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Disappointment with the fire lizards’ treasure was not enough to stop the group in their explorations. The next cave that they came across contained four hell hounds. The Mothers were getting a little peeved with getting engulfed in flames at this point (although Jito did not seem to mind so much), so within moments the demon dogs lay dead. Gaspode and Gamm’s eyebrows would take time to recover.

Unfortunately the sound of combat with their pets had alerted a group of what must have been reserve forces, namely eight fire giants who were barracked in the next cave. They flung themselves on the Mothers with some force when the party dared enter their domain. Kurtalla, Jito, Gamm and Gaspode all put their fighting skills to the test against these foes and the healers had to respond quickly to ensure that their colleagues did not fall in the close combat that ensued. But the Mothers were victorious. The giants sacks held nothing of interest and a cursory search of their cave revealed nothing except an exit to the east.

With more caverns and passageways available to them the Mothers again went left. This took them northwards along a fairly wide straight corridor. This continued northwards while a passageway led off to the west. Since this took them left, Fonesca insisted on them following it. Just as this route was opening out into a larger cavern Gaspode tripped over a cord that stretched across the passage and set off a trap that loosed hundreds of crude, hollow, metal balls which clattered down into the opening with a very loud noise indeed. The party had trouble keeping their footing with all of the spheres rolling around, but they discovered that the cavern beyond was abandoned and had no other exits, so they had to re-trace their steps.

Going north along the straight passage, they came into a cavern which glittered and sparkled from the lights that the Mothers carried with them. They took a moment to enjoy this spectacle amidst the dark tunnels that they had been exploring. The clerics and mages were clamouring for rest, however, so they continued on, finding another passage than went west (left) just next to a sinkhole on the northern wall. Three passages lead off to dead-ends to the north and south of this spur as they went along, the last one having been used by the drow as a guard post, but now abandoned.

Continuing west the Mothers came out into a chamber lit by the river of lava that bisected it from the southwest to the northeast. The roof could be made out over sixty feet above them. There was only one route across the cavern: a solid narrow bar of metal that was square in cross-section and cold to the touch, despite its location, that spanned the flow with a good ten feet to spare on either side. Not wanting to dare the “bridge”, the Mothers looked around to see what they could from this side of the flow. When they went as far to the southwest as they could on this bank they could make out a passage escaping off into the underdark on the westerly edge of the opposite bank. the clamours for rest were now overwhelming, so the Mothers returned to the drow guard post to the east and set up camp.

After the third watch, Theon the Titan woke Gaspode and Kurtalla to explain that he had heard noises which he took to be the stirrings of a real dragon echoing along the tunnels. They went back to the glistening chamber to investigate and they convinced themselves that the sounds came from south of there and had not approached closer than that. Keeping a close watch (and listen!) they allowed the party to regain their strength as planned. In the morning the priests started using the healing magic that they had regained through their prayers.

Once they had healed their companions as much as they could, the priests took part in the discussions about what to do next. Gaspode seemed to be concerned about the dragon activity and wanted to leave. Levi was anxious about Guthranka, who was back in the ice with her refugees. Gamm and his entourage seemed anxious to leave as soon as possible. Fonesca wanted to weigh up all of the pros and cons of staying and doing further searches on a detailed listing, putting various weighting factors against each one and determining their course of action thereby. Jito didn稚 like the smell of the lava.

On balance they decided to withdraw.

They deliberately (and as quietly as they could) took the same route back through the caves as they had arrived at this point and they reached the ramp without incident. They ascended into the carved corridors above and made their way quickly from there to the gates of the citadel. As they were about to disperse, the party decided that they had better work out the divisions of the spoils. Gaspode pored over his records and the piles of coins gems and goods that he restored from his sheet. Fonesca took a keen interest, checking his figures and his logic. The gems and lighter items went to those who were leaving the Mothers as they did not have access to magic that would reduce the weight of their burdens. The Mothers also paid off their hirelings at the agreed rates. The dwarves thanked them gruffly and set off to the west without further comment, Tettet joined them.

Kurtalla studied the area and decided that he knew roughly where he was, just west of the Great Desert and east and slightly north of the Silver Marches, the new regional power presided over by Silverymoon. This meant that the group could walk to Citadel Adbar, a stronghold of the dwarves, in a matter of days.

Siosiann reminded the Mothers that she had made a commitment to stay with them for a year to assist them as they had freed her from bondage with the giants. She readily agreed when they offered to allow her join the company. Theon and Hunnath said that they would set off for the east, towards their homes and that they would bring the Bedine merchant that they had freed with them as Anauroch lay in that direction also.

The Countess and her people decided to journey with the Mothers to Citadel Adbar and hopefully take a caravan from there south towards their original destination, Evereska. Grimath Foon and Gebhart of the Sacred Grove also decided to go to Adbar for similar reasons, though both would be heading further west from there.