Ruth decides that she can inded trust the magic marker and her own interpretation of the marker's suggestion.  It's logical since grass consists mostly of cellulose, which is indigestible to people with fewer than four stomachs whereas fungus is mostly okay.  Besides, it's purple.  Purple's an excellent colour. She takes a blade of the purple lichen and tastes it.

Quintavia winced when the human tasted the unknown grass, but didn't try to impede science

Reed considers, and tells the party what he thinks they need to do next, to get people back on track.

"We need to head to the nearest directional archway, and begin inspecting them. Like I said before, I believe there is a good chance each directional archway may offer clues as to the sort of things we can expect  beyond it. Or at the very least, may offer clues pointing to the signs of dwarves or kobolds." he said.

Quintavia shrugged
"A good a choice as any.  Lead on"

Brakenjawz is clearly perplexed by Ruth's desire to eat lichen, but he neither says anything nor impedes her experimentation. In response to Reed, he nods his agreement.

"I suggest we attempt to circle the chamber counterclockwise," he rumbles, pointing in the general direction of the arch they'd seen to the right, "and visit each archway in turn."

Unless there are any objections, he'll set off, leading the way in that direction.

Quintavia will follow

Ruth also follows assuming she's not puking her guts out from the grass

Fiereljep examines the ingestion of the fungus with interest and collects some into his chest before following the rest when Ruth doesn't vomit her incestines out.

Likewise, Gwen follows along, nothing in particular to add.

Tastes like a cross between carrots and celery and basic mushrooms and iceberg lettuce and maybe parsley? Just a hint of dill maybe?

Seems super not-poisonous. Full of vitamins and minerals? Yeah, you guys can live off this if need be.

(Okay someone give me a keeping-alert-for-trouble moving-forward roll. Just ONE person, first come first served.)

Quintavia looked around carefully, using her bow to focus her elven senses and magical sight (an old elven archers trick)


OOC:  14:45, Today: Quintavia Bergantal rolled 14 using 4d6 with rolls of 2,5,1,6.  Elven senses, magic arcana, fellowship, archery. – 14

(Success! Double success, technically!

GM rolls dice... son of a gun, lookit that.)

You see...

...a dwarf. And a kobold.

The dwarf seems hurt? He's barely able to put one foot in front of the other, his eyes are barely open. The kobold is trying to lead him, and is halfway keeping him propped up...

Quintavia points out the two to the rest of the group, their lead fighter Brakenjawz.
If others join her, she'll make her way towards the pair

When Quintavia points out the dwarf and kobold, Brakenjawz nods and changes course.

"Well met," he calls out to the duo with a wave, while they're still some distance away -- if they're going to be hostile, he wants to have the space to make choices. "Do you need help?"

"...What...?" says the kobold. "...What?" He looks up at you blearily, like he hasn't slept in three days. "...Oh, thank Soriya. Adventurers. Yes... yes, we need help. We were doing some simple geological surveying... for mining... and fell into a pit trap that dumped us into a tunnel we didn't even know existed. Snorri here hit his head hard on a rock, I think, and hasn't been right since. We've been walking, hiding... lost... Can... can I..." The kobold sighs. "...Will you watch over us while we rest...? You look like... competent bigfolk..."

Despite not entirely trusting the new people, Quintavia nodded.
"Please, take your rest.   You are safe here will us.  We're exploring as well"

The kobold sinks to the ground next to the dwarf.

The dwarf starts to try to shuffle forward another step or two... The kobold grabs his hand and stops him. "No... no, Snorri... rest time. Time to rest." He tugs Snorri's hand a bit more, and Snorri slowly kneels, then sits on the ground.

Brakenjawz frowns at the addled dwarf, and a gentle look of concentration comes over his face.

"This will help for a little while," he murmurs, and reaches out with one hand to touch the dwarf's head. That is, if the dwarf and his companion will allow it. With a brief prayer, a halo of silvery light descends over the dwarf and sinks into him.

"Get some rest," he rumbles to the two. "The protection of Celadel will watch over you as you sleep."

OOC: Brakenjaws casts Bless Fortitude on the dwarf to try to alleviate his symptoms for a while.

Reed also followed Quintavia's lead, using his own elf-like sight to see exactly where she wa spointing to, and agreed that it would be a good idea to approach the pair. They were looking for signs of either Kobolds or Dwarves, and thank the gods they got lucky and found both!

"Greetings and well met. Yes, we hail from the Adventurer's Guild and are looking for the nearest Dwarf or Kobold - or mixed even - major town or city down here that has a branch of the Guild, or at least a government building who has opted into the G-DUNK (Guild-Dwarf-Underdark-Kobold) Alliance Network pact." he said. Called G-DUNK for short, it was the provisional agreement about reporting Underdark incursions and threats to the nearest allied Dwarf or Kobold city in the Underdark if at all possible, which is the reason they all didn't return to the guild earlier.

"We can explain later, but you both seem exhausted. Please, rest a bit and gather your strength and wits. We will make a makeshift camp here int he meantime."

Ruth was not good at looking out for things even though she was excellent at throwing stuff at said things once they were pointed out to her.  These two though did not seem to fit into the category of targets but guests.

"Two more for dinner? Well met. I'm Ruth, let me see what I can find by way of food. Guess it'll be mushroom casserole. ok?"

With that she let the magic marker help her look for whatever she could find nearby to help with the cooking - tasty mushrooms, flammable mushrooms, igniting mushrooms - all she needed to cook a nice casserole.

08:32, Today: Ruth Bairn rolled 17 using 4d6 with rolls of 5,5,3,4.  Cooking dinner. E1 (pot) L1 (ground cover) M1 (marker) F1 (obscure song about gathering). – 17

"Snorri and I started out from Irongate. That's a good-sized dwarven city. But I sure couldn't find my way back there on my own from here-- or even to the bottom of the pit we fell into."

Ruth's magic marker points out various ingredients here and there.

It also draws a hand.

Huh. What's with that?

The hand has scratches on the back or something?

Ruth frowns as she looks at what has been drawn.  "Okay guys, I get these mushrooms and lichens and things but what's this hand with scratches.  Does somebody need human blood or something or is one of these inngredients extra bitey?"

Quintavia looked to try to advise her compatriot, but drew a blank

OOC:  15:05, Today: Quintavia Bergantal rolled 6 using 3d6 with rolls of 3,2,1.  Elven senses, magic arcana, fellowship. – 6

Ruth smiles at the Kobold and says, "Well met Sir, I am Ruth.  I know that he is Snorri but what's your name, and do you know what the hand with the scratches on the back could mean?"

"Let them rest," Brakenjawz insists. "We can catch up with them once they've had a good meal and some sleep."

He sets himself up to watch over the area while the two bed down for the night.