Tiberius and Kanzen both examine the holy symbol. They have to scrape some dirt and grime off of it to get a good look as apparently the gnolls didn't care much about it. A lithe, female figure dances on the symbol holding a bastard sword before the full moon.
This is a holy symbol of Eilistraee, a good goddess of the Drow.
Finally noticing the symbol, Irdril galnes at it and immediately knows..
"That is the holy symbol of Eilistraee! Drow goddess that is not evil.."
Galenus, as a treasure hunter, give the lock picks a shot.
Usually I got a guy for this, but why not, huh?
Galenus fiddles with the lock for a while but can't seem to get the angle right, even after several minutes of trying.
Kanzen's eyes are sad as he contemplates the symbol. "Yes, this is the symbol of my goddess. How this came to be in the possession of gnolls... well, it doesn't bode well for its former owner." He stares at the symbol for a long moment more, then closes his fingers around it gently and looks at Tiberius. "I will keep this, if you don't mind."
Moving down beside Galenus, Kanzen examines the thieves' tools. "I have used these before, though I've not made a practice of it. Mind if I try?"
Though his fingers are nimble and dextrous, Kanzen doesn't have the patience to work his way through the tumblers carefully. He snorts and looks up at Galinndan. "Care to try?"
You settle into the gnoll's camp, needing to recover after that strenuous encounter with the feral attackers. You take turns keeping watch and those who are not on watch quickly fall asleep.
While you are keeping watch, you hear a very quiet shuffling noise from the tunnel to the northeast. You peer carefully around the corner and see one of the hook horrors moving carefully towards you on its rear feet and hooks. It makes eye contact with you, sniffs several times, cocks its head, then slowly backs away around the corner in the tunnel and out of sight.
You are walking through the woods near your homeland when you hear snarls and growls. Gnolls behind you! You run as fast as you can but they bear down on you and tear at your flesh. They gnaw and rip and the pain and horror sear through you but you don't die for a long... long time. You wake with a sharp intake of breath... but it was just a dream. You shake it off with no ill effects.
After a night's reflection, you realize that it is fairly unusual for gnolls to be in the Underdark. They would typically be found in the forests of the surface world. Judging by the filthy state of these gnolls and their belongings, they've been in the Underdark for quite a while for no reason other than mad bloodlust.
You wake in the morning and prepare to move along.
"This way, now! We are getting close to the Darklake! From there we can swim comfortably..." The fish man pauses and looks around at the lot of you "Err... maybe we can build a raft of some kind to travel the rest of the way to my people. Perhaps a wise idea in any case. Swimming in the Darklake poses its risks."
With a sharp breath Eddrikk wakes to his heart pounding... It twas justa dream, the gnolls are dead, he thought after taking a moment to orient himself. "Even in me sleep dey comin after me! Losy beasts!" Despite the unpleasant dream Eddrikk is feeling better.
Kanzen rests easily, playing gentleman's dice (no cash) with Jimjar for a little while, until the funny little creature gets tired of "gambling" without coin. He otherwise sits and meditates on Eilistraee's holy symbol, considering the teachings of his goddess, and the experiences he has had so far with this misfit group of penniless escapees. Despite the nearly constant bloodshed and horror, the personalities and behaviours of his companions fills him with hope for the world outside drow society. Life really is how the goddess says it can be... Once you leave Lloth and her evil worshippers behind. If we have, he thinks, a shiver running up his spine.
After everyone wakes, Kanzen is once more keen and enthusiastic in his preparation duties, and ready to leave as quickly as possible. The thought of reaching a less, well, evil place than Menzoberranzan has him very excited.
Tiberius face is half intrigued, half disgusted, and half... agitated. certainly, I do not want it.
Tiberius also tends to the wounded,
Galinndad, here. This should help. he let's the last of his positive energy for the day flow into Gal and mend his wounds.
Cyrus joins some others in a game of dice betting his only gold piece back and forth until he gets bored with the games and goes to sleep.
Galenus wakes up with a stretch and a yawn. As he starts cleaning up camp, he says to whomever is around, I've been thinking. These gnolls - they ain't one for being underground. And judging by the state of their equipment, I'm betting they've been underground for some time. Might explain why they went mad - you surface folk don't do so well staying down here that long.
Hey, I know we're wanting to move on, but do you all mind if I write up some notes real quick? It'll help with our trek.
Galinndan gives the lockpicks a try.
He later indulges in a few short rounds of gambling, with what meagre coin he has, to break even in an attempt at fun.
Galinndan clearly has not slept well.
"A hook horror was sniffing around and left. I did not mind that so much, but the ground and the stink of gnoll did not make for a good rest."
Irdril sleeps surprisingly well and is ready to go.. She offers to clean peoples armor etc with prestidigitation before heading out..
Galinndan will gladly accept Irdril's offer.
"I vaguely remember what it was like to feel clean.", he notes, with a hint of a smile, "Thank you."
Galinndan opens the small lockbox and finds two dark, deep red stones inside as well as a transparent, gold-colored gem.
The red stones are bloodstones worth 50 gp each. The orange stone is a tourmaline worth 100 gp.
The deep gnome enjoys the gambling quite a bit for a while. When it's time to move on, he packs up the dice, hops up, and strides along with a jaunty spring in his step.
The red stones are bloodstones and the orange is a tourmaline, worth 50 and 100 respectively..
Galinndan feels some quiet satisfaction that the deep gnome is happier.
Let us quickly be on our way, remember, try to form a shield wall when we can, it should give us the advantage in fights.
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You pass through a narrow chamber with a roof supported by some thin columns of tougher rock while the rest has eroded away over time.
Looking at the area, you think that you could undermine the pillars to collapse this section behind you. Doing so without getting hit by the falling debris yourself would require a DC 10 dex check with mason's tools. Proficiency bonus added. Failure would result in 6d6 bludgeoning damage, DC 14 dexterity save for half.
Galinndan keeps his eyes peeled for sustenance and secure places to sleep.
Eddrikk stops while passing through the camber, " 'old up, I think I aughta be able ta collapse these pillars and block the way, only problem is we wouldn't be able ta back track," then paces out some distances.
Galinndan looks at Eddrikk and then nods.
"It is a good idea. I say we do it. We make the drow pay in blood for hunting us.", with just a hint of cold rage leaking into his voice.
Kanzen nods as well. "I have nothing to go back for. Bring it down."
Let's do this!
Eddrikk chips away with his tools for a while and motions for all of you to move through the cavern. Then he gives a solid *WHACK* at a critical part of one of the undermined columns.
Unfortunately, he seems to have whacked too hard! The chamber starts collapsing too soon! He dives out of it while rocks fall.
The crushing debris hits him hard on the shoulder as it falls but he picks himself up as the dust settles.
You resume moving along through the tunnels.
The orc chuckles at Eddrikk as he comes diving out of the collapsed cavern. "Me think dwarves better with stones. Dwarves love stones!" He chuckles some more but seems to have relaxed a little, not minding the reprieve from Drow pursuit.
Galinndan moves in as swiftly as his weary body will allow to ensure that Eddrick is able to escape.
"Well done.", he says with sincerity.
"S%%&!" the Dwarf exclaimed. Eddrikk knew he'd messed up as soon a he struck the chisel to bring down the pillars, he was out of practice. Attempting to somersault out of the way and caught a large chuck of debris to the face.
Laying on the floor half laughing, "Datsa gonna leave a mark... Yeah I haven't done dat in a good while."
Galenus hangs back with Eddrick after the collapse.
Pretty impressive, friend. Don't think I could've done that. When we stop for a rest, I'll whip you up a little something that'll make them bruises feel a bit better.
You journey through the tunnels and passageways until you reach a small stream. The moisture seems to have fostered the growth of a patch of fungi. The area glows with a dim light but not from any phosphorescent fungi... You are unsure where the light comes from... But there is something strange about these fungi. One of them just moved! And several others lean toward you to touch you! You are so surprised that they should have less trouble making contact but the creatures are slow. Galinndan's new armor just barely protects him while Galenus and Kanzen dodge the slow-moving attackers with ease. Cyrus is touched lightly by one of the fungi, which drains some of his life force (4 necrotic damage) while another mushroom gets a good hold on poor, exhausted Eddrikk and knocks him unconscious, greedily slurping for life juices! (16 necrotic! Eddrikk is at zero!)
Thankfully, you all react much more quickly than these slow-moving shrooms.
Holy hell! Galenus exclaims as he dances out of the way. Grabbing his axe in both hands, he slams it down on the thing in front of him.
Galenus strikes the strange mushroom hard. It seems seriously damaged but not quite on death's door.
Though he has patrolled many times in the Underdark around Menzoberranzan, Kanzen has never seen these fungus creatures before. Cursing softly under his breath, he slashes and stabs with his daggers at the one that attacked him.