After disposing of the Flameskull, the adventurers took a short rest in what they deemed a safer area of the mine. After they felt refreshed, they headed back up the stairs, to where the door at the west end of the Flameskull’s cavern stood. Dare tested it. It didn’t open, but it wasn’t locked. Something was blocking it. From inside, he heard voices, speaking in goblin, talking about it being those damned zombies again. 

Dare told them not to worry, that the zombies and the Flameskull were no more. The door opened. Inside stood five bugbears, armed and ready to battle — or were they? There was fright in their eyes. With a little persuasion (and some of his rations), the bugbears explained what they were doing there:

“We’re the front lines against those damned creatures. Our boss told us that we’re to stay here until he comes up with a plan to advance further into the mine.”

Dare asked the bugbears if they could take them to see their boss. They hesitated at first, but then agreed. Three bugbears stayed back while two others escorted the adventures to a different chamber deeper in the mine. The large room the adventurers were brought to must have been a temple of some kind. Towards the rear is a nine foot tall statue of a dwarf seated on a throne, a mighty stone warhammer across his lap. It wasn’t alone in the room. Standing in the center, poring over a table full of maps and documents was a drow dressed in a dark cape. He looked up at his visitors. 

“Well, this is a surprise,” he said. The party notices two large spiders skitter out from behind the statue, cautious and ready. The drow introduces himself as Nezznar. “But you might know of me as The Black Spider.” 

He explained that he owns the mine, that the Rockseeker brothers work for him. Then he offered them a job.

“I know you,” he said. “I’ve been keeping an ear tilted in your direction ever since you’ve arrived at Phandalin. And because I know you, I know that you’re always opened to certain opportunities. I’ve had some small setbacks with reaching the Forge of Spells — as you’ve seen. From what my cohorts tell me, you are more than capable of taking care of these setbacks. For helping me secure the Forge of Spells, I will let you keep whatever treasure you find.”

The adventurers are hesitant to accept the agreement, especially Lilvari who, with her eyes, try to remind the rest of them that this is the same Black Spider who worked with Glass Staff, the same one who was giving orders to waylay Gundren Rockseeker and steal the map to Wave Echo Cave. The message doesn’t get across. Dare accepts Nezznar’s proposal. Happy with their arrangement, Nezznar sends one of his spiders down a corridor to the East. A few minutes later, it returns with Tharden, one of Gundren’s brothers. He assures the party that they are doing fine, that they do indeed work for Nezznar.

The adventurers head out, searching for the Forge of Spells. A giant spider and Tharden bring up the rear. They head back through the large cavern where they battled the Flameskull. They then follow the empty channel to a small tunnel to the east. It leads to a cavern so large, that there are actual buildings partially carved into the rock. The first one they come across is badly charred, the iron door melted. Dare uses all his strength to push open the door. 

From inside comes a strange green glow. They’re in a small room containing workbenches that are filled with bits and bobs. In the center of the room is a brazier emitting a ghostly green light. “It’s the Forge of Spells,” Thundren says from behind them, exasperated.  

“Hello.” A warbly voice comes from within their own heads. Peeking out from behind the brazier, hovering a few feet off the ground, is a reddish creature with several eyes attached at the end of tentacles. Centered on its face, above a mouth filled with sharp teeth is a giant eye. It looks at them curiously. 

They’re able to talk to it in common. It replies in their mind, also in common. It tells them that it’s glad to see them, but they cannot take anything from the room. Doing so will force it to ‘kill them.’ They find out that its master entrusted it to guard this room over 500 years ago, and it has been doing so ever since, waiting for its master’s return. 

At about this time, they hear the door open behind them. Thundren and the spider have both took off. Lilvari has a bad feeling that they’ve been setup, but it seems they have enough trouble in front of them. They continue to talk to the creature.

The adventurers try to explain that its master is surely dead, but it doesn’t believe it. “My master will return any day,” it says. Dare, trying his luck once again, tells it that it is his long long master. After careful persuasion, the creature believes it. Dare relieves it of its task, and it disappears. The threat gone, the adventurers search the small room. They find two powerful, magic items: a mace called Lightbringer and a breast plate called Dragonguard. As they’re looking about, Mercarri decides to put her mace in the green fire. After a minute or so, she’s surprised to see that her mace starts glowing the same green color. It feels more powerful. The others start putting in their weapons, which also begin to glow one by one.