Demonweb: By Invitation Only

• Deadana - a Gnomish warrior, whose fighting prowess is only matched by her capacity to eat.
• Lars - a Dwarven priest of dry wit, he taunts his enemies from behind impregnable defenses
• Philia - a determined, mercurical Elven priestess, skilled with bow and spell
• Sir Robert - an Orcish barbarian with a strong moral compass
• Tespin - a deep Gnomish rogue, unseen and deadly to the hated Drow
• Thorir - an Elven wizard practiced in dark arts
• Sir William - a shinning paladin, glib of tongue and misunderstood by his companions

Sir William has leaped to the top of the wall to engage Eclavdra in personal combat. (See how he got there: The Fane of Eclavdra.) He slashed her with the Star of Light, his +1 Holy Sword. Eclavdra tried to inflict Sir William with a greater curse, but failed. Bob and Thorir burst through the door to engage the Drow that had come to reinforce the temple. The arcane archer and priestess among them managed to poison Deadana. Philia used a wind wall to dissipate the swarm that turned on her killing her summoned celestial dog after Tespin was overwhelmed.

Sir William slashed Eclavdra again. She responded by casting a harm upon him. Suddenly Sir William was near death. Lars called his Griffon to him leaped upon its back and flew up to Sir William, healing him just in time. Angered, Eclavdra cast a blasphemy. Sir William and Lars fell to the ground paralyzed, while two Yochlols, Handmaidens of Lolth appeared next to Eclavdra and more Drow came out of a secret door at the base of her tower. Eclavdra leered triumphantly down upon the remaining heros. "No one enters the Demonweb of Lolth uninvited!"

The situation looked grim. Philia, blind, she searched her pockets and withdrew the invitation to the Demon Council. "I have an invitation right here! For all of us!" Eclavdra shrieked in rage. "STOP!" The Drow put up their weapons. Bob could not help sticking his sword through the chest of a priestess before stepping back. "Let me see that," ordered Eclavdra. Thorir used his telekinesis to transport the invitation to Eclavdra's hand. Philia added, " You have attacked the envoys of Orcus, here to participate in Lolth's council." Eclavdra examined the document, which literally dripped evil, before tossing it aside. "My apologies," Eclavdra purred, "Accidents happen. You may leave now. Ingelli! Show them out!" Eclavdra disappeared back into her tower.

Eclavdra Eilservs
 Monster Manual 3 (2010) Eva Widermann 

One of the Drow priestesses stepped before the party as they gathered themselves together. Thorir helped Philia retrieve the invitation. "I am Ingelli. I am here to show you out." Philia protested. They needed a place to rest. Ingelli answered that though they regretted the misunderstanding and the inconvenience caused, the priestesses of the Fane were under no obligation to render assistance. The ambassadors were free to find what shelter they could in the Demonweb. Meanwhile the Drow behind her were removing the dead and attempting to clean up the damage. Ingelli escorted the party to the entrance of the Fane and closed the door behind them. The party decided to rest to regain their spells and learn cure blindness for Philia. 

The party was preparing to continue on after resting, when the door to the Fane slammed open. Eclavdra stepped out. "I have decided to escort you and speed you through the Demonweb to your destination. I wish to observe how you pass the Black Gate." The party argued back and forth, whether they should accept and what Eclavdra's motivations could be. They accepted. Eclavdra lead them off down one of the tunnels. They marched for what felt like miles. They came to a part of the tunnel where the walkway was broken. Eclavdra summoned demonic spiders to rebuild the web. She lead them past a sporebat lair. She lead them to the Silver Door. Sir William destroyed a number of undead, cowering, unseen, in their holes.

Finally they arrived at the Black Gate. A huge demon, Kashtigur, stood guard. Thorir withdrew a scroll from his robe and safely read the password in the Black Speech. Satisfied, the demon stood aside and the door opened. Eclavdra closed her mouth and went to move forward. Philia said that they no longer needed her escort. At that Eclavdra's lip went straight, she turned on her heels, and walked off.

Beyond the Black Gate, the party was confronted by two Drow warlocks, Ruthenoc and Saz'zt. The accepted the invitation from Lolth, presented by Philia and directed the party down the left corridor. When asked what lay to the right, they answered Displacer Beasts. The party asked if they could trust them. The warlocks answered that their orders were to direct the ambassadorial parties to the left. Lars decided that they had gone on long enough without rest. He summoned a hero's feast and they dined with the two Drow. Fortunately, Tespin was not around, otherwise one of the Drow warlocks might have been served a knife in his back for dessert.


After the meal, the party followed the instructions of Ruthenoc and Saz'zt. They descended further into the darkness. Philia and Thorir discovered a secret door in the passage. This lead to a chamber where two Drow and two demons were arguing.  The argument was whether the council should be called Lolth's Council or Graz'zt's Council. The party showed their invitation so the demons just ignored them. They found another secret door at the back of the chamber and descended further. Finally they came to a large chamber. A huge stone spider-shaped golem guarded the entrance to the council chamber. Philia showed their invitation and the golem moved its legs aside.


To be continued...