I don’t have a lot of time to write just now, but I thought I better write it now anyway, in case we don’t make it through this next bit of adventure...

After finally getting some rest, we were again rudely interrupted by a zombie! He didn’t last long though, and our next order of business was food. Luckily we had Drusilia along, as she was able to purify some nasty old wheat we found in one of the store rooms. She then created some water to go with it. Once cooked, it wasn’t half bad!

Moving on, we found ourselves on an underground beach, where we needed to finish off the zombies we had rousted yesterday. With all four of us hacking away at them they weren’t too much trouble, and after finishing them, we noticed there was a raft that would let us cross the underwater lake. While we were discussing whether or not this would be a good idea, I noticed a rope sticking up from the sand. When we pulled on the rope, we found a sack which contained a small box with 2 vials inside. Using my knowledge of potions, I have tentatively identified them as healing potions. Trap and I each took one, in case we get wounded and aren’t near one of our healers.

Having decided to cross the lake, we were soon moving through what appeared to be natural caverns. Trap mentioned something about setting off a trap, and getting a dart in the back, but I am not sure of the specifics... Trap often sets these traps off while trying to study them! (sometimes I am not sure what to think of his antics). Several hours and 3 dead giant centipedes later, we found ourselves on the surface! Yay!

I was all ready to head back to Smallville, but the remaining members of the party wanted to go back and explore another passageway we had found. Going along, we soon found ourselves in a large cavern and saw what looked to be cave entrances at the far end.

No sooner had we started to cross the cavern, then stalactites began to fall from the ceiling on us! One buried itself in Trap’s shoulder, and we realized with horror that these weren’t stalactites, they were Piercers! Having had enough of this underground adventure, we all made a run for it! After having the piercer removed from his shoulder, Trap decided to keep it as a pet. This sounds like a bad idea to me, but that is indeed what he did.

So, with our halfing lugging what amounts to a 20 pound carnivorous snail around behind him, we again made our way to the exit into Dim Forest, and began our trek home.

We were following along a deer trail towards Smallville, when we heard a rustling noise in the bushes. Upon further examination, we found a nearly dead human cleric by the name of Gildean.

After some healing, he was able to relay his story to us:
It seems that his party was heading south to offer their services in the fight against evil in those lands. While travelling through Dim Forest they were ambushed by a party of what he calls “man-spiders.” Gildean was left behind for unknown reasons, but the rest of his party was dragged off by the “man-spiders.” (I suspect these things may be ‘spider goblins’ and that the people they carried off will be used a a food source — Blech!).

At Gildean’s request, we have left him behind, and are now tracking the man-spiders, in hope of rescuing his companions. Hopefully we will catch them by surprise — If not, our party may meet the same fate as Gildean’s.... but we have to make the attempt.... we can’t just leave them to be eaten!

~= Fafnir Flamebrewer =~
Planting 10, 592 CY