Welcome to the latest chapter of our Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) campaign, set in the legendary world of the Forgotten Realms.
This blog is a living novel, a raw, unfiltered chronicle of our adventures, told through the eyes of those who lived them. Each story is based on a true D&D session as played, with no add-ons or changes made by the authors. Our session reports offer unique, in-character perspectives on the perils, triumphs, and unforgettable moments that define our journey.
Transparency note:
All written content is created by humans, with no use of AI for text generation, only natural dumbness.
Illustrations are generated using AI tools, which will always be clearly labeled as such.
Our story follows an unlikely trio of heroes:
Finn, the streetwise Halfling Rogue with a knack for finding trouble (and exits).
Jonathan, a devoted Halfling Priest standing as the moral compass of the group.
Inez, a striving Gnome Wizard whose arcane mastery is more often or not the saving grace.
Today’s chronicle is told from the perspective of Inez. Step into her mind as we recount the magic, mystery, and unexpected turns of our latest quest.
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| Episode 17 Fight with the Spider. (AI generated) |
Session #17 as told by Inez
Dear diary,
We’re about to continue our search for the missing guards, just having refound my two companions and beaten off some mummies. No time for long introductions, so talk to you later!
After the fight in the mummification preparation room, if that’s the correct term for it, we searched around for loot and valuable items, as everybody knows that’s the stuff mummies carry into the next world. Well, as far as late night stories in front of the fireplace go. And indeed, between the pots filled with organs (Looking as bad as it sounds!), bowls with ointments, we found a potion, that Jonathan worked out with some sniffing and tasting, as a healing kind, and a scroll, with a spell written on it that I could identify as a blessing. The first time I ever found such a thing, apart from the spell book I bought in Nook. Can’t wait to try it! Some serious rewards of the Gods! So I muttered some prayers towards Azuth and Mystra, and added one to Helm for my parents.
Our first dispute of the day started as soon as I joined my two companions Finn and Jonathan. I proposed to continue the search of the room and slain mummies, Jonathan wanted to carry on, find more adventure, Finn was more or less on his side. Above all, the two men did not want to discuss how they disappeared and reappeared dressed as mummies. Then Finn suggested cutting off the heads of the mummies to provide proof on return, which I found distasteful and Jonathan disapproved of on the grounds that with the help of Chislev he could reanimate them. I convinced him that mummies are too dead for that, before his attempt would lead to disaster. But then Finn convinced him of the need for proof of our heroic deeds, the two of them adding mummy fingers to the collection of rat tails!
Finn spotted the fat owlbear cub nibbling on one of the corpses and started shouting: “Get away there, stuffed hatchling!” The cub just turned its head towards us, showing a golden bracelet in its beak. “You see, it’s just a rogue, just like you.”; I just could not refrain from saying. In my view the real rogue was either too low on food, making him halfling-frenzied and much too rigged towards the young cubs. Their behaviour might not be illustrious, but the same could be said about a certain halfling man! And his frustrations do not grant him the right to hurt or even kill them!
Finn rushed over towards the critter, trying to grab the armlet, failing completely. “This does it!”; the halfling shouted, grabbing one of his knives from somewhere, lashing out at the poor cub. The cub just hopped away, evading and dodging blows and kicks. “What are you doing?”; my trembling finger pointing at Finn; “Stop that immediately, you’ll kill it!” “That’s exactly what I’m trying to achieve, princess. Teaching that good for nothing vulture some manners! Give me that bracelet, or I’m gonna prepare a meal out of that woodpecker!”
Luckily Jonathan stepped between Finn and the cub, calming the rogue a bit down, before trying to persuade the owlbear youngster to hand over the trinket: “Here, little one, give Jonno the bracelet, come, come.” The moment Jonathan grabbed the ornament, the cub bit and slashed the priest fiercely. A painful shriek followed, then both Jonathan and Finn were staring angrily at me. “Oh, please stop playing and fooling around.”; once more, adding pressure where the boiler was already sizzling.
Still holding his knife, Finn threw it at the cub. Hitting it! The poor thing in some strange way survived, despite a deep cut showing. “You injured Jonathan, you Pocket-picking-pixie!”; I yammered at Finn. As always, the real Jonathan (not the cub I named after him), stepped in. “Inez, Inez, listen to me, here, look at me. Cool off, please!”; blocking my way towards Finn. “That was not nice, but we need to work together, remember? Could you help us and get the bracelet from the cub?”; and as always, his pacification worked, looking into his eyes made me lose most of my anger. (Please, don’t follow up on that, dear diary!)
As a good girl and team player, I walked over to the cub, got on my knees and in a friendly and careful way acquired the armlet from the critter. Kept it swaying at the top of my forefinger, handing it over to Finn quietly and without making eye contact. He just took it, further ignoring me, and started examining it. “There’s a message engraved on it!”;he said; “It’s written in thieves’ cant, but can’t read it. Missing pieces to decipher the message.” Placing the bracelet in his bag, then addressed us: “Let’s search for it, they must be around. Probably engraved on another bracelet, ornament or knickknack?"
Rolling my eyes, I started prodding and poking the remains of mummies, bandages and clutter on the floor half-heartedly. The two halflings were doing the same, perhaps a bit more inspired and intentfully, but with the same result: nothing to be found. The cubs, enjoying this game, were rolling through the room, with much better pay-off: one of them was carrying another bracelet!
Finn was on it, this time approaching the cub a little bit more friendly and carefully. Successfully picking up the bracelet, with just a minor nip, caused by a playful nibble of the cub. Finn did not curse, I did not smile, abiding Jonathan‘s waves, gestures and stares, summoning both Finn and me to behave. In a friendly and very very imperative way, looking like a cleric of Azuth instead of Chislev, transfixing both me and Finn.
While Finn was trying to make sense of the engravings in the two bracelets, and Gregot was once more looking into Jonathan’s wounds, I collected the cubs and examined the wound on little Jonathan, the fattest one of the three, as closely as it allowed me. The cubs were growing and I understood that they could become problematic. Another responsibility that perhaps is too big of a challenge for a gnome girl, dear diary?
“Are we done here?”;I asked the halfling men; “If so, I would like one of you to take the lead.” “Can’t work out the code, probably still some pieces missing. No use staying here though, don’t think we’ll find them here. I’ll take the lead, you take care of these fur balls.”;Finn did not sound as harsh as before, that was good. Holding a torch he went past me into the corridor. Jonathan with Gregot on his shoulder strung along, then the cubs and I catenated.
The corridor in front of us made a slow curve, further on at both sides there were aisles. Two steps in, the whole place shook for the tiniest of a moment. “A quake! You’ve seen where we entered these tunnels. Probably an old entrance was opened when some city walls came tumbling down.” I agreed with Finn’s analysis, and hoped these tunnels would be stable enough. Regardless we had to carry on, and that we did. Slowly and watching every step, Finn guided us forward, alert and highly strung, his nerves wound more tightly than a clockwork for a dance marathon. “There are footprints here, we’ll follow them!”;he informed us whispering. “They’re fresh.” “Are they human sized? The same pattern as the ones before?” “Probably, don’t know for sure. We’ll find out.”
The marks lead us through a labyrinth of corridors, passages and turns. Even my gnome instincts lost track of direction. Another tunnel, a turn to the right, several to the left. This place was bigger than the largest dwarven underground marketplace I had visited in Nook. Then, a hard turn to the right and we were in a circular passage, looking like an underground park. The whole of the floor was overgrown with ferns, hedges and shrubbery. At the far end an exit, blocked by green colored standing plants and red colored undergrowth and brushwood, covering the ground. “We have to be careful here. I know this type of plant. This is blood weed. It will bite you!” “What? Plants that bite?” Finn and I were looking from the priest towards the red carpet in front of us and back. “Yes, but if you place your feet carefully it won't happen. I could ask the weeds to clear a path, but that would take a week or so. I'll show you how to move through.” Putting down Gregot, Jonathan headed for the field.
As Jonathan started walking through the red undergrowth, Finn addressed me: “Couldn't you burn a path through the foliage?” “Perhaps I could, but my arcane energies are not very abundant. And it could trigger a reaction from the plants. Or alert a mage or monster. If it’s truly needed, I’ll do it, of course.” Not the answer the rogue had hoped for. Perhaps I should have given in, with hindsight that's an easy conclusion, dear diary.
Until then, Jonathan had made slow but steady progress. Halfway through the red field, he indicated to us that all was going well, just a few more steps. It was only this few steps further when we heard Jonathan’s cry, his right leg had sank away, spines snapping into his bare feet, sucking blood. Even from a distance I could see his distorted face, caused by the necrotic nature of the assault. Nevertheless the priest pulled himself together, got himself up and made it to the other side.
Who would be next to cross the red weed field? Finn and I were looking at each other and at the other candidates. “The cubs? Jonathan, can you call over the cubs?”; I shouted, hard enough, the priest started waving and whistling to the critters. And to my dismay, Finn tried to scare them into the weeds! The cubs made a run for it, passing the field without incidents, flapping, almost hovering, instinctively knowing to shun the red weeds.
Gregot then was directed towards Jonathan by Finn. Consequently a dialogue, or is that tri-alogue, got under way that could have been performed at the Gnomish Nook Theatre. Was it not that the mechanism of the gramophone got stuck and only ‘Gregot’, ‘Finn’, ‘Jonathan’ could be heard over and over and over. Halflings and treant became more and more tantalized by their chants, and even the cubs tried to blend in. Me, I was considering turning around and leaving this pack of goblins that had just found out that if they all screamed at the same time, they were really loud. I know, I know, dear diary, that was a bit harsh and sour. For all one knows, the red weeds were sticking their fingers in their ears too, Gregot walked without being disturbed to the other side.
“So, still no fiery path?”; Finn tried again. “I don’t see the necessity. Just do your chanting and you should be all right.” “Well, easy enough for you to say. Your tiny gnome feet are well protected in these snug boots!” “If you want, you can borrow the ballroom dance shoes I got in Ki.” “Thank you, little princess, knew I could rely on you.” With this the rogue set off into the vegetation, not in the best of moods, which I could understand. Though halflings are used to walking barefoot, the prospect of stepping on blood weed without protection was not something to look forward to.
Even so, the rogue shuffled through the foliage without too much trouble at first. Only at almost the same point where Jonathan was caught, Finn too lost footing, and blood weed caught one of his feet badly. Cursing and scolding, he cut himself loose, then finished the walk over. Won’t repeat what he said about a certain gnomish lady though, dear diary. He was welcomed as a hero by Jonathan and Gregot, and the three-name-mantra was belted out again.
Favorably, after a while they started chanting my name, indicating that I should cross over as well. After taking a deep breath, I trod forward, trying to follow the steps Finn had taken. It proved not to be all that hard, the low heeled boots I ‘bought’ at Lilly’s shop protected me from the stings of the plants. So I made good progress, down to the moment I lost balance as vines ensnared one of my legs. Rolling through the leafage, I got stung at every place my skin was exposed and even through my clothes. The stings not only burned in my skin, but sent cold feverish lashes through my body. Ending up lying face up in the greenness, or better redness, stuck and confined, tears in my eyes of the pain and loss of dignity.
Trapped by the blood weed I had no choice but to appeal for aid of the two halfling men. Stuck in the fields, lying between two ferns. Literally crying for help, for they were allegedly in an important conversation, not hearing me for some time. As I would believe that, dear diary. Even worse, for reasons beyond me, Finn initiated his magical mind connection, creating a link between the thoughts of the three of us. Caught in a field, covered by blood sucking weeds, the only thing I could do was experience his mind messages. Main topic: Food, all kinds of dishes with owlbear meat as main ingredient. Pesky halfling.
Eventually good old Jonathan came over, defying the weeds once more to save me. Cutting the blood weed vines and snares that held me prisoner. As an experienced gardener he managed without cutting me or damaging my clothes any further. Finally able to move again, I initiated a formal bow of gratitude, but the priest lost interest before I could finish it. Together we made our way to Finn, Gregot and the cubs. Welcomed by an image manifesting inside my mind of three owl bear cubs roasted on a spit. Fixating for a second, I sent a picture of an anonymous halfling rascal held in the pillory of Nook. Which was probably a bit too much, but he had left me stuck for quite some time, dear diary!
On the other side we found the arch of the gate leading to the next corridor was decorated with strange symbols, in the same style as engraved in the bracelets we found before. However, we were listless and agitated, each of us picking a spot of turf to sit and do our thing. The two bracelets in hand, Finn was trying to decode the message, not giving the impression that he was succeeding. After I copied the lines of symbols in my spell book, I continued picking off branches, spines, thorns and other remains of the weed that were stuck on my clothes.
Jonathan was contemplating, sitting a bit apart together with Gregot, trying to cure the injuries he had taken in the field. Plainly he had taken another sting when he came to my relief, and I had not even noticed it, being too busy to do a proper curtsy. Those lessons in etiquette really paid off, dear diary. Alternatively I sent a thought of gratitude through our mind-link. This channel, I noticed, had been joined by Gregot as well, notions of green and Gregot-sounds were occasionally brought to my attention.
Even though I was not looking for company and certainly not in a mood to help Finn, our connected minds meant that images of the puzzle of the inscriptions breaking his mind filled up mine. Eventually he gave up, convinced that more pieces were needed to solve it. Jonathan and I agreed halfheartedly, without further thoughts. After a while the three of us got up in one breath, as if stung by a Will-o’-Wisp. Shortly, but still, our gazes met and we decided to carry on, no words needed.
Passing underneath the archway the passage led us into a natural Cave. Up till now all tunnels had been artificial, either part of the city‘s sewer or constructed by unknown builders. Following a path between stalagmites, it reminded me of the dungeon underneath the Drunken Badger, so many moons ago. It was not damp, or smelling, rather the opposite, dry and dusty, as if even nature had forgotten about it. And as if our entrance had awakened Silvanus, sending Eldath into exile, another tremor, much more forceful than the first, hit the cavern. Shaking the passage and everything in it, making boulders and rocks bouncing around. A stalactite came loose, hitting Jonathan hard in its fall. Kneeling beside him, I found him bleeding from his head. “Don’t worry, I’m more or less alright, Chislev protected me. Though not entirely.” “You sure? That rock was quite large!” “Gregot!”; From below, the small treant joined our conversation, followed by Finn from above: “That’s just a scratch on the head, should n’t be a problem for a priest! But let’s be careful out here! A few meters from here I found the trail again. Let’s form a proper line, stay alert, stay quiet, use the mind link. And Inez, please take care of your dumb devils dressed in fur and feathers!”
Holding in the impulse to either bark or picture all kinds of remarks and slander about rogues, halflings, men and a particular combination of all these three, I swept the cubs together while Jonathan stood up and Finn took the lead. The passage took us further, continuing for quite some time without gates or exits. ‘Mind your steps’; Finn’s voice buzzed in my head: “The fabric of the ground is different here.” Looking down, I could not determine what he meant. It was still the thick layer of dust on top of natural stones and pebbles. The only thing worth noting by looking down was the terrible state of my once rather beautiful boots.
Then there was a loud click. Followed by a loud scream. Followed by a loud splash. Finn had activated a trapdoor, dropping him into a pothole filled with green water. Loud curses followed, indicating that the rogue was still alive. Jonathan and I got down on our knees, peeking over the edge of the pit. An unhappy Finn was looking up: “Help me out of here! This water is biting in my wounds!” “It’s rather deep, I can lift you magically, but otherwise we can’t reach you!”; I yelled back. Scouting out the walls, Finn found a grip to hoist himself up and started climbing from there. Minutes later he was back on our level, on the other side of the pit. “Still in one piece?”; Jonathan asked. “Not entirely, I feel like I have been cooking for hours in a troll’s stewpot! Sitting down, Finn grabbed his backpack and started rummaging. Finding the flask with potion that he got from Chana and Vana. “Don’t drink that, if it’s poison or worse, we can’t help you!” “Nice of you, Red, but you should know by now that I’ll ignore your advice. Keeps me alive." Before putting the flask to his mouth, he saluted me with it, then emptied the whole thing in one gulp. The veins in Finn’s neck swelled up, pulsating and pumping, morphing his skin into a riverscape of blue lines in white sand. A white glow appeared around him and in his pupils. “Finn, are you still with us, you look like you’re changing into, well into something else!”; Jonathan was as appalled and scared as I was. On the face of it, Finn was still Finn when he answered: “Never felt better! I’m sharper than my own dagger! Come on, let’s move further!”
The latter was more easily said than done, as the chasm was too wide for us small folks to cross or jump. “I’ll lift you again, you can carry Gregot.” I proposed to Jonathan. “The cubs can make the jump, I will transport myself lastly.” More confident since I had done this before, I kneeled down and put my mind to the spell book in my hand. When my right hand touched the opened page, it felt like the paper caressed my fingers. Sensing and directing the arcane energy, spending it to lift Jonathan and Gregot high enough to touch the ceiling. The priest then propelled himself forward, as I could only control his height. Crawling across the ceiling, he made it to the other side of the pit where I lowered him before releasing the spell.
Again the last one to make it to the other side was me. Notwithstanding that I had raised myself into the air before, it still gave me an uneasy feeling. Starting off the spell, connecting to the weave, then the strange feeling of floating. Bumping my head against a protruding rock made me almost lose all control. Regaining myself, ignoring the laughter of the Idol, I caught sight of another inscription. As if by its own will and initiative, a quill manifested, copying the line of strange symbols into the spell book. After what for me felt like an hour, I reached the other side, landing next to Jonathan and Finn. “Looking a bit shaky, Inez!” “Well, I’m using quite a bit of magic in a short term.”; I responded, feeling my fatigue and the loss of arcane force. “Let’s move ahead.”
In line we continued, Finn ahead, his continuous swapping between roaming and glancing around making him look like a bird of prey (I think I managed to keep that thought out of our mind-link...). The cubs were bouncing around me at the back, the critters kept quiet, picking up the strain we spread. This way we entered a huge, dome-like room, its highest point hidden in darkness. Or worse, blocked from sight by huge dense spider webs. The whole group came to a standstill, gaping upwards, scanning the room like mice do when the cat rings its bell.
Above, well out of reach, five white oblong cushion like items were hanging, like the chandeliers the upper-class gnomes of Nook would install in their houses, often to the despair of tall folks. Talking tall folks, two of the cocoons, because that’s what they turned out to be after looking a little longer, were the size of humans, the three other ones a bit smaller. As I met his eyes, I found Finn biting his amulet, pointing upwards to a point in the web-made-canopy that oscillated wildly, teared open by large limbs, creating a gap wide enough for a large spider.
“Here! Come stand here, near me!”; Jonathan was gathering us around him, the approaching threat made even the cubs settle in between our legs. “Stay still!” The priest followed this command with a refined gesture of his arms, ending in a pose of single-minded determination. Around Jonathan a reverberating sphere emerged, extending from him until we were all encapsulated by him, packed like grievances in a dwarven book of grudges. Around us fey-ish spirits whirred around, guarding our refuge. A chill went down my spine when I sensed their power. And that of Jonathan! How easily he seemed to pull this one off, made me scold a bit on the inside.
Probably should have paid less attention to the priest’s arcane skills, as the gruesome spider breached the magical barrier, running towards us! Slowed down, fortunately, by the strikes of the spirits, but not stopped! Charging towards Finn, the delay and hindrance caused by the spirits, permitted the rogue to dodge the arachnid’s attacks. Even better, Finn’s counterattack hit it like a steam powered sledgehammer, wounding the creature heavily. Unlike Jonathan’s strike with his axe, that bounced off mostly on one of the armoured legs. And unlike the attempt of a certain gnomish wizard. Pompously, I evoked a fire bolt effortlessly, launched it at the large creature. Only to miss it by a mile, hitting and wounding a cub instead: The small albino, little Inez! As the fight continued, there was no time to find out how bad the cub was wounded, nor to berate a certain gnomish lady. In haste I sent a prayer towards Baervan Wildwanderer. Excusing for wearing his colors in jest, as a city girl not recognizing forest wisdom. Asking him to care for the cub, a wild but innocent animal wounded by my pride. Shivering when I hear the Idol’s mocking laughter in my head.
Up close the spider’s blackness shimmered like the pans and kettles in our home’s kitchen, and it was clear that this one was planning to avenge all its tiny family members that had perished in that same place. As I was spinning around, steering clear of the eight limbs and venom dripping maw, considering what magic to use against it, my fellow halflings were actually doing practical stuff, like hitting the creature where it hurts. Jonathan’s axe attacks distract it enough for Finn to light up his purple knife, slashing the unprotected underbelly of the creature!
A spastic contraction made the spider roll on it’s back, showing a large red pattern in the form of an hourglass for a few seconds, before collapsing on the ground, legs stiffening, pointing upwards. None of us were caught or crushed by all this, but poor Jonathan was caught by a stream of pus and entrails that were dispatched by the eruption of the dying animal. Sticky and smelling, the pus did not cause serious damage, still the poor priest had to be cut loose by Finn! Looking at the green stuff covering Jonathan, I could not help but contemplate how that stuff would have been the final straw for the jacket I was wearing.
Looking around I found the three cubs, who only after many attempts allowed me to come close to them. The scorch marks on the one I had hit made my eyes water. Calling it over through the mind-link I prayed the little treant to heal the poor cub, improvising a proper curtsy to thank tree-men. From one of the leaves a green spark hopped onto the wounded cub, that then ran off to the other two, after it had hissed at me. Through the mind-link Finn intruded, sending images and smells of Owl-Bear-meat being prepared. So I shut down my connection. Pesky halfling!
Meanwhile the halfling men had started cutting off pieces of spider legs, fitting these in their backpacks. “I hope these are not meant to be used in our meal?”;I said as I joined them: “Only joking! Truce?” “Truce!”;it sounded synchronous. “But before dinner, we need to take those down and see what’s inside.” Finn pointed upwards, to the five cocoons. “A halfling preferring work above a meal, hope I’ll live to tell the tale!” Looking at the rogue, I saw he was very, very serious. “Fine, do you have a plan to do so? Oh, wait, I can use a firebolt to cut them loose!” Seriously looking for a form of rehabilitation, showing I was capable of leading the group! I would show them what a wizard could do!. Taking two steps back, finding my spell book, touching the opened page, feeling the arcane entering my body, I knew this was it. The heat of the bolt in my right hand, pointing it at the webs above us, letting go!
Above us the draperies of web and spider-silk caught fire, much like the yearly firework show of Nook! Cocoons and burning fabrics of web falling down, forming a hailstorm of dust and fire! Wounding both Jonathan and Finn! Watching the two recovering, I decided that a moment of silence was probably in place. Standing up, the halflings turned towards me, Jonathan holding Finn friendly but stern in his grip. “I’m very very sorry, I should have talked this over with you, instead of just performing my trick. Truce?” Probably the halflings were even more tired as I was, or simply had given up on me, as my excuse and peace offer was accepted. Or they like my charming snout, please, shut up, dear diary!
Keeping my distance I once more observed the two men working. This time cutting the three fallen cocoons open carefully, exposing the contents. One proved empty, the other two each revealed a body in armour. From a safe distance I inquired:“Are those the bodies of the missing guards? “They look dead to me, and these emblems are the same!”; Jonathan acknowledged. “Wait, wait, do you see what I see?”; Finn sounded triumphantly. “These are not the guards, these are kobolds stuck in their uniforms!”
We Gnomes don't have much feelings for Kobolds, if any it is contempt and disgust, but looking at the stripped bodies I felt pity for the two. Someone had made them wear human clothing and then fed them to a spider, which is an awful death, especially when dressed in such an ill-fitting and unfashionable way. Jonathan and Finn were by now probing the clothes and possessions of the late Kobolds. “Inez, come over and have a look at this. Would n’t you say this is a woman’s kit?” Walking over and examining the clothes, I shared Jonathan’s conclusion: “Yes, this is proportioned for a woman, a human one looking at the size. So this probably is the uniform of Caca, and this is the outfit of the guy that went with her.” “Well, that means they’re still alive! Now we just have to find two humans dressed like Kobolds.” Jonathan’s logic was forged by dwarves. “We also found these three flasks.” Finn showed me three different colored carafes, green, glassy white and red, reminding me of the terrible baths I went through not that long ago. “Not sure what they are, best to keep ‘m, together with the clothes. Think you still have some space in your backpack.” Not the moment to protest, dear diary, at least I was given a proper task. And much better to carry this than mummy finger tops, spider legs and rat tails!
So here we are, dear diary, taking a short break because we’re all out of energy. The cubs are still a bit mistrusting me, but it seems to change for the better. Jonathan used his powers to create food and water for all of us, improving the mood significantly!
Still I feel exhausted and useless, I had wanted to prove myself useful. Instead I wounded a cub, burned webs, and nearly buried us in silk and fire.
Not much time to contemplate now, perhaps for the better, and I already spend much of it on writing, so goodbye for now, dear diary!
