That's his cue to leave! He runs past the fungi back into the narrow tunnel. "Whew. That should hold. It wasn't very strong originally so I doubt the fungi even try when it's up."

"Works for me. Onward, then? I will drop the darkness when you tell me we are far enough for our light to be out of sight."

They continue onward through a long winding stretch of tunnels. Everything is pitch black. Yanor's light is invaluable. The walk is many thousands of feet long. In the meantime, magic items are distributed among the party. Julen gets the belt of giant strength. Tomas gets the cloak of resistance. Yanor tries to wield the heavy mace but it weighs him down too much. Nobody dares were the lenses without knowing what they do.

She wants the cloak, but Tomas could clearly use the help with handling spells. He can have it for now. (She does actually look covetously at it, though. Better to be clear about the sacrifice she's making.) The mace... can go in the loot pile. Oh well. She certainly isn't going to use it.

They will distribute the loot properly when they return to Magnimar and decide what to sell. Tencednil will get her share. They're professionals.

Eventually...

The intersection of four tunnels forms a sizable cave here. The domed ceiling rises to a height of twenty feet, while near the center of this cave stands a monument made of polished black basalt, seven-sided with the same great rune carved on each face. The top portion of the monument has broken away, revealing what appears to be a hollow space within in the shape of a female figure. An astounding number of strange albino insectoid creatures, each the size of a man’s finger, scuttle and scurry along the walls.

"Image of deeper darkness should block darkvision, I can fill a twenty foot cube. I see no webs, so blinding may suffice. I also see enough of them that sheer force may prove ineffective. If they attack as a collective, Yanor, I think your Fireball and whatever other fire options you have may be our only chance. Does anyone want a Dazzling Blade before I cast the darkness? I have four more first circle spells today, and one is the Image."

She says all this in a Message to the others. Communication is important.

"Don't bother with the blade. It won't be useful against a swarm."

Tomas readies himself. "I'm not sure it's worth risking the darkness."

"I have my fireball ready. I'd like to see if there's anything else in here before using it. I will cast if necessary."

"I have little I can do besides the darkness. If I cast it and we wait here for you to see through it before going in, we may pull them out of the room but that gives us a choke point."

He sighs. "Fair enough."

"From here to call their attention, or cast from farther back? I think them much the same, they will see the darkness regardless, but if you wish a clearer view of the approaching insects we can retreat."

"Further back seems smart. We'll single file either way unless we expose ourselves first."

Nod.

Back fifty feet or so, then. That's about as far as they can get before the center is out of sight around a bend. And once they're far enough away...

Silent Image. Darkness, the deep kind like Mother's spells can make. A darkness which even capable eyes cannot penetrate, a darkness which is more than just an absence of light. Real, true, deeper darkness.

Or, in fact, fake deeper darkness, extending about ten feet down the corridor towards them, complete with the same slightly jagged edges on this side. But she knows what she has seen, and she knows what it looks like even to darkvision. Cave-dwellers may see in darkness, but almost nothing can see in that.

"Remember, it's an illusion!"

The arachnids don't like not being able to see! A great buzzing can be heard from the cavern ahead of them.

A man-sized arachnid emerges from the darkness ahead of them and rushes down the tunnel.

Tomas has his weapon ready. "Yanor, hold! There might be more of them!"

Julen assumes a defensive posture and waits for the beasts.

Hmm. Alright, looks like that was a bad place for the darkness, and drawing them out it is. Another casting, still jagged-edged, this time filling everything ahead of Julen in the corridor and only doing ten feet into the room. Any long-limbed enemies won't be attacking him cleanly. "Also an illusion! I'll warn when they're in front of Julen, or if there's a crowd! Say if you need it down!"

Two more giant arachnids follow the first one through the darkness.

Fireball.

A low roar fills the tunnel. The light of the flame reflects off the walls. The arachnids are scorched but still moving.

One of the beasts scuttles forward blindly and attempts to bite Julen. His defensive posture saves him.

Tomas cast another long arm on himself before the fight started. He pierces the exoskeleton of the beast. It bleeds. "They have a strong charge and can climb walls! Be on your guard!"

Julen carves into the beast with his twin shortswords. It staggers and collapses.