Chapter 3.1: The Second Expedition

Buoyed by the unusual experience of an uninterrupted night's sleep, the Dungeon Busters were energized and set out on the second day of their trip through the Dim Forest. The Dungeon Busters note when they pass the path that leads to the Jarls' newly-abandoned house and continue onward. Chase forges ahead as usual, content and accustomed to solitude. The other three who've been to Orlane - Myrtha, Theran, and Aanbo - share details with their companions who haven't been there yet - Jonel, Morton, and Arya - as they continue hiking through the day. As the hours pass and miles are traversed, talk continues to planning on how to proceed into Orlane.

There isn't a solid consensus by the time the sun is setting, and they still haven't reached the place that Chase had selected for their next camp. As night falls and plunges the Dim into the dark, Chase lights a torch and waits for the party at the edge of Cecily's Road. Eventually he sees the group's light in the distance, and he waves them over. They proceed to the site and the Dungeon Busters drop their packs and stretch as Chase lights the set fire with his torch. Everyone other than Morton is keenly aware of Rosemary's absence, if only for her habit of always having wonderful food ready to eat. Since she's not here, they proceed to tuck into rations or magic berries...

"We're about three miles outside of Orlane," Chase confirms to the others as they spread out around the fire.

Just then, as Chase and Aanbo head off to the edge of the firelight, each member of the party becomes aware that there is something out there in the darkness, lurking out of the firelight. Arya's words echo in everyone's head, as they are painfully aware how very far the firelight must be visible in the thick darkness of the forest at night.
No one is surprised (although Chase is puzzled again how someone approached without tripping his alarm wire), everyone should roll initiative.Everyone, please roll initiative.

Round one
(this was followed by round two)

There is rustling in the trees around the campsite that everyone hears now. Whatever is coming, is coming from above.
Arya, Ember, Aanbo, and Theran notice two shapes in the canopy: a giant arachnid ("Six"), and a small humanoid ("Three").
Arya and Ember notice "Three" as well (they cannot see "Six" in the darkness). (Note: amended because Six is just at the edge of the firelight)

Note that the things in the trees are 15' above the ground where the party stands.

"There!" Ember calls out, pointing to the humanoid in one tree (Three) and the arachnid in another (Six). She leaps to her feet and runs to the edge of the firelight below the tree with the giant spider in it, whipping out her rapier to prepare for the spider's approach.

Chase whirls away from Aanbo, yanking out an arrow and nocking it as he spies the shape of Three in the tree branches above them. He draws, aims, and looses; the arrow is lost in the darkness.
The giant spider aims its spinnerets and launches a stream of silk at Ember.
Ember is Restrained by the silk.

Seeing the danger, Morton pulls at the thread of awareness that is ever at his side. Mentally grasping it, Morton feels the fell attention of the being he has come to think of as the "Laughing Lord." The Entity is amused at this situation; as Morton points, the Laughing Lord opens a gateway to the Abyss, and a jet of heat streams from the half-elf's finger. The branches of the tree rock in the blast, but the giant spider is unharmed.

Barely seen from this angle, a figure sits upright on the spider's back: another small humanoid! Brandishing a javelin like a spear, this one (which we will call "Five") shouts into the night: "Bree-yark!" Chase doesn't know what it means, but he instantly recognizes the tongue of the hated foes from his days as a Boundary Warden: goblins! Of the assembled Dungeon Busters, only Aanbo can speak the language, and understands the battle cry as "Get them, everyone!" The spider-riding goblin flings its javelin at Theran.
The javelin whistles over Theran's head and lands in the fire, sending sparks flying.



Myrtha grabs up her weapons and rushes to the bound Ember's side. She flings a hatchet into the tree at the spider-riding goblin, but it smashes through the leaves and falls somewhere beyond the tree in the darkness. Myrtha then switches the magic spear to her dominant hand.

Jonel draws upon the pulsing magic within him; the energy flows up his arm and blasts out of his outstretched hand as a bluish-white beam toward the goblin perched in the tree branches.
Three takes 2 cold damage and its speed is reduced as frost forms on its body.

Theran scans the goblins and the spider hiding in the trees, as he lets his will flow outward, the power of his intent serving as a catalyst for the invisible field of spores surrounding the wood elf. Even as he does so he draws the power of nature up through the tip of his staff, hardening it as little blossoms sprout along its length.

Arrows fly from the four goblins crouched in the trees around the clearing. Three of them had been more successful in their Hiding that they remained undetected until now.
Aanbo would have taken 7 piercing damage but he catches the arrow before it hits him. He decides not to throw it back at the attacker.
Arya takes 5 piercing damage.
Jonel takes 4 piercing damage (with a 14, it would still hit even if Jonel casts Shield).


Note: enemies one through six are 15' up in the trees.

Having snatched the arrow out of the air, Aanbo drops it on the ground and blurs forward, running full tilt at the tree where the goblin archer revealed itself. With a tremendous leap he bounds into the tree. A moment later, the goblin falls from the tree, dead.
Goblin One takes six damage and falls, dead.

Mother Arya prays for healing.
Arya gains 4 HP.
Arya rushes toward the tree where Aanbo is crouched, shield held over her head. "Camping is cursed in that forest!"


Note that the enemies and Aanbo are all 15' up in trees.

---

23 - Ember (9/9) Restrained
23 - Chase (14/14)
23 - Giant Spider (Six) 15' up in a tree
20 - Morton (9/9)
20 - Spider-riding goblin (Five) 15' up in a tree
16 - Myrtha (18/18)
15 - Jonel (3/7)
13 - Theran (18/18)
11 - Goblins One, Two, Three (-2, speed reduced), Four 15' up in a tree
10 - Aanbo (27/27)
9 - Arya (9/10)

Sorry, not thinking in 5e. One of the hazards of running and playing using five different systems. Ehr, yes, she readies an attack action if anything not a friendly moves within range.

Round one, continued...

"There!" Ember calls out, pointing to the humanoid in one tree (Three) and the arachnid in another (Six). She leaps to her feet and runs to the edge of the firelight below the tree with the giant spider in it, whipping out her rapier to prepare for the spider's approach.

Chase whirls away from Aanbo, yanking out an arrow and nocking it as he spies the shape of Three in the tree branches above them. He draws, aims, and looses; the arrow is lost in the darkness.
The giant spider aims its spinnerets and launches a stream of silk at Ember.
Ember is Restrained by the silk.Seeing the danger, Morton pulls at the thread of awareness that is ever at his side. Mentally grasping it, Morton feels the fell attention of the being he has come to think of as the "Laughing Lord." The Entity is amused at this situation; as Morton points, the Laughing Lord opens a gateway to the Abyss, and a jet of heat streams from the half-elf's finger. The branches of the tree rock in the blast, but the giant spider is unharmed.

Barely seen from this angle, a figure sits upright on the spider's back: another small humanoid! Brandishing a javelin like a spear, this one (which we will call "Five") shouts into the night: "Bree-yark!" Chase doesn't know what it means, but he instantly recognizes the tongue of the hated foes from his days as a Boundary Warden: goblins! Of the assembled Dungeon Busters, only Aanbo can speak the language, and understands the battle cry as "Get them, everyone!" The spider-riding goblin flings its javelin at Theran.
The javelin whistles over Theran's head and lands in the fire, sending sparks flying.

---

23 - Ember (9/9) Restrained
23 - Chase (14/14)
23 - Giant Spider (Six) 15' up in a tree
20 - Morton (9/9)
20 - Spider-riding goblin (Five) 15' up in a tree
16 - Myrtha (18/18)
15 - Jonel (7/7)
13 - Theran (18/18)
11 - Three 15' up in a tree
10 - Aanbo (27/27)
9 - Arya (10/10)

Round one, continued...

Myrtha grabs up her weapons and rushes to the bound Ember's side. She flings a hatchet into the tree at the spider-riding goblin, but it smashes through the leaves and falls somewhere beyond the tree in the darkness. Myrtha then switches the magic spear to her dominant hand.Jonel draws upon the pulsing magic within him; the energy flows up his arm and blasts out of his outstretched hand as a bluish-white beam toward the goblin perched in the tree branches.
Three takes 2 cold damage and its speed is reduced as frost forms on its body.

Theran scans the goblins and the spider hiding in the trees, as he lets his will flow outward, the power of his intent serving as a catalyst for the invisible field of spores surrounding the wood elf. Even as he does so he draws the power of nature up through the tip of his staff, hardening it as little blossoms sprout along its length.

Arrows fly from the four goblins crouched in the trees around the clearing. Three of them had been more successful in their Hiding that they remained undetected until now.
Aanbo takes 7 piercing damage.
Arya takes 5 piercing damage.
Jonel takes 4 piercing damage (with a 14, it would still hit even if Jonel casts Shield).

Arya rushes to Aanbo's side. "Camping is cursed in that forest!"


Note: enemies one through six are 15' up in the trees.

---

23 - Ember (9/9) Restrained
23 - Chase (14/14)
23 - Giant Spider (Six) 15' up in a tree
20 - Morton (9/9)
20 - Spider-riding goblin (Five) 15' up in a tree
16 - Myrtha (18/18)
15 - Jonel (3/7)
13 - Theran (18/18)
11 - Goblins One, Two, Three (-2, speed reduced), Four all are 15' up in a tree
10 - Aanbo (20/27)
9 - Arya (5/10)

Round one, completed...

Having snatched the arrow out of the air, Aanbo drops it on the ground and blurs forward, running full tilt at the tree where the goblin archer revealed itself. With a tremendous leap he bounds into the tree. A moment later, the goblin falls from the tree, dead.
Goblin One takes six damage and falls, dead.

Mother Arya prays for healing and ducks down under her shield by the packs.
Arya gains 4 HP.


Note that the enemies and Aanbo are all 15' up in trees.

This ends round one.

---

23 - Ember (9/9) Restrained
23 - Chase (14/14)
23 - Giant Spider (Six) 15' up in a tree
20 - Morton (9/9)
20 - Spider-riding goblin (Five) 15' up in a tree
16 - Myrtha (18/18)
15 - Jonel (3/7)
13 - Theran (18/18)
11 - Goblins One, Two, Three (-2, speed reduced), Four 15' up in a tree
10 - Aanbo (27/27)
9 - Arya (9/10)

Round two
(this was preceded by round one, followed by round three)

Ember struggles mightily and manages to snap the strands of spider silk, freeing herself!

Chase scoops up the goblin arrow that Aanbo dropped and turns it on the goblins, sinking the shaft into the head of Goblin Three.
Goblin Three takes 9 damage and falls out of the tree, dead.

The giant spider crawls down out of the tree and up to face Myrtha and Ember. Since it just had an axe thrown at it, the spider leaps at Myrtha, attempting to bite the burly woman warrior.
Myrtha takes 9 piercing damage and must roll a DC11 CON save.

Ever-watchful Morton is thrown off by the sudden leap of the spider; he barely misses the spider with his demonic Eldritch Blast.

Upset with itself that it missed its first throw, the spider-riding goblin draws another javelin and hurls it at Theran again. Again its throw misses the druid; the javelin passes between him and Jonel and skips off the ground into the dark woods.

Stabbing with her magic spear, Myrtha pierces the chitin of the Giant Spider, then uses her Action Surge to stab it again, the spear punching into the arachnid with wet crunching noises.
The Giant Spider takes 15 damage!

Jonel moves east, running away from the flames toward the edge of the firelight, and draws upon his heartspring of magic energy to toss a Fire Bolt over his shoulder at Goblin Four.
Goblin Four takes 1 fire damage!

Able to see the dark forest with his monochromatic darkvision, Theran rushes away from the fire to support Ember and Myrtha, smashing the Giant Spider with his burgeoning staff.
Giant Spider takes 10 damage!

Up in its tree, Goblin Two draws and tracks the druid's movement, then looses an arrow at Theran.
Theran takes 5 piercing damage!
From the canopy of another tree, Goblin Four takes aim at the lone figure still at the campfire: its arrow flies at Morton. The light of the fire is too bright for the goblin, and the arrow goes wide of the mark!Aanbo gracefully drops out of the tree, landing between the dead goblin and Arya. "Mother Arkon," he urges her, "Take cover!" Then he sprints toward the next tree and leaps impossibly high - three times his own height! - into that tree's canopy, adjacent to Goblin Four!

Arya runs behind the trunk of the tree, keeping its bulk between her and the goblin arrows.

---

23 - Ember (9/9)
23 - Chase (14/14)
23 - Giant Spider (Six) (-25)
20 - Morton (9/9)
20 - Spider-riding goblin (Five)
16 - Myrtha (9/18)
15 - Jonel (3/7)
13 - Theran (13/18)
11 - Goblins One, Two, Three, Four (-1) 15' up in a tree
10 - Aanbo (27/27) 15' up in a tree
9 - Arya (9/10) Taking cover behind a tree trunk

Round two, continued...

The giant spider crawls down out of the tree and up to face Myrtha and Ember. Since it just had an axe thrown at it, the spider leaps at Myrtha, attempting to bite the burly woman warrior.
Myrtha takes 9 piercing damage and must roll a DC11 CON save.

Ever-watchful Morton is thrown off by the sudden leap of the spider; he barely misses the spider with his demonic Eldritch Blast.

Upset with itself that it missed its first throw, the spider-riding goblin draws another javelin and hurls it at Theran again. Again its throw misses the druid; the javelin passes between him and Jonel and skips off the ground into the dark woods.

---

23 - Ember (9/9)
23 - Chase (14/14)
23 - Giant Spider (Six)
20 - Morton (9/9)
20 - Spider-riding goblin (Five)
16 - Myrtha (9/18)
15 - Jonel (3/7)
13 - Theran (18/18)
11 - Goblins One, Two, Three, Four 15' up in a tree
10 - Aanbo (27/27) 15' up in a tree
9 - Arya (9/10)

This, just full cover behind one of the first trees, preferably the same Aanbo used to climb.

Round two, continued...

Stabbing with her magic spear, Myrtha pierces the chitin of the Giant Spider, then uses her Action Surge to stab it again, the spear punching into the arachnid with wet crunching noises.
The Giant Spider takes 15 damage!

Jonel moves east, running away from the flames toward the edge of the firelight, and draws upon his heartspring of magic energy to toss a Fire Bolt over his shoulder at Goblin Four.
Goblin Four takes 1 fire damage!

Able to see the dark forest with his monochromatic darkvision, Theran rushes away from the fire to support Ember and Myrtha, smashing the Giant Spider with his burgeoning staff.
Giant Spider takes 10 damage!

Up in its tree, Goblin Two draws and tracks the druid's movement, then looses an arrow at Theran.
Theran takes 5 piercing damage!
From the canopy of another tree, Goblin Four takes aim at the lone figure still at the campfire: its arrow flies at Morton. The light of the fire is too bright for the goblin, and the arrow goes wide of the mark!

---

23 - Ember (9/9)
23 - Chase (14/14)
23 - Giant Spider (Six) (-25)
20 - Morton (9/9)
20 - Spider-riding goblin (Five)
16 - Myrtha (9/18)
15 - Jonel (3/7)
13 - Theran (13/18)
11 - Goblins One, Two, Three, Four (-1) 15' up in a tree
10 - Aanbo (27/27) 15' up in a tree
9 - Arya (9/10)

Round two, completed...

Aanbo gracefully drops out of the tree, landing between the dead goblin and Arya. "Mother Arkon," he urges her, "Take cover!" Then he sprints toward the next tree and leaps impossibly high - three times his own height! - into that tree's canopy, adjacent to Goblin Four!

Arya runs behind the trunk of the tree, keeping its bulk between her and the goblin arrows.

---

23 - Ember (9/9)
23 - Chase (14/14)
23 - Giant Spider (Six) (-25)
20 - Morton (9/9)
20 - Spider-riding goblin (Five)
16 - Myrtha (9/18)
15 - Jonel (3/7)
13 - Theran (13/18)
11 - Goblins One, Two, Three, Four (-1) 15' up in a tree
10 - Aanbo (27/27) 15' up in a tree
9 - Arya (9/10) Taking cover behind a tree trunk

Round Three
(this was preceded by round two)

Ember lunges, puncturing the spider's head with her rapier.
The Giant Spider takes 9 damage and dies.
Half of the ambushers have been slain!Attempting to knock another goblin out of a tree, Chase loses an arrow in the darkness.

Morton's dark power sends another blast searing into the night, missing Goblin 5.

As the spores begin to wrack its body, the goblin leaps forward off of the abdomen of the dead spider, trying to attack Theran with a scimitar it whips out of its scabbard. Myrtha's shield rises up.
Goblin leader takes 7 necrotic damage from spores.
Myrtha's shield blocks the first attack, but the second attack gets through their defenses and slashes into Theran's abdomen.
Theran takes 7 slashing damage.Myrtha stabs the goblin who'd been riding the spider - what seems like their captain (Goblin 5) - with her magic spear!
Goblin 5 takes 5 piercing damage!

Jonel flings a burst of fire into the darkness, singeing a branch of the tree near Goblin 2. The canopy is lush and so the branch begins to smolder, rather than bursting into flames.

Theran attempts to clobber the goblin rider, but finds that its armor is protecting it.

Goblin 2 looses an arrow at Morton, who'd dared attack their leader (and is furthermore lit up by the campfire). In fact, he is TOO lit by the campfire - the light hurts the goblin's eyes, and it misses.

Goblin 4 whips out its scimitar and tries to slash Aanbo with it.
Aanbo takes 8 slashing damage.

Aanbo strikes back at the goblin that just slashed him. It dodges his blade, but the dwarf's hand comes around and slaps it across the face.
Goblin 4 takes 3 bludgeoning damage.

Arya takes shelter in the darkness.

---

23 - Ember (9/9)
23 - Chase (14/14)
23 - Giant Spider
20 - Morton (9/9)
20 - Goblin 5 (-12)
16 - Myrtha (9/18)
15 - Jonel (7/7)
13 - Theran (6/18)
11 - Goblin 1, Goblin 2, Goblin 3, Goblin 4 (-4)
10 - Aanbo (19/27)
9 - Arya (10/10)

Round three, continued...

Chase loses an arrow in the darkness.

Morton...?

As the spores begin to wrack its body, the goblin leaps forward off of the abdomen of the dead spider, trying to attack Theran with a scimitar it whips out of its scabbard. Myrtha's shield rises up.
Goblin leader takes 7 necrotic damage from spores.
Myrtha's shield blocks the first attack, but the second attack gets through their defenses and slashes into Theran's abdomen.
Theran takes 7 slashing damage.

---

23 - Ember (9/9)
23 - Chase (14/14)
23 - Giant Spider (Six)
20 - Morton (9/9)
20 - Spider-riding goblin (Five) (-7)
16 - Myrtha (9/18)
15 - Jonel (3/7)
13 - Theran (6/18)
11 - Goblins One, Two, Three, Four (-1) 15' up in a tree
10 - Aanbo (27/27) 15' up in a tree
9 - Arya (9/10) Taking cover behind a tree trunk

Round three, continued...

Morton's dark power sends another blast searing into the darkness, missing Goblin 5.

Myrtha stabs the goblin who'd been riding the spider - what seems like their captain (Goblin 5) - with her magic spear!
Goblin 5 takes 5 piercing damage!

Jonel flings a burst of fire into the darkness, singeing a branch of the tree near Goblin 2. The canopy is lush and so the branch begins to smolder, rather than bursting into flames.
Theran...?

Goblin 2 looses an arrow at Morton, who'd dared attack their leader (and is furthermore lit up by the campfire). In fact, he is TOO lit by the campfire - the light hurts the goblin's eyes, and it misses.

Goblin 4 whips out its scimitar and tries to slash Aanbo with it.
Aanbo takes 8 slashing damage.

---

23 - Ember (9/9)
23 - Chase (14/14)
23 - Giant Spider
20 - Morton (9/9)
20 - Goblin 5 (-12)
16 - Myrtha (9/18)
15 - Jonel (7/7)
13 - Theran (6/18)
11 - Goblin 1, Goblin 2, Goblin 3, Goblin 4 (-1)
10 - Aanbo (19/27)
9 - Arya (10/10)

Round three, completed

Theran attempts to clobber the goblin rider, but finds that its armor is protecting it.

Aanbo strikes back at the goblin that just slashed him. It dodges his blade, but the dwarf's hand comes around and slaps it across the face.
Goblin 4 takes 3 bludgeoning damage.

Arya takes shelter in the darkness.

---

23 - Ember (9/9)
23 - Chase (14/14)
23 - Giant Spider
20 - Morton (9/9)
20 - Goblin 5 (-12)
16 - Myrtha (9/18)
15 - Jonel (7/7)
13 - Theran (6/18)
11 - Goblin 1, Goblin 2, Goblin 3, Goblin 4 (-4)
10 - Aanbo (19/27)
9 - Arya (10/10)

Round four
(this was preceded by round three)

Ember tries to skewer the goblin boss, but her blade glances off of metal armor he is wearing under his rags.

Chase looses an arrow; the shaft flies through the air and passes over the arrow that the goblin was drawing back with his own bow, and sinks into the goblin's eye.
Goblin 2 takes 10 damage and dies, its body falling out of the tree with another thud, unseen in the dark undergrowth.

Morton's eldritch blast scorches a hole in the goblin boss' rags, revealing the chain shirt that he wears underneath.

The spider-riding goblin leader is really sweating now: three-to-one is not great odds. It tries to decide which opponent to attack...in the end, its unreasonable hatred of Theran outweighs any other assessment. It attacks the druid!
As Myrtha continues to protect Theran, the fighting woman's shield blocks the first slashes, but the monster is determined and tries again! Once again, the second attack manages to slip under Myrtha's shield - the huge fighter may have a problem with such little guys - and bites into Theran once more.
Theran takes 4 slashing damage!
The goblin boss gives a little inarticulate cry of exultation at the spray of blood, but this turns to dismay when it sees that it hasn't evened the odds after all, and Theran is still standing. It disengages and flees into the darkness of the woods outside the reach of the firelight.

---

23 - Ember (9/9)
23 - Chase (14/14)
23 - Giant Spider
20 - Morton (9/9)
20 - Goblin 5 (-12)
16 - Myrtha (9/18)
15 - Jonel (7/7)
13 - Theran (2/18)
11 - Goblin 1, Goblin 2, Goblin 3, Goblin 4 (-4)
10 - Aanbo (19/27)
9 - Arya (10/10)

Round four, continued...

The spider-riding goblin leader is really sweating now: three-to-one is not great odds. It tries to decide which opponent to attack...in the end, its unreasonable hatred of Theran outweighs any other assessment. It attacks the druid!The fighting woman's shield blocks the first slashes, but the monster is determined and tries again! Once again, the second attack manages to slip under Myrtha's shield - the huge fighter may have a problem with such little guys - and bites into Theran once more.
Theran takes 4 slashing damage!
The goblin boss gives a little inarticulate cry of exultation at the spray of blood, but this turns to dismay when it sees that it hasn't evened the odds after all, and Theran is still standing. It disengages and flees into the darkness of the woods outside the reach of the firelight.

---

23 - Ember (9/9)
23 - Chase (14/14)
23 - Giant Spider
20 - Morton (9/9)
20 - Goblin 5 (-12) fleeing into the darkness
16 - Myrtha (9/18)
15 - Jonel (7/7)
13 - Theran (2/18)
11 - Goblin 1, Goblin 2, Goblin 3, Goblin 4 (-4) 15' up a tree
10 - Aanbo (19/27) 15' up a tree
9 - Arya (10/10)