A Spire Amongst The Thorns - 3 Report

Exploring the Tower

The party continues to explore the web-filled corridor and curtained chambers.   One chamber contains an intact and dust-free cot, a raggedy woolen rug with interlocking bricks (some loose, many constructed into a trio of towers), and yet another webbed creature hanging from the high ceiling. Cutting this one down, not too carefully as the webbing snapped and vibrated quite a bit, the trapped thing seemed to be a construct of a conglomeration of metallic cubes. Forgin searched and found a likely on/off mechanism on the construct and, with symbiotic enhancement, was able to restart the construct which reassembled it's cubes into a single, larger cube-like shape with small protruding wheels at its base and three, glowing, circular optical ports. Although not able to speak, the construct seemed to contain several tools within its cubic shell and was able to re-place a brick that Euric had removed from one of the tiny towers.   As the party continued forward, the cube-bot meandered back towards the tower foyer and started to clean the webbing off of the furniture and other rubble there. Another curtained chamber contained two hanging creatures, both still and unmoving. One appeared to be a squid-beast similar to what had tried to abduct Gladwyn and the party decided to let it alone, but the other was another of the white skinned creatures as from the first chamber and Euric cut this one free as well. Wearing similar clothing and similarly stiff and unmoving, Forgin attempted to use their on/off power on the creature and, lo and behold, it was also a construct and activated immediately. This construct was able to speak Trian, was named Polluck, claimed to be from the city of New New New New New Yoirk (seemingly named after the prominant Trian city of Yoirk on the Eastern Continent), and had the personal designation of "Explorer". It had been the first to set out from its city in over 4000 years or so after some calamity had occurred, however on its journey it had had an encounter with a monster that had overpowered it. Polluck, on the whole, did not seem remarkably capable.   The party returned to the first chamber and Forgin reactivated the first white-skinned construct which turned out to be a tomato and cucumber farmer from New New New New New Yoirk, abducted from off of its fields as it worked.  

Ambush!

Hearing some kind of noise from the other side of the foyer, Gladwyn and Fulgur went to investigate and came face to face with a ferocious swarm of tiny spiders. As the rest of the party ran to their aid, two more swarms of spiders streamed silken webbing throughout the foyer creating a barrier between them and Gladwyn and Fulgur. Rorra ran into the fray, blasting pulses of psychic energy into the swarms that overwhelmed and crippled great swathes of the spiders. Euric kept up a whirlwind of scythe attacks that cleaved through the spiders as they proceeded to try to climb and bite their way up his body. Forgin and their construct blasted away at any remaining targets and, between the three of them, managed to drive off what remained of the little hordes. The cubic cleaning robot tidying obliviously and the New New New New New Yoirkers did not assist at all and, in fact they seemed to stare in unnerving fascination as the party engaged in violence.   Tearing through the web barrier the party was reunited, albeit with weapons largely useless as they were now all covered and dulled with spider silk. Fortunately, the group was persuasive (or persistent) enough and the cubic construct, now dusting the entry room outside of the foyer, was obliged to clean the webbing off of everyone's weapons.  

The Rat's Destination

Picking up the pace now, the group contined to poke into chambers as they followed the tiny rat, now growing more agitated as it seemed to be listening to sounds inaudible to the party.   Of note, Rorra discovered some finely and intricately crafted pottery of an undetermined culture that was centuries old, predating the departure of the Yesk from the known galaxy. Also, she and Forgin uncovered a trunk of rotting clothing (undergarments, robes, tunics, etc all made for individuals with only one arm) that they identified as very likely Yesk in origin.   Approaching another chamber on the far side of the tower, the rat (perched on Euric's shoulder and eating some of his rations) began squeaking excitedly and throwing crumbs at the curtains. The party entered and, yet again, found something suspended from the ceiling in webbing. This time, however, the something was clearly vibrating and shifting. Euric sliced it down with his slice and, as the webbed sac hit the floor, out spilled several dozen injured and discheveled (but otherwise well-groomed and pleasant looking) rats. Regaining their bearings after their tumble, the rats clumped together and the rat from Euric's shoulder leapt down and joined in the swarm, indistinguishable from the rest. In a coordinated motion, the rats turned toward the party and collectively gave a formal bow and set of squeaks in thanks for their rescue.   It was at this moment that a choked sounding screech filled the air and the party turned to see some of translucent webbing behind them moving and becoming more tangible as the form of a giant spider materialized on the wall behind them.