There were a few close calls of sneaking the group down staircases or hiding in alcoves as wandering gnolls passed.  One time they even doubled-back to get out of the path of another gang leading slaves into the fortress for whatever purposes they had.  At one section with a single door they needed to pass, a gnoll was just not leaving, so Faunra and Allizsah chose to sneak up and beat it over the head before it knew what was happening.  Near the bottom of the awkwardly rolling fortress, the exit gate they wanted was escorted by another gang of gnolls, since it was easier to guard one door than patrol all around.  Fortunately there were several colorful tabards and battle flags hanging about, and the escapees were able to fashion a long rope out a window/gaping hole in the wall.  With knots dispersed through the length, it was relatively simple to brace against the nearby walls and lower themselves one at a time to the ground, walking along with the fortress to conceal themselves until all had landed.<br/><br/>“Okay, so we’ve come to the consensus that a kingdom of man-eating ghouls is out,” Tamarie began diplomatically.  Renilda’s lips curled but Jhessail just shrugged.  “And getting to the sea without knowing if or when a ship might be there would more likely leave us trapped.  So we’ll head west, or whatever the equivalent of that is in the Abyss.  We can see if there’s a camp of escaped slaves or something, or find our way up the layers.  We’ll have a better chance fighting together, so let’s stay close.  I believe in you all,” she gave a little affirmation of encouragement, trying to keep their spirits up.<br/><br/>Looking around, the fortress was passing near a hill of scrubby bushes, and they took the opportunity to run out and quickly dive behind to watch for the long march of slaves and gnolls to trudge away.  It was slow waiting, and the thorny bushes had the meanest abyssal flies, but it was preferable to fleeing an entire army of gnolls.<br/><br/>“Not to discount our difficulties, but this does seem fairly simple to escape?” Kieyanna asked to herself.<br/><br/>“Typical for a prison camp in harsh, inhospitable lands,” Faunra replied, slapping a mouse-sized mosquito with a rock.  “When there’s nowhere to go but desert, or its surrounded by wolves or sharks, that becomes your walls and guards.  Prisoners never leave, or they die of exposure and animal attack…”  The elves looked around carefully, wondering what kind of demon-wolf-sharks might exist in the abyss.<br/><br/>“We’ll kill whatever gets in our way, simple.  Let’s go,” Allizsah gave her simple advice, taking up her staff and jogging west.  Despite the quick pace at the beginning, the yellow forest on the horizon didn’t get any closer.  Instead, an uneven dun savannah stretched out before them with clumps of razor-leaved grasses and occasional rolling hill.  The march would take several days just to reach the border, they just had to adapt their survival skills to this alien environment…<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Survival</div><div class="spoiler_body">The low red sun, resentful flora, and pockets of diseased water make foraging in the abyss a challenge.<br/>Survival 12 or Knowledge (planes) 10: hunt and forage food and water for yourself, plus one other every 2 points beyond the DC.<br/>Alice can use her own skill modifier, or Faunra’s Survival +6 (+8 with Allizsah’s assistance), or Allizsah’s Knowledge +5 (+7 with Renilda’s assistance).  If they can’t keep their strength up, some will fall fatigued for the future challenges ahead.</div></div><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Terror Birds!</div><div class="spoiler_body">Large flightless birds, like vulture-ostrich, come literally screaming over the horizon.  It will be a few minutes before they arrive to take the meat off their bones.  Set a trap, fight them off, or otherwise dissuade the carnivorous flock.<br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">DC 0</div><div class="spoiler_body">The flock circles the party, screaming and pecking as they rip and tear.  Once sufficiently distracted, the leader swoops in to grab Alice and carry her away to the nest!</div></div><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">DC 10</div><div class="spoiler_body">They scare off one bird, the others peck and cut at the party before finally being clubbed away.  Their makeshift hide armors are torn to pieces, and they are sickened with blood loss.</div></div><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">DC 15</div><div class="spoiler_body">They distract most of the birds, keeping them busy as the warriors beat the leader away.</div></div><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">DC 20</div><div class="spoiler_body">The terror birds are overwhelmed by their more dangerous prey, fleeing as their leader is killed.  It will provide valuable meat, and found inside it was a shiny gold ring of protection +1.</div></div><br/>Alice can use her own skills, or Tamarie’s bardic fascination (Perform +9), Faunra’s Handle Animal +1 [penalty for Good], Kieyanna’s Spellcraft +4 to perfectly time an <em>entangle</em> or <em>glitterdust</em> spell, Jhessail’s Spellcraft +5 for a well-placed <em>grease</em>, Allizsah’s Imtimidate +6 to out-scream the birds, or Renilda’s Spellcraft +4 to <em>cause fear</em> in the leader.</div></div><br/>[Abyssal planar traits: normal gravity, normal time, normal magic, mildly chaos-aligned, mildly evil-aligned (-2 Cha checks to Lawful or Good characters, -4 to Lawful Good)]