Thema: Call of the Banshee Queen

[Sheiriya]

"So far, nothing tried to kill me," Sheiriya reports back to the others telepathically. "It's all quiet. ... By the way, I guess we are not the first drow to come down here."

[Paval Thune]

Paval looks at the others, "So, do we explore the stairs and what lies beyond, or do we wait for the witch to return? If we do explore the stairs then we might get trapped by the witch."

[Zanan]

As she lingers about in the darkness, Sheiriya notices an ever so slight draft. If she investigates it just a littel, she spots a whole in the floor of what looks like a large storage room. There probably was a cave-in - whether caused or used by the drow - and some 40 feet below the floor one can spot a natural cavern.
Tathlyn takes the scene in and says: "Maybe so. Still, if our cousins came to this place below, there seem to be tunnels beneath this range, caverns that can be used for travel. We are not that far off from the mines of the dwarves and it might be a good choice to seek an entrance to them here, rather than trying to bypass the surface holdings?"

[Sheiriya]

As there seems to be no immediate danger, Sheiriya indeed takes a look. Just in case she uses her ring of the darkhidden to become invisible to darkvision. "There is a hole to a cavern in one room," she informs the others. I'll have a look." That said she cautiously aproaches the hole and activates the levitation to get down into the cavern.

[Paval Thune]

With this new information, Paval moves towards the stairs, looking for traps and unsure footing.

[Zanan]

There is nothing to be seen or heard of Hreishar, so Tathlyn also moves closer to the cave in, after a closer inspection of the skeletons. He confirms Sheiriya's observation about the crossbow bolts. Certainly of drow making, if a bit odd in style. Taking one to mull on where he's seen somesuch before, he closes in on the hole in the floor.
Sheiriya can easily glide to the bottom, noticing some magical indications about the creation of this shaft. The floor of the cavern below is wet an moss-covered, this place looks pretty natural and "untamed". The drow apparently entered through a smallish crack in the wall. Near the bottom of the shaft, Sheiriya spots the bones of some happless wilderness creatures, who dropped down and died here ages ago. Nothing can be heard.

[Sheiriya]

Sheiriya levitates above the moss and waites for the others. "I'm down in the cavern, straight below the hole. There seems to be no danger here," she informs the others.

[Paval Thune]

Cautiously, Paval joins Sheiriya in the cavern.

[Zanan]

Tathlyn waits till all the others have climbed down too and remains a short while behind. After climbing down to the cavern's floor, he takes a closer look at the surroundings and signals for the others to wait here while he explores the crag in the wall.
He return two dozen moments later, signalling: "There is a network of tunnels leading away from this place, all very natural. They have not been used for a few months, if not years. No danger from any creatures either. More important is that there are some runes of the Dark Path telling about the exact location of this place - to any passerby down here who can spot and read them. We made good headway and could reach the outer mines sooner than I expected. Apparently, the dwarves were busier than first thought. The only obstacle that we have to bypass is a deep orc stronghold half a day to the northwest. Either that or trying to get entrance through the surface fortifications of the remaining dwarves?"

[Fabius Maximus]

"Orcs or dwarves. Orcs or dwarves. Hmm. Haven't killed a dwarf in a long time. But there are more orcs than dwarves. Hard decision."

[Paval Thune]

"Underground and away from the sun is best, I say," Paval comments.

[Phaerven]

"Agreed", Zhadristan says.

[Sheiriya]

"Dwarves would be more interesting to me but I guess I can't make you walk through the sunshine," Sheiriya says.

[Zanan]

Tathyln leads you onwards for about half a mile, then stops and looks at his companions, some (may) still bear the marks of the fight. "Shall we rest for a short while ere we take on the road through the bowels of the world again?" he inquires.

[Paval Thune]

"That's a good idea," Paval says. "We can also take the chance to discuss our plans. It could be that we can find some way of gathering information about which route would help us in our task."