((Yes, it says ability checks, not just skill checks (hence why it applies to Initiative). Still not enough, but good catch!))

Stena will provide the twins with two of the mushroom leathers for makeshift blankets and will try to convert the last into a bag to carry the stalks, perhaps borrowing some rope from whomever has some to do so.

She'll quietly check on the twins well-being before putting forward to the group,

"We can eat these mushroom stalks but we need to soak them first and then dry them. Next time we see a source of running water it is probably going to be worth the pause to get them soaked and they can dry as we move."

When Eldeth is completely free Stena smiles faintly and says in Dwarven,

"Glad one of us is out of their shackles."

@Spider, sorry I will be slow all week, all kids are home "sick" with colds! Please feel free to move Thom and roll for him if necessary. I still want to be in this game though and apologies to all if I miss any very cool details!

Lia's magic is AWESOME!  Very cool descriptions although I am not surprised Grwobert :D

Regarding the 3 trillimac that Thom found, he would like to harvest (or try? Let me know if I need to roll) the 3 upper caps. Would he have been able to soak the stalks anywhere during the travel or somewhere around the rest cave and then dry them? If so, he would've also done that. Let me know what he has after that and I will add to inventory. He would've offered one of the dried stalks to another person if they needed it for food.

(It seems others harvested so let me know what I have left!)

Thom's adrenaline is now starting to subside for the first time since the escape and he has time to reflect on his performance. He's never missed like that before. He has dreams of being picked on by the Silvanesti that night. He's a child, and they are all on the bridge watching him miss all of the shots and then pointing and laughing when he almost got eaten by the giant spider. He awakes in sweats but then is able to get some sleep afterwards as it seems the dream resolved some things in his mind. -> Level 2! 

@Spider, would you allow me to roll for HP? It's kind of grown on me with Ess! Totally happy either way though. So Thom gets the action surge plus the HP and I think that's it for straight fighter L2 but I will double check. 

Can Thom try and escape his collar as well? With help? If someone helped, here's his DEX attempt: 8

Actually if that doesn't work he would order the prince to help him first before anyone else. He would think to the Prince only. <HEY! Err.. I mean your royalness, please can you help me with my collar? I need your strength again, your highness. What would I do without you. Perhaps I shall indeed be your servant once we return to your town. Where was it, again?>

Thom grins slyly at him. 

Thom basically remains pretty quiet so far - he's just really anxious to get out of here and isn't really looking to make any friends although is still extremely grateful for Lia saving his life! He feels quite confident in the company he's with and it seems Sarith really knows the area. He's intrigued by Galingal and hopes one day soon he will be back in daylight.

(trying to RP appropriately given my available playtime!)

He says to everyone "Well, we shall keep going now, yeah? I need to get some clothes."

and he blushes. 

"And we need to get the Prince here back to his people!"

and he smiles at Denedril.

Thom would want to be close to the front, second preferably keeping eyes on the way ahead while Sarith leads the way, bow drawn. Perception if needed: 7

((Stena wouldn't have tried to rob Thom of the stalks, she would have worked with him on the process. The only thing she would have been focused on is getting the blankets to the twins.))

((No worries! Take care of those kids without getting sick yourself! You can totally roll for HP if you'd rather.))

Stena is able to use the leather and rope to tie off the middle of the stalks, getting a bundle that can be carried fairly easily by her or Thom, or whoever. As you were trimming the leather off the top, Stool toddles over and happily begins consuming the scraps. The stalks need an hour soak, more than just a quick dunk, to leach the toxin from the fungal tissue. So if you're able to find a pool or stream next time you take a short or long rest, you'd be able to soak them well enough.

Thom's thoughts don't go far, as Stool hasn't spored the party yet today. Assuming Thom pulls the Prince aside to ask in Elvish,

 He will grasp Thom's collar and attempt to pull it free.

21

 ((Anything else folks are wanting to do as you hit the road? What pace are you traveling today? We broke it up yesterday, but going forward I'll ask for pace for the whole day.))

((Normal or fast. No time for slow!))

((I’d agree with that! Although I forget what the difference was exactly))

Lia would ask Galingal, one last time before they head out, to try the lock picks on her’s (and anyone else’s) manacles. She’d really like to wear her armour as they delve deeper! And I think it affects stealth too?

She’d be sorely tempted to ask him to try until he succeeds with everyone but I think that could take time and puts more risk on the picks. Maybe one try on each is best?

((who is left wearing any restraints?? If it’s only a few maybe a couple of tries on each? How long would, say, 10x tries take? across different people whoever is left still restrained))

((Oh and Lia would recommend disposing of the chains somewhere out of sight or it will be another thing that leads the drow down the correct path to us))

((Fast means no foraging and a cut in passive perception. So no more food and a higher chance of something catching us unprepared?))

((I’ve never used this feature of prestidigitation ever! but in this instance…))… Lia will liberally ‘soil’ any discarded chains, to make them blend in more with the environment, and not sparkle in the light, to make them easier to dump and hide.

Travel Pace:

Still Bound:

If Galingal agrees to attempt to lockpick a few restraints, Lia will tell him, “You can do this!…”, and grant him Bardic Inspiration (+d6), …in the hope it might either help him succeed on one check that was close, or save his picks from damage, whichever comes first…

((Bardic Inspitation (+d6) is with: Galingal)).

Sarith shares his concerns in Undercommon with the locals, and with Thom in Elvish, and Thom is able to translate to Common for the rest of the surface dwellers.

"We need to get going. We put several miles on them yesterday, and that bridge should slow them, but we've been holed up here for eight hours. Half of that they could have spent pursuing us. We need to go. Fast."

"My legs aren't made for sprinting, I agree we need to go, but if we go rushing headlong through the Underdark, we're liable to get turned around and have to backtrack.", offers Jimjar.

((PC votes seem to be ambivalent to normal vs fast, Galingal or Thom might be the deciding vote.))

((Lia’s vote would be to travel fast… after spending a minute or so picking locks. She’d be happy with ‘normal’ but her preference, for now, is probably: fast today, maybe normal tomorrow))

Galingal watches the route they came from while the others gather their few possessions to get going. Once convinced that no drow are coming imminently. He half expected to see a raven sitting watching him this morning. As unheard of as that would be in the underdark, he's still expecting it will eventually happen.

Then he moves quietly over to Lia and tries her manacles again. 8  

Then Topsy's.  8   

It's taking Galingal a few moments to figure out how to adjust to the damaged tools but he settles back down, takes a breath and nods at Lia's encouragement.

Lia's Manacles: 23  

Bardic Inspiration if rolls is between 10 and 15: 4  

(And vote for half the day fast, but then slowing down to normal so they don't get too lost)

Galingal calmly takes the tools and tries bending the one that is most damaged, trying to get the right hook back on it and just before they're set to move out again he tries Lia's manacles again.

18  

And if there's time before everyone is ready, he tries Topsy's again as well.

11  

(And vote for half the day fast, but then slowing down to normal so they don't get too lost)

To avoid having to do more math and tracking than necessary, I'd ideally like each day to be at the same pace throughout.

Galignal manages after a few tries, to get Lia sprung from her manacles as the others gather up their things. He gets close with Topsy, but the bent hook fails him.

Lia is very relieved when Galingal manages to finally free her from her manacles! “Thank you, thank you!…”. She’s almost moved to tears, but then quickly composes herself, and slips into her stolen armour.

She ‘soils’ any manacles that come off and hides them off the beaten track before heading out with the party.

((Bardic Inspitation (+d6) is with: no one (Galingal spent his lock-picking))

((We seem to be leaning towards fast, once that's confirmed, I'll post for the day!))