Episode 11: We get in over our heads

Well this is going to be a massive post as I'm behind on updating it. Let's see what I can do. This story consists of:

Melchizedor, the dwarven Cleric of Heironious

Talon, the Aarakocra (bird-man who can fly) Fighter

Unit 2408, the Warforged (humanoid living construct) Barbarian

Luthis, the Kenku (raven-man who can not fly) Blood Hunter

Evangeline, the Tiefling Paladin of Tyr

When we last left they had just walked through a portal into another part of the dungeon and found a burial site of some long dead dwarves. Melchizedor decides to spend some time investigating, to learn more about this clan of dwarves, so Unit 2408 and Evangeline took up guard positions at the two other exits from this room. After Melchizedor was satisfied, we started exploring.

Going down one of the hallways it wandered a little then split. One split is thick with spiderwebs so we stand there for a few pondering this. We decide to go down the other split, the non spiderwebbed split, instead as we're all pretty convinced there's giant spiders in the webbed split.

Rounding the corner in the non webbed split we wind up in a small room across from a set of double doors. On either side is a creature, plus a pile of spider silk. The creatures of course see us and come in for the attack, so we returned the favor. We were able to take them out.

Investigating the spider silk Talon realized there was someone/thing in there so he carefully slit the silk to find an unconscious but alive dwarf. We then found the same thing in the other pile of silk. We were able to revive them and they were all for getting out of here, but we couldn't leave well enough alone after they mentioned Drow*. So we told the pair how to get back to the burial area so they can wait it out.

And we went into what appears to be some sort of Dwarven temple. Or was at one time. It is now under the control of the Drow. In this temple there are a couple more of the beasts outside, some Drow warriors, a Drow priestess mid-spell, and a Drider. There are also two temporary jail cells on either side of the alter. There is also spider webbing on the ceiling.

The beasts and warriors immediately spring to action, as do we. Melchizedor, Unit 2408, and Evangeline step in to the melee while Luthis starts firing his deadly little crossbow. Talon flies up to start lighting the spider webs on fire, but they are slow burning.

We're doing decently against the beasts and warriors but then a spider nabs Talon and Unit 2408, which really slowed down our progress. They're fighting back against the spiders though so Melchizedor and Evangeline go up to the Drider. Unfortunately, the Drow priestess has disappeared, likely to get reinforcements.

At some point in this big fight Luthis transforms from his raven-man to basically a were-beast of some variety and joining in the melee against the Drider. This was startling but we were far too busy to do anything about it. Melchizedor and Evangeline are busily smacking on the Drider while Unit 2408 eventually gets out of the spider's grasp and comes joins us against the Drider. Unfortunately, Talon wasn't doing as well against the spider and as the Drider dies we realize Talon's being hauled off by the spider.

Luthis takes off after Talon while Melchizedor takes up a guard position at the door the Drow priestess had escaped through. Evangeline did a quick check of the two cells and realized there was another pile of spider silk, so she quickly freed the occupant. It was another unconscious dwarf. As we had no time to deal with that, Unit 2408 picked him up like a sack of grain and we hurried after Luthis/Talon.

In the first room Unit 2408 drops the unconscious dwarf, slams the double doors shut, and stuffs the trident we picked up earlier through the handles while Melchizedor and Evangeline continue after Luthis/Talon. We came around the corner to find them near the intersection with the webbed hallway. The spider had dropped Talon's wrapped form and was attacking Luthis. Luthis was, of course, attacking back. So Melchizedor and Evangeline wade in to assist.

We were able to get the spider killed off, but unwrapping Talon showed he was not in good shape. And our healing spells had no effect, Talon had passed away.

At this point, realizing there was nothing we could do for Talon, we grabbed the wand from him, picked him and the unconscious dwarf up, and high tailed it to the Dwarven graveyard to gather up the earlier 2 dwarves. We then went back through the portal, weaved through the maze of this dungeon to the well room, and summoned a ride back to the surface.

We left the trio of Dwarves in the tavern, they'll be fine on their own now.

The rest of us took Talon's body to a temple of Heironious, for we had only known him 2 days and didn't know his preferences. Searching his body revealed nothing really all that personal so we figured a warrior would be honored well at a temple to Heironious.

We decide at this point to find a decent inn and turn in for the night, have some food, and rest up. Whatever this crazy mage is doing, we do need to eat and rest after that.

And that's where we left this game. More soon!

* Drow in traditional D&D are dark elves, quite evil. They live underground and worship a spider-goddess called Lolth.