You discover a dangerous threat

Mouldering furniture lay in shambles inside the mine's stone-hewn office. You all searched for anything of value, but it appears to have been picked clean. Strange, considering the front door was locked. After another few minutes of torchlit rummaging, you lead the team further into the mine. The path winds left and right; several branching paths lay blocked by the rubble of a tunnel collapse. Not very reassuring...

"Mend-- Lord Mendax!" Helen hisses from ahead. The rest of you warily approach, and she points to bloodstains on the floor ahead. You silently nod your acknowledgment and peer into the darkness beyond. There, the mine opens up into a wide expanse. Several rope bridges span the chasm to other stone archways on the other side. Crossing without knowing what does or does not live here would be foolish, but you have little other choice.

Nodding, you give the signal for everyone to advance across the bridge. You clasp the grimoire to your chest, and march forth. Helen takes point, with Rosaria second, and Beatrice at your rear. Every other step echoes a soft creak from the gently swaying rope bridge. The warm air hangs stale, nary a breeze to relieve you all from the surprising heat. It's not all bad, though. Your eyes track a bead of sweat as it courses down the small of Rosaria's back, between her red silk, crop-top shirt and her black, leather pants. As it slides beneath the tight leather, you cannot help but envy the little droplet.

"What the--" you hear Beatrice cry out, and you turn to see her left arm tangled in a strand of thick, gooey slime dangling down from above. She's struggling to free herself, and by the time you can reach out, the strand retracts, reeling her upward. Your eyes follow, and that's when you realize your mistake. Large blobs of blue bioluminescent light writhe along mine's ceiling. Dire Lumoworms, and dozens of them. You'd read about them once. These man-sized worms move into cave networks and live in a network of slimy webbing on natural, rocky surfaces. They enjoy dark, warm, humid climates, so this place is prime Lumoworm territory. You also recall that while they primarily consume the minerals in their rocky home, they do ever so enjoy laying their eggs in living hosts. Deep down, you suspect Grevakhnu approves of such rapacious behavior.

Before Beatrice is even out of sight, you see another strand drop down next to Helen, but she successfully dodges to the side. Another strand adheres to Rosaria's backpack, but she unslings it before the satchel zips up into the eerie, blue light above. This was not what you planned...

Your eyes dart between the entrance and your muscled henchwoman. If you abandon her now, her peers may not be as loyal to your cause, as they've known the barbarian longer. If you try to save her, you or one of the others may meet a similar fate.