Montporte Dungeon Campaign 2.0 Session 8 Notes (Montporte 54)

Cast of Characters
Alaric: Human Cleric (PC-Main Character)
Alicia: Human Footman (NPC Henchwoman)
Carlos: Human Footman (NPC Henchman)
Fishdore: Koblold (NPC)
Huthul: Orc (NPC)
Jim Bob: Ogre (NPC)
Lord Jim: Human Fighter (PC-Sidekick)
Magnus: Human Magic-User (PC-Sidekick)
Maydor: Orc (NPC)
Merv: Human Torchbearer (NPC Henchman)
Septimus: Human Fighter (PC-Main Character)
Ummerokhan: Uyoga (NPC)
Zug: Orc (NPC)

The Session
The brave adventurers, having their first dungeon-based trade agreement in hand (negotiated in the previous session), were heading back to the town of Montporte to load up on weapons to sell to the Community.

They made their way from the second level, back to the first, and were heading toward the dungeon entrance when they encountered a group of large spiders. There were two bright red spiders and three dull gray spiders. The gray spiders were larger and more aggressive than the red spiders. The gray spiders moved towards the party, along the walls of the room, while the red spiders held their ground in the middle.

The party, sensing that they were the prey in this encounter, put their best fighters out front and closed the gap. The gray spiders turned out to be poisonous, with the poison causing paralysis on a failed saving throw. The red spiders were not poisonous, but they provided the party with a special surprise. When the party killed one of the red spiders, a half dozen smaller black spiders emerged from the slain spider and swarmed over the party. This created a fair amount of anxiety for the party members fighting the second red spider. It, too, spewed out a half dozen smaller black spiders out of its broken corpse.

A few party members suffered paralysis and Maydor the orc was killed, but eventually the party overcame the spiders. The group had just experienced their first encounter with cardinal spiders, nomadic predators feared by dwarfs and orcs alike.

Our session started later that usual. We ended here for the night.

Scroll of the Dead
Horace NPC Footman, Session 48
Pulvarti PC Magic-User, Session 49
Alicia, NPC Footman, Session 50
Diana, NPC Torchbearer, Session 52
Maydor, NPC, Orc, Session 54

Cardinal Spider--Montporte Dungeon Campaign Critter

CARDINAL SPIDER
Cardinal spiders travel in small roving bands made up of 2-8 males and 2-4 females. The males are the smaller of two (about 60 pounds in weight) and are deep red in color. The males also carry the baby spiders inside their bodies, once the eggs are fertilized. The male must die in order for the 4d4 baby cardinal spiders to leave his body. The females are larger (about 120 pounds in weight) and dull gray in color, with hints of red around the head and legs. They are more aggressive than the males in hunting and in combat. Baby cardinal spiders are black in color and about 1' in diameter.

FEMALE CARDINAL SPIDER
Armor Class: 2 [17]
Hit Dice: 2
Attacks: 1 Bite (1d6)
Saving Throw: 16
Special: Poison
Move: 14
Challenge Level/XP: 3/60

COMBAT: Female cardinal spiders are smart and aggressive hunters, using stealth and camouflage to gain an advantage over prey. They are tough foes in combat as they seek to shield the smaller males from harm, even at the cost of their own lives.

POISON: When an opponent suffers a bite from a female cardinal spider, the opponent must make a saving throw or be paralyzed for 1d6 turns.

MALE CARDINAL SPIDER
Armor Class: 4 [15]
Hit Dice: 1
Attacks: Bite (1d4)
Saving Throw: 17
Special: Live Baby Spiders
Move: 10
Challenge Level/XP: 2/30

COMBAT: Male cardinal spiders only attack when attacked or cornered. They will otherwise attempt to flee.

LIVE BABY SPIDERS: When the male cardinal spider dies, its exoskeleton splits and 4d4 baby cardinal spiders scramble out of the male's body the next round.

BABY CARDINAL SPIDER
Armor Class: 7 [12]
Hit Dice: 1 hit point
Attacks: Bite (1 point)
Saving Throw: 18
Special: Nonw
Move: 6
Challenge Level/XP: 0/5

COMBAT: Baby cardinal spiders swarm any warm blooded creature within 20' of them after leaving the male's body.