Tales of Jahe Chapter 2: The Bigger the Area, the Stranger its Inhabitants

[My Lead Airbag]

Although many thought of the Lupos as keepers of the forest, the Lupos knew the forest would rather work on its own.
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"Ohh...my head..." Job moaned as he sat up. He saw nothing except the blaring dark, and felt nothing except for his head and arm, which seemed to be in a competition to see who could be the largest pain. Looking up and seeing no light, he tried feeling for the others. "If anybody is still concious, just say something...and maybe get some light in here, either or."

[Dragonsbane]

"Something? Try 'get-your-hand-OFF-my-face!'" Naerzul snapped from the darkness, "I think Silvergem has her tail wrapped around me...unless someone else in this little group has scales, and a tail." he said in a softer voice. Truthfully, he found the naga girl rather pretty...

[Kazastankas]

Firecall grunted as he stood. He was ready for battle, but this sudden change in the earth obviously diverted that. He stood, hearing the call of the soldier and the muttering of the necromancer, and muttered a few arcane phrases while running his fingers around several knots in the cloak. When his hands returned to the macestaff, the business part of his weapon suddenly lit with illuminating fire.

[IHateMakingNames]

"AH!" Drug screamed as he fell down the sinkhole.

"AH!" He screamed yet again, this time after landing. Darting away from where he landed, Drug dived behind what he assumed was a rock. Afraid that the fall might cause some of his inventions to hit each other, making a spark and igniting his gun powder, Drug did his natural reaction of running and hiding.

[My Lead Airbag]

"Well, at least we can see each other now...sorry bout that...hmm." Job said. He surveyed what the light allowed them to see, but kept being drawn to look up. "We fell right? I mean, that implies there had to be a hole, which would let some kind of light through. But..."

But there was no natural light, nor a hole, just a cave. Job felt something crawling on his arm and saw a spider. He smacked it, then regretted since he hit his bad arm, wiping the bug away. "Lets go...this way. It might lead us to the top."

[Dragonsbane]

Naerzul blinked in the sudden light, shielding his eyes, V'hassa ((spelling might be wrong)) seemed to still be unconscious, so he groped around until he found the twisted-off skull of one of his zombies. Muttering a spell over it, the flesh evaporated, and the bones began to glow with a ghostly, pale green flame.

He used the light to check the unconscious party member for injuries, pushing aside his thoughts of a few seconds ago, keeping his mind firmly focused on making sure she hadn't been injured, "You...the one who got us out, can you heal?" he asked Job without looking up, checking for broken bones as he spoke.

[Solnac Relishan]

Splitting Howl growled, and looked at Job. "Why would we go back up, considering our opponents could be waiting for us? And for that matter....the hole that could slid us down here could be someone's idea of a trap. I've seen you humes dig tiger pits in the ground...how do we know they weren't trying to catch something bigger?"

[Rhiya Ravenwing]

Consciousness snapped Silvergem back into eerie green light, her violet eyes fluttering open wide. Somebody was groping her! Her hand snaked up, catching the offensive hand and a coil of her tail thrashed, sending the intruder to the ground grunting in pain. Her own magelight flared into life, casting it's silver-blue light outwards, to clash with the light of the other 'torches'.
Her hand still on the intruder's arm, Silvergem searched for her ivory dagger. She sighed inwardly with relief when she found it dangling safely on her neck. That's when her magelight cast its light onto the sprawled necromancer. Surprise made her release him.
"Oh, I'm sorry," she said, but suspicion crept into her voice. Was he going to take advantage of me when I was unconscious?

[My Lead Airbag]

"He he...eer, yeah, I'll help you get out of here, but I think you're human form would be better for everyone, unless you don't mind your tail scraping along every rock we pass in this rocky cave..." Job said, then turned to the Lupos. "If anything they'll think we're dead, and we could always hope this thing ends up somewhere else. Am I the only one hearing something skittering?" Job said, rubbing his ears. The skittering stopped and he chocked it up to the fall. "Lets...lets just stick together for now."

[Kazastankas]

Firecall's senses, still at their peak as the adrenadline that fueled his combat had not yet receded, also picked up the skittering. However, he did not think it to be from the fall, seeing as they had already fell and that the skittering took on too regular a pattern for it to be the chaotic falling of pebbles. He looked around, trying to find something that would make that noise and still be heard.

[Dragonsbane]

"Sorry about that...I thought you might have broken something in the fall!" Naerzul said quickly, but earnestly, "You were unconscious, and I was worried that you had hit something..." he looked down at her hand on his arm, then looked away quickly, slightly embarassed. Inwardly, he cursed at himself for sputtering in such an awkward manner, then pushed those thoughts aside, getting up, "I heard something moving...and it wasn't-" he felt a bony head poke into his side, his faithful badger nuzzling him, "I haven't named you yet, have I?"

He smiled, tracing a rune on the creature's bony forehead, whispering a name, "Il'rashna...the word in the tongue of my father's people means 'Eternal Guardian'. Appropriate....and for a nickname, 'Crawlbone', for obvious reasons."

The rune glowed golden, and points of light the same color as the necromancer's eyes appeared in its eye sockets, blossoming into view as Naerzul's new familiar was formally bound.

[Ganurath]

Howling Call held out his hand, which glowed a yellow-green. He pulled out a blindfold of thin leather, and used it to summon a bat spirit. "Find the being that skitters about us." The bat flies out, and Howling Calls hand still glows, but the light now touches his eyes. "If my spirit finds it, I will see it."

[My Lead Airbag]

With a sudden squelching sound the spirit ceased to be. Howling Call had a quick glimpse of many teeth, but it could have been from the bat's perspective. "It's probably...just a cave creature that feeds on bats. It won't bother us, just keep the lights up and your eyes open..." Job assured, then went to the front, always staying in the light's field.

[Dragonsbane]

"Want backup?" Naerzul asked, looking at the Lupos over his shoulder, "I can see in the dark, this little corpselight is just here for the rest of you." he indicated the ghostly-flaming skull.

"Either way....if it was skittering, that means it has lots of legs. Bug-type legs. Whatever is down here is some sort of insect or arachnid..." feeling around for his staff, the half-hume was relieved to discover it unharmed. Normal obsidian might chip and shatter, but enchanted stone was much stronger than unenchanted. This staff was an old artifact, a gift from Mul'thross itself...and a treasure he would hate to lose.

[My Lead Airbag]

No one heard any more of the skitter,nor saw anything that might be skitter-causing, as they traversed through the cave. A sort of worn away path had been established and Job was pretty sure it was on an upward path. Eventually they came out into an area that supported them all comfortably. Job felt along the smoothened walls, feeling the moisture, and then came to a hole with a small trickle of water. The light revealed more such holes, most with dripping water.

"Probably used to be an underground aqueduct or something. I guess we could rest here, get our bearings straight...heck maybe even introduce ourselves for the first time..."

[Ganurath]

Howling Call nodded, setting his staff in the center of the cavern and transfering the glow from his claw to the head of the staff, which brightened the light enough so the perimeter was easily illuminated. "I am Howling Call. I am a shaman who was seeking my destiny the spirits set for me when the Church demanded I come with them. I will not be naive as to trust their patrols again."

[Solnac Relishan]

"I am Splitting Howl," said the other Lupos. "I was told to find ways to control my...magic by my elders before your Chruch demanded I come with them. I was hoping maybe they'd have a clue before I end in the cage and the bubble." A soft growl came from the other Lupos. "I was tricked as well, and the Chruch almost executed us. What are they up to?" Splitting demanded of Job.

[Dragonsbane]

Naerzul rolled his eyes, then grinned amiably, "Naerzul, of the swamps. Arrested by a patrol of Whiteys, for the 'unholy crime of necromancy'. They took me by surprise, and knocked me unconscious before I could harm any of them....filthy bastards." turning to Splitting Call, he added, "Normally, I'd ask the same way...but this particular Whitey let us out of that bubble. Show some gratitude, wolf-boy." he paused, then added, "He's got a good question, though, what in the Nine Hells are they up to?" he looked over at Job, waiting for an answer.

[My Lead Airbag]

"It's ok, if I went through half the stuff you guys had to endure, I'd be giving the evil eye to anyone I thought might be connected. Truth be told, all I know is that you guys were a ploy to show the Church's power, or potential for power. I guess you guys all caught an almost lethal dose of 'wrong place, wrong time'." Job explained, wrapping a torn sleeve around his gash-arm. He could have used some healing magic, but he wanted to save it for the Naga girl if anything, and he still didn't trust the cave. "My name's Job, soldier...or former soldier, or deserter, or whatever, of the Military. I guess, well I dunno, life's been weird for last few hours or whatever, but hopefully they think we're dead."
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"They're not dead."

"How can you be so sure Bartleby? I have had my best surveyors investigate that area and while some weak ground was found, those caves could hold anything, things the Lupos would be unaware of."

"I know your High Priestessness, but I know Job, and he has the stuff to put his great-grandaddy to shame, if his no good father wasn't such a pansy, and the whole deserter thing I guess."

"Hmm...I will take your word Bartleby with my highest consideration. Now, would you like to start rebuilding your squad?"

"Nah, I couldn't do it till I got this whole business squared away."

"Very well, you and Arellios rest up, I'll see if I can't find you a suitable endeavor."

"Thank you milady."

[Ganurath]

Howling Call walked over to Job, nodding slowly. "They will not assume such. They're too precise to make assumptions, especially after we routed their rhinocerous cavalry unit. Now show me your arm." Howling Call began to chant slowly, remembering a minor spell he had learned early in his training before he turned toward the aid of spirits. Pale green flames lept from one of his clawed fingers, and the slightly warm fire turn Job's wound from a gash to a long yet narrow cut, while stopping the bleeding. "It isn't much compared to the Church's magic, but it works."

[Elminster_Amaur]

Faint talking dragged at Tim's conciousness. As Tim's mind swam toward the voices that were nagging him, he found that he couldn't get any closer. He tried circling around them, but he couldn't get any closer. He felt a warm sensation and thought he saw a fire. He was on fire. Tim opened his mouth and screamed a scream of terror, and sat bolt upright. Nearby, the mages that had fought the rhino men were staring at him. "Ahem...sorry."

[Dragonsbane]

"'Wrong place, wrong time?' damn...seems like everyone else caught a bit of my bad luck." Naerzul sighed, leaning up against a cave wall. Il'rashna stopped rooting among the rocks, ambling over to sit next to him. Naerzul patted the badger's ribs as if it was a living animal, "So...this is all just a matter of the Church flexing its muscles? I mean, it seems a bit extreme for something like that!"

[Ganurath]

"They've already established to the other regions they can hold their own. This flexing is agressive. Didn't you hear what that man talking to Job said while we were trapped? He hoped the Church would declare war on my people to gain territory and followers. If they're willing to wage war with their greatest and most loyal ally, imagine what they'd do to their foes."

[Dragonsbane]

"I know all too well what they do to their foes..." Naerzul's expression was dark, and his eyes angry as he glared at the Lupos shaman, "Personally, I don't consider any 'allies' of theirs much better..."

[My Lead Airbag]

"I thought the whole thing sounded strange too, hence the rescuing. It would seem that the High Priestess has something big planned, hell if I could guess what, and she just needed breathing room, thats how my father painted it." Job said. His arm was still stiff, but he could at least use it. He got up and went to one of the holes, sipping his fill of the water. It tasted strange, and he saw a thin outline covering the hole. He brushed it away, the gosamer web covering his hand. As he began to wipe it away, and freakish cry erupted from the hole, followed by a spider the size of a dinner plate that crawled over his hand headed to his face until he grasped it and threw it against the wall.

"God I hate bugs...hey, eer, Howling Call, whats with all the light?" Job said. The room had become awash in a green glow, and it was only until he followed his companions arms that he saw the giant spiders crawling over the wall, gem-like things on their backs emitting a sickish light. "Aww damnit..."

[Dragonsbane]

Naerzul saw his earlier prediction about arachnids come true, in abundant measure. Giant spiders were crawling everywhere on the walls, some moving onto the floor, but all drawing closer...he sighed, at least he had predicted this, "Any of you ever see these before?"

There was a swift blow, thick claws knocking a spider aside as Crawlbone moved to defend its master. It growled silently at the spiders, snapping up another one of the creatures in its teeth, powerful jaws tossing it away also.

Naerzul's eyes narrowed, "Interesting...wonder if there's a nest here?"

[Kazastankas]

"There's no need to animate too much, I believe," said Firecall as his magical fire turned into streaks of red light, as his still-pumping adrenaline performed their work. Firecall swatted one of the spiders aside with a mighty swing of the flaming mace, and brought it down after the upswing on another giant spider, causing a large crunch sound to be heard. He pushed hard, driving the blunt weapon through the spider's carapace, and flung the carcass into a mass of climbing spiders, disrupting their progress. He then returned to the attack, the mace section of his staff becoming a flaming blur.

[Dragonsbane]

"Don't kill any more of them, barbarian...something is controlling them, I think." the necromancer looked at the gem-things on their backs, noting how they pulsed at the same rate and time, "If so, lets find out what it wants."

[My Lead Airbag]

Job brought his sword out and slashed the air in front of him, mostly in warning, although it didn't help much, since the smaller spiders (those who who could be crushed) took no notice, and the larger ones (the ones who would probably be stepping on you) seemed to laugh at the sword. He alternated between kicking away smaller ones and striking at the bigguns. He managed to cut off a few legs, but he was too tired to stab the agile bugs.

"Yeah, I think I know whats controlling them, we're meat and they're hungry."

[Ganurath]

Howling Call grasped his staff and focused his energy, brightening the glow to a brightness slightly greater than that of the sun. Ignoring the light as best he could, he swung his staff along the ground in an arc to knock back the smaller spiders approaching him, then brought it up to jab a large one in the eye. "Let's see if they live outside of sunlight for a reason!"

[Dragonsbane]

Naerzul yelped, the bright light nearly blinding him, "Can you turn that thing off!? Just SMASH them!" Crawlbone pounced, thick claws tearing off legs and pulping exoskeletons, while Naerzul recovered his sight.

[Kazastankas]

Firecall, too focused on the giant spiders that came after the smaller ones, did not notice too much of the light, with his head turned the other way. His macestaff flew here and there as giant spiders were smashed in the abdomen by the furious strength of the barbarian, who wove between the legs of his adversaries in order to tangle them up and bring them down.

[My Lead Airbag]

The bright light appeared to have some effect, as all the spiders began to skitter away, crawling up the walls and into the holes, dragging their friend's behind them.

"Whew, maybe they're scared off." Job said.

As if to mock them, a larger hole burst open and the staff was instantly enmeshed in web. This new spider was huge, and as it forced its way out of the rocky wall, all the previous spiders and more came flooding through.

The events that transpired next would later be classified as the second most one-sided battle ever waged, being beaten by the still current champion, Group of Unarmed Goblins vs. Fire Dragon in Lava.
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"Ohh...my head..." Job said. His body was pain, and this was the second time he had been awoken from an injury in a new location, except this time everything was upside down. Torches hung from the walls and spiders seemed to be milling about nonchalantly, if spiders could acheive such states. On his sides, his group hung in webbing in various stages of conciousness.

"He he, sorry about the big guy, he's just not a people person, since most try to kill him. If he banged you up at all I apologize, we just get a little crazy if...well there are lots of things." A feminine voice said. Job placed it above him, but he couldn't see, much less move his neck. "Oh, how foolish of me. My name is pretty unpronouncable with your tongues, so you can call me by my given Lupos Name." The voice said. A large spider seemed to slide down, then whirled itself around, allowing Job to see the head of a beautiful woman stretched over the back of a spider the size of him. "She Who Roams the Cave on Many Legs. You can call me...hmm, Skitta, since you seem to be fond of the word. How can I be of assistance to your group?"

[Rhiya Ravenwing]

Silvergem hadn't had much time to recover her energy when she was paralyzed and knocked unconscious for the second bloody time before she could react. When she woke, her body ached with the after-effects of the poison that still coursed in her veins. Her hair cascaded downwards like a dark, foam-streaked waterfall, and her violet eyes flashed dangerously.
She looked over towards Job, and saw him conversing with a distinctively female spider.

[Ganurath]

Howling Call was close enough to Job to hear the conversation. She Who Roams the Cave on many Legs? He had heard of a spider-person in some old book, but he thought she would have died by now, judging by the age of the book. He tried to look around, but to no avail. He spotted a spider down below, and tried to use the spell on it he had used on spirit bat. The flow of information overwhelmed him so that the connection severed and he yelped in pain. Seeing through so many eyes at once overwhelmed him, but he recovered momentarily. He began sorting through his head, trying to figure what important details he had spotted...

[Kazastankas]

Firecall took the whole 'hanging upside down' thing with surprising calm. He had been outmatched by the spiders, but it seemed that he wasn't dead. He pondered the consequences of this. Were they to be poisoned slowly to death? Tortured? Left to die without pride or honor? Of course, then he heard "How may I be of assistance," and fell silent, listening to the conversation that would soon begin.

[Dragonsbane]

Naerzul's physiology wasn't entirely human...and poisons were all too common in the swamps. He heard the conversation as he awoke, his spiky black hair dangling, he raised (lowered?) one eyebrow, though the motion didn't seem to have the same effect while hanging upside down, "So....the Mother of the Web isn't just a myth? Well...I'm pleased that you haven't killed and eaten us yet, but would you mind letting us down?"

[My Lead Airbag]

"Mother of Webs? Do you wittle Elves still call me that? Take one wrong turn and suddenly you end up being a myth after killing a few swamp monsters...and don't worry if I'm hazy to you Mr. Lupos, I was around when your kind still named themselves after every body part they could find. If you think my given name is long, you shoulda heard the one who gave it to me." Skitta said. She seemed to be floating now, moving from member to member giving them a look over, although Job still saw the web string holding her.

"Thats...interesting, but why exactly haven't you eaten us yet? Not that we're complaining, just seems...strange to keep us here for no reason."

"Eat you? Why would I do that? Sentient creatures are an acquired taste I've found, and I'm in no mood to acquire it, so you're safe from that. Over the eons my diet has slowly shifted to whatever I can find in the caves or the forest, like bats." Skitta explained, then shot a leg out at the dark and grabbed a screeching bat, then stuffed it into her face and chewed loudly. After spitting out the bones, she continued. "No, I merely brought you here to ask for a favor, although it is one of those favors that requires you to take it or I'll kill you and string your entrails around my abode as a future warning you understand."

Job gulped, as he was in no position to bargain. "Why should we believe that once we do you this favor we'll live?"

"Well, I could have let my brothers and sisters eat you alive, but I let you off with a little poison. Besides, if you do my favor, you would be far enough away to avoid seeing me again."

"What is it, exactly?" Job said, giving up all hope of avoiding whatever they had to do.

"Just kill the Forest Guardian, Mulhespa."

[Dragonsbane]

"Tell me more about this guardian...and why do you want us to kill him?" Looking down, Naerzul saw his familiar sitting on the cave floor beneath him, its short, bony tail wagging like that of a dog.

Turning his gaze back towards the spider, he added, "Not that I'm refusing or anything, I just need some details."