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d a higher power to make the determinanottion。 They laid me on an obsidian altar； performed a dancing； keening； self…mutilating ritual together； and the torture chamber faded away。 You'd think I would have been glad of it； wouldn't you； but my new surroundings were no less ominous。〃
Pharaun's captors had ignored his silver ring； obviously thinking it mere jewelry； if they noticed it at all。 As soon as he'd looked at Syrzan； he'd disnotcovered its magic operated even within the confines of the lich's phantasnotmal creation。 He forced an idea into his subconscious and continued to prattle。
〃The priestesses had drugged me to prevent my resisting their attennottions； then used me with considerable brutality。 It took me a while just to lift my battered head and look around。 When I did； I perceived that I lay atop an enormous object with the shape of a staffer length of cord made of a substance that gave ever so slightly but was as strong as adamantine nonetheless。 Otherwise； it would have disintegrated under its own weight。 Far ahead； my perch fused at right angles with another such object； which connected with still others； the pattern spreading out to form； I suddenly realized； a spiderweb of insane plexity； huge enough to make a world。 If it was attached to anything； the anchor points were too distant for me to see。 Perhaps it just went on and on forever。〃
〃The Demonweb；〃 Syrzan said。
Pharaun surreptitiously examined his captor's talismans； using the magic in the silver ring； trying to figure out which one would allow an il…lithid to send a psionic 〃Call〃 to every ore and goblin in Menzoberranzan。
〃Very good；〃 the mage said。 〃I see you were paying attention when your teachers discoursed on the sundry planes of existence。 I was indeed exiled to that layer of the Abyss where Lolth holds sway。 I remembered hearing that the strands of the web were hollow and that much of the life of the place existed inside。 Well； I certainly couldn't see any source of food or water on the outside； let alone a portal to take me home； so； still dazed and sick from the clerics' attentions； I started crawling and searching for a means of entry。
〃Eventually； I might have found one； but I ran out of time。 The strand I was traversing began to tremble。 I peered about and saw her scuttling toward me。〃
〃Lolth？〃 Syrzan asked。
〃Who else？ Her priestesses say she travels her domain in a mobile iron fortress； but she must have left it behind that day。 I beheld the goddess herself in the guise of a spider as huge as the Great Mound of the Baenre。 She's appeared to others in the same shape only smaller； but she was colosnotsal when she came for me。
〃I was terrified； but what was one to do about it？ Run？ Fight？ Either effort would have been equally absurd。 I exercised the only sensible option。 I huddled atop the thread and covered my eyes。
〃Alas； she denied me the forts of blindness。 Her will took hold of me and forced me to look up。 She was looming over me； staring down with a circle of luminous ruby orbs。
〃I felt as if her gaze was not merely piercing but dissolving me。 The sennotsation was intolerable； I wanted to die； and in a way； she granted my wish。
〃Her legs were immense； but they tapered to points at the ends； and； moving with a dainty precision； she used the two front…most members to dissect me。 Did the process kill me？ I don't know。 By all rights； it should have； but if I lost my life； my spirit lingered in my divided flesh； still sufnotfering the horror and pain。
〃My soul was conscious； too； of its own destruction。 Somehow； as the Spider Queen picked apart my flesh and bones； she wa