Rhayna carefully lifts her whip from the belt hook. (Sleight of Hand: 15)

(She's not thinking straight now, so no Guidance.)

The bugbear is far beyond noticing anything now or ever again, but the leathery creature engulfing the bugbear stirs warily as Rhayna retrieves the whip. It makes no moves apart from this, apparently reluctant to risk relinquishing its large meal.

Ireniana sighs as she nods. "I am always up for a good fight, but in this instance, I think returning to the cross-road is a good idea."

Having recovered Rhayna's whip, and confirmed the demise of the bugbear hunter, the party retrace their steps and return to the cross-road. No new tracks are visible, besides their own and those of the bugbear and his companion rats.

Looking a bit shaken from the visual scene of the unknown creature devouring the bugbear Kaylyn follows the others as they head back to the crossroads.  She continually looks behind fearing that the creature is following them.

"Now which way?  I fear that creature may follow us.  It looked like something from the Underdark."

Kastix flips a coin, "Let's go left then," upon seeing the results. 

2

Faithful Weasel was sent into the left corridor right away! 

“Left it is.” Quips Rhayna.

Ireniana nods. "Lead the way. I think left is a good idea."

"Sounds good.  Let's keep moving."  Kaylyn answers

((Is there a map of where we've been?))

Although some bugbear tracks can be seen down the left-hand path, they are much older than the ones seen in the central tunnel. As the party travels along this tunnel, Kaylyn can't ignore a nagging thought. All of these tunnels remind her somehow of the hunting trails that criss-cross the Reaching Woods, where she grew up. She can almost hear the voice of the elders, telling her as a child not to travel those paths until she was older, but to return home. Strangely, as she has that thought, she feels a warm tingle from the place on her forehead where she was touched in the circle of stones...

Rhayna meanwhile, although observing interesting features of the tunnels and caves, had deduced that this area is clearly not part of the citadel proper, and is likely a pre-existing tunnel system that connected with the citadel when it sunk into the earth. Interesting though it is, she knows that it holds no archaeological significance, and she starts to wonder patiently, now that she has retrieved her whip, when will they return to the citadel structure itself.

After several minutes of walking, you hear sounds further ahead in the tunnel. The echos off the tunnel walls make the distance difficult to judge, but it sounds like the snuffling and scratching of some kind of solitary creature.

(Sorry, no map. I don't want to ruin the fun, but you are 'off the edge of the page' as it were, although I'm happy to write up a whole Underdark adventure if you like. I've been quite enjoying this impromptu free-wheeling...)

“Ahhh... Guys. I think we might be leaving the citadel proper. Perhaps we are going in the wrong direction? I would like to suggest to go back to the mushroom room and continue the other way.” Suggests Rhayna.

(OCC: BTW, what was that creature on top of the Bugbear?)

"I guess. Thought this citadel had enter the domain of the under dark but maybe it was just by chance we came upon a tunnel to it. Let's head back then," 

Erky energetically agreed - natural phenomenons were not his forte. 

The scuffling/snuffling noises fade away as the party reverse direction and return to the cross-roads then continue back to the bugbear's chamber.

OOC: The creature that finished off the bugbear was a Darkmantle. It's not in the adventure.
The book says: The tunnel leads beyond the scope of this adventure, but it could be a route to a site you have designed. Would have been funny to see how long you spent down there if I didn't say anything. I considered having you captured by drow, and then jumping straight into Out of the Abyss. :)

(OCC: Wow, so it was a good thing we didn't go any further. There may be more of those things hanging on the ceiling. Also, I would not mind go into Out of the Abyss!!)

(Second to this. Erky would press on should he knew :) Ok, may be Erky would not, but I certainly would!)

Kaylyn was about to speak up when Rhayna spoke.  She happily turns around with the others and returns to the keep proper.

Ireniana nods as well as she follows the others back into the citadel.

The 'mushroom' room is as you left it. Two dead giant rats, two piles of bones with shovels, two closed doors, and lots of mushrooms growing in the damp soil.