A Rough Encounter

Another half a day passes and Pepin announces you have arrived at the new chambers. Det, Garl, and Sydar quickly setup a camp as Pepin tells you they will not enter the new area. Moments later, several more guides, from the other expeditions come out of hiding. They all seem acquainted. Pepin explains that in the Underdark, the guides are all brothers and will not raise a weapon against each other. They get hired to bring groups to certain locations, rarely to enter them. So they will wait a predetermined amount of time, and then return if none of their employers should return. He points out that several of the men were guides for Torog’s group and will still wait, despite seeing the group that fled. Pepin will accompany you into the chambers as he has a vested interest in helping keep Leenia safe.

You pass through several empty, uninteresting chambers before the acrid smell of acid begins to tingle your noses. Entering the next chamber, the smell of acid is undeniable, however, you don’t see any in this chamber. Instead, a sizeable number of drow bodies have been dismembered and their remains are half eaten. Pepin remarks the drow left with a sizeable force. Whatever did this was fast and tough.
Without warning, half a dozen Umber hulks burrow through the walls, surrounding you in the chamber.

The umber hulk encounter took over 2 hours. It was far more challenging than anyone, me especially, expected. Their ability to slide/daze really hampered the party and caused things to be much more difficult.

Still, the heroes prevailed and continued on.