Lundi, day 11 of Autumn, 553

A very strange trip today indeed!

First, we got a late start due to stragglers, then once we did get going, we waited some more at the far end of Hatred Hollow for one last latecomer. In there end there were 27 exiles along, with 3 Mystics and 2 Bloodbladers.

To make up time, Elenis led us straight into the Dred Passage to try to power right through, but we didn't quite make it. We all took too much damage trying to clear the hordes of junk and advance through the lightning at the same time. Several folks fell near the path, and the rest of us retreated to the cave. After a round of standard fighter clearing runs, we then picked up the fallens and passed through fairly easily into the Foothills. It turned out there were 4 Dredlocks in the South pit. No wonder it hurt!

We also tried the Zu-less entry of the Malachite caves, which did work fairly well. Several folks did fall at each level of the caves, but we had enough strength to just keep on going. Due to the delays, we reached the Pitch cave after more than 90 minutes.

The PC1 set-up was textbook perfect, and we all moved right in. Nesse did an amazing one-hit solo vanquish of the one Pitch Arachnoid that remainined in PC1. Clearing PC2 took some time, as many Crimsons were in there, and unfortunately too many were lured over at once and felled several exiles. After a brief tactical retreat upstairs, we were ready to move on. We got ahead of ourselves in PC3, when the group failed to stop (everyone was following someone else), and we ran into Natas still trying to Zu off the pit there. Several exiles fell, but the cave was quickly cleared.

Fairly soon, we entered PC5 once again and began to set upfor teleport. With 3 Mystics along, we should have been in great shape, but we had only one Strange Stone.

Salandra had the most appropriate training, so she was selected as the teleporter. We went over strategy, organized entry squads and were ready to teleport, when somehow Salandra alone began to glow and then disappeared, leaving the rest of us standing there, stunned, staring at the space where she had been standing.

We all got left behind! Somehow, she failed to take us with her!

She did fly to PC6 herself, alone, and promptly fell, the poor thing.

With no second Stone, we had little choice but to open an Ethereal Portal and head home.

A most curious trip! Successful, because we made it to PC5 intact yet again, despite being plagued by troubles all along, but ending with a whimper instead of a bang.

Apparently a lag demon prevented Salandra from teleporting us properly, despite her great skill in this arcane art. Of all the moments ... !

If you try something enough times, you certainly do see everything!

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