword already, move into the line to get some slack if we need to.
-
>Get our left hand over there to get the sword already, move into the line to get some slack if we need to.
>You quickly get the fingers of your left hand around those of your right and grip tight before you cause any damage to yourself. You carefully transfer the hilt of the sword from one to the other, just as as your right arm gets yanked away again.
-
>Slash that strand and get out of here!
-
>Slash that strand and get out of here!
>You slash at the strand, feeling the water resisting the sword's arc just a little. And... you miss. You're not certain whether the youkai is attempting to pull the tether away from your blade or if you simply mis-guessed the positioning. It would be ever so nice if you weren't doing all this blind...
>You try to pull your left arm close to your body and take another swipe. You feel a change in resistance partway through the attack, and the tension against your arm goes slack. If anything, the water gives more opposition to your blade than the tether did. Released, you surge onward, another pair of splashes ineffectually hitting the water above you.
>You can hear the youkai chasing after you, but she seems to be falling behind again.
-
>Does she seem to be chasing us from shore or the walls? Or do we hear her via cursing?
>Keep going underwater, until we can't stands it no more. When we have to surface for air, do out best not to expose our arms to the air.
-
>Does she seem to be chasing us from shore or the walls? Or do we hear her via cursing?
>Keep going underwater, until we can't stands it no more. When we have to surface for air, do out best not to expose our arms to the air.
>You think she's running, given what sounds like footsteps. Distances are very hard to tell precisely when underwater. Otherwise, she sounds silent.
>You keep swimming underwater, hearing the youkai steadily falling behind. When your lungs start to reach their breaking point, you surface for another breath, taking care to keep your arms beneath the surface. You submerge again without hearing or feeling any attacks directed against you.
>You can feel the current of the river taking on a pronounced curvature. It takes a few moments for you to notice, but you think the youkai has stopped running directly after you and is instead running in some other direction.
-
>Take a moment to listen; can we hear her at all?
-
>Take a moment to listen; can we hear her at all?
>You can still hear running, but it doesn't sound like it's getting obviously closer. In fact, it's possible it may be moving further away, but you're not quite certain; she's definitely not running in the opposite direction, at any rate.
-
>Stay on the surface and try to figure out where she is going.
-
>Stay on the surface and try to figure out where she is going.
>You surface so that you can better observe the youkai's movement. While you can definitely articulate the position of her footsteps more distinctly, you are hampered by having no real idea of the layout of the cavern you're in, save for the rough course of the river. The youkai is certainly not directly approaching your position, nor is she fleeing along the way you came. Her course sounds very roughly perpendicular to these. It... may be a similar direction to where the river feels like it's starting to curve towards, although you can only sense the flow locally, and even then only approximately.
-
>Try to get an estimate of how far she is from us, should the river pull a U-turn, so we know when to dive again. Also try to note roughly where she stops, should she stop.
-
>Try to get an estimate of how far she is from us, should the river pull a U-turn, so we know when to dive again. Also try to note roughly where she stops, should she stop.
>You continue swimming at the river's surface, monitoring the youkai's trail as best you can. While you can't tell whether the river is doing a full u-turn, it does continue to curve sideways. The footsteps shift from behind you to somewhere vaguely ahead of you. Their position has grown much harder to pinpoint. You think she must be in a tunnel of some sort and the sound you are hearing is it echoing out of wherever this tunnel connects with the river. At the least, this implies she probably can't see you from where she is at the moment.
>The current takes a sharp turn in the opposite direction and the footsteps fall further away again, though they do not stop or slow. You scrape your side along a rock as you round the corner. It feels as though the current is growing stronger again.
-
>Opposite direction in that it made an S-Turn or a U-Turn?
>Take a moment to try to work the pain out from the scrape.
-
>Opposite direction in that it made an S-Turn or a U-Turn?
>Take a moment to try to work the pain out from the scrape.
>Something approximating an S-turn, in any case. Given that you're only estimating this from the feel of the current around you, there's a good chance you're not heading in quit the same direction you started in.
>You tread water for a moment and let yourself wince at the scrape, but as far as today's injuries have gone, it's fairly ignorable. The youkai's footsteps continue to grow more distant.
-
>Go with the flow for now, let our ears do the seeing.
>Can we tell, based on the water noises, how close the walls are on either side?
-
>Go with the flow for now, let our ears do the seeing.
>Can we tell, based on the water noises, how close the walls are on either side?
>You continue to travel along with the current as it winds one way and then another. You have another close brush or two with either rocks in the stream or the cavern walls themselves, but sustain nothing more serious than minor scrapes. The footsteps are starting to get distant enough now that you're having a hard time tracking them at all. They're somewhere distantly off to one side, you think. Possibly ahead, as well, although you feel like you've changed direction often enough that you can't quite be sure.
>You think it may be varying as you progress, but sounds narrower here than it has for a while. If you had to guess, you might say it fluctuates between 10 and 15 feet wide.
-
>Let the tide carry us, keep out sword arm as well below water as we can. Try to feel ahead with the other when we can and not upset ourselves.
>Keep an ear open for odd sounds, and for the area to open up again.
-
>Let the tide carry us, keep out sword arm as well below water as we can. Try to feel ahead with the other when we can and not upset ourselves.
>Keep an ear open for odd sounds, and for the area to open up again.
>You let yourself flow with the current, keeping the sword below water and feeling ahead with your other hand as best you can. This does help avoid any more painful brushes against the terrain, though slows your progress considerably. The footsteps soon become vague and indistinct and then essentially disappear altogether.
>You keep your ears out as you continue along the river, your course turning one way and then another. Every now and again you think you may hear some sound in the distance, but they're too vague to be certain and certainly too indistinct to place more accurately than 'somewhere a fair distance away from you'. You hear no signs of movement near you, no cries of other spiders or footsteps, just the sound of the river flowing onward.
>After a little time, you believe you hear the river widening again, though still not expansively so.
-
>Does it seem to be slowing or getting less rough?
-
>Does it seem to be slowing or getting less rough?
>A little, you think.
-
>Switch the sword back to our dominant hand, and resume swimming. Listen for anything else unusual and try to minimize our sword hand's exposure.
-
>Switch the sword back to our dominant hand, and resume swimming. Listen for anything else unusual and try to minimize our sword hand's exposure.
>You swap your sword back to your right hand and keep moving forward. The wider, gentler section continues for another short while before you hear things start to narrow. In fact, you believe you can hear two distinct flows of water moving from this place: one roughly ahead and slightly to your left, and another some distance to your right.
-
>Let's angle toward the left one.
-
>Let's angle toward the left one.
>You angle a little to the side and head towards the left branch. The acoustics of the environment change as you proceed down it; you can feel the walls closing nearer to you. From the echoes of the current resonating above you, they seem to extend quite high, though this section is probably little more than 6 feet wide. Somewhat further down, you hear the sound of other streams feeding this one, first one from high along the wall to the left, and then one from lower and to the right. The current of the stream speeds up with the added water, churning more fiercely.
>Listening to the sound of the water, you think you can hear the space to your right growing more open, though the river itself remains narrow. Some distance ahead, you can hear the river widening again.
-
>Let's keep to the left, then, and swim on through while keeping our sword arm guarded as before.
-
>Let's keep to the left, then, and swim on through while keeping our sword arm guarded as before.
>You keep to the left side of the stream and continue forward, emerging into a wider chamber of some sorts. The ceiling here sounds lower than earlier, though the walls are at least 15 feet apart. You can hear the river continuing onward, curving somewhat to the left. It also seems to be taking on a more pronounced downward slope as it moves forward.
-
Sour's back, baby.
>Can we discern any sort of bank along this part that might be wide enough to accomdate us?
-
>Can we discern any sort of bank along this part that might be wide enough to accomdate us?
>Not distinctly so. The section previous to this was more suggestive of one, though you would need to feel around for a bank in either case. Your ability to discern terrain features by the sound of rushing water resonating against them is approximate at best.
-
Oh hey, you didn't die. Awesome!
>Keep up a brisk pace. We've been married to this ever since we fell down here, it'll either be daylight or starvation.
-
Gracias. It's good to be back.
>Angle ourselves to the right, see if we can find a decent place to beach ourselves for a few.
I want a chance to examine that sword, and a bit of light to do it with.
-
Caves aren't light friendly environments. I recommend we wait until we get outside. Once we calm down and the adrenaline wears off, it'd be that much harder to get out of here. As well, we are being hunted.
-
Yes, we are being hunted. By someone we've put some distance between. And what do you plan to do if this river goes on for a thousand kilometers or so? And I'm quite certain she can already see us down here, whereas we can see bupkiss.
-
If the river goes on for a thousand kilos, we're screwed either way. And of course she can see us, she lives in this and she has yet to miss us ever; the closest we've gotten is just having enough water to screw her up.
As well, seeing the sword isn't really important; we know where the sharp end is. We've used it well enough. But given she's broken off, she's clearly intending to cut off off at the pass, and the more time we waste the more likely she is to have a huge web ready for us. Staying on the move is key right now.
-
>Keep up a brisk pace. We've been married to this ever since we fell down here, it'll either be daylight or starvation.
>Angle ourselves to the right, see if we can find a decent place to beach ourselves for a few.
>You keep swimming forward, angling yourself to the right as the current curves left. Soon you brush along the wall, but find little purchase along its rocky surface. You continue forward with the river, determined to keep to this course. The walls seem to narrow slightly again and the current speeds up in response. Everything seems quiet but for the river.
>After another distance, you feel your left hand catch on a spiderweb mid-stroke.
-
>Quickly cut it free and dive!
-
>Quickly cut it free and dive!
>You bring your blade to slash at the webbing. Before you've barely started the motion, you feel a light impact against your sword arm followed by a very sharp pull backwards, stretching the arm almost painfully behind you.
-
>Yank back, not as though we're stuck onto something that's going to give.
-
>Yank back, not as though we're stuck onto something that's going to give.
>You yank back on your arm, but barely move it forward. The force pulling against you is stronger than you are, and your arm is caught in an awkward angle that doesn't allow you much leverage.
>You hear a rustle from somewhere above and behind you, followed by a pair of snapping sounds almost directly overhead. And then, from that same direction, a clatter of rock against rock...
-
>When were spiders stronger than mice, anyways? We used to beat these jerks up for getting on our fruit!
>Flex our wrist, slip the blade under the strand, and try to lift and server it.
-
>When were spiders stronger than mice, anyways? We used to beat these jerks up for getting on our fruit!
>Flex our wrist, slip the blade under the strand, and try to lift and server it.
>Maybe things are different when you're both the same size?
>You flex your wrist and try to twist the blade around to strike at the tether. Above, you hear the sound of things falling rapidly towards you. Many things...
>You feel the blade catch briefly against something and the force holding your arm goes slack. Then something large and heavy strikes you solidly in your back, nearly knocking the breath out of you.
-
>Whip the blade around, try to cut through the web binding us, and kick away! Go a bit wide on the slice, better to have some web trailing us than lose fingers.
-
>Whip the blade around, try to cut through the web binding us, and kick away! Go a bit wide on the slice, better to have some web trailing us than lose fingers.
>You quickly whip the blade around, slashing at the web in front of you.
>You cut through the space above where your left hand is stuck and feel the force suspending it upward fall away, but your hand remains firmly attached.
>Another smaller rock strikes your left arm, and then one hits your shoulder. You can hear splashes in the water all around you.
>You slash down the space to one side of your bound hand. A heavy rock clatters against your blade as you do so, twisting your wrist with the impact. You feel the hilt slip in your fingers, but manage to keep from losing your grip altogether. Then you slash beneath it.
>You feel a sharp and heavy impact against your head, and your skull explodes with pain. Points of light dance across your vision. Light at last! Why... does the light hurt so much?
-
>Try to see through the light, and keep from sinking too much.
-
>Try to see through the light, and keep from sinking too much.
>See through it? What's to see through? It's just there, and there, and all over the place. Where's it coming from, anyway? And why does someone keep thumping your back? It's cold and you really wish they'd stop it; you're trying to sleep. And that damned headache isn't helping...
-
>Try to flip over. Maybe it'll be nice and quite on the other side...
-
>Oh, no. We didn't fall over a bridge just to end like this. Keep slashing at that web.
>Try to keep the useless arm above us as much as possible. No loss if that breaks now.
>"Is that all you got?! Throwing rocks at me? Why don't you come down here and settle this face to face?!"
-
>Try to flip over. Maybe it'll be nice and quite on the other side...
>You try to flip over. Something is wrong with the bed. It's all wobbly and cold and your arm isn't moving right, either. Were you sleeping on it the wrong way? Wait... you're not even asleep yet... right? And that stupid, stupid headache. Really shouldn't have let Merlin get you drunk again. You're going to have to have some words with her when you get back and oh god you can't breathe!
>Oh, no. We didn't fall over a bridge just to end like this. Keep slashing at that web.
>Try to keep the useless arm above us as much as possible. No loss if that breaks now.
>"Is that all you got?! Throwing rocks at me? Why don't you come down here and settle this face to face?!"
>Your awareness floods back to you with a jolt. Oh hell, you're drowning! Where the hell did you just think you were?!
>Your left arm seems already above you, as you're now a couple feet below the water's surface.
>You find yourself unable to speak with your lungs full of water.
-
>Heft ourself up by that bound up arm.
>Do we still have the sword?
We definitely cannot leave without that sword.
-
Most definately.
>And attempt taunt upon face breaching surface.
-
>Let's not taunt until we're out of a bad situation.
>Is the water still churned up in a manner suggesting there are falling rocks still?
-
>Heft ourself up by that bound up arm.
>Do we still have the sword?
>You try to pull yourself upwards by your left arm. The webbing feels like it's only bound on one side now, but you still manage to exert some force. A few rocks settled upon your chest slide off as you raise your body.
>Oh dammit! You must have let it slip out of your hands while you were reeling!
>And attempt taunt upon face breaching surface.
>Let's not taunt until we're out of a bad situation.
>Is the water still churned up in a manner suggesting there are falling rocks still?
>Air seems much more important than just about anything else at the moment! As you crest the surface, you start to cough violently, spraying inhaled water out your mouth.
>You don't think so.
>You hear a soft whistling through the air behind you.
-
>Get air, submerge!
-
>Get air, submerge!
>You don't think you can stop yourself coughing for long enough to hold a breath just yet.
-
>Kick away from the web, then.
-
>Kick away from the web, then.
>You kick away from the web, darting laterally in the river and coughing all the while. You hear something sail very close past your right arm and then a frustrated growl from the direction the shot was fired.
-
>Keep clearing out those lungs, and if we can keep listening.
Edit: This is noteworthy; it's the first time Yamame's honestly missed us. Which suggests something is up on her side. Given we actually heard it coming, it must have other come very slowly or she's very far away. Might she be running out of ammo finally?
-
>Grope around, try to find that sword. Using however much of our treasure sense we can given the circumstances.
-
>Grope around, try to find that sword. Using however much of our treasure sense we can given the circumstances.
>First let's focus on not drowning and freeing ourself, so we can actually dive down after it.
-
>Keep clearing out those lungs, and if we can keep listening.
>You keep coughing; in fact, you doubt you could stop yourself if you tried. You don't feel like you're coughing up much beyond air at this point, but your lungs still feel very irritated. To say nothing of the rest of your body at the moment... Your head in particular is still pounding madly.
>Grope around, try to find that sword. Using however much of our treasure sense we can given the circumstances.
>First let's focus on not drowning and freeing ourself, so we can actually dive down after it.
>You decide to prioritize other things over groping around for the sword just yet. On the positive side, you can still feel it very nearby with your treasure sense. In fact, you're probably almost on top of it.
>You hear something else shoot through the air behind you. Wait, two somethings.
-
>Try to force ourself to stop coughing, and dunk down into the water for a moment. Just a moment, long enough for those whatevers to miss.
>Turn the irritation from it toward dragging ourself a little closer to the web, to avoid surfacing into them.
-
>If we think the sword is within reach while we're down there, make a grab for it.
-
>Try to force ourself to stop coughing, and dunk down into the water for a moment. Just a moment, long enough for those whatevers to miss.
>Turn the irritation from it toward dragging ourself a little closer to the web, to avoid surfacing into them.
>You try to will yourself to stop coughing and sink down into the water. Almost as soon as your head dips below the river's surface you feel another pushing at your lungs, but you grimace and force your mouth to stay closed.
>As you pull yourself a little closer to the web, you hear something skim along the water next to you.
>If we think the sword is within reach while we're down there, make a grab for it.
>You grasp your fingers towards where you think the sword is, but they still find nothing but water. Just a little deeper, you think...
-
>Surface, resume trying to breath.
I wouldn't be too eager to just grab it, Sour. Most of it is sharp.
-
>Surface, resume trying to breath.
>You surface again and let out the cough that you'd been suppressing. A couple smaller ones follow it, but you think they're settling down a little.
>You hear something skim across the water's surface and then whip through the air. In stereo.
-
>Do they seem to be coming toward us?
-
>Do they seem to be coming toward us?
>Their course is hard to read by sound; they're not traveling quite predictable paths. One seems to be moving up at the moment, while the other is moving laterally. At least some part of the second seems like it might hit you.
-
>Try to get a breath and submerge again.
-
>Try to get a breath and submerge again.
>You take another breath - a better one this time - then duck beneath the water again. If one of them was indeed about to hit you, you seem to have avoided it.
-
>Come back up just a little, let our ears lead and tell us the coast is clear first. If it is, get a breath.
-
>Once we draw a decent breath, go under again, far enough to grab that sword.
>If we manage to grab it this time, slice ourselves free of that webbing.
Right now, all we're doing is bobbing up and down like a bloody lure. We need to get unstuck, and for that, we need that weapon.
-
I suspect we're going to have to reverse that order. And yeah, that's because drowning is super bad. Sometimes things take a bit of patience.
>Don't just grab it, though. No need to hack our hand open.
-
>Come back up just a little, let our ears lead and tell us the coast is clear first. If it is, get a breath.
>You surface high enough to listen for more incoming attacks. You hear one tether being whipped back across the water's surface with another angling downward from above, but you think you have time enough for a quick breath. You take it, then submerge again.
>Once we draw a decent breath, go under again, far enough to grab that sword.
>If we manage to grab it this time, slice ourselves free of that webbing.
>Don't just grab it, though. No need to hack our hand open.
>You dive deeper, feeling around for the sword. Your treasure sense is frustratingly imprecise for doing this blind, but at least you know it hasn't been carried downstream. Your right hand scoops through the water, feeling for anything the sword could have landed on. Still nothing... nothing... You brush against a rock and quickly work your fingers across its surface. Still nothing... Your left arm is getting nearly as stretched as it can now, affixed to the webbing above you while you reach out with your other arm.
>You hear another sharp splash from somewhere above you, followed by something coursing through the water toward you.
>There! That's the blade! Your feel your fingers brush against the sharp edge, likely propped up along another fallen rock.
-
>Pull back from the thing coming at us, and give our left a break. And maybe get a breath, too, if the coast is clear.
>Do we recall if there's a wall nearby?
-
>Before that,
>Stay down long enough to find the hilt of the sword and grab it.
-
>Do we recall if there's a wall nearby?
>You believe you're a couple feet from a wall on the right, with another being rather more distant to the left.
>Before that,
>Stay down long enough to find the hilt of the sword and grab it.
>You feel quickly but carefully along the blade, searching for the grip. If it's edged on that side and curving in this direction, then the hilt must be...
>As your fingers brush against the guard, you feel a light impact against your arm. Your hand is immediately jerked forcefully away.
-
>Jerk it back, grab that sword from behind the blade if it's closer.
-
>If we can't use our hand to grab the hilt and secure it, try our tail.
-
>Jerk it back, grab that sword from behind the blade if it's closer.
>You jerk back hard, trying to pull your arm back down to the sword. You gain another couple inches and then start to lose them again. You strain and put as much force as you can into your arm, but unless something gives soon, this is clearly a losing battle.
>From the way the sword is lodged, the blade is not very much closer than the hilt is, certainly not enough to be useful.
>If we can't use our hand to grab the hilt and secure it, try our tail.
>While you wrestle for your arm, you twist your torso around and lower your tail towards the sword. You already know where the hilt is and it should be right around... there!
>You coil your tail a couple times around the hilt and lift. You're not about to win any swordsmanship contests with it held this way, but you've got it! At about the same time, you start being pulled upward and out of the water.
-
Man that's embarrassing. Forgot we could do that.
>Move sword to hand, and presuming there's a stand, slip the blade under it and cut through like last time, then finish the job on the web.
-
>Move sword to hand, and presuming there's a stand, slip the blade under it and cut through like last time, then finish the job on the web.
>With your arm being pulled straight up like it is, you don't think you can bring the hilt high enough with your tail for it to reach your hand.
-
>Allow it a little give, then savagely jerk our hand back with the desperate strength of someone in a drowning panic situation and get that sword. Rock our whole body into the motion to give it extra strength.
-
>If physics will not allow us to transfer the sword to our hand, then try to cut the tether on our arm.
-
>Allow it a little give, then savagely jerk our hand back with the desperate strength of someone in a drowning panic situation and get that sword. Rock our whole body into the motion to give it extra strength.
>You let your arm go slack for a moment and then put every ounce of strength you can muster into forcing your hand back down, putting your whole body behind the motion. You stretch your tail as high as it will go with it coiled around the hilt and try to twist yourself towards it. Another few inches...
>The force against you suddenly increases noticeably and you surge up through the water, breaking the surface and continuing to climb. You can hear the sound of something scraping against rock overhead as you ascend. And the sound of something else falling....
>"No..." comes the youkai's voice. "No!"
>If physics will not allow us to transfer the sword to our hand, then try to cut the tether on our arm.
>You definitely can't bring them close enough together at the moment. A few inches might as well be a few miles for all the difference 'almost' makes at the moment. Instead, you twist your tail to the side and swipe the blade across where you suspect the tether must be. It's not the most precise attack, but it seems to do the job. You feel the moment's feeble resistance and then you're falling again.
>As the tether breaks, you hear a cluster of soft, sharp whistling sounds as something parts the air between you and where the youkai's voice just issued from.
-
>Get a new breath before we hit the water, then drag ourself closer to the web to avoid whatever is coming, and transfer the sword.
>Assuming nothing has gone wrong yet, cut that damn web.
-
>Get a new breath before we hit the water, then drag ourself closer to the web to avoid whatever is coming, and transfer the sword.
>Assuming nothing has gone wrong yet, cut that damn web.
>You take a quick breath as you fall, your feet breaking the water's surface a moment later. You hear a frustrated cry from the youkai as something whips through the air above you, then your ears plunge beneath the river as well.
>You quickly reach back and carefully transfer the sword from your tail to your hand, then slash at the web. You feel your left hand come loose!
-
>Swim the hell out of there!
-
>Swim the hell out of there!
>In which direction? And above or below the surface of the water?
-
>Stay low, and go with the current.
-
>Stay low, and go with the current.
>You dive deep and move with the current and.... almost immediately catch your head against webbing, feeling it spring against you as you swim into it. You can only assume that the web you caught your hand on must extend well below the water's surface.
-
>Cut it up.
>Dream grimly of when we're going to cut those spinnerets out and feed them to her.
-
>Cut it up.
>Dream grimly of when we're going to cut those spinnerets out and feed them to her.
>You slash back and forth across the space in front of your head. Your head comes loose quickly enough, though you can still feel the mesh adhered to your hair. Probably complements the partial cocoon across your face nicely... You throw in a few more slashes across the area in hopes of clearing a wide enough path to travel through without getting something else stuck.
>You indulge in a few vengeful thoughts while you shred the webbing. You are hurting from more different places than you care to inventory at the moment and an awful lot of them are her doing...
-
>Proceed downriver until such a time as our breath starts to give.
-
>Keep our ears above water to track her movements and attacks, if any.
-
May not be a good idea, recall that Yamame is a nigh perfect shot; catching an ear is not hard. And she's demonstrated she can hit us under shallow water.
-
I considered that. But since she's demonstrated the ability to hit us while we're underwater anyway, staying totally underwater and cutting off our awareness of her might be counterproductive. If she's can hit us anyway, then we'd be better served by being aware of the incoming shot.
-
I'm thinking our awareness has little if anything to do with her hitting us. But our depth does. Not to mention being near the surface makes us easier to see, as she's demonstrated. I expect the main reason she hit us underwater was because she knew where the web was. Otherwise she would have gotten us sooner; being a perfect shot and all.
-
>Proceed downriver until such a time as our breath starts to give.
>Keep our ears above water to track her movements and attacks, if any.
>You continue downriver, passing through the web without further incident. After you're through, you surface just enough to poke your ears a little out of the water and listen for sounds of motion or incoming attacks.
>The youkai seems to be following you from somewhere above. You can hear light impacts against rock and the occasional clatter of a fallen pebble. For the moment, you hear no signs of attack, but she seems to be keeping pace pretty well. When your lungs start to strain, you rise a little higher and take another deep breath before partially submerging again. You think you're gaining on her.
>You hear a scraping noise, followed by something heavy shooting through the air towards you.
-
>Dive and angle away to starboard.
-
>Dive and angle away to starboard.
>You dive and angle to the side. A moment later, you hear a forceful splash behind you and the churning of water as something large rapidly sinks. Ripples from its impact slap against you.
-
>Continue as before.
-
>Continue as before.
>You rise back up and continue racing down the river, the gap between the youkai and yourself slowly widening. You are forced to evade several more of what you assume are probably rocks being knocked towards you from overhead. One of them bumps into your leg, but causes no real injury with its fleeting contact. Eventually these attacks stop altogether as the youkai falls further and further behind. You keep up the pace, since it doesn't sound like she has slowed hers at all.
>You are growing increasingly fatigued from the exertion, on top of your injuries. You ache from a half-dozen places, your head is sill throbbing incessantly, and the chill of the water feels like it has seeped nearly into your bones. You've lost track of how far you've swam by this point, but you have to imagine it's a considerable distance. You very much wish that you could rest.
>At this point, you hear the walls around you retreat rapidly as the river opens onto what sounds like a large chamber. The river itself seems to widen somewhat, though not nearly enough to fill the whole space, by the sounds of it.
-
>Surface for a moment and see if there's anything like light.
-
>Surface for a moment and see if there's anything like light.
>You raise your eyes above the waterline and look around. Unfortunately, this place seems just as utterly black as everything else so far.
-
>Drift out to starboard a ways, try to find a bank to beach ourselves for a minute.
>No, wait, first try to determine how far ahead we are of her, THEN, if we think we've put a fair distance between us, drift starboard to find a place to hole up for a minute.
-
>Drift out to starboard a ways, try to find a bank to beach ourselves for a minute.
>No, wait, first try to determine how far ahead we are of her, THEN, if we think we've put a fair distance between us, drift starboard to find a place to hole up for a minute.
>While you'd struggle to peg a specific distance on how far the youkai has fallen behind, by this point you can hear her pursuit only distantly. You angle off to the right a little and search for dry ground again. A few dozen feet later, you feel your foot kick against rock. You pull yourself upright and take a few steps forward. Your limbs feel surprisingly leaden without the water to buoy them up again; you'd rather grown accustomed to that by this point. A few steps further and the water falls below your ankles, then retreats entirely. You believe you have found solid ground. In the distance, you can hear the youkai still chasing after you.
-
>Back into the water. We cannot deal with her on land and in the dark.
-
>No. This might be the only chance we get without running into something else, be it another spider, another rockfall trap, something.
>And we can fix the dark now, hopefully. Once we're on land, produce torch and light it quickly.
>Status check.
-
>Back into the water, it is not our time to die.
Assuming our torch didn't get drenched due to video game logic, all that's going to happen is that she's going to take it, because it is an equalizing factor. And we can't fight her in the dark and on land, she simply has almost all the advantages. We need to get out and find a source of light she can't do anything about. And given that we have to swim with the current to outpace her at all, we probably can't do it on land unless we see light right now.
I want to take her down to, but for now we need to continue a tactical retreat if we don't intend to hand her victory.
Also how would you expect to light that torch if it could light? A bit of quartz and steel takes a a goodly amount of time.
-
>Get on dry land, and light that torch if possible before she catches up to us. If not, then by all means, continue hiding in the river.
>Status check.
Why are you so convinced we can't win? I'm not about to swim from here to timbuctu while having to cut our way past god knows what. We'll exaust before she will, and probably before much longer. That was parser posted. Or we could run into something else we can't handle while stumbling around in the dark, like we've been doing. We MAY lose if we try to confront her now. We WILL lose if we keep running the way we are.
Let's say you're right, let's say she hits the torch with a strand. We've proven we can cut them in short order. She hits torch, we slice it, and bob's your uncle. Or we can cut it out of midair, since we can see it coming as opposed to just hearing it. Besides, we might illuminate a path out of where we are, find some terrian that's more adventageous.
-
Assuming our torch didn't get drenched due to video game logic
Okay, disagreements aside, there's no need for this.
-
>Do not leave the water. Press onward.
You have that backwards, actually.
We WILL lose is we fight her now. There is no question. She can chill out on walls. We cannot. She can see. We cannot. She is a perfect shot. We are not a perfect dodger. She is way stronger than us. We can be in as top of a status as you please, there is literally no way we can beat her right now. This situation, as it stands, is completely hopeless. We need to retreat and nullify some of her situational advantages. This isn't Type Moon, where you pick the worst possible choice and get lucky due to plot fiat, we have to fight smart, or we're dead. The only hope we have is getting outside.
And actually, when she hits the torch, she just has to jerk it out of our grasp before we can do a thing. And you've still not proposed how we're going to light up a sodden torch, or an unsodden torch, before she's webbing us up. And how are we supposed to slice stands out of midair when we're only barely competent with a sword?
-
>Get on dry land, and light that torch if possible before she catches up to us. If not, then by all means, continue hiding in the river.
>Status check.
This is pointless, you know. You're convinced we will lose if we stop. I don't agree. We can argue about until doomsday, and I'm pretty certain I can't convince you you're wrong, and you'll never convince me this situation is as bleak as you've made it out to be. The only hope we have is to stop now, before this bad situation gets any worse.
So this would be a very good time for somebody else to weigh in. Purvis and I obviously can't agree, so I'd like to know what the rest of you think. Should we keep running until we run out of gas, or the next obstacle, or the one after that defeats us? Or should we try to end this now, while we still have a chance?
-
May as well give my two cents, then. We may not be able to last much longer in the water, but our chances on land aren't much better. So, I say we first go on land and check to see if we even have anything to light the torch, and if our torch is dry enough to be lit. If so, we light the torch, try to make outside progress while on land, warming ourselves a bit with the fire, then hop back in the water when she gets too close for comfort and/or steals our torch. We won't need it where we're going, hopefully. If we get outside, we can either finish her off because she was foolish enough to follow us out, or go and get the help we desperately need.
That's my take, anyway.
-
Reasonable enough to me. If we lose our torch before finding an alternate escape route, or if we get in over our head, then the river is still there to flee in. Assuming the torch lights at all, of course. Won't know until we try.
And by the way, Purvis. We are not 'barely competant' in swordsmanship. When you yourself asked that question six pages ago, we got,
>You have practiced with them a little, though you've generally favored throwing weapons and daggers and trained foremost with these. That being said, you're sure you could be reasonably competent with this weapon, provided you weren't squaring off against another swordsman.
I would rate 'reasonably competant' a bit higher than 'barely competant'. Certainly competant enough to hit a large object that we can see and hear coming, depending on how fast it's moving, of course.
-
If you can't take on someone else, that's not competent. It's kind of the opposite of competent. It seems to hint more heavily that we can swing it around and not get our hand cut off for being a mook. And, I should note, that lighting with flint and steel tends to take several minutes. I doubt we'd have that if the torch were in a lightable state. It is very unlikely we'll have that kind of time. Recall that the last time we ignored these sort of details, we ended up rolling around in silk, getting stuck, and found ourselves in this situation in the first place.
-
>Status check.
>You are tired, battered, wet, chilled, and thoroughly miserable. Your head still pounds from its encounter with the falling rock and you feel bruised in multiple other places from the same episode. Or maybe some of that was from being hurled against the cave wall earlier? Or maybe the multiple shoals you've scraped against as you raced down the river blind... The cuts and scrapes and bruises all sort of blend together now.
>You left shoulder and right hand seem to be largely recovered from their envenomations, though they still have some residual stiffness and numbness respectively. The former bite is still tender, though the latter was too minute to be very painful even when it happened. The venom, on the other hand... You repress that very unpleasant memory for the moment.
>You have a moderately sized burn on your right arm, its sharp stinging reduced to a dull effusive throb by now. Perhaps the cold water may have been good for something, at least.
>You can feel bits of webbing and the remains of tethers stuck to you all over the place, though none in positions that notably restrain your movement at the moment.
>The bandages around your acid burn from earlier today feel rather looser than when they were applied, but are still holding. The wound itself is but a minor discomfort among all the other pains; you expect no small part of this is due to Minoriko's care.
>You feel deeply chilled from being in the cold water for so long, though you're managing not to shiver too vigorously so far; maybe it's the adrenaline? On top of this, your muscles feel weary from the day's continuous exertion. Given the circumstances, you're sure you can keep pushing yourself for a while, if you have to, but you're definitely well past peak condition.
>Get on dry land, and light that torch if possible before she catches up to us. If not, then by all means, continue hiding in the river.
>You quickly retrieve the torch and striking stone from your pack, doing your best not to drip all over things. Then you tear off a couple small bits of paper from the packing around your rations to use for tinder and set to getting some light on the situation at long last.
>Striking sparks from your knife comes easily enough. As ever, the difficult part is coaxing those sparks into a sustaining flame, but you use the sound of the approaching youkai as motivation to work quickly and on the 6th or 7th attempt, the fire catches. The consuming darkness retreats from your surroundings as the flame of the torch grows brighter and bolder. It feels like long, painful ages, but you can see again!
>As you had suspected from the acoustics, you are in a very large chamber, stretching beyond sight in several directions. The river, wide and relatively slow at this point, cuts through the middle of it, meandering its way around to the northwest where it continues on into the dark. There are large flat banks on both sides of the river, though you can see the opposite one only faintly from this distance. The terrain on your side is fairly featureless and nondescript; there are scattered protuberances along the ground, though no spectacular geological formations. It extends further east than you can see, though you can dimly spot the cavern walls swooping in towards the river in the distance to the north, ending the shoreline decisively. To the southwest, the river issues forcefully through a narrow break in the cavern wall. And, almost faintly enough to miss, so does a certain brown-garbed figure, quickly disappearing upward among the stalactites lining the ceiling.
-
>Precious light!
>Flex our left arm a time or two, just because we can again.
>Apart from the missus that wants our head up there, are there any signs of spiders down here? Webs, scents, smells, anything?
>Follow that youkai's movements. The last thing we need is her bushwhacking us again.
>Place torch in tail, and sword in main hand. Advance slowly in a generally northerly direction if there are no obvious spider signs that way.
-
>Precious light!
>Flex our left arm a time or two, just because we can again.
>Apart from the missus that wants our head up there, are there any signs of spiders down here? Webs, scents, smells, anything?
>Follow that youkai's movements. The last thing we need is her bushwhacking us again.
>Place torch in tail, and sword in main hand. Advance slowly in a generally northerly direction if there are no obvious spider signs that way.
>It feels like an interminable length of time since you've been able to see anything down here...
>You flex your left arm a little. Still a bit stiff, and definitely sore, but a dramatic improvement from earlier.
>You see no sign of webs, and in fact, the spidery scent seems more faint here than in the sections of the cavern before the river. You detect no obvious hint of their presence, at least in your immediate vicinity.
>You try to follow the youkai's movements, but you've basically lost her among the ceiling again. The stalactites provide amble opportunities for concealment, and interfere with your light even reaching that high. While she seems to be moving quite stealthily, you can still hear the occasional sound suggesting that she is heading in your general direction.
>You transfer the torch to your tail and ready the sword in your main hand again. Then you continue further north.
>You progress along the shore without incident. More of the river comes into view to the northwest as you move, though you still see no sign of any points of interest along it. The opposite bank seems to continue alongside the river as far as you can see, though you're drawing steadily closer to the end of this one. At this pace, you're quite certain the youkai is gaining on you, though you a hard time pinning down her exact position - several times you lose track of her for a number of seconds at a stretch.
>Details of the terrain to the northeast start to resolve as you continue forward. The wall ahead of you seems to double back after a short distance and sweep out further north. You think you can see signs of tunnels along it, though you still can't see its ultimate extent from here.
-
>Draw closer to those tunnels. See if one or any of them might be large enough to accomodate us while we're vertical. A bit faster, too, let's not give her easy a time making up ground.
-
>Draw closer to those tunnels. See if one or any of them might be large enough to accomodate us while we're vertical. A bit faster, too, let's not give her easy a time making up ground.
>You angle towards the tunnels to get a better look at them. The closest seems to be 6 or so feet high and not much wider than that, with a pronounced downward slope, at least by its entrance. You can see a second, somewhat further east along a pronounced jut in the cavern wall. This one is rather more spacious; it's perhaps twice as high and somewhat wider, though you cannot see far down it. The wall continues past these into the darkness to the east.
>You hear another faint sound of movement against rock from overhead. You don't think it was more than 20 feet away from you on the horizontal.
-
>Light or no, staying out here isn't getting us anywhere. Not if we want this to end any time soon.
>"If you wanna finish this, you won't be able to get me when you're up there!"
>Make for the second tunnel. Wider means more room to dodge, and that's always good for us.
-
>Light or no, staying out here isn't getting us anywhere. Not if we want this to end any time soon.
>"If you wanna finish this, you won't be able to get me when you're up there!"
>Make for the second tunnel. Wider means more room to dodge, and that's always good for us.
>You can't imagine waiting for your stalker to catch you would be productive, at any rate.
>You get no response from the ceiling.
>You make a break for the second tunnel. Scattered hints of movement from above let you know that the youkai is still in pursuit, in case that were ever in doubt. Your flight is fairly obviously slower than it was the last time you started running from spiders in this place - you're not sure you can do much better in your condition - but at least she doesn't seem to be obviously gaining on you.
>As you reach the tunnel mouth, you hear the sound of something swiftly parting the air between you and the ceiling behind you.
-
>Compare sound to previous things she's thrown at us.
>Abrubt shift in direction to the left, then turn and see what she threw at us this time.
-
>Compare sound to previous things she's thrown at us.
>Abrubt shift in direction to the left, then turn and see what she threw at us this time.
>It does sound a lot like another tether.
>You quickly sidestep to the left and spin around. Your estimation proves correct: the youkai has descended some feet from the ceiling by a drop line and is holding a tether that's no more than a few feet distant from you by this point. She twists her wrist and jerks the shot towards your new position.
-
>Gauge the timing carefully....
>Dodge right this time, then slice down on the tether; cut it down in mid-air.
-
>Gauge the timing carefully....
>Dodge right this time, then slice down on the tether; cut it down in mid-air.
>You measure your timing, then make a quick dodge to the right as the tether closes and slash out at it. The sword easily parts the silk beneath its blade; the strands seem almost to curl away from it as it cuts through. The tip sails over your left shoulder while the rest of the tether lightly collides with your torso then falls to the ground.
>The youkai lets the tether in her hand go then flicks out another. This one doesn't seem aimed at you so much as at the wall behind you.
-
>Does that strand block our path towards the wider tunnel mentioned earlier? If so, does it fall within melee range?
>If so, then cut it, and start heading for that tunnel again.
>If it blocks our path but doesn't fall within melee range, then move towards it, cut it, and head towards the wider tunnel.
>If it doesn't appear to block our path, then move towards the wider tunnel again, but be prepared to evade and slice it out of the air if she alters its heading towards us.
-
>Does that strand block our path towards the wider tunnel mentioned earlier? If so, does it fall within melee range?
>If so, then cut it, and start heading for that tunnel again.
>If it blocks our path but doesn't fall within melee range, then move towards it, cut it, and head towards the wider tunnel.
>If it doesn't appear to block our path, then move towards the wider tunnel again, but be prepared to evade and slice it out of the air if she alters its heading towards us.
>It is directed towards a wall near the mouth of the tunnel, but is too high up to block your own path. You might be able to reach it with the tip of your sword if you jumped, but it is not in easy melee range.
>You turn and dash towards the tunnel once more. The tether hits the rock overhead before you reach it and then you hear a much heavier object moving through the air behind it.
-
>All stop!
>Turn and see what's coming. Be prepared to dodge and slice a tether, or dodge altogether if it's something heavier.
>Of course, if she's coming down to our level, so much the better.
-
>All stop!
>Turn and see what's coming. Be prepared to dodge and slice a tether, or dodge altogether if it's something heavier.
>Of course, if she's coming down to our level, so much the better.
>You stop and turn around, ready to intercept whatever is coming your way. Swinging towards you is the youkai herself, her drop line left dangling several feet behind her now.
>As you turn to look, you see her lash a tether onto a rock as she passes by it. Aided by her own momentum, she whips it off the ground and sends it hurtling towards you.
-
>Well, then. That's a neat trick. Glad we prepared.
>Put that rodent agility to work, and get the hell out of the way. Day's been bad enough without taking that upside the head.
-
>Well, then. That's a neat trick. Glad we prepared.
>Put that rodent agility to work, and get the hell out of the way. Day's been bad enough without taking that upside the head.
>You scrabble sideways and duck your head down. The rock sails past you and crashes loudly against the wall behind you, nearly masking the sound of a second being thrown from your other side as the youkai swings past you.
-
>Praise be to rodent hearing as well.
>Duck and roll to the side towards her zipline, then come back to our feet and give it a slash. See if we can mess up her landing.
-
>Praise be to rodent hearing as well.
>Duck and roll to the side towards her zipline, then come back to our feet and give it a slash. See if we can mess up her landing.
>All those poor people out there, living in a perpetual state of near-deafness...
>This would require rolling in the direction of the incoming rock. Are you sure you wish to do this?
-
>Assuming a properly executed dodge-roll, would we get under the incoming rock?
-
>Assuming a properly executed dodge-roll, would we get under the incoming rock?
>You're fairly certain not, given that it was likely launched from the ground. It would be a close scrape, at the very least.
-
>Then we'd best go the other direction, then hadn't we? Safe landings this time, spider-woman.
-
>Then we'd best go the other direction, then hadn't we? Safe landings this time, spider-woman.
>You duck and roll to your left, pulling yourself as low to the ground as you can. Given the rock's own low trajectory, this turns out to not quite be enough. Part of it slams into your side as you tumble, drawing a sharp wince from you. Like you needed any more bruises today... At least the roll seems to have taken some of the force out of the impact. The rock clatters off to your side, scraping along the ground for a short distance.
-
>As far as impacts go, had worse.
>There's nothing else coming that we need to be prepared for, is there?
>Spring to our feet regardless, or as near as we can get to springing after all the pummeling we've taken, and brandish sword in front of us. Let's see where she ended up.
-
>As far as impacts go, had worse.
>There's nothing else coming that we need to be prepared for, is there?
>Spring to our feet regardless, or as near as we can get to springing after all the pummeling we've taken, and brandish sword in front of us. Let's see where she ended up.
>Definitely, although you'd be just as happy not to have any more today, just the same.
>Nothing you can hear, at any rate.
>You pull yourself to your feet, brandishing the sword before you. The spider youkai is nowhere to be seen.
-
>Nowhere to be seen? She was heading towards the tunnel, hadn't even landed yet. She can't have gotten out of view that quickly.
>Listen for her.
-
>Nowhere to be seen? She was heading towards the tunnel, hadn't even landed yet. She can't have gotten out of view that quickly.
>Listen for her.
>Given her distance to the tunnel, it's quite conceivable she simply finished her swing into it while you were rolling away.
>In fact, judging by the sounds you can hear from that direction, that seems to likely be the case.
-
>Well, suppose that's still better than he being up among the rafters hurling things at us.
>Can we tell what she's doing in there?
-
>Well, suppose that's still better than he being up among the rafters hurling things at us.
>Can we tell what she's doing in there?
>Quite possibly...
>Not specifically. She seems to be moving around a little, but not growing obviously further away.
-
>Any repreive.
>Approach the tunnel, but not quickly. Cautiously. And just far enough to be able to see in, see her, see what she's up to.
>Try not to sound as weary as we probably are and call, "Can we stop now?"
-
>Any repreive.
>Approach the tunnel, but not quickly. Cautiously. And just far enough to be able to see in, see her, see what she's up to.
>Try not to sound as weary as we probably are and call, "Can we stop now?"
>You're certainly not about to say no to one.
>You move cautiously towards the tunnel, just far enough to see in. Looking down the length of it, you still don't see the youkai; you're quite certain she couldn't have traveled that far in this short a length of time. ...wait, is that a tripwire, strung across the ground just past the entrance? You think it is; the cord is slender enough to be easily missed, and you probably would have done so if you weren't just standing here sizing the place up.
>You appeal for a cease-fire, but get no answer save silence. In fact, you don't hear any sound from the tunnel at all anymore. Odd...
-
>Seems highly unlikely that she'd just give up now. But if she's setting up a parlor in there, we'll not be fool enough to step into it.
>Start moving towards the first tunnel, the one that seemed more narrow. But not too quickly, let's see if she reacts to us moving away, as opposed to chasing her.
-
>Seems highly unlikely that she'd just give up now. But if she's setting up a parlor in there, we'll not be fool enough to step into it.
>Start moving towards the first tunnel, the one that seemed more narrow. But not too quickly, let's see if she reacts to us moving away, as opposed to chasing her.
>You aren't eager to run into any more traps of hers, given how unpleasant your brush with her last one was.
>Instead, you turn around and move slowly towards the other tunnel, keeping an ear out for any potential reaction to your retreat. A few feet... nothing. A few more... still nothing. After you get around 15 feet away, you finally think you hear a sound from the direction of the tunnel behind you.
-
>A sound like a youkai, or something else? If something else, identify.
-
>A sound like a youkai, or something else? If something else, identify.
>Possibly movement. It is quiet and slight.
-
>Take up position against the wall of the cave, a couple feet away from the entrance to that tunnel.
-
>Take up position against the wall of the cave, a couple feet away from the entrance to that tunnel.
>You move up against the wall, a couple feet away from the entrance of the smaller tunnel, and wait. And then wait some more. If the youkai is out here, she seems content to wait as well; you neither hear nor see any sign of her.
-
>"You're not gonna be able to take my head in there, you know. You're going to have the guts to come out here, and we can finish this."
>"Or, on the other hand, you can talk to me, and we can find another way to end this. You say you're defending your home. Well so am I. Easthaven was where I began my life, where I became who I am. I came back when I learned there was trouble here. To help the people I kne.... The people I cared about."
-
>"You're not gonna be able to take my head in there, you know. You're going to have the guts to come out here, and we can finish this."
>"Or, on the other hand, you can talk to me, and we can find another way to end this. You say you're defending your home. Well so am I. Easthaven was where I began my life, where I became who I am. I came back when I learned there was trouble here. To help the people I kne.... The people I cared about."
>You repeat your appeal for an alternate resolution. You don't know for certain whether the youkai is listening or not, but you get no reply. The chamber is still silent, save for the passage of the river.
-
>"Fine, then."
>Start moving towards the other tunnel again.
>Keep an ear open behind us, if she gets up to any shenanigans. But if she won't come out, then let her stay there.
-
>"Fine, then."
>Start moving towards the other tunnel again.
>Keep an ear open behind us, if she gets up to any shenanigans. But if she won't come out, then let her stay there.
>You give a verbal shrug and then head into the tunnel next to you. It is a comfortable enough space, unlike some of the tunnels you walked through earlier on this expedition, though it does leave little room for evasion. The tunnel has a pronounced downward slope and the entrance falls out of view a very short distance into it. Otherwise it is relatively straight and obstacle-free, with a slight eastward curve. You continue along it for a little while without any obvious sound of pursuit, going steadily deeper. Just how deep do these caves go, anyway? By this point, you really have no clue how far beneath the surface you are, or even how far you've traveled from the point of entry.
>Up ahead you can see a small chamber, probably little more than 20 feet in diameter, with stalagmites scattered across the floor. Its east side is oddly rubble-strewn, with jagged slabs of rock and piles of large stones reaching all the way to the ceiling. You can see several more tunnels branching off from it, roughly similar in size to this one. There is one in the northwest corner with a pronounced downward slope and another along the north wall, appearing to keep roughly level. To the southeast is another tunnel, but it appears to have suffered some sort of collapse in the past. One side of the tunnel is sheered off from the other by several feet and the remaining space is strew with debris; you think it would be a tight squeeze. Your own tunnel adjoins the room from the southwest.
-
>Take a moment to assess the sights, sounds and scents of the area, both in front of and behind us.
>If there's no obvious signs of hostile activity around that we can detect, pick out a decent sized rock and sit down for a few minutes.
-
>Take a moment to assess the sights, sounds and scents of the area, both in front of and behind us.
>If there's no obvious signs of hostile activity around that we can detect, pick out a decent sized rock and sit down for a few minutes.
>No new sounds or scents jump out at you in this area. The scent of spider is so faint as to be nearly absent and you can hear the river only distantly now. Each of the tunnels seems quiet save for the soft reverberation of rushing water
>Given the apparent lack of any hostile activity, or indeed any activity at all, you go find a rock to rest on for a bit. None of them are particularly comfortable looking, being rough and angular, but you pick out what seems to be the best of a bad lot and plunk yourself down upon it. It isn't long before a bump in the rock's surface starts to dig uncomfortably into your rump, but it's still nice to be off your feat and not running for your life from one threat or another.
>After a little while you start to smell something... unpleasant in the air. It is still indistinct and you cannot identify it, but there is definitely an aura of something unwholesome to it.
-
>"Here we go again..."
>Where's it coming from, and what can we see from that direction?
-
>"Here we go again..."
>Where's it coming from, and what can we see from that direction?
>You sniff around the chamber for a moment, frowning. It's definitely coming from the tunnel you arrived through. Looking back up it, you don't see anything new, but the slope of the tunnel prevents you from seeing further than 15 feet or so. The tunnel itself was considerably longer than that.
-
>Puzzlement. From behind us? Did she get reinforcements, or something?
>Bah, we'll see in due course. Do the rocks around the tunnel aperture allow us to string a tripwire of our own?
-
>Puzzlement. From behind us? Did she get reinforcements, or something?
>Bah, we'll see in due course. Do the rocks around the tunnel aperture allow us to string a tripwire of our own?
>That's a good question... Though this doesn't smell quite of spider to you.
>While they are not ideally positioned for this, the stalagmites that dot the floor of the chamber could be used to string tripwires. One is quite near the left of the tunnel exit, but the nearest on the right is a small distance forward of the tunnel and quite a bit further to the side. Still, even if it would require an extra long line and not provide a perfectly aligned wire, you do think it could be usable.
-
>Do it, then.
>Well, unless we can see her/them/it coming before we're done. In which case, drop the line and prepare to meet the enemy.
-
>Do it, then.
>Well, unless we can see her/them/it coming before we're done. In which case, drop the line and prepare to meet the enemy.
>You take out the spool of twine and set to trying a tripwire across the tunnel exit. After securely knotting one end to the first stalagmite, you unspool enough to reach the second, draw it as taut as you can, then secure that end as well. You give the tripwire a couple experimental tugs. Feels pretty good.
>While you can still neither hear nor see anything coming, the foul scent has grown steadily stronger while you worked. It now hangs heavily in the air all around you, and it's all you can do not to wear a perpetual grimace in its presence.
-
>Have we ever smelled anything quite that funky before? Or at least, within the context of this job?
>Do we detect any incoming from any other direction?
>Edge a couple feet towards the northern tunnels, but keeps our eyes on the tunnel we came from.
-
>Have we ever smelled anything quite that funky before? Or at least, within the context of this job?
>Do we detect any incoming from any other direction?
>Edge a couple feet towards the northern tunnels, but keeps our eyes on the tunnel we came from.
>Nothing you have encountered thus far on this expedition has smelled quite like this. Its aroma is not that of spiders or their acid, it foulness is not that of rotten meat or vegetation, though there are shades of this among it. There is something thick about it; you feel almost as though you can taste it on your tongue.
>You do not.
>You edge a couple feet towards the two tunnels to the north. Neither your eyes, fixed on the tunnel you came from, nor your ears detect any signs of approaching creatures. ...wait, is that... smoke? No, definitely not. Its consistency is more like fog, but darker - insubstantial wisps of black hanging in the air like a heavy haze. Whatever it is, it's drifting forth from the southwest tunnel.
-
>So now it's black clouds of foul-smelling ominousness. Lovely. What else can happen down here.
>Hm. Does our treasure sense tell us anything about that thing?
>Take another few steps backwards.
-
>So now it's black clouds of foul-smelling ominousness. Lovely. What else can happen down here.
>Hm. Does our treasure sense tell us anything about that thing?
>Take another few steps backwards.
>You're of the firm opinion that you've already had quite enough unpleasant surprises down here today. They can't possibly be paying you well enough for all this.
>You cannot sense anything of note in that direction.
>You take another few steps backwards. The haze continues to thicken in the air around you. While it is densest and most obviously visible towards the tunnel mouth, you can see hints of it hanging heavily all around you.
-
>Definately not getting paid enough for this.
>Turn and run. Into what ever tunnel that can accomodate us at a run that's closest.
-
>Definately not getting paid enough for this.
>Turn and run. Into what ever tunnel that can accomodate us at a run that's closest.
>The northwest and northern tunnels are approximately equidistant and of similar size. The former appears to descend sharply while the latter remains roughly on the current level, as least as far down it as you can see. Which will you run towards?
-
>Not anxious to go down again. North tunnel.
-
>Not anxious to go down again. North tunnel.
>You turn and make a break for the north tunnel. Whatever this haze is, it seems little disturbed by the air stirred up from your passing. In fact, you swear you can almost feel it clinging to you as you sprint away. Still, each breath you take as you run feels comparatively fresher than the last; stale and old is at least better than whatever that was. Even so, your lungs feel somehow... unpleasant, even for that short exposure. They don't precisely ache, but there is some lingering sense of something... off. Your breath feels thick and slightly raspy. Perhaps it's just lingering distaste for the aroma? That is certainly not in short supply.
>You think you've given yourself a generous lead on the haze and the air here seems free of it, at least as best you can tell over the lingering sense of it in your lungs. The tunnel itself has so far been nondescript and largely straight, though it appears to curve eastward a short distance ahead of you.
-
>Better not pause in case that crap's still following. Continue.
-
>Better not pause in case that crap's still following. Continue.
>You continue forward, not at all eager to let the haze catch up with you. The tunnel carries on in a similar fashion for a little while, then you round another corner and your heart sinks. A couple dozen feet ahead there is a dramatic sheer in the rock, similar to the one you noticed along the southeast tunnel of the previous chamber. In fact, judging by their relative positions, it may even be the result of the same geological event. The key difference here is that it cleaves perpendicular to this tunnel, rather than down its middle. The result is a virtual dead end; you can see a thin gap along the floor where both sections of the tunnel still overlap, the floor ahead of you being nearly flush with the ceiling beyond that. You could probably reach an arm through the gap, but your head is certainly out of the question.
-
>Dead end. Really should have seen that coming.
>Back the way we came
-
>Dead end. Really should have seen that coming.
>Back the way we came
>This was a very poorly positioned geological event.
>You turn and head back the way you came. Around the halfway point of the tunnel, you start to detect that foul smell again, and not far beyond it you can see thin traces of black haze in the air.
>You think you can hear... scraping noises from somewhere ahead of you, like rocks being moved.
-
Well, I got nothing. As I see it, we either go forward and meet a painful end, or go back to the dead end, and wait for a painful end.
EDIT: Fuck it. I have an idea, gonna run with it. If we're gonna lose, I'm gonna be a little creative first.
>Could we see through that cloud at all, or was it opaque?
>Back up a few steps, and take two slow, deep breaths. Then hold our breath.
>Produce the umbrella.
-
>Could we see through that cloud at all, or was it opaque?
>Back up a few steps, and take two slow, deep breaths. Then hold our breath.
>Produce the umbrella.
>While the haze did obscure visibility somewhat, it was no more than mild smoke might. At close range, there was little impairment, though your maximum sight range might be somewhat impeded where the haze is denser.
>You back up a few steps, then take a pair of deep breaths and hold them.
>You reach into your pack and withdraw the tie-dyed umbrella.
-
>Hold the umbrella in front of our face, like a windscreen from the gas.
>Charge through the cloud as fast as our legs can carry us, and hope to merciful Shinki heaven that gas isn't corrosive.
>As soon as we can determine when we're out the other side, drop the umbrella down from our face. Guaran-damn-teed she's waiting for us out there, and she won't catch us unawares.
-
>Hold the umbrella in front of our face, like a windscreen from the gas.
>Charge through the cloud as fast as our legs can carry us, and hope to merciful Shinki heaven that gas isn't corrosive.
>As soon as we can determine when we're out the other side, drop the umbrella down from our face. Guaran-damn-teed she's waiting for us out there, and she won't catch us unawares.
>You raise the umbrella in front of your face in the hope that it will at least repel some of the haze before you. Then you take off down the tunnel as fast as you still have strength to run. For all your injuries, your legs have managed to make it through alright and if there were ever a time to push the reserves of your stamina... Soon the haze is all around you. You aren't certain whether the umbrella is warding off some of it, but it's certainly not clearing an open path ahead of you; the haze seems to hang heavily in the air, almost as if it were resisting the push of wind against it. On the bright side, if this stuff is corrosive, you can feel no sign of it. On the other hand, you will certainly be at the limits of your breathing if it extends much past the chamber ahead.
>In the periphery of vision around the umbrella, you see the tunnel give way to the chamber where you first encountered this dark mist. As you cross into it, you feel your foot catch against something thin, but taut. At this speed, there's no chance to catch yourself. You go flying face-first towards the ground.
>You hear a pair of sharp snapping sounds from above you.
-
>Impact or no, don't inhale, whatever happens.
>Second things second. Swear inwardly. This bitch is going down.
>Drop the umbrella, then roll to the side.
-
>Impact or no, don't inhale, whatever happens.
>Second things second. Swear inwardly. This bitch is going down.
>Drop the umbrella, then roll to the side.
>You manage to keep from losing your breath from the impact, but you're running short of it regardless.
>You swear inwardly. You think you've put up with quite enough from her at this point.
>You let go of the umbrella and quickly roll aside. You hear the sound of a couple rocks clatter against the ground where you had been fallen a moment ago, though oddly few for a trap. Then you hear something spring from the wall above you.
-
>'Where' above us? In front of, behind, to the side, which direction?
-
>'Where' above us? In front of, behind, to the side, which direction?
>From behind, and perhaps slightly to the left. If you had to guess, you'd say it was from roughly above the tunnel you just exited.
-
>Can we determine if she's coming right at us?
-
>Can we determine if she's coming right at us?
>It sounds pretty close to that, at any rate.
-
>Roll over onto our back, and, if she is indeed coming at us, give her a slash. Right across the gizzard. And assuming that distracts her, get up and run whichever direction takes us out of this gas.
-
>Roll over onto our back, and, if she is indeed coming at us, give her a slash. Right across the gizzard. And assuming that distracts her, get up and run whichever direction takes us out of this gas.
>You roll over onto your back as the youkai fills your field of vision, nearly on top of you already. She... seems to have more limbs than the last time you saw her. From the back of her midsection sprout two pairs of arachnid legs, banded yellow and brown and each tipped with a sharp-looking claw.
>You transition your roll into a slash, but she flicks a wrist out before you've even barely started the motion. A tether clings to your arm and she fiercely yanks the blow aside, evading it narrowly. Then she lands heavily upon you and it's all you can do to keep the breath from rushing out of you. A claw dives towards your right forearm.
-
So yeah. This kinda sucks. Bad.
I'm going to be mulling over this one for a while, so, if anyone else has any ideas, anything at all, feel free to give them a try. It'd be one more idea than I've got.
-
I did try to warn you.
We have...about one real hope. And it's not much of a hope at all. But, chances are, she's probably never been in a real scrap in her life. I suspect, strongly, she has never been punched in the eye, or hand to deal with any kind of proper pin.
The problem is, we can't fully leverage this as she is way way stronger than we are; so it would only be a short-lived advantage. If we could wrench an arm or something, to the point that strength no longer matters, we might have some temporary ground. But we really can't depend on grappling like we could with a more normal foe, she's pretty much the same as that oni we fought but with a lot more tools.
Also, we might do by trying to jab the sticky ends of one of her tethers into her eye or something.
-
I think how exactly she landed upon Nazrin may help, because if she's busy focusing claws on Nazrin's upper limbs she might be susceptible to a few kicks at her lower body.
Also this is probably a very good thing for story, even if it makes the combat that much harder. Mercy means a lot more coming from the winner than the loser, and that gets ratcheted up even more if the loser went all-out like it seems she's doing.
EDIT: On the other hand, if she just belly-flopped on top of Nazrin and is now pinning her, Nazrin might be able to temporarily stun her with a kiss. >_>
-
EDIT: On the other hand, if she just belly-flopped on top of Nazrin and is now pinning her, Nazrin might be able to temporarily stun her with a kiss. >_>
You, sir, are a genius.
Alright, assuming that doesn't work, and I'm sorely tempted to try it, then that leaves us where we are: Completely at the mercy of someone that wants to kill us and has outclassed almost entirely. And we can't breathe. Be nice if we could show her mercy if we win, but the winning part's the sticky wicket.
I like the idea of sticking one of her own tethers to her eyes, assuming we can put our hands on that particular resource. The only idea I had about how to get her off, so we could run away long enough to get clear of the gas (if we can get clear of the gas, which I'd hardly bet on) is, and you're gonna think this is cruel, but... Jab our torch in her face. If it's physically possible to do it. No matter how much she wants to kill us, she'd have to give us a little breathing room if we give her a face full of fire. Wouldn't she?
-
Well, whatever we do, I think we can all agree that Nazrin needs to get the right forearm the heck outta Dodge. How should this be done?
-
That's something I've been thinking about quite a bit. Cutting the tether attached to it is no problem with the sword, but at the angle we're at now, I don't think we have the leverage to do it. If we can get her off of us, then freeing our arm from her should be a simple matter.
As for how to stop her from tearing our arm to pieces first.... I don't know. I doubt we can jerk it out of the way with it tethered; she can just jerk it back to where she wants it to be. I thought about trying to reach over with our other arm to grab it, deflect it, slash it with our knife, something. But she'd just knock it aside with one of her five other limbs.
The only hope I can see is that we get our torch into her face before her claw hits us, and that'll distract her enough to either halt the claw's progress, or knock it off course enough so that it won't do too much damage. Then, hopefully, we can get out from under her, cut the tether, maybe cut her to disuade pursuit for a couple seconds, give us time enough to try and get out of this cloud so we can breathe without killing ourselves.
-
If the torch is in Nazrin's free hand, then go for it.
Honestly, I even prefer the torch to the eyestab, in terms of fixing things up after the battle. (Not that I'd object to an eyestab if it was the only option, or if everyone else thought it the best idea.)
-
It's not. It's in our tail. That's why I can't be sure of the physics involved, I don't know if it's physicaly possible to pull it off. And if it isn't, then I've gone from one potential idea to no ideas at all.
-
Well, what's in Nazrin's left hand?
-
At the moment, nothing. My first instinct would be to grab a rock and try to hit her in the head with it, either by lobbing it or bashing her, depending on our available leverage. We could draw one of our other two bladed weapons, but we have to assume she'd just knock them out of our hands. Be the sensible thing for her to do. Plus grabbing a rock would probably be faster, assuming there's even one the right size within reach.
And yes, it might be possible for us to transfer the torch to our hand and jab it in her face from front on, but there's two issues with that. Chances are, we wouldn't be able to do that before her claw hits our right arm and causes potentially massive damage, and using our tail means that we'd be attacking from her peripheral vision rather than her looking at the torch. If she could see it coming directly at her, it would probably meet the same result as our kunai or knife: batted out of hands.
-
Well, if you're looking to disrupt what she's doing, and you're worried about not being able to grab anything in time or being able to prevent it from getting parried, I think your best course of action is to swing the knees up into her groin/stomach/whatever they happen to connect with.
-
So, are we largely agreed on some kind of fighting dirty? Because I get the feeling she's probably never had the wind kicked out of her. Also: I would recommend doing this next bit step by step, rather than a few actions at once as is typically.
-
Yeah, I'm down.
Knee to the gut/groin still seems like the safest bet to me, even after dwelling on it.
-
Knee to the gut/groin, definately.
But I still reccomend trying to drive our torch into her face, if it's physically possible to do so. I just don't see a strong knee being enough on its own. And even if it is, consider the torch hedging our bets. At this point, we need all the hedging we can get.
-
I'd be up for facetorching once we're in a position where we feel better about it working.
-
Yknow, I probably should have just done this sooner, but...
>From the position we're in now, is it physically possible to bring our torch up into her face?
-
>From the position we're in now, is it physically possible to bring our torch up into her face?
>You're partially lying on your tail as a result of your earlier dodge roll. You don't know that you have the leverage at the moment to actually jab it into her face without hoisting yourself or rolling back, but you can certainly bring it close enough to be threatening and possibly obscure her sight.
-
Well, shit.
Alright, fine, if that's all we got, then it's all we got. Start praying, men.
>Try to bring our torch up and drive it into her face. Or at least as nearly as we can get to it, given the circumstances.
>Bring a knee up into her groin or gut, whichever one is more feasable from our position.
>Wriggle and squirm for as much room and leverage as we can manage.
>Do try our best to get our arm out of the way of that claw.
-
>Try to bring our torch up and drive it into her face. Or at least as nearly as we can get to it, given the circumstances.
>Bring a knee up into her groin or gut, whichever one is more feasable from our position.
>Wriggle and squirm for as much room and leverage as we can manage.
>Do try our best to get our arm out of the way of that claw.
>You swing the torch up and thrust it towards the youkai's face while simultaneously trying to drive your knee into her. Her position on top of you gives you little leverage for the latter, and you're not certain she even notices it, but the torch draws an immediate reaction. She draws her head back quickly, shielding her eyes with her left hand.
>You take the moment's pause to wriggle fiercely beneath her and try to pull your arm away. You gain perhaps a little leverage out from underneath her, but the movement of your arm is countered fiercely a moment after you start to struggle.
>Beneath the light of the torch, you see her slash at your tail with the arachnid limbs on the left of her body while angling another trust towards your right arm.
>You are getting very, very short of breath; running and struggling uses up air like nobody's business. Even if you can manage to suppress your instinct to breathe, you expect you'll be getting light-headed very shortly.
-
>We have our left hand free?
>Fan our our left hand, and gouge her right in the eyes with the force of a dozen angry stooges.
>Drag the torch more toward her torso right afterward. If she wants to wave those legs at us, let's make her pay for it.
-
>Try to move our right arm out of the way of that incoming claw. Especially if we can do so and cut her at the same time.
>Or cut the tether. Whichever works.
>Hey, wait, we're a mouse. Bite her in the stomach, or the arm, whichever we can reach.
-
>Hey, wait, we're a mouse. Bite her in the stomach, or the arm, whichever we can reach.
>Don't do these just yet. Let's resolve things a step at a time.
-
>We have our left hand free?
>You do.
>Fan our our left hand, and gouge her right in the eyes with the force of a dozen angry stooges.
>Drag the torch more toward her torso right afterward. If she wants to wave those legs at us, let's make her pay for it.
>Try to move our right arm out of the way of that incoming claw. Especially if we can do so and cut her at the same time.
>Or cut the tether. Whichever works.
>You fan your left arm and drive your fingers forcefully towards the youkai's eyes while moving the torch aside, both to evade the slashes aimed at your tail and to avoid having to jab your fingers through the flame. At the same time, you try to wrestle your right arm free and pivot your wrist to bring the blade to bear against something useful.
>With the youkai's hand already screening her face from the torch's flame, your attempt to jab her eyes proves futile. She simply brings her arm more fully in front and absorbs the attack with less sensitive flesh. You do manage to keep your tail away from the pair of claws swooping towards it and bring the torch closer to her torso, though less close than it had been against her face. Still, she twists that side of her body away from the flame.
>The tether on your arm is positioned so that you would need to twist your wrist very awkwardly in order to reach it. The youkai jerking against it prevents you from moving precisely enough to accomplish this. You do manage to tilt the blade closer to the incoming arm, but not deftly enough to prevent her from easily evading it. However, whether through this maneuver or some combination of other distractions, you manage to turn a solid stab into a glancing blow. You feel her claw cut a sharp and painful gash from a few inches up the side of your arm down to your elbow. Some of what little breath you still have hisses out between tightly pressed lips. Your lungs feel like they're staring to burst from your chest. You need air!
-
>Keep driving the torch toward her, and see if we can grab some hair with that free hand and latch onto it.
>Does she seem to have any respiratory issues at the moment?
Biting isn't a bad idea, but we're not in a good position for it right now. Also, I'll leave this breathing thing to you.
-
Whaddya mean, 'we're not in a good position for it right now?' Our position is 'Holy shit, this crazy bitch is about to tear my throat out!", that's a perfect to time to bite, scratch, kick, anything and everything. Which gives me another idea.
>Spit in her eyes.
>Inhale for no more than half a second.
>Bite at her stomach, her arm, whatever's closest to us.
>Keep trying to work the sword enough to cut her, even a nick at this point would be more than anything else we've done to her.
-
More along the lines of biting her now is largely just going to put is in a position where she has even more power over us than before. We have to time these things.
>Before doing that, where is her stomach in relation to us?
-
You may have a point.
>Forget the biting.
-
>Keep driving the torch toward her, and see if we can grab some hair with that free hand and latch onto it.
>Does she seem to have any respiratory issues at the moment?
>Though you have little focus to observe this among all the other thing happening in the melee, her breathing does not seem obviously impaired.
>Before doing that, where is her stomach in relation to us?
>Over your lower torso, and partially bent to one side away from you.
>Keep driving the torch toward her, and see if we can grab some hair with that free hand and latch onto it.
>Spit in her eyes.
>Inhale for no more than half a second.
>Keep trying to work the sword enough to cut her, even a nick at this point would be more than anything else we've done to her.
>You try to stretch the torch closer towards her, but with you partially pinning your own tail, you think this is about as far as you can reach. The youkai pulls the part of her body you jab it towards out of range, though you imagine it's close enough to be uncomfortably hot.
>At the same time, you spit at the youkai's eyes and draw a quick breath afterwards. Even this short gulp of air tastes foul and sickly on your tongue; you can feel it settle heavily in your lungs, almost oily. Still, it seems to relieve a little of your body's desperate need for oxygen. The youkai was starting to withdraw her arm from her face when you spit, but quickly replaces it as soon as you do. You suspect a little may have caught her before she did, but you can't be sure.
>You follow the saliva projectile in with your left arm, pulling your torso up a little and grasping at her hair. You clutch a handful of the blond strands tightly, but the youkai immediately responds by shifting her own hand, already by her face, and grabbing firmly onto yours just below the wrist. An arachnid claw sweeps up at it from below.
>All the while, you wrestle for your right arm as she tries to impale it again. While you have little success in actually controlling it, you manage to flail enough with the blade to force the claw to retreat for a moment before scooping in from the side and scoring another smaller gash across your upper arm. Blood begins to well from the new one to match the trickle starting to run down your arm from the first. She pulls her arm back quickly from this strike, ending it prematurely before the blade even threatens to come close again; as focused as she seems to be on impaling you, she is giving the blade an obviously wide berth.
-
>Grip that hair tight as hell; get it between our fingers so that the squeezing itself becomes a pain-inducer.
>What is she trying to do in regards to our left hand: hold it in place, force it away?
-
How disappointing. If she wasn't out of kissing range before, she certainly is now.
-
> How close is her head to ours?
-
>Grip that hair tight as hell; get it between our fingers so that the squeezing itself becomes a pain-inducer.
>What is she trying to do in regards to our left hand: hold it in place, force it away?
>You grip and twist her hair as tightly as you can manage. She grimaces a little, but otherwise seems to take little notice of it. Her expression is wild and strangely vacant, reminding you somehow of a cornered animal.
>She seems to be trying to lower it towards the incoming claw. You manage to twist aside just enough to avoid the worst of the strike, though it still gouges a chunk out of the side of your arm. You cry out in pain, reflexively taking in another gulp of the foul air afterwards. You almost want to gag from it.
>The other arachnid limb sweeps in towards that arm from the side. In the corner of your eye, you see her drive another stab at your sword arm, trying to swoop around to the other side of the blade.
> How close is her head to ours?
>About a foot and a half away, although her arm is still partially obscuring it.
-
Proposal: Use our grip on her hair to yank her head forward and smash the crown of our head into her face, or whatever other part of her head we can reach.
-
Better than anything I can come up with. And if it stuns her at all, I suggest we draw a knife and stab her in the gut. Everything we've done to get her off so far hasn't worked, so it's time for something more drastic.
Also, I suggest using the torch to ward off the claw she's sending at our arm. She might hate the sword and the arm it's in, but she won't stab through fire, I hope.
-
> On which side of our body is our tail currently holding the torch?
-
> On which side of our body is our tail currently holding the torch?
>On your left.
-
That complicates things slightly, because we'll be potentially swinging the torch through the desired point of cranial contact.
Let me think about how to make this work for a moment.
-
Actually, if we're going to yank her head forward, I'm not sure we need to drive the torch at the right-side claw, because I think a combination of further wiggling on our part and yanking her head around will cause a temporary inability to aim properly. It might help for us to pull forward with our right arm at the same time, both to move it around and to generate further pull toward us.
-
Another thing we can do: Yank our left hand against her thumb. That's the weak point of one's grip, and it works on people drastically stronger than yourself.
-
welp
> Yank forward with both arms. The right arm should only be a generic forward yank, to put some forward pressure on her. With the left arm yank, however, try to pull her head straight toward ours.
> At the same time (and using the force of our pulling as much as possible), swing our head and however much of our torso is necessary up, so that we are thrusting our head toward her face, which the left arm should be pulling toward our head. Lower the angle of our head while pulling and swinging forward so that the crowd of our head is pointed toward her face.
Fake edit: nvm
Isn't our left hand currently full of hair? How are we going to yank against a thumb?
-
The fun way.
Or rather, this is presuming hand freedom is better than yanking around by the hair and we let go.
-
If we're just going to let go without doing anything, why did we grab in the first place? o_O
-
In hopes that a shock to the head would distract her focus a bit. I kinda didn't think she would also be a crazy trance where she's pretty much pain immune.
-
So do you think we should let go and aim for the thumb instead? If so, what should we do about the two arachnid limbs currently headed for our arms?
-
Well, freeing our arm will allow us to deal with one at least one of them. There's not a whole lot we can do about the other right now.
At this point, it's largely do we think a headbutt will do anything to her? I think we can get a pretty nasty one going, but would it be enough to overcome the fact she doesn't seem to be affected by pain anymore?
-
At this point, I'm less interested in pain and more interested in disorientation. I don't think we're going to outdamage her, and she's still aware enough of what she's doing to know to dodge the nastier things, which suggests to me we need to reduce her awareness.
-
At this point, I'm less interested in pain and more interested in disorientation. I don't think we're going to outdamage her, and she's still aware enough of what she's doing to know to dodge the nastier things, which suggests to me we need to reduce her awareness.
This. A decent headbutt might not do too much damage by itself, but it just might give us a few seconds of breathing room. Time enough to do something more than flail desperately, which is basically all we've been able to do for the past few commands.
-
Let's hope she's not also impact proof.
> Yank forward with both arms. The right arm should only be a generic forward yank, to put some forward pressure on her. With the left arm yank, however, try to pull her head straight toward ours.
> At the same time (and using the force of our pulling as much as possible), swing our head and however much of our torso is necessary up, so that we are thrusting our head toward her face, which the left arm should be pulling toward our head. Lower the angle of our head while pulling and swinging forward so that the crowd of our head is pointed toward her face.
-
> Yank forward with both arms. The right arm should only be a generic forward yank, to put some forward pressure on her. With the left arm yank, however, try to pull her head straight toward ours.
> At the same time (and using the force of our pulling as much as possible), swing our head and however much of our torso is necessary up, so that we are thrusting our head toward her face, which the left arm should be pulling toward our head. Lower the angle of our head while pulling and swinging forward so that the crowd of our head is pointed toward her face.
>You yank fiercely with both of your arms, while tilting your head forward and driving it towards the youkai's face. You feel a sharp slicing against the side of your left arm immediately followed by an abrupt and heavy impact against your skull. The youkai lets out a sort of frustrated yelp, perhaps more surprised than pained; it is still a grimly satisfying sound. The path her claw was scoring along your arm trails off, and you feel her grip on you slacken just a little.
-
> Quickly, yank her in and drive our head forward again!
-
Fuck year, finally some progress. And I'm sorry, Kilga, but I think we need to try something more than another headbutt, especially since we might concuss ourselves in the process.
>No headbutt, more metal.
>If we're still holding on to her head, release it, then produce the knife or kunai, whichever we can draw faster, and stab her in the gut.
>Take advantage of this momentary cessation of offense from her to try and wriggle out from under her as much as possible.
>Try to cut the tether on our arm with the sword, before she recovers enough to jerk our arm around again. Or, if we don't think we can, cut HER with the damn thing.
-
/shrug
-
I'm thinking the effectiveness of a second headbutt can be measured by whether or not we broke her nose. If we did, now is the time to get out from under this.
>Before doing all that, did we feel her nose against our head? And if so, did it give?
-
>No headbutt, more metal.
>If we're still holding on to her head, release it, then produce the knife or kunai, whichever we can draw faster, and stab her in the gut.
>Take advantage of this momentary cessation of offense from her to try and wriggle out from under her as much as possible.
>Try to cut the tether on our arm with the sword, before she recovers enough to jerk our arm around again. Or, if we don't think we can, cut HER with the damn thing.
>You tear your arm free of the youkai's grip, then quickly draw the knife from your belt and thrust it into her gut before she recovers her senses. There is no mistaking that this cry is born of pain at least as much as anger;
it comes out as something of a strangled growl.
>Her assault momentarily halted, you wriggle fiercely beneath the youkai. Even without her fighting back, she is still surprisingly heavy, but you try to shove her forward with your arm braced against the knife and slip a leg out to the side. There's one... and the other!
>As you pull yourself free, you try to twist the blade of your sword around to cut the tether. Somehow the youkai still manages to find the wherewithal to counter the motion. Grimacing against the pain and breathing heavily, she yanks on the tether, using a second limb on the strand for better articulation, and twists your arm aside again. Then she claws her left hand against the air. Several very thin strands fly from her fingertips towards your right arm; the range leaves almost no window to react.
-
>Current positions of her and us. Are we still flat on the ground? Is the youkai crouching or standing?
>How much distance is there between us and her?
>Is our knife still in her stomach, or did it come out when we got out from under her?
>Did we move enough to give our tail more range of motion?
-
Since this is the first real instance where (a) we have the time, and (b) I'm around to point it out, since she's so occupied with webbing our right arm, might I suggest grabbing the sword with our left hand?
-
>Current positions of her and us. Are we still flat on the ground? Is the youkai crouching or standing?
>How much distance is there between us and her?
>Is our knife still in her stomach, or did it come out when we got out from under her?
>Did we move enough to give our tail more range of motion?
>You are in the process of pulling yourself off the ground. The youkai seems to be beating you to the punch, just a little; she is already in a crouch and trying to stand. Her expression is tightly gritted, and fairly obviously pained, though still grimly glaring at your sword arm.
>No more than a couple feet.
>It is still embedded in her, after you shoved her off. Blood is starting to brightly stain the fabric of her dress around the wound.
>You have perhaps a little more now, but once you pull yourself a little bit higher, you should have full range of motion again.
-
>Do we have enough leverage to manage a forward lunge with any speed?
-
>Do we have enough leverage to manage a forward lunge with any speed?
>Given that you're still closer to lying on your back than standing, you'd need to raise yourself up first.
-
> Do these strands look the same as the tethers she's been using so far?
-
> Do these strands look the same as the tethers she's been using so far?
>The tethers are substantially thicker, at least an inch or so in diameter. These are extremely fine, almost filament-like.
-
> Use our tail to swipe the lit end of the torch across the path of the strands, preferably near her hand.
-
> Use our tail to swipe the lit end of the torch across the path of the strands, preferably near her hand.
>You hoist yourself and swing your tail back around to the other side of your body in an attempt to interpose the flame in the path of the oncoming tethers. Unfortunately, this isn't quite fast enough. As you bring the torch up, several of the strands hit your arm and coil tightly around it, digging into your flesh. They are... surprisingly sharp!
>The youkai jerks the tether and these new strands in opposite direction and you let out a sharp hiss. You can see thin trickles of blood well up along where they bind your arm, though the strands seem to be wavering along the point where the flame engulfs them.
-
> A piano wire youkai! Keep the flame on those strands, gotta get them off.
> Grab the sword out of our right hand with our left hand and immediately swing the blade end of it at the tethers holding the right arm.
-
> A piano wire youkai! Keep the flame on those strands, gotta get them off.
> Grab the sword out of our right hand with our left hand and immediately swing the blade end of it at the tethers holding the right arm.
>You grit your teeth fiercely as you try to will the flame to hasten its work. Dammit, those stands need to go, now!
>As you move to grab the sword with your left hand, the youkai gives another sharp jerk on the tether and lunges towards you with the other pair of arachnid limbs. You manage to twist the blade away from slicing your own hand but pay for the maneuver as the wire-like stands cut deeper into your arm. This time you cannot hold back a cry as the thin filaments etch a vivid pattern in your flesh. You take another small gulp of blackened air, every bit as unpleasant as the last. It feels like long ages since your last proper breath, and you're still running on very little. Your lungs ache under the strain.
>Despite the pain, you grab your left hand onto your right and work your fingers around the sword grip. You've got it!
>The youkai and the two claws she's leading in with are virtually on top of you, both driving towards your left arm. You feel one of the wires around your right go mercifully slack as the fire collapses her grip on it.
-
>How are we both positioned and intertwined at the moment?
-
>How are we both positioned and intertwined at the moment?
>You are both standing now, the gap between you closed to almost nothing with the youkai lunging at you. She is leading with her right side, both arachnid limbs extended and aimed at your left arm. Their claws are no more than a couple inches away. You right arm is still connected to a tether held jointly in her right hand and an arachnid claw on her left, while her left hand grips the remaining wire-like strands binding you.
-
So. We pretty much can't dodge because she'll jerk us like a puppeteer. She's inches from us, so we don't have the time or space to free ours with the sword or put the sword between us.
Possibility: Elbow to the face? Might stagger her enough to keep those arachnoid limbs off us.
Alternately: Turn sideways a bit to minimize how much of a target we present, and let her run into the torch. The problem being I dunno if that'll stop her. Or if we can resist being marionetted enough to pull it off.
-
Elbow to the face sounds fine to me. I'll be pretty much for any blows to the head as they get suggested.
We might also have to start slashing limbs, as much as it pains me to say it.
-
Indeed. But that'll be for when we get to be a bit more free.
>Whichever arm we feel is best suited for the task, raise the elbow at about her face level, preferably around her nose, and move to meet her charge.
>Should there be no time for that, smack our upper forehead into her face as she closes in and let the momentum of the charge do the rest.
-
>Whichever arm we feel is best suited for the task, raise the elbow at about her face level, preferably around her nose, and move to meet her charge.
>Should there be no time for that, smack our upper forehead into her face as she closes in and let the momentum of the charge do the rest.
>Given that the bindings on your right arm make it painful to wrestle for control of it, you turn the sword aside and angle your left elbow towards the youkai's face instead. From her own motion, you think she might have stopped short of impact, but you forcefully close the distance and connect solidly with her nose. She lets out a sharp yelp at the impact, which you find yourself echoing a moment later as one of her claws digs into your upper arm.
>You feel another wire or two on your right arm go limp.
-
>With our left arm in its current position, can we make a quick swipe downward to sever some of the bindings on our right arm?
-
>With our left arm in its current position, can we make a quick swipe downward to sever some of the bindings on our right arm?
>You might have to jerk your right arm back a little for room, but otherwise this should be no problem.
-
>Would stepping forward also give us clearance?
>Does she still have a knife in her torso?
-
>Would stepping forward also give us clearance?
>Does she still have a knife in her torso?
>No, though stepping back should.
>You would assume it's still there, even if you're not currently in a position to check.
-
>How firm do we feel with out footing?
-
>How firm do we feel with out footing?
>Your footing feels perfectly fine at the moment.
-
>Snap a knee into her gut, trying to hit the knife handle and give it a good jarring. Get that foot back on the ground post-haste
>At the same time, tug our right arm back, and slash down on the bindings with the sword in our left. If momentum and events allow, carry on that slash toward her side or legs or whatever is in the way.
-
>Snap a knee into her gut, trying to hit the knife handle and give it a good jarring. Get that foot back on the ground post-haste
>At the same time, tug our right arm back, and slash down on the bindings with the sword in our left. If momentum and events allow, carry on that slash toward her side or legs or whatever is in the way.
>You snap your knee into the youkai's gut, aiming roughly for where you think you stabbed her. While you only feel a glancing hit against the side of the handle, it still draws a strangled gasp from the youkai.
>At the same time, you grit your teeth and tug on your right arm, wincing as the last remaining wire shifts in the channel it has dug in your flesh. You swiftly bring the sword around and slash downward, cutting a wide arc from your shoulder to the ground. The last of the bindings around your arm goes slack and you feel an instant's soft resistance as the tether parts in the path of your blade. Then the youkai lets out an absolutely agonized scream.
-
>Step back and transfer the sword into our main hand; momentarily assess the damage and how she's reacting to it.
-
>Step back and transfer the sword into our main hand; momentarily assess the damage and how she's reacting to it.
>You swap the sword back into your main hand and step back. Over the sound of the youkai's scream, you hear something fall softly against the ground and glance towards it. It... is about the first foot or so of an arachnid limb, claw and all. Dark blood oozes from its end, pooling where it fell. Your eyes shift upwards a little. The lower of the two limbs on that side ends abruptly in an angular shear. You must have caught her in the process of driving another attack towards your arm. Then the youkai's left leg seems to give out under her and she collapses onto her side.
>Her face is twisted into a agonized grimace and she is breathing rapidly. Looking down, there is a deep cut in that leg, near the knee; blood is already starting to run freely from it. You... don't know you could have done this; you felt barely any resistance beneath your blade at all. You glance towards your weapon only to see a few thin droplets of blood scattered across its surface dissolve and disappear. The sword looks virtually spotless, impossibly so for what it just cut through.
-
>Frown.
>"You ready to call this off? I can probably help you bandage those up."
-
>Frown.
>"You ready to call this off? I can probably help you bandage those up."
>She slowly turns her head towards you and then just stares at you, breathing raggedly. You think there are traces of a defiant scowl mixed with the pain writ across her face, but it's a little hard to tell. You... can see tears starting to well up in the corner of her eyes.
>You are starting to feel a little nauseous. Whether it's from yet another lungful of this wretched air or merely the adrenaline and your injures, you can't be sure.
-
>"Yes or no? You want to stop fighting so I can help you? Or would you like to lay there and bleed to death like a damn stupid fool?"
-
>Glance around for wherever the gas cloud appears thinnest.
-
>"Yes or no? You want to stop fighting so I can help you? Or would you like to lay there and bleed to death like a damn stupid fool?"
>"Why..." she breathes out between groans, "...do you care.... murderer...."
>Glance around for wherever the gas cloud appears thinnest.
>You glance around for where the haze in the air seems thinnest. It looks quite dense along the tunnel that you originally arrived here through, with perhaps the smallest concentration in the direction of the northwest tunnel. The room itself is thick with the stuff... except from an oddly sparse patch right in front of your right side.
-
>"Because, frankly, I'd rather work with you than kill you. I mean, if that's what you'd prefer, then by all means die on the floor. But if you think about it just a little bit, you might figure out that this doesn't have to happen. None of this had to happen. And we can both still turn back. But if you want to die and leave all the rest of them alone, well, fine by me."
-
>Shake our head in a negative, but do not talk. Not until we can breathe safely.
>Start moving towards the northwest tunnel, giving her as wide a berth as we can. We need out of gas pronto.
>Be ready to intercept any tethers or threads or anything else she throws at us with our sword. Even if she throws herself at us.
>Unless she strips first. Then we'll talk.
-
Do we have any clue this gas has been harmful? She's breathing it fine, and we've not suffered much for it recently. Did something happen with it that I missed?
-
I'm not sure I'd call the constant mental retching at the gas as "breathing it fine", but I agree with the implied idea that we should stick it out. Our message carries a lot more meaning if we're choking to death on the air instead of running away and letting her bleed all over the ground.
-
Need I remind you two that we have no way of knowing how far we have to go to the surface, nor do we have any proof that she was the one in control of the spiders. We may have to fight our way out yet, and we can't do that if we can't breathe thanks to our lungs being filled with oil, or whatever this crap is.
It's even possible that while we're talking, sucking down diseased air, she can just sit there and wait, biding her time, so she can strike at us once we're too weak to stand, because of all the crap we're breathing. We could talk ourselves to death in this thing.
I want to have a chance at talking with her as much as you two do, but we can't talk to her if we can't breathe, and for all we know, one more breath could collapse our lungs. Plus there's the fact that we're bleeding ourselves, and compromising our lungs on top of that seems a bad idea. If we can get out of the cloud, and clear our lungs (as much as possible), then we could talk to her from there, if we can. Or, even better, the cloud could dissipate, which is might just do in short order if she was the one generating it. Once the cloud's gone, then we'll have all day to talk with her. Assuming no reinforcements for her show up.
It might even be possible to bring her with us out of here, although I sincerely doubt that's even possible. Would be nice, though.
-
> Is there anything else interesting about the sparse patch to our right?
-
>Shake our head in a negative, but do not talk. Not until we can breathe safely.
>Start moving towards the northwest tunnel, giving her as wide a berth as we can. We need out of gas pronto.
>Be ready to intercept any tethers or threads or anything else she throws at us with our sword. Even if she throws herself at us.
>Unless she strips first. Then we'll talk.
>You shake your head, but elect not to speak while you're still standing in this foul cloud.
>You quickly head off towards the northwest tunnel, giving the fallen youkai a wide berth.
>"You... won't get far," she says, her voice strained. "Not even with... that." She nearly spits the word at you, then groans again.
>Her words aside, the youkai does nothing but glare at you as you make your way to the tunnel mouth, blood from her injuries pooling on the rock beneath her.
>Wasn't your goal to reduce your oxygen consumption?
> Is there anything else interesting about the sparse patch to our right?
>It was more ahead of you than to your right, although it is somewhat inclined towards the right side of your body. You think. It's hard to gauge density at such close range. It just looks like nondescript open space, however.
-
> Are we now in an atmosphere that's any better?
-
> Are we now in an atmosphere that's any better?
>The haze extends for some distance down the tunnel ahead, though it is obviously thinning in that direction. If you had to guess, you might be out of most of it in 30 or so feet. However, you're not sure this particular spot has appreciably better air than where you were previously standing.
-
So do we angle for that oddly unhazy spot, or do we leave her here to rot?
-
If you want to talk to her before getting completely clear of this, I won't stop you. I don't know how long this cloud will stay in the air. I don't know that we won't have a chance to talk to her after we leave the cloud. I don't know how long we can safely stay in the cloud, or if we've been in it too long already. Basically, this sucks.
The sparse patch might let us slow the damage we do to ourselves, at least. Might be worth a shot. 'Best of a bunch of bad options' type deal, eh.
-
> Frown, then head back to that sparse patch of haze. Keep giving the youkai a wide berth while keeping an eye on her.
> Assuming nothing untoward happens on our way to our destination, once we get there, stop and turn toward the youkai.
> "That's okay. I don't really want to leave here without you anyway."
-
> Frown, then head back to that sparse patch of haze. Keep giving the youkai a wide berth while keeping an eye on her.
> Assuming nothing untoward happens on our way to our destination, once we get there, stop and turn toward the youkai.
> "That's okay. I don't really want to leave here without you anyway."
>You frown and head back to the spot where the air seemed just a bit clearer, and hope that it helps somewhat. You certainly have no desire to breathe any more of this stuff than you absolutely have to; you swear it's all you can feel inside your lungs.
>The youkai makes no aggressive action as you walk back, though beneath the pain in her expression, she does look a little uncertain.
>She frowns warily. "....why?"
-
> How did the air taste while we were talking?
> "Because I've done enough irreparable damage already. Surely you'll agree with me on that."
>Try lightly waving the sword around at the air in front of us, to see if it has any noticeable effect on the haze.
-
>"Besides, you can talk. That's pretty special. Could have avoided this whole mess if we did that first."
-
>Where'd our umbrella go?
-
> How did the air taste while we were talking?
> "Because I've done enough irreparable damage already. Surely you'll agree with me on that."
>Try lightly waving the sword around at the air in front of us, to see if it has any noticeable effect on the haze.
>Perhaps a little better, though the taste already in your mouth makes it somewhat hard to tell. The thinner patch wasn't very large to start with, and the surrounding haze already seems to be drifting into it.
>She stares silently at you, bitterness in her eyes.
>You sweep the sword around in the air in front of you. The haze seems to part noticeably along the blade's path; this is particularly evident given how resistant it previously seemed to being dispersed by air displacement. The youkai's frown deepens as she watches you do this, and she attempts to pull herself back somewhat. This is evidently difficult for her, if her expression is any indication.
>"Besides, you can talk. That's pretty special. Could have avoided this whole mess if we did that first."
>"You... started this," she groans. "You came here, you... killed them. What more are you hoping to get from me now?"
>Where'd our umbrella go?
>It's still on the ground where you fell after hitting the tripwire trap. It looks more or less okay, from here.
-
I don't have Naz's inventory in my memory on-hand. Do we have anything large and flat that can be swung around to a degree? Preferably bigger than the sword. Something that can be used to fan the haze away if we need to.
Fake edit: Oho.
> "In honor of those that have fallen, I want a chance to better the lives of those that remain. Leaving you here like this will do the exact opposite of that."
> Swing the sword at the haze close to our head a bit more, being careful not to cut ourselves with it.
> "And don't worry about this thing, I don't intend on slashing at you again...unless you're still so hell-bent on ending me that I need to defend myself."
-
We did have an umbrealla, before I dropped it hitting that tripwire I couldn't see. It seemed to serve as a windshield well enough at the time, though the sword seems to be doing at least a relatively decent job.
>"I would like to know, though, just why you seem to hate this thing so much."
>Does the haze reform after the sword passes through it?
-
> "In honor of those that have fallen, I want a chance to better the lives of those that remain. Leaving you here like this will do the exact opposite of that."
> Swing the sword at the haze close to our head a bit more, being careful not to cut ourselves with it.
> "And don't worry about this thing, I don't intend on slashing at you again...unless you're still so hell-bent on ending me that I need to defend myself."
>She gives you a look somewhere between confusion and disgust.
>You continue swinging the sword around your head, carving a path of open air through the foul mists. Your next breath comes appreciably cleaner than the last. Not quite fresh, but you greatly welcome any progress at this point.
>"You're... already gone," she says. You think you can see the faintest hint of a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.
>"I would like to know, though, just why you seem to hate this thing so much."
>Does the haze reform after the sword passes through it?
>The disbelief on her face deepens and then twists into a scowl. "Do you... want to hear me say it?" she spits. "One... last victory?"
>Certainly not immediately. You seem to be somehow driving it further away from yourself.
-
We're being too nice for someone who, by all rights, should be wanting to spend the next hour strangling her.
>"What victory? This isn't some kind of competition, it's a conversation. So, why do you hate this sword so much?"
-
>What a sight that must be... Keep the sword on keeping our head clear.
>Where'd our knife end up?
-
>"What victory? This isn't some kind of competition, it's a conversation. So, why do you hate this sword so much?"
>She frowns silently at you for a few more moments. "Suppose... it doesn't matter now." She fixes you with another glare; there are depths of resentment and pain behind her eyes.
>"It's the reason I'm the last one left," she says. "They're all gone. All of them."
>What a sight that must be... Keep the sword on keeping our head clear.
>Where'd our knife end up?
>You keep swinging the sword around your head, keeping the miasma at bay. Your arm hurts to move now, with all the wounds along it, but then again it hurts to keep it still too. Both your arms are slick with blood and you've never felt it a more apt time to claim that your everything hurts.
>You're inclined to assume it's still embedded in the youkai's torso, though you can't see it clearly at the moment with how her limbs are bent.
-
>Good thing the knife was a loaner, then.
>Rest our arm when we think we can, but cut more air if the cloud reforms around us. Never know when we might need it again in the near future.
>"There were more like you here, once?"
-
>Good thing the knife was a loaner, then.
>Rest our arm when we think we can, but cut more air if the cloud reforms around us. Never know when we might need it again in the near future.
>"There were more like you here, once?"
>On the other hand, this might now mean there are two things that farmer isn't likely to get back from you.
>You give your arm a rest for the moment. You're not sure how much it helps, unfortunately. Maybe Minoriko has something for checkerboards carved into one's arms, too...
>"Sorry you... missed your chance?"
-
>"You know, you sure are hot to blame me for everything when you were the one that came after our town to start with, and when you attacked me back when I was trying to work things out. Sad part is there's not even any need for things to end here, but hell if it doesn't sound like you intend to do anything about actually surviving. I'm not sure what bleeding to death for the sake of being stubborn is going to achieve. Want to fill me in on that?"
-
>Status check.
>How's our breathing since we starting slashing air?
>Assuming she's a spider youkai, do we know of any others like her, personally or by story?
>"The only spider I've had a problem with is you, and that's because you've tried to kill me at every turn. I'm only even here because some of those giant spiders attacked cows belonging to people. Was that your idea? Did you tell them to attack those people and their livelihood, or did they do that on their own?"
-
>Status check.
>How's our breathing since we starting slashing air?
>Assuming she's a spider youkai, do we know of any others like her, personally or by story?
>You are drier, at least, than the last time you took stock of your injuries, but are otherwise worse in nearly every way. You are exhausted, likely from both the adrenalin and your injuries, and bleeding considerably. There are multiple slices and gouges along both your arms from the youkai's claws, as well as a gridwork of cuts along your right arm where the wire-like threads had dug into it. Plus all the myriad injuries you had already accumulated on your way here. You also feel more than a little nauseous; you're sure the air in here hadn't been helping, on top of everything else.
>The air feels cleaner now, though your lungs still feel... unpleasant, like there was some sort of intangible phlegm clinging to them that you just couldn't clear.
>You don't specifically know of any, although you would not find their existence surprising. As far as you know, essentially any kind of animal can become a youkai, although this is quite a rare occurrence.
>"You know, you sure are hot to blame me for everything when you were the one that came after our town to start with, and when you attacked me back when I was trying to work things out. Sad part is there's not even any need for things to end here, but hell if it doesn't sound like you intend to do anything about actually surviving. I'm not sure what bleeding to death for the sake of being stubborn is going to achieve. Want to fill me in on that?"
>"You think... I want your help?" she says darkly. "Really?"
>"The only spider I've had a problem with is you, and that's because you've tried to kill me at every turn. I'm only even here because some of those giant spiders attacked cows belonging to people. Was that your idea? Did you tell them to attack those people and their livelihood, or did they do that on their own?"
>"They... were... hungry," she says. "And that's your fault too."
-
>"My fault? What in the hells did I ever do to their food source? Other than cows, and apparantly mice-people, I don't even know what giant spiders eat!"
>Take a moment. Calm ourselves. This is the wrong place to start shouting.
>Hawk and spit, see if that clears the crud from our lungs any.
>"So what made them that hungry?"
-
>"Moveover, why didn't you try to get the people who owned them to give them to you? How'd you like it if I came up in your nest and stole all your webs and eggs and bullshit, huh? Would you accept that if I said 'I'm hungry' as an excuse?"
-
>"My fault? What in the hells did I ever do to their food source? Other than cows, and apparantly mice-people, I don't even know what giant spiders eat!"
>Take a moment. Calm ourselves. This is the wrong place to start shouting.
>Hawk and spit, see if that clears the crud from our lungs any.
>"So what made them that hungry?"
>"Probably not," she says. "Doesn't matter."
>You take a moment and try to calm yourself.
>Then you hawk and spit. You... don't feel like that helped very much, though the saliva was somewhat brackish.
>"How about 'no food'? You get... that bit?" She groans again.
>"Moveover, why didn't you try to get the people who owned them to give them to you? How'd you like it if I came up in your nest and stole all your webs and eggs and bullshit, huh? Would you accept that if I said 'I'm hungry' as an excuse?"
>"Not the same thing," she says.
-
>Spit again, just because.
>"Yes. I do indeed get that bit. Where did it go?"
-
>Spit again, just because.
>"Yes. I do indeed get that bit. Where did it go?"
>You spit again. Just because. There's a certain strange satisfaction to it.
>"Ate it," she says. "All of it."
-
>"And then you try to steal ours, and you wonder why things went wrong. And it didn't have to be that way. You could have tried to work with those people, been a good neighbor. Maybe even have made some good friends. But instead you just went and took whatever you please, and then you get mad at me because I came to investigate. And now you're bleeding on the floor like a damn idiot, and you're still too proud to try to fix all this and make it so we can all live together. You don't give a shit about those spiders up there, you'd rather have every last one of them die along with you, wouldn't you?"
-
>Scowl.
>"I'm no expert, but a food source doesn't just dry up like that. Not without something else happening as well."
-
>"And then you try to steal ours, and you wonder why things went wrong. And it didn't have to be that way. You could have tried to work with those people, been a good neighbor. Maybe even have made some good friends. But instead you just went and took whatever you please, and then you get mad at me because I came to investigate. And now you're bleeding on the floor like a damn idiot, and you're still too proud to try to fix all this and make it so we can all live together. You don't give a shit about those spiders up there, you'd rather have every last one of them die along with you, wouldn't you?"
>The youkai's eyes flare open at your last remark and she pull herself back to her feet, her injured leg trembling beneath her and her face grimaced tightly against the pain. Blood streams down her leg onto the stone. "Don't. You. Dare!"
>Scowl.
>"I'm no expert, but a food source doesn't just dry up like that. Not without something else happening as well."
>"I don't want to hear you say it!" she cries. "There's nothing more you can do to them. They'll live and be free again and that sword can stay buried here with you!"
-
>"Don't I dare what? Tell you the truth? You've just like I said before. You think people are going to just sit aside after I fail to come back home? The hell they are. And you know it won't even be that hard. And you don't want to turn back. You'd rather kill me, yourself, and every last one of them. You've not even started to think about finding some kind of way out of this, have you? Have you? What're you going to do for them, spider girl? Just abandon them for your damn stupid pride? You going to keep pretending you're the only person on this damn continent til your dying breath, or are we we going to get them out of this mess you got them into?"
-
>"You're in no position to threaten me anymore. I already hacked off a part of one of your arms, I don't want to do any more. Don't force me to."
>"And you still never answered my first question. Why do you hate this sword so much? What did it do to you before I found it? ... Who wielded it before me?"
-
So what were the circumstances under which Nazrin killed a whole bunch of spiders again? Were they actually invading some civilized location, or was Nazrin exploring at the time?
-
She was exploring and trying to find the source of the cow disappearances. She encountered a spider about the size of a dog, followed it (possibly chased), got attacked by a larger spider. Several more attacks followed throughout the day. Efforts were made to communicate and such, and generally not fight (there's one I am reasonably sure we've seen several times), but the spiders weren't into that. Then we went into their house and things got nasty in short order, but we generally left those alone that haven't bothered us even then. By and large, we did all we could not to fight, but spiders have a way of being insistent.
-
Well, yeah, most unevolved creatures tend to operate on instincts. And even some evolved creatures still operate that way to a degree, if Yammers here is any indication. Was there a reason to believe these spiders were different?
-
Some. The main giveaway was wildly different species working together, but given we boss around the meeses from time to time, the more natural assumption was someone doing a similar thing with spider youkai. Aside from that, we had no giant spider experience to really tell.
-
It seems a decent bet that Yammers has been playing master and commander, yeah. The problem is that she's still fairly simple herself despite having reached youkaidom.
I'm going to speculate a couple of things here that may be relevant to not getting angry at the bleeding pile of flesh, bone and legs after cutting one of her limbs off and killing eleven of her friends. I can't check immediately on this phone, but I seem to recall Yamame either producing the term 'war' in the context of the past, or reacting to it if Naz brought it up. I would guess that (a) said war is why she's here in the first place, (b) the other party in that war was "our" people, the civil-types, (c) lots of spiders (and quite possibly all evolved spider youkai aside from her) died in this war, (d) that sword was a civil-type weapon in the war, and (e) either this war or harassment in the years that followed from the civil-types negatively influenced the spider food supply to the point that it's now run out. This would go a very long way in explaining why she despises the thing and why she blames Naz for the food drought.
-
Possibly, but at the same time, she also mentioned the sword was buried here, and would be again once we drop. So she doesn't have a real reason to associate us with the weapon. As well, we didn't recall anything involving giant spiders when we pondered the issue, and you imagine a spider war would leave a pretty lasting impact on the local history. It's entirely plausible, though, it was something that predates our civilization's presence here and she is just saying us topside dwelling fucks in general. She also made a passing reference to not going back, but this was never really elaborated on.
-
Yeah, I think she means topside in general. We just happen to be the one standing in front of her.
-
Double post because I'm just that fly.
I really don't think a shouting match is the solution to this, no matter how angry we think we deserve to be. Both sides are coming at the issue with a good amount of knowledge that the other doesn't have; it's pretty easy to imagine there are misconceptions at work all over the place here. Howeve, it's not going to be Yamame that tries to break the feedback loop, half because her vengeful rage has her borderline (if not outright) irrational, and half because she's just plain not wise enough to see what must be done for everyone to come out ahead. That means the onus is on us to work with her, however much she'll try to work against us. If there's one thing that will drive someone in a righteous, vengeful fury further into thinking they're right, it's stringing emotions even higher than they already are, especially when that person is pretty simple to begin with.
EDIT: This is not in criticism of anyone individually, so please don't take it as such. I just can't write everything I want to on breaks due to time.
EDIT 2: ELECTRIC BOOGALOO: I say all this because I think the right way to go has already been pointed out. Our death means further bloodshed, more of her friends killed. She needs to realize this. The problem is that she's not wise enough to get past the homicidal rage to realize it if she remains riled up. If we can get her to calm down, even just a little bit, I think that approach has a much better chance of working than bludgeoning her over the head with it will. It would probably be even better if we could do it using her own mode of thinking: she knows how angry and vicious she was because her friends died, she can imagine what our friends will be like if we go missing for a while, and it won't take them too long to figure out what parties are responsible.
-
>"Don't I dare what? Tell you the truth? You've just like I said before. You think people are going to just sit aside after I fail to come back home? The hell they are. And you know it won't even be that hard. And you don't want to turn back. You'd rather kill me, yourself, and every last one of them. You've not even started to think about finding some kind of way out of this, have you? Have you? What're you going to do for them, spider girl? Just abandon them for your damn stupid pride? You going to keep pretending you're the only person on this damn continent til your dying breath, or are we we going to get them out of this mess you got them into?"
>Her eyes lock gaze with yours, unblinking, her breathing labored and seething with rising fury. Then as you speak of abandoning her kin, she cuts you off with a growl and swipes a hand across the air. Another batch of wire-like threads shoot forth from it towards you.
>"You're in no position to threaten me anymore. I already hacked off a part of one of your arms, I don't want to do any more. Don't force me to."
>"And you still never answered my first question. Why do you hate this sword so much? What did it do to you before I found it? ... Who wielded it before me?"
>"You have no right!" she cries.
>You might want to do something about those threads first...
-
>"That won't help anyone."
>Well, this worked on the tethers...
>Hold our breath, take a step to the side, then cut them out of midair.
-
>"That won't help anyone."
>Well, this worked on the tethers...
>Hold our breath, take a step to the side, then cut them out of midair.
>You hold your breath, then take a step to the side and try to slice the strands out of the air. These present a much finer target than the tether did but still part easily as you sweep the blade across their path. A few of the severed bits patter against you, doing about as much harm as being pelted with twine.
>She swipes the air again with both hands at once, sending a gridwork of thin filaments flying towards you.
-
>Fine. Gave her fair warning.
>How wide is that grid, and do we have enough room to get out of the way in this chamber?
-
>Fine. Gave her fair warning.
>How wide is that grid, and do we have enough room to get out of the way in this chamber?
>Can't say you're not trying, at least...
>Around 6 or 7 feet wide, though it is expanding as it flies away from her. There is certainly room in the chamber to get out of the way of it, and probably enough time if you scrambled.
-
>Then let's scramble, then.
>Get the bajeezus out of the way, hold the sword in our left arm, then draw our last kunai. But don't throw it yet.
>If she starts to wave her arms again, like she's about to throw anything else, put a kunai in her arm.
-
>Then let's scramble, then.
>Get the bajeezus out of the way, hold the sword in our left arm, then draw our last kunai. But don't throw it yet.
>If she starts to wave her arms again, like she's about to throw anything else, put a kunai in her arm.
>You scramble sideways, swapping the sword back to your off-hand and drawing your last kunai with the other. You duck your head and twist sideways as the mesh closes towards you, cutting past it with just a little room to spare. Then the youkai twists an arm aside, sweeping the strands to follow you. You let the kunai fly.
>Her attempt to dodge is slow and the range too short for it to matter. Your weapon drives itself into her right arm and the strands connected to it go limp as she lets out another cry. Her injured leg quavers beneath her and seems nearly to buckle.
-
>"Keep attacking me! See what it changes! It's sure done a whole lot to keep them from dying so far, hasn't it? No thoughts for the future, no interest in the next day, let's all just die here, huh? You sure do give a shit what happens to them, don't you? Who cares if they're left out in the cold, huh, as long as you get to live up to your damn stupid pride and hurt me!"
-
Oh for fuck's sake.
-
Maybe we should dial it down a bit? Given that she attacked us again with that approach.
>Instead of yelling at the even-more-injured little twit again, walk back into the sparse patch, and cut away whatever cloud has reformed.
>Face her down and say, not too coldly, "I did warn you. Now don't do that again.You're bleeding enough as it is."
>Nod at her leg. "And you might want to sit down, before you fall down."
-
I'm thinking we have no real reason to dial it down. We're dealing with someone who has been obstructionist to pretty much every attempt we've made to deal with this without highlander logic and has nearly killed us a couple times. I imagine exploding with rage would be very much welcome for her at this point.
-
>Instead of yelling at the even-more-injured little twit again, walk back into the sparse patch, and cut away whatever cloud has reformed.
>Face her down and say, not too coldly, "I did warn you. Now don't do that again.You're bleeding enough as it is."
>Nod at her leg. "And you might want to sit down, before you fall down."
>You move back to the sparse patch during this lull in the youkai's attack, sweeping the sword across it again to repel any drifting vapors.
>The youkai glares at you again, then turns her gaze to the kunai in her arm. She wraps her other hand around and grimaces, then with another strangled cry, tears it free.
>Despite the shaking of her leg, she pulls herself straighter as you speak. "I can stand," she says coldly.
-
>"So, we going to keep going? Or would you like to try and help your spiders this time?"
-
>"So, we going to keep going? Or would you like to try and help your spiders this time?"
>She stares at you silently for a few more moments, clearly struggling to mask the pain from her face.
>"....why?" she breathes.
-
>"Whatever you may think of me, I didn't come here to start a war, or wipe out a species. But unless you and I work things out, and you can stop trying to kill me for five minutes, that's just what's going to happen. You want to help these spiders, killing me is only going to make things worse. I have friends, too, and if I die down here, then they're gonna be mad. And they're gonna come. And they're strong. One of them can even vaporize this entire hillside. Is that REALLY what you want?"
-
>"And like I said, because you can talk. Maybe that's not special to you, but it is. Trust me, there was a time I couldn't do it and didn't have any clue what it meant."
-
>"Whatever you may think of me, I didn't come here to start a war, or wipe out a species. But unless you and I work things out, and you can stop trying to kill me for five minutes, that's just what's going to happen. You want to help these spiders, killing me is only going to make things worse. I have friends, too, and if I die down here, then they're gonna be mad. And they're gonna come. And they're strong. One of them can even vaporize this entire hillside. Is that REALLY what you want?"
>"I'm not scared of any of you," she says. "There's nothing to work out. If anyone else comes to hurt them, I'll stop them too. They all should just leave us alone."
>"And like I said, because you can talk. Maybe that's not special to you, but it is. Trust me, there was a time I couldn't do it and didn't have any clue what it meant."
>She gives you a confused look. "...what?"
-
>Suppress a smirk. We'll definitely have to introduce her to Marisa.
>"You ever live as a normal animal? Never thinking about anything but the next meal?"
-
>"Hey, if the spiders hadn't attacked those cows, the people out there wouldn't even know you existed. And you couldn't even stop me. You wouldn't have a hope in hell against someone with real power."
>Smirk a little. Took all your best shots, little spider, and we're the ones standing tall. Suck on that, 8-legs.
>"You need to find another food source for you and your spiders."
-
>"Or, find a way to get it that doesn't involve going to war with your neighbors. Which, you know, is entirely possible."
-
>Suppress a smirk. We'll definitely have to introduce her to Marisa.
>"You ever live as a normal animal? Never thinking about anything but the next meal?"
>You suppress a smirk. She obviously doesn't know who she's dealing with. At the same time, you stifle a grumble over how much more effortlessly Marisa probably could have mopped up this whole mess...
>"Everybody gets hungry," she says. "How many friends have you watched starve to death?"
>"Hey, if the spiders hadn't attacked those cows, the people out there wouldn't even know you existed. And you couldn't even stop me. You wouldn't have a hope in hell against someone with real power."
>Smirk a little. Took all your best shots, little spider, and we're the ones standing tall. Suck on that, 8-legs.
>"You need to find another food source for you and your spiders."
>"You're only still alive because of... that." Again, she nearly spits the word, as though it were too vile to hold on her tongue. She glares hatefully at the blade in your hand. "And this time I'll make sure no one else can find it again."
>This time you do allow yourself a little smirk. Despite the extensive list of your own injuries, it's pretty clear that you've come out on top. Given the state of her leg, you're almost amazed she's still standing.
>"Why? Spiders eat what they can catch. They didn't do anything wrong!"
>"Or, find a way to get it that doesn't involve going to war with your neighbors. Which, you know, is entirely possible."
>"You'd kill us for eating? After it's your fault they were all starved?"
>Her glare deepens."I won't let anyone lock us away again."
-
>Start to call her out again, then stop. Just for this moment.
>"Who said either side had to starve? I sure didn't."
-
>Start to call her out again, then stop. Just for this moment.
>"Who said either side had to starve? I sure didn't."
>"No, I suppose you'd be just as happy to kill them yourself," she says. "Save time."
>Her leg buckles again, but she catches herself before she stumbles and forces herself back upright, grimacing all the while.
-
>"I'm getting tired of this. If I REALLY wanted to kill everything down here, every spider I saw, then why haven't I killed YOU yet? No, even better. I found that hatchery of theirs, with all those egg sacks. I could have torn them open, killed everything in there. Or set fire to them, and watch them all burn. I didn't. I wouldn't. That's not what I do. That's not what I am."
>Size her up. She's done everything she can to kill us, she obviously hates us... Maybe she has a reason. Misdirected a little, perhaps, but a reason.
>"But I think I'm starting to understand. Your kind used to live on the surface, didn't they?"
-
>"I'm getting tired of this. If I REALLY wanted to kill everything down here, every spider I saw, then why haven't I killed YOU yet? No, even better. I found that hatchery of theirs, with all those egg sacks. I could have torn them open, killed everything in there. Or set fire to them, and watch them all burn. I didn't. I wouldn't. That's not what I do. That's not what I am."
>Size her up. She's done everything she can to kill us, she obviously hates us... Maybe she has a reason. Misdirected a little, perhaps, but a reason.
>"But I think I'm starting to understand. Your kind used to live on the surface, didn't they?"
>The youkai lets out a sneer. "Then what are you? You still killed so many of them," she says. "Because they ate something. You came here and killed them! I am supposed to be happy you only killed almost every one you saw?"
>You size the youkai up again. She is... not in very good shape. Her severed limb still drips blood onto the floor and her dress is soaked from it around the knife still embedded in her torso. Her leg looks worst of all, though; the length of it nearly covered from blood spilled from the wound. A distressingly large pool has formed beneath her. Her breathing is labored and no amount of determination can fully disguise the pain on her face. Yet, she is still standing, and glaring at you with fire and deep bitterness in her gaze.
>"...some of us."
-
>"And then something happened. didn't it? Something bad. Something between your people, and the other people that lived on the surface."
-
>"And then something happened. didn't it? Something bad. Something between your people, and the other people that lived on the surface."
>She doesn't answer your question, though the expression on her face suggests she isn't disagreeing.
-
>This sword might be a relic from that time, then. But it's not likely she'll talk about the sword itself, the way she's reacted so far. Best save that for when we're out of here.
>Does this bloody cloud show any sign of dissipating, beyond this patch of air?
>"And your people ended up down here. How long ago was that? And why did it happen?"
-
>This sword might be a relic from that time, then. But it's not likely she'll talk about the sword itself, the way she's reacted so far. Best save that for when we're out of here.
>Does this bloody cloud show any sign of dissipating, beyond this patch of air?
>"And your people ended up down here. How long ago was that? And why did it happen?"
>The does seem like a plausible speculation; you elect to wait a little before pursuing it.
>Perhaps a little, but not appreciably so.
>She glares silently at you another moment. "Ancient history. Why would you care?"
>Your nausea is definitely growing, and you're finding yourself feeling increasingly fatigued; now that the worst of the struggle seems to be over, the exhaustion from all this must be catching up to you with a vengeance.
-
>"Because it's only in the past few days that the spiders even went near humans. Otherwise, there'd have been reports, stories, some sign before then. Something's changed recently, hasn't it?"
>"And if it's so ancient, were you there to see it?"
>She can't be 'ancient'. ... Can she? Judging youkai by looks is hard, but she could be OUR age.
-
>"Because it's only in the past few days that the spiders even went near humans. Otherwise, there'd have been reports, stories, some sign before then. Something's changed recently, hasn't it?"
>"And if it's so ancient, were you there to see it?"
>She can't be 'ancient'. ... Can she? Judging youkai by looks is hard, but she could be OUR age.
>A slight hint of a smile brushes against her face. "We're free," she says.
>This one gets no response; her expression is a little hard to read, though she looks slightly uncomfortable
>You suppose it's possible, although her mentality makes you a little dubious of this. That being said, in practice there's often very little way to tell. Youkai of different kinds can mature mentally at vastly different rates and often show few outward physical signs of their age. It's easier to tell with established and defined races, such as the Tengu, but even then you probably couldn't distinguish a 100-year old from one several times that age by sight alone. For a type of youkai you've never met... she could be a month old or several centuries and you doubt you could tell the difference.
-
>"Free from what? Who was holding you down?"
-
>Did the entrance to this place show any signs of recent geological disturbance? Anything that might indicate it had been closed for years, but opened recently?
>"Or what?"
-
>"Free from what? Who was holding you down?"
>"Or what?"
>She holds your gaze as the smile drops from her face. "You."
>Did the entrance to this place show any signs of recent geological disturbance? Anything that might indicate it had been closed for years, but opened recently?
>You didn't note anything large-scale enough to suggest entire passageways that could have been blocked. There were signs of rockfalls and geological events here and there (and a very pronounced one in this very chamber), but nothing of this type near the place you entered.
-
>Fold our arms across our chest and spit.
>"Oh, so I'm responsible, huh? How'd you work that out?"
-
>Don't say or do that, instead say:
>"Don't know what you're talking about. See, we've only been here for a couple centuries, tops, and there's been no kind of mention of spiders. And, given there's people who've been here since things began, it's not exactly like it'd be lost history, either. So, whatever you're talking about it, it wasn't us."
-
>How old did that torii gate look?
-
>"Don't know what you're talking about. See, we've only been here for a couple centuries, tops, and there's been no kind of mention of spiders. And, given there's people who've been here since things began, it's not exactly like it'd be lost history, either. So, whatever you're talking about it, it wasn't us."
>"Don't think you're changing anything by saying that," she says. "You can't deny what you did here."
>How old did that torii gate look?
>It did look like it may have been quite old, though you didn't get a close look. It was partially collapsed, at any rate.
-
>Restrain a verbal barrage, how much patience does she think we have?
>"Well, except that it does change things. Whatever you're talking about, neither we or our ancestors had anything to do with. And I bet you weren't even around for it either."
-
>Restrain a verbal barrage, how much patience does she think we have?
>"Well, except that it does change things. Whatever you're talking about, neither we or our ancestors had anything to do with. And I bet you weren't even around for it either."
>By this point, you're pretty sure she doesn't care about your patience. Or your everything else, for that matter...
>She doesn't reply, though her expression seems to draw tighter.
-
>"Yeah, that's what I thought. So let's focus on here and now rather than ancient history. So you're up there, that's fine. No one really has any problem with that by default. What we do have a problem with is you taking advantage of your neighbors. Like I said, you wouldn't like it if we came into your house and stole your stuff, would you? And as I said, it's not hard for you to get what you want and live in peace with your neighbors. Better than peace, actually."
-
So we've pointed out her that she's taking a course of action detrimental to her overall goal just to spite us...and we've done it by taking a course of action detrimental to our overall goal just to spite her.
Am I the only one incapable of wrapping their head around this approach?
-
>"Yeah, that's what I thought. So let's focus on here and now rather than ancient history. So you're up there, that's fine. No one really has any problem with that by default. What we do have a problem with is you taking advantage of your neighbors. Like I said, you wouldn't like it if we came into your house and stole your stuff, would you? And as I said, it's not hard for you to get what you want and live in peace with your neighbors. Better than peace, actually."
>A confused mix of emotions plays across the youkai's face as you speak. Anger and defiance still dominates her expression, but you think you also see flashes of confusion, uncertainty and... perhaps even sadness. She stares hatefully at the sword in your hands for another moment, then turns her gaze back to you.
>"No," she says, stifling a groan. Her leg quivers beneath her and she bites down hard on her lip. "Not... with you. Not with anyone... like you. I won't-"
>Her words are cut off by a pained cry as her leg crumples entirely and she falls to the ground again.
>"I won't... forgive you..." she breathes.
-
>No. Didn't think you would. Would have made everything easier, though. Better, even, for everyone. Maybe it's too late for that. Maybe it was too late before we even got here.
>"Then the spiders will keep attacking the villagers' food stores? And what about the people? Will they become food, too, one day?"
-
>No. Didn't think you would. Would have made everything easier, though. Better, even, for everyone. Maybe it's too late for that. Maybe it was too late before we even got here.
>"Then the spiders will keep attacking the villagers' food stores? And what about the people? Will they become food, too, one day?"
>"Hunters... hunt," she groans. "Everyone's... gotta eat. ...nothing wrong with that."
-
>"I'm guessing that's the only source of food around for those spiders, too."
-
>"I'm guessing that's the only source of food around for those spiders, too."
>"Why?" she breathes. "Want another way to starve us?"
-
>Just keep pushing it, you little...
>"I want a way for the spiders to leave the people alone, and for them to BE left alone."
-
>Just keep pushing it, you little...
>"I want a way for the spiders to leave the people alone, and for them to BE left alone."
>"Then you shouldn't have come here and killed them!" she cries. "You could have just left us alone from the start!"
-
So at this point, I'm not harboring much hope that we can resolve this diplomatically. She won't forgive us for killing the spiders we did, she won't trust people (least of all us), and I doubt we can convince her that another war between the spiders and surfacers will go well for her side.
Kilga, if you wanna take a stab at it, by all means, go for it. If a diplomatic solution to this is even possible, it's beyond me. The only thing I can see we can accomplish is to get her to have us left alone on our way back to the surface. Pretty sure none of us want to fight anymore spiders, especially as banged up as we are, and she has to know we'd kill them if they tried. And as much as I'd like to get more answers out of her about the history of her people, and this sword, I suspect we've reached the limit of what we can wring out of her.
-
Actually, we got her on the ropes.
>"You can hate me just as much as you please. But what's more important, spiders being able to hunt, or spiders being able to eat and live without worry? Pick one."
-
>"You can hate me just as much as you please. But what's more important, spiders being able to hunt, or spiders being able to eat and live without worry? Pick one."
>Her eyes narrow. "What are you... trying to say?"
-
>"The same thing I've been saying since the beginning. You can have peace and have food. Or you can hunt and be a nuisance; then you'll get to have your prophecy of being the last ones come true when you rouse up the military. It doesn't matter whether you forgive me or not. What matters, or at least what should matter, is your spiders. Do you want them to have a future or not?"
-
Sour: I will be glad to step in as needed/requested/whatever, but as much as I dislike Purvis' approach, I do respect the fact that he has a strategy, so I'm not going to try my hand unless he decides he's had enough. I know I prefer the same respect in tense dialogue situations.
-
>"The same thing I've been saying since the beginning. You can have peace and have food. Or you can hunt and be a nuisance; then you'll get to have your prophecy of being the last ones come true when you rouse up the military. It doesn't matter whether you forgive me or not. What matters, or at least what should matter, is your spiders. Do you want them to have a future or not?"
>"They have a future," she says. "I can... still keep them safe." She groans again.
>"The only reason you're... still standing is that. And I won't let anyone find it again."
-
>"You probably thought that the first time. And no, you won't secure them a future if you're going to keep on like this. You're outnumbered and outarmed. Look at what I was able to do, and I was only defending myself when I got attacked, I wasn't even trying to create more havoc than necessary. If you want to secure them a future, a future where they can live and be happy, it's only going to happen one way."
-
Kilga: I can respect that. Good man.
>"And besides, you're in no shape to try and take it away from me."
-
>"And besides, you're in no shape to try and take it away from me."
>Let's not say this just yet. Maybe if she gets belligerent against us again.
-
>"You probably thought that the first time. And no, you won't secure them a future if you're going to keep on like this. You're outnumbered and outarmed. Look at what I was able to do, and I was only defending myself when I got attacked, I wasn't even trying to create more havoc than necessary. If you want to secure them a future, a future where they can live and be happy, it's only going to happen one way."
>"And what's that?" she says, almost accusingly.
-
>"You talk with your damn neighbors instead of just taking whatever you want, that's what. If you want our food, you trade something for it. And you know what, we'd welcome it. Because it'd make both of our lives better. We live in peace and help each other out."
-
>"You talk with your damn neighbors instead of just taking whatever you want, that's what. If you want our food, you trade something for it. And you know what, we'd welcome it. Because it'd make both of our lives better. We live in peace and help each other out."
>"Trade?!" She lets out an incredulous sound, somewhere between a laugh and a sneer. "And how the hell are they supposed to do that? Do you just kill everything that can't follow your rules?"
-
>"How do they do that? What, you planning on abandoning them, now? You can talk, you can think. You can work on their behalf."
-
>"How do they do that? What, you planning on abandoning them, now? You can talk, you can think. You can work on their behalf."
>"I won't stick them in a cage and feed them scraps you feel like letting them have," she says, glowering at you. "They have a right to be free and follow their nature. There's nothing wrong with that."
-
>"Didn't say anything about being stuck in a cage. Just as long as they leave our stuff alone. Then again, if we're talking about nature, what did you even gather them all for to begin with? That's sure not natural, is it?"
-
>"Didn't say anything about being stuck in a cage. Just as long as they leave our stuff alone. Then again, if we're talking about nature, what did you even gather them all for to begin with? That's sure not natural, is it?"
>She scowls at you. "We've lived together since before I was born. Don't you say it isn't natural."
-
>"And would they stay together without you? A bunch of large predators of a bunch of different species; with food issues?"
-
>"And would they stay together without you? A bunch of large predators of a bunch of different species; with food issues?"
>She looks at you for a moment, and then with a look of determined calm answers simply: "Yes. Maybe your kind turn on each other when they're hungry, but we don't."
-
>"You're right, they'd just disband probably. Go their own separate ways without a leader to hold them together. Pity if they cross paths again after that, though. But that's all beside the point, it's useless for you to whine about things being unnatural when you've already got them in an unnatural situation. So you might as well use that brain and that voice to make the best of it, it's why you have 'em in the first place."
-
Purvis, I'm not sure you're on the right track with this 'unnatural situation' bit. She just said they lived together before she came along. That means she wasn't the one that gathered them like this, and that probably means they wouldn't disband without her.
-
But we've also established she's not the first of her kind, but is apparently the last. She may not have started the fire, so to speak, but there's a pretty good chance it'll burn out once she's gone.
-
What are you basing that on? If they were here before her, they'll be here after her.
-
>"You're right, they'd just disband probably. Go their own separate ways without a leader to hold them together. Pity if they cross paths again after that, though. But that's all beside the point, it's useless for you to whine about things being unnatural when you've already got them in an unnatural situation. So you might as well use that brain and that voice to make the best of it, it's why you have 'em in the first place."
>"You don't understand at all," she says, scowling deeper. "We're not like you. We'll never be like you. I'm not their leader; they're my friends! You and your kind are the only unnatural things here."
>She tries to pull herself to her feet again. "I'm done listening to you; I don't know why I even bothered."
-
Sour: Last Earth Spider. Meaning once she's gone, the intelligence at the center goes away. Given her reactions to when we pointed out that she wasn't there for whatever happened in the past, we can safely presume that she's not the first. Just the same as the cows wandering off after the herder is gone.
>"You are the same as us. You can talk and think and plan for the future, however much you don't want to do it. And the only thing that stops us from sharing those similarities and benefiting is you. You'd rather have all your friends suffer and die because you refuse to work with the other people on this continent, because you want to blame us for some bit of ancient history neither of us even had a role in. So, should your friends suffer for the sake of that? Do you want them to lose you, too? Is that how you want all of that history to end? Killed because you refused to live in harmony with your neighbors?"
-
>"You are the same as us. You can talk and think and plan for the future, however much you don't want to do it. And the only thing that stops us from sharing those similarities and benefiting is you. You'd rather have all your friends suffer and die because you refuse to work with the other people on this continent, because you want to blame us for some bit of ancient history neither of us even had a role in. So, should your friends suffer for the sake of that? Do you want them to lose you, too? Is that how you want all of that history to end? Killed because you refused to live in harmony with your neighbors?"
>"Harmony?" she sneers, slowly standing up. "You mean going back where you can't see us again; locking them away so they don't bother you and living off whatever you're willing to let us have."
>She flexes her grip on the kunai in her hand. "We've been trapped down here for a very, very long time. We won't go back. I won't let you or anyone else make us."
-
>Raise our sword and prepare to deflect that kunai, in case she throws it back at us.
>"So that's how it's gonna be?"
-
>Raise our sword and prepare to deflect that kunai, in case she throws it back at us.
>"So that's how it's gonna be?"
>Don't do this just yet.
>"Who said anything about locking you away, or being unseen? No one is going to mind if you roam the forests and stuff, we just don't want you stealing our cattle or attacking us! Hell, you'd be welcome in town. You could walk in there right now and no one would bat an eye as long as you behaved yourself. Once we get a proper agreement in place, you could probably bring some spiders with you as long as they don't cause problems."
-
>"Who said anything about locking you away, or being unseen? No one is going to mind if you roam the forests and stuff, we just don't want you stealing our cattle or attacking us! Hell, you'd be welcome in town. You could walk in there right now and no one would bat an eye as long as you behaved yourself. Once we get a proper agreement in place, you could probably bring some spiders with you as long as they don't cause problems."
>"Even if I believed you," she says, "or wanted anything to do with you, it doesn't matter. They weren't stealing, they were hunting. That's their nature. I don't care what any of your kind thinks of me if they can't also be free."
-
>"And they attacked me. And I beat them. That's nature. Yet you're still pretty pissed off about that, aren't you? Why the double standard?"
-
>Raise our sword and prepare to deflect that kunai, in case she throws it back at us.
>"And those cows. The people. They're the only things they can hunt?"
-
>Raise our sword and prepare to deflect that kunai, in case she throws it back at us.
>"And those cows. The people. They're the only things they can hunt?"
>Don't raise the sword, that would be provoking. We can dodge, and she has almost certainly never used a kunai before.
-
>"And they attacked me. And I beat them. That's nature. Yet you're still pretty pissed off about that, aren't you? Why the double standard?"
>She smolders angrily, but does not respond.
>"And those cows. The people. They're the only things they can hunt?"
>"They hunt what they want," she says. "These were big and slow and easy. After what your kind forced on us, it was like paradise. I won't let you take that away from us."
-
>"No. I don't suppose you will. And when all the big and slow and easy meals are gone?"
-
>"No. I don't suppose you will. And when all the big and slow and easy meals are gone?"
>"We'll manage," she says.
-
>Sigh softly. "Yeah. Maybe you can. But at what price?"
>"I'm going to pick up that umbrella, and then walk back to this spot. I'm telling you this because I don't want you to attack me, and I'm not about to attack you. Okay?"
>Be prepared in case she throws that kunai or attacks us again, but hold our breath and retreive our umbrella. Then return to this patch of 'clean' air. And keep our sword down, so as not to antagonize her any.
-
>"And when the people who had ownership over those big, slow, easy meals come and burn the place down after you refuse to stop robbing them?"
-
>Sigh softly. "Yeah. Maybe you can. But at what price?"
>"I'm going to pick up that umbrella, and then walk back to this spot. I'm telling you this because I don't want you to attack me, and I'm not about to attack you. Okay?"
>Be prepared in case she throws that kunai or attacks us again, but hold our breath and retreive our umbrella. Then return to this patch of 'clean' air. And keep our sword down, so as not to antagonize her any.
>You offer a proposal to the youkai. She gives you gives you a long look, mingled with traces of uncertainty, but makes no reply.
>You take a deep breath and slowly walk over to the umbrella, keeping a careful eye on the youkai as you move. She grips the kunai tightly and shifts her position as you approach, enough to make you suspect she may be preparing to strike again. At the very least, you're almost certain she's contemplating it. But then she glares hard at the sword and backs off towards the northwest tunnel, groaning slightly as she moves her injured leg. You bend down and retrieve the umbrella without incident, then return to your former position.
>"And when the people who had ownership over those big, slow, easy meals come and burn the place down after you refuse to stop robbing them?"
>"Then they'll wish they'd never come here," she says coldly.
-
>Wasn't the northwest tunnel the dead end we encountered earlier?
>For that matter, examine the exits of this chamber, see which ones if any lead up, or at least don't go furthur down.
>Small smile of relief at the fact that she didn't attack us. She might not want to listen to us, but maybe the fight's gone out of her. For now at least. Hopefully we can avoid goading her into attacking again.
>"I think both sides will wish that. Well, whichever side is left."
>"There's still one thing I want to ask you. You said these spiders were gathered before you were born. Was it someone like you that gathered them all?"
-
>Wasn't the northwest tunnel the dead end we encountered earlier?
>For that matter, examine the exits of this chamber, see which ones if any lead up, or at least don't go furthur down.
>Small smile of relief at the fact that she didn't attack us. She might not want to listen to us, but maybe the fight's gone out of her. For now at least. Hopefully we can avoid goading her into attacking again.
>"I think both sides will wish that. Well, whichever side is left."
>"There's still one thing I want to ask you. You said these spiders were gathered before you were born. Was it someone like you that gathered them all?"
>No, that was the northern tunnel; you have not explored the one to the northwest.
>Examining the exits of this chamber, the northern and southeastern tunnels look roughly level, though the former is a known dead end and the latter would be a tight squeeze at best. Only the southwest tunnel, through which you arrived, visibly ascends.
>You let out a small smile of relief at not being attacked again. Though you may hold the advantage at the moment, you're in no shape to relish any more acrobatics. You hurt from a dozen places, are still bleeding from only a moderately smaller number of them, and feel truly weary. Not to mention still nauseous, the current mostly-clear air notwithstanding. You really need to lie down somewhere for a while...
>She holds your gaze silently.
>"We've lived together as long as anyone remembers," she says. "That's just the way things are."
-
>Take some comfort from the fact that she's got to be in worse shape than we are.
>"So that's it, then? There's nothing I can say to convince you that I want both sides to end up content? Or that I'd like to help a young youkai, like someone once helped me?"
-
>Take some comfort from the fact that she's got to be in worse shape than we are.
>"So that's it, then? There's nothing I can say to convince you that I want both sides to end up content? Or that I'd like to help a young youkai, like someone once helped me?"
>You have to imagine she is. For all your injuries, your legs have manage to escape nearly unscathed, and despite the crimson streaking your arms, they're both still as long as they were when you woke up this morning.
>"I don't want your help!" she cries. "Everything would have been fine if you'd never come here!"
-
>"Everything might have been fine, if you'd listened to me. But now? Guess we'll see. You say you wish I'd never come? I wish I don't have to come back."
>"But do us all at least one favor. Something good for your spiders and you. Tell them not to attack me anymore on my way out. I don't really want to hurt them, either."
>On the other hand, if conflict is truly and utterly inevitable, then every one we kill here is one less to menace our home later. Maybe we SHOULD have destroyed those hatcheries. Not that she needs to know that.
-
>"Everything might have been fine, if you'd listened to me. But now? Guess we'll see. You say you wish I'd never come? I wish I don't have to come back."
>"But do us all at least one favor. Something good for your spiders and you. Tell them not to attack me anymore on my way out. I don't really want to hurt them, either."
>On the other hand, if conflict is truly and utterly inevitable, then every one we kill here is one less to menace our home later. Maybe we SHOULD have destroyed those hatcheries. Not that she needs to know that.
>"You won't," she says.
>She stares at you for a moment, her expression oddly hard to read. "It won't matter."
>At the very least, you know that almost no one in Easthaven could have walked away from that first ambush. If any of those little ones can grow up to be that big... it may only be a matter of time before someone gets killed.
-
Well, at least we tried. I'm not exactly thrilled about having to walk away like this, but we tried. And we didn't have to hurt her anymore.
Maybe, just maybe, we've planted a seed for the future, though. She had to know that we could have killed her at any time. With that sword, it wouldn't have been that hard, once we broke her pin. But we didn't. If we can get out of here without having to kill anymore, we might at least leave her thinking about just why we didn't kill her, and if surfacers are as bad as she thinks.
That said, however, if anyone else has any other ideas how to end this diplomatically, Kilga, Hanzo, anyone else, then feel free to jump in and give it a bash. Neither Purvis nor I seem to have had much success.
>"Well, if it doesn't matter, how about you giving me back those weapons you've got a hold of? Or maybe pointing me in the right direction out of here?"
-
I'll give you fair warning that if this gets passed over to me, I may end up saying and doing things neither of you like or think is a good idea. No guarantees either way, because I haven't really properly read the entire conversation yet, but it's certainly possible based on the general gist I can recall off the top of my head and the various general plans I've brainstormed throughout the process.
Given that, and what I said earlier about my preferences regarding the interruption of tense conversation, I'm going to wait until I get a go-ahead from both of you before I do anything. If either of you would prefer not to risk me doing something you think is a bad idea, then I will continue to sit out of the conversation entirely.
-
>"Well, if it doesn't matter, how about you giving me back those weapons you've got a hold of? Or maybe pointing me in the right direction out of here?"
>She looks at you a moment and narrows her eyes. "How about you throw that one away first?"
-
I'll get back to it in awhile. I'm not quite out of ideas yet. Just I've been distracted, and now kinda sick.
-
Kilga: Well, I appreciate your honesty. Now let me be as honest with you. If I read what you said right, the choices you'd give Purvis and I would be either: Stay out of my way and let me do my thing, whether you two like it or not, or I do nothing at all. I can't say I'm espcially fond of those options.
That said, however, I am curious as to what those ideas of yours are. What sort of general ideas have you got?
-
I'm just putting it out there because cases like this are ones where I expect the process of making things better to be lengthy, and interruptions risk ruining progress and that's annoying. And like I said earlier, I've been offering that respect for this conversation, and I appreciate it being offered to me in return.
Grand plans? Off the top of my head and given her request, putting the sword away sounds like something I'd do, though I say this expecting I would have put it away about 60 posts ago. Other ideas would have to wait until I'm not really tired. Should've been in bed two hours ago, really.
EDIT: As can be seen from how frank the entire tone of this post is. :V Please don't take offense, this is just me being matter-of-fact.
-
Imma muse some more about what I want to do. But putting the sword away may not be a bad step if she's not being threatening. In easy reach, but put away.
I think the trick here is going to be to illustrate there's no future in what she wants to do. The main way I can think of to do it, here and now, is to press her on what exactly she'd do to defend against a real assault. More or less for her to acknowledge she doesn't have a real plan, and that not having one is just going to be more dead spiders until she figures out what to do. If needs be, cross-reference it with her prior inactivity resulting in more spiders coming at us than necessary. We have to push her out of "I'll think of something", then point out consequences when it happens. In short, the only way to break her mindset is to show the futility of it. We've been stepping around it, I think we need to go in for the metaphorical kill.
-
Didn't you pretty much try that already, Purvis?
Kilga, now that it's not past either one of our respective bed times. Other than putting down the sword, what've you got?
-
Not really, no. We've let her get away with "I'll stop them." We need to press on how, and dismantle it bit by bit. When she says I'll think of something, we point out she doesn't have time to think of something, spiders are dying and her home is on fire. We've not really tried to nail her down yet. Hammer down that the price of absolute freedom is death at the hands of the strongest.
-
Yeah, except she's convinced she and her spiders are the strongest, and Cirno isn't around to set her straight.
But seriously. Even if it was possible to convince her that her cause is already doomed, and I'm not convinced that's even possible, we're not the ones to do it. The fact remains, we walked into her home, and murdered nearly a dozen of her friends. It's a miracle she's talked to us as much as she has, and we'll never get her to admit we're right, about much of anything. Let alone that her course is futile.
Plus there's the fact that the longer we stand her and debate with her, the more time the gas has to affect us, and the more strength we lose to our injuries. We're already in danger of passing out, that's been parser posted. We're on the clock, and we don't have the time to waste on an approach that hasn't worked before.
Now with all that said, I've had a thought. We aren't the ones that can try to help her, to civilize her, to show her that surface life is okay. But Ichirin might be. That's what she does: help feral youkai acclamate to life among people, and even if our enemy here isn't truly feral, she certainly hates surfacers. Ichirin could help her see that we're okay, could turn her from this bitter, angry misfit living in a cave, to someone that we could walk down the street with in broad daylight and take to a show. Ichirin might even be able to convince her to forgive us. I realize that's a lot to burden Ichirin with, but that's what she does.
That's my plan once we get out of her; convince Ichirin to take her in, and help tame her. Although on that front, I do have a quandry for our parser here.
>Does Ichirin have any way of keeping the spider youkai from doing harm to anyone around her? Like, what powers does she have, if any, or does she know anyone that we think would be stronger than the spider youkai that would be willing to help?
And as for how to get our enemy to Ichirin, because it's obvious we can't convince her to go there, I've thought of that, too. Marisa. We could ask Marisa to bring her to Ichirin. Marisa's leagues beyond us, sword or no, she'd be able to handle our enemy easily.
That's my plan, anyway. If you've got something better, Kilga, I'd love to hear it. But SOMETHING is going to be done before this night is out.
-
Having not yet had the chance to properly review the last several pages, I have no major ideas other than "be empathetic".
-
Ichirin is one of the reasons I was kind of trying to bait her toward town. And, I would suggest a good part of the reason she's convinced she's the strongest is because we really haven't nailed her down on why a heroic last stand isn't going to work is because we've kept letting her slide away on the issue rather than nailing her down on it.
-
>Does Ichirin have any way of keeping the spider youkai from doing harm to anyone around her? Like, what powers does she have, if any, or does she know anyone that we think would be stronger than the spider youkai that would be willing to help?
>You don't know that she has any way to outright prevent this from happening, but she might well have the capability to subdue her, should she catch her attempting to do so. While Ichirin herself possess no appreciable combat abilities, she has a close bond with a nyuudou named Unzan. While Unzan spends much of his time wandering the open skies beyond the island, their bond grants Ichirin some capacity to quickly summon him in times of trouble. You've never seen him engaged in a serious fight, but you know that he is significantly physically powerful and you suspect the nature of his form would be make him immune to this youkai's webbing. You're fairly confident he could handle her. In fact, you feel more than a little irked when you consider that he probably could have handled her way more easily than you just did. Can clouds even get beat up? In any case, aside from Unzan, you don't think there's much of anyone in Easthaven who'd stand a chance.
-
>From what we know of Unzan, would he be willing to be more vigilant than normal, if Ichirin was housing someone known to be violent? Best to have him close, than run the risk.
-
>From what we know of Unzan, would he be willing to be more vigilant than normal, if Ichirin was housing someone known to be violent? Best to have him close, than run the risk.
>You imagine he might, at least if Ichirin thought it necessary. They seem to see eye-to-eye on a lot of things.
-
>This would be a lot to ask of Ichirin. Do we think she'd really do it?
-
>This would be a lot to ask of Ichirin. Do we think she'd really do it?
>Ichirin can be fiercely protective of her charges when need arises, and you imagine of Easthaven in general, had that been an issue before now; you doubt she will take kindly to what has already happened, nor what may be yet to come. However, you likewise imagine that she would gladly take on the task of brokering peace and attempting to habituate this youkai to society if it is at all possible. This spider would not be the first youkai who was... less than peaceable when she first encountered them, though she may well be most dangerous of these. That would be the sticking point, certainly. Aside from the risk her presence among the villagers might pose, you're certain Ichirin would be willing to invest however much time it took. She is a very patient and enduring person, and this is what she has chosen to devote herself to.
-
>Then let's hope Marisa is amicable enough to do this for us, as well.
>"I'll be leaving, now. I know you won't believe me, but I really am sorry it turned out this way. If we meet again, I hope things will be better."
>Hold our breath and head back down the tunnel we came from. Don't swing the sword or raise it, but keep both ears open, in case she tries anything.
-
>Then let's hope Marisa is amicable enough to do this for us, as well.
>"I'll be leaving, now. I know you won't believe me, but I really am sorry it turned out this way. If we meet again, I hope things will be better."
>Hold our breath and head back down the tunnel we came from. Don't swing the sword or raise it, but keep both ears open, in case she tries anything.
>Don't do this.
Kilga wished to put in some inputs, which I am waiting on, and I'm not done with her as I noted.
-
>Then let's hope Marisa is amicable enough to do this for us, as well.
>"I'll be leaving, now. I know you won't believe me, but I really am sorry it turned out this way. If we meet again, I hope things will be better."
>Hold our breath and head back down the tunnel we came from. Don't swing the sword or raise it, but keep both ears open, in case she tries anything.
>Do this.
My apologies to Kilga, but I said something was going to happen before the end of the night. And I AM done with her, and I'm not prepared to waste any more time arguing with someone who won't listen to someone that murdered her friends and invaded her home.
-
>Do not do this.
You're not the only player, I should note. We're not under any time obligation, we can hold off a bit. If you're not prepared to deal with her, that's fine, sit back and let us do it. If Kilga doesn't speak up...let's say by tomorrow, I'll handle it.
-
>Then let's hope Marisa is amicable enough to do this for us, as well.
>"I'll be leaving, now. I know you won't believe me, but I really am sorry it turned out this way. If we meet again, I hope things will be better."
>Hold our breath and head back down the tunnel we came from. Don't swing the sword or raise it, but keep both ears open, in case she tries anything.
>Do this.
How about the obligation of 'moving the plot along'? Of 'Let's see what's next'? We've been bogged down here for too long as it is. I should think you'd appreciate that. And have you even noticed that Kilga said he was waiting on you to tell him to say something before he said anything? And now you say you're waiting on him?
I told the both of you hours ago, that if something didn't happen, I was moving along. I waiting for hours, and nothing happened.
-
>Not yet.
Because we can still resolve the situation, players still want to, we have no IC reason not to. It would be OOC to walk away and allow the situation the escalate more without trying all the options available. And again, you're not the only player. As far as time ultimatums go, not everyone can be here all the time. I spent a good deal of yesterday in bed with a splitting headache, for instance. A bit more time is not going to hurt anything if we can end this now and not drag out events past this. Just cool your heels, the game's not going to suddenly vanish if we wait a bit.
But if you want, I can press on with my ideas. I would prefer to wait for Kilga's insights, since he's approaching this from a different angle than we are and may have valuable things to offer, but if you must insist on something, I'll carry on now.
Edit: Seems Draco went to bed, anyways, so there's nothing to be gained by rushing at this point anyways.
-
Man, it's been a while since I posted in this.
Anyhow, I've read over just about everything that's happened so far.
It's still possible to get 'er on our side, I'd like to know what the plans that Purvis has are though.
And Kilga might have some good ones too, so I say we get all the plans on the table, and then we can go from there and figure out how to go about all this.
I know someone this stubborn, so I think we can come up with a plan to get her to see reason. Might be fiddly business, but it's doable.
-
> Is our pack large enough to hold the sword inside?
I'll go back and read through this entire conversation to see what approaches may be taken. I will admit the presence of an atmospheric time limit does hamper what I can do, however, since I tend to take a "feel it out as I go along" approach to empathizing.
-
I am thinking, at this point, more empathizing may be doable. We've kinda worn out our fury a bit. A path may exist in emphasizing we were once at the bottom of the food chain, and look at us now. But this relies on whether or not she used to be at the bottom. I get the feeling she never was, though. There may also be possibilities in the "why are you asking your friends to die?" kind of route, insomuch as if they are friends, she should value their lives more. When she makes the inevitable "yeah and you killed them", we can counter that it's because she hid away rather than coming out after us.
-
Yeah, for once I totally agree with you Purvis.
That would work, it's just a matter of getting her to listen to us on that.
I had an idea of something to say, but I can't think of the right words. But it did work off the whole "Once an average animal, but is now a Youkai." thing.
-
That's part of where I was going with "You have a voice" earlier. But I kinda never really got to fulfill it. I imagine one of the things probably stressed to Nazrin when she's being civilized was that she can talk to people to get things, rather than skulk, stealth, or pitch beatings. Which would be significant for someone who just moved from the bottom of the food chain to near the top.
-
Yeah, that's what I was thinking.
But you know the old saying, "You can take the youkai out of the wild, but you can never completely take the wild out of the youkai."
That holds true in the fact that we, as Nazrin, still utilize many, if not all of the abilities we retained.
I'm thinking that if we can ever get her to see logic and sense, she'd make a fine tailor, or a weaver, what with her ability to produce rather sturdy thread and all.
And having been a spider in the past, that would help her in the whole weaving thing, since it actually takes quite a fair deal of skill to make those webs do what you need 'em to.
Hell, given her climbing ability, she'd make a rather nice Seeker herself.
-
I'm thinking spider silk is a fine trade good and she'd be swimming in cows within a year as word gets out.
-
That's exactly what i was thinking!
Y'know, a lot of the silk out there is actually made from the wool of goats that have been injected with spider DNA that runs the silk production or something.
I read it somewhere in a scientific magazine several years back, apparently it's a good equal to silkworm and spider silks.
So I'm thinking, she'd be raking it in when she starts making silken goods. But of course, you pretty much already said that.
...Hang on...I got an idea. Why not TELL her that she'd be able to get cows by trading the silk that she and her spider comrades can produce?
If it involves food, and pretty much the ensured peace of her lot, she'd probably be all for it. We'd just have to prove it too her somehow.
I'm thinking that we might be able to get one of our friends to help explain it to her.
I'm figuring that we could start it with an offhand remark about how silk's a valuable commodity, and how people give a lot of gold and other sorts of goods to get it.
-
> Is our pack large enough to hold the sword inside?
>Given the weapon's length, you have serious doubts it would fit without forcing it down; incidentally, doing that with a very sharp object sounds like a great way to puncture holes in the other side of your pack.
-
> What if we left it sticking out of the top?
-
> What if we left it sticking out of the top?
>You imagine you could leave the top of your pack open and let the grip stick out. Of course, there's still the issue of the sword possibly damaging something inside the pack or falling out entirely if you get jostled; it wouldn't be suitable for any sort of quick action. This would be so much more convenient if you'd just found a scabbard to go along with it...
-
> What about leaving the pointed end sticking out of the top?
-
> Parser parser parser parser parser parser parser parser
-
> What about leaving the pointed end sticking out of the top?
>That could safeguard some of your possessions from the blade, though it would obviously make retrieving the sword a slower and much touchier process.
> Parser parser parser parser parser parser parser parser
>Sorry, my mental faculties were consumed pretending to be a fairy with limited mental faculties.
-
> "How's this?"
> Carefully place the sword in our pack so the blade is pointed up and away from our other possessions, as well as the walls of our pack, then look back at the youkai.
-
> "How's this?"
> Carefully place the sword in our pack so the blade is pointed up and away from our other possessions, as well as the walls of our pack, then look back at the youkai.
>You take careful hold of the sword by the blade and ease it down into your pack until you feel the hilt brush against the bottom. Several inches of the tip protrude from the open top, but you think the walls of the pack are relatively safe for the moment; however effortlessly the blade had cut the youkai's tethers, it seems content to rest against the much softer material of your pack without slicing through on force of gravity alone. You release the blade and turn back to the youkai. Her expression looks... strangely uncertain.
>You feel a sudden wave of nausea brush against you and then nearly double over as pain explodes in your lungs. You gasp at the air, but it comes out as a strangled wheeze; it feels like you're inhaling shards of glass! Your limbs start trembling and you feel a rapidly growing sense of dizziness. Oh god...
-
> Quick! Pinch our fingers around the flat part of the sword and draw it back out!
-
> Quick! Pinch our fingers around the flat part of the sword and draw it back out!
>You reach a trembling hand back towards the sword blade protruding from your pack, but one of your knees buckles under you before you can grasp it and you stumble forward, barely keeping yourself from falling face-first onto the ground. You hear the sword shift around in your pack. The room is spinning and you can feel fire radiating outwards from your lungs. Dimly, you notice a kunai flying through the air towards you, a silken strand trailing it.
-
First off, Hanzo. Good to see you again. Second,
>Obviously don't have the wherewithall to catch it.
>Stagger/dodge/evade to one side with as much dexterity as we can manage, given our compromised condition.
>Get that sword back in our hands asap!
-
>Obviously don't have the wherewithall to catch it.
>Stagger/dodge/evade to one side with as much dexterity as we can manage, given our compromised condition.
>Get that sword back in our hands asap!
>You barely have the wherewithal to remain upright and you're pretty sure you're about to decorate the cavern with your lunch.
>You try to move out of the way of the incoming projectile, but none of your limbs are working quite right and the rocks won't stop moving around underneath you. An attempt to dash left results in you tumbling to the ground instead, when your upper and lower body refuse to stay in sync. The floor rotates up to meet you and the impact makes you gasp another agonizing breath. Dimly, you hear the sword clatter out of your pack and onto the ground.
>You quickly scan around the chamber to see where the sword landed, your vision swimming. You fight to keep from simply throwing up from the motion. There it is! You shift and weakly stretch out a hand towards it, only to see your kunai reeled back along its tether; the flat of its blade clatters against the sword's hilt, knocking it away from you again.
-
>Too bad she's not close enough for us to vomit on.
>Don't lose that sword! We need it back if we're to survive.
-
>Too bad she's not close enough for us to vomit on.
>Don't lose that sword! We need it back if we're to survive.
>At this point, it's hard to even be sure what direction she's in.
>You half-stumble, half-crawl towards where the sword skidded, compelling yourself to move though you feel like a shambling incarnation of misery. At the edge of your field of vision, you see the kunai incoming again. You honestly cannot tell what it is being aimed at, whether yourself or the sword ahead of you, or maybe even the ceiling, for all that you can see straight.
-
>If she hates the sword as much as we think she does, she'll be aiming at it again, to keep it out of her hands.
>Grab it before the kunai hits it.
-
Um.
Oops. .-.
-
>If she hates the sword as much as we think she does, she'll be aiming at it again, to keep it out of her hands.
>Grab it before the kunai hits it.
>You scrabble towards the sword, as best you can approximate that action at the moment, and then nearly collapse on top of it as you try to reach out for it. You're feeling vertigo in a dozen directions at once and having some difficulty even remembering what you were just trying to do. You feel a dull pain... somewhere. Was that your arm? Oh yes, the sword!
>You fumble your hands beneath yourself and feel something smooth and flat. You grab it tightly!
>Almost immediately your misery retreats. The room stops pretending to be a lake in storm, and your breath draws no pain aside from a lingering foul taste in the air. Your nausea returns to a moderate unpleasantness and your thoughts rapidly clarify. ...and you are definitely gripping the sword by its blade.
-
So the sword was keeping us from feeling the worst of the gas? Wow. Wouldn't have called that.
I wouldn't blame yourself, Kilga. I don't any one of us would have predicted that before the fact. There was no way to know. And who knows? Maybe the act of doing that helped. She did seem confused by the gesture.
That said, however, I trust no one has any objections to leaving now? Before things get even worse?
>Try not to inhale in relief. We're still in the cloud.
>Where's that kunai gone?
-
Wellllllllll...to be honest, this turn of events makes me want to talk to her more. <_<;
-
I think we can play it to our advantage.
>Get a grip on the sword's hilt, no need to wound up our fingers more.
-
No, Purvis, we can't. If there ever was a sign to leave before things get worse, that was it.
And besides, there's another problem, on top of everything else. The torch. That torch isn't going to burn forever, and it's the only one we've got left. If we get blacked out down here, we've had it. That's it. Game over. The longer we stay, not only do we get weaker from our wounds, not only do we soak up more toxins, not only do we lose more blood, but our only light source gets closer and closer to going out.
So, that's it.
-
>How is our torch holding out?
No point in keeping ourselves in the dark about it.
-
>Try not to inhale in relief. We're still in the cloud.
>Where's that kunai gone?
>You avoid drawing a deeper breath, although you did just take one a moment before. You have enough air for a little bit, though. That being said, even this state of wounded and exhausted unpleasantness is overwhelmingly more pleasant than your state a moment ago.
>From the feel of your left arm, it was in there a few moments ago. The visible wound in it would seem to corroborate this, though it isn't especially deep; it doesn't look like the angle of penetration was very good. Scanning about, you don't see it... or the youkai. ...but you do hear movement from the northwest tunnel.
>Get a grip on the sword's hilt, no need to wound up our fingers more.
>You ease your grip on the blade a little and grab the hilt with your other hand. A bright line of crimson scores the middle of your right palm; you're just glad it doesn't cut through your flesh as easily as it did hers or you might be missing half that hand now.
>How is our torch holding out?
>You seem to have somehow managed to keep a grip on it during that ordeal. Its light is still fine, though it has burned down some since you first light it. You should have plenty for a while, but given how far into the caverns you've come now, you're not entirely certain you have enough to make it all the way back out again.
-
>Movement towards or away from us?
-
Okay, fine, we can leave the room now. =P
-
>Movement towards or away from us?
>Away.
-
>Cut the air in front of us enough to draw a quick breath, just enough to call after her, "I'm sorry things turned out this way."
>Cut enough air to take a slightly better breath, then haul ourselves to our feet, and head back down the tunnel towards the river. If we find ourselves running out of air, cut the cloud long enough to draw a quick breath.
-
>Cut the air in front of us enough to draw a quick breath, just enough to call after her, "I'm sorry things turned out this way."
>Cut enough air to take a slightly better breath, then haul ourselves to our feet, and head back down the tunnel towards the river. If we find ourselves running out of air, cut the cloud long enough to draw a quick breath.
>You cut some of the miasma away from your face and call out to the youkai. The sound of her retreat echoing through the tunnels is your only reply. You hope that at least some of your words may have left a mark on her. Undoubtedly this will not be the last time her or her kin brush against the surface; you would like to think it's possible there can still be peace in their two futures.
>Then you slash at the air some more and take a deep breath, pulling yourself to your feet. You head to the southwestern tunnel and quickly retrace your steps. After a short distance you find yourself clear of the haze and resume your normal breathing. It... is a strangely alien feeling at this point to not be locked in struggle or flight. You do keep an ear out in case she has chosen to stalk you once more, but hear nothing more of her. A short while later, you find yourself back in the large chamber with the river.
-
>Take a few seconds to breathe. Air. It's underrated.
>Then head to the river, for a quick drink and a refill of our canteen.
>Try not to let the emotion of our experience overwhelm us just yet.
>Head up the other tunnel, the one the youkai had stretched a tripwire in front of before the gas came.
-
>Take a few seconds to breathe. Air. It's underrated taken for granted so much.
>Fixed.
-
>Take a few seconds to breathe. Air. It's underrated.
>Then head to the river, for a quick drink and a refill of our canteen.
>Try not to let the emotion of our experience overwhelm us just yet.
>Head up the other tunnel, the one the youkai had stretched a tripwire in front of before the gas came.
>You take a few seconds and simply breathe. There is just a hint of river spray in the air, giving it an oddly fresh quality compared to much of these caves. Now real air, under the open sky... that is something to look forward to after all this time.
>You head for the river and lean down for a sip. The water is cold and clear and does more than a little to clear the lingering foulness from your mouth and throat. Then you fetch your canteen and fill it.
>You feel deeply exhausted, pained all over, and still somewhat nauseous. To say nothing of the emotional aftermath of so many brushes with death. You may be a Seeker and determined to fully embody the self-reliance this name evokes, but... that still leaves a mark. And you still didn't manage to fully accomplish what you'd set out to. You will be very, very grateful for a rest and some downtime after all this...
>After this, you turn back and head up the larger tunnel that you can see further along the cavern wall. The silken tripwire is still where you last saw it, though there's little sign of any other traps the youkai may have constructed. The tunnel itself stretches off into the distance; you cannot be certain where it leads. Outside would be nice...
-
>Assuming the air doesn't smell too foul, start heading through that passage. And pray for daylight like never before.
>But while we're going, keep our treasure sense 'pinging'. If we just so happen to find a precious stone or two on the way out, call that a bonus.
-
>Assuming the air doesn't smell too foul, start heading through that passage. And pray for daylight like never before.
>But while we're going, keep our treasure sense 'pinging'. If we just so happen to find a precious stone or two on the way out, call that a bonus.
>The air in there doesn't smell any worse than it does here, aside from the lack of fresh river spray. You head into the tunnel and hope fervently that it leads out.
>You don't need to consciously 'activate' your treasure sense any more than you would need to with your hearing or other senses, though paying close attention to it obviously helps you notice things. You get a few vague sensations as you walk, but nothing distinct or strong; it's possible there's a vein of silver here somewhere, but that's of little use to you without mining gear and perhaps a spare week or two.
>You spend the next half-hour or so traipsing through the tunnels, looking for either a way out or a sign of familiar terrain. Your compass and keen sense of direction keep you from being lost, but neither helps immensely in getting you where you want to go. Many tunnels lead to dead ends or loop back in the wrong direction, though you slowly piece together a mental map as you progress. You are generally ascending, but sometimes this upward progress simply leads to new dead ends or false starts. Through twisting tunnels, waterlogged chambers, stark subterranean plateaus and sweeping galleries you travel, each devoid of life or movement save your own. Your weariness weighs heavily on you, seemingly growing by the minute; were you in friendlier territory, you think you could be asleep as soon as you let yourself collapse to the floor. And you seem to be developing a nasty headache as well.
>Eventually, you find yourself detecting the smell of spider once more. While ordinarily far from reassuring, particularly given that you feel in no condition to fight, you take their presence as a hopeful sign that you are drawing close to your destination. This is especially timely considering how little light your torch appears to have left. Using their scent as a guide, you ascend further moving from one tunnel to the next and then trekking across a large open space. You hear faint sounds of movement in the distance as you progress and brace yourself for a confrontation. Whether you're dead on your feet or no, you feel you have little option but to press through them; you have no idea whether an alternate route exists or how long it would take you to find one, and if your last torch goes out, you're probably as good as finished. Fortunately, none of the spiders seem to draw close to you as you walk; you'll consider it one of the few blessings you've had on this expedition.
>Is that.... light? Up ahead in the distance.
-
>Proceed with caution. Don't want to get ambushed~
>Also, look out for tripwires. Last time we hit one of those, bad things happened...
-
Add before that:
>Turn our head back into the dark, foul-smelling spider-infested tunnels just for a moment, and wonder, once more, if what we said to that angry youkai made any difference. We never even knew her name. Was the damage we did already too much to allow any hope for her to be 'redeemed'? Is a full-on war between spiders and Easthaven inevitable? And who would win? What price would the winners pay? Just what was that torii gate? And why was a weapon geared towards killing spiders resting below a spiders nest, as though it had been placed there? So many questions... Maybe someday, we'll have some answers.
-
>Turn our head back into the dark, foul-smelling spider-infested tunnels just for a moment, and wonder, once more, if what we said to that angry youkai made any difference. We never even knew her name. Was the damage we did already too much to allow any hope for her to be 'redeemed'? Is a full-on war between spiders and Easthaven inevitable? And who would win? What price would the winners pay? Just what was that torii gate? And why was a weapon geared towards killing spiders resting below a spiders nest, as though it had been placed there? So many questions... Maybe someday, we'll have some answers.
>You pause and turn back towards the deeper tunnels, where you fought and fled for your life, where you found both answers and questions and met someone the world above had forgotten existed. You reflect on the past and ponder the future; this day has not been at all like what you expected when you set out this morning. In many ways, it has been worse than you could have imagined; you have been injured again and again, nearly killed, failed to find any living cattle, and may just have witnessed the inevitable start of a war. And yet... perhaps you can still hold onto the hope that things might yet be different. Perhaps something you said mattered. Perhaps there will be a better next time. But that time will not be today.
>Proceed with caution. Don't want to get ambushed~
>Also, look out for tripwires. Last time we hit one of those, bad things happened...
>You set forth towards the light, drying quipping that any ambushers lurking out there ought to be careful; you might just fall asleep on top of them, and you're sure you can make quite an uncomfortable lump when unconscious...
>You cross the chamber without incident, the light in the distance growing until it fills your field of vision. After so long with only the dim and waning glow of the torch to light your way, it is nearly blinding. Never have you been so joyous to be struck blind. You are beneath the open sky once more!
>You take a deep breath of fresh air and relish every sip of it. You'd almost forgotten what it was like. This is clearly not where you originally entered, however; the tunnel mouth is much too large, and judging by the terrain you would say you are closer to the foot of a hill than its summit. Trees and the rugged hillside surround you and you hear birdsong in the distance. It is late afternoon and you are very, very weary - almost unnaturally so. And are you... running a fever?
-
>Put it out of our mind. Time for fever later. We can be sick once we put some distance between our rodent-backside and all those legs. And we will be sick...
>Look about for anything we can use for a suitable walking stick, and grab it if there is one to be found.
>From where we are, can we figure out where it was that we left that kunai we threw into the ground way back when?
>If that location is more or less in line with the route back to town, head towards that discarded weapon.
>If it isn't, then just back to Easthaven. The sight of a building would be very welcome about now.
-
>Also, acquire a taste for modern jazz.
-
>Pull Honey down from the sky and ravish her.
>Detonate C4.
-
>Also, acquire a taste for modern jazz.
>You acquire a taste for modern jazz and the world around seems to acquire one simultaneously. Sparrows break out into a syncopated chorus while woodpeckers provide the beat, and a troupe of saxophone-wielding fairies descend from the sky. Among them, Honey plucks suavely on a acoustic bass approximately 3 times her own size.
>Pull Honey down from the sky and ravish her.
>Detonate C4.
>You relieve Honey of her instrument and proceed with the requisite ravishing.
>As you do, a chorus of C4 detonates throughout the hillside behind you, offering an extremely low-frequency walking bass line to compensate for Honey's distraction from her instrument. This jazz is so modern it's avant-garde, man!