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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Sniktch" data-source="post: 483838" data-attributes="member: 7704">Welby's scouting mission and doom finds the partyA new team of guards had moved up into the entrance cavern, but thankfully, the halfling noted, no spiders.  Three dark elf warriors and a wizard carried on a joked with each other while watching two of the skinned undead beasts carried the corpses from the earlier battle to the chasm edge and threw them over the side.  Welby made sure his shadowy companion stayed in the wall, completely out of sight, then silently crept around the side of the chamber and approached the canyon.Gazing back over the side, he noted that two of the thick strands of web were attached to the edge where he could reach them.  A large group of drow had started to patrol the web, and the halfling watched them curiously, wondering why they did not stick to the silky substance.  He grabbed a discarded shortsword from the cave floor while no one was looking and crawled to the center strand.  He tentatively poked at the web a couple of times until he was satisfied that this particular strand had no adhesive properties.  Then he moved down to the other strand and repeated the process.  This time the sword was held fast by the web, and no amount of shaking or pulling could free it.The halfling stopped and released the weapon, aware of movement on the cliff.  He watched in horrified awe as a section of the cliff, which he had thought to be a large rock formation, seemed to sprout eight long legs and begin moving along the web in his direction.  He shrank back into the corner of the wall and remained absolutely motionless as a spider of epic proportions scaled the vast web and moved up to the entangled sword.  The immense arachnid, its abdomen fully sixty feet in diameter, was covered in clumps of thick black hair and bony, razor-sharp protrusions.  It had fiendish glowing red eyes and venom constantly dripped from its gigantic maw.  The spider snapped the sword off the web with its mandibles, bit it in half, and then, realizing that it was not food, spit the broken shards into the abyss and began moving back down the web to its previous perch.Welby waited until he was sure the spider had moved far away before he relaxed enough to start breathing again.  So some of the webs were sticky, the halfling thought.  He spent the next two hours leaning over the cliff, studying the dark elf patrol and memorizing which strands they moved upon and which ones they avoided.  When he was satisfied that he knew the general layout of the proper pathways he started to withdraw from the area and return to his friends, when another thought occurred to him.  What if another spider laired on the other side of the cliff?  He had better explore more thoroughly in that direction and make sure he knew the answer before he reported back.The halfling slowly rummaged through his pack, making sure to remain silent, and finally withdrew a small stoppered steel vial.  He uncorked it and drained the contents, then waited for a minute while the enchantment took effect.  When he was sure the potion had had enough time to work its magic the halfling set out again, sliding over the edge of the cliff and scurrying across the wall on all fours.He crawled to the edge of the web and then about two hundred feet past it but saw no sign of any other monstrous spiders or guards.  He was about to turn back when he noticed a small opening in the wall on the other side of the yawning gulf, about fifty feet away.  Welby moved onto the ceiling and crossed the gap, then cautiously entered the crevice and looked around.It opened into a small cave with a low ceiling.  The chamber dropped off about halfway in, sloping down about ten feet to form a miniature cliff within the tiny room.  At the base of the slope the halfling saw a bedroll and backpack, neatly rolled and tied and propped against the northern wall.  He peered quizzically around the chamber but could detect no other occupants.Shrugging, he climbed down to the backpack and unfastened it, then opened the flap to look inside.  As the leather pulled away and exposed the contents, a terrifying figure melted from the shadows, seized the open container, and pulled it way.  The newcomer looked like a strange cross between a dark elf and a spider.  Not a drider, this figure had the same basic shape and appearance of a drow, but her skin had changed to a dusky gray and grown tough and knobby, with tufts of wiry hair covering her form.  The most horrific changes were to her face – she had the glittering, multi-faceted eyes of an insect and her lower fangs had grown outward into a pair of wicked pincers.She held the backpack close to her side and floated off the ground, hovering near the roof of the chamber.  “Thief!” she hissed in broken common, “I cannot see but know you here.  Show yourself!”Welby retreated to the top of the slope and remained in the shadows watching the strange woman.  She remained hovering for a long time, whispering to herself and glancing back and forth in a paranoid manner.  He could not understand the language she used, but it sounded almost like she was carrying a running conversation with herself.  The halfling put his hand to the hilt of his small sword and considered attacking with the advantage of surprise, as his ring was obviously effective against this person and he would have a vast advantage over her.  Then something else clicked in his head and he started to exit the crevice.The first drow they had faced in the upper levels all wore symbols of spiders and spider webs and claimed to be refugees from Szith Morcane.  Then the drow guarding the entrance to the city had all worn the symbols of skulls or no symbol at all.  Now this curious creature again sported the symbol of a spider.  In fact, she had a great hunk of metal forged in the shape of a spider that seemed to be imbedded in her throat.  Perhaps this one was an enemy of the drow currently occupying Szith Morcane and might be persuaded to ally with the party.  Welby left the crevice, taking careful note of its position.  He did not feel comfortable trying to speak with the creature; she would just think him a thief for looking through her things.  He would tell Artimas about her, though.  The wizard could be very persuasive, and if anyone could convince the strange woman to aid them, it would be he.The halfling stopped halfway back to the exit, noting new activity on the giant web.  A group of fourteen warriors had emerged from the closest cave to the top and started to ascend.  Welby raced across the wall to catch them and climbed back onto the ledge just behind the last dark elf.  He noted the presence of two of the skinless undead and a wizard in the new group, as well as an imperious looking female in darkened mithral chainmail that seemed to be in charge.The female barked something at the sentries and they stepped aside to allow the small force to pass. Welby’s heart sank as he realized this group was bound for the upper catacombs and would probably discover his friends in just a few more moments.  Why hadn’t they listened to him and sealed the breach in the wall of stone?  The warriors moved to the hole leading to the surface and started to climb.  The first pair up tied a rope to the metal ring and dropped it back down for the others.  Then the halfling’s worst fears were conceived as he heard the telltale sound of a signal whistle pierce the night.*****Malobar waited on the other side of the wall of stone for the halfling to return, alert for any movement or disturbance in the air that would signify that something or someone approached.  Hours passed but the elf maintained his silent, vigilant guard.  Finally, he sensed movement at the lip of the hole leading to Szith Morcane and he tensed expectantly.  Was it the barbarian coming back?He found the answer soon enough as two drow emerged from the hole.  They fastened a rope to the top and threw it back down the hole and then stood and looked around.  One of them noticed the gaping opening the elf hid behind and pointed, snickering, “Looks like the stupid surface dwellers found the driders we sealed in.  Maybe the cursed things have taken care of our problem for us!”The other chuckled and replied, “Either way would suit me.  Either we have a few less foolish would-be heroes to deal with or a couple less Spider Kissers.”More dark elves began to emerge from the hole as the first pair rose and began walking in Malobar’s direction.  The elf braced himself, placed his signal whistle between his lips and pursed them, blowing a ringing note that echoed through the tunnels, then rose and fired an arrow at the nearest drow.Next session: Things look grim for our heroes; who will survive the drow strike team (if anyone)?  Will Sniktch have a TPK on his hands or will the party manage an amazing escape from sure doom?</blockquote>

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