And Then There Were Five

Recounting the third game session, Sunday, October 4th, 2009.

In attendance:
Jacob/Archer (NG Elf Ranger)
Kenny/Kentar (NG Human Wizard)
Ted/Lagolas (NG Human Fighter)
Matt/Marsh (CN Half-Elf Druid)
Jim/Tim (NG Half-Elf Sorcerer)
Brian (DM)

Prodded once again by the javelin tips of eager goblins, the party awakened to exit their cage for another day of work in the adamantine mine. The hour early, darkness and cold air cloaking their world, the seven would-be gazillionaires headed within, but with a secret glimmer of hope for escape. If the old miner's ghost was correct, they would mine themselves a way out.

The spellcasters used their first hour to prepare the day's magical needs, while Archer and Lagolas took their pick axes to the rocky point of interest, striking in earnest measures toward their freedom. Repeating his earlier response to intruding bodies, the ghost came out bellowing his protests. Yet again, he soon pieced together the identities of his descendant and colleagues whom he had met and forgotten a few times already. Once the druid, wizard and sorcerer joined the fracas of metal on stone, the cart began to fill more quickly.

Such force assailed that a crack appeared, rapidly splitting lines across the wall face and down to the tunnel floor. Before much warning could be given, the whole section of tunnel gave way into some open space beyond. All but Tim found time to leap aside and avoid the pitfall. The air filled with dust, choking the members of the party.

This new development came as too much for Bob and Monty, who opted to remain captives of the goblinoids, rather than venture into potentially dangerous, unknown recesses. Archer, Lagolas, Marsh and Kentar however, were intent on pursuing this plan of escape and aiding their sorcerous companion. Thus, they worked their way down onto the rocky slide.

Lagolas lost his footing on an unstable patch of debris. Fortunately, he was able to gain some control over his descent on the loose rock to make for a soft landing. Unfortunately, the soft landing was made possible by Tim's scraped and bruised body, the sorcerer's luck continuing to seem as abysmal as the opening into which he tumbled.

After Marsh spread magical light on the matter, a new threat emerged from the shadows. The space in which they stood was home to a spider of inordinate size. Soon Lagolas and Kentar were working to break free of freshly spewed webbing before being hauled into the eight-legged creature's clutches. Marsh, using his special understanding of natures beings, managed to somewhat quell the spider's anxiety against these humanoids who caused such damage to its home. The ghost returned, scolding them for becoming so distracted.

The party proceeded warily from the spider's presence through a passage lined with cavernous formations. Yet another obstacle loomed up as a stony column needed to be climbed to reach a ledge too high to reach otherwise. Tim alone was unable to shimmy up with the rest, so Archer and Kentar went back to look for something with which to haul him. Kentar used his mage hand to retrieve several strands, without having to actually reenter the arachnid lair. It was strong enough to hold the sorcerer, fraying just enough to elicit some worry from Tim.

After climbing for some time thereafter, they finally reached an opening, right beneath the kettle shaped boulder that gave the landmark its name.