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The Greek battlefront is quite straightforward these days. There is a hole full of spiders, and that hole is now surrounded by a concrete wall, a military base, and another concrete wall lined with bombs just in case.

The things is, Arachne's Spiders still manage to crawl their way out of there and kidnap people. There's nothing you can do short of destroying the entire country, and even that might only leave you defenseless against Arachne's legions if she survives.

Upon your arrival, you're greeted by Hector, the Commander of the Greek line. The Nemean Cloak is draped around his shoulders. He's a tall, broad man with a constant smile on his face.

"Sarah, so nice to see you again!" Hector drags your boss into a bearhug. "And Selene, you're back! Got any worship lately?"

"No, that's… no." Selene looks away awkwardly.

"As nice as this reunion is, I'd like to get to work, Hector," Commander Blumstein says. "What's the situation here?"

"Not good," Hector answers. "If your team wants to get to Arachne, you'll have to go through one of her tunnels. The main tunnel is filled with lots of giant Spiders, while what we call her smuggling tunnels are usually just defended by a single even bigger Spider. I can tell you where to go and I can provide a distraction, but you'll have to fight your way in."

"I suppose another easy run was too much to ask for," Orianne says. "What do you think, Eamon?"

- "We'll go through the main tunnel. It should be the most direct route, right?"
- "We'll use one of the smuggling tunnels. I don't want to fight an army here."

>>712161
>- "We'll use one of the smuggling tunnels. I don't want to fight an army here."

>>712161
>- "We'll use one of the smuggling tunnels. I don't want to fight an army here."
We are better suited to fight a single stronger target.

- "We'll use one of the smuggling tunnels. I don't want to fight an army here."

>>712161
>- "We'll use one of the smuggling tunnels. I don't want to fight an army here."

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>>712161
"We'll use one of the smuggling tunnels," you say. "I don't want to fight an army here."

"Okay, I'll give you directions," Hector says. "You've got the Vimana, right?"

"Right here, chief." Francis raises his hand. "I'll handle the infiltration, no sweat."

"I'll give you directions," Hector says. "Now, it's not too hard to get the drop on the spiders. However, once you use some power, they'll detect it right away and go on a rampage. You'll need to keep that in mind before you attack."

"I'll coordinate between you and the main force," your Commander says. "Once you're ready to attack, give the signal. We'll begin the diversion."

"So…" Selene hesitates slightly. "Is this going to be like South America."

Hector snorts. "No, it won't be," he says. "I can promise you that much."

Hector gives Francis directions to an appropriate smuggling tunnel, and you board the Vimana. The trip only takes a few seconds.

"Should we make preparations before the attack?" Orianne asks. "I can lend Eamon some Divinity to make Gleipnir stronger. It will seal my more powerful ability, but I'm not sure if it'll be useful here."

"I can prepare an arrow ahead of time," Selene says. "It'll still land even if we enter a tunnel."

"It may be best to retain the element of surprise," Natsumi says. "It would grant us the first strike."

- Decrease Orianne's DIV to E to increase your DIV to S.
- [DC12] Have Selene prepare an arrow to increase the damage of your first attack by 1.
- [DC9] Avoid attracting attention and go for a sneak attack.

Rolled 14 (1d20)

>>712381
- [DC12] Have Selene prepare an arrow to increase the damage of your first attack by 1.

Rolled 20 (1d20)

>>712381
>- [DC12] Have Selene prepare an arrow to increase the damage of your first attack by 1.
YOLO

Rolled 6 (1d20)

>>712381
>- [DC12] Have Selene prepare an arrow to increase the damage of your first attack by 1.

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>>712381
Enemy: Giant Fucking Spider
Health: 5/5
END: A
SPD: C
DIV: D

"Selene, get ready to launch an arrow on my mark," you tell her. "Boss, are you listening? We're about to move."

"I'm listening. Send the signal when you're ready."

You deploy your team: Orianne and Natsumi at the tunnel's entrance, you a little behind them, and Selene farther in the back. Selene nocks and arrow to her Silver Bow and waits for your signal.

"Begin the diversion, ma'am."

You wait less than a second before hearing back.

"The diversion has begun. Get to it."

You nod to Selene. She aims her bow towards the sky and looses an arrow. It's daytime, but you can see the arrow twinkling in the sky, waiting for the right time to fall.

The ground rumbles and you hear a sharp hissing noise. Your opponent has sensed your attack, and it's coming for you.

Eight legs. Mandibles dripping with venom. Serrated fur everywhere. It's disgusting to look at. It looks at you, eyes shining with pure malevolence, and darts forward.

- [DC12] Dodge!
- [DC11] Get behind cover!

Rolled 7 (1d20)

>>712559
>- [DC12] Dodge!

Rolled 5 (1d20)

>>712559
>- [DC12] Dodge!

Rolled 19 (1d20)

>>712559
> Dodge
I've got this

>>712586
Jesus Saves

>>712586
Thanks RNJesus

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>>712559
Enemy: Giant Fucking Spider
Health: 5/5
END: A
SPD: C
DIV: D

"Get out of the way!"

Natsumi dodges left, Orianne dodges right, you fall back. The spider loses its momentum right in the middle of your formation. This is not a good place for it to be, and it knows. The spider chitters and turns to look at the three of you in turn. Venom drips from its fangs, corroding the ground wherever it lands.

This is the opportunity for you to strike. You could go for a direct attack - Orianne can use Joyeuse to attack on her own or support your team - or you could use Gleipnir to further stack the odds in your favour.

- [DC8] Let Orianne attack alone.
- [DC10] Let Orianne lead a coordinated attack.
- [DC12] Use Gleipnir to reduce the spider's END to E.
- [DC10] Use Gleipnir to reduce the spider's SPD to E.

Rolled 11 (1d20)

>>712714
>- [DC12] Use Gleipnir to reduce the spider's END to E.
Get rekt scrub

Rolled 14 (1d20)

>>712714
>- [DC12] Use Gleipnir to reduce the spider's END to E.

Rolled 1 (1d20)

>>712714
>- [DC12] Use Gleipnir to reduce the spider's END to E.

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>>712714
Enemy: Giant Fucking Spider
Health: 1/1
END: E
SPD: C
DIV: D

"Bind it, Gleipnir!"

Your Relic unwinds itself and snares the spider. It struggles and trashes, but it accomplishes very little. Gleipnir digs in, crushing its skeleton, muscles and organs. The spider screams in rage and turns towards you.

It dashes forward, mouth open and dripping with black spittle.

- [DC12] Avoid the attack.
- [DC9] Wrestle it down.

Rolled 13 (1d20)

>>712871
>- [DC9] Wrestle it down.

Rolled 3 (1d20)

>>712871
>- [DC12] Avoid the attack.

Rolled 12 (1d20)

>>712871
>- [DC9] Wrestle it down.

>>712923
Actually did not notice
>dripping with black spittle.
Changing to avoid

Rolled 13 (1d20)

>>712871
> Avoid
Even small spiders are scary

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>>712871
Enemy: Giant Fucking Spider
Health: 1/1
END: E
SPD: C
DIV: D

You'd rather not touch that thing unless it's absolutely necessary. Hell, you wouldn't want to touch it even if it was just a normal-sized spiders. Those things are genetically designed to look as disgusting as possible.

Instead of wrestling it down, you leap out of the way and roll into a crouch. The spider immediately starts to turn towards you. It's surprisingly nimble, considering the number of legs it has. Fortunately, you're too far for it to just drop on top of you immediately.

You clench your fists and prepare to go back on the offensive.

- [DC8] Have Orianne attack while you distract it.
- [DC10] Launch a coordinated attack.
- [DC10] Selene has another special attack that may be useful here.

Rolled 15 (1d20)

>>713071
>- [DC10] Selene has another special attack that may be useful here.

Rolled 19 (1d20)

>>713071
>- [DC10] Selene has another special attack that may be useful here.

Rolled 2 (1d20)

>>713071
>- [DC10] Selene has another special attack that may be useful here.

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>>713071
"Selene, your Silver Bow has another attack power, right?"

A smile flashes across her face and she pulls her Silver Bow back. She aims an arrow slightly ahead of the spider and lets it loose. A blue-white streak of light pierces right through the spider's neck.

In the sky, a silver light flashes and a star falls from the heavens. The arrow Selene had left hanging in the sky penetrates the spider's torso and explodes, almost knocking you back. The spider's legs remain standing, their feet impaled through the ground, but the rest of its body is completely gone.

"Great job, Selene," you say.

"Thanks," Selene says. "It was very satisfying."

"It looks like the road ahead is clear," Orianne says. "Shall we proceed?"

"Hold on, I need to inform the boss first," you say. "Commander, are there any problems on your end?"

"Everything is proceeding as planned, but I wouldn't take too long if I were you. The more time it takes you, the greater the chance that Arachne will send forces towards your position."

"Duly noted, Commander," you say. "I'm assuming the rest of you heard that?"

The rest of the team nods.

"I can track Arachne with my arrows," Selene says, "but she might be able to trace them back to us."

"In that case, it might be better to track her the old-fashioned way," Orianne says. "Or I suppose we could just rush through, if you really want to hurry."

- [DC8] "Selene, track Arachne with your arrows."
- [DC9] "We'll find Arachne's tracks through normal means."
- [DC10] "We're moving at full speed."

Rolled 12 (1d20)

>>713316
>- [DC10] "We're moving at full speed."

Rolled 2 (1d20)

>>713316
>-[DC10] "We're moving at full speed."

Rolled 6 (1d20)

>>713316
>- [DC10] "We're moving at full speed."

>- [DC10] "We're moving at full speed."

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>>713316
"We're moving at full speed," you say. "This is a smuggling tunnel, so it should be farther away from the heart Arachne's lair. We have to assume we'll need to make up for lost time."

"Okay, we'll run then," Orianne says. "I just hope we don't get lost."

"We should be able to verify our positions with a map and compass," Natsumi says. "We know where the centre of the lair should be from our current position, so we can adjust."

"I like that idea," you say. "Natsumi, stay on it, and pay attention. Orianne, go first. Natsumi, stay with me. Selene, can you bring up the rear."

"Of course I can. I don't think there'd be anything behind us anyway."

You run towards the tunnel entrance. It's dark and the ceiling is held up by spider webs, but you have just enough light to follow the compass, so Natsumi has no problem leading you through the twisting tunnels as you go.

Then the laughter starts. It's a cold, mocking sound, almost like a sharp knife cutting right through solid steel.

"I saw you skulking about," a woman's voice hair. "You have such nice hair. Such pretty hair. Tell me, whose is the softest? Who will give me the best silk?"

And here comes the crazy.

- Yours, obviously.
- Selene's.
- Orianne's
- Natsumi's.
- You have no idea.

>>713629
>- Yours, obviously.

>>713629
>-Yours, obviously

>>713629
>- You have no idea.

>>713629
>- Yours, obviously.

>>713629
Are we actually answering her?
> We not here to give you hair silly!

>>713730
We could take advantage of the question to give everyone headpats to see who has the nicest hair.

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>>713629
"Mine, obviously," you say.

"Wait, what?" Selene nearly slams into a wall as she skids to a halt. "How is your hair better than mine?"

"I use a very rigorous regimen of shampoo and conditioning," you answer. "Also, I have less of it, so it's worth more. It's a basic rule of supply and demand. Now keep running."

You resume your mad dash through the tunnels. There are less turns now, and the tunnels are starting to converge. From this point on, they're no longer designed to mislead intruders.

The voice - Arachne, you're sure of it - giggles. It seems to be getting closer and closer. You rather hope it's because you're moving towards it than it moving towards you.

"And what about… skin?" The voice asks. "Who has the softest, whitest skin?"

- Still you.
- Selene.
- Orianne
- Natsumi.
- You don't know.

>>713816
>- Still you.

>>713816
>- Still you.
The best. The punchiest. And the softest.

>>713816
>- Still you.

>>713816
>- Still you.
Might as well keep the joke going

>>713816
>- Still you.

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>>713816
"Still me."

Orianne and Natsumi both stare at you this time.

"That's a little bit much, Eamon," Orianne says. "For one thing, you have quite a few more scars than I do."

"Scars are dangerous," you say. "They add character."

"Japanese hot springs are excellent for improving skin condition," Natsumi says. "I visited them regularly when I had time."

"Aren't those full of sulphur?"

You move forward. The giggling gets louder and louder and it doesn't stop.

"What about the face?" Arachne asks. "Who has the prettiest face? Who will make me beautiful?"

- The answer is you. It's always you.
- Selene.
- Orianne
- Natsumi.
- No idea.

>>714000
>- The answer is you. It's always you.
A man brings out the beauty in a woman.

>>714000
>- The answer is you. It's always you.

>>714000
>- The answer is you. It's always you.
Keep beating the horse

>>714000
>- No idea.

>>714000
>Francis

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>>714000
"The answer is me," you say. "The answer is always me."

The rest of your team gives you a flat look.

"Ladies, you're all very pretty, but we have to accept that I'm the prettiest one here, especially while Francis is absent."

Orianne just sighs and shakes her head.

The tunnel leads to an immense chamber that shouldn't fit in this area. Inside, the giggling isn't just louder, it's everywhere. The further in you go, the more it seems to press down on you.

"You have the softest hair?"

Something runs through your hair.

"You have the whitest skin?"

Something strokes your neck.

"You have the prettiest face?"

Something caresses your cheek.

"Then… why don't you become mine? Kekekekekekekekekeke!"

The ground surges forth and a million threads of spider silk wrap themselves around you, twisting and crushing.

So this is what it feels like to be stuck inside Gleipnir.

>Roll 1d20, DC 14, best of three.

Rolled 1 (1d20)

>>714271

Rolled 20 (1d20)

>>714271

Rolled 1 (1d20)

>>714291
>>714271
Wrecked

Rolled 5 (1d20)

>>714271

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>>714271
Speaking of Gleipnir, your Relic wraps itself in a protective cocoon around you. Slowly, it expands outward, pushing away Arachne's threads. For a tense moment, your two powers are dead even. You close your eyes and focus on controlling Gleipnir. Your cocoon gets bigger, until it unravels into razor-sharp threads that cut away Arachne's silk. The threads of spider silk slowly drift towards the ground.

A monstrous screech echoes across the cavern and Arachne's monstrous form falls from the ceiling. To your surprise, she lands softly and the ground sinks under the touch of her eight legs.

This cavern isn't made of dirt or stone. It's made of silk. All of it.

Your team takes a standard defensive formation with Orianne and Natsumi at the front, you in the middle and Selene at the back.

Arachne's face splits open and she laughs.

"Such pretty things," she hisses. "You shall become prettier mannequins for my art!"

>>714390
And that's all for today. Relic Quest will return on Sunday October 23rd at 7PM EDT. I haven't heard any more noise about 4chan going bankrupt, so moving is no longer in my immediate plans. As a reminder, you can check my twitter account @BeleagueredQM for updates and I'll also be running Beleaguered Prince Quest this Sunday.

Goodnight and thanks for playing.

>>714409
Thanks for running.

>>714409
Thanks for running, hope you don't have any nightmares about giant spiders doing arts and crafts.

>>712871
I love being a pedantic jerk so I'll point out that arachnids have a bio-hydraulic system rather than muscles

>>714763
What does that even mean?

>>714812
Pedantic? To be overly precise, or a perfectionist. Obsessive with the minor details and such.
You could've Googled this, you know

>>714838
... Not sure if sarcastic or not.
Kinda assumed they were referring to your spider factoid. Which I'm gonna go Google now

>>714867
Don't take me seriously. Like I said, I enjoy being a pedantic jerk every so often.

>>714867
Googled it myself to make sure I'm not an idiot, and I learned that spider dicks are also powered by hydraulics.
Imagine those high powered hydraulic spider dick thrusts!

>>714994
I wish I were spiderman and had a hydraulic dick.

>>715261
Don't we all, anon?
And now I feel bad for Mary Jane's pelvis

>>715345
Don't worry, the silky caress more than makes up for it.