Several swarms of disease-infested, shit-covered rats rushed the adventurers — some of the beasts measuring over three feet tall. The party fought back, and though more scurried out from the nearby sewer tunnels to join the fight, they were no match for Team Ramrod. A few moments were all it took to dispatch every last one of them.

After the fight, the party continued on through the long passageway. After several hundred feet it ended at a solid stone wall. The waste water to their right flowed into a grate within the wall, disappearing from view.  Their way forward wasn’t blocked, however. The wall also contained the entrance to a tunnel. Mystic peered in and saw that it led into darkness. 

Before heading in, the party searched the room around them. There were several points of interest. Lumber stood piled on the left side of the room. Several crates were stacked nearby. Both the lumber and crates were covered in a thick layer of webbing. But this wasn’t the most interesting part. Hanging from the ceiling by thick strands of webbing was a cocoon. It was roughly five feet long, the shape appeared to vaguely be that of a human. While Dare burned through the webs that stretched across the crates and lumber, Mercarri headed to the cocoon. It was just out of reach.

Nazzeth levitated her to give her the boost she needed to cut it down. With Mystic’s short sword, Mercarri sliced through the strands of web from which it hung, and the cocoon dropped to the stone floor below with a squishy thud. On impact, a swarm of spiders burst out, skittering off in all directions.  

Mercarri wasted no time in cutting whatever was inside free. While she did so carefully, Dare and Lilvari searched through the crates. They found nothing but bottles of rat poison and rat traps. The crates seemed to belong to those who maintain the sewer.

“It is a human,” Mercarri called out. The others gathered around the sliced-open cocoon. Inside, was what looked to be an older man. He was completely drained of fluids. His skin was pale and leathery, drawn tight against the bones. She searched him and found a few copper pieces, a ring and a key with a diamond-shaped bow. The search complete, they finally headed into the tunnel. 

After following it for several hundred feet, they found themselves at the entrance to another large room. A slight breeze reached them from somewhere ahead. The room itself was cut off from its entrance by another channel of wastewater. In fact, it seemed as if most of this room was surrounded by narrow channels of water. Pipes jutted out every so many feet, dumping more water and waste into the stream. There were also several pipes spanning the channel that separated Team Ramrod from the room. It seems as if they didn’t have to rely on jumping across the water this time. 

One by one, they began to cross. There were several slips, but in the end, only Nazzeth fell off the pipe and into the sludge. He quickly climbed out, again covered in filth. As Mystic headed over, she scraped off the algae from the pipe along the way, making it that much easier for her, and Mercarri who followed, to get across.

After crossing, they took a better look at their surroundings. Spider webs hung thickly from the vaulted ceiling, which was, at its height, thirty feet or so above. They tittered slightly as if caught in a breeze. Gazing across the long expanse of the room, Team Ramrod saw the source — another tunnel leading into darkness. They also spied something else — three more cocoons next to the tunnel. These ones were in an upright position, leaning against the wall. The party started in that direction, but as they crossed the room, found something else that caused them to stop. A pit, the diameter of which was about ten feet wide, was in the center of the room. It was hard to see what was inside because thick webs covered its mouth. They could, however, see the streaks of blood leading down into it, coming from the direction of the tunnel. Lilvari asked Nazzeth to burn the webs away.

Once he had, they gazed into the depth of the pit. They were able to make out the glitter of armor as well as several limbs. Bodies — a pile of them about twenty feet below the surface of the pit. As they leaned over taking in the gruesome sight, a strange green glow began flickering around them. Everyone quickly stood, but Nazzeth wasn’t quick enough. The green glow fused to his armor and his body, causing him to shine with a bright, green aura.

Everyone’s eyes darted in different directions, scanning for the source. It wasn’t until three arrows shot out in quick succession did they see what lurked above them: Standing upside down from the ceiling was a large creature with the body of a spider and the upper torso of a humanoid.  It was holding a bow. It’s red eyes glowered at them, but it’s foul mouth curled into a smile as Nazzeth dropped to the ground — two of the three arrows protruding from his chest.

“Awaken my children,” the creature said. “Awaken and feed.” 

Just then, from several corners of the room, large tufts of white, cottony webs that the party failed to notice beforehand, began to rupture. Hundreds of small spiders poured out, all skittering towards Team Ramrod.