Following in the wake of the victory, the party was invited to a spectacular feast in the Elven main settlement of the Petrified Forests. Chong Wang acted as an intermediary for Soveliss, introducing him to many lovely maidens; Soveliss, however, declined to take any to his bedside. Not so Prince Aidan, who had luck with two young elven ladies. In fact, in the morn, Prince Aidan convinced the young Anastrannia to accompany him on his journey.

And in the morn, journey they did. The first two days of the desert proceeded uneventfully, when the adventurers were beset by the greater relative of the Ashworm, the Dunewinder. Luckily, this was a juvenile one and so was able to be defeated. Fang warned the party that sulphurous buildup in the creature is kept at bay by biological processes, so that this beast would detonate if dead for more than a second or two. Soveliss, then, proceeded to pepper the beast with knockout arrows, so it could be kept living until an appropriate situation could be arranged to destroy it without endangering the party. When the creature was incapacitated, such a situation was arranged, and the monster disposed of.

After another two days, the party made their way to a cavern. They entered, leaving Anastrannia at the entrance. Just within the entrance, a pair of apparently sentient, yet completely unnerving, creatures were discovered. Their incessant babbling, out of the ever-changing number of mouths about the fluid-like creature, nearly drove Prince Aidan insane, however Eve stepped forward and forced all mental effects to recede. The monster's many mouths still, however, drew a significant amount of blood from Prince Aidan, weakening him.

As the party made their way through the caves, a voice within their heads called out to them at an intersection, beckoning them to approach it and asserting that it meant no harm. The murky water just inside the passageway became apparent as it was approached, and a disgusting film appeared atop it. The creature spoke for a bit, insisting how it wanted to team up to fight the Illithid, and mentioned that, as a show of goodwill, it hadn't forced its minions to attack the group. It attempted control of Prince Aidan, the apparent leader; Eve's mental protection was, however, still intact. Prince Aidan made a show at complying whilst not-so-subtly implying he was his own man. The Monster-Beneath-the-Waters then retreated, swearing its minions would accompany desired or no.

Feeling that assaulting an aquatic monster on its home terrain to be fruitless, the protagonists continued through the underground realm. At the entrance to a large room, a trio of long-armed aberrations, which Fang identified as aptly-named Chokers, were met with and summarily dispatched.

Within the entrance to the cavern room, Prince Aidan heard in his mind that, not only was he being denied his claim to the throne, but a price had been placed upon his head. This did not, however, accomplish the Illithid's goal of demoralizing him. Soveliss moved forward, and discovered the abomination in an alcove. Supernaturally fast, he launched two volleys of arrows at the Illithid. He shook off the mental assault the Illithid launched at him, and the Illithid mentally departed the alcove. The rest of the party spotted him by the exit of the room, and Prince Aidan slammed him into the wall. Soveliss came back for the final blow, and the body disappeared as it hit the ground.

As the body faded from view, entering view were a quartet of fish-aspected humanoids. Chong began an assault on them; he and Fang killed three whilst one made his way to the alcove. He fumbled at the wall, placing his hand upon a particular rock. Soveliss, upon coming close to the creature, noticed a hidden room within the alcove. The room was entered, and a stone lid was noticed covering a stone depression. Moving aside the lid, the Illithid's (or an Illithid's) body was discovered, and instantly destroyed in chunky bits and fire.

During the search of the cavern, the words to Prince Aidan percolated in his mind. He decided he must make his way to the Kingdom of Sharim to clear his name and, if possible, retake his throne. He told Anastrannia that she should do what she wished, apprising her of danger in following either group. She decided to plead to be taken back home; with that, Prince Aidan headed off.

Next time: searching the cave.