Synopsis: Grand Quest II-Part 2

But Darkness and the Gloomy Shade of Death Environ You

Continued from Part 1

59 days left

The next "day", the Ghouls lead the party to Shuggob's dwelling. The Fomorians have him under house arrest because they hope to learn more of his secrets. Differel is suspicious that there are so few guards around, which is shared by others, but there is little choice. Medb, Tokoyo, and Sunny easily take down the guards. With Sunny, Ceara, Karella, Victor, Saighlíne, Ssas'sashu'ra, Uilmheidhrea, and Capt. Ney's Ghouls held in reserve, Medb goes down with Eile, Differel, Kami, Morgiana, Tokoyo, and Marrowsucker's Ghouls. They meet no resistance, and Medb enters the dwelling with Eile and Ney. Shuggob is in the middle of preparing a potion, and he seems so distracted he doesn't even realize he has guests, and when he does their sudden appearance doesn't faze him at all; he simply asks Eile for an ingredient on a shelf behind her. As he works, he listens to Medb's claim that they have come to rescue him, then asks for another ingredient, replying that he cannot leave his preparation.

Differel is listening outside the door, wondering why they just don't simply grab him, when the Ghouls start screaming and gibbering. When she looks she sees a dozen spiders as big as elephants attacking them. They are almost pure white, with glistening, moist skins. Differel shouts a warning as she fires a pistol, then throws herself at one of the arachnids. Caliburn cuts through its body like it was made of gelatin, but she does little damage until she hacks through the eyes. Shouting to the others to attack the head, she goes after another, but three converge on her and pin her against a boulder. She manages to shoot one, but she can barely hold the other two off. Then a normal spider jumps onto the back of one and bites it in the head. It jumps clear as the white spider throws itself into convulsions. Even so, the third spider manages to grab Differel around the waist with its fangs, when Shuggob appears and throws a pinkish-purple liquid gel into its face. The spider's body immediately begins to dissolve and it collapses on top of Differel.

Medb pulls the spider off her and helps her to her feet. When she looks around, she sees that the white spiders have been routed. None of the their party seems hurt, but half of Marrowsucker's Ghouls are dead or injured. She also sees the normal spider is surrounded by the others, but she calls out not to hurt it, and Medb seconds her. As they approach, Eile and Sunny run up to the spider and greet it. It turns out to be a friend of theirs, and Medb's, named Cuideog. Shuggob offers them his hospitality, such as it is, and they accept.

As the remaining Ghouls tend to their brethren with Sunny's help, Cuideog explained why he was there. The white spiders are the descendents of Leng spiders who migrated to the Underworld to find living room. However, they were so profoundly changed by the environment that the spiders of the Upper Dreamlands declared them anathema and cut off all contact. As long as the abominations were content to remain in their vales within the Peaks of Thok, the Leng spiders were content to leave them in peace, but word has come to the Leng spider governing council that the Fomorians have made a pact with the Thok spiders. In exchange for their help, whatever it may be, the Fomorians promised to help them claim the Plateau of Leng for themselves. His spider lord patron, Rígomun, sent him to try to find out what was going on. When Differel asked why him, Medb explained that though a runt, Cuideog has survived through four migrations by practicing stealth and concealment, as well as cleverness. That, and his duties as messenger, spy, and bard for his lord, make him ideal for this kind of mission. Differel then strikes a deal with Cuideog. They are also trying to discover what the Fomorians are doing, though it extends far beyond just the spiders of Leng and threatens the whole of the Dreamlands. If he helps them here in the Underworld, she will help his people in the Upper Dreamlands. He agrees.

The injured Ghouls recover quickly, thanks to Shuggob's potions. He also provides water for the party and offers them food and drink. The offer is welcome, since they have only four days food left, five if they stretch it, but they are naturally reticent, uncertain of its safety. Medb tries some and determines that it is not only safe, but also delicious and invigorating. Shuggob reveals himself to be far from the absent-minded wizard he appeared earlier; though he can concentrate on a problem to the exclusion of everything else, it is largely an act. He fooled the Fomorians that way into letting him stay in his dwelling, where he was able to cook up the Thok spider solvent. He planned to use it as a weapon to free his enslaved people. The Fomorians are using the spiders as overseers and enforcers in the Underworld, augmented by a few humans; hence, their own numbers are fairly low. He will guide them to the vale where the morbida fungus can be found, and he can provide enough solvent to kill every spider on site. Meanwhile, the Ghouls can take care of the humans, while the party deals with the Fomorians.

Despite the presence of the Ghouls, Medb decides it would be best to post a guard. Differel takes the first watch when the others retire. This gives her a chance to talk more with Cuideog. Earlier, Medb had explained what she knew about spiders: how they have a code of law they call the Torah, a body of interpretation called the Talmud, and a collection of traditions called the Midrash; how they are governed by an advisory council of elders; how they pass on their culture to younglings in yeshiva-like instruction using a combination of lecture and the Socratic method of dialectic dialogue; how they use runts like Cuideog as messengers, heralds, and bards; and how they have brithem, judges who are experts in the Torah, Talmud, and Midrash, and who go around settling disputes, witnessing contracts, and generally advising on legal matters. She also explained about their two major problems, living space and food, which were the underlying causes of the quarter-century migrations and which threatened the stability of their society. The girls then related how they met Cuideog when they helped protect a brithem sent to negotiate with the Council of Sorcerers in Lelag-Leng.

She tells Cuideog about her mission, which requires her to explain about her Waking World life. What she wants to know is whether the spider council would consider a temporary alliance with Kuranes to help deal with the threat. If they did, no doubt Kuranes would be willing to reward them, even help them with their own problems. Cuideog has no authority to make such an alliance, and he doubts the council would go for it. However, he is willing to present her idea to his patron so the council can deliberate it. He warns her, though, that it can take a long time for the council to decide a matter, even simple ones. She then asks him, out of pure curiosity, why he is friends with Medb and the girls. He explains that with Medb it is based on mutual respect and her power; he would find it very difficult to ever catch her off guard, and more difficult still to subdue her. With Differel, it is mutual need, but he would not pass up any advantage that would allow him to claim her as prey. With the girls, however, he doesn't know. They are not strong enough to prevent him from subduing them, he has no current need for them, and they are careless, leaving themselves vulnerable to him. But he has passed up numerous opportunities to kill and eat them. Differel speculates that it is because he has developed feelings for them, to which he replies by asking her not to insult him. He then goes off to sleep alone.

58 days left

Shuggob leads the party deep into the Peaks to a vale some five hours from his dwelling. Morgiana and Victor reconnoiter, and find an overhang from which the party can look down into the camp. They see the captive Ghouls laboring to gather the fungus, which seems to grow all over that particular vale. They bring it to a long table, where it is cut up into small chunks, then dumped into large glass retorts filled with water. These are heated and allowed to boil. At some point, a retort is removed from heat and allowed the cool, and the liquid, now viscous like an oil, is poured off. The chunks are removed and pressed to squeeze out whatever oil remains, which is then added to that decanted earlier. This collected oil is filtered through some wool-like substance, added to another retort, and boiled again to reduce the stock further. It is finally poured off into glass jugs, that are stoppered, sealed with wax, and set aside with a growing collection. These retorts are washed out and reused, and the washate is added to the first retorts used to boil the fungus. The waste, pressed fungus is mixed with charcoal and burned. Thok spiders mill about, keeping an eye on the activity, while a number of humans whip the Ghouls to urge them to work harder and faster. In the midst of it all stands Bres, directing the activity; with him is a female version of the golden man seen on the moon, only she is dressed in armor. One Ghoul collapses; it is picked up and dumped into a pit covered with an iron grate. Another Ghoul is released from a set of stocks and pushed towards the spiders. They subdue it with their pedipalps, lash its feet together with webbing, and drag it off out of the vale as it screams and scrabbles at the rocky ground with its hands, trying to find something to cling to.

Leaving Ssas'sashu'ra to keep watch, the rest of the party retires to plan their attack. The spiders will be the biggest problem. Shuggob has given them enough solvent to kill all they see, but there may be more lurking in the surrounding hills. Also, they cannot be sure how many men there are, or whether the golden woman has troops of her own. And the Ghoul slaves may be too weak to aid in the attack. Any way they look at it, it is a gamble, but they decide on a three prong attack. Sunny, Tokoyo, and Victor will shoot missiles from the overhang. Uilmheidhrea, Ssas'sashu'ra, and Morgiana will attack the spiders with the solvent. Eile, Differel, Saighlíne, and Cuideog will create a diversionary attack with Medb while Ceara, guarded by Kami and Karella, destroys the morbidun, press, and retorts. The Ghouls will be responsible for freeing their people and getting them away, though they can take down whatever targets of opportunity present themselves.

The attack goes as planned; the only hitch is that the Ghouls led by Capt. Ney are more eager to attack than rescue their brethren, but a sharp command from Differel is all that is needed to reel them in. When Medb and her group attack, the spiders move to intercept them; that's when Morgiana and the other two pop up and start throwing solvent. The gel is contained in fragile glass vessels that break on impact. Those spiders not immediately incapacitated are blasted by Medb. Moments later, the Ghouls descend from all around. They converge on the press, work table, and pits, and free their brethren, most of whom are too weak or sick to make it on their own. Those who were gathering the fungus turn on the humans, then make a run for it. A few are killed, but the archers pin down the humans and allow the rest to get away. Even as Bres tries to regroup his minions, Ceara appears and firebombs the jugs; the flammable oil ignites and begins a raging fire. Eile gets close enough to the retorts boiling the fungus to realize they are being boiled in alcohol, not water. She knocks them over and the coal fires catch the alcohol on fire, adding to the blaze. Ceara, Kami, Karella, Morgiana, Uilmheidhrea, and Ssas'sashu'ra help get the remaining Ghouls out as Medb and her group hold off the remaining forces. Differel takes a shot at the golden woman, but the bullet ricochets off her armor. She attacks Differel and they engage in a savage sword fight until Victor manages to fire a bolt that penetrates a joint in her hip. She falls back into an alcohol fire, which cuts her off from Differel. She then retreats with the others.

The party heads back for Shoggub's dwelling, but are cut off half-way when Bres reappears and surrounds them with men and spiders. Outnumbered and overwhelmed, Medb challenges Bres to single combat, and goads him into accepting. First they hurl javelins, which they avoid. Then they fight with spears followed by swords. While powerful and skilled, it quickly becomes apparent that Bres is no match for Medb, yet Medb is not trying to kill him, which hampers her. Whenever she disarms him and he takes up a new weapon, she discards her current weapon and adopts the same one as he, to maintain parity. Finally they are reduced to knives. They box and wrestle as each seeks an opening, but eventually Medb grapples Bres and presses her knife to his throat; he surrenders. She instructs him to order the spiders to disperse, but they ignore him and move in to attack. Cuideog emits a shrill whistle that almost deafens everyone present, but the Thok spiders become agitated and flee. The men try to attack, but are either cut down or forced to escape. Medb asks Cuideog what he did and he refuses to say, stating that it is a secret no spider would reveal to potential prey. However, it will not work for long; the Thok spiders will recover, regroup, and come after them. They must get away as soon as possible.

They continue on to Shuggob's dwelling, but after a short distance they find the way blocked by webbing. As they try to cut through, spiders attack, but not so many they cannot be handled. However, it is clear that they must find another way. The only other known way out of the Underworld is the staircase under Sarkomand, but that would be suicidal. Then Bres reveals that a new exit was opened under Hazuth-Kleg, two days away. As Medb's slave until he is ransomed, he agrees to guide them, since he doubts the spiders will spare him if they catch them all. When objections are raised about that choice, Medb assures them she can deal with the Fomorians. However, there can be no rest; they must march nonstop or risk being cut off. And anyone too hurt to continue will have to be left behind. They set off, with Bres in the lead and Medb taking up the rear. Not long after, they pass through a vale that is chocked in webbing, but not impassable. There are no spiders, but what was left of Bres's men have been cocooned. A few still seem to be alive, but before they can be released, spiders appear. Tokoyo kills them and Ceara immolates the vale.

57 days left

Throughout the march, they are beset by small groups of spiders, but they manage to defeat each encounter. However, fatigue makes them slow and careless, and injuries are starting to mount, especially among the Ghouls. The water is running low, and without food, rest, or a chance for treatment, a number of the Ghouls have become weaker. Cuideog consents to carry the weakest, but he cannot bear many, and the lagging Ghouls are slowing them down. Morale drops and the party takes on the appearance of a zombie horde, stumbling aimlessly about. Sunny tries to keep everyone's spirits up, but she is becoming despondent, and even Medb seems to be losing hope.

Sometime before midnight, they reach a crevasse splitting diagonally across the mountain range. It appears to run from the slope of Mt. Flaunth on their left off into the far distance on their right. Lava from the volcano flows through it. It is as wide as football field, but there is a bridge spanning it. It appears to be a wooden suspension bridge, but the wood is unlike anything any of them have ever seen. Unfortunately, it offers no barrier to the pursuing Thok spiders. Though narrow, they could still cross it one at a time, though it would slow them down. Medb asks Bres if there are any other ways across. He assures her there are none, and to go around either end would take days, possibly weeks, whereas the entrance into Hazuth-Kleg is only a half-day from here. He asserts they have no choice but to cross, but that is not Medb's concern. She examines the bridge carefully, then comes to a decision: they will destroy the bridge. The wood may be indestructible without high explosives, but the fittings and lashings are not. And in their current condition - desiccated - they are vulnerable to flame. The problem will be timing. Destroy the bridge too soon, and some of them may be trapped on this side; too late, and the Thok spiders could get across. Nonetheless, it's their only real chance.

They begin by moving the Ghouls across just in case, along with Marrowsucker and his remaining force, Cuideog, and Uilmheidhrea, Ssas'sashu'ra, and Bres, who is guarded by Victor and Morgiana. Ceara begins working on the lashings, watched over by Kami. The rest stay on the near-side in case the spiders arrive before they are ready. The lashings are covered in pitch to protect them from the elements, but while it offers some protection from Ceara's flame magic at first, once it softens it begins to burn and helps catch the lacings. Unfortunately, they are tightly woven, which also retards the flame. The upshot is it may be awhile before enough of the bridge is weakened. While this offers a chance to eat and rest, they are all too keyed up to take full advantage of it.

56 days left

After a couple of hours, one of Ney's Ghouls, who had been keeping watch further down the pass, comes running back, saying the Thok spiders have arrived. They take up position at the narrow head. Sunny, Tokoyo, Karella, and Differel take the front row for a clear field of fire; Eile, Medb, and Saighlíne take the back row, ready to engage when the spiders reach them. Ney's Ghouls form a third row, to guard the bridge. Ceara is almost finished, but she needs about another quarter hour to be sure. There are dozens of spiders, possibly even hundreds, streaming up the pass, coming at a fast pace, but as the pass narrows the spiders are bunched together, forcing them to come three or four at a time. Sunny, Tokoyo, Karella, and Differel shoot away, with Medb reloading for Differel and occasionally blasting a spider that gets too close, but without Ceara and her fireballs, they are somewhat handicapped. The dead and incapacitated spiders do present something of a barrier, slowing the others down as they crawl over, but it isn't very effective. Eventually, the spiders get too close for effective missile fire. Sunny falls back behind the swordswomen and runs for the bridge to alert Ceara. The women form a line across the pass mouth and hack at the spiders. Despite having no armor, no spider can get close enough to Differel to bite because of Caliburn's reach. Several spiders jump over them, but the Ghouls, with Sunny providing supporting fire, take care of those, though with casualties.

However, the sheer number of arachnids forces the defenders back, and when the pass opens up, allowing spiders to get around and behind them, they break off and make for the bridge. Medb, Saighlíne, and Differel hold the bridgehead as the others get across. Ceara shouts she is finished, and follows after them. Ney at first refuses to take his force across, saying they will hold until the rest get away, but Differel orders him to withdraw, for the sake of his people, and he complies. Differel follows them, as Saighlíne and Medb back away. The bridge begins to come apart under the strain; Saighlíne withdraws, leaving Medb. She retreats to half way, then turns and confronts the first of the spiders to begin to cross. Declaring they will not pass, she blasts it, then blasts the bridge. At first, nothing seems to happen, and another spider starts over the structure. Then it fails and begins to collapse. The spider is dropped into the lave below. Medb turns and bolts as the bridge comes apart beneath her feet. A spider jumps and lands behind her, destroying a large chunk of bridge. As it drops, Medb throws herself forward and catches a hold of the intact section, hanging by her hands. Differel has Cuideog play out a line of silk, which she ties around herself, and she sprints out to Medb. Two more Thok spiders jump for the bridge; one falls short, the other lands in front of Medb. Differel kills it, then grabs Medb just as more of the bridge falls apart. The two of them drop, but the silk line catches them and breaks their fall. Cuideog pulls them up to what's left of the bridge, and they make it to the other side. More Thok spiders try to jump, but the remaining section is now too far away, and the bridge continues to crumble. Medb thanks Differel for the rescue, but when she asks why she took the risk, Differel flashes her an imitation of her trademark enigmatic smile and says, "I saw the Fellowship of the Ring." That reference means nothing to Medb, but the girls, Victor, and Uilmheidhrea laugh.

They continue on, stopping to rest and catch some sleep about mid-morning. While doing so, a large group of Ghouls led by Stéise appears, to take charge of the Ghouls who had been slaves. She also wants to take Bres, but Medb refuses to hand him over, saying he is hers by right of conquest, and in any event, as her son she cannot abandon him to his deserved fate. Stéise declines to press the issue, but warns Bres that if the Ghouls ever catch him in the Underworld, they will kill him. Despite his arrogant and insolent reply, Eile is certain he's afraid nonetheless. To Differel, Stéise states that in gratitude for her help in freeing her people, she may call upon the Ghouls once to aid her in whatever endeavor she might undertake, even war. She also releases Ney and his force to her service for the duration of her stay in the Dreamlands. A number of Ghouls ask to join his force, to which Differel assents. Stéise then leaves with her group and the weakened Ghouls as the party moves on.

About mid-afternoon, they come upon what looks like a rather crude ziggurat with steep sides, that stretches up into the "sky" to disappear into the gloom. Steps have been built into its face, and at the base of the stairs are two guards. As the party approaches, one of the guards turns and heads up the stairs, but when several members of the party take aim to stop him, Medb tells them to stand down. She and Bres then approach the remaining guard alone. After a brief conversation, that guard also starts to climb, and Medb and Bres return. Medb explains that she has sent for Elatha, to negotiate safe passage in exchange for Bres. She instructs them to make camp and set out pickets, since it will probably be awhile before Elatha comes. For the first time since they entered the Underworld some seven days ago, they are able to build a fire, using the charcoal, wood, and oil the guards used for themselves. When questions are raised about this, Medb assures them that the Fomorians would have made sure this area was secure before they built the stairway. Later, the girls and Differel ask her what she has in mind. She explains that at the very least, they will need to get out of Hazuth-Kleg with whole skins, and rendezvous with Kuranes in Ulthar. However, this may be their one chance to find out what's going on. When Differel questions whether this Elatha can be trusted, Medb states that while he is a mortal enemy, he has never lied to her, and he is honorable: once he gives his word, he never breaks it, and unlike other Fomorians he adheres to the spirit of any agreement as well as its word. Provided he cares for their son, he should be willing to negotiate.

Towards what would have been dusk, Elatha descends the stairs. He is alone, except for the two guards, who retake their positions at the base of the ziggurat. He is unarmed, and he walks into the camp with no hesitation. As the others watch, Medb offers to release Bres in exchange for ransom, then demands three things: that Elatha allow a messenger to go to Ulthar; that he provide hospitality to them all until Kuranes can send transport for them; and that he explain what they are up to. Elatha agrees, with the attitude that he had expected it, and he offers to escort them all up to the city above. They decide to leave in the morning, after the party has gotten some well deserved rest.