[And now back into the Underdark with Fenrir, Reinward, Veddic, Raz and their guides - Dinkledonk and Soledad.]
DAY 505(20th Flamerule)(july) continued ...
After having dealt with the gravecrawler, the adventure party moved onwards. After a while they reached an area of the dungeon familiar to Ugelbe and after another hour or so of travel they arrived at his home, a network of four large caves that were full of dirt, rubbish and the smell of death.
It was late now, and they set up their bedrolls in the largest chamber of the caves while Ugelbe went into his own lair. They discussed cleaning out the caves, but in the end they decided it would be pointless as surely the minotaur did not care and they would not be staying long anyway.
DAY 506(21th Flamerule)(july)
After some discomfort, Fenrir decided to set up his folding boat and they all arranged themselves in that. This kept them about a foot off the ground and away from the worst of the miasma.
They ate, then set up watches.
On the third and last watch, Reinward was awake and heard sounds of a struggle from Ugelbe's lair. He snuck up to take a look and saw Dinkledonk lying dead, his arms having been torn off. Ugelbe the minotaur was in a rage and went to attack the others but Fenrir stopped him in his tracks with an evocation of Sleep of Painful Slumber.
On examining the scene, they deduced that Dinkledonk had tried to steal something, a magical charm that he must have thought valuable (I have since learned that it gives the bearer an extra 'rage' per day).
They threw the minotaur into the latrine cave and went back to sleep.
In the morning, they left Ugelbe to sleep, knowing that he would probably be awake in a day or to. Dinkledonk's remains were put into Veddic's bag.
Soledad led them onwards, following the direction that Ugelbe had been taking them in, hoping that she would know the Lair of Queen Arachnia when she found it.
They were following a long tunnel, a little used Underdark route, and passed a side tunnel where they saw lights and the sounds of two people haggling over something.
Fenrir went to take a look and saw a dwarf (or duergar, he wasn't an expert) talking to what looked like a black skinned half-orc (it may have been a mixed race orc/drow fellow). The chamber was full of trade goods, as well as a stone desk guarded by two big statues that lurked behind it.
Sensing this was a fairly save area, Fenrir revealed himself and called the others in. The orc-drow left and the dwarf gave them his full attention.
His name was Bargold and he had a surprisingly large amount of magical items for sale. Some of them were only half charged or faulty in some way, but he offered
these at reduced prices.
Both Fenrir and Reinward purchased a number of items.
'Ye'll need these,' said Bargold offering them two copper 'plague doctor' style masks. 'If ye are wanting to travel into the Lair of Arachnia. The air is foul and will kill anything that breaths after a while. These masks use magic to purify the air. I only have two though.'
It was decided that Fenrir and Reinward would continue onwards to the Lair, which was now not far away, while the others remained at the shop.
They followed the directions Bargold had given them and after two hours of travel along the same Underdark road they turned down a side tunnel and found the hidden entrance to the Lair.
They walked onwards, and as the air began to choke them, they donned the masks and continued. Next they reached a high terrace that looked down on the Lair. It was an impressive sight, even in the gloom, they could see it was a city as big as Westgate, or it had been many years ago as much of it now lay in ruins. Houses and halls lined the walls of a great cavern, while others were build up the side of vast stone pillars.
As they took it in, they watched some hooded figures go along a street below them, flanked by skeleton guards that pushed through the crowds of zombies that seemed to throng every lane and alley.
The terrace they stood on had several buildings on it. Fenrir's attention was drawn to three figures standing in the shadow of one of them. Two of them skulked out of sight while another approached. They recognised him as the vampire Lord Bloodwurst.
'You have done well to make it this far,' he said, evidently not in the mood for a fight.
'I suppose,' replied Fenrir.
'You may as well turn round now though,' smirked the vampire, who wore no mask.
'This is a city of undead. Home territory you might say.'
It began to dawn on Fenrir that Bloodwurst was here on the same quest that he was.
Did the vampires have someone like Reinward with them? Someone with the red bands on their arms? He had no idea, but his cunning mind decide to try some deception.
'You all up to date with the prophecy then?' he asked.
'Of course,' replied the vampire.
'And you've read the sacred runes on the obelisk?'
He uttered this complete humbug with such conviction that the vampire was completely take off guard.
'Of course!' cried Bloodwurst before turning into a bat and flying off angrily.
When it came to lies and trickery, it appeared that vampires meet their match when the come up against warlocks!
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