D&D 5E (2014) [IC] Uller's Out of the Abyss

[SunGold]

"Life is hard down here, Ezraen. Why should they just gift their wares, their skills, to outsiders? It's not greed; it's survival.

Except for Shuushar, I don't trust these fish-priests. But if we got to Sloobludop and they just started giving us gifts? I would trust them even less."

Walking next to him, she claps a hand to the back of his shoulder and shakes her head almost sadly. "We've got to get you out of the wilds, priest."

 

[DMAesh]

"No, no, you are right. I never even thought of the possibility that there might be some sort of economic system down here in this hell," Ezraen looks at Sarith and Shuushar apologetically, "No offense intended."

The paladin laughs at Surana's last comment, "I won't argue with you there, lady! I certainly am out of my element here..."

 

[JustinCase]

"YukYuk was certainly dead when I left his body behind. As for the rest, I suppose it could have been an illusion. But I didn't eat the nasty looking goblin food, and they did before going insane. Then again, what's normal to us on the surface is alien to those dwelling down here."

When discussing the kuo toa, Erevan chimes in, "Of course we need to be cautious. Perhaps one of us can scout ahead, gauging the general hospitality towards other races?"

 

[DMAesh]

Ezraen shakes his head, "I think there is safety in numbers. We will go in together, but we should have an out."

The half-drow has a memory that comes unbidden, a life from long ago...

 

[SunGold]

"I agree. We don't need them to be friendly to outsiders. We just need them to fear a fight with enough of us."

 

[Uller]

Once you break your camp, you begin moving again. The tunnels here are old and move upwards at a barely perceptible slope. On and on you walk. Mostly through darkness. Sometimes through natural light. Occasionally you encounter the strange faerzress that makes your mind tingle and seems to illuminate areas without a visible source of light. You camp again, this time in an area that is illuminated slightly. Such areas seem to be becoming more numerous. When you not this, Shuushar tells you the name Darklake is slightly ironic and that "Sloobludop" actually means "lighted sacrificial pit" in the language of his people. He says it very matter of factly, as if it shouldn't shock you at all. When he sees your reaction he says dryly "Well it's not literal. There is no pit."

The next 'day' you continue on. The cavern begins to open up. The ceiling disappears above you. The left hand wall meanders away from your sight. Then the floor to the left side begins to turn to rubble and drop away. You are moving downwards now.

Then the path turns toward the right a bit and you look out upon an enormous vista. The path clings to the right hand wall and begins to descend. Before you you can see spots of light here and there on a distant ceiling and spread out over a distant floor extending far beyond the range of even the drow's sensitive eyes. You can see the right hand wall remains mostly sheer and twists and turns off the the right. In the distance it starts to wander back to the left. Above, the right wall breaks up and slopes away.

The path is about 10' wide here and looks almost like an ancient road, made by civilized hands.

 

[DMAesh]

Ezraen grimaces at the revelation, "This is sounding less enticing with every new thing I learn. Let us get through this, and perhaps we can make it through without losing anyone..."

 

[JustinCase]

Erevan nods. "At least it's civilization. Our way back to the surface and out of this place of insanity."

 

[Uller]

You prepare yourselves, tethering yourselves together to make it less likely to fall and begin to move. You feel a strange feeling of anticipation. Anxiety at potential dangers ahead but also a faint tinge of hope. There has been no sign of drow pursuit. You have managed to not get hopelessly lost, eaten or starved to death...so maybe this will work out?

Within a few hundred feet of beginning down the trail you realize it isn't going to be easy. The trail becomes broken and narrows. Stones frequently fall away as you step on them. You have to cling to the wall with one hand making it difficult and sometimes even impossible to have weapons prepared. But there is nothing for it but to keep moving. Step by step. Sometimes inches at a time.

Derendil actually has the toughest time. His size and weight make it difficult and dangerous for him in spots. Fortunately his clawed hands are built for hanging on to rocky surfaces and he soon learns how to avoid putting much weight on the path. Well...is it learning...or more remembering?

 

[DMAesh]

Ezraen occasionally looks ahead to check on his group, taking note of each of them, especially those having trouble. "Hang in there, folks, one step at a time."