Erik Soong's Call of the Netherdeep

Ylis keeps the lights on and stages near the north door to follow up.

Sky says as he moves to the front, "Try and stay within five feet of me if you need assistance or get in over your head.  I can aid you."  He has his halberd raised and at the ready.  He nods to Navi.

Randa again sights up on the door, ready to fire when its opened.....

Frekor helped Randa move the table to block the south table before quickly joining the others at the north entrance. He then got ready with his swords to fight whoever was o the other side.

-Whenever you guys are ready.- said the elf waiting for their move.

Morgan, Randa, and Sky move the table to the west door without issue. Once they move to the south door however, they note that it is slightly ajar. Peering inside, Nivi and the others can see a long autopsy table next to a larger industrial sink opposite a wall with another small fountain of water.

The table and sink are covered in blood. The blood is not running, but it does appear reasonably fresh.

To the north, Nivi quietly cracks the door and sees another set of stairs leading deeper into the depths, where it forks right and left. Morgan’s map said left was the best route to take.

Another torturous scream rings out. Frekor and Ylis recognize this voice now that the door is open. It is the sound of Taskhand Verin Thelyss.

Ylis whispers "We need to move. Now. That's the Taskhand screaming."

"Ah could be a trap too, but we still need to go."

"Shit!"

Morgan points ahead.

"Go! And try to be ******* stealthy for once!"

He sends his familiar forward. For the first 100 feet, he looks through its eyes. Then he orders it to continue toward the scream, assess the situation as best it can, and fly back.

(Bat's stealth: natural 1 🤦)

(Before the most recent scream):

At the sight of the empty southern room with the bloody operating table, Nivi shakes her head.  "So this is where they put the demons into them."

She turns, deciding an apparently empty room does NOT need ball bearings laid down in front of it.  (Caltrops already down in front of west door.)

(After the most recent scream, which Nivi would NOT recognize as coming from Taskhand Thelys, not being well familiar with his voice.  Though the one Clasp Cutthroat had revealed to her when questioned that the Taskhand was indeed Desu's target, so she might guess who it is):

With the northern door open and Blade Ward already cast, she lopes ahead silently into the darkness.  Stealth:  29 already rolled.

Nivi moves quickly and silently ahead along the route Morgan had shown.  Cunning Action dash as a Bonus Action every round and using her Action to watch for traps, hazards and enemies).  Perception to out into the darkness:  17 at disadvantage already rolled.

It is just after she takes a left turn at the T-intersection that an astonishingly loud and erratically flapping bat familiar warbles up next to her.  NOTE:  the bat's fly speed is 30', so it is DEFINITELY NOT moving any faster than Nivi is since she is dashing as a Bonus Action.

"You kidding me, Pretty Boy?" she hisses back at Morgan, nearly at a loss for words that he thinks his bat would be a better advance scout than she.

Realizing that all pretense at Stealth has likely been ruined by the familiar, Nivi reassesses with a grimace.  She continues moving along the route, but drops back to the group rather than ranging ahead.  Now staying just 5' ahead of Sky as the goliath had suggested (assuming he is coming along).

Jacaranda didn't let Ylis out of her sight, slipping after her.

Ylis follows the group ready to provide backup.

*same formation*

DM: Everyone please give me a Wisdom Saving Throw, as you pass through the tunnel down the stairs.

Nivi's WIS Save, at advantage (Luck point expended before roll - thankfully or it would have been a fail):  20 (dirty)

Randa Wis Save - 22

Wisdom Save: 18 (13+5)

Yis WIS save 25

(Frekor's Wisdom saving throw: 19,  16+3.)

Frekor moves woth the rest of the group as stealthy as he could, but being in a hurry in a small corridor with everyone didn't help. (Stealth check: 8, Nat 1+7.)

Morgan's wisdom save: 20 (advantage spending Tides of Chaos)

DM: Yeesh, okay noted high rollers. 

Just landed and have been traveling for 28 hours (30 if you count driving), but a post should be incoming once I get settled at the hotel. Have to fight off sleep for a few more hours anyway to get on local time.

(OOC: Good to know that you had a safe travel to your hotel. Take your time settling in Vietnam, enjoy your stay over there)

The party rounds the corner, Nivi padding along, the only sound that of her breath. There is no small amount of satisfaction that comes from knowing that she is as silent as the wind. More so even. That satisfaction is shattered by Morgan’s bat who, seemingly blinded, batters against each wall. On each impact, it wastes precious seconds driving itself into the hard stone, leathery wings flapping noisily against the walls.

The crew presses forward, driven by the sound of Taskhand Thelyss’ agonized cries. The masonry work here has fallen into disrepair-cracks in walls make some threaten to fall over, and there is a wet, moldy smell that clings to the air here. The party passes by a number of doors, knowing that these would offer nothing but distractions and delays. What follows are a series four 10x10 ft cells. The first is packed with people, huddled tightly to one another. A drow woman, clad only in her undergarments, rushes to the closed bar door. She reaches out frantically through the bars to claw at the heroes with a dirty hand.

“I’ll kill you, demon lovers! I’ll get you if it’s the last thing I do! You doom our entire world!” She hisses. The rest in her cell press themselves against the far wall, trying to distance themselves from what they believe is their captors.