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[My Name is Immaterial]

"Does anything we see actually happen?" Clearly still shaken, she begins to spit out words like a dragon spitting out fire.
"In the cave, I was back... with my mother, and she was a furious giant, and I was a little bug. She took my mouth, and said I must speak. She took my mind, and said I must remember. She took my wings, and told me I must crawl. She threw them all into a great roaring bonfire... but they didn't burn. Ṯ͓͙̫͔h̰e̩̫͈y͚ gave them back to me."
She slowly shows Kawtari the book's cover. On it, scrawled in the loose and unpracticed penmanship are the barely visible words 'Aldeth's Diary'.
"But I remember this. I remember her burning it. She made me watch. There was nothing but ashes."

[Dwarmin]

The group's underground resting area is an otherwise nondescript, domed area with a roof of stone struck through by veins of glittering quartz, with enough room for everyone to lay comfortably. The area is somewhat littered, with old chicken bones and utensils scattered around carelessly. There's a deep, long used fire pit in the center-healthily blazing, for warmth and light. It helps to cast off the gloom that seems to pool like black water in these deep places. The Kobolds chattering is still persistent, heard through the single narrow doorway leading into the main hallway. There are still many of them hanging about, and Teak would answer any questions you have-he seems to have dispatched runners to find you a scout...

The only ornamentation is a map hung on one wall with a hook tacked into the rock-it shows some other locations and underground paths-Kobolds mines-Makedbak, Ifyoevchan and Gulixen-and a few small mountain communities-Rootdank, Felvilla and Whisperhome. You also see warnings of a Dangerous underground area to the North called the "Sunkenstew", with instructions to steer clear of it.

You all take note of these places and add it to your own maps. Your parties current location is the Gulixen Mine.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1hWL2scQNPrrC06P6IpTWGkR5poQAvB-EQYmMth8uRM4/edit#gid=0

((Basic key

[NaN] indicate towns and villages where things can be bought and sold
{Nan} indicates mostly safe areas, for resting, but little business can be done
Red+ are specific dangerous places, such as dungeons. A number, if your party has gotten some information about the area, indicates the average CR level an encounter in that specific place, though it may not reflect on the entire area as a whole.))

[Dwarmin]

Teak eventually leads your guide to the groups resting area with a 'yark yark', and introductions all round.

Your 'Deep Guide' is a diminutive Halfling woman has pale, chalk white skin, light brown eyes, and straight black hair in a ponytail. She has fairly large, wide set eyes, a narrow nose, and a cleft chin. She has two swords and a crossbow on her back (they seem well used), and her apparel is all dark and grey cloth, though she seems to be wearing parts of large insects as armor in some places. She makes very little noise, even in the smallest actions, and speaks in a whispering tone with a slight trace of some exotic accent.

She introduces herself thusly.

"So, aye, then. Teak is telling me, you need a Ranga? This one, she can get you there-Coney Rainshadow is har name, and she will get you anywhere, ya want to go..." She says, observing you all carefully.

[Criptfeind]

Sarco uncurls from his position near the fire and rears up to his full height, hissing as he blinks away the cold lethargy. "It is well to meet you Miss Coney Rainshadow. I am Sarco Idous. We seek to climb Mt. Kalibrak. The grounds above are cold and treacherous, and we thought it may be quicker to seek passage below."

[Dwarmin]

Coney balances from foot to foot. She surveys Sarco with cool, unsettling eyes.

"Well met, lizahdfolkman.

Undaghround...Quicker, if'n you know the ways. Quickest apt to get you killed dead, though. Best to go inbetween and unseen.

Do ya want the shahtest path, or the safah one? She wondahs. Coney wondahs."

[GiglameshDespair]

"Time is important. This one votes the shortest route."

[Criptfeind]

Sarco shakes his head. "Time is important to us. And a certain amount of danger is expected. But if one route is suicidally dangerous, and can only save us a few hours, it is certainly not worth the risk. I would say that the quickest route that you think we can take without it being suicidal would be the best route, so long as it is indeed quicker then traveling over the surface."

[My Name is Immaterial]

Aldeth cocks her head. "Is there a middle path? One that is not quite safe or fast?"

[Dwarmin]

"Shahtest path, leads through the Sunkenstew. Cold, wet. Lots of watah. Things in the watah that are hungray...Coney hopes, if this path is ah destined one, ya all ah the one who know, how to swim...get there before ya sun goes down, though you won't see it go.

Longa path, we go around, around, all around undahground. Dahka. Safeah. Maybe a day. Or two. If'n trouble finds us. Not so much trouble I cannot avoid it, though.

Fasta, than going ovahland, though, with the cold skies..."

Aldeth cocks her head. "Is there a middle path? One that is not quite safe or fast?"

She seems very amused by this question, and smiles slightly.

"All ways ah bad, down heah. Slow and dangahrous. I choose you the best one, out of the bad ones. That's why you pay Coney."

[Criptfeind]

Sarco nods along. "This Sunkenstew. It does not sound so bad. I at least can swim. If you think you can get us past the beasts of the water, I believe it would be safe enough."

[Dwarmin]

"Coney goes quiet. Ya all don't make much noise, we'll all go quiet. " She replies simply.

"Also, no smokin'. No pahfumes. No strahng scents. Coney can help ya, hide yar food. Go without scent. Go quiet.

Is she hiahed? Do ya hiah Coney? She needs to know, ya decisions."

[Criptfeind]

Sarco nods and turns to the rest of the party. "It sounds good enough to me. I think we should take it. Although..." He turns back to Coney "There is still the matter of payment of course. What are your fees for this service?"

[Dwarmin]

Coney nods.

"Three prices.

1st. 50 gold to get ya's through. In advance. No negotiatin'.

2nd. We might find treasah down theah, or just hideas. Coney gets half'it. But. She lets ya choose yah half fahst. faih, ain't it?

3rd. Coney can die, 'course. If she dies, ya take a latter I give ya before, and har gold to the family in Whispahome.

These things meet what yah needs?"

[GiglameshDespair]

"Sounds fair."

[Flying Dice]

"...Acceptable," Samara allows, "However, what is the extent of this... 'Sunkenstew'? How long to cross it, how deep does it go?"