The food in the pavilion when the whole gem thing happened was a bit of a 'business luncheon' style of thing. But when not entertaining prospective clients, meals are a little more casual and prepared at a trestle table near the compound door. Despite being casual, breakfast with the Zhentarims is far from meager - evidently the surface folk stock up well to alleviate the discomfort of being away from the surface for extended periods. The smell of bacon cooking can be detected across the entirety of Mantol-Derith - a smell which the Underdark denizens seem to find distateful. Even the duergar seem repulsed by it. Pax on the other hand is there before half the Zhent folk themselves have arisen, and is one of the first to help herself to crispy bacon, saucy beans, scrambled eggs, spicy sausage, freshly-squeezed tropical juices, summer fruits, soft cheese, fluffy sweet pastries, and even a hot beverage made from percolated beans from somewhere around the Shining Sea. The Zhents are clearly making decent coin to afford such luxury supplies, and seem willing for Pax and any of her companions to eat their fill. It is only Pax though that manages to charm the extra knapsack-to-go of cheese, fruit and bread out of the young and impressionable quartermaster. Kastix is also there for breakfast, and there is one last opportunity for farewells before the Zhents pack up and depart for the surface... with no expected date for return.

(Also, if anyone wishes to purchase weapons or armor or anything else from the PHB, this can be done here. Mostly the dwarves trade in weapons and armor. The rest can come from anyone.

(Also also... New house rule: Every character can, if they wish, nominate a single potion to have 'at the ready', whether that is tied to the belt on a short and easy-to-break strap, in a hip flask, on a pouch around the neck, etc etc. That potion can be imbibed as a bonus action during combat. Any other potions will require a full action. Once used, it will require a short rest to 'ready' a new potion in this way.)

Seen Pax without her armor and with the girlish looks, Rhayna is brought back to a time when she started working at Candlekeep. That is also the time when she started her research into demonology. Even though it wasn't that long ago, but it seems to have happened an eternity away. While she's eating her supper, her thoughts are really with Gravenhollow.

On the next day, before breakfast, Rhayna takes out the Stonespeaker Crystal, and lays it on the floor. She sits down with legs crossed, and starts to pray to the Goddess. "Dear Selune, please grant me clarity regarding reaching Gravenhollow." (Rhayna casts Divination)

(OOC: Kaylyn can have both potions.)

Rhayna struggles at first to get an answer. She then remembers that the spell requires a sacrificial offering (worth at least 25 gp) and that she needs to phrase her petition in the form of a question.

:)

Kirin has no prep work to do so he's very anxious to explore and gain evidence himself. First hand account only hold some clout without items and evidence to back it up. He check,s double check and recheck he has his stuff and makes sure his staff is fully charged. 

(I thought that we can use the Crystal in place of the material. Sorry about the question, if allowed to cast, I will fix that.)

Kaylyn spends the evening learning all she can from Yantha about Gravenhollow, committing to memory all of the details she learns so that she can best make a decision on how to proceed.  Choosing to spend the night in the gnomes compound she is able to relax for a short period but she knows more toils and difficulties lie ahead.

The following morning she isn't wearing the helm yet.  She has attuned herself to it and has learned its secrets and how to use it but she gives Pensive a scornful look.  The pseudodragon had the audacity to laugh at her when she put it on.  Well, not actually laugh, but the emotion of jest and laughter was clearly emanating from him. Mind your own business little one. Helmets have never been my style but one does what one needs. she reprimands him.  But Pensive keeps a grin on his face until Kaylyn takes the helmet off.

As she joins the others she has cleaned all of her clothing and armor.  The belt is about her waist and she feels the healthy strength that it provides.  She leaves behind her mace and keeps only one of her daggers.  

She takes the opportunity to speak with Kirin and Rhayna, her initial apprehension in the presence of the high elf passes.  But she soon finds that she has the same feeling as Pax, a certain amount of restlessness to get on with it.

"I agree Pax, the Kua-toa village seems the best bet."

After the rest of the party has had the opportunity to purchase any goods they wish she gathers them together.

"It is time to move on.  The threat to Faerûn grows and we must do what we can to end it.  It is a long way to Gravenhollow, too far and too long to walk.  We have the opportunity to use this helmet to teleport ourselves to the a location about 4 days journey from Gravenhollow.  There is too great a chance we would go amiss if we tried to get closer.  Yet I fear that even just getting the description of a village will still have a chance that we would not arrive.  My familiarity with the destination determines whether we arrive there successfully.  A description is not much to go on. I have been able to read Yantha's thoughts and have seen what she has seen of these places and I think that our chances of arriving safely is better, but there is still the chance..." She drifts off

Getting her composure back she continues

"Are we ready to take the chance and try this?"

She places the helmet on her head and immediately everyone gets filled with emotions of mirth and laughter and Pensive nearly falls off of Kaylyn's shoulder.  Who knew a pseudodragon could actually laugh.

"Listen you rascal, enough of that.  How about you take a rest for a bit."  With a wave of her hand Pensive disappears.

"Now I can concentrate." She says with exasperation. 

She then fills her mind with the description and images of the Kua-toa village, next to a small lake.  She hopes she knows the village enough from Yantha's description and from reading her mind that she is as familiar with the place as possible.

She then casts Teleport.

Rhayna is ready to receive guidance from her Goddess but nothing happens. She cocks her head with a question mark on it. She thinks again, "Aha!!". She takes out a couple of incense sticks from her priest's kit. She lights them up, then gently shakes to extinguish the fire, and let the smoke fill the room slightly. She thinks of her father for a moment. He told her never to blow the fire with one's breath, but to always lightly shake the incenses instead. She never knew why she had to do that, but it seems that she is still following the practice. It has been a long time since she felt this familiar scent, it calms her nerves. Going back to a praying position, with the crystal in front of her, she holds the sticks (4 since it is a forth level spell) with both hands. She brings her hands to her temple, with the lighted part equally separated and above her head, closes her eyes, and she asks her question. "Dear Selune, what is the fastest and safest way to Gravenhollow?"

Rhayna:

Rhayna takes a moment to process her Goddess’ guidance, then she gets ready, and join her companions for breakfast. During her meeting with Kaylyn, she informs her that it seems that Selune agrees with her plans, and that the crystal should lead the party to the right place.

The six travelers gather in close, ready to depart. Kaylyn focuses on the details of the kuo-toa village. She tries to picture every detail from Yantha's memory - the chaotic look of the habitats, the splash of the water against the dock, the distinctive pungent odor of the fish-folk. As Kaylyn speaks the words of the spell, the world around everyone starts to blur and fade. There is a soft 'pop', and each person feels as though they are being pulled through the elemental plane of custard by their umbilicus. A brief wave of nausea sweeps through each stomach, before the world suddenly materialises again and the group find themselves...

...apparently not in a kuo-toa village. Instead they are in a long room with smooth purplish walls and a tiled floor, dimly lit by glowing runes embedded in the walls. The smell of ammonia is strong and there is a low background humming noise coming from everywhere. Three passageways lead from the two ends of room, while along the main walls are the entrances to several small side chambers, although these begin several feet off the ground as though requiring someone to climb up the wall a few feet to enter. Two tables with six chairs each stand in the center of the room, beyond which are three kuo-toa staring at the new arrivals. They speak no words, but move threateningly toward the party...

Roll initiative!

Kuo-toa: 20

 (I didn't have a portrait for Kirin, so I made one up)

Also, let me know if I forgot to address anyone's RP from before...

Right, a new untested elf and now Pax decided to go all soft and pinky. The girl lost half of her attraction and almost all usefulness. Should Sekkar be less busy he might even spend a few words to inform her about it. But he did not - Derendil still required some attention and some planning had to be done too... Well, not exactly. Sekkar understood that the party's next destination is even crazier than all of them before - something through the territory of Underdark horrors. The idea to use magic to get around that obstacle was good, going carefully through kuo-toa village... Probably also good (depends on the phase of the madness of that particular kuo-toa-s, because with them it's only the matter of phase). That part was covered. But Derendil did need attention.

The quaggoth was quiet but obviously agitated, suffering as any living being - sentient or not - that found itself in an extremely unfamiliar environment without the ability to express its bothers. Sekkar was trying to be nearby without looking threatening or suspicious, and addressing the humanoid part of Derendil as often as agitation allowed, to keep it closer to the surface. Derendil kept closer to those he knew, watching everyone, though. Not suspiciously but studying as someone trying to understand the ways of his new "pack". He accepted his share of food and made an attempt to move in the corner to eat it there but was stopped, returned, and made seated with everyone. Recovering several things at once - sanity, intelligence, and dignity, while simultaneously learning a new set of communicative rules and morals was quite taxing for both the teacher and the student, but both were patient.

In the morning, after the restless night, before the party was teleported anywhere, Derendil stared at Kirin particularly longer with some uncertain soft growl that culminated into two words "M'aae ... g'ovvann'en". Derendil tilted his heavy head and looked at the elf expectedly or even hopefully.

The transition to the village was almost unnoticed by both - magic is magic, whatever - but the sense of danger worked fine and there is nothing like a fight for a stress release!

Sekkar Initiative: 19

Derendil Initiative: 13

As the room pops into existence around them Pax feels her stomach do a couple back flips, followed by a loud gurgling sound that everyone can clearly hear. She silently bids her stomach to shut up and stop embarrassing her as she realizes she's facing three enemies.  Her hand reaches for the drow rod at her belt. 

Pax Initiative : 11

Rhayna Initiative: 16

Kirin Initiative: 15 ..

If possible, knowing they were about to set off, Kirin would have cast Mage Armor on himself. 

"Aiya," Kirin replies to Derendil, "I would like to investigate this farther than a later date when we are preoccupied" 

(I know next to nothing about lotr and elvish, I had to google this)

Initiative 14

The three kuo-toa waddle toward the group, brandishing spears. They have similar wet skin and unpleasant odor to the kuo-toa from Sloobludop, but their movements are jerky and they show no sign of communication, making them look a little like puppets on strings. Two skirt around the tables and stab at Pax and Derendil, while the third climbs up onto the adjacent table and stabs down at Sekkar...

K1 v Pax Attack: 14 Damage: 7
K2 v Sekkar Attack: 11 Damage: 5
K3 v Derendil Attack: 9 Damage: 4

Everyone!

Kuo-toa 20, Sekkar 19, Rhayna 16, Kirin 15, Kaylyn 14, Derendil 13, Pax 11

Rhayna prays to her Goddess and Blesses everyone but herself (lvl3).

((OOC: Don't worry - not going to speak elvish, just needed a couple of most recognizable words that could be searched even if misspelled.))

Ok, there was no need to move even. And how convenient - standing in a raw to choose from!

Sekkar called upon Dawnbringer (yesterday he spent some time introducing the quaggoth and the sword to each other, so, they could work in each others presence) and attacked. First, the one attacking him:

Attack: 28 Damage: 13

Attack: 17 Damage: 13

Ambusher :Attack: 19 Damage: 13 + 5

Sneak attack: 4

(If that one is dead - attack the one on Derendil)

(FYI. If Sekkar’s first attack miss, remember to add Bless.)

"This is not the desire destination I assume and these are hostile natives? I do wish to exmaine them even if they're corpses," Kirin states as he points his staff and Cast Burning Hands using Sculpt Spells to have it twist and contort around her teammates in the way. A wave of fire pours out from the staff but parts like a river around Skkar and Derendil? before hitting the fish men,

Dex Save: 17

Damage 15