Session 16 – The Tangled Web

Written by KoshcheiBessmertnyi

General Summary

The tunnel is astir with chaotic activity. From somewhere below, Enkidu indicates that he is still alive, but trapped in spider webs, and there are apparently other humanoid shapes down there in a similar predicament. Theobald studies the trap, and concludes that there is an illusory pit on the right side of the passage, and a real pit covered with an illusion of floor cover on the left. He produces a rope from his pack in hopes of helping Enkidu climb out. Glitterstem in spider form proceeds down into the pit, and is emulated by Balint, also in spider form. Dirk takes off back toward the entrance, indicating that he has had enough, but he cannot see in the dark and trips, and swift-footed Miletus chases him down and convinces him to return to the pit. Goltur stands by the pit, disoriented and confused.
Below the 20-foot shaft pit, ending in a wicked lip from which he just bounced off, there is a large cave covered in spider webs. Stuck to a web, Enkidu works to extricate himself. Noting that the web material resembles what they saw on top of the cliff wound around the spools, Enkidu also uses his darkvision to spot six other humanoid shapes in the web, all in horizontal position. Emerging from below them is a large arachnid form, possibly Glitterstem. From above, two more spiders emerge. One of the humanoid shapes suddenly screams out that enough is enough (in orcish), and rolls in the general direction of Enkidu, apparently armed with a knife. Another shape simply roars, and follows suit. In the melee that follows, Enkidu holds off the (real) giant spider that has entered the cave until Balint arrives to help him. The larger of the two orcs engages the Balint spider, but Enkidu indicates that the orcs should not concern themselves with him. Meanwhile, the Glitterstem spider picks up the newly enveloped Enkidu, and carries him off toward the pit, where he completes climbing out with the help of Theobald and Miletus, who hold the rope. Meanwhile, the other spider bites and poisons one of the remaining orcs and envelops the other, while Balint bites and poisons the spider, finishing him off. As the party helps clean Enkidu from the remaining webs above, the enveloped orc frees himself from the web, and calls out for help. He is eventually raised out of the pit, after which Enkidu and Miletus shoot a couple of flaming arrows into the spider cave.
The orc is named Gronk, and is clearly a member of the Brotherhood, displaying their broken bone tattoo. He indicates, in orcish, that he and his companions were tricked by the kobolds who inhabit these tunnels. The kobolds – reptilian humanoids, were aiding the orcs in capturing the horse-pelican, for purposes that Gronk does not reveal. As the orcs brought the beast into the kobold tunnels, from where they were preparing to head home via underground tunnels, the kobolds jumped them, and subsequently threw them into the spider cave. He is surprised to encounter Enkidu (“The Traitor”) here, but he is prepared to deal, and offers a day’s truce, which the half-orc accepts. A brief discussion about why the orcs slaughtered the goblins follows, but Gronk blames the goblins (and the party) for attacking the Brotherhood first. He then brings up the idea of the party rescuing the rest of his living companions from the spider cave, so the two groups can collaborate against the kobolds. At first, Enkidu seems receptive to the idea, but when he relates Gronk’s plan to the party, Balint transitions from spider form, and strenuously objects, arguing that the orcs placed the horse-pelican in danger, and deserve what’s coming to them, with the rest of the party siding with Balint. Enkidu apologizes to his companions for accepting a truce without their approval, but when he rejects Gronk’s deal, the orc tells him the collaboration can continue, because by rescuing his companions, Enkidu can redeem himself in the eyes of the Brotherhood. Enkidu still rejects his entreaties, and Gronk says he talks out of both sides of his mouth, like a human. Enkidu offers him an orcish response by taking a swing at him, to which Gronk responds by going berserk and attempting to drag the ranger down into the pit with him.
In the ensuing melee, the lone orc proves to have incredible stamina as he battles the party with wild abandon and lack of self-regard. He does succeed in pushing Enkidu into the pit, but not before Glitterstem shoots a web across its lower opening which stops Enkidu from hitting the lip again. Unfortunately, Theobald is close to exhausting his supply of magical energy, and he shoots a wild fire bolt at the orc, which misses and burns a hole through Enkidu’s web cushion, and the half-orc goes tumbling back into the spider cave. Gronk then attempts to repeat the act with Miletus, but he is finally subdued by the combined efforts of the other party members. Enkidu is once again stuck in the web below, however, and is once again confronted by arachnid predators, as a smaller wolf spider ascends to make a meal of him. Glitterstem once again rescues his friend – he hisses at the smaller spider, which appears intimidated, and backs down. Enkidu is once again raised to the top passage.
In the chaos of the melee with Gronk, no one noticed Dirk disappear once again. With the party reassembled, a discussion of what to do ensues. Glitterstem is now forced to transition back into gnome form, and he is still injured from the encounter with the water creature, while Enkidu is quite battered as well. The party has little strength to attempt a confrontation with whatever lurks in the cave at the end of the other passage, though Theobald suggests sneaking in to get a better look at the dragon, which he never saw. Glitterstem remembered what the dragon looked like, however, and creates an illusory image of the beast for the sorcerer to examine. Theobald is quite knowledgeable about dragons, but the image seems somehow off to him. It does not resemble any dragon he has studied, and appears to be misproportioned, and a cross between a dragon and a wyvern to boot. As the party approaches the “T” where the two passages split, Enkidu finds evidence of a heavy body being dragged off in the direction of the dragon cave. No clear indications of what might have done so lie in the dust, but swish marks may suggest tails sweeping away footprints. Reluctantly, the exhausted party turns to exit the caves and heads back to their campsite: there are now two beings that must be rescued.

Report Date

25 Sep 2015