You head in, and spend the morning exploring the first two levels of Snurre's stronghold again, just in case something has moved in during your absence. Nothing has, so you head down to the bottom level.
At the bottom of the tunnel leading to this level, you pause and consider where to go today.
Sharone says a quiet prayer to Idun. " Things are likely to get dangerous from here on."
She takes her position in the marching order and holds a continual light bullet aloft to light the way.
Jon says, "Mikodin, what about in the middle next to me...I been involved in two battles recently and they have been tough."
Aldarin assumes a position in the front near Farad with his flaming sword out and ready, "Let's finish this..."
You return to the cave chamber of lava, from whence the last lot of drow came.
Arriving there, you see that it is unchanged since your last visit.
Carefully, one at a time, you cross the bridge that spans the river of lava.
To the north, you now see a large (30' deep X 40' wide) area. There is a door in the back wall, northeast corner. There are also some other items in here.
You go and take a look. Obviously they are items from the drow: some small wineskins, some packs of food (unappealing stuff such as dried and salted mushrooms, lichen pastes and such) and bedrolls. In one rolled up pouch, though, you find 400pp.
You open the door.
Through it you see a standard room (10' X 20': 10' north, 10' west). It is bare, and searching turns up nothing.
You explore the rest of this half of the cavern, and find nothing else of interest or value.
Finally, you face the passage that runs north-northwest out of the cavern. It runs off into darkness, sloping slightly downwards. A light, damp draft wafts out of it.
"You want to head into the underworld now, or finish exploring this level of Snurre's stronghold?" asks Jo-owrn.
"Maybe we should make sure that there is nothing left on this level before traking into the underworld," Brennon says with a slight shiver staring into the enveloping darkness of the passageway ahead, "I would hate to think we might have enemies in front of us as well as behind us, should things get drastic. Although I will follow whereever you lead."
Jon says, "Yea, I agree."
Mikodin, who has gladly taken up the suggested place of in the middle of the party, nods in agreement, and says, "I, too, agree we should make sure of our past before heading into our future."
Aldarin exclaims, "This makes a lot more sense than the alternative."
Farad looks down the tunnel anxiously, but turns away. "Best finish this level off. Hate to come back up and find something has blocked our exit."
You turn away and return across the bridge. You spend a long day searching the caves and tunnels of the bottom level of Snurre's old stronghold. You find nothing of interest or value, until at last you head down a tunnel which forks...each fork leading into the same cavern.
The cave is about 40' wide at the double entrance, narrowing to a point at the far end, some 60' away.
About 40' away from you, you spot a horrible creature...a chitinous-plate covered sphere, perhaps 6' in diameter, which floats perhaps 5' off of the cave floor. What really horrifies you, though, are the eyes: ten of them on short stalks, and one extraordinarily malevolent one in the middle of the sphere, located above a large, toothy mouth.
"Beholder!" exclaims Leslie, and turns invisible.
The eyes stare at you...
Suddenly Farad is lifted off of his feet and sent smashing into the ceiling of the cavern, some 20' above. Then, he drops to the floor. He suffers 16 hit points in all.
A ray shoots out of a second eye, striking Humphrey. He feels an unreasoning terror seize him...then, he glances at Britan beside him, sampling a lichen off of the wall, and his fears recede.
Another ray from another eye strikes Beth...and...s h e....s l o w s.....d o w n. . .
Kelar launches a magic missile spell at the beast, and then follows up with swords.
His missiles burn into the beholder.
"Quickly! Cut the stalks off! It is our only chance," says Kelar quickly as he charges.
Aldarin rushes forward with his flaming sword. At the last moment he attempts to slide under the beast and plunge his sword into the bottom of it.
Mikodin charges the creature at full speed to melee with the creature, using bare hands, and hoping that a Beholder doesn't require magical weapons to hit! At any rate, his presence should distract the creature from Aldarin's tactics somewhat (at least, Mikodin hopes he's doing some good).
Farad fades out of sight.
Jon (invisible and wearing drow equipment) moves to attack from behind.
Sharone thinks, ' do we have a prayer ? ' She then decides to cast a prayer before wading into the nearest eye stalk with her new mace.
Brennon casts a magic missle at the creature.
Ayazin once again turns and faces the party's rear. "Keep an eye out for incoming drow!" he shouts, and begins casting Animal Summoning I (giant rats) for reinforcements.
Humphrey moves to roll underneath the eye if possible. However, many other people have the same idea.
As you move forward to swarm it, it begins to float slowly upwards. Aldarin, Humphrey, Mikodin and Jon are able to get attacks before it is too far above them, but Kelar is just an instant too late.
Humphrey connects with his second blade as his first bounces off of the beholder's exoskeleton.
Aldarin strikes it in the central eye, and the creature rumbles a pained growl.
Mikodin, however, misses.
Jon appears as he swings Geezo, but fans.
Eight rats come running up to Ayazin.
The beholder, some dozen feet above you, now, begins to drift back into the narrow portion of the cave. Those people under it try to move with it, if only to avoid its eyes. Suddenly a ray shoots out of one of its eyes, directed at Rameen. The dwarf jumps aside just in time...and a chunk of rock behind him ceases to exist.
At the same another ray strikes Britan, and he is petrified.
Farad reappears under the beholder with the rest of the crowd, looking healthy and rested...but unable to reach his foe.
Tabrina also pops into view as she opens fire with magic missiles. Her first spell burns into its body, but then it fixes its central eye upon her. A ray shoots from it, and absorbs the remainder of her spells.
Suddenly Leslie the ranger appears in the air just below it, attacking with longsword and dagger. She buries her blade to the hilt into its underbelly, and kills it.
The dead beholder drops onto her, sending them both crashing to the floor of the cave. Those people below scatter. At the last instant its course seems to deflect slightly, and Leslie is saved from being crushed.
She scrambles to her feet and smiles.
"Good job!" she exclaims breathlessly.
You search the cave, and find 1000pp, five potions and three scrolls.
There is still the matter of the petrified cavalier to attend to.
Mikodin stands momentarily shocked: He is alive after meleeing with a beholder, and the party defeated it.
"I'm afraid I must confess," he says to the group in general, "I was so excited during the fight that I don't remember if I hit it or not. Did anyone see?"
"You tried," says Laurie. "Good work!"
Ayazin says, "No matter, it is dead and as you say, we are fortunate that we suffered as little as we have. Remember that we can all learn from these combats, no matter whether we land a blow or contribute in some other way."
After he gets his answer, Mikodin tries to meekly suggest that, "If no one can un-petrify the cavalier, perhaps one of the newly found potions or scrolls will aid him."
Ayazin snorts. "A stone man drinking a potion! That I'd like to see. I have nothing to help poor Britan, alas. Are we due for another trip to Sandas so soon?"
Walking up to the statue, Aldarin states, "We did very well to destroy such a beast with only one casualty. Does anyone have any magic that will return him to his natural state?"
Laurie shakes her head.
Jo-owrn shakes his head.
Leslie shakes her head.
Tabrina shakes his head.
"Time to go to Sandas," says Jo-owrn. "Probably a good time, seeing as how we've finished the dungeon."
You struggle and get Britan into the portable hole, then follow suit. Tabrina teleports you back to Laurie's temple.
There, you rest and recover, overnight.