Session One Hundred and Seventy-Eight Summary (Graveyard of Empires: After the Fall)

Session 178, April 24 2024

Introduction

We continue at 11:30PM on the 26th of Anurilden (00.000.08.04 on the Apocalypse Clock) with the party speaking with Lolth after stepping through the giant web portal that opened in Dun'Khel. From the daemon spider-lady's behavior, the group has surmised that Lolth has been changed through her contact with the spider box spiders and now is some amalgamation of her DVL persona and the Matriarch Cerida. Lolth has also revealed that her spiders can be used to power magic and that the refugees from Dun"khel will be hidden in the abandoned Necropolis of the Ancient Dwarves. Will this prove a safe haven? Has the issue of magic's destruction been solved? Who are the two figures in the web cocoons in Lolth's lair? Find out next time; or not.

Eating Spiders is same time as memorizing spells, no instant cast. 1 spider per spell level being memorized.

Large Sacks 8 slots capacity, 6 slots encumbrance. 80 spiders

Thorus asks Lolth if the spiders can help us re-charge Dwarven batteries.

A larger spider we think is a spider box spider enters Lolth's mouth and says. The spiders must be consumed for the magic to work.

Thorfus asks Lolth if we prevent remaining dwarves from telling DVLs about our plans? - Don't kill - wipe their minds of recent past.

Lolth has a smaller spider crawl in her mouth and ask if there are ancient masters staying behind? Yes, about 3,500.

Lolth can't protect so many. She advises that we not reveal the hiding place until

Asmodeus knows I oppose him so the fact that I hid some of them will not concern him.

We will not reveal the location to the dwarves until they get to the hiding spot. (Necropolis)

Lolth spiders were all sizes and shapes. Now they all are more uniform, perhaps hand-sized. Maybe a bit bigger. Black with no clear markings. These are the ones coming from the box.

Do they have to be eaten raw? The spiders must be consumed while they are still alive.

Thorfus suggests we get two large sacks of spiders out to Aldus Runnelbrook. Velkin asks Vikram to take the sacks out to Aldus and bring Buzz back. Vikram goes invisibly.

• • Vikram's Powers:** 3x per day each.

- Whirlwind - Gaseous Form - Invisibility - Illusion

-Create Food & Drink for 12 persons or mounts for 1 day.

- Create metal objects (temporary) up to 1,00 gp weight. - Crating soft goods up to 1,000 gp weight. - Carry 6,000 coins w/o fatigue and up to 12, 000 for a short time.

Thorfus asks Lolth if she can help speed the Bronze Wizard on their way. This wizard is not joining us, so there is nothing I can do for them.

Ask Lolth if she can find more Astral Tea for us.

We are unfamiliar to us what are the ingredients?

We ask Renthark to explain its components. Things from the Astral Plane. It grows in places floating in the Astral Plane where it can grow. Bortham was the expert. Lolth says, "We can send some of ourselves to search though."

Can Lolth recover the dagger of the mothers from the Southern representative where the zombie fell near Feldmark. We will search for this item in time. It is best that we close the portals to this area and keep them closed until after the invasion.

Glompus goes and starts gently opening the cocoons. It is Lambertus. He's looking kind of pale, not looking so well. Part of his problem is a missing arm. It appears to have been sliced off perfectly at the shoulder. No cauterized, but the end has been turned to stone where the little bit of arm stops.

We think the Stone God took it.

Lolth notices Glompus cutting open. We found your companions below, in the area near where you indicated they would be. They were unconscious but look unwell.

Lolth again says she can re-grow his arm and sends a large number of spiders to weave a new arm.

The other cocoon is Peronelle. Also missing an arm, same arm. Lolth also starts repairing her arm.

These are the only two we found. No corpses.

Velkin asks Jarlana to heal Lambertus and Peronelle. She slaps Lambertus vigorously until he wakes. He tries to fend her off and his web arm flops around. He looks around weary eyed, "Where am I?" He looks around concerned and sees he's not where he thought he was.

You found us, excellent. Did you destroy them?

We were on the Gilded Gusset and the boat started to sink slowly like on a lift at that dwarven place. We were thrown all over the place. We came down. It was dark, sound of crashing, then something hard grabbed me and lifted me out of the water. I thought it was you guys. It craddled me, and was cradling me. It was moving me underground. It was saying something.

then I saw smaller ones were holding me and Peronelle too. They were elementals.

The big thing pointed at us and said something that sounded like landslide. He looks at his arm and gets a freaking out kind of face. He pokes at his arm and it indents. "It took my arm."

Peronelle just looks at her arm and kind of shrugs.

I saw Peronelle, and your arm! Yeah!

What Lambertus said, earth elementals grabbed us and brought us to the big guy. He spoke, I guess they have their own language. They stretched out my arm so I knew what was coming. That's the last I remember.

I don't think I'll be much good with a bow. Instead of flopping around it starts to bend at the elbow like it should.

She looks around and notices Lolth. Oh! OK.

Lambertus calms down when he notices Peronelle and her arm.

Why would he take my arm?

Thorfus asks if there is anything else, we've got to get moving.

Lolth is ready to open the portal for us to complete the evacuation.

The portal is ready, we have just to open it.

She gestures at one of the other portals and it disappears.

There is a web with finishing touches then it is a portal that opens into a passage way with busted machinery but is obviously huge.

We have opened the tunnel to a passageway that was once the armory at the base of the citadel.

We have insured that all the DVLs are gone.

Alesta is off with the humans trying to coordinate them.

Druul asks Thorfus about Lambertus and the tablets and working with Alesta.

Druul has the tablets. Velkin goes to find Alesta talking to former council members of Feldmark.

Compared to the dwarves and gnomes. The humans aren't doing such a great job. They don't have the hierarchy. Alesta is trying to negotiate all that.

Alesta turns. Yes, is their something wrong? No, I came to see how things are going. There is only one way to go, gesturing off in the distance to the portal.

Velkin asks if there is anything else to do? No, I don't think we should kill anyone yet.

Probably by sunup, I might need the other type of help and eyes the arguing council members.

Velkin says it is one big room. So we're camping in one big room?

Thorfus asks his advisors if the clan (Clan Thuridan) has any songs. There are hymns, and marching songs, etc. Thorfus selects a marching hymn and they teach it to him, so he can lead it.

Druul walks with Caspar and talks to him. Caspar is near the front with Em.

Caspar is ready for resuming work on the sword and is hopeful to locate a workshop.

Jarlanna steps out in front of Druul and gives a quick bow. My mistress would like to speak with you. To me?

No, with the one carrying the child?

Lolth wants to speak with me? Yes, she specifically asked to speak with you. Please come this way.

Druul grabs Kauri and Glompus. Prix gives a nod, but does not go with her.

Prix grabs Caspar's arm to ensure he is walking towards to Necropolis portal.

Jarlanna isn't happy the others go with Lady Em.

Jarlanna bows and says, "Mistress, I have brought the one you wish to have at your side."

Lolth turns and looks. Yes, this is the one we want by our side. Then looks to the others, "You have nothing to do?"

Druul asks what is the interest with Em and her child?

Lolth says, we simply wish to have her beside us. We've made a deal with the angry short one, descendant of the ancient slave masters and we will see our part of the deal done well. This one will be beside us and we will show her the things that are necessary and proper to one of the priestesses. Jarlanna resists shaking her head. Yes, mistress as you have asked, I will indoctrinate this one in the secrets and mysteries of our order.

Lolth nods. Ems eyes are bugging out. That's alright. You don't have to tell me any mysteries. I'm good. No, we have made our promise and we will see it done. She will be beside us and we will protect her and she will be one of our handmaidens.

Druul asks of Em's child. I have no need of males among the handmaidens.

Druul asks if someone will care for the baby. We are all going to the Necropolis. I will be in the Necropolis. No, we will not require her to sacrifice her young. Please note, high priestess, no sacrifice will be needed.

Druul asks that Em gets a night's rest. Yes, Lolth says to Jarlanna, see to it that she has a night's rest before her training begins.

Druul scoots Em behind him, and escorts her to join the flow of people.

You are very lucky. Wait until you hear the story of my betrothed when I joined the handmaidens.

The others see Thorfus at the head of the Thuridan clan leading them in a march to move them along.

Others don't seem to appreciate it.

Other than the sounds of movement it was mostly quiet. Other clans can't just let Thuridan sing their hymns, and it gets loud with all of them.

Clan Thuridan likes the hymn and take pride in our clan starting first.

Druul, Glompus, Kauri, Em & Aubry are next in.

Druul comes to the gnomes how ask where to go.

Druul takes a spider from his cloak and says lead the way, and sets it down.

It goes to the far end of the room and there is a tunnel with passages to left and right.

Druul uses the sceptre to speak to the spiders and they say that they are waiting for the mistress.

3 hours later the refugees have filled the chamber.

Lolth moves towards the second portal and the spiders attack the webs of the first portal and it turns to webs and then nothing.

Lolth arrives carrying the Spider Box and the spiders destroy the portal revealing a passageway.

Lolth climbs over the machinery to avoid the refugees.

Velkin asks Vikram to carry him 70 feet over the chamber to follow Lolth.

There is a huge stalagtite that has been worked with a shelf and a structure with doors and stuff.

Lolth stops in front of Druul and Glompus. Looking over the group says, Good, we have made it.

Glompus asks if we should go through the tunnels more. After another spider in her mouth, Lolth says, yes, we must find places for everyone. The lifts will not be functioning. There are stairs to the left, we must go up a good ways.

Glompus asks about arrangements for very young and very old.

Lolth says we may need to camp on the way.

Glompus passes the word down.

There is a lot of grumbling to sort through to genuine need.

Velkin asks if camping on stairs or other chambers. The stairs.

Velkin asks if wait until tomorrow, or go in groups. Groups yes, perhaps some should go ahead to scout.

Lolth scratches a rough map on the ground.

Thorfus asks the protocol and a deputy may be appointed if he is gone for an extended time.

Advisor will come with Thorfus and the advisor will appoint someone to take his place to maintain order.

Thorfus suggests that we all rest and prepare a meal and coordinate watch signals and each clan and group have their own watch.

All clear signal raise up a torch up high, danger signal banging on shields and two torches indicates location of danger. Just two signals for now and refine later. A raised up torch in a big circle means come for a conference - the party will control the circle torch.

We relay that to all the leaders.

The gnomes up front ask if they go up to the intersection if they will be first. Yes.

Jarlanna comes from between two large machines in the direction of Lolth. Jarlanna says, "Honey, Mistress Lolth requests that the new handmaiden and the one working on the weapon join mistress Lolth."

Mistress Lolth has interpreted the deal that the young, unwed mother will be a new handmaiden of Lolth.

Thorfus asks, what does this mean?

Jarlanna throws up her hands. Honestly, something is wrong. This doesn't make any sense whatsoever. I get it, she sees you as a useful tool of Asmodeus.

It's only been a day, but she is different.

But this human, to protect her. Will be trained as a handmaiden. Of Lolth?

Of course, the other, she promised to protect him. I understand it slightly more, since he is doing something with a weapon.

She has asked me to get them and bring them to her.

Thorfus sends his advisor to share the signals we suggest and he will rejoin the clan after he escorts Em, Aubry, and Caspar to her.

We don't have the test here, so I guess we're just babysitting.

I'm having trouble understanding what she means this last day or so.

The spiders have prepared a partial web nest for Lolth and she is resting.

Thorfus asks Lolth what it is she hears about Em being a handmaiden.

We struck a deal, she will be by my side. We will train her to be a handmaiden. What if she doesn't want to be a handmaiden? Why not be by your side?

We honor Em, she is a mother like us, we will keep her close.

Thorfus says, How many mothers are you seeking? We seek none. Do we, our sisters, we don't know where they have gone, they may be lost to us.

So we find new.

Worry not, angry dwarf, we will honor our promise, the deal we struck. We will keep the engraver and the mother safe. They will be by our side in the Necropolis. They will live as long as we live. Unless Asmodeus strikes us down.

Caspar will need a workshop? He may go and work, then return to us? Will that be sufficient? Caspar says, I guess, as long as I have a workshop and they stay out of the way. I will send others to keep an eye on him.

Velkin suggests Caspar work unwatched under guard.

Even now, we search for others of your family, the Thules. We will bring them here and populate the city with them.

There will be many to watch and keep them safe.

Druul asks if they have found the mother and children of Caspar's we have not found them yet.

We are close to where Aubry was. If he lives maybe we'll find him. OK, I trust you Thorfus.

Druul goes to Kauri and asks him to teach Em the ways of the Mothers. It may help her as Lolth is being influenced.

Thorfus goes to each clan leader and suggests they scout the area near their clans and find the walls and any doors.

Thorfus quickly explains that this is an ancient dwarven citadel that had power until the loss of magic.

Finally, Thorfus returns to Clan Thuridan to rest.