The Black
Spider’s laughter echoed through the cavern. “Your strength is beginning to
ebb!” he cackled as his form shifted and blurred as though he was standing
behind a prism. “Enough of
this!” shouted Siegfried. He pointed at Nezznar and then, oddly, averted his
eyes as he launched three eldritch blasts at the drow wizard. Two of the
three blasts struck and shattered illusory mirror images of the Black Spider. “Ugh!”
Nezznar cursed, reeling back in surprise. “You’ll pay for that, my social
climbing friend!” “Ha!” Siegfried
said, spinning back around. “Gotcha!” He cast a hex on the drow, hoping
to dull the Black Spider’s mental acuity. “I admire
your…confidence,” Nezznar slurred. “But my aim will still be true!” With a twist
of his staff, the drow sent a barrage of magic missiles at the half-orc. Again,
Siegfried laughed as the bolts of force detonated harmlessly against his magical
shield. He turned to Alec. “Your turn, Trevelyan. May your aim be better than
Nezznar’s!” Alec
grinned and fired a scorching ray at the Black Spider. The wizard’s
final mirror image shattered as the fiery ray slammed into it. “Good show,
Alec!” Siegfried called out. “Great
serpent!” Nezznar called out as he was finally exposed. “I call for your aid!” The spider-serpent
hissed as its attention turned to the Black Spider. MUST
SAVE MASTER , the enormous
creature screeched as it lumbered towards Siegfried and Alec. “Your pet
won’t get here in time to save you!” Siegfried called out confidently. “Ah, but he
doesn’t need to get here to do his work,” Nezznar replied darkly. The spider-serpent
reared up on its multitudinous legs, dragging its tail behind it. Scaly pouches
along its jawline began to engorge and bulge horribly as it unhinged its jaws,
drawing in an enormous breath. Then, with a disgusting vomitous shudder, the
creature spat a cone of venomous expectoration that washed over the barbarian
and the half-orc before they could react. The last
thing Alec saw was a wave of green death cresting over him. Then he saw nothing
more. Siegfried
envied Alec’s loss of consciousness as he too was wracked by the gooey
poisonous spittle that sizzled and seared his body, raising welts, hives and rashes
on all exposed surfaces and eating away at his fine vestments. He stumbled but
maintained his footing as the spray washed over him, not breaking eye contact
with the Black Spider. Shakily, he raised a sword at Nezznar in silent reply. The Black Spider
raised a single eyebrow in response. Theryn
blinked and shook his head in an attempt to clear the muddled thoughts that
veiled his heightened senses. I am still…master of my domain , he thought
to himself as he brought a hunter’s mark to bear on the spider-snake. He
jumped up and smashed his quarterstaff down on the creature’s skull in an
attempt to stun it, but the gargantuan monster shrugged it off. Theryn’s second
attacked caught nothing but air. The Black
Spider must…fall... Theryn
thought as he spun away from the monster and made as if to run pell-mell
towards the drow wizard. A shadow fell over him from behind as the great
creature’s tail suddenly wrapped around him and constricted. To the monk’s horror,
he realized that the scales of the spider-serpent were razor sharp. Theryn’s
blood began to flow over the monster’s ever-tightening tail. The monk’s ribs
creaked ominously. He was trapped in the creature’s unrelenting grip. The embattled
Varien was unable to continue manifesting his spirit guardians and the
phalanx of phoenixes disappeared in a wisp of sulfur. He struggled to free himself
from the sticky webbing that covered him, and then realized he didn’t have to
as he cast mantle of flame . His eyes glowed like hot coals as a wreath
of swirling magical fire began to course around him. Instantly his bonds burst
into flames and he was able to step free of the scorched spiderwebs. Calling
upon his divine reservoir of energy, he healed himself from the mob of spiders’
latest attacks and drew up his courage as well as his sword. “Bob! Get over
here!” he commanded as he began to charge towards the spider-serpent. The Black
Spider’s minions had other plans for the paladin. Varien attempted to shield
himself from their fangs and mandibles, but as he rushed past them a number of
attacks got through his defenses, opening up fresh wounds on his body and
sending numbing poison coursing through his veins. His charge faltered as he
stumbled to one knee, gasping. “No,” Bob
whispered as he watched his brother fall, Siegfried stagger, Theryn struggle,
and Varien stumble. No , Andusk’s voice, though weak in the
echoes of Bob’s mind, was steel-strong with resolve. It shall not be. My
children’s defenders cannot fall today. “What can I
do?” Bob asked. The
question is, what can we do? Andusk replied. Your bloodline is a part of mine. My lifeblood flows
through your veins. A part of my soul resides within you. Our destinies are intertwined.
You are a dragonsoul sorcerer, Robert Trevelyan, and with the last of my
strength, I infuse you with my power, to save my children and your friends. “That
sounds…good?” Bob replied. He felt like a fireplace that had suddenly roared to
life, a cauldron of boiling oil that had been ignited. Waves of heat and energy
washed over him, and he felt a tremendous ache in his shoulders. The rest of
the party watched in awe as Bob’s shape began to change, as though he was being
overshadowed by the golden outlines of a great dragon. Bob, his eyes shining
bright gold as tears coursed down his cheeks, began to levitate as the dragon’s
form covered him and raised him up. The cavern began to shake. INTERLOPERS!
A deep, booming
voice called out in draconic that rang in in the ears of all within earshot in
their native tongues. YOU HAVE THREATENED MY CHILDREN FOR THE FINAL TIME AND
INCURRED THE ETERNAL AND EVERLASTING WRATH OF PALARANDUSK, WYRM OF THE NORTH, THE
UNSEEN PROTECTOR OF IEIRITHYMBUL AND THE SUN DRAGON OF THE SWORD COAST. I, WHO
WAS OLD WHEN NETHERIL WAS YOUNG, THE SCOURGE OF MIELEIRIGATH, DEFENDER OF
NEVERWINTER, WHO FREED THE SLAVES OF EMERIUS AND SET THE GLITTERING SPIRES ABLAZE
FOR A TENDAY, EATER OF WYVERNS AND SCATTERER OF THE FORGEBAR, WHOSE DEEDS ARE
STAMPED UPON BURNISHED PAGES OF PURE ELECTRUM. TODAY YOU SHALL KNOW THAT MY TRUE
NAME IS YOUR DOOM AS YOUR LONG-SOUGHT PRIZE BECOMES YOUR GRAVE. “A stirring oration,” Varien wheezed. The ancient golden dragon, though its outlines remained ephemeral,
stretched out its wings until it seemed as though their tips would brush the
far reaches of each side of the cavern. The spike crown touched the cavern’s
roof, as it manifested its frightful presence before its enemies. At its taloned feet, Yeemik stared upwards, slack-jawed, unable
to comprehend what was occurring. “Ah, c’mon!” he screeched. The spider army that had been gleefully attacking Bob and Varien
now cringed, driven mad with fear of the immense golden dragon. Even the spider-serpent
hissed in momentary terror. “That’s it, we’re out,” Hachi and Otto and the rest of Erwen’s
friend-spiders said, scuttling away to disappear into the ethereal plane with a
strobing phase as soon as they were in the nearest shadow. For his part, Nezznar’s cruel features had softened in
disbelief. “It…it cannot be,” he said, almost to himself. “The cave witches,
they promised their magick would drive the Unseen Protector away for good!” Siegfried, still swaying on a knife’s edge of consciousness,
willed himself to chuckle, which grew to a roaring peal of laughter at the
Black Spider’s sudden reversal of fortune. “You…you shouldn’t have tried to
melt the cave witch’s son!” he called out to the drow. Nezznar frowned. “What do you mean, wretch?” “My witch mother never told me my father’s name,” Siegfried
said, “but that does not make me a bastard, for who do you think among the Kingdom
of Many-Arrows my mother’s betrothal would have been granted? Would a King of
the Alagondar line give his daughter to anyone but a royal suitor? Who among
the horde of bloodthirsty murder orcs, Nezznar! Who?” Nezznar’s frown became a sneer. “You see, Black Spider? I claim not one crown, but two!”
Siegfried spat a wad of hissing venom from his mouth as he pointed to the majestic
dragon bearing down on his army of spiders. “And this, this is royal justice!” “I do see, scion of Many-Arrows and Pretender to the Crown
of Neverwinter,” Nezznar hissed. “Your birthright, your presence here. All of
the pieces are now falling into place.” “Would that you’d worked that out before showing such
disrespect,” Siegfried replied. With that, Palarandusk opened his mouth and breathed forth a
cone of exterminating fire that washed over the forces of the Black Spider,
turning the creatures into writhing, eight-legged torches that danced a
frantic, agonizing tarantella until their blackened, withered forms curled up
in charred death. Yeemik had just enough time to throw up his shield in
defence as the flames washed over him. The spider-serpent bellowed as its flesh was scorched and
seared by the blazing breath weapon. There was a powerful rush of wind as Palaradusk beat his
great winds, sending a firestorm howling towards the stragglers. From within his
draconic ensorcelment, Bob cast a mass healing word upon his allies. Alec’s eyes fluttered open and he sat up in the puddle of
venomous vomit. “Gross, it’s in my hair!” he bellowed as he struggled to his
feet. He aimed the Sword of Trevelyan at the spider-serpent. “You’ll pay for
that, beastie!” Nezznar began to chuckle ruefully. “Unmade, undone. I see the tables have turned,” he
said. “However, upon reflection I believe I should thank you for your service.” “Whatever
do you mean, wretch?” Siegfried shot back. Nezznar
continued laughing and began counting off the fingertips of his raised hand. “You
see, you and your companions first neutralized the Cragmaw Goblins. Allies of
convenience, they were, however coin only bought so much of their loyalty. Then,
you also weakened the Eldreth Veluuthra’s influence in Neverwinter Wood
considerably. Third, you thwarted the Red Wizards of Thay in their pokings
around Old Owl Well. You even managed to enflame tensions between the fanatics
of Helm’s Hold and the forces of Neverwinter. I couldn’t have asked for better
results if I’d hired you myself!” he laughed. “Well, you
guys really screwed things up,” Siegfried said to Varien. “Wave Echo
Cave was always a mere stepping stone,” Nezznar said, edging sideways as he
spoke. “Your actions have allowed me to provide my new allies with safe passage
into the Sword Coast. And my allies have the scions of Ieirithymbul, and with
them, they will become the most powerful force Faerun has ever seen!” He raised
his hand in mock salute. “And so, my friends, you played your roles perfectly.
Speaking of my allies, I believe I have an appointment to keep. Until we meet
again!” Suddenly the drow wizard dove for a puddle of blood poured out on a
nearby section of flagstone. There was a red flash as the liquid rose up in pseudopods
to seize the Black Spider and pull him into the depths. Standing knee deep in spider cinders, Yeemik threw off the molten
remains of his shield and stood up, a scowl marring his soot-stained features. “Ah, Yeemik!” Siegfried called out. “We are in dire need of
a snitch, and you appear to be in dire need of a new job, wouldn’t you agree?” Yeemik surveyed the remains of his former allies and with a
heavy sigh, shrugged helplessly. “This is Cragmaw Cavern and Cragmaw Castle all
over again!” he wailed. He threw down his flail angrily. “But you heard that
drow turncoat, didn’t you! ‘Allies of convenience,’ he called us? Peh!” the
goblin spat. “Better to turn on him than turn up in the belly of a dragon! I’ll
tell you what you need to know about Nezznar and his new friends, and-” He was interrupted by a chittering sound from the shadows. Yeemik looked up. “What now?” he said despairingly. Two giant spiders, who had been tossed aside by Er-Wind,
skittered slowly towards him, mandibles slathering. Yeemik put up his hands. “N-now wait a minute here, fellas,
we’re all on the same team here, I would never betray your master, not in a
millionnnnnyYEAAAH!” The goblin screamed as the spiders pounced on him, tearing his
flesh with their pincers and impaling him repeatedly on the sharp ends of their
many, many legs. “Shame,” Bob said, as Palarandusk’s terrible maw curled into
a draconic smile. Er-Wind the Air-Wen attempted to bite the spider-serpent,
but his fangs caught nothing but air. The spider-serpent snapped out of its
frightened state and immediately set about drawing Theryn closer, ever closer
to its slavering jaws, aiming to swallow the monk whole. “Theryn!” Siegfried called out. “Do you consent to some
magical bullshittery?” “No, but it doesn't look like I have a choice, now do I?”
Theryn said, eyeing the spider-serpent’s unhinged jaws. “Pitter patter!” With a knowing nod, Siegfried cast polymorph on the
monk, turning him into a Tyrannosaurus Rex. The spider-serpent hissed as the dinosaur slipped from its
grasp. With a yell, Alec charged at the spider-serpent, swinging
his sword and slashing it. In response, the spider-serpent reared up, its poison sacs
filling up again as it spat another stream of venomous slime at Alec and Siegfried. “Not again!” was all the pair had time to say before they
were coated in venom and knocked prone, their life force ebbing. Tyranno-Theryn was about to take a chunk out of the
spider-serpent’s hide when he suddenly reverted to his weakened human form. Theryn
looked over to where Siegfried’s poison-coated body lay sprawled lifelessly. “Fair enough,” the monk said, and launched himself at the
enormous creature, swinging his quarterstaff and yelling a battle cry. For
every hit that landed, another missed, until Theryn was staggering away,
shaking his head in disbelief. Varien charged forward. “No more shall fall this day!” he
declared as he quickened a spell and fired off a haste that enhanced his
speed and abilities. He ran up the length of the spider-snake’s body, Fiendsbane
at the ready, and with a mighty overhand swing, leaped into the air and chopped
down on the creature’s lolling head, splitting it lengthwise. The gargantuan
creature’s body stiffened and shuddered, its legs drawing inward involuntarily
as it crashed to the ground with a heavy thud, half of its corpse sinking into
the river’s waters. The remaining spiders tried to attack the golden dragon,
only to find that their fangs could not find purchase. Another spider attempted
to bit Theryn, but the monk was able to spin out of the way. Air-Wen struck down with an elemental slam attack that
smashed the spiders where they stood. Theryn cracked his knuckles and struck the nearest spider,
cracking its braincase with his quarterstaff and then stunning it into
submission before kicking it into gobbets of gore. Varien leapt to the top of the nearest building and began to
pray a prayer of healing as he stretched out a hand over the bodies of his fallen
companions. Then he turned and with a final swing, severed the last spider’s abdomen
from its body. Spurting ichor, the creature screamed and fell into a tangle of
shuddering legs. Robert Trevelyan , Palarandusk whispered to the sorcerer.
Thank you for saving those you could. I have given you what I can. I can no
longer project myself onto this plane. My reserves…all but depleted. If you
wish, seek me out on the highest peak of Mount Sternhelm. Until we meet again… Bob stepped out from a golden haze that for one final moment
held the shape of an ancient gold dragon, and then he was himself again, though
wreathed in a golden aura. He gazed over his friends and offered another mass
healing word. Siegfried got to his feet, shuddered as he contemplated his
own mortality for a moment, and then shook it off as he walked over to the
puddle that Nezznar had dived into. It had already dried to a burnt rusty scum.
From the shadows, there was a mewling as an injured spider made one final
effort to attack. The half-orc dismissively pumped three eldritch blasts
into the creature, killing it where it stood. Varien set about searching the area for any more blood
pools, intent on sanctifying any desecration that remained. As he inspected a bloody smear near the gnome fortress, a
small slot in the main gates slid open and a pair of eyes regarded the paladin. “So tell me, tall one, is it safe to come out?” a woman’s voice
asked. Varien drew himself up to his full height. “Yes, you have
been saved!” he said with gravitas. Several voices behind the door cried out in relief. “Thank
the Unseen Protector, and thank you!” the woman at the gate said. “And who might
you be?” “My name,” said Varien, “is Varien Aether. The one you should
be thanking is my friend and companion Robert Trevelyan, who served as the
vessel of the Unseen Protector.” The gates opened with a grinding sound, and a
sharply-dressed gnome female wearing a jaunty tricorn hat complete with feather,
stepped out, rapier in hand. Her other arm was trussed up in a sling. Those gnomes
standing behind the woman looked as though they’d been through the wringer as
well. At the sight of survivors, Siegfried stepped into the
shadows of a nearby alley and slumped down against the wall, crying manly
tears. The gnome woman bowed. “I am Elphina Daergel Aripine Celfyx Waywocket Silvershaper,” she said,
sweeping off her hat. “The Mayor of Ieirithymbul.” “Well met,”
said Varien. “Thank you
Varien Aether, thank you Robert Trevelyan, and thanks to all your friends who
saved Ieirithymbul this day!” Elphina shouted. “Whatever hospitality we are
able to show you, we shall!” the mayor continued. The gnomes around her began
to cheer. “You’re too
kind,” Varien said with a smile as he bowed in return. “We pledge to finish
securing your city against the forces of darkness.”
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Bob was still glowing a golden colour, his arms and legs now
fully scaled over with majestic golden scales. He smiled serenely, a tear of
evergold running down his cheek, as he took in the sight of the children of
Palarandusk.