Illianka returns from her meditation, looking slightly better. Some more of her wounds have closed, though she's still not at the peak of her health.

"So... who should we travel to first? Since we need to warn them, even if we can't garner their aid.." she looks at the other two.

Schnickle awoke from his nap, feeling relaxed and relieved after the fight with the Illithid. He jumped out the mushroom, said his prayers, found his focus, and checked his crossbow, and he was ready again.

"Wherever is closest would be best. Not good it is to wander for long in the 'dark."

Schnickle looked with concern at Illianka. "If travelling we must go, you are in no state. Have this." The little deep gnome handed Illianka a potion from his belt.


OOC: You look like you need healing. Take a Cure Mod!

[Private to GM: Schnick, be careful with your color tags - preview & proofread your posts if you must. I am often editing out mistakes.]
This message was last edited by the player at 13:02, Fri 16 June 2006.

Reeshov is quite close to Eryndlyn. Reeshov is known for being *very* hard to enter. The labyrinth is slightly closer, but in a slightly different direction.

Either way, you will need to cross the darklake, which means finding a ferry across (nobody swims across the darklake)

This message was deleted by the player at 02:52, Thu 15 June 2006.

"Ah... thankyou.." She took the potion and downed it, the sour lemon taste not seeming to bother her in the slightest as she smiled to the gnome. "We'll need to cross the darklake whatever... oh, I do wish I could have taken a map when I left... where can we get a ferry?"

You vaguely remember something about there being ferry stations fairly regularly along the darklake - all the major tunnels that lead to it have ferry stations nearby, so you should be able to locate one by walking along the shore for a day at most.
(A DC 15 knowledge: local check reveals the exact location of a ferry station and DC 20 will tell you the schedule they leave on)

Schnickle piped up. "I think I know where we can can find a ferry."

20:57, Today: Schnicklegulp Stoneswiper rolled 26 using 1d20+8. know: local northdark.

OK, if the group is ready to depart, Schnick knows the way perfectly and has met Carevas the ferryman before. He's an odd sort - always wears a heavy cloak that covers him up completely, and he doesn't meet people's eyes if he can avoid it at all. He generally charges 10 gold to take you directly where you want to go.

Schnickle explained to others, about the route and about Carevas the ferry-man. "Well, ready I am.

"As am I... do we know what lairs between there and here? It seems unlikely that the route will be clear."

Raiding parties from various sources are the only real risk - there are no large settlements nearby. You are likely to run into raiding parties of:

Mind Flayers
Driders
Beholderkin (Although there is no hive nearby, some of the lesser beholders are fairly common - groups of them rove the underdark on food raids.)
And you may also encounter oozes.

These are the major dangers in this part of the 'dark.

Also, how much food are you going to carry with you?

OOC: What we've already got listed on our sheets?

Well, food is plentiful here, but it may not be in other places, so I'm giving you the option of gathering up some extra before you go. I will be tracking how much you eat - there is precious little food in the underdark outside of cities.

OOC: Well, I guess we'll stuff our packs full of yummy mushroom steaks - at least, what the Miconids will let us have.

Deepwalker packs up his gear and states, Let's be off.

The party is travelling down a particularly narrow bit of corridor when webs fly from behind you, sticking to the walls and to Deepwalker & Illianka but flying over the head of Scnicklegulp.

OOC: It's a web spell, see http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/web.htm for consequences. Only Scnick made his save.

The quick little gnome ducked under the stick webs. "Eek!" Schnickle squealed, and looked around for the source of the attack.

A drider skitters up the wall, cursing gnomes for being short enough to be missable.

Schnickle raised his crossbow, took aim, and fired at the Drider.

14:05, Today: Schnicklegulp Stoneswiper rolled 14 using 1d20+8. crossbow attack.
+1 attack if within 30ft (Point Blank Shot)
14:06, Today: Schnicklegulp Stoneswiper rolled 4 using 1d6. xbow damage.
+1 damage if within 30ft (Point Blank Shot)

Scnick's crossbow bolt goes wide, entirely missing the creature.

Drider stats are here: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/drider.htm

These monsters are common enough that Illianka and Schnick certaintly know about them, and Deepwalker would have at least heard of them.

"Trust!" Illianka said the word like it was the vilest oath ever created. She didn't struggle, though - she knew that she didn't have the gross physical strength needed to break free. Instead, she closed her eyes and focussed, drawing up the power she knew to be within her... her hair rose, starting to dance as though blown upwards by a wind from below. The loose parts of her clothing also behaved in a similar way, though her cloak was too thoroughly entangled to do the same. Fire danced among her fingers before enshrouding her hands. A moment later, the psionic flame leapt from her hands to the Drider with a roar.

[Private to DM Daniel: Manifesting Energy Ray: Fire to attack the Drider and enhancing it with 2 PP for a total cost of 3 PP;

10:25, Today: Illianka rolled 22 using 1d20+5. Ranged Touch.
10:25, Today: Illianka rolled 21 using 3d6+3. Fire damage. Rolled max, woot!

Edit: 10:27, Today: Illianka rolled 14 using 1d20+4. Ooops. Forgot Initiative. ]
This message was last edited by the player at 09:27, Mon 19 June 2006.

Illianka's ray burns into the drider's flesh, and it shrieks in Drow "Curse you, vile escapee! Lolth's revenge is coming for you!"

Then it turns and flees at high speed.

Clearly shaken by the Driders' words, Illianka pulled at the webbing, breaking free with a supreme effort. [Private to DM Daniel: 21 on str check vs DC20. Natural 20.] "No..." she whispered, staring at the drider.

Schnickle helped Illianka and Deepwalker out their webs. "About what was that?" he said with concern for Illianka.
This message was lightly edited by the player at 11:34, Mon 19 June 2006.

"It's..." She stopped, then shook her head. "It's nothing. Lets keep going." She knew she should leave them and go her own way, but there were more important things afoot... she couldn't decide if the Illithids or her two friends were more important.

She realised with a start that she did indeed consider them as friends. It was... a nice feeling, she thought, suppressing a smile.