30 July 2022
Tal catches up with the party on Level 2 at the [[Prickly Ember]]. He explains what he knows, and is informed by Jaeszred about a Priestess of Lolth [[Belaena]] on Level 4 who he wants to stop. [[Gammy]] performs at the inn to try to pay for the rooms, but [[Ishtar]] covers everything with a broken teleportation gem. Watches go by with no issue. [[Jaezred]] and [[Pip]] try to spread a rumor about [[Yundar]] not doing his job (aka being [[Kalina]]) in the tavern.
In the morning, the corrupted arrow burns its way out of Tal’s bag, revealing that it takes about 24 hours to get out of any container. Tal wraps the arrow in fabric coated in holy water, then gives it to [[Pip]]. Party members refill/restock their rations and water.
[[Ishtar]] persuades our way through the guards at the gate between Levels 2 and 3. Some good investigation from [[Jaezred]] and [[Pip]] helps the party find the invisible gate to Level 4. The guard at the Forge says that [[Limmos]] has gone down to a lower level to help with that problem. The party heads toward the swarm of ravens and [[Coyra]] finds that a lot of people have been killed and positioned in the shape of a spider, along with a large amount of spiderwebs nearby. [[Pip]] and [[Jaezred]] go over to the swarm of ravens. [[Pip]] puts his pickaxe into the swarm and they attack him (revealing that they are not an illusion, as the party thought they might have been). Tal throws a flame at the big pillar of webs and they start to burn. [[Pip]] throws a Molotov at the birds and runs away. [[Coyra]] and [[Gammy]] convince a nearby guard that we mean no harm. Something creates Darkness near the birds. A swarm of spiders (Insect Plague) appears on the field, but it disappears when the party gets outside of its range. [[Gammy]] blows away the swarm of ravens, revealing [[Belaena]]. [[Ishtar]] grapples [[Belaena]], but she frightens half the party and [[Ishtar]] lets her go. She tries to flee, but is knocked out.
Shortly after, [[Kalina]] comes down out of the upper level and brings out a bunch of Dretches to attack the party, and then transforms/swaps places into a Defiler Demon. [[Belaena]] wakes up and desecrates a large area before attempting to flee. Teekl knocks out [[Belaena]]. Fight against [[Kalina]] and the Dretches continues. [[Jaezred]] unloads a crit smite against the demon form of [[Kalina]], but then she charms him. She tries to retreat back up to Level 5, but [[Pip]] knocks her off the stairs with a well-placed arrow, causing her to land on [[Jaezred]] and removing the charm from him.