MC1S12

## The Black Spider

“
*If you want my flesh, take it!*
”
— Godric rallies from the brink of death to defeat Nezznar, the Black Spider.
**The Black Spider** was the 12th and final session of the Lost Mines of Colmanth mini-campaign.

## Summary

The Miners continue delving into Wave Echo Mine, fighting more of the Black Spider's henchmen and discovering Nundro's body. They find the entrance to the Forge of Spells, but it is guarded by a powerful undead creature. The Miners use diversionary tactics to split the Black Spider's forces, with Herbie blasting a few fireballs and decimating many enemy forces. Godric charges into the fray, Herbie and Genevieve support from a distance, and Sofiel provides essential control and healing spells. Eventually, the enemy forces regroup under the leadership of Nezznar, the Black Spider who plays his final hand. Nezznar and Vyerith nearly lay the party low, but Godric's bravery and Sofiel's clutchery carry the day. In the end, the Black Spider is slain by Godric, inaugurating a new age of peace and prosperity in Phandalin and Lauvac.

## NPCs

* **Nundro Rockseeker:** Found dead. Was fed to Ghouls on the orders of Nezznar.
	+ Saving Private Rockseeker coming to a theater near you...
* **Mormesk:** An undead guardian of the Forge of Spells. Powerful and dangerous.
* **Nezznar:** The Black Spider. Slain by the Lost Miners.
* **Vyerith:** Slain by the Lost Miners.

## Quests

### Ongoing

* **Ascending to doGhood (Herbie):** Acquire Divinity by freeing 1000 dogs or wolves. 3 / 1,000

### Completed

* **The Spiders's Web (Everyone):** Defeat the Black Spider.

## Reflections

* **Example:** Example
* **Herbie:** "I... I did it. I did it! ... Okay, I guess *we* did it, but what a fight! The Spider is no more! The wizard had holed up with every bugbear and goblins and spiders, but we got the better of them. Why, I knocked out half of them with fire! My fire! Exploding fire, at last! How do you like being on the other end now? I even launched the last one! Thank you, thank you so much mother! Yes, I knocked myself out too, but who cares! Now I just have to master air, water and earth, but I'll figure it out. Seems this adventure ended the way it began, going down with a bang. Oh Pollen, Morel, Dragonfly, I have so many things to tell you. Freeing wolves, speaking with the dog father, mugging muggers, meeting talking rats who weren't rats, making friends with an orc who taught me to be a man, trapping a cat in a well, sieging a castle, fighting a dragon, and finding that mine Gundren was looking for. Oh Gundren, you were right, it was an adventure. It was just as exciting as you promised it would be. I'll make sure to find your relatives in Mzundelft... maybe with the help of Sofiel. She seems to know people better. Or maybe I should ask Genevieve, if she spoke Orcish maybe she knows dwarvish. I mean, both orcs and dwarves live underground, and they love grumbling, and drinking, and fighting, there have to be similarties... You should have seen us fight, especially Godric, and our tricks! Now it's my little siblings who'll have to stay on their toes, what with what I've learned, what my friends have taught me. Maybe I'll even invite my friends down the grove, with Ferdinand of course, let them meet face to face. Once I check on the Not Rats of course... and I guess I should check on those goblins... and that dragon's still out there, got to deal with him... say, I never did figure out what Gundren was actually looking for here... oh, and, I haven't freed all the dogs yet... What to do?"
* Sofiel: "Thank Ceros we all made it out of there in one piece. That was a tough fight, but we won in the end. We will need to bury the Rockseeker brothers and inform Mzundelft of their demise to see if any relatives remain. I must say Herbie has indulged a little too much on fire his excitement might need a little tempering for his own good. Perhaps I need to have a talk with his mom to make sure he isn't being too reckless with this new power. I hope the good we did for the town lasts, and the local nobility should be able to protect it from further harm. I hope Genevieve will be able to finish her epic. Ceros knows she has a lot of material to work with due to the adventure we just had. Godric will make a fine lion knight. This land needs more good hearted and courageous souls like him protecting the people and helping those in need. Hopefully, the war stays far away from this place. We need no more violence here, and to think of how the town was when we found it and the progress now. It really is a thriving town now with all these prospectors. It's good to see the impacts of our work and how it will end for the better. Perhaps they will need further assistance with tending to the sick now that there are many more people. Or, I could continue learning the ways of the Druids and the ways they can heal others. For now though, I must see what it is Ceros sent me to find in this cavern, and after that ... well Ceros knows best. I will await his command."
* Godric: "It is done... this venture lasted a few weeks at most, and yet, I feel like a man reborn. I feel awful for the Rockseeker brothers, who met their demises chasing the fabled mines, but.. otherwise? I could not be more grateful that this adventure happened. I dreamed of knighthood since my boyhood, and now, it's within reach - perhaps, more than just that. I have participated in a siege on a stronghold of evil, ridden a dragon, fought alongside the fabled lion knights of Aldia, and struck down the Black Spider himself. Am I already a hero, a knight? I still don't know, I still wonder about those moments on the dragon's back... did I recapture some of that glory when I leapt upon the Black Spider, inches from death, only to win the day? I wouldn't be so divided, were it not for Genevieve, Sophiel, and Herbie... joining the Lions will certainly mean a few goodbyes. Perhaps, when my days as a squire are over, I might be free to go as I please, but will they still be willing to venture alongside me when those years have passed? I don't know. Which is better, to hold on to what I have, or to risk everything for a dream? what is heroism and knighthood, is it the fame of fortune of the lions and the recognition of the people, or is it heroic acts which go down in legend? I still have much to learn. For now, I travel with my friends... my true companions, back to Phandalin. No matter what my choice becomes... for now, I can savor their company, and our victory, and our vengeance. I can only hope, this isn't the last time."

## Appendix

Lost Mines of Colmanth Sessions
**Chapter 1: The Frontier**. Session 1 · Session 2 · Session 3 · Session 4 · Session 5 · Session 6 · Session 7
 Session 8 · Session 9 · Session 10 · Session 11 · **Session 12**