"Yes, well, living in the tunnels of the underdark isn´t for everyone I guess, but what happened back there is something different. I only hope we won´t run into that again. I´d much rather fight another abomination any day of a tenday." Vierna says grimly. "So any opinion on if we should cross the Darklake or go around it?"

Quote from Oberon99 >>

"Yes, well, living in the tunnels of the underdark isn´t for everyone I guess, but what happened back there is something different. I only hope we won´t run into that again. I´d much rather fight another abomination any day of a tenday." Vierna says grimly. "So any opinion on if we should cross the Darklake or go around it?"

 
"Of the terrors of the Underdark, Darklake has more than a fair share of them." Xunhar speaks gloomly while shaking his head, "Though I fear that to round it we'd risk capture or worse. I'd risk the shorter route towards Neverlight Grove in the hopes that we find some sort of safety there." 

"How big is Darklake?" Rinnill asks. "Could we swim across?"

"That would depend on your swimming skills Rinnill." Vierna says and smirks. "But I think we would have to build a raft to get us all across." She adds looking over the travellers.

(OOC:I somehow got the impression that we´re talking of days of travel, even over the Darklake right? The Darklake is fairly large though I think)

(OOC: Oh yes. 80-90 miles across at the shortest.)

(Glad you are back DM. I think we are quite ready to move on when you are.)

You travel several hours towards the lake, the air becoming more humid as you get closer. Those with a passive perception of at least 14 notice 

Scouting ahead most of the time, Vierna doesn´t notice anything at first. 

Even though he seems more at ease now than before, Xunhar still focuses on Asha's actions while moving about in the Underdark, never quite sure of what to expect from the former priestess. This way, the sorcerer does not notice those sneaking away.

Venrila is walking up front, looking ahead to see when Vierna pops up now and than to be sure we are still on the right track. Or at least the right track according to Vierna.

After an hour or so Venrila spots Vierna waiting for them by a forked passage. "That way next, we´re getting close. A quick break first I think." She says, sits down and drinks some water, noticing something odd. She tries to get the attention of Venrila, Xunhar and Rinnill and speaks to them in a lowered voice.
"I´m not sure what this means but Topsy and Turvy are acting a bit strange I think. They almost seem to be trying to sneak away. Is there something we should know about them Xunhar?"

Rinnill raises his eyebrows. Those two have been acting strange for a while, he thinks. But he turns to Xunhar to hear what they have to say.

Quote from Oberon99 >>

"I´m not sure what this means but Topsy and Turvy are acting a bit strange I think. They almost seem to be trying to sneak away. Is there something we should know about them Xunhar?"

 
Xunhar is caught quietly observing the former priestess and takes a moment to run over the question again in his mind, "I- uh... To be honest, the last few days were all a rush of fleeing the Mizzrym, I haven't stopped to chat long with our fellow escapees." he narrows his eyes as he scans around searching for them, "Could be in an urge to sell us to our pursuers, no less. We can't allow them to leave knowing just where we are headed." he nods grimly as he says it.

"Could you go talk to them Xunhar, see if they can come clean about their intentions? I will have your back, and if it comes to that, see to it that they don´t escape." Vierna says grimly to Xunhar and the others, holding her bow a bit tighter while keeping a close eye on the movements of the Topsy and Turvy.

Xunhar purses his lips and narrows his eyes at Vierna, seemingly disliking the chore, then rises and moves towards the duo, "Hey you two! Topsy... and Turvy, right? I've heard you svirfneblin take pride on your knowledge and navigation of the Underdark. I want you scouting ahead of the group with me. Yes, right by my side, it will be safer. Come on, we're moving." he nods towards the direction the party is going and stays close by with his eyes over the two gnomes, waiting for them to follow, "I'm sure you have somewhere you want to be and that's not following in the steps of drow. But we can all be on our separate ways once we reach Neverlight Grove, not before that." 

Rinnill watches the deep gnomes as Xunhar addresses them to see if he can intuit anything.

Insight: 23

Vierna duly notes the reluctance with which Xunhar goes and talks to the deep gnomes deciding to be more careful with suggestions in the future.

Assuming Topsy and Turvy complies with Xunhars request, Vierna follows them for now keeping a close eye on their actvities and behaviour.
Perception if needed:6 + 2 if related to the underdark. Insight on Topsy and Turvy:10

"Do you feel the moist in the air. We´re near the Darklake now." Vierna says encouragingly to the other travellers as they proceed.

(OOC: I might have been unclear but what Vierna tried to suggest was to talk to the svirfnebli about their behaviour and see what happens. It was merely a suggestion so I guess Xunhar could have just turned the idea down. It seemed reasonable to Vierna that Xunhar would talk to them since he seems charismatic enough and also is the only (active) traveller to know them since the escape.)

Quote from Oberon99 >>

 

(OOC: I might have been unclear but what Vierna tried to suggest was to talk to the svirfnebli about their behaviour and see what happens. It was merely a suggestion so I guess Xunhar could have just turned the idea down. It seemed reasonable to Vierna that Xunhar would talk to them since he seems charismatic enough and also is the only (active) traveller to know them since the escape.)

 
((Yup I got that, no worries :)) Xunhar is just reluctant to let them wander away—regardless of their current desiers—while they have the information that the group is headed towards Neverlight Grove, in a way that information can be learned/bribed/tortured off them. Trying to get them to walk in line with us until the grove, if he's able to learn something from them after this first interaction, all the better 👍))

((Also, will be flying over to Brasilia to visit my brother later today, so I'll be phone-only until the 21st, expect variance in activity, but I'll try to check often :) ))

(OOC: Thanks, have fun in Brazil :-)

(Are we going to continue?)