When the last rest before Maerimydra ends, Talice asks everyone to check the equipment, get everything ready, just like when you would go to war. Nata'al nods in agreement and at least Narzen knows that she would have done much the same like the scout. So once all metal has been secured, blade honed and bolt poisoned, Talice gets all back to the trade route and southwards to the Maerimydra.
The nearer you venture, the more smoke- and mistfilled the tunnel becomes. From time to time an echo of a far distant cry or shout reaches your ears, but no-one can be spotted. About two miles north of the city, a few caverns and side-tunnels appear, leading to or are fungi farms or rothé kennels. The odd animal can still be spotted, apparently oblivious to the chaos in the south. Once in a while you step over a corpse, sometimes drow, sometimes ogre, sometimes hobgoblin or bugbear. Everyone of those is thoroughly looted. The trade route suddenly veers to the left (East), while a number of smaller tunnels go onwards, straight to the south. On Mal's nod, Talice follows these tunnels, which will lead you to a hopefully less protected entrance to the city. The tunnel you follow is pretty narrow, even hobgoblins and bugbears would have no chance of squeazing through here. A few small caverns open themselve out, some again filled with fungi. One contains more though ...
Talice gives a short warning signal. Then, as good as any good assassin, she almost vanishes from sight and into the shadows. Long moments pass you by before the scout returns. A few quick signs inform you about the next cavern: "There are about a dozen and a half drow in the next cavern. Refugees, by the looks of it. Common folks, badly armed, wounded, with children and all." She looks at Kethryllia and waits.
