Let’s Get Out of Here

Feldard strained throughout the battle to hear what was going on. How were his companions faring? He thought he could make out the clerics voice for a time. Time seemed to crawl. Then the sounds of battle ended. It was over for now. Ah.. there was the clerics voice congratulating someone. Relief flooded the dwarf. Now perhaps something could be done for Hernane and himself in regards to this paralysis.

Hernane inwardly sighed with relief when the sounds 0f battle died away, now perhaps she could recover and talk to Feldard and put their past behind them and she could return to Rockhome. She shivered, the two encounters with the beast had unnerved her—yet she would not allow her rescuers to see that, her clan pride would not allow that. She hoped that Feldard and his friends were alright and that they were all safe—only time would tell.

Maruc took a deep breath and pushed himself out of the rocky corner. Turned and idly traced the four inch groove in the wall that told of the last hate driven orc-stoke. Maruc grinned and thanked Halav for seeing them through. He stepped over the corpse toward the elf that had pretty much saved his life.

Hasan withdrew his blade from an orc that fell near Stephen. Despite a terrible wound to his own shoulder, he had managed to fight his way forward to the embattled humans, stemming the orcs progress toward the great hall of their master and the defenseless dwarfs. But the adrenaline now failed the elf. He collapsed, exhausted himself, clutching his right arm tightly to his chest.

Maruc greeted the elf with a resounding clap of the arm. “Well done, my good elf,” he congratulated Hasan, who staggered at the blow to his shoulder.

“Zounds, Maruc,” gritted the elf, as he collapsed to the floor, his shoulder blaring with pain. The elf slammed the floor in futility with his left fist, unable to move his sword arm comfortably.

“Sorry old boy, we’ll soon have that fixed.” the priest chuckled.

As Maruc ministered the elf, Tekaryon thanked the group. “Ye have saved me again.” The gnome had grabbed one of the orc’s swords, but its size had proved unwieldy for the diminutive gnome, and so he had been of little value in the battle.

“That spider,” Hasan muttered, “someone must watch the spider. We cannot face attack again.”

“Prudence, ever the mark of a creature of longevity.” said Maruc. “I quite agree. Though I suspect we have a few minutes at least, unless it is blessed with unerring stamina and is more fearless than it has demonstrated.”

“For now I shall go about my business,” the priest checked over Hernane. “Youll be fine in a few moments my dear. Miklos. Please make her confortable, thank you.” He looked at the ashen faced Dwarf. “Feldard I shall administer first.” he announced. He leant closer to the dwarf. “Because right now you can’t complain,” a smile creepng across his face.

“Stephan, no don’t get up. Lets have a look at you. Oh yes, ahh. Lift your arm. Hmm. Well done. Say ‘Ahhh’.”

“Ahh?”

“Good, now you look silly.” Maruc was enjoying himself now as he blessed the wounded warrior. “No poison? Bless me, Halav watches over you better than I. Good now sit there a moment.”

“Hasan, no you’re fine I’ll come over.” Maruc looked at his arm, “No I’m not that cruel. I won’t manipulate it again.” He placed a gentle ungloved hand on the elf and healed him too.

“Excellent, Excellent. Miklos we’ll make a stretcher bearer of you yet!”

Miklos fetched and carried for the cleric for a while then collected and arranged the lightstones around the area. Whatever that creature was Miklos guessed it didn’t like light. Its cordon might keep it at bay while the cleric did his work. “I suggest we leave these tunnels, at least for a while, to rest. I’m undecided as to whether we should return. The goblins came in here for a reason but the longer we take to find out the more time we put between us and Vlaak and his Goblinoid and Brigand warband.”

“Ahh?”, Stephan was confused by the ministrations of the priest but greatly appreciated them, nonetheless.

Hasan’s mutterings of the spider started him groping for the his light stone. “Must be here some wheres,” the words weakly sputtered out.

“What’s that, lad?” Maruc asked.

But then it was obvious that Miklos had the need for securing the light stones in hand.

Stephan, upon assessing his condition, was surprised to discover a greater level of gumption still in him than he thought possible after this desperate battle. He rose and tried to help organize the scattered belongings of the tattered group so as to make a quick exit.

“Yes, I agree. Let’s get out of here. That spider can’t be far.”

Unfortunately, the spider had fled down the passage from which they had come. Now the group had to decide whether to follow it or to venture into the unknown.

There was also the matter of all the various orcs and goblins they had captured. Still enshrouded in the spider’s webbing, the two wolfskull and orc remained paralyzed. The orc was the most conscious of the three, and was understandably terrified. Additionally, one of the goblins appeared conscious, while the other appeared to have finally died from the wounds it had sustained during its capture by the spider. And there were the orcs that had been trapped by the mage’s webs. Though the gnome had been fairly useless in combat, he had at least had the good sense to use his captured longsword to clobber the ensnared orcs until the others could help secure them.

Overcoming Orcs

The clang of metal on metal called to Feldard and he was driven in his effort to move—even in the slightest. Bah! But there seemed not even a twitch. Damned spider! Of all the ways to go down.. by a damned spider bite!

Hernane too struggled as best she could against the paralysis. Her mental anguish cried out “If only Grofnar was here! He could strike these orcs down in one mighty swing of his axe and the beast would have fallen long ago against his prowess”.

“In your own time Hasan!” Maruc grinned wildly at the three brute warriors in front of him. He ducked as a blade stung his cheek, and another rang against his shield. The wall to his back offered no retreat ,and he wondered at his actions. Foetid breath and orc spittal assaulted him. His impulsiveness would get him killed. He jabbed an orc with the pummel of his flail, the shock made the orc step back a fraction then Maruc just about managed to get enough room to swing it properly. The orc glazed at the impact and the priest booted the orc in front of him, this one had lost concentration as it joked at his fallen comrade. Not so, the last of the trio who dug beneath Maruc’s guard and violently dented the plates in the side of his armour. Damn that’ll take some beating out though Maruc.

He was starting to feel light headed. It wasn’t a good sign.

With few options left Miklos grabbed his staff. One of the orcs flew backward clutching at his nose. The mage took the opportunity to brain him. In his minds eye the staff all but took the orc’s head off with a sickening thud.

Reality told a somewhat different tale. He looked around to see if anyone had noticed.

Hasan stepped away from the onrushing orcs easily enough, although it it was harder to avoid the garish flight of Miklos’s staff, which featured two twirls for every whirling strike. But the elf stood near the mage—not quite side by side, by near enough—equally animated in defense of the two striken dwarf’s that lay just beyond.

The situation was not at all pleasant. In fact, with his back to the wall and warm streams of blood down both his cheek and side, Stephan was beginning to have that sinking feeling he imagined soldiers had just before death.

The whirling staff of Miklos yanked him from the precipice of despair. He noted the dazzling spins and jabs and thought to suggest the mage perform such in a theatre. But the staff served as more than entertainment. The distraction pulled the attention of the orc facing him away and held it long enough for the fighter to see the opening. He struck with a gutteral call to Halav that reverberated in the cavern. The orc in turn issued a piercing scream that seemed out of place for a brute that size. It fell in the cave muck and was soon trampled by the orc on Stephan’s right.

The clangs and screams set up a deafening resonance. Perhaps it was that, coupled with the warm slick blood coarsing his cheek that somehow focused his battle venom. He found in those moments a narrowing of purpose—an almost insane concentration of will—that shut out all sensory input but a pulsating cave drip that set a perfect pace of melee.

Drip. The shield went up.

Drip. Around came the blade.

Drip. Step to the left.

Drip. Knee to the side.

Drip. Sword down for the kill.

And so he continued in the fight hearing only an all powerful drip that seemed to echo through the cave. When at last the game was up, poor Stephan was flooded with sights, sounds and feelings that overcame his constitution. The fighter slumped against the cave wall.

The orcs had fought fiercely to the last. Unusual for creatures such as these, but they had been motivated by zealotry. In the end, superior armor and weaponry had proved too much for them.

Past and Present

Feldard raged impotently, unable to move from the ground where the cleric had dumped him. Worse yet, he couldn’t even see what was happening. All he could see was the back of Hernane’s head and the cavern wall beyond.

It filtered through his red haze that the orcs had stopped their chanting; he even heard a few orcish exclamations – but why? What was going on?

Mentally, he cussed and fumed, cursed and called on the Gods for aid. He needed to move, needed to help his companions fight these orcs—not lie on the ground helpless like a mole whelp! And what of Hernane? He couldn’t protect her like this. With that thought he fought against his paralysis some more.

Damned female! This was all her fault. He wouldn’t be lying here unable to move if she hadn’t fled Rockhome. If not for her misplaced notion of marriage for love, he’d be anyplace than here.

In the few seconds before the orcs pitched battle against his remaining companions, Feldard had time to review how he’d come to this predicament.

His father had paid a handsome brideprice for the betrothal. And for a short while it seemed a good match – Hernane was quiet back then. But as they spent more time together, she began to speak her mind, and her mind was almost always opposite of what Feldard thought. She spoke of love and romance. What rubbish! A good dwarven husband provided riches for his wife, stood in battle beside her against the raidings of orcs and goblins and satisfied her maternal instincts by getting her with child as needed. Romance was a notion best left to elves!

Feldard, truth be told, had noticed Hernane growing more and more distant and unhappy as time progressed and the date of their marriage was announced for later that month. He had guessed it to be just pre-marriage jitters and that she’d get over it. But in an attempt to placate her somewhat, he’d offered to get her with child before the actual wedding—to give her a focus for all those overly sentimental emotions she seemed to have. That hadn’t gone so well. She’d called him an insensitive lout and a brutish boar. Instead of placating her, he’d tipped the scale of her tolerance. She fled both him and the Rockhome entirely.

Meanwhile, Hernane could sense being moved. By whom she did not know and panic gripped her. Eaten alive by the beast?—she could not stand it, and prayed for deliverance.

Oh how she missed home, how she missed her one true love. She fleetingly thought that if she survived this, she would have to be honest with herself and with Feldard. As much as she admired Feldard for his traditional values, his strength and pride, she never loved him. It was unfair that she had placed him in this danger. She decided then and there that if she lived she would be honest with everyone and take the consequences of her past actions. Feldard deserved to know that she would not marry him; that she was in love with his Feldards younger brother Grofnar and that on her return to Rockhome that she would seek to marry him.

She knew the terrible anger that this decision would produce, however she could no longer live this lie and could now see that her actions of absconding from Rockhome had not helped the situation but only made it worse.

The sounds of battle bought her back to reality, again she prayed for victory just to make this whole nightmare go away.

* * * * *

Miklos looked with consternation as the flames flickered around the tunnel mouth. He had to time his spell to perfection. To early and it would burn away before it could form. Too late and the orcs would charge and his spell would be useless.

The spider was on the run! The orcs were confounded by the exit of the spider. Some looked uncertain as they considered whether to chase after their wounded object of worship.

From what Miklos knew of the psychology of goblinoid races they were mostly brazenly direct and the fall of the two dwarves would give them hope of victory considering their numbers. His intuitions proved correct as the largest of their number withdrew a dark longsword and ordered the attack.

The predator in Stephan took control and he lunged after only to come within striking range of the startled orcs. Catching one still reeling from the flight of the spider, his sword brought a killing impalement.

From behind Hasan, Miklos threw his spell amidst the orc warband. Enchanted strands leapt from Miklos’s outstretched hand coalescing as they flew. The spell struck orcs, the floor, the tunnel wall opposite. It was impossible to aim. But the mage tried. In the final moments of the spell Miklos only just anchored it on the nearside of the tunnel mouth. Orc curses rang about the room.

The dwarf’s fall and the spider’s flight spurred Hasan out of his calm. But neither was more shocking than to see fresh webs streak out of the dark ether, until the elf remembered the mage’s warning. He waited to see the result of these efforts, and those of human’s savage assault. Hasan admired the industry of Maruc, who was wading into the combat with what appeared to be more glee than the elf expected from the religous man. As he watched and waited, the elf casually unleashed another arrow into the scrum. He looked back at Miklos, whose own efforts had wound up. The two, spellcasters and combatants from distance, shared a wry smile. And then they returned to their watching.

He stood back to assess how successful he’d been. He had managed to catch three of them. Unfortunate for them that they had discarded their torches as they began their charge, for now they would no doubt be stuck for the entirety of the melee.

Maruc braced himself as he had charged to the defensive line just in time to watch Feldard cramp up. “Halav, is testing us.” he muttered as the cast his weapons back down and grabbed the collapsing dwarf before he hit the floor. “Ohf!” he wheezed, as he took the weight. “You need a diet Feldard!”

The priest shuffled backward as quickly as he could and dumped the dwarf next to Hernane. He didn’t wait. He bounded back to his weapons in time to grab his shield. A wicked orc scimitar bit into it’s edge and glanced off Maruc’s pauldron. Maruc scrabbled for his flail, his fingers curling around its familiar haft as more blows reigned down. He surged to his feet. A bright grin played across his face that mocked the trickle of blood that seeped from beneath his helm.

“My turn.” he said.

To his left, the Sukiskyn body-slammed with his shield a beefy, black-web-tattooed orc. The oils of the slimy green skin exuded a pungent smell quelled only by the more piquant, sickly breath of the orc who bellowed inches from his face.

Bringing his sword around, the fighter side-stepped throwing the orc off balance, but the side-step, while executed with the skill of a nimble mountain goat negotiating the crags of Mt’a Ihkhara, took the fighter directly into the path of another orc’s spiked mace!

Hasan was forced to drop his bow as two orcs broke away to engage the elf. The orcs superior numbers had initially overwhelmed Maruc and Stephan. Their armor could only do so much to protect them. Putting their backs literally to the wall, the two humans avoided becoming completely surrounded. Each of them faced off against three orc opponents. Wounds on both sides were taking their toll.

Dwarf vs. Spider

Not expecting Hernane’s sudden collapse, Miklos was completely unprepared as the creature darted here and there right in front of him. In shock he jumped back, saw Hasan, tried to miss him, and stumbled onto the unyielding floor. “Agh!”

‘Curses!” cried the priest casting his flail and shield aside. He leapt across the melee narrowly avoiding the arrow that sped from Hasan’s bow. He waited a second for Feldard to attract the spiders attention again then grabbed Hernane by the feet and dragged her unceremoniously from the fight into the cavern. He knew without checking that fresh posion had cramped her muscles. “There’s not a lot I can do for you at the moment my dear,” he said and glanced up at Stephan and Feldard desperately evading the creatures envenomed fangs and unnerving dexterity. “I shall return.” He got up and retrieved his weapon and shield.

Miklos picked himself up, rubbing his back. His dignity in taters, not for the first time nor the last, he thought ruefully. This spider was being remarkably resistant! Suddenly there was an ear splitting screech as Feldards mage-wrought battle axe found some weakness in its thick skin. This fight would not last forever and Miklos knew he must be ready to ensnare the orcs. He held aloft his own lightstone to count the group of orcs behind. At least seven prehaps more.

No use taking risks, these orcs might speak common. “Prince Hasan.” Miklos used his elven dialect. “I shall allow two orcs to enter the cavern and engage Feldard and Stephan. I shall cast my enchanted web to the centre and rear of the orc battle group rooting the web across to mouth of the tunnel to capture as many as possible.”

Feldard heard Hernane’s cry, saw her fall and instantly felt that same berserker rage as earlier. He bellowed out an incomprehensible challenge to the 8 legged beast and with an upswing went for the spiders underbelly. He didn’t pause even a second to see if his attack landed true; he pulled his axe again and this time swung for its head; then a downward arc to its leg. Again and again, Feldard battered at the venomous creature that had felled his betrothed. He spared not a moments thought for the orcs which were behind the spider, his red tinged vision was focused on solely one goal. Killing that spider.

Hoping to use the spider to eliminate at least some of the orcs before having to slay the creature, Stephan cried. “My friends when the beast is slain let them come to us!” Hopefully they would see the sense in the poor footing that the corpse of a spider would offer their attackers.

Desperately, Stephan again tried to spread more fire from the oil of the lantern or other torches to drive the spider back to the orcs. “Let it work to our advantage!”, he bellowed. “Make the beast eat orc meat! Drive it back!”

The dwarf of course, wasn’t even listening. He swung his blade into the shroud spider’s hide just as it sunk its bite into the warrior. The dwarf succumbed to the same fate that befell his betrothed, collapsing to the floor.

However, the spider was gravely hurt and let out a tremendous shriek. The orcs were stunned at the sound of their godhead’s pain, and momentarily stopped their cantillations. Seeing an opening, the wounded beast charged through their ranks with blinding speed and skittered out of the chamber.

Spider In The Middle

Miklos sighed and made a mental note of the spiders markings, what was it? The Beastiary Diabolica probably had an entry on it, but sadly Fauna Lore never really excited him at college. Time for an alternative strategy. The orcs shouted at and goaded their spider pet, it took no linguist to work out what they were saying. Crowded into the narrow tunnel mouth they seemed to be unwilling to rush over the spider to get to the dwarves, which surprised Miklos knowing the long term enmity between the two races. If only he’d had time to recharge Dentiata’s wand.

Stephan kicked the burning lantern toward the spider. Using his torch, he tried to start a conflagration that would drive the beast back toward the orcs to block them in the tunnel. “Drive it back! Drive it back!”, was all he could manage in way of telling his companions what he was trying to do.

As he struggled to create a greater light than the orcs so that the spider would be driven back, he remembered the light stone. Cupping it in his hand, he directed a beam at the spider’s eyes. The spider winced at the bright light and Stephan used the beam as a sort of long-handled prod to herd the creature back to the orcs.

The orcs in turn began frantically waving their torches. “NYY-AKKK! NYY-AKKK!” they chanted loudly, likewise doing their best to drive the spider to attack their foes.

“Arrows!” yelled the warrior, seemingly having gone daft. Feldard, Stephan noted, was onto it. The dwarf grabbed up his crossbow, which was still cocked and loaded from before he was levitated, and fired off the bolt towards the spider but his aim was high and it flew over.. bah with any luck it would hit one of the orcs behind. Then with a bellow, Feldard moved in after Hernane with his battle axe, lashing out at the spider, driving it back away from his betrothed and towards the orcs.

Hernane, observing that the spider was not stunned or asleep, but already committed to her charge continued to strike at the spider, fury giving strength to her blows. Her intention was to drive the spider back into the tunnel to provide a barrier between herself and the orcs. She didn’t care about the orcs at the moment. All she wanted to do was kill the spider, then she would worry about the orcs. She gasped to Feldard “drive the creature back into the Tunnel, watch out for bite, one cut and you will be done for”.

Hasan could only draw his bow as his three companions charged past him. As the spider winced away from Stephan’s lights, the elf’s arrow darted forward. At such close range, the arrow’s flight could not miss its target, but glanced harmlessly off the spider’s tough shell.”

“This will be fun.” Maruc muttered to himself. There was a flurry of activity as the dwarves piled in with what Maruc had come to call their usual zeal. He couldn’t fail but to be impressed by them. Stephan’s bulk sealed off any other approach to attack the spider. The elf next to him had seemed to come to the same conclusion as he gracefully and effortlessly managed to bring his bow to bear, nock and loose an arrow with unerring accuracy. The priest was suck behind the churning blades as they clattered almost rhythmically against the beleaguered arachnid. There was little else he could do but offer a swift prayer… “King Halav on your carven throne, guide our weapons against the darkness!”

Meanwhile, Miklos wondered what lore there orcs had gleaned from their symbiotic relationship with this spider. Their knotted muscles flexed beneath their tough greenish skin. Miklos felt a nice irony for these black miscreants would be the recipient for his web spell. Despite his height, it was too risky to cast it from here behind the darting dwarves. He had to wait.

With the orcs superior numbers, the spider had nowhere to go but back into the cavern. The spider’s sharp legs dug into the rock as it pivoted around. Hernane blocked its path, as she swung her axe at the creature. It was faster than the she-dwarf though, and Hernane paid the price for her hotheadedness as its maw bit into her. As Hernane felt the spider sink its fangs into her, she cried out. Dropping her weapon, she then fell to the ground.

The Black Web Orcs

Quick as a flash, Miklos released his spell at the eight legged monstrosity. Layer upon layer of twisting translucent magic curled around its horned carapace. It lurched and struggled, but then shook off the effects of the spell.

As Miklos exhaled, his eyes widened. Apparently this encounter was not going to be so easy!

Maruc feared this creature was not in fact responsible for the marching noise. As his eyes looked to the cavern entrance, he saw a crowd of a dozen orcs come round the corner. The orcs were outfitted entirely in black, with white flourescent paint in the patterns of spider webbing drawn onto their armor. Web tattoos decorated their faces. Bearing torches, they had been guiding the beast back to its lair.

With a steely look, Hernane glared at the spider that she knew had killed and most likely eaten many of her friends. She would show Feldard that she was no damsel requiring rescue but a warrior as every bit as brave and courageous as he was. She was still armed with her hand axe, since she had managed to sheath it even as the spider had ensnared her in its paralytic webbing.

Feldard quickly strode forward toward the front when Hernane darted forward right in his path.

“Hernane! Get out of the way!”

Stephan quickly re-lit his torch with the still burning lantern. He held the torch as a shield, and raised his blade. His mind raced as he considered possible battle tactics. Ahead of the group was a giant spider that was trapped between the fire-bearing orcs and he and his friends.

The Shroud Spider

Miklos scrabbled in his backpack yanked out his spellbook, he wondered if he had enough time. Probably not. He shoved it back in and prepared the sleep spell he had at hand.

Torn between the possible need to burn a spider, and the need to hide from the approaching cacophony of armor, Stephan opted for the more tangible evidence and doused the torch. He readied his shield and light stone — keeping it shrouded for the moment.

At the readying for battle around him by his companions, Feldards first though was for Hernane’s protection. The elf had indicated from which tunnel the threat lay and Feldard immediately placed himself between it and Hernane. He readied his axe and strained his infravision against the sudden darkness.

“Lets hope they’re friendly, but just in case…” Maruc unhooked his mace. “Hernane, exactly how many fellow miners did you have with you? And were they armed and armoured?”

Hernane whispered to Maruc, “There are no other survivors that I am aware of. Of course I have been out of it for a little while”.

She moved closer to Tekaryon, to provide protection for him and readies her weapon for combat. She thought after surviving a Dwarf eating giant spider and a horde of Gobbos, what else could go wrong today? Oh for a tankard of ale and a hearty meal. Inwardly she sighed, she was so tired, after these adventures she was starting to wish she was back with her clan in Rockhome with her one true love.

Torchlight reflected off the cave walls as the sounds grew closer. The group could now hear a deep, rhythmic chanting emanating from that direction.

Hasan stepped forward, the inkling of what was to come and how he would handle it already in his mind. The strange presence of the orc had bothered him since its discovery, and he felt now that puzzle was about to be explained. Though his Elyan forebears had been insulated from the ravages of the orcs for an age, the ancient enmity between the elves and orcs immediately chilled his mind and soul. Should these indeed be orcs, Hasan would provoke their charge and lead them straight into his companions. He drew himself to full height, breathed, and just as the heatshapes began to separate into discernable individuals, Hasan commanded, “Halt! Who approaches my repose? Who dares disturb Hasan, Prince of the Elyan?”

A giant eight-legged spider, as large as a man, emerged from around the corner, skittering into the cavern. Turning its red eyes away from the torches that had been forcing it back to its lair, the dark creature looked to the elf and the others who stood in front of its spiderhole.

Introducing Hernane

Maruc finished the ministrations on the final body. He could tell that Feldard wanted little to do with the goblins or the orc. But Maruc was morally obliged to see if they were alive. As his old abbot constantly reminded him ‘the fact that society shuns you for your creed or perhaps race – judge not until you are in a position to judge. Have you not noticed that certain Traladarans view our order contempt? Especially the bigots of the Church themselves. What makes us different from them is that we see the truth and we care enough to allow those who cross our paths the chance to prove themselves.’ Wise words.

And what was interesting was that Feldard had taken just as much care lowering all the bundles. Maruc doubted he would have given them a second glance three months ago. Small but important steps.

It was too late for one of the goblins. Its pale scaly face scarred and pitted with years of abuse and battle looked almost serene. Almost. He went to the next goblin. This one hadn’t been under the influence of the poison for so long and there was a flicker of life in it, a labouring pulse it was severely dehydrated and starving. Not much and without some serious attention wouldn’t last until the morning. The orc was alive. Maruc could tell it had been envenomed several times to keep it docile but even now realising it was free of the web was starting to struggle against its bindings. Maruc glanced up to the ceiling and wondered if the spider had been concussed buy Miklos’s magic.

Now he understood the condition of the victims he turned to Stephan. “Pull the orc through to the main chamber. I’ll pull this one.”

Stephan, looked quizzically at the priest then returned he gaze to the web-laden roof. “They are not the chosen of Halav. Why aid them?”

“That is what makes us different from them.” explained Maruc. “I can give you more reasons but for now lets get them out of here before she wakes up?” Maruc grinned.

“She who? Ah, the spider..” Stephan stowed his blade and showing impressive strength hauled the body back out into the main chamber with one arm. The other not letting go of the burning brand and not for one minute did his experienced eyes stop scanning for movement above.

Maruc hauled his burden to one side and checking once more to see if it was not getting significantly worse turned an registered the strange conversation that was happening behind him. He didn’t understand a word of it, but that wasn’t what struck him. It was the fact that the dwarf was up and about. Amazing creatures, dwarves he thought.

Miklos pulled the reminiscence of the webbing from the poor gnomish miner. “There you are my friend.” He proffered his water skin which the gnome took gratefully and gulped at. “Lucky we popped by eh?” The gnomes eyes swiveled toward the spider’s chamber radiating fear. “Ah, its unconscious, don’t worry we have dispatched one or two spiders in our adventures.”

“You don’t speak much do you. I’m Miklos.” the mage introduced the others. “…and that fine dwarven warrior is the redoubtable Feldard.” At these last words a flicker of recognition crossed his face. “Ah, you know Feldard? No. Heard his name before….. from…” the gnomes eyes betrayed his dwarf companion. “…from her. Interesting.”

Miklos looked over to the Dwarves engaged in a hushed and urgent conversation. “How timely and delightful! One might almost believe in fate, or religion eh Maruc?”

The priest shook his head. He let the the mages’ jibe go.

“You know who it is don’t you,” insisted the mage barely keeping his excitement down. “We wouldn’t even be here if it wasn’t for her.”

“You mean this is Feldards ‘friend’? Ah, I see your thinking. The quick side journey to Highforge,” he said without rancor. “Well bless me. Halav truly guides our steps. What more proof do you need Miklos! Join us. Forget all those dusty books and arcana and embrace the love of Halav. Rejoice! Rejoice!”

Miklos recoiled, “Err Maruc, I think you’ve been on the communion wine, old chap,” then the mage noticed the grin. “Ha-ha, very funny.”

It was petty, but worth it just to see Miklos’s expression. “You have any idea what they’re going on about?” Maruc asked.

“Not a clue.” replied the mage.

Feldard nodded at Hernane’s request and turned towards the rest of the group, only to find Miklos and Maruc watching, him and Hernane in amused interest. Feldard gave the pair of humans one of his infamous scowls before proceeding with introductions. “Hernane of Rockhome,” he stated simply in answer to the questioning looks from his companions.

“Maruc, devote follower of Halav—and a priestly healer. Miklos—our groups record-keeper and mage. Hasan, of the Elyan elves.” Feldard pointed toward each as he introduced them. “And Stephan – a local of the Sukiska clan whose brothers homestead was attacked not that long ago by these same goblins. It is their trail that brought us here.”

Feldard looked over towards the awakening orc and grimaced. “Despite my similar desire to see these beasts killed outright… we need to question them first.”

“Pleased to meet you Hernane of Rockhome!” said Maruc and made a perfunctory bow. “Doubtless you will not wish to be administered to, however like Master Feldard here, you don’t get a choice. Say Ahhh. Good, eyes…clear. Excellent. You look a little pale my dear. But plenty of water a good meal and sunshine will cure that. How do you feel? No. Don’t answer that, you’d probably say something like ’stop fussing you irritating human’.” Maruc grinned wolfishly. “Good, well you’ll live. Whats the name of your silent friend over there?” Maruc could feel the ‘why don’t you ask him’ coming from a mile away…

“Likewise, Miss Hernane.” added Miklos, “Master Feldard here has been most tenacious in his attempts to locate you. I’m glad I could help in my small way! But my chief concern is the nest of spiders. How many are there that you are aware of and what are their markings? We must see to our safety first. I’d suggest a small conflagration and since Stephan is already there with a burning brand this should take too long.”

Hernane nodded to each in turn and haltingly stated after giving Feldard a quizzical look, “I give you my thanks for your timely intervention and rescue of my Gnomish friend and I”.

“As Feldard has already confirmed I am Hernane of Rockhome, Feldard and I am kinsman, his clan and mine have a long and lasting friendship,” looking at Feldard as if reconfirming this statement. “And my Gnomish friend here is Tekaryon.

“Pleased to make your acquaintance,” said the gnome. Now recovered from the webbing’s effects, it could be clearly seen that he was a wide-eyed, animated fellow, his pupils darting about as he spoke. “My brother and I discovered this goldmine. We were set to turn quite a profit until these Wolfskullers showed up.”

“If you want to torch what you can in the cavern, feel free, but I am now unsure if the beast is even here and I suspect it will do little good. Personally, I suggest we move on as quickly as possible. I suspect the beast will soon return and I am in no mood to face it a second time. I am surprised that it has not already shown its presence. I also suggest that if you have to question the Orc and Goblin that we do it a bit later and we all move to a safer environment, for me I would rather just be rid of their foul stench once and for all. Their kind has killed many of my new friends and has caused much suffering“.

“I am surprised that the ‘green skins’ found the mine,” said the gnome. “We took great care to keep its presence as low key as possible, and this part of the forest is off the beaten path. Still I suppose it was inevitable, but I wonder what has led them here.”

“Sadly they were many in number and did not care of the losses and damage we inflicted upon them,” continued Hernane. “When we began to be overwhelmed we were forced to retreat into the mine and inadvertently freed the creature. It was indeed a sad day when these green skins stumbled upon the mine.”

“Where did this orc come from though?” inquired Tekaryon scratching his head.

“Stephen is it?” asked Hernane. “I am sorry for your loss that these creatures have wrought on you and your family. They are heartless and pitiless creatures, and you have my deepest sympathies. I will gladly aid you in hunting down any survivors for I too have a score to settle with them. As Feldard can confirm, I have a strong arm and stout heart and it will be my pleasure in helping you in hunt down these foul creatures. Plus I do need to discuss some personal matters with Feldard. Feldard, once again you have my thanks and gratitude for your timely intervention, I will never forget your loyalty and devotion to duty. Your Father will know of your courage.”

Stephan stabbed a nod at Hernane but kept scanning the cavern roof. “Pleased to meet you. I agree, let’s get out. The greenskins will be more pliable in the sunlight. No need to torch if we can just get out.”

The fighter, for all his strength, seemed uneased by the webs and what they may conceal in the lofty shadows. He glanced about to ensure their exit route was clear. “Leave the greenies bundled in the web. We’ll drag them out.”

Hasan nodded with gravity at the new dwarf and her story of retreat and fear. He headed to the southeast tunnel, ready to move on from the grand cavern. Still, despite the horror of the tale, the elf could not fail to remark to himself at the wonder of the two dwarfs finding one another. It appeared that the world beyond his Radlebb home was smaller in some ways than it seemed.

The others emerged from behind the teeth, dragging the three humanoid packages along with them. The elf turned his head. His keen hearing was the first to pick up the sound of armored movements approaching.

Of All The Caverns In the Known World…

“Blessed Havlav!” Stephan hissed upon seeing the webbed bundles Feldard was lowering to the dank floor. Seeing that the others were attending to the problem of extruding the victims, Stephen, while continually looking up and about for what he deemed to be imminent arachnid attack, set a lantern and torch aflame.

“Hey, this is standard practice against spiders,” he responded to the fowl looks from the infravisioners in the party. “I am compelled to do this till we’re safely out of this sticky mess.” He held the torch aloft as a second sword, his shield afixed to his back. He set the lantern in a clear location on the floor. If needed, it was a ready flame to relight torches or be thrown in desperate retreat.

Maruc rolled the last body off the bedrolls and swiftly started pulling the strands from the face of the first victim, the dwarf. He pressed his fingers against his—no her?—neck searching for a pulse. Weak but alive. “Hasan! Pull this one out into the main cave and remove the webbing as soon as you can! It is constricting proper respatory function.” He quickly went to the next bundle, smaller than the dwarf, he pulled at the threads. A gnome. This one was much colder…poor thing. Miklos you should be able to handle this one. You’re going to need that sharp you have to get through this lot. Don’t dawdle man!”

“Of course! Of course I shall,” gabbled the mage as he hauled the body into the outer chamber. He was lighter than he looked and didn’t smell too good. “You’re all right now my friend!” He said hoping against the worst as he hunted around for his knife. “Aha! here we are.” He set to work on the webbing and pulled as much free as he could. A pale, emotionless face stared sightlessly as he worked on the bindings. “We have you out of this is a trice! Hold on!”

Feldard rubbed at his numbed hands trying to gain back feeling into them after bringing down the last of the cocoons. Nudging this last bundle with his foot roughly, Feldard questioned his own sanity for bringing down the goblin and orc. They would be more trouble set free than if left for the spiders. But maybe they knew something of their leaders overall plans, and could be interrogated for it.

The dwarf glanced over towards Maruc who had already seen to the first two cocoons and was about to free and revive the third—a goblin by the size of it . “Are we sure we want to free them?”

“We’ll worry about that if there is anything to worry about.” It was a glib response but in the priest’s judgment, they were all but corpses and would really put up much of a fight either way.

Feldard nodded, then glanced across the lantern lit cavern to where Stephan and Miklos were still pulling webbing from the dwarf and gnomish victims. “I’ll leave you to that then. I’m going to see if I can help Stephan and Miklos with the miners.”

Hasan dragged the assigned body through the troglodyte’s teeth. He noticed Feldard’s odd enthusiasm for the work of cleaning the webbing off from what clearly appeared to be an orcish head. After the dwarf’s caterwauling throughout the cave system, Hasan would have expected Feldard to focus on the dwarf and gnomish victims. But the logic of dwarf’s was not his to understand, and so the elf returned to his work.

The unusual paralytic webbing frustrated Hasan’s efforts, but he slowly managed to reveal the dwarf’s beard. Then the nose. Then an eye. As the elf was just about to sweep a large hunk of the webbing off the sallow-faced wretch, that eye appeared to flicker. Hasan didn’t trust his eyes in the weak light, but his hand flinched nonetheless.

As the elf reached down to return to his work, the overlarge drowsy pupil clearly began to shrink, revealing a green iris. As the iris jerked toward the elf, Hasan stood and shrieked, “it’s alive! it’s alive! this one is alive!”

Feldard hadn’t forgotten that feeling of familiarity he’d gotten while freeing the first bundle. He made his way over to Hasan to offer his help, but at seeing the face of the other dwarf freed from her webbing—he froze. It was HER!

Hernane could feel herself slowly regaining feeling throughout her body. As the strands were wiped from her eyes, she looked up to see kneeling above her an Elf freeing her from the paralysis strands that had been cocooning her. She wondered what of all things was an Elf doing here in these subterranean caverns rescuing a Dwarf, but she was thankful nonetheless. What joy and elation she felt to be rescued, she had but all given up hope. However she also felt some embarrassment that she had to be rescued at all, especially by an Elf. Slowly she realized she was regaining feeling back in her fingers, toes and limbs and though she was quite weak emotionally and physically, she tried to talk to warn her rescuers of the danger they were all still in.

In Dwarfish she gurgled, “Giant Spider nearby, you are all in danger”! Look to your weapons!

She also looked around for Feldard to gauge his reaction to their reunion, which she knew was going to happen one day, just not she imagined, in the circumstances as she was currently in. Slowly with great difficulty she tried to stand, her pride would not allow her to be seen to be weak in front of her rescues.

Feldard was struck dumb at seeing her here of all places. Her warning about the spider fell on deaf ears. It took several moments for the shock to fade by that time she was already attempting to stand.

He shook himself out of his stupor and strode forward and gruffly helped to steady her where she stood. “Are you alright, Hernane?” Feldard questioned in dwarven, while looking her over in concern. Seeing nothing serious, he continued on, “I don’t know what you were thinking, leaving as you did, but we will talk—later.”

Hernane nodded at Feldard’s comments. Feeling as weak as she did, she was in no mood to discuss sensitive topics that were better left to a more benign environment. After her ordeal, she was still quite wary of what the cavern might hide, and needed time to collect her thoughts and strength.

“Thank you Feldard, for your timely rescue”, she replied in Dwarven, “yes I agree we need to talk. But first, can you introduce me to your companions? I would like to formally thank them for the risk they have taken in venturing into these cavens. May ask what has led you and them to here”?

Hernane looking around for the first time then noticed the other survivors. Cursing in her native tongue she exclaimed, “What curses that the beast has seen fit to preserve these foul Orcs and Goblins. They have been the cause of much death, we should kill them all now to avenge the deaths of my friends”.

Feldard Reaches New Heights

The suspense waiting for rescue was far more intense than anything that she had experienced before. Even greater than discovering the fresh vein of gold that in what it seemed liked an eons ago, but in reality had just been last week. How her life had changed in such a short period of time. First, she had freedom and adventure. Then comradeship, and good honest hard Dwarf work teaching the Gnomes how to dig to wealth and glory. She inwardly sighed, this was a damn good mine, rich with wealth and so much potential. But all good things had to come to an end when the Gobbos struck bringing death and her new friends and she had been forced to retreat into an unexplored section of the mine, which unbeknownst to all set free the ‘terror’. Now here she was, waiting bound and trapped praying for deliverance from the one thing that had led her to exiling herself from her clan. Oh how the Immortals loved their little jokes.

* * * * *

“Aha! Phoneutria nigriventer gigantica, or large poisonous spiders, as quite evident here noting the bodies.” observed the mage, “I’d suggest at least one large specimen noting the orc there. Possibly not too dissimilar from the one we encountered amongst the Rahib’s chambers. This one would appear to be more successful, although the ‘larder’ might suggest several of them…”

Feldard grunted out a swear at seeing the wrapped bodies. “Miklos, any chance of any of them still being alive up there?”

Not that the answer mattered. No dwarf, alive or dead, would be left hanging as a meal if Feldard had any say in the matter—which he did. “We need to get them down. Any suggestions on how?” the dwarf asked.

Miklos’s gaze crossed the web-encrusted ceiling. “Getting them down will not be a problem. Getting them down without causing further additional harm may prove more challenging.” He judged the height of descent. “That drop could kill if the subject fell badly. Not to mention the chances that the spiders may be upset that we are stealing their food. Anyone cutting them free would surely be attacked.”

The mage paused a second. “A broad-based sleep spell should suffice and a levitation incantation on a brave soul armed with a torch should have them down in a trice. All we need is a soft landing!”

“A soft landing eh?” Maruc looked doubtfully around at his metal clad friends. “Well I guess we could all get our bedrolls out. “I’ll get the others.”

As Miklos and Maruc discussed options, Feldard moved further away from the two humans and their light source in order to better utilize his dwarven infravision. He peered about for the creature which would be likely lurking nearby ready to pounce—to protect its captured prey.

As he scanned the ceiling and the shadowed corners of the cavern, Feldard switched battle axe for crossbow and loaded up with one of his few well used bolts. Fighting this creature would be best done at a distance; for it was likely, given the dwarven and gnomish bodies above, that his normally stout constitution would do little against whatever poison kept his kinfolk paralyzed and unresponsive.

On the other side of the rocky teeth, Stephan kept his light shining to and fro thinking that at any moment an attack by some dastardly dungeon denizen would come. Through the echoing tunnels, he heard Feldard again call out in dwarven. Whispering to Hasan, “I suppose they’ve not found anything yet. We should probably head back their way soon.”

Hasan was intent on finding the outer rim of the cavern and so continued forward several steps, despite Stephan’s words. “I can’t imagine they found much of anything, if the dwarf is shrieking like that,” he commented.

Stephan and Hasan went through the teeth, and the group was reunited in the spider’s food reserve chamber.

The priest stalked back into the main chamber. “Hasan? Stephan? Ahh good there you are, we’ve discovered some lunch. Spider lunch that is, we’re going to need a soft landing, could I have your bedrolls? Thanks!” Leaving the two to their puzzled expressions he ducked back through the broken-tooth cave mouth then dropped his backpack and rummaged for his own bedroll and added his formal clerical vestments and town clothes the the pile beneath what looked like the ‘dwarf’ shaped bundle.

Miklos added his soft baggage to the pile. “Right, who wishes to volunteer to fly?” The question hung in the air.

Maruc took a smart step backward. Grinning wolfishly.

Miklos raised a questioning eyebrow at Feldard who was busy loading his crossbow. “Willing to risk your dignity for your fellow countrymen? Or would you prefer to stay on terra firma?” The dwarf started to turn on the mage. “Wait! I meant no disrespect, we cannot hope to just shoot through cords that can support two hundred pounds in weight, they must be burnt, and we cannot set the roof alight with mere fire arrows and should we discover a way to ignite the ceiling it would release all the bundles at once and have not enough soft material to couch even two of the victims. Also, the risk the the victims is also too great.”

Stephan and Hasan ducked in from the shadows. “More potential volunteers? Or perhaps bow cover in case the magic fails to have the desired effect?”

Feldard instantly balked at the notion of the mage casting magic on him—one would think that the elf would be better suited to being levitated.. but elf was a better shot with a bow than he… so perhaps that was Miklos’ reasoning.

It took a moment to gather his resolve but in the end, the dwarf nodded his agreement to the plan.

Miklos prepared his levitation spell. A faint nimbus of light encircled Feldard. “This is going to feel strange, in theory you just ‘will’ yourself up and down. You can go quite quickly. Remember you cannot fly side to side. Up and down only, you can push yourself off objects though.”

“In theory?” muttered the dwarf.

“Well. I’ve only done this once before.” admitted Miklos as he brought his hands together and completed the spell. He smiled encouragingly.

He centred the sleep incantation on the thickest part of the web. He pulled at and expertly wove the intangible magic and held it poised at the last command gesture. A flicker of uncertainty crossed the dwarf’s expression. “Light your torch Feldard.”

Miklos released the spell with a dismissive gesture.

“Will yourself up!”

Maruc watched the dwarf bob about uncertainly for a few moments. He was glad he could see his face. “I’d always knew he’d be reaching new heights.” He whispered to Hasan.

The mages’ instructions concerning this magic left a lot to be desired, but Feldard tried to “will” himself up towards the webbed bundles. His face was a mix of shock, fear and wonder as his feet rose off the ground.

Up, up, up he rose. It was an odd sensation. He glanced down and immediately wished he hadn’t. He wanted down and he began to descend—without the cocooned bundle!

The calls from those below recalled him to his task. He had to close his eyes to will himself upward again.

One by one, the dwarf grabbed the bundles, starting with his fellow dwarf. He could not see inside the shroud to make out any features of the captives, but could tell the different races by shape. Something about the enshrouded dwarf seemed familiar though. His fingers and arms were getting increasingly numb. The strongest one of the group, he was glad now that he had undertaken the task.

Finally, the dwarf finished the job and all the spider’s ‘food’ was safely on the ground.