The crew of dwarves worked all night to clear the rubble from the pit, aided by various party members, Gimar's rock with continual light on it, and occasional light spells from G'Leina. Jaron and Wed chopped wood and setup a camp of sorts. By the dawn, the excavation was fairly complete, and no bodies had been found.

G'Leina managed to help out the prisoner, who was chatting with Jaron.

Jaron	Hey buddy, you're not in big trouble with us.
Prisoner	(cautiously) Okay . . .
Jaron	We know you're just a hired sword. But you must have noticed a few things. Right? I mean, no one hires on to work with blinders on.
Prisoner	(smiles) Yeah, I suppose you're right about that
Jaron	I understand the don't ask don't tell policy, but I'm sure a perceptive fellow like you noticed some oddities, picked up on some details. Fill me in.
Prisoner	(relieved) Alright. My name is Hobbie and I am a mercenary fighter. I was hired just a week ago in Greyhawk to guard this tower by a halfling named Reddy or something like that. The eight of us plus the halfling ran into a group of lizard men on the way down here, but I expect you don't really want to hear about that.
Jaron	Do go on.
Hobbie	So soon after we got here they had a watch rotation set up -- I have to tell you, I was glad to get a daytime shift. I can't make out much in the twilight. So next this Reddy guy gives us all keys to the new locks that he installed in the doors, and tells us to beat it into the tower if we saw anybody.
Jaron	Did he tell you about any traps?
Hobbie	He indicated that their was some sort of trap on the stairs coming down and the trap door, but since we were bivouacing on the first floor that's all he told us.
Gimar	(arriving from the excavation) Did you get anything from the prisoner?
Jaron	Hobbie and I are chatting about things, yes. What have you found out?
Gimar	Still no sign of bodies, and we are basically at the ground level.
Hobbie	Well, perhaps if you didn't fireball them, there would still be bodies. Did you try looking for ashes?
Jaron	Fireball? Why do you think that we used a fireball, Hobbie?
Hobbie	Well, there was this big boom, shortly after your guys got over the top of the tower.
Jaron	(thinking of G'Leina's mace) Hmmm...

Soon after that, the dwarves returned to camp, hit their bunks and began to snore loudly. Various party members wandered into the excavation to explore different ideas, search for secret doors, etc. but none were successful.

In the later afternoon, a group of the dwarves agreed to try pulling up some of the paving stones but only undisturbed dirt was found beneath. Shortly after that, Wed went down and cast a detect magic on various parts of the tower ruins, with some success.

Wed	(reporting to the group) Only the alcove showed up as magical.
Gimar	What about magical auras? In some of my spellcraft training, I have learned that various magical folks have distinct auras, which can sometimes be discerned later.
Wed	(obviously impressed) All I can tell is that there were multiple wizards here, but much of the aura level is clouded by the overwhelming live magic of that archway.
Rheaphlyndar	I got a pretty good look at the guy in the tower, I could probably pick him out if we see their group again.
G'Leina	(bitterly) Yeah, but he's probably just another merc.
Jaron	(just arriving) I'll confirm that, he is a mercenary by the name of Derek, and half-elven besides.
G'Leina	Aha! That explains the sleep spell failing.
Gimar	OK, so we need to send the dwarves back, since the destruction of the tower is now a moot point.
G'Leina	Sounds good to me. We can send a report to the temple officials concerning what happened. I'll go check on the status of our supplies.
Gimar	I will go the other direction, to Northbank, and bring back Gelfant to help us study this portal.

Jaron was concerned about keeping the party together, but Gimar gave assurances that he would be quickly about it, leaving on the morrow. The rest of the dwarves planned to leave at that time also, and immediately sacked out again. Jaron and Hannah would take the first watch, Gimar and Rheaphlyndar the second, and Wed and G'Leina the third.

The Biscuits	Gimar - Fighter 8th Level (PC) G'Leina - Fighter/Cleric 1st/2nd Level (PC) Jaron - Paladin 2nd Level (PC) Rheaphlyndar - Thief 3rd Level (PC) Hannah - Mage 2nd Level (NPC) Wed - Mage 2nd Level (NPC)
Locale	Ruins of the Vampire Tower
Date	4th of Sunsebb, 584 CY (Common Year)
Time	Around Midnight

Rheaphlyndar's half-elven eyes spotted them first, and he alerted the group. The spiders were about 2' in diameter with eyes that reflected the red coals of the dying firelight.

Rheaphlyndar	Wake up, we are under attack!
Gimar	My whiskers. Take that!

 2 [2] Large Spider #15  :19-|3|:1:  fumble (12)  +2 next attack against
 4 [4-2+2] Rheaphylander Thrown Dagger :19-|8+2|:9:  1d4=4
 5 [1+4-2] Gimar Hand Axe :13-|8+5|:17:  1d6+10=14  Spider mash #12
 5 [5] Large Spider #9   :19-|0|:20:  1+save on Gimar
 5 [5] Large Spider #11  :19-|0|:10:  miss
 5 [5] Large Spider #13  :19-|3|:17:  1+save on Rheaphlyndar
 5 [5] Large Spider #14  :19-|3|:20:  1+save on Rheaphlyndar
 6 [6-2+2] Rheaphylander Thrown Dagger :19-|8+2|:6:  miss
 8 [8] Large Spider #10  :19-|0|:1:  fumble (12)  +2 next attack against
 8 [6+4-2] Gimar Hand Axe :13-|8+5|:1:  fumble (9) weapon slips

 1 [1] Large Spider #13 :19-|3|:19:  1+save on Rheaphlyndar
 4 [8-2+2] Rheaphylander Thrown Dagger :19-|8+2|:9:  1d4=3 slaying #15
 5 [5] Large Spider #1  :19-|10|:3:  miss
 5 [5] Large Spider #11 :19-|0|:14:  miss
 7 [7] Large Spider #10 :19-|0|:13:  miss
 7 [7] Large Spider #8  :19-|8|:17:  1+save on Hannah
 8 [8-2+2] Rheaphylander Thrown Dagger :19-|8+2|:10:  1d4=3
 8 [8] Large Spider #2  :19-|10|:6:  miss
 8 [8] Large Spider #7  :19-|8|:2:  miss
 9 [9] Large Spider #14 :19-|3|:18:  1+save on Rheaphlyndar
 9 [9] Large Spider #3  :19-|7|:16:  1+save on Jaron
 9 [9] Large Spider #4  :19-|7|:18:  1+save on Jaron
 9 [9] Large Spider #5  :19-|10|:14:  1+save on Wed
 9 [9] Large Spider #6  :19-|10|:20:  1+save on Wed
 9 [9] Large Spider #9  :19-|0|:19:  1+save on Gimar
12 [10+4-2] Gimar Hand Axe :13-|8+5|:2:  miss

 2 [1+1] Wed Sleep Spell affects 6
 3 [3] Large Spider #14  :19-|3|:16:  1+save on Rheaphlyndar
 4 [4] Large Spider #8   :19-|8|:7:  miss
 5 [5] Large Spider #11  :19-|0|:15:  miss
 5 [5] Large Spider #7   :19-|8|:9:  miss
 6 [6-2+2] Rheaphylander Thrown Dagger :19-|8+2|:15:  1d4=3 slaying #14
 6 [6] Large Spider #10  :19-|0|:18:  miss
 6 [6] Large Spider #9   :19-|0|:9:  miss
 8 [8] Large Spider #5   :19-|10|:13:  1+save on Wed
 9 [7+4-2] Gimar Hand Axe :13-|8+5|:4:  hit 1d6+10=14 slaying #9
12 [8+4] Hannah Quarterstaff :20-|8|:20:  critical (18) 1d6x3=6 slaying #8
13 [10-2+5] Jaron L.Sword :19-|8+2|:4:  miss

Wed	That should keep them down for about 10 rounds, so we need to slay the sleeping ones!
Hannah	Now that I can handle.
Rheaphlyndar	Somebody wake up sleeping beauty over there!
G'Leina	(groggily) Huh?

 2 [2] Large Spider #7   :19-|8|:19:  1+save on Hannah
 3 [1+2] Wed Thrown Dagger :20-|8|:19:  1d4=4 on Spider #5
 4 [4] Large Spider #10  :19-|0|:7:  miss
 4 [4] Large Spider #11  :19-|0|:10:  miss
 7 [4-2+5] Jaron L.Sword :19-|8+2|:6:  miss
 7 [7] Large Spider #5   :19-|10|:4:  miss
11 [9+4-2] Gimar Hand Axe :13-|8+5|:10:  1d6+10=12 slaying #10
12 [8+4] Hannah Quarterstaff :20-|8|:7:  miss
Sleeping are Large Spiders #1, 2, 3, 4, and 6

 1 [1] Large Spider #11  :19-|0|:20:  critical(12) 2x1+save on Gimar
 3 [3] Large Spider #5   :19-|7|:14:  1+save on Jaron
 6 [4+4-2] Gimar Hand Axe :13-|8+5|:16:  1d6+10=13 squashing #11
 7 [7-2+2] Rheaphylander Thrown Dagger :19-|8+2|:19:  1d4=3 slaying #7
11 [8-2+5] Jaron L.Sword :19-|8+2|:1:  Fumble (6), 1d8+4=7 slaying #5

Gimar	Quickly, G'Leina, it's poison!
G'Leina	(digging in her pack) Who else was hit?
Jaron	I believe Gimar and I were, but I am feeling no effects.
Gimar	(digging in his pack) Me neither. Ah, here we are, some Keoughtom's Ointment.
G'Leina	(performing first aid on Wed) Hit Rheaphlyndar with it first, he has bite marks all over him and is swelling up like a balloon!

Through rapid action and two doses of Keoughtom's Ointment, the group was able to save the mage and the thief. The rest of the night went uneventfully. In the morning, Gimar left a jar of the magical salve with G'Leina.

Gimar

Just in case.

The Biscuits	Gimar - Fighter 8th Level (PC)
Locale	On the way to Northbank
Date	5th of Sunsebb, 584 CY (Common Year)
Time	Morning

Gimar and the dwarven group had set out just before first light, his Axe lighting the way. As they reached the horses, Gimar bade the dwarves farewell and they replied in the customary dwarven fashion with "Stone Endures".

Just as Gimar was reaching the edge of the swamp, his horse reared up suddenly, throwing Gimar to the ground in front of two 12 foot long poisonous snakes.

Gimar

Snakes. Why'd it have to be snakes?

12 [6+6] Giant Poisonous Snake #1 :17-|0|:1:  Fumble (2) Snake takes 2 points
16 [9+7] Gimar Battleaxe :13-|5+5|:17:  1d8+1d2+8=16 on Snake #1
17 [11+6] Giant Poisonous Snake #2 :17-|0|:18:  1d3=3 + Poison Save
17 [10+7] Gimar Battleaxe :13-|5+5|:15:  1d8+1d2+8=13, killing Snake #1

 8 [2+6] Giant Poisonous Snake #2 :17-|0|:20:  Critical (6) 2x1d3+Poison
 9 [2+7] Gimar Battleaxe :13-|5+5|:18:  1d8+1d2+8=10 on Snake #2
13 [6+7] Gimar Battleaxe :13-|5+5|:13:  1d8+1d2+8=18, killing Snake #2

Gimar

Whew! I'd better drop an application of Keoughtom's on myself, just in case.

The Biscuits	G'Leina - Fighter/Cleric 1st/2nd Level (PC) Jaron - Paladin 2nd Level (PC) Rheaphlyndar - Thief 3rd Level (PC) Hannah - Mage 2nd Level (NPC) Wed - Mage 2nd Level (NPC)
Locale	Ruins of the Vampire Tower
Date	5th of Sunsebb, 584 CY (Common Year)
Time	Near Midnight

It was decided to have Rheaphlyndar take a short two hour watch solo to the others four hour watches. Once again, the eagle-eyed half-elf spotted more red eyes.

Rheaphlyndar	Not again. Wake up, wake up!
G'Leina	Hey, I'm up. Whoah, they're huge this time. I would guess those to be six feet in diameter at least!
Rheaphlyndar	Jaron, G'Leina, help me form a front -- we will keep the mages behind us.
Jaron	(grabbing his Long Sword) Good idea.

 3 [3-2+2] Rheaphylander Thrown Dagger :19-|6+2|:7:  miss
 4 [4-2+2] Rheaphylander Thrown Dagger :19-|6+2|:1:  Fumble (1) Weapon hits rock and is destroyed
 5 [2+3] Huge Spider #2 :19-|7|:9:  miss
 5 [2+3] Huge Spider #5 :19-|10|:9:  1d6=5 on G'Leina+ Poison Save
 6 [5+1] Wed  Sleep Spell (affects #2, #4, #6)
11 [8+3] Huge Spider #1 :19-|7|:15:  1d6=4 on Jaron + Poison Save
11 [8-2+5] Jaron L.Sword :19-|6+2|:14:  1d8+4=11, slaying #1
12 [9+3] Huge Spider #3 :19-|3|:2:  miss
15 [9-1+7] G'Leina Mace :20-|6+1|:2:  miss

Rheaphlyndar	Hey, 4 down and two to go.
Jaron & G'Leina	Ow, that burns!
Wed	Hannah, wake up!

 6 [4+2] Wed Dagger :20-|6|:14:  1d4=4, slaying #6
 7 [4-2+5] Jaron L.Sword :19-|6+2|:14:  1d8+4=10 on #5
 8 [6-2+4] Rheaphylander Quarterstaff :19-|6|:14:  1d6=4 on #3
10 [7+3] Huge Spider #5 :19-|10|:17:  1d6=3 on G'Leina + Poison Save
11 [5-1+7] G'Leina Mace :20-|6+1|:7:  miss
13 [10+3] Huge Spider #3 :19-|3|:11:  miss

G'Leina	Ouch! I'm dropping back to heal this Poison damage guys, cover me.
Jaron	No problem
Rheaphlyndar	Got it.
Hannah	(scrambling) Let's whack those sleeping ones

 7 [5+2] Wed Dagger :automatic:  1d4=3 on #2
 8 [5+3] Huge Spider #5 :19-|7|:4:  miss
 9 [7-2+4] Rheaphylander Quarterstaff :19-|6|:13:  1d6=6 on #3
11 [7+4] Hannah Quarterstaff :automatic:  1d6=5, slaying #2
13 [10+3] Huge Spider #3 :19-|3|:15:  1d6=4 on Rheaphlyndar + Poison Save
13 [10-2+5] Jaron L.Sword :19-|6+2|:11:  1d8+4=11, slaying #5

 7 [8+2] Wed Dagger :automatic:  1d4=2 on #4
11 [8+4] Hannah Quarterstaff :automatic:  1d6=3 on #4
 9 [10-2+4] Rheaphylander Quarterstaff :19-|6|:10:  miss
13 [10+3] Huge Spider #3 :19-|3|:5:  miss
13 [8-2+5] Jaron L.Sword :19-|6+2|:20:  Critical (9) 2x1d8+4=14, slaying #3

Jaron

Hey, who knows what we'll run into later. I think I made my save anyhow.

Jaron awoke the next morning, regretting the decision of the night before. He was stiff, sore, and quite cold, but he felt the poison would have no more lasting effects and was merely damaging.

The Biscuits	Gimar - Fighter 8th Level (PC)
Locale	Northbank
Date	6th of Sunsebb, 584 CY (Common Year)
Time	Morning

Gimar had arrived in Northbank late the previous night, and collapsed from exhaustion. Fortunately, he awoke early, or what counts as early for Gimar. As he arrived at Gelfant's lab, he noticed that the gnome was up early, as he usually was.

Gelfant	Gimar, it is a surprise to see you, and so early! Weren't you off to the swamp or something like that?
Gimar	The mistmarsh, and it feels early for me also. I need your sagely magely advice in that particular marsh. How soon can we leave?
Gelfant	Give me about 10 minutes to wrap this up and I am good to go. I already had breakfast.
Gimar	Thanks for reminding me -- I'll go grab a snack and meet you back here.

The Biscuits	G'Leina - Fighter/Cleric 1st/2nd Level (PC) Jaron - Paladin 2nd Level (PC) Rheaphlyndar - Thief 3rd Level (PC) Hannah - Mage 2nd Level (NPC) Wed - Mage 2nd Level (NPC)
Locale	Ruins of the Vampire Tower
Date	6th of Sunsebb, 584 CY (Common Year)
Time	Roughly Midday

The party was just finishing a mid-day meal, and speculating on when the Axewielder would return with his mage-sage friend, when something unexpected happened.

Jaron	So there we were at the tournament, with our main lance broken and, er, Hannah?
Hannah	(pointing up) erk.

Jaron looked up and saw the magnificent creature and was struck with a kind of awe. That is, until the dragon fear set in.

Shortly afterwards, the party compared notes. The wyrm was just less than 150 feet long, flying nonchalantly about 200 feet off the ground, and did not return. Its scales were blue or gray (accounts differed) and it vanished to the southeast.

The Biscuits	Gimar - Fighter 8th Level (PC) Gelfant - Retired Mage 6th Level (NPC)
Locale	Approaching Erybend
Date	6th of Sunsebb, 584 CY (Common Year)
Time	Evening

Gimar	If we can make it to the ferry in time, we can get across the river and stay with a halfling acquantance of mine, Old Mother Austin.
Gelfant	You met Old Mother Austin? She and I go way back. I agree, let's hustle to that ferry.

The Biscuits	G'Leina - Fighter/Cleric 1st/2nd Level (PC) Jaron - Paladin 2nd Level (PC) Rheaphlyndar - Thief 3rd Level (PC) Hannah - Mage 2nd Level (NPC) Wed - Mage 2nd Level (NPC)
Locale	Ruins of the Vampire Tower
Date	6th of Sunsebb, 584 CY (Common Year)
Time	Midnight again

Hannah had expended very few spells during the day and decided to take two watches, the first and second. G'Leina was also on the first watch, Rheaphlyndar the second, and Jaron & Web took the morning watch.

During the middle of the night, visitors were again spotted -- too late.

Rheaphlyndar

Damn, they are right in the camp. It's those black shells they are using as camouflage. I would say they are about 10 feet in diameter, wouldn't you say Hannah. Hannah?

Not only were the spiders right in the midst of the camp, but they had bitten several of the party members who were unstirring. Rheaphlyndar quickly scurried up a nearby tree, and the spiders didn't seem to notice.

By morning, the half-elf could see that his companions had been trussed up in spider silk, with only a small group of spiders left to guard them. The cocoons were dangling from low tree branches.

The good news was that a familiar dwarven voice was heard in the near distance, approaching the camp. Rheaphlyndar slipped stealthily down the tree to begin freeing his companions.

The Biscuits	Gimar - Fighter 8th Level (PC) Gelfant - Retired Mage 6th Level (NPC)
Locale	Ruins of the Vampire Tower
Date	7th of Sunsebb, 584 CY (Common Year)
Time	Around noon

Gimar

See, Gelfant, the camp is right over here -- Oh my greybeard, what has happened here? Ahh, a spider! Charge!

 7 [1+6] Giant Spider #6  :17-|0|:17: 1d8 on Gimar + Poison Save
10 [4+6] Giant Spider #2  :17-|0|:2:  miss
11 [5+6] Giant Spider #1  :17-|0|:19:  1d8 on Gimar + Poison Save
11 [8+3] Gelfant casts Lightning Bolt, hitting #1, #2, #3, #4
13 [7+6] Giant Spider #7  :17-|0|:11: miss
14 [8+6] Giant Spider #5  :17-|0|:19: 1d8 on Gimar + Poison Save
15 [8+7] Gimar Battleaxe :13-|4+5|:15:  1d8+1d2+8=18, slaying #6
15 [9+6] Giant Spider #3  :17-|0|:15: miss
17 [10+7] Gimar Battleaxe :13-|4+5|:3:  miss

 2 [1+1] Gelfant casts Magic Missile, slaying #3
 4 [4-2+2] Rheaphylander Thrown Dagger :19-|4+2|:16:  1d3=3 on #5
 8 [8-2+2] Rheaphylander Thrown Dagger :19-|4+2|:17:  1d3=3 on #5
 9 [2+7] Gimar Battleaxe :13-|4+5|:18:  1d8+1d2+8=14, slaying #5
10 [4+6] Giant Spider #7  :17-|0|:3:  miss
11 [4+7] Gimar Battleaxe :13-|4+5|:12:  1d8+1d2+8=14 on #7
12 [6+6] Giant Spider #5  :17-|0|:11:  miss
14 [7+7] Gimar Battleaxe :13-|4+5|:18:  1d8+1d2+8=13, slaying #7

Gimar quickly helped Rheaphlyndar cut everybody down from the trees and the three of them began to slice open the cocoons. The bodies inside were puffy to be sure, but nobody seemed permantly harmed from the experience. While the party recovered further, Gelfant went to work. He examined the arch for most of the day, reporting initially that it's magic was of the class Alteration. After much more examination, he was able to surmise that the mode of travel was a form of Teleportation and even picked up the command word, Fakmu. Upon gathering the party, however, it was quickly discovered that the command word only caused the archway to glow a greenish-blue for a round or two, but nothing else was seen to happen.

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