Chapter 2: The Highway and Silver Spring

[cybersavant]

Nah Olos "We should at least see what's around the bend. Did we miss a turn? Probably need to remove some of that rubble to continue on."

[Rex]

Qleceec

Qleceec will sneak up and take a look around the bend.

[GreyWolfVT]

Boff "All I know is ain't none o' us gonna survive takin tha lava flow."

[shaidar]

Garrant

"While I do have a spell that would protect a single person from the lava, I do not have the means to get past the rock fall."

[gurusql]

The Aftermath
Early Afternoon of Godsday, 19th day of Planting, 597
14th day since leaving Loftwick

Androgost (AC -6, HP 31/65, Armor 13/26)
Qleceec (AC 1, HP 33/63) (Infravision, Lit Sword)
Nah Olos (AC 4, HP 40/53)
Siouxsie (AC 2, HP 48/48) (Protection from Fire - 84)
Hex (AC 0, HP 22/27, Armor 2/8) (Staff with Continual Light Coin)
Raffi (AC -1, HP 21/21, Armor 8/8) (Glowing Dagger)
Boff (AC 5, HP 51/61)
Garrant (AC 3, HP 50/50, Armor 2/8) (Lantern)
Frannie (AC 4, HP 18/26) (Boff's Lantern)

The oppressive heat in the air is starting to take its toll on most of the group. Sweat beads on their brows, their clothes clinging uncomfortably to their skin, and the air around them feels thick with the constant, pulsing warmth radiating from the lava pool. Only Siouxsie seems unaffected. Her stoic demeanor only seems to highlight the weariness in the others, who seem to wilt under the conditions.

Qleceec, whose curiosity often gets the best of her, moves ahead toward the end of the path, her eyes narrowing as she tries to peer beyond the boundary marked on the map. The light from the molten lava dances on the jagged rocks that line the edge, but it offers little in the way of clarity. As she steps cautiously forward, she strains his eyes, trying to see farther than the 40-50 feet the map had indicated. The winding path of the lava pool stretches further into the cavern, its molten surface curling and twisting in an unpredictable way.

She can tell with some certainty that the lava continues at least 100 feet beyond the map’s edge. Its glow stretches like a fiery river in the gloom of the cavern, casting flickering shadows on the walls. Qleceec’s eyes flicker over the surface, but she doesn’t see any places where they might be able to step without falling into the treacherous lava.

"There could be areas hidden just beyond the bend," she thinks to herself. "But there could just as easily be none.” She scans the horizon, the flames casting a long shadow over her face thinking "The only thing I’m certain of is we don't see any clear passage."

Nah Olos, always the practical thinker, breaks the silence. "We should at least see what’s around the bend. Did we miss a turn earlier? There might be another way through, but we’ll have to move some of this rubble to keep going." His voice is steady, but there’s an edge of doubt in it. The rubble blocks part of the path they had followed so far, and removing it could be a viable option if they want to continue.

Garrant, ever the resourceful one, suggests an alternative. "While I do have a spell that would protect a single person from the lava, I do not have the means to get past the rock fall." He eyes the pool, his fingers already tracing the sigils in the air, but Boff interrupts his with a sharp shake of his head.

Boff says "All I know is ain't none o' us gonna survive takin tha lava flow." He pauses, then adds in a quieter voice, "Without magic of course."

Hex and Raffi, ever the problem-solvers, near the rear of the group, their attention shifting to something entirely different. They begin gathering small pebbles, their hands moving deftly to place the stones on the shoulders of the “frozen children”.

Frannie, meanwhile, is growing increasingly impatient with the silence at the back of the group. No one has addressed the rear of their position, and Frannie’s eyes flicker nervously from one side of the path to the other. While the others debate the dangerous obstacles ahead, Frannie’s eyes remain trained on the shadows behind them, scanning for any signs of movement, any sudden threat that might be creeping up on them. She doesn’t dare turn her back completely, not with the lava in front of them and an unknown danger behind.

The group is at a crossroads, mentally taxed from the intense heat and pressure of their situation. One path ahead is blocked by the lava and the other seems impassable unless they can find a way to move the rubble and assess what lies beyond the bend. The third option had also been offered by Frannie. For now, the decision hangs in the air, and the group must decide whether to press forward into the unknown or find a way to reorient themselves and seek a safer route. Each person’s thoughts turn inward, their minds racing with possibilities and doubts, as they stand on the precipice of a new, dangerous choice.

Actions?

[cybersavant]

Nah Olos scans the rubble, looking for even small openings that perhaps an animal could crawl through.

[Rex]

Qleceec

"Does anyone have any magical or more likely divine means to determine our route forward from here? It doesn't look like any path forward around the bend but it is hard to tell and someone searching it will be exposed to the lava's heat."

[shaidar]

Garrant

"I have no suitable divinations, but I can protect someone from the heat if they want to search ahead. In fact I have two spells. One to help protect against magical and non-magical fires that will last an hour, and one that will protect against the hottest of non-magical fires and will last just over an hour. I believe only the second spell would completely protect against actual contact by the magma."

[GreyWolfVT]

Boff "I know I got magic ta breathe under water, but doubt it'll work fer lava."

[Dicey]

Even if a path continued east past the lava, there was no way to get the whole group past the burning river.

I vote we try to clear the caved-in rocks, said Souixsie the druid, thinking that the only safe option…

…Unless there is some alternate path earlier back that I’m not aware of, not having played through it. Or a crazy long shot: if Souixsie under Prot from Fire can safely swim the lava and see how far it goes, and if it shows a new path soon beyond current view, we could combine ropes, tie or spike high at two ends, and slide/climb above the lava. Or tie the paralyzed children together as a raft (if they float) and ride down the river to new path.

[gurusql]

The Aftermath
Early Afternoon of Godsday, 19th day of Planting, 597
14th day since leaving Loftwick

Androgost (AC -6, HP 31/65, Armor 13/26)
Qleceec (AC 1, HP 33/63) (Infravision, Lit Sword)
Nah Olos (AC 4, HP 40/53)
Siouxsie (AC 2, HP 48/48) (Protection from Fire - 84)
Hex (AC 0, HP 22/27, Armor 2/8) (Staff with Continual Light Coin)
Raffi (AC -1, HP 21/21, Armor 8/8) (Glowing Dagger)
Boff (AC 5, HP 51/61)
Garrant (AC 3, HP 50/50, Armor 2/8) (Lantern)
Frannie (AC 4, HP 18/26) (Boff's Lantern)

Metaphorically, the group finds themselves at a crossroads, a moment of decision that will dictate their next steps. Their journey, once full of straightforward paths, now confronts them with two literal barriers—a cave-in or the lava path.

Nah Olos and Siouxsie cautiously examine the rubble, each of them trying to find a solution to this unexpected problem. Siouxsie, with her nimbleness and keen eye, moves carefully through the debris, looking for any sign of a weak point or a way around it. However, as she shifts a few stones, a loose rock tumbles down from above, and they hear the ominous sound of shifting weight. The ground beneath them groans. Neither of them is a master of stonework but the instability of the situation is clear. The rocks are not settled; this collapse could easily worsen if they make the wrong move.

Qleceec, ever the pragmatic one, poses a question that lingers in the air: "Does anyone have any magical or more likely divine means to determine our route forward from here?" There’s a beat of silence in the group, an uncomfortable pause. In the silence that follows, Garrant steps forward with an offer, trying to make the situation feel less dire. "I have no suitable divinations, but I can protect someone from the heat if they want to search ahead." Garrant says.

The group is left with a choice that’s more complicated than it first appears. The lava or a cave-in blocks the two obvious paths. Frannie had previously offered a third path but that fell on deaf ears since that would involve some back tracking.

There were some questions of various forms, I have tried to summarize the information that group has received in the various encounters and answer the question of the bypassed tunnels.

Some key intel the group has received in the caves

1. The dwarf leaders tell the group about the mind flayers
2. They are told the highway is closed and battle the blue wizard and flying serpents while crossing the pit of mud.
3. Find the entrance to the cave structure that is supposed to have mind flayers. Siouxsie is captured by the dark elves.
4. Siouxsie asks some questions that do not get answered.
5. Party steals gem from the dark elves and trades it for information. After getting the gem the "giants" say they are heading for the Crossing.
6. Down the Highway, the group comes to a burned down rope bridge, over the Highway. The "Giants" offer to trade information that and they freak out when Hex starts to cast a spell in the middle of the negotiation. They are returning from the general area of Solenearcillus and end up heading down the river.

Side tunnels that the group has bypassed

• Before the meeting the dwarves - the group skipped two left tunnels and one right tunnel.
• When the dwarves were leading the group to the "mind flayer" area - you were lead past one branch to the left and two to the right.
• After talking with the "giants" (post dark elf robbery) the group passed one tunnel to the left and one to the right and then another to the left.
• There was the river tunnel (up and down stream)

[cybersavant]

Nah Olos "I have a gaseous potion, but that's pretty much only good for one way and i'm not sure there's even a gap to pour through."

[Rex]

Qleceec

"I am opposed to any option that will force us to split up the group. The cave in isn't like a door we can't open from this side. I have no ideas of my own here, but I think anything that splits us up is a bad idea."

[Dicey]

Side tunnels that the group has bypassed

• Before the meeting the dwarves - the group skipped two left tunnels and one right tunnel.
• When the dwarves were leading the group to the "mind flayer" area - you were lead past one branch to the left and two to the right.
• After talking with the "giants" (post dark elf robbery) the group passed one tunnel to the left and one to the right and then another to the left.
• There was the river tunnel (up and down stream)

Given the instability around the fallen rocks, it seems going back and trying a route previously bypassed is a wise choice. I don't have enough grasp of the past actions to know which side tunnel would be best.

[gurusql]

Qleceec

"Does anyone have any magical or more likely divine means to determine our route forward from here? It doesn't look like any path forward around the bend but it is hard to tell and someone searching it will be exposed to the lava's heat."

Frannie

"I could prayer to Dumathoin in the morning for an Augury spell, but I would need a pearl of at least 100gp to make the spell work."

[shaidar]

Garrant

"I have suitable pearls. But that does not help if we have no way forward. Assuming the two spells I described will protect against the lava, I would be able to gain enough in prayer tomorrow to protect us, with Frannie's help. I suggest I cast these spells on volunteers and we check their efficacy. If they work then the two can see if there is a way through the lava that regains the trail soon enough for our needs."

[Rex]

Qleceec

"Then it seems we have a plan. I volunteer to be one of the scouts."

[GreyWolfVT]

Boff "I'll help scout if yah want. Not keen on messin with lava but I'll do what is needed Whichever way we go."

[shaidar]

Garrant

Garrant pauses for a moment, thinking, before speaking.

"Apologies. I think my plan is flawed, neither spell will be of use to us. It seems the only option we have is to retrace our steps and find another way past."

[Rex]

Qleceec

"Then back we go."

She will lead the way back to the first intersection that way.