Sekkar tilted his head listening the newcomer. She was quick and adaptive - barely came to senses but ready for actions. Even if the wrong one. "Why would you think Pensive knows where the egg is? The words were (the exact words): "avoid using the passage to the docks for now. Stay by the portal stone and guard the egg until the courier delivers word on the targets..." I would assume the courier was that little mad derro - where is he, byt the way? (Sekkar looked at Kaylyn and Kastix) - and he is the only one who could point the way to the egg or to that passage."

Pax looks to Kastix, then looks to Kaylyn and Sekkar. "Hmmm. I am late to this situation. It would seem there are many details I'm lacking."  She thinks for a moment, looking less sure of herself with each decision revealing more information she was unaware of. "So, none of us know where the portal stone is I presume. I did see a crazy derro running around the caves with a silly hat on. Perhaps we simply spend some time looking around for him?  He was very quick."

 Looking back to Kastix, she adds, "I agree with the sentiment, believe me. But sometimes you must take a step back to see the path forward."

"Droki is dead. I don't really want to talk about it."

Kaylyn says as she glances at Kastix. 

"Pensive must have heard the talk of the egg and flashed an image of the egg to me.  I guess I don't know it's importance,  but if they are guarding it it must be important.  And what is the portal? We should find this out also."

"Liability and we have what we could get from him," Kastix states with a shrug. 

“By the Goddess...” Rhayna drops to the ground on her knees. She takes a moment to regain her breath, then she opens her eyes. The world feels different for the Cleric now. She never paid any attention to fungi in her life, and now it’s like she is aware of every single one of them in this cavern. She slowly gets up, the euphoria still coursing through her body, slowly fading, and bows to Voosbur. “May the Lady’s dream bring you eternal bliss.” Rhayna is not sure why she said that, but she is happy that she did.

She slowly walks back to the group. She hums a song as she appreciates every single fungi and mold on her way. She sees the forest of fungi behind her companions, and she smiles warmly. “Greetings, my friends, I was just touched by the Lady. I have never felt so much happiness in my life...” She looks around everyone, and says cheerfully. “Sooo, what did I miss??” She then sees Stool. “Stool!! Come here my little friend!!!” Rhayna bends down and gives Stool a big hug.

Pax's eyes dart from Kaylyn to Kastix, then back again. Then she looks to Rhayna as she approaches in a euphoric state. Her eyes narrow as she glances about at the group. She glances to Sekkar hoping for some sort of alliance. 

Pax shakes her head, and seems to mutter to herself. 

"What is done is done. Have you been down there?"  She points to the passage leading east out of the fungal forest.  "Everywhere down there? If not....I suggest we head that way. I'm willing to take point."   If they indicate they haven't been 'everywhere' that way, she starts walking in that direction.  If they have been "everywhere down there", she points to the west exit from the forest..."and that way?"

"You killed our only witness and a source of information? Great job." Sekkar shook his head and turned to Pax: "True, we have not been in some of the tunnels but why do you think the egg or the portal is here? Not that I am in a hurry to meet the guards, but if we can convince the dragon we are telling the truth, he can question that sergeant himself and learn all about it straight from the source." "On the other hand" (Sekkar adjusted the brace on his left hand) "we are already here. Can as well check it out." 

He did not mind for Pax leading the way (with the full gang back stealth was not an option anyway) but stayed close enough. Just in case.

"We're in enemy territory, he wasn't talking anything usable, just screaming and shouting for attention and no way we could get him out Derro territory without a lot of trouble I've save us," Kastix retort, "We got names, we got whatever else in his bag. It's more then he said in total,"

Pax glances to Sekkar and Kastix...silent and stone faced, as she heads down the tunnel she says, "I don't suppose there's a map in the bag..."

"All he did was rant and rave, we could get nothing intelligent out of him. Doom and gloom and that sort of thing.   Not the best solution but it is done.  We could not have kept him prisoner and certainly not been able to let him go.  We are close to understanding what is going on.  Since we are already here let's finish exploring the area."

Kaylyn will follow the others to the unexplored areas.

Sekkar nodded: "You saved yourself some inconvenience and killed a prisoner when got tired of him, I got it. Do not know why do you try to leave this place, it's practically made for you.  Now, let's hope we can find the portal ourselves."

"Try screaming every few minutes and see how long you get before you get found, surrounded and probably killed. I'll help you with the screaming if you want," Kastix restorts.

"Sure thing", again nodded Sekkar, "dead do not scream. Usually. I wonder if your kin ever have babies... Nah, just a thought. But I'll keep your method in mind in case you ever feel like screaming." He chuckled and continued his way. 

Kaylyn looks sorrowful and Pensive,  sensing her mood, radiates the same emotion to everyone.

"I am not pleased with how this happened and it certainly wasn't my wish but it is done.  I will leave the fate of all prisoners to you now.  Let's get moving,  I have no desire to talk about it anymore."

Until the party moves on Kaylyn steps to the side and waits quietly.

 "When you say list from courier, you mean that list of names that Kaylyn already showed you?" Kastix states as he turns to Kaylyn, "You still have it? You know that list that the late Droki didn't say anything about just screaming at top of his lungs about returning? And he was supposed to deliver to some guards near by we've learned"

As everyone starts to follow the newcomer, Rhayna shrugs and follows as well. She approaches Kaylyn and in a low voice. “Why all the gloom faces?” She still remembers Sarith, that it seems so long ago now to her. “What did I miss?” She looks back to make sure the Myconids are following too.

Kaylyn looks at Rhayna.  "Kastix killed Droki.  We tried to question him when we found some stuff on him that looks to be spell components that he was delivering to those causing the trouble.  He had what looks like a hit list.  We didn't do a good job and Kastix killed Droki so he couldn't call for help.  We handled it poorly and Sekkar is upset that it happened. Droki may have been able to provide us good intel but not anymore."

Addressing the party as a whole

"Unfortunately we all seemed to have learned pieces but none of us knew all of it.  Perhaps we could have questioned Droki better or held off until the rest of you returned.   I tried but didn't try hard enough.   The darkness of these caves, this city,  the whole underdark is getting to me.  We are doing what we can to survive.  I will strive to do better.   Let's stop splitting up if we can.  We all seem to be going our own ways, we need to work together to survive.  Let's explore the rest of these caves."

She continues,

"When we are done we can report to Captain Blackskull that the evidence of corruption within the Stone Guard starts with her sergeant who is in league with the demon worshippers.   We then visit Themberchaud and tell him what we have found out.  We can then tell Gartokkar's, leader of the Keepers of the Flame what we have found out. Is this an agreeable plan?"

Zeno had been hanging back a bit during the debate,  watching them and keeping one eye on Rhayna who was doing something strange with the myconids. When she came back and started evangelizing about the Lady, he was taken aback a bit.  Didn't Rhayna already serve a goddess?  Things were getting confusing...

"I wasn't there and won't pass judgment on Droki's death. I'm glad it was him and not one of us." 

He looked at Kaylyn as she said her piece.  "I didn't expect to get so far ahead this last time.  But you're right, we have split up alot.  We should try to stick together.  As for the plan after we get out of here, I've been thinking.  The Captain's protection and trust is what we need, but if we go straight to her, I'm afraid the Sergeant will just accuse us on the spot of whatever he's making up.  If we start with Themberchaud, or even the Cairngorn, maybe we can gain some allies to help us if we have issue with the Stone Guard."  He shrugs, then a look crosses his face.  "I was just thinking that I need to get back to Ylsa to get my cloak...but if she's dead... what if the Sergeant's plan is to frame us for the assassinations?"  He shook is head. "I don't like this at all... ."

He checks his gear again, then steps out after the newcomer, hand crossbow drawn and held at hip height.

Pax strides forward down the stone passageway with the others in tow.  "You folk have a lot of baggage. Just see it doesn't weigh you down and maybe we can all get out of this alive and with our souls intact."  

She turns around, a sudden bright grin on her face, almost looking to be a bit on the edge of sanity, "Now me, I got no baggage at all...clean slate and totally stable up here...I'll be fine.  I'm FINE I SAID."  

She turns away but you think you catch the edge of an actual smile on her face before the fierce business like grimace takes over once more.

The group pick their way back through the fungal thicket, emerging relatively unscathed (physically, at least, except for Zeno who seems to have picked up a bit of an itch in a hard-to-reach place). As they make their way along the tunnel there is little verbal conversation, although Stool and Rumpadump are no doubt conversing in their way, Kaylyn is catching up with what Pensive has seen and heard, and Sekkar is taking quiet counsel with Dawnbringer, while Useless listens in to each of these unvoiced conversations. Rhayna is softly humming in her rapture, Kastix broods silently, Zeno scratches, while Pax is assessing and processing what she has observed of these strangers, wondering whether she has been rescued or thrust deeper into the darkness.

Reaching the point where the tunnel branches back to the mesa cavern, Sekkar suggests they try the other fork. After about 100 feet this again branches - the left fork narrowing to a narrow shaft that only the sprouts, the flumph and the pseudodragon could fit through, while the right fork continues on, jagged but wide, meandering both side to side as well as up and down.