A reprieve from the darkness that haunts them in the Underdark, our group of adventurers is ready to march forward in hopes of stumbling upon the right path towards Gracklstugh.  Embarking on another day's march, the Underdark tunnel system presents you with a fork in the 'road.'  You can choose to go left, or right here.

Leon checks both paths for any tracks left behind by humanoid, monsters, or gelatinous cubes as he prays to Tymora.

Survival check 8 with guidance 2

    Leon sees nothing indicative of previous tracks left by any creature that's come before him.  He does not a very nice looking rock.  So nice that it deserves a name.  But not quite nice enough to deserve a lift to the next town.

Leon touches the rock.

”I will be seeing you later Steven Esquire the Third. Remember me and stay safe.”

Perception check on the left tunnel 14 guidance 4

    Gremryl looks left...inspects closely...then listens into the left tunnel...listens closely...something about this tunnel makes Gremryl think it leads somewhere.  It's also dark.  But not scary.  "Probably nothing will kill me right away if I go down that way." Gremryl thinks quietly to himself as he ponders the left tunnel in favor of the right.

    Marching for what seems like an eternity, with nothing more to look at than each other and the monotonous Underdark landscape of rock, pebbles, dirt and Steven Esquire III, our determined adventurers come to a relatively defensible area to rest their legs.

    Once the group has completed their rest and are prepared to move again, they quickly come to another fork in their path.  Left...or right?  The choice is critical but the consequences are random as far as the group will ever know...

Left...or right?  :)

Leon again checks both paths for any tracks left behind by humanoid, monsters, or gelatinous cubes as he prays to Tymora.

Survival check 22 with guidance 3

    Leon searches everywhere for the signs of a creature that's been through this way before.  His nose catches a whiff of something fresh...it may actually still be steaming because it's so fresh!  Sure enough, Leon comes to find a steaming, heaping pile of feces closer towards the wall of the right tunnel-way.  With his expert survival skills, he pushes his right index finger into the feces to test its consistency, hoping to gain some insight into the creature's health.  Leon's finger comes out with a suction sound that causes both Gremryl and Morgana to cringe.  Stool is slightly bemused but mostly intent on learning how Leon is understanding anything from a pile of the fecal matter he just found.

Leon Finks - "It's about as healthy of a creature can be...darn." Leon thinks to himself.

    Now...the rigorous survival training (100% self-taught) compels him to taste the fecal matter for any indication that the creature may be an herbivore, a carnivore, or an omnivore.  Before he's able to place the small swirl of creamy brown monster poo, Stool asks Leon to stop for a moment.

Stool to Leon (telepathically) - "Mr. Leon?  I think that's from a fire beetle.  Back at Neverlight Grove, we had a small pod of them pass through and they left tracks...just like those ones."  Watching Leon carefully wipe his finger in the dirt to remove the fire beetle waste from his skin, he goes on. "They're not friendly but they don't attack unless threatened, either."

To leon...

"Eh, lad..is that's a surface dweller trick? Down here we dont be tasting the local poopery if ye get my fire. Here let me look ahead and check the left tunnel again."

19 plus guidance 1

Leon to Grem

”I don’t know why I did that. I would never do that. Seems like I was almost possessed by someone playing a cruel joke because of my keen senses.”

    The group opts for the left path, since the right may involve the previous owners of the beetle pies they left for others to discover.

    The brave Paladin of Moradin leads the party forward through the Underdark tunnel system fearlessly.  About 4 hours into their day, Gremryl steps on and collapses a sinkhole!

Gremryl Stonebreaker - Dexterity Saving throw!

Gremryl looks at the ground and yells 

"Watch out! looks like  we are causing quite the ruckous!!"

dex save 18

    Using his shield in hopes of catching the lip of the sinkhole and preventing a rather long fall down, Gremryl manages to find a hold of the side and catches himself from falling!  Crawling back over to solid ground is a bit of a struggle given the Dwarfs particular body mass and shape, although, for a Paladin of Moradin, this is achieved with admirable results.

    Dusting himself off, the bravest Dwarf of them all points out the sinkhole as if everybody hadn't already witnessed the obvious and moves forward.  After what seems like another 4 hours of marching, the group arrives at a location that seems defensible and rests there to stave off exhaustion setting in.

"Well, that could of been a sinking disaster! harharhar.... Watch where ye be stepping. I have  a sinking feeling  that might  happen again! We'll have  to be digging ourselves out of that orc hole eh!" 

Gremryl chuckles at what he thinks are funny puns  and jokes... 

Leon helps dust off Grem and carefully inspect his beard.

”Dont you try and damage this beard again. I don’t need you marking excuses when you lose our beard off friend. Let’s be a little safer tomorrow.”

"Back in Adbar, I was renowned for this beautiful beard ye see lad.. Gremryl Beard of Legend I  was called.. You'res aint be so bad for a Cleric human though lad..Ye know, Elmo claimed to have grown a beard and  states he can  out drink Follower of the Orders  such ourselves.. Ye believe that! A halfing with a beard!! Out drinking a Dwarf of Moradin, the anvils on that lad. I would say 'i hope he's ok' but I know he is. He's with Hemmeth and they both be having moradins blessing. " 

He then recites

"Though they be walking through the caverns of the Underdark, the need not fear no evil, for Moradin Keeper of Secrets under the Mountain is with them; His Hammer and Anvil protect  them"... He trails  off and makes the  sign of  moradin. 

"Aye, they be fine Leon. I believe we be finding them agian, or  i'm a bearded halfing ey! ' 

“You have the beard of a halfling old man. Let’s see if my magical belt can grow mine by the morning. It’s given me all sorts of dwarven characteristics. I think my balls are a little closer to the ground now.”