From A Hanging Embryo to Life Sucking Specters

Thud leads the way into the smooth stone tunnel, then up some stairs and down a hallway. At the far end the group can see a dwarf strapped to a spinning wheel. Liquefied silver is dripping over him on each turn. The group decides to take a stairway up and to the left. Skilver casts a detect traps and begins to ascend the staircase. During the 200-step journey he discovers several trapped stairs. Orthan uses flour to mark each trap. The top of the stairs intersects the corner of a hallway. The group travels through several passages and discovers a closed door. Thud peeks in to see a group of orcs stacking bodies on stone slabs. As the orc’s leave the room Orthan follows invisibly. The orcs return to a stronghold area similar to the one found days before and many levels below.
The party travels mazes of tunnels and hallways for hours. The group finds a series of living rooms that lead into another maze of tunnels. Walking down one hallway Skilver discovers a progression of traps on the floor. Greenleaf decides to fly on in crow form to investigate. He discovers a room with a stone coffin. On the lid is a luminescent outline of a humanoid being wearing a crown carved with beholders. The group decides to leave the obvious trap alone until later. After all the object is to create a map from Skullport to Waterdeep.
About a half hour later the group discovers a very strange room. There are three levels of shelves on either side. On the shelves are bell jars that contain animated human heads. The heads seem to be very agitated and shouting obscenities though there is no sound. In the following room there is a doorway that is blocked by some sort of turnstile. On the other side there appears to be a room with food and drink on a set of tables. There is a lever on the wall with a tray below. Thud places a gold piece into a slot and pulls the lever. A small ticket drops to the tray. Thud then places the ticket into the turnstile, walks through and promptly disappears. There is a counter on the device that reads 11562. Thud feels nothing and walks into the room with the food. He can see the group on the other side of the door but is unable to return through the turnstile. After a while each party member purchases a ticket and walks through.
The group rests, studies and prays for twelve hours. During that time Skilver casts the spell of circle dance. The spell should allow him to point to a known location. Concentrating on the elevator beneath the Waterdeep tavern he begins to dance in a circle. After dancing around in a circle while chanting he ends the spell pointing in an upward diagonal direction. This gives the group a general direction of travel. (Pretty useful spell Skilver!)
Ten or twelve hours later the group departs the room into another hallway. At the other end is a statue of a very angry looking human pointing down the hall. Traveling on the group enters another maze of tunnels. Surprising the party a specter bubbles up out of the floor. Battle ensues and Raineer is struck and loses two life levels. (Devastating to a split class.) The specter is destroyed by magic missiles on the next round. Though Raineer is healed the life levels are impossible for the group to restore without powerful magic.
After a short rest the group discovers a group of three rooms. The first contains a large round table with hand carved stone chairs. The next room looks to be some sort of office or study that contains a desk and bookcase. Max discovers a magical charm bracelet hidden within a book binding. The next room contains four stone statues standing atop stone boxes. A plaque on each box reads, “Deposit coin to fight the statue for fame and fortune.” No one chooses to accept the challenge. (Now who’s the poultry?)
Walking down the passage beyond brings the group to a room lined with black tiles. One by one the group members pass through the room. While Orthan is crossing a specter appears and he is struck for two life levels. Magic missiles bring the undead beast down but the damage is done.
The group travels on trying to make the best of the losses. In the next room the party finds a group of glowing caterpillars slowly making crawling across the wall. There are pieces of cloth, coin and debris stuck to the back of each one. Upon closer inspection a ring is discovered stuck to one, an earring to another and an amulet to a third. Greenleaf speaks with the crawling psychedelic critters and discovers that they are traveling to the mating grounds. (A positively enlightening discussion)
Traveling on the group discovers a black curtain of magic blocking their way. Orthan immediately walks up, produces his wand of negation and speaks the words “I think not!” The curtain disappears. (Another hand devise) The group spends the rest of the day exploring a series of tunnels that lead on for miles and miles. Deep and lost.
After resting again the party backtracks to a stairway that ascends another 500 feet. The stairs end in a room with a door that is barred on the inside. Skilver performs another circle dance and ends the spell pointing in a level direction. The group sleeps without incident knowing they are on the level…