"Hildi, was there any kind of clear path to the creature that we could sneak through?"

Hildigrim can't help but smile as he half-heartedly fends off the owl attack.

(OOC: I think it will help to look back on the most recent map, to figure out what the party should do next. Link to post 4659.

You know that the river goes east, then curves south. But you don't know if it continues going south-east, or if it twists around more.

Between the trog guard cave and the 12-trog cavern, there are some side passages, but Volo already determined they are dead-ends.
At the eastern edge of the 12-trog cavern, there are 2 more passages going east. But that means potentially fighting 15 troglodytes and that ogre-sized unnatural eel/fish/tentacle thing.

The party is at the "T" intersection about mid-way between the "side cavern" and the trog guards. There is a passage north that hasn't been explored yet.

You could backtrack to where Volo was caught by the net by some kuo-toa.

Or go all the way to the river (NW corner of the map), cross back over it to the north, and continue exploring east. (There are the angry Xorn back there. And you've been warned about Drow to the east.)

Or maybe you have something else in mind?)

(Quillary liked Cory, but does not think the chances of her being with these drow are very good. Besides, the xorn are in the way. She’s also overconfident, and she thinks we can take the ogre-sized brain-eye critter. She’s probably wrong. So, North passage before we make any decisions?)

Jorin is of a mind with Quillary vis a vis being able to kill anything lol, but going north first to check it out is probably a good idea.

The passage goes north/northeast for 30' before another "T" intersection.

The northwest passage winds around for a short distance, then becomes a dead-end.

The eastern passage winds around for about 50', then becomes a 20' by 30' beachhead. The river is visible ahead (flowing west to east), thick with slime and smelling terrible. The river is 30' wide. Across the river from your position to the north are 2 gaps in the cave wall, each 10' wide, and filled with river water. (The openings wind around, so from your position you can't tell how far they go back, or how deep the water is.)

The beachhead is coated with slime from the river, as well as dead fish and crabs (floating from the river).

(OOC: Back in the hook horror cave are zurkhwood and barrelstalk fungi. It is possible to create a raft from those materials. It would be complicated by dragging them from there to this beachhead (length of a football field through rocky, twisty passages), and that none of you are proficient with water craft.)

Are we using some kind of light? We need to be on the lookout for the markings that were described to us that we wouldn't be able to see with darkvision.

(A Long Rest and Quillary can get Water Walk, though no guarantee it would keep us from the effect of the slime.)

Quote from DirtyDogP >>

Are we using some kind of light? We need to be on the lookout for the markings that were described to us that we wouldn't be able to see with darkvision.

 Jorin is using the light from his moonblade at all times unless otherwise stated, since he can't see in the dark.

If we have access to the raft building materials now, then I like that idea.  Jorin is pretty crafty and could hack up the mushrooms to build a decent raft!

Quote from DirtyDogP >>

Are we using some kind of light? We need to be on the lookout for the markings that were described to us that we wouldn't be able to see with darkvision.

(OOC: I'll assume that when the party is traveling, you periodically backtrack and use Light to check the surroundings. Slows down the travel, but you won't miss the markings unless I am told that you are deliberately moving with haste.

It is only an issue during combat, if the party was fleeing. Or when Volo or Q-spider scout ahead with their dark vision.)

Drusk definitely likes the idea of Water Walking, if the river is being explored. It would be trouble if you were floating on a raft and something in the water upended it.

Between Quillary, Drusk, and Pascal, you figure out the river slime is trouble if it is ingested, by drinking or eating river-life. Contact is unpleasant, but there are no ill effects in the short term. (You can water walk, although when you make it back to the city you will want new boots. You could swim, but it would be role-playing clumsy avoiding river water in the mouth.) As far as you can tell, it is only slightly worse than hiking through a sewer.

(Of course, we did *just* take a Long Rest, I recognize. Because of her disturbing vision, Quillary loaded up on damaging spells, not utility spells…)

"Let me do a little more scouting with Volo," Hildigrim offers. He seems to be a little less wound up. He sits down with his legs crossed and sends Volo fluttering away.

Stealth for Volo: 8

Perception for Volo: 5; advantage for hearing and sight: 16

Initiative for Volo: 8

Initiative for Hildi: 21

Quote from DirtyDogP >>

"Let me do a little more scouting with Volo," Hildigrim offers. He seems to be a little less wound up. He sits down with his legs crossed and sends Volo fluttering away.

(What areas are being searched, and in what order? Upriver, downriver, those passages across the river...)

Let's scout them in that order: up, down, and then in. Hildi's ready to snatch Volo away at the first sign of danger.

Upriver, Volo can just see a beachhead around the curve of the river, but can't see anything more. (That is the limit, given Hildigrim's range to use his familar's senses.)

Downriver, there are 2 more passages filled with water. (The ceiling is high enough for a raft or water walking, but there is no visible dry land to walk on.)

(OOC: I'll pause before Volo goes across the river to scout the 2 passages, to check if any of this information changes the plan.)

“Keep exploring, Good Volo,” Quillary will whisper.

And we are in the long rest cavern at the moment?

Quote from Guiltysparc >>

And we are in the long rest cavern at the moment?

(At the beachhead on the river, about halfway between "side cavern" and "12 frogs".
The party asked to check the northern passage away from the path leading to the guards.)

I wish it was only 12 frogs!

I think it's time for Volo to fly up the two passages filled with water directly across.

Quote from Quasimodal >>

Quote from Guiltysparc >>

And we are in the long rest cavern at the moment?

(At the beachhead on the river, about halfway between "side cavern" and "12 frogs".
The party asked to check the northern passage away from the path leading to the guards.)

 Ah, thanks.  Was having trouble keeping track of where we were.  The map helps!