The eminent Local 509 were still in the room of the spider idol where they had killed the two dark skinned elves. As they were satisfied that the room had been thoroughly searched, they were preparing to leave when Timber caught the lustful glances Krom was giving to the young and beautiful Moon Elf named Maith. She was dressed only in the silken shift which she had worn when she was tied to the alter with spider web.

"Can't have her walking around like that" thought Timber "it could give someone bad thoughts. Besides, she might catch cold".

He opened up his pack and began to rummage around trying to find something for her to wear. In a few moments, he found an old doublet and a pair of pants all the way at the bottom. With some help from Katreena they got the still muddled Maith dressed in something warmer and less revealing. They put her in the middle of the group so she would be protected and couldn't accidentally wander away.

Still trying to find the way down to the 3rd level, they headed out of the southern door and walked through several passage ways. As they walked, Pisheo was regularly asking them to stop so she could make notes on her map of the way the corridors were laid out. Maith was very unsteady, but able to walk and she did not have enough of her senses about her to ask where they were going. If she had, she would certainly not have chosen to go further down in this terrible place!

As the front line of the party turned a corner, they were shocked when three 9' high gangling armed creatures struck at them. One of them wounded Krom badly before he even knew he was under attack. Timber escaped the raking claws and snapping jaws of the creatures by the narrowest of margins. Then they got a chance to look at what was attacking them. The tall pointed ears and long pointed teeth combined with the mottled greenish color of their skin left no doubt about what they were.

"Trolls! Trolls!" screamed Timber. "We've gotta burn 'em".

Timber had evidently meant this comment for the other members of the party as Timber attacked the nearest troll with his sword to excellent effect. His magical sword plunged deeply into the body of the troll. There seemed to be some sort of surge of magical power as the sword entered the body of the troll and Timber was surprised when it seemed the troll was incapable of further movement. Then he remembered: on particularly good attacks, the sword could paralyze it's opponents. He supposed this was what had happened.

During the initial surprise, one of the three trolls had succeeded in penetrating past the front line and had gone past Krom, Timber and Dromar. Unfortunately (for the troll) this allowed Pisheo an opportunity to slash her long sword across the arm of the creature and plunge her dagger into the ropey muscles of it's neck. Krom was wasting no time in using his two-handed sword. It crashed down upon the trolls shoulder and bit deeply. The horrible, mottled skin creature bellowed with rage and attempted to rake it's long claws across Krom's face, but he blocked the blow by turning his armored body toward the creature and ducking.

As the battle raged, Katrina deftly sought within her pack for the flask of oil that would light the creatures on fire and the flint and tinder to set the oil afire. Holding the small oil flask and the flint in one hand, she struck a spark into the tinder and puffed it into flame.

Kilak was anxious to join the fray, but was for the moment prevented from doing so by the vigorous movement of Pisheo. All he needed was a moment where the way was clear and he could help Pisheo. But she was ignoring the other members of the party in her attempts to prevent the troll from striking her.

As Krom applied the killing blow to the troll, Katrina leaned forward and dumped her bottle of oil onto it. A touch of her flaming tinder was all that was needed to transform the troll into a stinking pyre of flame. Krom quickly moved away from the burning corpse and began to attack the troll that Timber was struggling with. But he need not have bothered. Timber had dispatched his with a vicious slash which the paralyzed troll was unable to avoid. Katrina now produced a second bottle of oil and soon had this one burning like it's companion.

Pisheo was striking the creature with almost every blow, but it was a tough one and though bleeding from numerous wounds continued to attack. At last, Kilak saw his chance and shoulder to shoulder with Pisheo, they battered the creature into unconsciousness. Immediately Katrina apply the oil and flame and they were now all three burning merrily in a smelly sort of way.

Choking with the malodorous smoke, Timber said "Which way Pisheo? Get us out of this awful stench!"

"This way" she said pointing once again to a passage to the south. This way led over the burning bodies of the trolls. Although the flames were high, they leapt through them without damage and hurried down the corridor until the air freshened and they were able to stop and take deep breaths of relatively fresh air.

"Any body hurt?" asked Timber. He was relieved when everyone shook their heads.

"We need to turn west now" said Pisheo "and then we should look for a northern going passage just after that."

Turning to the west, they traveled down the tunnel until they came to a door.

"This looks interesting" said Timber. "We haven't seen many doors so far. We're not in any hurry, so what do you all say to a bit of exploring?"

After a short discussion wherein they decided to go along with his plan, Timber put his strong shoulder to the stout door and opened it up. The room was empty and rather small; only about 40' square. They all walked in and began to search for something interesting. The only thing they found of interest was that the wall on the side of the room opposite the door was made out of brick instead of the stone that the rest of the walls were made from.

"What do you think of that?" asked Timber. "Would you please take a closer look Pisheo. Everyone else stay away."

Pisheo cautiously walked toward the brick wall and stopped when she was about 5' away. Turning to the rest of the group she said "Oh shit. The wall is moaning!"

Seeing that she was undamaged Timber, Ox and Krom approached the wall leaving Katrina and Dromar to guard the door. Once they were close to the wall, they could all hear the sound that Pisheo told them about. It sounded like a group of people were all softly crying and mourning. The sound was to unclear for them to hear words (if indeed words were being spoken) but the effect on their spirits was dramatic just the same. They all felt that something terrible had happened in this room to make the walls cry out so.

Krom drew his sword and carefully touched the brick wall with it. He drew the weapon quickly back and said "The wall isn't hard, it's soft. What ever it is it aint brick."

Ox, who had been sorely disappointed that his position in the back of the party had prevented him from joining the fray with the trolls, was spoiling for action. Impatiently, he drew his sword and saying "What the hell" struck at the wall with it.

Instantly and horribly, the wall began to change. Weapons, hands and eyes began to extrude themselves from the wall! It was almost as if the limbs were growing out of it. One of the swords slashed down at Ox and struck him in the arm. A dagger missed slashing him in the eyes. Ox threw himself on his back and looked at the writhing surface of the wall and began screaming. He stopped any attempt to attack or protect himself. One pair of hands began to wave in an odd pattern and then balls of energy leapt from them to strike Ox. This was too much for his mind to handle. He eyes rolled up in his head and his body involuntarily rolled itself into a fetal position.

"Damn! Why did he have to do that" said Timber rhetorically. "We gotta get him out of here. Hell, we've all gotta get out of here". Timber grabbed Ox by the back of his collar and began dragging him slowly toward the back of the room. The writhing limbs that had sprung from the brick wall continued to wave about aimlessly trying to find a target in reach.

As the rest were quickly filing out of the room, Dromar put on his magical eye-glasses that allowed him to see things as they really were. He saw that the wall in reality appeared to be made of compressed bodies and that the appearance of a brick wall was an illusion to lure the unwary. It was a disgusting sight. "Time to go marines!" he shouted and dove for the door.

Seeing that Timber was making slow progress dragging Ox across the floor, Krom bodily picked Ox up off the floor and threw an arm across Timber shoulder. This was a very fortunate thing because just as they had moved out of the room and were about to close the door, a roaring pillar of flame crashed into the spot where Ox and Timber had been just a moment before. Without further ado, Dromar slammed the door shut.

Dromar turned to Ox and said "You do NOT attack strange stuff like that! What the hell is wrong wi.." and then stopped as he saw that Ox was in no condition to get the benefit of the tirade. Ox's eyes were closed, but rapid movement of the eyeballs inside showed clearly. He was sweating and his limbs resisted attempts to lay him out flat on the floor.

Timber looked closely at Ox and said "He's in bad shape. I wish I could do something to remove his fear, but I can't. I'll try to dispel the spell he is under. Great and merciful Goddess of the Forest, remove the magical spell that this poor person has fallen under." A aura of greenish light enveloped Ox, but the spell had no other effect.

"We'll have to take him back and have Kilana look at him. Now we have two non-combatants" and he looked over at the still confused Moon Elf.

"I want to go home!" she said and began to cry quietly. Krom rolled his eyes and nudged Dromar who frowned.

"Let's get out of here" said Pisheo. "This place is just to much to handle as we are now. Someone will get killed."

They all agreed. Timber and Krom got Ox in a fireman's carry and they turned around and followed back the way they had come. When they reached the room with the spider idol, they noted that the bodies of the slain drow were gone.

"That's bad. Very bad" noted Dromar as they hurried across the room.

As they were about to enter the hallway that led to the room with the golden statues they heard a voice that seemed to come from everywhere in the room at once. "You can run but you can't hide. We know who you are and we will have you." The voice was dripping with hate and menace. They quickened their pace and didn't slow down until they reached the well lined with shields that was the way out.

Pulling their weapons, Krom and Timber began to beat on the shields to alert those on the surface that there were people below that wanted to come up. It didn't take long before the squeaking of the pulley indicated that the platform was being lowered. It took about 15 minutes for the platform to reach them and during that time, Timber and Katrina inspected Ox closely. His condition was unchanged. Pisheo was comforting the Moon Elf, telling her that the platform would take them all back up into Waterdeep and that she would help reunite her with her parents.

They all climbed onto the platform and laid Ox on his side. Slowly and creakingly, the platform bore them back up into the room at the Yawning Portal. They were not surprised to find that the ones manning the ropes were the same ones that had watched them jump off the edge of the well only a few hours before.

"Well, that was a quick trip." quipped one and another said "A bit tougher than you thought was it?" A third added "Hey, whose the babe? She wasn't with you when you went down. I would have remembered."

Timber looked a warning at the third one and said "We found her down their tied up to be sacrificed. We are going to take her back to her parents."

"Gods, what happened to him?" asked another of the rope pullers. "He's in bad shape poor guy."

"He hit something he shouldn't have." growled Dromar. "Make sure you don't make the same mistake as him."

They all agreed they wouldn't and invited Local 509 to sit down and have a drink. But everyone wanted to get Ox and Maith back to the Stormwatch. Timber threw Ox over Krom's back, Pisheo took the hand of the Elf Maiden and they made a quick exit from the Inn heading back through the mid-day crowds to their rented villa.

When they arrived they were greeted heartily by the followers of Victorex and Pisheo. They helped get Ox off of Krom's back and up to his own bed. Jasper, Pisheo's friend and follower, was sent to the temple of Mystra to fetch Kilana in the hope she could help Ox with her healing spells.

The adventurers introduced Maith to the rest of the villa's residents and told them to give her all respect and comfort they could. The new surroundings seemed to bring the Moon Elf back to herself. As she was looking around the room in interest, Pisheo took her hand again and led her into the main dining hall. Soon, they were all seated at the table and enjoying a delicious lunch. As they ate they told the tale of their exploits. That was how the entirety of Local 509 came to find out how they met Maith and how Ox came to be in his present condition.

After the lunch, Maith rose and addressed her saviors; "It has been the strangest sensation to sit here with you very good people and have my memory return gradually as I took my lunch. I now remember what happened to me, and the situation I was in when you rescued me. It has only been in the last hour that I have realized the gravity of my situation before you arrived. It is too little to say that you have saved my life. You have saved me from a death to horrible to contemplate. It is too little to say "Thank you" but it is all I can do. So thank you from the bottom of my heart. My memories of home and family have returned, and with them a strong desire to rejoin them at the soonest opportunity. You have kindly offered to take me to my parents, but they are "of no fixed abode" and I will have to look in the various places we frequented during our stay in the city. Therefore, I will take my leave of you now. I will return with them so that they too may thank you at the soonest opportunity.I will always consider you my friends and owe you a debt of gratitude that will be difficult to pay. Good bye for now and thank you."

With this she rose from the table still dressed in the clothes Timber had lent her and walked out of the villa. Many of the 509 asked her to stay and allow them to help her find her parents, but she just smiled and shook her head. Only Galranwyn (who was not there at the time) would understood her actions as they were very close in blood; the Gray Elves being only a little removed from Moon Elves.

Not long after lunch was served, Jasper arrived with Kilana in tow. She seemed a little upset to have her temple devotions interrupted. She immediatly went to his room upstairs followed by the people who had been down in Undermountain with him. Ox was in his bed with his shoes off, but his clothes still on as those who had brought him upstairs had been unable to bend his limbs sufficiently to remove them. Kilana examined Ox carefully. She asked for and received the explanation of how he had arrived in his current condition.

"He seems to be suffering from a terrible fright" said Kilana thoughtfully "and shock. I will try to remove his fear, but I think there is more to his condition than that." She produced the small silver statue of her goddess from her temple robes and began to pray. "Mistra the wise and granter of all magic, send me the power to take away the fear from this our friend and fellow adventurer." She touched Ox's head and it seemed that a pale white light seeped into his head going through the eyes, ears and mouth.

All those watching were unpleasantly surprised when Ox opened his eyes and immediately leapt to his feet and ran to the furthest corner of the room. There he crouched like an animal at bay, glaring at them.

"You won't get me you killers!" he screamed. "Your fine words can't fool me, I know you hate me and want me dead. But I won't let you get me. I'll kill myself first. I'll kill you too if you get to close. Go away, and let me be. Come closer and there will be blood on the floor!"

Timber attempted to mollify him speaking softly as he approached Ox slowly. "Ox, don't you recognized me? I'm your friend Timber. I don't want to hurt you. None of us do we just...". At this Timbers soft words were interrupted by wordless screams from Ox who jumped up, then grabbed the bed clothes and wrapped himself in them in them as if to guard himself.

Others tried to approach him including Kalana, but his reaction was the same: terror, screams and threats. Kilana shook her head and said "The experience has driven him mad. I have no spells that will help him unfortunately. He may return to himself sooner or later. Then again, he may stay like this forever. I will discuss this problem with my fellow priests at the temple and pray for Mistra to speed his recovery. That is all I can do." She sadly walked from the room and returned to the temple.

After this sad event, Timber and Jasper retired to the formal sitting room to discuss the current situation of the thieves in Waterdeep.

Pisheo said "I must admit that this situation is not of my liking. I knew that attempts would be made to bring the guild back together again after the purge by the Lords of Waterdeep, but I didn't suspect that thieves would begin vying against each other."

"I can't say I did either" replied Jasper "but it stands to reason. The old guild took in a lot of geld and it was only the masters who kept the ambitious members in check. With the masters killed off, I figured it would be every man for himself. But I was forgetting all the lesser members who wouldn't know how to plan a crime even if they were starving."

"You know I've been approached and you say you have been offered a position with one of the new groups. What are you going to do?"

Jasper looked thoughtful. "I don't rightly know. I guess it depends on what you do Pisheo."

Pisheo sighed silently. She was used to looking out for herself, but now she had a responsibility to those who had thrown in their lot with hers. They looked to her for guidance and her decision would effect them all. "I wish I knew more about what was going on" she said. "I don't feel like I know enough to decide one way or another."

Jasper thought for a moment then his face brightened and he said "I know someone how might help. There is this older guy name of Daunt Burune. He runs the Red Gauntlet down in the Docks Ward. He used to be a high up in the guild but retired when he had made his pile. That was about 15 years ago. When I was getting my start in the trade, I spent a lot of time there and he and I would talk. I learned a lot from him. Not that it didn't cost me; Daunt still has a good business head on his shoulders. But he never steered me wrong. I'll bet he knows more about the situation than we do."

Pisheo stood up and said "What are we waiting for. Let's see him right now!"

She and Jasper let the others in the villa know that they were going "out into the city" for a while, then they left. They took the alleys and kept to the shadows as Pisheo did not want to run across anyone from the other factions until she had made her mind up about her course of action. They passed almost unseen throughout the busy city streets and came at length to the Red Gauntlet.

It was not a fancy place and not in a good neighborhood. The sign in front showed a steel gauntlet dripping with blood. Undaunted, they went inside. The furnishings of the place were humble and despite the fact that it was well past mid-day, there were only a few patrons. Pisheo and Jasper had no trouble finding an unoccupied table. After they had been seated, they looked around at the other people in the tavern carefully. They all seemed to be rather old. One of them had his head down on the table and was snoring. The bartender came out from behind the small bar and took their order. The bill of fare was small: ale, porter and logger to drink and fried fish or fish stew to eat. They both ordered a logger and the stew. The price quoted them was very cheap and they had little hope of getting something palatable. Truthfully, they weren't in the least hungry after their lunch only a couple of hours before, but it seemed prudent to order something anyway.

As the bartender walked away he went over to the snoring old man and said "shut up Gruvar; you're snoring again."

The old man raised his head for a moment and replied "I'm all right. No problems here mate." then set his head down again. The bartender shook his head as he went through the door behind the bar to get their food. He returned in a moment with steaming two wooden bowls with wooden spoons sticking out of them. He drew their beers and brought it all over to them.

They were pleasantly surprised to find that the beer was tolerable and the stew was actually good. So good in fact that they had no problem finding room for it in their already somewhat full stomachs. As they ate, Pisheo and Jasper made small talk. When they were done Jasper went over to the bartender and asked if Daunt was there. After telling the bartender his name Jasper asked to see "his old friend". The bartender went out of the door behind the bar again and after a couple of minutes returned and motioned for Jasper and Pisheo to follow him. He led them down a narrow hall past a door that led to the kitchen and another which stood open revealing the same kind of beer casks that were behind the bar. At the end of the hall was a door. The bartender opened the door and motioned them into a small room. Behind a desk was a man sitting in a large leather chair.

He rose and put out his hand to Jasper saying "Jasper, I thought I recognized the name. You haven't been around in quite a while." They shook hands and the man said "who's your friend here?"

"Daunt, this is Pisheo. She's a good friend of mine and one of the Local 509."

After shaking hands with Pisheo, and indicating that they should sit in the wooden chairs in the corners of the room he settled back down in his chair again. He studied them silently for a moment then said "509 huh? I've heard of them. Didn't think they spent much time around here though. What brings you to Waterdeep?"

"We're here to pick up some supplies to take back to our base in Katina and to enjoy the festival."

"And what brings you to my place. I'm sure it isn't the quality of my beer" Daunt said with a smile.

Pisheo replied "We haven't spent much time in the city since the purge so I'm out of touch with recent developments. I've been approached by members of the old guild who want me to join up, but I don't want to commit myself without knowing more about what's going on."

"A wise choice" said Daunt. "But the information will cost you of course. Put your coin on the table and I'll talk until the money runs out. We can negotiate from there."

Pisheo reached into her belt pouch and place a stack of ten gold pieces on the table.

Looking impressed, Daunt said "I guess you're serious about knowing the situation. Good. For that much I can tell you a lot." He leaned back in his chair and got comfortable.

"After the Purge there wasn't much happening at all. With most of the guild masters dead and the rest scattered, no one was in a position to do much in the way of organization. But as time went by, some of the old members drifted back into town and made contact with one another. This didn't happen quickly as the Guard was still picking up anyone they recognized and the ones they took just disappeared. But the boys got good at disguising themselves and changing their habits. But no attempts to put the guild together again began until a couple of months ago.

"So far, it's shaken down like this. There are 3 groups that have formed. All of them want to be the only show in town. It's a bad situation with deaths and bad blood between them all. There is the bunch that call themselves the Shadow Thieves. This group is mostly made up of thieves that operated independently of the guild in the old times and so most of them escaped the Purge. Seeing the vacuum of power, they got together and took on some of the members from the old guild. They have a pretty standard organization with a couple of masters at the top and a bunch of soldiers doing the crimes while they take a cut. They have some good contacts in the noble sector and have been mostly concentrating of blackmail and kidnapping. Not a lot of street crime.

"The second gang calls themselves the New Guild, but it's actually the old guild trying to rebuild itself. They know all the old members and I think a couple of the old masters are running it, but they have to keep a very low profile. That group lives in constant fear as they suspect they are known to the Lords. So they don't do any high profile crimes and concentrate on strong arm stuff and some pick pocketing. Even so, they know all the old hiding places and know more about the city than either of the other groups.

"Then there's the gang that calls themselves the Red X. They are the new boys in town. Nobody knows where the leaders came from. That gives them kind of an advantage 'cause the Lords know nothing about them as yet and they want to keep it that way. The only one I know is Feldyn Goadolfyn. He is the son of a lord and as slimy a weasel as I've run across. He's a vindictive little bastard too. I had some dealings with him before I retired and he thought I cheated him. Three years later, two of my soldiers turned up dead with the family crest cut into the bodies. To my mind, this bunch is the worst of the lot. I'm pretty sure they are responsible for starting most of the blood feud. I also suspect they are doing murder for hire. It's a lucrative business, particularly if you can get the lords as your clients, but I never trucked with such goings on as it gives the whole trade a bad name. I have even heard roumers that there is a beholder in their ranks, but I don't give such wild tales much credence.

"That's how it stands now as far as I can tell. Of course, I keep out of the whole thing absolutely. I've got a good business here and I'm enjoying being able to walk down the street in the daytime. Everybody knows I'm neutral, but it's taken some hard work to keep it that way.

Daunt picked up all but two of the gold pieces and put them into a desk drawer.

Pisheo thought for a minute. Then she asked Daunt "If you were in my position; outside the city mostly, but needing some of what the old guild offered, which of the groups would you take up with?"

"Me? Course today, "m not in the business at all. And if I were you, I would stay out of all of them. At least until things settle down. I'd avoid making any enemies while you are here, then go home and let them fight it out for themselves. That's just me though."

"I think you're right. That was what I thought I'd do anyway. But what about things like buying thieves picks and the other stuff the guild used to make available to it's members to buy?"

"Well, Aurora's has started selling a lot of it. I don't know how they get away with it either. They must have a ton of pull with the lords to let them sell that kind of stuff. Did you rely on the guild for business?"

"No, I only did a job or two with them and to tell the truth, I didn't like it much."

"Then there shouldn't be much of a problem doing without them. As far as the other stuff you want and can't buy at Aurora's, I'd check out the market. There's a fair number of folks there and if you go about it right you can buy practically anything. Particularly with the guild dead and the festival coming up."

Daunt took another of the gold coins and dropped it into his desk drawer.

"And one last thing? Don't use the cant anywhere near a guard. They have been running in anyone they catch using it and trump up a charge against the person later. It's usually a minor charge, but good for a season at hard labor. Guard the cant well if you must use it and be more careful than usual about who you contact. A lot of the old thieves have turned coat and become punks for lords."

He took the last coin and deftly flipped it into the air, then caught it in his left hand; turning it over and over between his fingers. With a sudden movement, the coin disappeared.

"Anything else Pisheo?"

"No, that's about it. A pleasure doing business with you Daunt. And you can tell anyone who asks that Pisheo is independent and getting out of the city as soon as the festival is over."

Daunt stood up and walked over to the door. He opened it and shouted down the hall for 3 mugs of porter. He sat back down and said "I hope you'll join me in a luck draught. Then I have some work to do."

The bartender brought them their beers and they amused themselves with discussing old times, old friends and old enemies. When the beer was gone, Pisheo and Jasper rose. They shook hands with Daunt and he walked them back into the tavern. As they came out, the old man in the corner was snoring again.

Daunt caught the bartender's eye and said "Put him in the back room Kabora, can't have him disturbing the rest of the clientele."

The left as the bartender was lifting the old man under his shoulders and leading him to the door on the other side of the bar. Without bothering to hide their path, the two returned to the Stormwatch. They were both quiet thinking about all that they had heard from Daunt.
-----
Dinner at the Villa was particularly good that night, and the Local 509 relaxed after a trying day in Undermountain. The main topic of conversation was speculation on how long it would take Ox to snap out of his unfortunate madness. The tales told of the dungeon crawl which had been short but full of events encouraged some of the groups followers who longed for the chance to pit their mettle against the fell beasts that lived below the streets of the city.

Galranwyn, who had been out all day since casting the spells that allowed her friends to enter Undermountain returned an hour before mid-night. She was in a talkative mood for a change and told everyone still awake about her dinner. It seems that there had been a feast at the Mages Guild to welcome some out of town Mages, and it had been an eventful meal.

She told them the names of the Mages who had attended expecting them to have heard of the high level wizards reputation. No one had heard of any of them with only a few exceptions. They recognized the names of Malchor (Galranwn's old teacher), Mhair (the head of the Waterdeep Mages Guild) and a few recognized the name of Fleurmeister, the cities master apothecary, but the rest were unknown to them. Galranwyn also raved about the food served at the dinner, and the mage-cook whose presentation of the dishes made the heads of her listeners spin trying to imagine them.

There was the walking tree who's branches were made from salad greens picked that morning from the Neverwinter Wood some hundreds of miles north of the city. The flying dishes of Blue Crab and Boobrie with their delectable sauces made their mouths water by the strength of Galranwyn's description. It was a meal of a lifetime Galranwyn concluded. Then she went on to describe some of the conversations she had with some of the most powerful people in the Realms; their ways and their interests. At this many lost interest as the likelihood of meeting any of these folk was very slight. As her audience drifted away, Galranwyn called Pisheo and Timber over to her.

"I met someone at the dinner that I have made an appointment with and I think you should come with me. His name is Tessalar Hulicorm and he is a very powerful mage."

"Doesn't he have a tower in the Nobles district?" asked Pisheo.

"Yes that's him. His attainments have raised him up to Grand Master status and it is said he has attained the 18th level of discipline. He spends most of his free time in abstract research, but he still produces some very amazing spells or at least that is what I hear. Anyway, he buys and sells magic items to support his expensive research. But he lives like a noble, not a shopkeeper. His wares are sold by appointment only and appointments are always at his convenience. And I have an appointment for tonight. Would you like to come?"

Both Pisheo and Timber said they would like to come. But Galranwyn had a word of warning for them.

"He is a very strange man. Don't be surprised or offended by his manor unless you want to spend the rest of your days as a goat!"

They both agreed to be on their best behavior and they all left immediately as the appointment was for mid-night that evening.

The night air was very warm and pleasant and the streets were quiet for a change. They all enjoyed their walk to the noble district. Soon they had arrived at the house of the Grand Master Mage. There was an "L" shaped building of two floors that occupied the entire corner of an intersection. Connected to the two story building was a 5 story circular tower with enormous mews on the top for stabling griffons and the like.

Galranwyn led the way to the two massive walnut doors that looked strong enough to have served for the main gates of many a city. There was a knocker on each door shaped like a lion with a ring held between large teeth. Galranwyn knocked at the door and she was the only one not surprised when the knocker head became that of a real lion and spoke saying "If you have no appointment with the Wizard Tessalar, leave now or I will eat you. If you have an appointment, please state your name."

"This is Galranwyn of the Guild with two friends as arraigned with Tessalar earlier this evening."

Almost immediately, the great door swung inward and they saw a very large and strong looking man in a butlers outfit that looked too small for him. Bowing he said "Please come in. The Master will see you in the sitting room."

As they passed through the open door, they felt the peculiar skin-wrinkling feeling of passing through a powerful magical spell although no outward effect could be perceived. The entry hall was large and opulent, but done in unpleasant pastel shades of pink and yellow. The butler led them through another huge door into a large high ceiling room. The floor was thickly carpeted with the most exotic patterned rugs from Calimshan and perhaps as far away as the mythical land of Al-Quadiml. The only furnishing in the room were a few large low tables and dozens of plump brightly colored satin pillows. Propped up in a large pile of pillow was their host who waved them into the room with a languid hand.

"Galranwyn! You are prompt! I love promptness. It indicates such a consideration of other feelings. A sensitivity to their needs and desires. And you have brought your friends! How wonderful to meet you all. What are you names?"

Tessalar was not tall and just as plum as his pillows. He was dressed in what looked like a brightly embroidered night-shirt and had puffy, furry slippers on his feet. His voice was high and somewhat lisping; his phraseology more feminine than that of the most indolent noble woman. He made no attempt whatever to avoid any stereotype of a man who preferred the company of other men.
After Galranwyn had performed the introductions, he waved them to pillows near his and said "I am so pleased to meet you all. Brutis, bring the special cart for our guests so we can have a small drink while we get to know each other." The butler nodded and left the room.

While he was gone Tessalar inquired about "what kinds of things" Pisheo and Timber did, how they did it, how they liked the city so far and if they were looking forward to the festival as much as he was. He almost did not wait for their answers, but his eyes revealed that he was listening carefully to their answers and weighing them. Timber felt like he was a horse being inspected before purchase and wondered why he felt that way.

Soon the butler returned pushing before him an ornate black lacquer liquor cart. There were several decanters and 3 crystal goblet of different colors on the top of a golden tray. He quietly inquired what the quests would like while they were not busy answering the apparently mundane questions of his master. They all had goblets of their favorite beverage in their hands and none could fault their excellent quality. Pisheo took a close look at her goblet and determined it to be made out of a solid piece of amber worth the ransom of any nobleman in the city.

"I could just go on talking to you interesting people all night long, but the truth is it's been a very tiring day what with the dinner and all, so I think I must get down to business if you will forgive me the use of such a dirty word." He tittered shrilly as if he had made a joke. "So let me show you what I have for you. Brutis, open up please!"

The servant opened the doors of the ebony cart and took a box from inside which he handed to his master. Tessalar then showed them several items of a magical nature. Tessalar did not try to sell them items by praising them unduly, but instead stated their capabilities in the most straightforward way possible. Thus it didn't take long for the members of Local 509 to make up their minds about what they wanted to by. In the end, they bought a ring, a mace-like rod, a magical scroll and several potions. Throughout the proceedings, Tessalar kept them amused with his peculiar ways and kindly attitude.

Once a price had been settled upon and the bill paid Tessalar said "I am very sorry to cut our lovely meeting short, but can hardly keep these little eyes of mine open any longer. I do so hope you will come see me some other time so we can get to know each other better."

Galranwyn said "We would be happy too. How can we let you know when we are in town?"

"Simplicity itself my dear. When you have time, just come and talk to my lion, the one on the front door your know. He used to be a real lion, but he is my secretary now. Tell him who you are, where you are staying and for how long and I will send word for you when I can get a break in my work. Thanks again for coming. Hope to see you soon! Brutis, show them the way out please."

And without further conversation they were led to the front door and bowed through it by the obedient servant. As soon as they were far enough from the tower-house to know he could not be overheard, Timber burst out laughing.

"Have you ever seen such a puffta in your life? I though I was going to lose it a couple of times and laugh in his face."

"Good thing you didn't Timber." said Galranwyn. "He's a sweet old fella, but I'll bet it's been a long time since he has put up with any kind of ridicule without retaliating. How would you like to have him cast that Life Leach spell cast on you!"

The thought of this sobered Timber up considerably as the Life Leach spell was one that Tessalar had offered to sell to Galranwyn. It stole years of life from a person and conferred them on the caster of the spell. But still, Timber was chuckling to himself all the way back to the Villa.
-------

They next morning, most of the celebrated Local 509 were taking their leisure over a second cup of coffee and watching the servants clear off the table.

"So, what'll it be today?" Timber asked the group. "Who wants to go back down into the dungeon again?"

One by one they told the other their plans for the day and in the end, an adventuring group was formed. It was larger than the group that had gone down the day before and everyone agreed that this made their chances of getting out intact much better. Thins time, preparations for their departure were more leisurely as Galranwyn refused to use her precious spells to get them down the well at the Yawning Portal without help. If they arrived later they hoped to have better luck finding someone to operate the winch.

It was mid-day before everyone was ready to go. Unfortunately, Ox had not improved in the night. His screams of fear and loathing could be heard echoing throughout the villa when the servants brought him his breakfast. None of them mentioned it though. They walked through the teeming streets and were given a wide berth as was to be expected with a group as menacing as Local 509 in full battle regalia.

When they arrived at the Yawning Portal, they were disappointed to find that once again the place was occupied only by a couple of all-night residents and the inn's small staff. The same waitress they had met the day before was there and she greeted them cheerily.

"Back again I see. And ready to go down from the look of you. Too bad there's no one here to help you, but I'm sure that someone will be along shortly. I'll just bring you something to keep your strength up while you are waiting."

The something she brought was a cold stein of beer for each and a largish platter of cold roast beef and dark bread. Despite the parties late breakfast, the platter was mostly empty in the quarter hour that elapsed before more patrons arrive. None of our heroes were happy to find it was the same group of 5 men who had brought them back up the day before.

"Gonna give it another go then eh? Hope you're luck's better this time. Mind if we sit down? Thanks, don't mind if I do" they said and began to help themselves to the remains of the platter. As they picked at the last of the beef, they said they were caravan guards from Balder's Gate and that they would be in the city until after the festival. None of Local 509 solicited this information, but none of them said anything to stop the guards rambling as none wanted an accident with the winch on the way down.

As soon as he felt it polite, Timber said "We better be going down now. We've decided to hold onto our spells today so would you mind helping with the winch?"

The guards agreed to do so (as long as the regular fee was properly paid.) After the traditional toast "to good luck and continued health" they all went off to the room in the back of the inn where the well was. The squeaky winch and the strong arms of their helpers soon saw them safely deposited on the gravel floor of the deep shaft. The delvers had agreed that morning at breakfast that they would retrace their steps of the day before and try again to reach the 3rd level. So without further hesitation, they formed ranks and left the well. All was just as they remembered it from the day before and they quickly reached the long room with the purple light and the golden thrones. Once again, they were all mystified at the strange chamber. As they walked into they room past the thrones, they saw the strange sight of the noble statues turning into dried skin and tumbled bones.

Pisheo said "Wait a minute OK. I've gotta check these out." She walked toward one of the thrones and then stopped. She began to move her head and upper body from side to side. "I can see the change. It looks like there is a spot where one image quickly changes into the other. But it's a good illusion if that's what it is. Both look very real."

Katrina walked to one next to Pisheo and began to study it closely from all angles. Dromar went right up to one on the other side of the room and began looking at the pile of bones he saw on the throne. He stepped back and cast a spell. An exact image of the statue that he had seen from the side, replaced for a moment the image of the bones on the chair. "The statue is the illusion and the bodies are real." He had to admit to himself that the statue illusion was a masterful one.

Katrina turned to the party and said "Dromar is right. The statue is illusionary. These statues weren't created here, they were created about 650 years ago in a city down the southern sword coast. I can see some writing on the top of the seat. It looks like a name. Uearhart Lionmane. These things are very magical. I'm not going to mess with it."

Dromar smiled, dispelled the illusion and reached up to the top of the chair. He pushed the bones to one side and read "Aldrech Muyirr". He was disappointed when he didn't see anything but bones. But out of the corner of his eye, he saw a tiny spot move from the seat to the floor. He looked down and saw an insect. Looking at it closely, he saw it had nasty looking hooks on it's front feet and a beak on its face. "Gods! Its an ear seeker!" Everyone turned to look at Dromar and saw him jump back a couple of feet. His quickly moving hands conjured up a beam of fire that rushed from his hands. "Kabosh!" he cried and the tongue of flame jumped from his hands and struck the statue, bathing the whole thing in fire.

Timber said "Dromar have you gone crazy! What are you doing?" Krom just looked very surprised and said "Whoa, Dromar buddy, slow down." Dromar ignored them and walked warily back up to the statue. Inspecting the ground where he had seen the insect he saw it on the ground. It was smoking with it's feet curled up around it's belly. He pointed to the side and cried "Another one!", but it two was smoking and motionless on the other side of the seat.

The instant he was assured the insects were dead, he ran over to Pisheo and said "You've got the best eyes in the bunch. Check me out, make sure I don't have any in my ears or anywhere else. If you find one kill it immediately. Oh gods I hope there aren't any on me."

As Pisheo began a very close inspection of Dromar, Katrina asked Galranwyn "Why is Dromar so frightened? It's just a bug."

Galranwyn said "Just a bug maybe, but that bug crawls into your ear, and begins to eat it's way into your head. You don't even feel it 'cause it squirts out a natural pain killer. Once it gets to your brain, it lays eggs that hatch a week later. They eat their way out. But you go mad from the pain well before that."

Katrina shivered and said "Oh." in a rather high voice.

"You're clean Dromar. I don't see anything on you.

"Are you positive?"

"Yes Dromar, you don't have any on you." Pisheo said in her most comforting tone of voice.

Dromar visibly relaxed. "Whew. I hate those things. The thought of having eggs in by brain... get to me."

Timber who had been on guard all this time said "Are you all done now? Ready to go on and get to the third level? Good; we'll never get there at this rate."

They formed ranks again and continued down the long line of golden glowing statues.

Dromar was somewhat more relaxed after he had killed the bugs he was still nervous. The words of the strange voice the heard as they were leaving the spider idol room was ringing in his head. There was no sight of the drow, but Dromar was particularly vigilant in keeping watch. They got to the golden statue room without an incident and carefully proceeded down the 20' wide corridor that led to the Spider Idol room.

As the front line entered the room, Timber said "I heard something!". Everyone took up guarding positions and an instant later, darts began to fly at the front line from both sides. Only one hit, but Krom could feel a tingling in his left shoulder where he was hit. "Poison" cried Krom then leapt toward the side of the room where the dart had come from. Now visible were a row of 5 drow spread out along the wall. Timber on the other side could now see 4 drow along the wall on his side. Just as Krom and Timber were ready to jump toward the revealed drow, a tremendous shock wave struck them. They could hear nothing of a blast, but they did hear their bones twisting and cracking. It was very painful. Krom was caught in mid-step and the silent blast knocked him on his side.

Dromar on the other side of the line had started encanting immediately. He was not been hit by the darts, and he completed the spell. Suddenly, there were 8 Dromars. As they all moved together, it was almost impossible to tell which was the real Domar and which the conjured illusion. Timber ran up to the drow on Dromar's side and immediatly thrust at a drow. He struck it badly, but the drow still lived. It grimaced hideously and drew a black bladed sword from it's black fabric sheith. Pisheo glided forward, twirling her long sword menacingly then danced forward and struck the drow with it. Pisheo smiled grimly and the creature pulled it's blade. Galranwyn and Katrina took a step into the room to help. Both of them began encanting the same spell. As almost at the same time, magical missiles of energy began crashing into the drow.

A moment after Galranwyn entered the room, she felt something touch her head. Then it felt like a bomb had gone off in her body. Every bone tried to shake itself loose from the tendons and muscles that held them together. She cried and looked up to see what had hurt her so badly and saw a drow woman's face only 3' away. he was floating in air, hanging with her head and arms downward. There eyes met, then the drow said "Die gray one!" and dropped something. It hit the stone floor with a metallic sound. Galranwyn looked down to see what had hit the floor and saw a metal rod lying there. It was changing colors as she looked at it. It turned from black to gray as she watched. When she looked up, the drow woman was floating up toward the ceiling. Galranwyn, in a rare show of emotion, shouted at the retreating drow "Come back down her you bitch!" The floating dark elf smiled wickedly.

Krom tried to get up from the floor where the blast had thrown him, but his left foot stepped on the laces of his right boot and down he went again. "Gods! Am I having a bad day" he said from the floor.

Pisheo and Timber were pressing the attack on the drow. Both of them struck their targets, and both drow fell dead to the floor. Pisheo pivoted suddenly on one foot and struck a second drow a vicious blow with her dagger. It crumpled to the floor and ceased moving. Dromar rushed forward and attacked one that was trying to get behind Timber. Dromar ducked quickly and the blade of the drow whistled a fraction of an inch over is head. From his crouching position, he thrust up into the drow's lower vitals and ripped upward. The dark elf entrails plopped forward onto the floor. Then then elf pitched forward onto his face. Kilak ran forward and stood next to Pisheo. He slashed at another drow and struck it a might blow with his ax, but it returned the attack and Kilak was cut on the side just under his arm.

Galranwyn began casting a spell that would change the drow into a banana slug and Dromar started to create a killing illusion brought forth from the draw's greatest fear.As she hovered overhead, the drow began to encant too. Galranwyn screamed in frustration as she saw the drows form begin to get fuzzy. She knew her spell would be to late. But Krom had seen the woman from his position on the floor. He got to his knees and pulled a dagger from his twin baldalaro's and flicked it. It flew to unerringly to strike the woman in the chest. An instant before the woman disappeared he could see her grab the dagger out and put her hand to her bloody chest. More balls of energy flew from the hands of Katrina and the drow they struck died instantly. There was only one drow still standing, and Kilak killed that with a backhanded return blow that was totally unexpected by the drow.

The battle was over, and panting with the exertion they started to access the damage. There were some relatively minor wounds suffered, but these were quickly healed by Timber. The undamaged people began to loot the bodies of the black elves. The drow were wearing black metal chain mail and had short swords of the same metal. As Dromar turned one of the swords over in his hands he said "Typical drow manufacture. This is adamantite. Useless to us and the magic in them fades quickly removed from the drow." He threw the blade to the ground next to the body. It was obvious that this was an ambush, and the drow soldiers had removed everything of value from their persons in preparing for it. The party found nothing of value.

Galranwyn had picked up the gray metal rod up from the floor and examined it. It was a rod of metal with an ornamental carving of a clenched fist on both ends. Other than this decoration, it was featureless. The words of the drow made Galranwyn uneasy. She wondered if a spell had been cast on her or perhaps she was poisoned and the effects just delayed. Vowing to inspect the rod closely when they next stopped, Galranwyn thrust the rod into her pack.

"Come on, come on. Nothing to see here. Lets get moving." prodded Timber. Some of them grumbled, but they all made ranks again and started moving toward the southern exit from this room. They moved quickly through the corridors they had mapped the day before until they reached the spot with the door to the room with the wall that grows limbs. They continued more slowly then, giving Pisheo a chance to make a more accurate map of the area than the one they had bought from the one-eyed man.

There were only a few doors off the passages they went through, and Timber ignored them this time. It didn't take long though until they reached a dead end corridor with a door in it. Pisheo referred to the old map, checked the door for locks and said "Open this one up" Krom and Timber put their shoulders to the door, and it opened.

The walls floor and ceiling of the room was made from peculiar red colored rock slabs. A huge stone statue was standing in the center of the high-celinged room. It cylindrical base was taller than a human and made from the same reddish rock as the rest of the room. The statue was that of a male human torso. It's arms were pointing in opposite directions; toward door that were visible on both sides of the room. The statue was headless and an irregular break was visible where it had broken off from the neck. Most of the fingers on both hand had also been broken off. But despite (or perhaps because of) it's ruined condition, it looked menacing. The front line noticed an odd smell. I smelled like the air after a thunder shower.

They filed slowly into the room and began to examine the statue and the walls of the room.

Pisheo said "There's supposed to be a secret door in the south wall, but this map is too crappy to show exactly where. I need some help searching for it. I'll search here and the other elves search along here." Timber and Galranwyn began searching near Pisheo on the south wall. Dromar began looking at the statue and said "I don't like the looks of this. Would someone keep any eye on those two doors" pointing in the same direction as the broken hands of the statue. Kilak and Krom moved over to the doors.

Suddenly, there was a blinding flash and a bolt of lightning cracked out from the broken hands of the statue and hit the floor just in front of the doors Krom and Kilak were guarding. It struck both of them, and they cried out in pain as they were both badly burned. The bolts continued to bounce around the room for a moment before their force was spent. One of the richocettes struck very near Pisheo where she was searching.

"I knew it." muttered Dromar. "Lighting. Figures. Hey, those aren't going to be the last you know. We better pick up the pace!"

The elves went back to searching the wall for secret doors. But they knew that searching was something that couldn't be rushed. Finally, Pisheo shouted "Here it is! Come on, we've got to find out how to open it!" The others moved over to the spot she indicated and began to search there.

Dromar looked quickly around the room and saw a door in the center of the southern wall. He gathered Katrina, Krom and Kilak. "It's only a matter of moments until that statue throws another lighting bolt. I don't want to be in this room when it does. Do you?"

They all shook their heads and Dromar said "Open this door". Krom and Kilak smashed down the door.

Timber looked up from his search and said "Hey, where do you think you're going."

"Away from the lightning bolts" said Dromar and looked through the open door. He saw a short corridor going south. "Perfect!" said Dromar and led the way down the passage until they reached the dead end.

A few minutes later, another bolt of lightning struck the doors and bounced around the room. Fortunately, no one was hit this time. Even so, it was really getting on Galranwyn's nerves.

"If I don't find the way to open this thing real soon, I'm going to spell the damn thing open." she muttered as she and the other searched.

Finally Pisheo cried out "Found it! Let's all get out of here. Come on Dromar; we are leaving!"

Dromar and the others hurried back to the room with the statue. Pisheo was holding the secret door open and Galranwyn and Timber were waiting in the corridor. As soon as the party was all together, Pisheo slammed shut the door.

The passage they were in was only went about 30' before it turned to the east.

Krom said "Uh guys, that lightning bolt was bad. Like, I'm all hot and it hurts and stuff." Kilak miserably nodded agreement. Everyone could clearly smell burnt cloth and burnt skin too. They stopped for a while there so Timber could heal them with is magical god-given powers.

When he had finished he said "Well that's about it for my spells of healing. Nobody can get hurt from now on."

They cautiously followed the corridor until it opened into a room. There was a heap of bodies in the center of the room covered with cobwebs. Pisheo searched the entrance of the room for traps, but she found nothing, and they entered the room. It was not a large space and most of it was occupied by the spider webbed bodies. Dromar and Pisheo examined the bodies without touching them. They were aged dwarves. Their clothes were in tatters. Their hair had grown wild and long and white so it was difficult to see where the webs ended and their hair began. It looked like they had been here for decades at least.

"Hey, this one's still breathing!" cried Dromar.

"This one too now you mention it" said Pisheo.

They searched the rest and found that the spider webs were waving in the still air; stirred by the faint breaths of the sleeping forms.

"Weird" said Pisheo "but we've got another secret door to find in this room. At least there isn't any lightning bouncing of the walls in here."
"Yet" muttered Dromar under his breath as he continued to search the sleeping dwarves.

Kilana joined his search and the rest took up defensive positions around the room. Galranwyn and Timber went to the east wall to help Pisheo search for the secret door their purchased map indicated. But after 10 minutes searching, they had to admit defeat.

"Lets shift positions." suggested Pisheo. "Maybe we'll see something the others missed." So they swapped spots with each other and continued to look.

Soon Galranwyn stopped and said "This sucks. We aren't going to find it. Katrina, would you Knock this open for us?"

"Sure! Stand back everybody." Katrina began to encant then said "Knock, knock, knock" as she rapped with her knuckles on thing air. With a creak, the secret door opened.

Pisheo opened up the door all the way and looked at her maps again. "Great; this matches up with the map. We aren't far from the stairway down." She quickly drew the new corridor on the map she was making as the other filed through the door. She came back up to stand just behind Dromar and said "Follow this passage until you get to another door. That should take us into the room with the stairway."

And so it was. They found the door and Krom quickly opened it. The room inside was about 50' square and completely empty. There was nothing unusual about the room at all except that in one corner of the room was a rippling curtain of magical darkness.

After consulting the map, Pisheo pointed at the blackness and said "The stairway is behind that."

"Naturally" muttered Dromar under his breath.

"I'll check it out" volunteered Timber and Katrina went with him to inspect the strange moving blackness. They were standing about 5' away from it, examining it for any signs of danger when a man stepped forward from behind it. They both took a step backward and stared at the man in surprise. It seemed for an instant that they saw a flash in the mans eyes and they felt a spell tingling about their faces.

"Hey you!" shouted Timber and drew his sword. But as quickly as he had stepped forward, he stepped back through the curtain of blackness and was gone.

Timber started after him, but Katrina grabbed his arm and said "Let him go. Look." and pointed to Krom and Kilak who were hunched over in pain from their lightning burns. "They should be healed before we go down those stairs."

"You're right" sighed Timber reluctantly. "But I'm out of healing spells."

"I'll cast my Room of Seclusion spell and we can heal up and memorize spells again, but not here. Let's get out of this room first." As no one could tell what would pop out of the darkness next, they all agreed. They went back toward the room with the sleeping dwarves until they found a spot where the passage widened into a room. Galranwyn looked around for a while then walked over to the western wall and started to cast a spell. In a moment, the glowing outline of a door could be seen. Galranwyn pulled the door open and everyone walked into the strange featureless room that her spell had created in the stone of the wall. When Galranwyn came in she pulled the door closed behind her and it disappeared.

The room was silent except for the sounds the party made as they dropped their backpack on the floor and began looking in them for something to eat. Now that they were safe, Timber cast the last and weakest of his healing spells on Krom and the other wounded, but they were still wounded. The healing was not powerful enough to heal them completely.

While the others were eating, Galranwyn took the gray metal rod the drow woman had dropped and began to inspect it closely. She couldn't tell anything more about it other than before. She looked up at the rest of the group and said "I've got to find out if this item is cursed or if it has cast a spell on me. I'm going to cast my Identify spell, but it takes 8 hours of total concentration. Don't anyone bother me."

Dromar said "You may need help Galranwyn. I'll cast one too then we can be sure." Galranwyn looked at him gratefully and they both began to meditate with the item lying on the floor in front of them. The rest spent the time eating, sharpening their weapons and napping. Krom and Kilak diced quietly in the corner farthest away from the meditating mages.

After the 8 hours had passed, Galranwyn opened her eyes and began the magical hand motions that would conclude the spell. At last she said "Tell all" and pointed both forefingers at the item. Then she put her arms down in a disappointed way and said "Shit; it didn't work!". The others murmured their sympathy at the loss of 8 hours work.

Then Dromar completed his spell. His eyes glazed over for a minute and then he began to speak. "This rod was magical but all of it's spells have been used. It is now dead and can't be recharged again. It was responsible for both your headache Galranwyn and for that big push we felt. It isn't cursed and ... that's all I can see. Feel any better Galranwyn?"

"Much. Thank you Dromar. I'm so glad you didn't mind casting that spell for me."

"No problem Galranwyn, but now it's time for Dromar's bed time."

"Mine too." she answered and they spread out their sleeping cloths and went to sleep. The other spell casters followed suit so they could gain back the magical power they had used that day.

Katrina had slept while they were casting the Identify spell, so she staid up while they rested. She played her pan pipe quietly which helped the time pass for both her and the fighters who were restlessly waiting for the magical types to get ready to go again. They ate, they drank and time passed uneventfully.

Eventually, the mages awoke from their power nap and began to memorize the days spells. A quick breakfast for them and the party was ready to travel once more. Galranwyn cast her strength spells on Pisheo and Timber, then cast an armor spell on herself. Timber cast a few more minor healing spells, and everyone in the party was in cured of their wounds.

Once all agreed that they were ready to go, Galranwyn pushed on an area of the wall and a door opened leading back into the room where the spell had been cast. The filed out of the door and then assumed their battle lines. They quickly went back to the area where the darkness covered the area that the one-eyed mans map said hid a stairway down to the second level of Undermountain. Timber approached it silently and then darted his head through the blackness. It was just a curtain, and for an instant he could see an empty stairwell leading down. He pulled his head back again and told the party it looked safe to proceed.

They all walked through the dark curtain and down the stairs. At the bottom of the stairs was a passage ahead of them that came to a dead end about 60' away. Just to their left was another opening. As the front of the party passed in front of that opening, a snarling sound made them whip around and see 5 large dogs. No, not quite dogs as these had humps just behind their heads. And they had much bigger teeth than dogs.

In an instant, the dogs sprang out of their hiding place and attacked. But Dromar was ready for them. As they leapt forward, he spread the fingers of both hands wide and hooked the thumbs together. "Whoosh!" he said and a fan of fire from his fingers struck the three dogs in the front. One of them fell dead on the ground. Two others began to snap at Pisheo. Another began biting at Dromar. One jumped over the dead body of his pack mate and snarled as it attacked Timber and the last one was fighting with Krom.

The battle was short but vicious. The metal armor of the party protected them well and only Katrina suffered a wound. The rest were untouched as they cut the dogs to ribbons in a couple of minutes.

Krom wiped his sword on the fur of one of the dogs and said "So much for the doggies."

Galranwyn and Timber began to examine the bodes closely. Timber said "They're jackals." but Galranwyn corrected him saying "Not jackals, jackalwares. See, you can tell by the eyes. The pupils are slitted like cats, not round like a dogs. We better burn them. I don't want the disease to spread."

They dragged to bodies off down the dead end passage they had seen and poured oil all over them. A quick touch of flaming tinder from Katrina, and oily smoke began to fill the air. They passed quickly through the opening the jackalwere had been guarding and saw long passages stretching out on either side. There was another opening just to their left. Pisheo glanced at the old map and motioned them through the opening. This led to passages that paralleled the ones below. Now out of the cloud of oppressive smoke, Pisheo paused and updated their good map before pointing to her right. They followed her directions as she used the map from the one-eyed man to lead them through a maze of twisting passages that continued to take them to the south west. At last they came to a spot where the corridor widened into a room, and a stairway went up.

"Up the stairs and to the left and we should see the stairway leading to the third level." she said.

While Pisheo was studying her map, Timber had been keeping watch; looking into the room beyond the stairs. For an instant, he saw the head and shoulders of a very large dog become visible out of the darkness. Then the dog disappeared again.

"I just saw a dog poke his head in from the corner over there" he said pointing toward the passage on the other end of the room.

"Cool!" said Krom. "More doggies. Let's get it!" He pulled his sword and began moving toward the direction Timber had indicated. Pisheo, Timber and Dromar caught up to him and they all moved across the room and into the passage beyond. They couldn't see any dogs, but the could see the corridor continuing on out of sight. There was a single opening to their right about 20' away.

They hurried forward to that opening and saw a stairway leading up. Before they had a chance to look up at the stairway, all but Dromar were engulfed in flame! Krom cried out and screamed "I'm burning, I'm burning!" His hair, his gauntlets, his back pack and several other items had caught fire. The others were burned, but the flames on them were short lived. They turned their eyes to the stairway and saw 3 dogs at the top. They were large, gray and had eyes that glowed red even when there was no light to be reflected in them. They showed no signs of running in to attack, but seemed content to stand where they were and allow the humanoids to bring the fight to them.

Pisheo moved with incredible quickness up the stairs and screamed as she ran. One of the dogs snapped at her as she arrived at the top, but she moved aside and struck it solidly with her magical sword. It stood for a moment longer; stunned and unable to move. Then it toppled over, convulsed once and went still.

Krom and Timber followed her up a moment later, but Dromar remained at the bottom of the stairway encanting a spell. The fighters both struck the dogs with their weapons. The dogs bit at them with large sharp canines, but once again their metal armor protected them. Then the dogs inhaled deeply then breathed fire again! Dromar threw himself back into the safety of the passage way and rolled on the ground to try and put out the flames that had started consuming is backpack and clothes.Both Krom and Timber were in the path of the flames as well, and fire sprang up on Krom's clothing and several other places. Krom screamed "Set me on fire will you? I'll see you in hell before you can do that again!" He began madly swinging his two-handed sword and it bit deeply at every swing. His tremendous strength caused his weapon to bit deeply with each stroke and in a few seconds the creature lie dead before him. Only then did he use his bare hands to pat out the many small fires on himself.

Timber and Pisheo continued to stab and slash and slash and stab on the remaining dog. Galranwyn and Katrina who had started running in from the other room when they first heard the flaming breath of the creatures stood at the bottom of the stairs and started to cast their quickest spells. But a few moments longer, and the one remaining dog collapsed on the ground never to move again.

"Shit! I hate burning." cried Krom. As he inspected his equipment he found that many irreplaceable items had been ruined by the breath of the dogs. Dromar too had lost a bow and several other things to the flames. Worse than that Krom's burns were severe and very, very painful. Krom began to kick the dog in the head. "Bad dog! Bad dog!"

The rest of the party climbed the stairs and Pisheo pulled out her map again. She, Katrina and Kilana walked down the corridor. The passage behind the dogs led straight away and after a while ended in a room filled with trash and smelling of rotting flesh. They didn't bother to go in. Once they were sure there was no threat from that direction they returned to the rest of the group. Timber was casting healing spells on Krom and Dromar who were very grateful for the help.

Once he had healed them, Timber began to search around on the floor. "If we can find their lair, they might have something that would make this battle worth our while." Everyone agreed that that would be a good thing. Timber pointed to the floor saying "Look, a bloody pad print." The others could only see a tiny red spot, but they took Timbers word for how it had been made. "It leads off this way" Timber cried and led the way back down the stairs.

Pisheo continued to map the area as they went along, following Timber who was following the trail of blood spots. "They're getting bigger as we go." Timber told them. They passed through several corridors and came to a spot where 2 stairways led down from the passage and ended in rooms about 15' below the level of the floor they were standing on. At the bottom of one was a pool of dried blood.

"This way" said Timber and pointed toward the pool. They want down the stairs and began to look closely at the pool of blood. At first they couldn't tell what the blood was from as it was very old and little more that a powdery crust over the stone. But then Timber pointed and said "Look at that! A man died here." Once he had pointed it out to them they all saw that it was a bloody handprint. Timber continued to study the floor of the room carefully. Then he pointed to the bottom stair and said "There's the paw print again. This must be where they made the kill."

Dromar thought then said "Yah, they killed it here and carried it away right? I mean, if the prints get fainter as they lead away from the room, they were probably going home after the kill."

"So what?" said Timber.

"So their lair is probably back near the stairway. So lets track the prints back from this point."

Pisheo, who had been looking down the other stairway, returned to the group and said "There's nothing interesting down that way. I've got it mapped though."

"Right." said Timber. "Back the way we came."

They followed him back up the stairs to the bodies of the Hell Hounds. Looking at them from the top of the stairs Dromar said "We ought to burn these guys too. Can't be too careful with this kind of critter. They might regenerate or something. I'm gonna burn 'em."

"Wait!" cried Timber. "I want their heads." Timber then pulled out his dagger and began to carefully cut of the heads so they would be usable for mounting. It took a while, but when they were both free of their bodies, he called Galranwyn over. She held her magical bag open and looked away as Timber placed the heads inside. "There're all yours Dromar."

Dromar nodded and pulled a flask of oil which had survived the flames from the tied bandana that was serving him as a back pack. Soon the bodies were burning. People were motivated by the stench to move away from the area.

Following the tiny spots of blood away from the the burning dog bodies, they went back to the small room. The trash seemed to be concentrated along the back wall. They went over and began searching through it.

"Coins!" shouted Katrina. "I found some gold pieces."

"There are more over here and some platinum too." said Pisheo.

They searched the room for quite some time, as they kept finding valuable things mixed in with the rotting fabric, bones, wood scraps and giant dust bunnies. They piled everything they found in the center of the room. It was a sizable pile before they were willing to believe there was nothing more to be found.

Krom who had been guarding them as they searched said "Uh, guys. I'm really hurting. If something else attacks, I could be screwed and dead. Let's get out of here."

"No, not yet" whined Pisheo. "We haven't reached the third level yet." "Yah!" added Timber.

Galranwyn said "I think Krom's right. We're to beat up to go on. I can cast a teleport spell and take us all back to my room at Stormwatch. We can heal up and go back tomorrow. Besides, we have all this stuff to check out."

Timber and Pisheo were disappointed, but finally agreed to go back with the others. So Galranwyn drew the pentagram on the floor and made everyone stand inside it. Then she began to incant. A few mystic motions, and all were plunged into darkness for an instant. When the instant was over, they saw they were back in their rented Villa.

Each of them went their own way from there. Those who were un-wounded went off to find food taking the items they had found with them The wounded followed Timber to his room where he cast all of his remaining healing spells which healed them all.

After a meal and some healing, the group met again down in the ornate dining room. The stuff they had found was spread out on the table. There were two piles of coins, a small pile of large gems, a glass vial and a large wooden packing crate. They counted over a thousand gold coins and more than two hundred platinum pieces.

Pisheo went to work on the gems; using her skill to expertly establish their value. When she was done, she declared that there was almost 2500 gold pieces worth of gems in the haul.

Katrina examined the potion and saw a partially rotted label that said "Dim.." with the rest of the label unreadable. She showed it to Dromar who examined it too. They decided that the label said "Diminution".

Once the obvious things were noted, they turned to the mystery of the packing crate. It was about 3' wide, 6' long and 18" thick. There was a old and tattered label on it. Inspecting it closely they saw "Halaster - 89 Gold Street - Waterdeep".

Galranwyn said musingly "Halaster, Halister. Where have I heard that name before?"

"Shall I do the honors?" Pisheo asked the others. They all nodded, so she pulled a crowbar from her pack and set to work. She pried the rusting nails out of the rotting wood, taking extreme care not to disturb whatever might be inside. After an hours work, she had remove all but a couple of nails who's head had broken off. Then she started to work on removing the wooden lit. Creaking and groaning, the lid was pried off of the crate and with a final pull it came off.

Inside was a large, flat item contained in a bag of rotting black velvet. Using her dagger, Pisheo pried or cut away the last few pieces of wood that held it in place. Then she stood up and said "Little help here guys?" Katrina and Galranwyn positioned themselves on both sides of the opposite end of the crate and on the count of "Three!" they lifted the heavy flat thing free of the case and set it on the ground. It was still wrapped in the ancient velvet. Katrina had seen something float free of the item as they lifted it. She picked up a small sheet of paper and read it aloud to the others.

"Dear Halister,

I shall be forever sorry that I was not able to set the deadline we had agreed upon, but I hope most fervently that the efficacy of my creation will make up for it's tardiness. It's operation is as follows:
If you stand so you can see a person reflected in the mirror, then say the words "My mind to yours" and you will be able to read the thoughts of the one reflected.
If you face the mirror concentrate on a place where you have been before and say the words "I can see far away" it will act as a very large scrying device.
If you concentrate mightily on one of the places on the map which you sent me, a vision of that place will appear. If you then continue to concentrate and step forward, you will be instantly transported to the spot in the mirror.
And last, once per day, you may ask a question about a person reflected in the mirror, and your question will be answered.
Hoping that you will find this wonderful mirror to your satisfaction,

I remain yours faithfully, Grahabora Kilinafaka"

"What now?" asked Katrina.

"I guess we open it." answered Pisheo. "Should I do the honors?"

"Go ahead" Galranwyn told her. "But be careful! You don't know that it isn't guarded."

With infinite care, Pisheo cut the string that held the top of the bag closed, then pulled the velvet bag down. Inside was a gold framed mirror about 2' wide and 5' high. It was beautiful. The gilt work and the silvering of the mirror had not suffered at all by their long wait. A moment later, the image of a wizened old human appeared in the mirror. It seemed to Pisheo that the old man looked right at her. They all heard a voice say "Thank you again Halister. The mirror is now keyed to you." Then the image faded.

"Well Pisheo, it looks like you got yourself a mirror." said Katrina. "I'll bet it won't work for anyone else."

"We will have to try it out, but not now. I'm beat. I'm going to sleep" and with that Pisheo went up to her room on the third floor. The rest followed suit very soon thereafter, and it seem a good time to set away the characters of Local 509 and allow the players to resume their normal lives.