On the morning of April 13th you set off again, refreshed and recharged. The wide tunnel continues northwest until late morning, when it turns west. It continues in this direction until late afternoon, then curves back to the northwest. After another mile or so it once again curves west, then ends at a large cavern.
Before you is a large, faintly lit (by glowing lichens here and there on the ceiling and walls) cavern. It is oriented northwest-southeast. To the northwest, it extends perhaps a half a mile. You cannot see how far it extends off in other directions, thanks to the gloom. The floor of the cavern is actually some 100' below. A rough ledge runs from the opening where you now stand, down the wall to the right and to the floor. The place seems to be damp. Stalactites, stalagmites and curtains of rock in many colours glisten faintly, and you hear water dripping. Perhaps a quarter of a mile away is a lake, whose full dimensions you cannot see. An unpleasant odour, perhaps that of rot or feces, faintly tickles your nostrils.
Then, off to the southeast, you hear a bellow, such as only a giant would make. The sound is faint and distant, though, and you cannot see the source of the noise.
Jon offers, "I will scout if you want, though I don't like the stench."
Farad looks about. "I'll turn ethereal and fly the circumference of the lake, and do two criss crosses as well across its surface to see what can be found."
Jon says, "Guess I just wait, then."
The elf doublechecks to make certain nothing is nearby that might pose an immediate threat, and then fades and heads off.
Brennon waits with the others for the return of Farad to find out what awaits in the cavern below.
Mikodin waits with Jon to see what is found. He also brings up the subject of training.
"Perhaps this might be a good place to stop and consider returning to the surface for advancement. Some of us are in need of training, and at our levels of experience, need to take every opportunity for advancement so that we might contribute more to the group as we adventure against these evil drow."
Jo-owrn nods.
"Let's see what Farad finds. If it's nasties we should deal with them before heading out."
An hour passes before Farad returns. He reports that waiting behind some rubble at the bottom of the path down to the bottom of the cavern was a troll. As he approached, the troll began to move down a faint trail, evidently having become aware of the party at the entrance above him. Farad followed him in the border ethereal, until eventually the troll arrived at a small encampment, perhaps a half a mile southeast. There, a giant two-headed troll and six more ordinary trolls were fighting over the remains of a giant lizard that they had killed. When the newcomer arrived, though, all attentions were on him, as he apparently warned them of your presence. As Farad turned to return to you, the trolls and the giant two-headed troll were setting out back to the cave entrance, perhaps to lay an ambush for you.
Jon says, "I fear these are a bit too big for me. I'll just watch and take pot shoots with theses hand crossbows."
Jon loads all three drow crossbows with recently acquired darts with extreme care and gloves.
"Mikodin, perhaps they could chase you into our trap? Just a thought."
Aldarin says, "Perhaps we could set up our own ambush and have someone draw them into it. I could light up a few arrows to fire into them from this high vantage point."
He looks around. "Otherwise, if Farad can locate their exact hiding place, I could use a web spell to maybe block a few of them until we finish off the others."
"An ambush would be a good idea...but just a reminder here. These are trolls. That means that they regenerate. We need to have some flame," says Kelar. "I like the idea of a web spell and then light it on fire would be a good plan."
"This looks like the perfect setting. Now all we need is some bait. Perhaps, Farad, we could do the ole Web and Invisibility spell combo to capture a few."
Jon says, "I could be wrong but I don't think web will hold them..."
Aldarin says, "Actually it would only have to hold them for a few moments, just long enough for us to take out the others. Plus, webs are highly flammable, and will lend to our cause when trying to ignite the trolls," he finishes with a smile.
Jon nods. "Oooh...it's such a learning experience travelling with true adventurers."
Mikodin nods as if in agreement with the others, then says, "Perhaps, I can run down and act as 'the bait', as someone suggested. And if they are setting an 'ambush' for us, I could pretend to walk into it and be 'surprised', running away only after I was sure they were going to follow. By shooting my crossbow at them each time I get too big a lead on them, I think I could anger them enough to keep chasing me."
Aldarin agrees. "Sounds like we have a plan. Let's do it. Farad if you want we can wait until we hear Mikodin coming and then coordinate our spells, me with the web and you with the invisibility. Mikodin, you pick a spot where we will place the webs and then when you pass the point we will cast them. That away you know exactly where we will be attacking them."
Aldarin then prepares 6 arrows with cloth soaked with oil and places them next to him with his bow. He then looks around to the group and asks, "Can one of you light me up when I start firing?"
Jon says, "Sounds like a good plan. One improvement: I will accompany Mikodin and hide prior to the trolls running after him, just in case he gets into trouble. I can attack from behind if things get desperate."
Jon takes one of the two extra drow crossbows and an additional quiver and hides them, then prepares to accompany Mikodin...with one loaded.
Sharone takes out 2 pints of oil and a torch that she will light just before you begin our descent into the cave.
"The size of this cave lends itself to us starting this battle with a fireball if any of the mages are so prepared," suggests Sharone, remembering the searing heat of the drow fireball.
Raz has a lightning spell at the ready.
"I'm afraid I'll burn someone if I use a fireball..so I'll stick with lightning until all are clear," he comments.
Aldarin suggests, "If you try to strike the rear of the group of trolls you should have no trouble missing the rest of our group being that most of us are remaining on the ledge. If this group is as large as Farad suggests, a dozen or so, a fireball will probably only strike about half of them at one time."
Raz nods. "Good Point. I'll use a fireball instead."
His eyes widen with excitement as he readies a fireball spell instead of the lightning spell. When the trolls appear he'll follow Aldrian's suggestion and fire off a fireball spell at the rear of the troll group.
Attempting to coordinate with everyone, Aldarin will cast his web spell between Mikodin and the trolls as they come into sight hoping to catch the first few trolls from their momentum then will begin firing his flaming arrows into these same trolls hoping to ignite the web also, that's if Raz's fireball doesn't do the same.
Brennon will ready himself for combat by preparing to cast magic missile at the closest troll when they get close enough.
You hurriedly finish your preparations, and Mikodin heads down the sloping ledge with Jon, invisible, behind him.
As he approaches the floor of the cavern area, Mikodin hears troll-grunts from ahead. Apparently they are not very good at maintaining silence. Suddenly, though, troll leaps out at him from behind a jumble of rocks! The monk jumps back and runs back up the ledge towards the rest of you with the troll in hot pursuit and howling loudly. The remaining six trolls come charging after him, with the giant two-headed troll bringing up the rear. They run past Jon, who has pressed himself to the wall of the cave, but one of the trolls must have sniffed him out, or else some piece of his equipment clinked, for suddenly he lashes out with a claw and catches the invisible elf for 5 hit points.
The rest of the monsters run past Jon, leaving only one flailing the air, hoping to connect with him again. The rest of them are still charging after the monk, who has opened up a safe gap between himself and his pursuers.
Spells start to fly.
Raz lets loose with his fireball, and a blazing sphere of hellfire engulfs the ledge, catching all of the monsters but the one back with Jon. Four of the trolls come running out of the flames, all badly hurt, and the two-headed fellow staggers out, too, almost dead. The other two trolls are incinerated.
The four lead trolls immediately run into Aldarin's web, set up from a high point and running down and across the ledge in a triangular fashion. The giant, two headed troll skids to a stop before he runs into his compatriots.
Four trolls are caught in the webs, at least for the moment. The two-headed troll seems to be a bit confused as to what to do. The last troll, further down the path, is flailing about, hoping to connect with Jon again.
Mikodin makes sure that a safe distance lies between himself and the nearest troll, then takes out his crossbow and shoots at the troll trying to dismember Jon, all the while yelling at Jon's last known location, "Move back toward where they came from, Jon! That will keep you out of fireball damage range!"
His bolt flies wide.
Brennon lets fly with his magic missles against the two-headed troll who looks extremely hurt.
One missile is enough to kill it.
Jon takes evasive action and slowly moves out of the reach of the troll down the trail. The troll does not become aware of his stealthy exit, and continues to flail about blindly.
Aldrin begins firing flaming arrows into the webbed trolls hoping to catch the web on fire also.
"Those with spells, help Jon out."
In his excitement, both of Aldarin's arrows fly way wide, completely missing the webbing and the trolls, who are starting to heal.
Sharone moves over towards Aldarin, torch and flint ready for action.
Raz pauses for a moment and reviews the situation. Seeing things well in hand he decides to cast a simple magic missle spell to aid in the fight. He directs the missiles to the troll attacking Jon.
His spell badly hurts the troll, but does not kill it.
Farad draws his sword and after waiting for all the spells to fly, moves in to battle the remaining trolls directly. Jo-owrn is with him, while and Humphrey and Britan follow up.
The four fighters quickly make short work of the webbed trolls.
Then, Jo-owrn speaks words of magic, and launches off a magic missile spell at the last troll, and it drops also.
Jon rushes back, and you torch all the bodies.
"Good work!" says Jo-owrn, looking pleased. "I say we search their lair and then head back to the surface in the morning. What do you think?"
"Sound like a good idea to me," replies Raz, "I could use some fresh air."
Mikodin nods in the affirmative, and says, "Not only do I need to see the blue sky and green plants, but I need to again go to the monastery and train."
Looking at the charred remains of the trolls, Mikodin comments, "These creatures are surely hideous in appearance. They look quite powerful, if a bit slow."
This last is said with a large grin on his face.
Jon comments, "That was almost too close again. Let's look for the lair."
When you are ready, you head down to the floor of the large cavern. At the bottom, two faint trails are found, heading west and southeast, respectively. Farad directs you southeast, and a fter a half a mile you come to what is obviously the lair of the trolls: consisting of a fire pit, where a lizard is roasting, and a hole in the stony floor of the cavern. The fire has burned low, and the lizard - having been forgotten when the trolls went after you - is now badly charred. The entire area is littered with bones, junk, offal and excrement.
You venture to explore the hole in the floor, and find that it opens into another cave, but a small one one this time (perhaps 20' square). Apart from the usual unsavoury troll-filth, you also find 667sp, 2 small gems (10gp ea.), a potion, a suit of leather armour (human-sized), a tattered leather cloak and two larger gems (100gp ea.).
Jon searches for magic and traps.
He finds no traps. The potion, armour and cloak all radiate magic.
You retreat back towards the shore of the lake to the northwest with the loot, and make a camp.