D&D Encounters: Web of the Spider Queen Session 5

What did our fearless heroes get up to in the last Web of the Spider Queen session? Check out these recaps by our three DMs! Our next session starts at 6pm, Wednesday, June 20! 

Group 1 by Simon

As Tharinel proclaimed that the drow knew the adventurers were coming, he found that his audience has shrunk to Khara, himself, and an intrepid pair of explorers: the svirfneblin druid and dragonborn paladin. Undaunted, the four moved deeper through the drow tunnels until they found themselves facing an iron portcullis at the end of a corridor and secret doors around them began to disgorge drow scouts and stalkers. A drow mage stepped up to the portcullis on the far side, and Tharinel quickly identified him as Valan Jaelre. The druid recognized that House Jaelre was in decline in drow society, but couldn't remember more as she prepared for battle.

Just as the drow closed in, Khara and Tharinel disappeared in a puff of smoke- apparently Elminster had need of them again! The two remaining adventurers prepared to meet the attacking drow.

Things did not go the players' way as the paladin charged the drow mage, striking him through the portcullis. The mage shrugged off the blow and returned one with his axe, blasting the dragonborn back over 10' and knocking him to the ground. "Pathetic," Valan pronounced as he walked away, leaving his minions to overwhelm the two PCs. Even as he departed, the deep gnome fell under the onslaught of the drow around her. Her paladin ally saw her hand reach out towards something on the ground where Khara had been recently. Racing over to her, he found a magical potion which he quickly fed her, noting that another one had fallen to the ground where Tharinel had been. Perhaps Elminster had sent something useful in exchange for taking their allies away!

Things looked up for our heroes, and they defeated the four drow fairly swiftly. Their elation was short-lived, however, as another door opened and two more drow joined the fight, almost overcoming the wounded allies. They reached deep into themselves and, despite horrific luck with the dice, eventually overcame their foes.

Battered, weary, and almost out of healing surges, they prepared to struggle on. Suddenly they noticed flickering firelight coming from a small chamber off to one side. Suspecting another drow trap, they cautiously approached the room. The paladin, ever the Defender of the group, moved through the doorway to discover a campfire, bedrolls, and a feast. The druid noticed a strange purple outline to the paladin's body as he entered the room, showing some kind of magical shield over the space. A note near the feast had only two words on it: "Enjoy, Elminster".

After a well-deserved meal and rest, the two resumed their search, eventually finding a way around the iron portcullis, and the quest for the Pendant of Ashaba continues...

Group 2 by Tiff

Our adventurers found themselves in a darkened corridor that branched off into a handful of smaller rooms. While exploring this area, the smurf (svirfneblin) druid discovered a secret door concealed in a far wall. The door proved impossible to open along with another similar door that the drow thief and dragonborn paladin found in a different room.

Suddenly, attacking drow appear on all sides. One in particular, Khara identifies as the wizard Valan Jaelre. But soon after declaring this, she along with Tharinel and the drow bard vanish into thin air (possibly summoned by the wizard Elminster). 

The remaining adventurers were spread throughout the area, some cornered into small rooms. The enemy drow had to split up to attack each adventurer. The elf thief was left alone to deal with a couple of powerful attackers, and eventually he had to retreat to find aid from the druid smurf who was cornered in a very small room. The thief’s attackers followed him into the room, blocking the smurf’s and elf’s exit. The smurf rose to the challenge though, and the bodies of their enemies ended up covering the floor of the room.

Meanwhile the drow and dragonborn teamed together to fight off the rest of the attackers with gusto! They made short work of the drow scouts and stalkers.

At the end of the combat, our tired adventurers (barely noticing the disappeared wizard) found a secure corridor to give themselves a much needed rest.

Group 3 by Stewart

Trailing the drow further into the Underdark our intrepid heroes find themselves 3 members short when Elminster teleports Khara, her elf bodyguard, and the dragonborn away. The remaining heroes assume they've been recalled to help the wizard somewhere else.

Undeterred, they continue on until they passage is blocked off by a rusty but still sturdy portcullis. More searching turned up a hidden doorway, but it seemed impenetrable from the side the party was on. With a mocking chuckle a drow appeared from the gloom on the other side of the portcullis as well as the secret door swinging open with 2 other similar doors doing the same thing. The adventures soon found themselves surrounded.

Things looked grim as the laughing drow began casting spells at the party. Lucky for the heroes the drow seemed cocky and with a dismissive remark about pitiful races he left assuming the heroes would fall. Able to turn their full attention to the ambushers the heroes were able to win back the day.

Following back through the secret doors they were able to get to the other side of the portcullis and discover a large room off the beaten track in which to rest up and lick their wounds from the series of fights that got them this far.

*Characters need to be from 4th-edition D&D Essential books or you can play using one of our pre-generated characters. A DM is now available starting at 3:30pm Wednesdays to help with any character creations and/or conversions.