The group moved on, finding a long cave with a stream running along its length.  The bed of the stream glittered with gold, prompting an argument between those who wanted to grab the loot, those who thought it was a trap, and those who wanted to focus on finding the missing villagers before worrying about more worldly concerns.

Surprisingly, it was the third group who won out.  The heroes investigated noises to their left, quickly encountering a cave full of troglodyte young, protected by giant rats.  This opposition was soon overcome, though Zook's attempt to summon a hound archon for the battle was a failure, as the creature never appeared.  An earth elemental proved more amenable to his call, however.

The troglodyte young were suitably over-awed by the group's power, and reluctantly answered questions about the missing villagers, though they proved to know little.  They believed the "softskins" had been fed to "the children", but couldn't say where these children were.  Zhang then bluffed them into believing that he had put a terrible trap on the entrance to the cave (it was actually just alarm) so that the young wouldn't sneak off and bring more enemies.

Following the left wall as normal, the group entered a cave with two significant features: a milky-white pool (water with limestone residue in it) and a tunnel leading down.  The group chose to head down, which probably would have horrified Will if he hadn't been back at the village, collecting supplies.  Eventually the tunnel emerged into a grotto filled with strange subterranean plants and fungi.  There the group encountered the taciturn earth fey Vulgaris, who made it clear that she had no interest in visitors who were not there to trade.  Vulgaris possessed various herbs and poultices, and was in her turn interested in purchasing magical items or green slime ... the latter being a somewhat unusual request.

Vulgaris confirmed that no humans had been brought through her caves, and the group agreed to look out for green slime for her.  Since Vulgaris did not seem willing to let them use her home as a throughfare, they then retreated upstairs to investigate the milky white pool by sending a water elemental through it.

The elemental never came back.

Deciding to leave the pool for now, the group returned to the cave with the stream and argued some more about the treasure.  This time, the "loot!" party won through, and Mei Ling waded into the water to collect the valuables.  A substantial haul of precious items were recovered, including the sorrowsong drum, last of the instruments needed to free the air spirit near the entrance to the Clockwork Academy.

Continuing to investigate the troglodyte caverns, the group next found the area where the prisoners had likely been held, as there were scuff marks from boots and scraps of blood-stained human clothing.  The heroes were not able to determine where the prisoners had been taken, however.

Following the stream led to an apparent dead end, though when Zook summoned his eidolon and sent it to investigate, the creature discovered that the stream passed through a spacious tunnel and then emerged - through a narrow but passable opening - on the side of the mountain.  This, presumably, was how the troglodytes approached the refugee village without coming up through the caves.

With this route complete, the group headed back and explored the other tunnels of the level.  This led to the workroom of what appeared to be a winged dwarf made of stone - actually a mephit.  The mephit was grouchy about being disturbed, but when the group explained their purpose in the tunnels, it offered to go speak with the duergar and see if any of the prisoners had been sold to them.  For a price, of course.

The group haggled, but eventually paid 75 gp (with a promise of another 75 gp when the mephit returned) for news of the prisoners.  The mephit told them to check back in 24 hours.

This left the elemental-killing milky pool, and the ant caves as options for exploration.  The group chose the milky pool, and send the eidolon to explore.  It encountered and defeated two of the twisted toad things they'd fought before, though it was badly wounded in the process.  The pool proved to lead to the base of a well-like shaft, at the top of which were two skeletal monstrosities.  Zook called back his eidolon, hoping to lure out the skeletons, but they did not pursue.

No eager to try and fight their way up out of a well, the group reluctantly decided to battle the ants ... a battle which would have gone much more smoothly if Mei Ling and the eidolon hadn't got themselves paralyzed in the first 10 seconds!

Eventually the ants were destroyed, and the group followed the only unexplored route out.  This rough, ant-carved tunnel eventually broke into a short segment of worked stone, sealed at one end by a cave-in and at the other by a stone bowl, carved in the shape of two cupped hands.  Above the bowl was an engraving of the rising sun, symbol of the Order of the Dawning Sun.  There were also inscribed a series of words, appearing to each of the heroes in their native tongue: "I am the Font of Knowledge.  Fill me, and drink deep."

Mei Ling, being a literal sort, tried filling the bowl with water, but it simply drained out.  The group then tried a daylight spell, given the sun motif.  Nothing happened.  Zhang then placed a scroll in the hands.

The scroll vanished ... and moments later, so did the bowl and the wall in which it was set ...

Matters on Hand

• discovering what lies beyond the now-vanished Font
• discovering what lies beyond the milky pool
• returning to the mephit in 24 (now 22) hours for news from the duergar
• collecting the sorrowsong harp from the village and deciding whether to use it, the flute and the drum to free the air spirit