((It stands close to ten feet, even with it's hunched posture, and is a bit to the south of your intended path out, so not blocking you if you detour slightly.))

Lia's brain locks up as she fumbles a few halting notes from her lyre. It's head whips to stare at her side eyed.

Sorry all! Let me catch up ->

"Liaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" Thom yells as Lia tackles him and he falls down into the pool below.

Once at the bottom, he'd make sure he's not dead from the fall and then similarly to Lia start to get his bearings back and figure out which way is up. He's comfortable-ish in the water, but not cold dark drow cave pools and he is looking to get out of this water immediately. He sees Sarith and the Prince also fall into the water and once everyone gets their bearings he'd think to the Prince <my supreme royalness, you are quite the force and my sincere apologies for not realizing this earlier. We shall reunite you with your people very soon, your highness.>

He'd say out loud to Lia "Seems I owe you again, yeah? Thank you, Lia." and he bows his head in appreciation of the intriguing singing woman who's now saved his life twice. 

He looks around for the others and doesn't say anything to them but nods at them all. He listens to the ones familiar with this drow facility list off all of the possible routes, and he kind of gets lost in all of the names of the places. He's just going to take the word of the person who knows best and would side on the option which seems less dangerous. He's not keen on getting bit by those huge spiders again. He tends to side with Sarith as he seems he's the most sane of the lot.

He'd think to everyone <I agree, we should move now, whichever way we decide, yeah? I'm thinking they're best be sending all their forces to deal with the escapees, and well I'm not keen on those spiders either.>

Thom's stomach growls when Eldeth mentions food. 

He thinks to everyone <Right. Darklake it is.> and he has a bleak look on his face as he gets himself together and joins Galingal, Stena, Jimjar and Turvy.

Thom responds to Lia "It was the least I could do after you saved me. I don't even remember the blasted thing biting me. I just remember waking up to you holding my head, yeah? Anyway... thanks." and he bows his head again at her. 

Thom has a confused look when he sees the conflict with Turvy and Buppido with Topsy on the ground. He sees Lia try to reason with them but Thom leans towards Galingals attitude here and is more like "Yeah mates. Ye want to fight and die here, go ahead. I sure as heck don't though. Can we just go now lads?"

Thom thinks to Galingal <we don't have time for all of this nonsense, yeah?>

Thom does now wonder more about Buppido but he doesn't give it any actual thought or check. He thinks to himself though <he touches me and I'll kill him>

Thom would've been cool with Lia's travel plans and speeds! He'd want to go the fastest possible option while ensuring no exhaustion and adequate rests.

As the party reaches the western exit and Thom sees one of the demon birds he remembers from earlier slam on to the ground. He sees the Prince get his back up, and he sends to him 

<Prince. HOLD.>

Thom looks up at the combat above. What is going on up there? At the same time he takes his bow off his back and cocks an arrow and points it at the demon bird. If it moves closer to us and looks hostile he will shoot it. 

((There! That should catch Tommy boy up!))

Back when Thom thanks Lia for saving him, she brushes it off like anyone would do the same, but more than that she looks sad, and tries to justify herself. She says, “I couldn’t make it to Ront… There were too many quaggoths”.

She looks up slightly haunted, “I saw him take his last breath!…I think…”.

”And Io… I’ve never seen magic like that… Maybe she’s okay?!… but I couldn’t get to her… I … the weave… … it was like a cage of broken glass around her… I couldn’t get close!… …”.

It’s clear Lia is only counting her failures. And taking them quite personally.

<The orc was going to have to be dealt with at some point. Better this way.> Galingal thinks to Lia.

Galingal pulls to the side a step when the demonic bird falls from above and lands nearby.

As he pauses he tries to read the creatures intentions.

Insight: 11  

<It's clearly injured and that may have taken the fight out if.> Galingal thinks to the others. <If it doesn't make the first move let's not waste time fighting it and keep going.>

<Your apologies are most heartily accepted Thom. I suspect you've had limited interaction with royalty, but that's why I value your insights so.>, The Prince thinks graciously.

<You bet, mate! I was just trying to help, and ol' Grumblepuss over there comes at me swinging a blade cause I helped his sister!>, Buppido exclaims.

Galingal, you have trouble getting a read on the demon bird's intent, but it doesn't lunge at the party or attack, and after a few seconds of the party not immediately attacking, it heaves itself upward, wings whipping up wind around you as it screeches back into the fight still raging above.

Galingal watches the demon bird take flight and for a moment just notes the freedom of movement those that can fly have. He then continues on the way to the tunnel that leads towards Darklake.

Stena nods to Topsy and send a few positive words but stops when the monster crashes down.

Stena blinks stupidly at the giant vulture. She looks at the others to make sure they see it and, a few ticks after it flies away, pulls her bow back up. She squints at the empty spot.

Lia is pleased to see the back of that giant bird, and will head with the party along the passages towards the Darklake…

<Let’s get out of here, while we still can!…>, she sends to the group.

Sarith sets off down the western passage, followed closely by Galingal.

You initially set a rapid pace, moving through the caverns as quickly as possible. Those of you who were unconscious or otherwise not able to see when you were brought in are treated to the otherworldly diversity of the Underdark, passing by large caverns festooned with all manner of fungal growth... but for now, there's no time to explore or gawk, at any moment the drow could be coming down the passage in search of the escaped prisoners. Your fast pace doesn't leave much opportunity to conceal your trail either.

The physical exertion seems to burn through the poison affecting Stena and Lex, and they are soon moving better. Stool's spore communication fades, and without him conscious to be able to renew it, you're left talking in what shared languages you have, with a couple of the party serving as translator where needed, but for the most part your rapid flight doesn't leave you with much time for idle chatter. The communication is more limited to pointing out loose rocks, slippery sections and the like as you travel.

You feet rapidly grow numb against the cool, damp stone, and while the exertion of hurrying to make the most of your freedom keeps you warm initially, as you begin to get tired, and slow your pace to a more sustainable one, the chill of the Underdark begins to creep in. Stool eventually rouses, and when the twisting passage opens up into an area large enough for everyone to group close, extends his spores to you all so that everyone is able to check in with each other. Eldeth, gravely wounded, is helped along by Shuushar, the kuo-toa stronger than his fishy form might imply. 

After hours of travel, you're all getting quite tired from a very long, exciting day, and the thin broth you've been fed over the past week hasn't been the most filling or nutritious for keeping up your strength. With no signs of drow pursuit, you slow your pace further, keeping an eye out for a place to spend the night, and possible food to be foraged (checks can be made). Stool's spores have since faded, but he lets you all know before they do that he'd be able to do it once more before resting, and works out a system of gestures with you to let him know when to spore the party. After a half hour traveling at this pace, Sarith gestures back for the party to hold as he and Galingal slip forward.

There is an old rope bridge, seemingly of drow construction, as it's largely spider silk and fungal 'wood' planks, that spans a crevasse. Galingal, you're not able to see the far side, as there are no glowing fungi illuminating the area, but Sarith tells you that it's about 70 feet across. The crevasse plunges 40 ft or so deep, though it's covered in rubble.

Sarith remarks in elvish before turning to head back to the rest of the party: 

Lia doesn’t know The Underdark. And she is not a tracker or forager either. When Sarith gestures to the party to ‘hold’, she takes this opportunity to slip into the light-armour she’s been carrying ((only takes 60s to put on I think?)). Aside from that, she remains quiet, eagerly awaiting the return of the scouting party and any news.

((edit… oh sorry, also, when the party move off, can Lia look for 3x roughly fist-sized stones (or equivalent) on the trail before they make camp or around whatever campsite the party choose? Here’s a flat d20 in case a roll is needed: 8 (perception is +3, passive 13). )).

((Sure, not hard to find some rocks.))

While Sarith returns to the others, Galingal examines the bridge more closely, looking for signs of weakness. If it looks okay after the closer examination he will walk out a few feet, testing the strength.

Perception: 15  

If this is the first opportunity, Stena also dons her armor.

She comments to Eldeth,

"Never scouted this deep. Ye?"

She is mostly standing watch while the bridge is checked.

Perception: 5

Galingal, the bridge looks sound enough, though with a 70 ft span, there could certainly be weak spots farther out that you can't see yet. But it seems well made, if old. It doesn't seem to have been traveled much recently.

"No, pretty sure I haven't. Maybe a day or two from an entrance, tops. Who knows how deep we are now.", Eldeth replies.

Sarith shortly leads the rest of the party to the edge of the crevasse, raising an eyebrow at Galingal. 

In Elvish:

Galingal nods and starts across the bridge, keeping one hand in contact with the rope acting as a railing.

”This should be cut once across. Slow pursuit.”

The party slowly makes it across, the bridge swaying and bucking a bit. You slow your pace and try to keep from stepping in sync with one another, and you all make it across eventually. As blades are applied to the strands as Galingal suggested, they part with a snap and the plants and cables clatter into the ravine below.

Galingal looks down into the crevasse as the bridge falls. That will slow down pursuit he thinks to himself but will also confirm which way they went if the drow slavers do come this way.

He then watches Sarith for a moment. 

"If still have energy, would put more distance in still before stopping," Galingal says. "Move slow. Look food and when find good spot camp. Stop."

If the others agree, Galingal will look for anything edible as the walk, and then after an hour will start looking for somewhere to camp, preferably a side cave, or space that's not too exposed.

Survival: 23

Perception: 9 

Stena tries to keep her eye out for things she recognizes as edible.

Survival:6

“Yes. When we stop, might depend on how lucky we are finding food and a safe place to rest!”, Lia adds, keeping her eyes peeled…  

Perception check: 18

Prince Derendil approaches Lia, speaking in elvish.

 He gestures towards her wrists, and when she gives him the go ahead, attempts to break her free as gently as possible.

It doesn't work.

 He shakes his head in disappointment, and pats her hand gently.