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Post by Igrainne (RETIRED) on Oct 10, 2020 17:27:35 GMT
TW: arachnophobia
Week 1
The Chasm of Daring Heights is a pretty lonely place these days. The pulley-operated lift that used to take adventurers and tourists up and down the cave has been partially dismantled, abandoned by its erstwhile operator Kapel the farmer ever since he was kidnapped by goblins. Igrainne wonders how he is doing as she carefully climbs down the rock face. Maybe I should pay him and his husband another visit; Nerry's Pies is open again and they seemed to like the fruit pie she brought last time...
Her leather boots land on a murky puddle when she hops down from a safe height. Ah. The small, cramped tunnels, the barely oxigenated air, the glowy mushrooms, the sounds of gods-know-what echoing from gods-know-where...the good old Underdark. The ranger hums a tune to herself as she strides forward.
Some fifteen minutes later, she finds a wall dotted with drops of gooey, foul-smelling white liquid. Igrainne has been in the Underdark long enough to recognise giant spider droppings when she sees and smells it. Not without reluctance, she takes a palmful of it and rubs it on her leather cuirass. What many surfacer folks don't know is that spiders have a sense of smell.
Sure enough, just a few feet past the poop, she could see silken webs hanging from the walls and the ceiling. But no giant spider in sight...unless you are a keen-eyed half-drow survivalist, which means that you could spot a crevice in a wall and, within it, six black eyes -- two large ones on top and four smaller ones below -- that reflect the light of bioluminescent mushrooms growing nearby, watching you.
Igrainne steps forward towards the crevice and squats down in front of it. The spider's chelicerae twitch a little. It's a giant wolf spider and judging from the size of its pedipalps, a female of the species. Igrainne grins. Mr. Tickles, her beloved childhood pet -- may he rest in peace -- was a giant hairy tarantula, but this will do just fine. She carefully extends a palm into the crevice and it hovers over the spider's face, touching the tips of the stiff hairs that stand on its head. The spider look up at it curiously, pedipalps wiggling. It does not run away. A promising start, she thinks.
However, moments later, the wolf spider slowly turns its body around and walks away, disappearing into the darkness. Igrainne sighs. Message received -- I'll bring gifts next time.
Standing: Neutral
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Post by Igrainne (RETIRED) on Oct 10, 2020 17:33:59 GMT
Week 2
"Here you are!"
Four fresh rabbit carcasses drop into the crevice. The wolf spider's six eyes flicker in the dim light of Igrainne's torch. It examines one of them for a while with its forelegs, then feels it with its chelcirae.
"I know you preferred them webbed but why not try something new for once?"
Igrainne smiles as the spider's large fangs sink gratefully into the rabbit.
Standing: Friendly
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Post by Igrainne (RETIRED) on Oct 23, 2020 20:13:13 GMT
Week 3
Igrainne squats down and hugs her knees as she watches the giant wolf spider nibbles on the fresh batch of dead hares. She tentatively puts a palm on its hairy head, and it ignores her touch until it finishes its meal, at which then it backs off gently by scuttling back into its alcove. She sighs. It likes her small offerings, for sure, but they're not making it as tame as she wants it to be.
Casting her gaze at the drippy cavern ceiling, she contemplates trying a new strategy...
Standing: Friendly
Bonding Progress: 1/3
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Post by Igrainne (RETIRED) on Oct 30, 2020 13:56:09 GMT
Week 4
Igrainne peeks out at the young giant lizard from behind a tall stalagmite. It has a goose-feathered arrow sticking out from its kneecap but, judging from the rise and fall of its jowls and its unblinking eyes, still alive and alert. Even so, it didn't spot the giant wolf spider pouncing upon it in time. The spider sinks its large, black fangs into the back of the lizard's head and the poor creature goes limp after a brief spasm. In the split second that the lizard stops moving, the spider's legs move quickly to wrap its prey in a silk mummy. The half-drow grimaces. It's morbid but that's how they like their meal...
It seems pleased after it finished its lunch. More receptive to pets.
Standing: Friendly
Bonding Progress: 2/3
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Post by Igrainne (RETIRED) on Oct 30, 2020 14:35:47 GMT
Week 5
"Come on! Right this way!"
Sunlight streams through the chasm and dimly lights the cavern floor directly under it -- one of the few spots of the Underdark that is touched by the sun. Igrainne stands at the edge between the light and the dark, dangling a dead rabbit in her hand. The giant wolf spider's pedipalps wiggle curiously. It is tentative, the ranger could tell, but it is still following her nonetheless. "Just a little more."
She ties the end of the rope that binds the rabbit's feet to her belt as she steps back into the light, turns around to face the wall, and prepares to climb. Several feet up, she looks down to see the spider climbing up after her after some hesitation. She grins.
Once they both reach the surface world, Igrainne lets it snack gleefully on the rabbit. Then she leads it back to the Hung Rabbit Inn. They turn more than a few heads and more than a few gasps as they walk through the gates, and she can feel the city watch officers' eyes on the back of her head, accompanied by exasperated sighs and tired mutters about "gods-damned adventurers". But she doesn't mind.
The half-drow lets "Octavia" build a web nest in her messy single bedroom at the inn. It makes preparing for her day a bit difficult, but Octavia seems happy in her new home. So she doesn't mind it either.
Bonding Progress: 3/3
Standing: Loved
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Post by Igrainne (RETIRED) on Nov 10, 2020 15:03:54 GMT
Week 6
"C'mere, Octavia, move towards me!"
The spider contemplated the rabbit jerky being wiggled at her from 20 feet away for a second. Then she scuttles forward towards Igrainne.
"Now stop!" The ranger thrusts the hand that is holding the jerky high in the air. After scuttling 15 feet nearer to her master, Octavia halts.
"Great job! Now, one last thing: sit."
The spider tilts her head to one said curiously.
"Sit, Octavia, sit." Igrainne crouches and brings the jerky to a ground level. After a few moments, Octavia tucks her legs in and presses her body against the earth.
"Well done! Here, you deserve it." The jerky is tossed into the air and the giant wolf spider springs up to catch it with her front legs and fangs.
Standing: Loved
Commands Learned: Stop/Move, Sit
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Post by Igrainne (RETIRED) on Nov 14, 2020 15:55:27 GMT
Week 7
The patrons of the Hung Rabbit Inn see a most extraordinary sight this week: a giant wolf spider pulling the wooden door to the tavern open for them by biting a long ribbon that had been tied to the knob with its fangs and stepping backwards and nudging it shut with its head after them. Every time the spider does it correctly and without incident (there are a few bruised hands and fingers in the inn on that day), a young half-drow woman standing by its side cheerfully feeds it chunks of raw meat. Questions directed to the proprietor, Dhauzith, or his employees are met with shrugs.
Standing: Loved
Commands Learned: Stop/Move, Sit, Push/Pull/Open
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Post by Igrainne (RETIRED) on Dec 7, 2020 10:04:58 GMT
Week 11
Fort Ettin is quiet at night, save for the faint chirping of crickets. It appears that some adventurers have decided to move in after all, in spite of what happened. Igrainne pulls Octavia along on her leash past the communal healing tent in the courtyard and towards the Great Hall in the centre of the fort. The tall double doors are slightly ajar and the room within, while already cleaned up, looks deserted, with a decidedly gloomy air about it. Perhaps it's just the darkness.
The half-drow sighs heavily. She pulls the giant wolf spider to another direction, realising now that this "walk" was a poor idea. "I wish I could tell you what happened," she mutters. "I don't know what's going to happen next. I don't know if this is our fault..." The spider, not being under the influence of the speak with animals spell, does not respond.
"When we get back to Daring Heights, we'll work on practicing waiting again, okay? I have to figure out a way to make you wait for more than 5 minutes before you come running to me."
Standing: Loved
Commands Learned: Stop/Move, Sit, Push/Pull/Open
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Post by Igrainne (RETIRED) on Feb 1, 2021 15:55:49 GMT
Week 19
"Okay, Octavia, remember the halfling gentleman with the dumb-looking moustache? Bring this to his table."
Igrainne puts a tray of tankards, filled to the brim with golden ale, on the giant wolf spider's abdomen. She chitters as if to acknowledge the command, turns around, and promptly scuttles across the tavern. Too fast. The tray tips on one side and the tankards clatter onto the floor loudly, splashing delicious, golden ale everywhere. One side of the pub erupts in cheers.
Igrainne pinches the bridge of her nose as Dhauzith holds out a mop towards her.
Standing: Loved
Commands Learned: Stop/Move, Sit, Push/Pull/Open, Wait, Recognise People and Places
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Post by Igrainne (RETIRED) on Mar 5, 2021 18:33:57 GMT
Week 22
"Go, Octavia! Dodge then use bite!"
Miavaris Withrethin swings her sun sword to her left but the giant wolf spider nimbly sides-steps to flank her on the right and sinks its large fangs into the elven wizard's arm. She lets out a scream as she drops the sun sword, the blade of pure sunlight retracting into its golden hilt. Igrainne cries out, "That's enough, Octavia! Come back."
The medics jump into the arena to rush towards Miavaris and Octavia dashes back to her mistress to be met with loving head pats and delicious rabbit jerky. The crowd is roaring with cheers and hoot, in awe at this odd but winning pair. Igrainne, however, spots in the shadows of the warehouse two men -- one of whom is writing in a thick ledger -- giving her the stink eye. She has a feeling the two of them won't be welcome next time.
But for now, she thinks with a grin, they owe me some gold pieces.
Standing: Loved
Commands Learned: Stop/Move, Sit, Push/Pull/Open, Wait, Recognise People and Places, Carry/Deliver
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Post by Igrainne (RETIRED) on Mar 5, 2021 18:52:58 GMT
Week 23
Igrainne leans against the wooden leg of Lolth, which, despite having been reinforced with leather straps from Toothy's father's shop, complains with a loud and extended creak and sinks to one side slightly. It's a barely recognisable statue of a large spider as Igrainne couldn't sculpt the female elf torso without it looking hideous, so she erred on the safe side. The sky has been grey the whole day. And it's cold. She's getting a little worried and wonders how much longer she should wait.
Then, eight beady eyes peek from behind the roof of The Hung Rabbit Inn. Octavia scuttles across the tiles, down the wall, and towards the half-drow. She is holding a straw doll with her two forelegs. Igrainne smiles. "Well done! To be honest, I didn't think you'd learn it this quic-- Wait, that's not the doll I bought..."
In the distance, she sees a group of people approaching. An angry mother, a crying child, and a gaggle of young adventurers armed with crossbows and axes. The smile turns into a grimace. Lolth's bloated thorax...
Standing: Loved
Commands Learned: Stop/Move, Sit, Push/Pull/Open, Wait, Recognise People and Places, Carry/Deliver
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Post by Igrainne (RETIRED) on Mar 19, 2021 15:25:36 GMT
Week 25
Broken branches, toys, copper coins, discarded household goods, and all sorts of other junk had piled up in Igrainne's room — the various things she had taught Octavia to fetch. Safe to say the spider has fully learned the command.
As she loads up a wheelbarrow with the junk, off to be sold or donated or something, she glances over her shoulder at Octavia, who is quietly spinning webs against a wall (Dhauzith won't be happy about that). They've been together for almost six months now and Octavia has taken to city life much better than she expected her to. And Igrainne feels happy and relaxed in her company, despite the trouble they get into sometimes.
She smiles. Jaezred says that drow and spiders are a natural fit, but it took work to get to where she and Octavia are. Friendship takes time, effort, strong bonds, and a firm foundation — much like building a web.
Standing: Loved
Commands Learned: Stop/Move, Sit, Push/Pull/Open, Wait, Recognise People and Places, Carry/Deliver, Find/Retrieve
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