The Ninth Adventure

[mushgnome]

Mustaches sees what you did to the tahini beetles, realizes that he is outnumbered 12-to-1, and bravely runs away (heading west, back the way he came).

Do you pursue?

[mgtremaine]

"Well as my uncle liked to say - Let's get out of here quick." Kiplyn is ready to head back up to safety and a warm plate of pancakes.

[Bastet1002]

"Wait!" calls Robur after Mr. Mustaches waving his sandwich. "Come back here! You forgot your sandwich!"

[kipper]

Dame Simonetta picks up her sandwich and inspects it critically before deciding to finish it off.

[mushgnome]

If nobody pursues, the fish-man hybrid creature vanishes back where he came.

The style of his crossbow looked very familiar. You wonder if he possibly could be the resident of areas 4-5-6 in the SW corner of the map? (Out of his lair--which you ransacked--and appearing as a wandering monster.)

Dame Simonetta finishes her sandwich and is restored to 3/12hp. Kiplyn is back to 8/12hp. Fiona is sucking on the ends of her tahini-saturated hair. Everyone else is at full health.

Kiplyn mentioned the possibility of ending The Ninth Adventure and returning to the surface. What say you all to this suggestion?

[Bastet1002]

Robur sulkily finishes his sandwich, and wonders whether he can ever eat fish again.

Yup, this might be a good chance for a break and start the tenth adventure.

[kipper]

The Dame is low on HP and would certainly benefit from a return to the surface.

[mushgnome]

The plan is coming together. Any objections?

There will be wandering monster checks for both dungeon level 3 and 1, on your way out the door. Any changes to the marching order in light of injuries?

Looking at the map, there are two ways to get back through dungeon level 3:

A) Narrow tunnels, past the strange obsidian column and giant sloth lair (areas 15, 14, 2, 1).

B) Wide open area, past the tall rock spire, partially cleared of spider webs by your torches (areas 3, 2, 1).

[kipper]

My vote would be to try (A), but with caution: if we find that the giant sloth is awake, we can (hopefully) backtrack and try the other route.

[mushgnome]

Dungeon Level 3 wandering monster checks x2
d6=1, d6=1, snake eyes!!
1's are good! 6's are bad. The giant sloth is snoring peacefully in its alcove. As before, the strange obsidian shard makes Dame Simonetta's amulet tingle. Other than that, you have the safest possible trip back to the border with Dungeon Level 1.

Dungeon Level 1 wandering monster checks x2
There's really only one sensible route back to the surface, slicing SW to NE, 14-12-10-7-6-5-4-2-1.
d6=4, d6=2, no encounter

The party has safely returned to the surface!

Congratulations on your longest and deepest delve, hobbet heroes!