It was now time to make a decision. We had considered many options and none of them looked good from our particular, precarious position. Ultimately, we needed to get down the hag tunnel as quickly as possible and without all of us lining up to be hit with another lightning bolt. The first task was to get rid of the webs, followed by a two front battle with the Hags and the Spider creatures.
Nim and Akkiir had scouted below and verified that the tunnel was webbed up again. It was decided that we would use torches combined with Uphir's acid breath to clear out the webs. Tetsuo came up with an idea to use wide branches to make the torches more effective and clothing was gathered up to use as an alternative.
The plan worked fairly well in it's first phase. Torches were hurled up the tunnel to burn through the first fifteen feet of webs or so, and then Uphir exhaustedly trudged up the corridor and blasted off an impressive surge of corrosive acid straight up the tunnel. With our passage through prepared - Akkiir and Tetsuo ran up past Uphir to the end of the hall to battle the hags. Nim, Janlynn and I were to battle the spider creatures who clung to the ceiling and were now using our scorpion corpse for cover.
The spider creatures were kept busy firing their sticky webbing down upon our group, momentarily capturing Uphir, who easily ripped through their adhesive net. Nim and I used our ranged attacks against the horrors while Janlynn tried to position herself to best aid those who needed her the most. After some web attacks, the monsters came down to attack with their wicked bites and claws. Soon both Janlynn and Uphir were wounded and I found myself bound up in webbing, watching one of the the wretched beasts bear down on me.
At the other end of the hall, Akkir and Tetsuo had to dodge the attacks of strange "trapper" creatures who looked like, and blended in with, the walls. The tunnel narrowed down and Akkiir and Tetsuo could see the three hags there, ready to do battle. Akkiir began his dance and decisive strikes against the first of the hags, stabbing deep with his silvered sword. One of the hags tried to transform him (as they had previously tried with Nim) into a frog, but failed. A lightning bolt shot out through the tunnel, wounding some in the group badly.
Uphir turned her wrath upon the attacking spider creature, even as Janlynn moved forward to use her healing miracles upon our large friend. Trapped as I was, I still managed to blast off a few fey blasts, knocking back my opponent even as he kept rushing in for a nibble at my noggin. Before we knew it, the spider creature on Uphir was dead and she now found herself dealing with bigger problems - The trappers! Nim had rushed forward to help the front ranks.
At the front - Tetsuo tried to put an end to the hag's spell chanting by using his uncanny powers to cast a blanket of silence over them, but this was countered by their potent magic. For his effort, Tetsuo found himself falling under the effects of a sleep spell! Akkiir was forced to cast a magical shield up in front of himself to deflect the deluge of magic missiles from the cackling hags.
Tetsuo must have heard my cries at my end of the hall, because when he was revived he charged down the tunnel to come to my aid, quickly defeating the creature with his expertly wielded quarterstaff. He then helped me escape my webbing. I can't express how grateful I am for my friend Tetsuo. There was no way I was going to escape that creature alone.
Uphir soon found herself completely wrapped up in the malleable form of the Trapper. Even as the life was being squeezed out of her, she fought on defiantly - hacking with her great axe with all of her strength. Janlynn tried to help and found herself engulfed as well! Tetsuo and I rushed forward to help just as Uphir erupted from the writhing form of her trapper, covered in gore and ichor. We all turned our attacks towards Janlynn's plight and helped fell her monstrous trapper as well.
At the front, the battle with the hags continued with barrage after barrage of magic missiles directed at Akkiir who was throwing up shield after magical shield in front of the magic attacks, barely able to keep them at bay. The Hag who had been at the front dealing with Akkiir had fled to the rear and Nim deftly ran through the legs of friend and foe alike to attack the wounded hag with fury. The onslaught finally burst through his defenses and Akkir took the brunt of the missiles, staggering him. Nim and Akkir fought bravely in the face of immense magical damage to finally fell one of the Hags!
As it fell in defeat, it's form turned from that of an old hag to that of a dark fiend of the Abyss - truly horrible to look upon. Even as that hag died and the last trapper was defeated, the remaining two hags dispersed into a dark mist. They had fled!
Nim rushed beyond the fallen hag into a room beyond. This looked like the actual lair of the evil creatures. Bedding lay about as well as a wooden armoire of sorts. Inside this cupboard was found stacked crates and inside two of them was a terrified child. I know that Nim must have found some relief knowing that we were able to save at least two children from the despicable hags.
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