spider silk

The strands are particularly strong and the dark Elves have difficulty hacking through them. The Fighter manages to cut the strands with his kukri. They progress slowly since the work is arduous. Clicks and clacks of small spiders resonate all around them. The creatures seem very sensitive to sounds. After sixty yards, a thick layered curtain of webbings blocks the entire passage. The air is filled with spider talk and feels oppressive. The Wizard hurls a fireball straight into the mass and burns away five full yards, thus roasting a couple of small spiders.

When they press onward, they suddenly hear a new sound. A flapping sound. A very ugly creature sails around the corner and Alvra identifies it as a (poisonous) spider eater. The species likes to place its eggs in paralyzed prey, so their offspring has something fresh to eat. The Fighter takes aim and throws his javelin at the flying insect-like beast. The spider eater tries to drive its stinger into Alvra in a ferocious attack. The corridor is filled with heavy angry buzzing. Phaedra, still carrying her spiked chain, lashes out at the beast, while Lilith attacks with her flail. Both score a hit. They soon get help from their brother, who fires Kelgore’s firebolt into the spider eater. Distracted by the combined attack, the animal misses Alvra with both stinger and mandibles and tries to fly away. But Alvra’s two-sided swords ends its life.

The Fighter notices a broad ledge and climbs upwards to inspect the spider eater’s lair. He finds five big purple stinking slimy eggs. Two of them disappear into his bag, the other three are smashed to pulp. All that is left are the remains of tiny small spider eater embryos. They will never live to see an Underworld day. Alvra climbs back down again and reports to the Cleric that he has destroyed the layer, not speaking a word about the two eggs in his bag.

Onward they go, with the Scout in the lead as usual. There are no more heavy webbings in front of them, though both sides of the tunnel are covered in spider silk. The hum of the spiders increases and before they know it, both brothers are stuck. Again. Immediately a swarm of small spiders comes down from the ceiling and attack the male Drow. Phaedra tries to hit the agile arachnids, but misses. Lilith smashes one of them into bits and pieces with a mighty blow, soon followed by a second. The Scout also manages to hit them now.

Two spiders bite Jharrath in his calves and the Wizard feels a paralysis taking hold of his legs. His spell fails. Alvra is being battered by four spiders at a time and one of them manages to crawl under his armor. He also feels the mandibles of the little beast. Their sisters are now under attack too but manage to avoid the poisonous effects of the bites.

Suddenly a huge spider appears, with fur and bladed mandibles that end in razor sharp points – and attacks the Fighter. Fortunately Alvra hears the approach and ducks instinctively, an action which probably saves his life, for the sword spider lashes out with all eight legs simultaneously. Lilith hits the beast with her spiritual weapon, after which the arachnid scuttles away.

Up ahead, two more large spider forms become visible. These have a small body and long, spindly legs, while yellow saliva drips on the grounds. Phaedra agrees on Alvra’s assumption that these are spitting spiders, which spit blotches of poison towards their victims. The Wizard casts a protective mage armor on himself.

The sword spider again comes near Alvra, who counterattacks with his kukri, hitting twice. The monster disappears into the heights of the tunnel, after which Lilith redirects her spiritual weapon from the sword to the spitting spider. The small spiders seem to finally give up on their fight, falling to the ground and crawling away. Then suddenly the sword spider jumps down on top of the Fighter, wounding him severely. His whole body is imprisoned by the eight razor sharp legs. Alvra’s brother come to the rescue and launches Kelgore’s firebolt onto the creature. To the Fighter’s relief it incinerates. He shakes off the ashes and quickly drinks a healing potion. Then he tries to escape his ghastly prison of spider legs, in which he finally succeeds.

One of the spitting spiders has found a target in Phaedra, spits and hits her neck. The glob has a devastating and paralyzing effect on the Scout and she lashes out at one of its legs. The fight surges back and forth, but in the end Phaedra finishes it off, though the fight has taken a heavy toll on the Scout.

The other spider tries to hit the Cleric, but misses. Jharrath uses his wand of magic missiles to hurt it, giving Lilith the chance to cast a shield of faith on herself. She manages just in time, for a set of formidable mandibles clicks close to her flesh. Her spiritual weapon continues to do damage, as does another magic missile. Jharrath too gets hit by a blotch of poison and is severely hampered by its effects. Together the siblings hack and slash at the last monstrous spider. It finally is killed by another missile.

Panting, the Xaniqos stand up straight and eye the havoc around them. Lilith is able to counter part of the effects the spitting spider’s poison is having on her sister and cures some of Alvra’s wounds. A long rest has to do the rest.

Curtains of spider silk start to appear in the passage, while loose strands wave in an unseen current. In the beginning they are torn and broken – old webs – but after a while the webs get fresher; they seem to be made in the last couple of days. In the distance they see two curtains that block half the corridor, with additional webbings on the floor. Cautiously, the Xaniqos move on, but Jharrath gets caught in the sticky fabric and can’t proceed.

Suddenly a group of spiders crawls near. Twelve hairy spiders, each as big as your hand. The Scout moves backwards and takes out her crossbow. Four spiders pass the Cleric – leaving her unharmed – and head straight for Jharrath. Alvra and Lilith try to hit the creatures, but the critters are way too fast. They crawl all over the Wizard and try to bite him.

At the end of the corridor, two large spiders appear and one of them attacks the Cleric. It lashes out but doesn’t seem to find hold on Lilith’s armor. Jharrath casts an area of smoke, encircling the arachnids and thus obscuring their sight. The large creatures don’t seem to be affected by the acid smoke, but the smaller ones drop dead.

Alvra takes the opportunity and attacks the spider, but gets bitten himself. Poison flows through his veins and he gets hurt. Enraged, the fighter hits the beast and kills it in one stroke. The Vermin Slayer is back in business! Then the second animal looms from the smoke and goes for Lilith, but again she manages to stay safe. Phaedra takes out her spiked chain and moves closer, while Alvra attacks too. All three engage in the fight and in the end it is the Scout who kills the second large spider.

Meanwhile Jharrath feels the fangs of the little spiders sink into his flesh. Though he gets only a bit queasy and is not much bothered by it, he still wants them off. The Wizard tries to swipe them away, but the little buggers are relentless. Fed up with the situation, Jharrath takes off his stuck boots and walks straight into the acid cloud. And though the smoke hurts him, it hurts the arachnids even more: they drop to the floor, with their eight little legs in the air.

The siblings take a moment to rest and get their breath back. They hear distant clicks, but all is quiet. The Drow don’t feel sick or nauseated, and fortunately the bites don’t seem to have had much effect on them. The Wizard pulls his boots back on and they move slowly forwards. Phaedra again spots fresh webbings, which block their passage. They seem to be very tough. Going back is an option, but then they will lose half a day. They decide to move on.