Moonday, Flocktime 17, 592 CY, continued

We made our way back to town so that Valon could put pants on (my neighbors must wonder a bit why gray elves keep wandering into town wearing nothing but capes) and buy new armor. I went to talk to Ghelt’s father, hoping he would know of some especially deep cellars in town that we could use to find an entrance to the tunnels. He was amused, I am sure, that I went to ask a dwarf about such things, but I hoped that others in town counted on the Futhark family when it came to underground architecture. However, he knew of none, and I was worried that we’d soon be digging in his yard, when Pockets came over and told as that Aramil’s homing toad was looking back towards the Everston Estate.

I think Ghelt realized that elves weren’t much for digging at this point, and having three out of five of us being relatively useless in such an endeavor, agreed we could follow the toad again. This time, Jacob was either paying better attention, or we were, because it was much easier to follow his directions. He lead us to a caved in area below the Estate that, according to the journal we’d found, was a tunnel collapsed in Patchwall 567 CY to keep out the duergar invaders. Ghelt immediately set to methodically removing the impasse. We brought some wooden furniture from nearby rooms, thinking Ghelt might need some beams to shore up her work area, and then got out of her way. Fafnir and I remembered that there was a seal with Pelor’s symbol on it a short distance away, and we went to look at that, hoping it might afford us access into the tunnels where Aramil was.

The doors with Pelor’s symbol on it seems so foreboding. Pockets suggested that I use my holy symbol on it, and thinking that perhaps it could work as a key like the jade key did for Nerull’s seal, I tried it. I realized my error as soon as I touched the symbols together— zap! I was very fortunate that my own symbol protected me, though I’m sorry to say it looks a bit worse for wear now. Hopefully I can find someone up in the Marketplace that can repair it.

We made our way back to Ghelt to find she’d made good progress. In fact, she’d made such good progress that she fell right through a hole she’d cleared. Of course, we followed her.

We found ourselves in a 30’ by 50’ by 20’ crypt festooned with webs. Cocoons in many sizes lined the walls. Jacob seemed to think Aramil was in this chamber, but before we could look, we were attacked by three large monstrous spiders. We dispatched them and I cast daylight—and we saw the creature with the white arms as it screeched and fled down a narrow tunnel opposite the way we came in. Pockets went to free Aramil from a cocoon that Jacob was agitated about, while the rest of us ran after the creature. I think we would have caught it too, only we heard Pockets shout for help. Thinking we missed a spider, Ghelt and Fafnir turned back while Valon and I continued after the pale creature.

Moments later, Valon and I heard Ghelt and Fafnir having difficulties and we broke off the chase to help our friends. We came back to the narrow tunnel we’d just passed through to see Ghelt and Fafnir unable to proceed through it— it was now filled completely with web. Valon and I started to hack through it, but it took a very long time (all I had was a mace, as Aramil had borrowed my sword). We got entangled a few times before making our way out. I am fortunate that Pelor provides his servants with a powerful daylight spell, as apparently the chamber had been cast into darkness. For a moment, I saw the hideous outline of a creature part dark elf and part spider, then it went invisible. As my comrades attempted to fight the invisible drider, it allowed me to get bearings on it— a Flame Strike got through its defenses and it died, turning visible once again.

We were finally able to pass through the remaining webs to find Pockets unconscious on the floor; thankfully Ghelt was already healing him and he was soon continuing his efforts to free Aramil. I was sorry to see that the other villagers were here, but were already dried husks. We found a clue as to why the drider “Kalanaar” was here at least— a note from the evil Durll telling him to obtain the Heart and take it to Hochoch. We took that, along with his payment in gems and a magical greatsword. Hopefully the drider is alone, though we still must go find that other creature and dispatch it before it grabs more villagers.