Well I figured I would still go to the dwarven king in order to receive said plot mechanism and then come back up to the surface. I am being guided currently, so it wouldn't make much sense for her to get lost and take the wrong tunnel. Of course, I have a cave vampire lurking and coming after me. I suppose I could have the dwarven guides killed and I run for it and get lost, but then we are all just wandering around in the wilderness together without a guide. Of course your connection to nature might hint us into things, or something along those lines.