Chapter 2: the Cavern

[David]

After packing up the last of your gear, you set out south. It takes four days of searching while traveling south to find the cave, or at least a cave. The night before you spotted the glow of a fire further to the south.
In front of the entrance there is evidence of a camp site. It would appear that a large bonfire was burnt here very recently, probably the one you saw last night. After carefully searching the area, you can determine that the tracks that you have been following end here, at the edge of the fire ash.

[Shoelip]

"Well, it doesn't look like whoever it was left in any other direction... so I guess they must be in the cave." Arkas walks to the mouth of the cave and peers inside. "Should we go?"

[David]

Looking inside you find a tunnel gently slopping down. There is a slightly odd scent to the air, maybe moss mixed with wet stone, and something you cannot quite put your finger on.
The tunnel is a few yards across, and several high.

[Vortigern]

Leander pauses to inspect the remains of the fire and the tracks leading into the cave for a few spare moments before taking out the lantern attempting to operate it. [ What are the lighting conditions in the cave? ] He does this at the mouth of the cavern, kneeling down. "Have you been here before N'Dali?" he asks as he works. When Arkas asks he nods to the affirmative. "As soon as we have some light."

[David]

Inspecting the ground leading upto the cave opening reveals signs of traffic, quite a lot in fact. The tracks overlap one another such that they are effectively unreadable. All you can tell is that there has been a lot of activity here, probably recently.
Kicking the ashes of the fire uncovers a few pieces of heat twisted metal, and a cracked and blackend human skull.
The first few dozen feet are illuminated by the daylight, but it grows dark quickly beyond, as the tunnel extends back into the cliff.
[assuming you are referring to the lamp found in the chamber under the stone ritual site]
The it has about a half pint capacity for oil, but no mechanism to control the length of a wick, nor any receptacle to hold a wick. You could make a makeshift wick for it, and rig something to hold it, if you wish to try. [If there is something else you would like to try with it, let me know.]




N'Dali, looking more nervous than you have seen him thus far, “No, I have never been here before, but I have a very strong feeling that something bad is about to happen. Be on your guard.”

[Shoelip]

"Let's be quick then." Arkas glances nervously at te skull.

[Vortigern]

Leander struggles with the lamp for a moment, muttering to himself as he does so, eventually giving up and frowning in frustration. "I still can't discern this thing. If any of you have something we can use for light let us use it and proceed, otherwise I think we may need to scrounge about for material for torches."

[Shoelip]

Arkas speaks up, somewhat hesitantly. "Um, well I uh, have some candles..." He starts fishing around in his pack and eventually produces three candles.

[Vortigern]

[ Are those the demon candles of doom? ]

[Shoelip]

[I don't remember, but you were gonna use the demon lantern of doom anyway... I don't think they are. Who picked those up?]

[Vortigern]

[ I'm not sure. lol. That is why I asked. And yes, that was the lantern I was going to try and use. Meh. Light the candles. If we die, we die. I'll blame you in hell. ]

[Shoelip]

[Well we'd be able to recognize them easily if they were. Anyway, I think Arkas only took the demon bag of powdery doom.}

After making sure these are not the doom candles Arkas passes them around to the others. Taking one himself, he steps cautiously into the mouth of the cave.

[David]

The candles are indeed not the demon candles, they are fairly common Tallow candles and each should burn for about twelve hours. Arkas passes them out to Leander and Sophia while N'Dali produces his crystal amulet.
Once the candles are lit the four of you proceed into the cavern.

[If anyone does not want to light their candle yet let me know]


The tunnel is a few yards across, and several high. After a few dozen yards it splits: the left passage narrowing to only a yard or two wide and two to three high; the right widens to five yards wide and six or seven high. The left passage has a dank, slightly moldy smell, the air feels cool and moist, and the rocks are beaded with drops of water. The right passage smells of warm stone, the air is warm and dry, and the dry stones are almost warm to the touch.

[Shoelip]

Arkas chooses to conserve his own candle in case of an unforeseen emergency. Besides, he can't punch very well while holding it anyway. Reaches the fork in the tunnel, he considers for a moment, and decides that the right passage is rather more inviting than the left. "I think we should go right. The left one seems uninhabited..." He whispers. "...and wet."

[David]

As you discuss whether to take the right or left passage, first Arkas, and then the rest of you notice that there are several drops of candle wax on the stone of the floor. Arkas further notices that they are fresh, not more than a day old, and there are a few just inside the left passage, but none in the right passage.

[Shoelip]

Arkas wonders aloud at this, but provides no opinion.

[David]

[So, what is the consensus: Right or Left?]

[Shoelip]

[There is no consensus. Arkas pointed out the wax and that's it. No one else said anything at all about it. Since no one else seems to care either, let's head left.]

[Vortigern]

Leander will carry a lit candle in his left hand his sword in the other. His shield and other weaponry etc. are strapped across his back. When the wax is discovered he recommends/agrees with following it wherever it goes.

[David]

Venturing deeper into the passage, the air quickly cools, until after only a few dozen steps you find yourselves shivering slightly, your light summer clothes failing to provide sufficient protection from the chill air. The stones under your feet have become slick with moisture, and you can hear the sounds of dripping water coming from ahead.




After maybe another dozen yards the tunnel opens into a large cavern. The ceiling extends up perhaps three yards above your heads, the floor drops away, a sheer drop of perhaps four yards to the floor. The far wall is beyond the light of the candle. The left and right walls curve inwards a little, but disappear into the darkness to either side. As you examine the drop to the floor below, you can make out what may be hand and foot holds carved into the bare rock. The climb looks a bit risky, what with the wet, slimy rocks, but doable. Every once in a while you catch a glimpse of slightly flickering light, perhaps a reflection of the candle, off towards the center(?) of the cavern.
There is also the faint sounds of water running over rocks coming from deeper in the dark cavern.

[Shoelip]

"Um..." Arkas peers down futilely into the pit before them. "Well I guess I should be the one to go first... Did anyone bring a rope?"

[David]

N'Dali “Yes, there is some in the wagon. I shall go get it.” With that he turns and makes his way back outside.
While he is gone you examine the area and notice that there is nowhere to secure the rope. Some one will have to hold it at the top, and descend without the aid of the rope.
N'Dali returns shortly with a ten yard length of rope.

[Shoelip]

"Alright so... I suppose Leander should be lowered down first, his armor weighs the most. So we will need the most help holding the rope. I will climb down last and bring the rope with me... Hm, if only we hand a spike to tie the rope to. How do you suppose the inhabitants get down?" Arkas again peers over the edge. "Hm, I wonder, just how deep is this?" He tosses one end of the rope downward while holding onto the other and waits for the sound of it landing.

[David]

The stone floor of the cavern is covered in a thin layer of sandy mud, patches of thick moss, large rocks or very small boulders covered in lichen. There are tiny rivulets of water that spiderweb the floor, none are more then a few inches wide or deeper then perhaps a half inch.
The rock wall extends to either side, and a vast open area of darkness extends ahead.
Stepping out from the wall N'Dali moves towards the intermittent glint of light.
After about ten minutes of carefully picking your way between small boulders, finding good purchase on the wet, somewhat slippery floor, you find yourselves at the bank of a shallow stream, perhaps four yards wide, and half a yard deep. There are many rocks in the water, most worn smooth,a few jagged, many forming small dams and reservoirs behind which the water forms pools
The water makes a pleasant burbling sound as it flows over and around the stones, and splashes into the shallow pools. The stream has cut a channel in the floor extending left and right across the chamber. The chasm is about ten feet deep here and gently slopes up to the right and down to the left.
The faint glittering of light comes from somewhere on the other side of the chasm.

[Shoelip]

Arkas finds himself checking from time to time on Sophia to make certain she is progressing without trouble. He isn't sure why, it's almost involuntary.

Stopping by the stream to take a look around, he spots the flickering in the distance, "I suppose we should find the source of that light..." he says in a low voice, and starts off in that direction, after making sure of course that everyone is following.

[David]

[Does Arkas wish to climb down the ten feet to the stream below and then back up on the other side, or look for a better crossing point upstream or down stream?]

[Shoelip]

{Look for a better crossing. There could be carp in that stream!]

[David]

After a short walk a stone bridge over the chasm becomes visible. The bridge spans the gap, and is about four feet wide. It appears to be of good construction, very solidly built.
Once across you continue towards the faint glimmer of light.
It is several more minutes walk across the cavern floor before you reache the source of the sparkle of light. There is a pond with a stalagmite several yards from shore. The top of the stalagmite has been cut off, leaving a flat table about four feet above the surface of the water. Resting upon the stone is a lit candle.
The water is only a few inches deep near the shore, but appears to get a little deeper farther out, although it is difficult to tell beyond a few feet. The pond stretches a dozen or so feet to the right and about the same to the left. It is at least a few dozen feet across, as your light does not reach the far side. Splashing about in the water is a man in light clothes, bent over with his hands in the water.
http://www.online-roleplaying.com/forums/images/coal/misc/progress.gif

[Shoelip]

"Hm..." Arkas holds up his hand to the others for silence, if they watch the man quietly, they might just find out what he is doing.

[David]

As you watch the figure stands up and appears to be examining a small object in the light of the candle. It is too dark to make much out at this distance. What you can see is that the object is around a foot long, a few inches across, and sparkles slightly in the light. You are about two dozen yards away.

[Shoelip]

Still having no idea what's going on, Arkas continues to watch silently.

[David]

The figure seems to have its full attention on the object in its hands. It turns it end over end and rotates it along it long axis, carefully examining it in the candle light.

[Shoelip]

Realizing that sloshing about in the water would immediately alert the person to their presence, Arkas stays on shore, watching and waiting for them to return. Whoever this is probably has something to do with the disappearance of the man they seek, and if not, well, they can find out when they question him. "Let us wait here for him to return to the shore." He whispers to his companions. "We can accost him when he reaches us and question him." Once everyone has found a comfortable possition Arkas blows out his candle and watches.

[Vortigern]

Leander accompanied the others mostly in silence, finding Arkas' suggestions to be worthy enough not to object. Mostly he came along in a manner as if expecting trouble, shield and sword ready. His manner isn't 'paranoid', yet more... just a soldier quite aware he is in 'badguy-land'.

Again, Arkas' suggestion of waiting for the man to come out of the water seems best. Leander gestures silently to the others, indicating positions he thinks best, then positions himself in the center of the arrangement. His positioning attemps to place Arkas and Sophia each on a flank, while he is a slightly farther back center... so that the stranger is hopefully fairly surrounded the moment they are on shore and the group reveals themselves.

[5Solas]

As Khamisi went to put the crystal in his pocket, he noticed the faint glow of another candle behind him. Looking back, however, he saw nothing in the inky blackness. Looking back around again and seeing that the cavern had no other exit, he stepped out of the water and shook his feet before settling them back into the dry and dusty (not somewhat muddy) sandals he had left on the shore. The stone bumped up against his right thigh as he walked but it was almost comforting. While he didn't exactly know what it was or what power it held, he did have the scars to prove it (literally).

Scanning his vision over towards the exit, he swore he again saw light of some kind but again did not discern its source. Shrugging, Khamisi took the first few steps back towards the river and exit.

[David]

[Khamisi is the man that Arkas and Leander see in the water.]
As Khamisi walks back in the direction of the stone bridge he is quickly able to pick out the shapes of four figures standing close to one another. One is holding a lit candle.

[Shoelip]

[Khamisi is the man that Arkas and Leander see in the water.]
As Khamisi walks back in the direction of the stone bridge he is quickly able to pick out the shapes of four figures standing close to one another. One is holding a lit candle.


None of us are holding a lit candle.

[David]

[Sophia is carring a lit candle]

[Shoelip]

[We're hiding in the pitch darkness to wait for the suspicious man we found in the demon cave to come ashore so we can capture and question him... We blew out our candles.]

[Vortigern]

[OOC: I had assumed that the spread of us in hiding positions by Leander would have put us a bit farther apart, and harder to notice. But that may be inaccurate. Either way, let us go forward. ]

Leander hefts his shield, placing it firmly between himself and the stranger. The sword is held at a casual 'ready' position behind it as he comes forward. "Declare yourself." he says, gruffly. "And your purpose here."

[David]

[Shoelip: You are the only one who stated that they were blowing out their candle, and you never lit your candle. Also, no one specified that they were having anyone else blowout their candles.]

[Currently N'Dali has a glowing crystal set in his amulet, and Sophia has a lit candle.
Leander has his sword and shield in hand.
Arkas has empty hands.
Khamisi has a lit candle in one hand.]

[Shoelip]

[And again, we were all hiding, so we would have extinguished our lights because none of us are brain damaged.

Look, I wouldn't keep arguing about this since Leander has already revealed himself, but pulling this kind of "Well you didn't specifically say you were doing something that you obviously would have had to do to succeed at what you were trying to accomplish" thing is really really not funny at all. This is exactly the same as having the character slam headlong into the door to a tavern because they didn't specifically state that they were opening it first. I just hope you aren't planning to continue using these kinds of things as obstacles because it just makes it seem like you've got no respect for your players.]

Arkas remains silent, Leander having said everything that he needed saying.

[5Solas]

As Khamisi walked back towards the cavern's exit, a figure wielding a sword and shield suddenly emerged from the darkness, his body language and voice oozing apprehension and suspect.

"Declare yourself." he said, gruffly. "And your purpose here."

The priest froze in position. Who was *this* man and why was he here? If he was here to guard the jewel, why did he not stop Khamisi sooner? If he was here to rob him, why was he questioning him? If he was neither, then...well, Khamisi didn't know so he simply raised his hands slightly to get a better view and smiled, his white teeth reflecting the candlelight and looking not unlike a floating set of teeth and eyes in the darkness of the cave.

"I am Khamisi, a simple low priest of Maica. Who am I addressing?"

[David]

[I am moving the rules related conversation to ooc]

[Vortigern]

"Leander of Halisfield, House of Janzen." he says in response. "And you have not declared your purpose. This is no place one might encounter a casual wanderer."

Leander advances slowly, a measured step at a time. The shield comes first, the sword second, and the man third. His caution, nor his preparedness, have seemed impacted at all by the other man's declaration.

[5Solas]

Khamisi chuckled nervously to himself; he indeed had not answered the man's question concerning his motives in the cave but at least Leander (whom he had addressed himself as) was cordial enough to answer the priest's question. As the now-obviously armed man made his way towards the Zehir, however, Khamisi paused slightly. Quirking his head to the side, a smile still affixed to his face, the priest continued his introduction in truth:

"I am simply here to assist a hermit that was rumored to live here...as you can imagine, his lack of contact with those outside would lend him in need of a priest. My fellows that wait upon me outside are also holding a contest as to whom can stay here the longest despite some curse though it is not my primary motivation in the least."

Khamisi looked into Leander's eyes just above the rim of his shield, the man still approaching. While threatening in a physical sense (arms and what not), he did not get the general sense that he was in danger. Regardless, he attempted to continue to read Leander and stood his ground.

[[IQ roll for Empathy]]

[Shoelip]

Hearing the (to him) obvious falsehood, Arkas motions to Sophia to help him surround the man.

[Vortigern]

Leander frowns slightly, straitening a bit and shaking his head. "No one waits for you. Or else the evils that have come to this place had already delt with them before we arrived."

[5Solas]

Khamisi hesitated but only slightly. "Well, I am sure that they have simply camped nearby or will return quite soon. Speak of evil, do you? I was not aware of such...what exactly do you mean?"

[Vortigern]

Leander at first seems hesitant in his reply, then speaks in a firm tone. "We found the remains of a fire, with bones therein. Something was wickedly done, I think. And further in I suspect only more of the same."

[5Solas]

Khamisi shivered at the man's words; surely his traveling companions were fine. Deep down, though, he knew and trusted that the warrior before him was right. Letting out a sigh, the priest bowed his head and said a short prayer for the departed spirits while gesturing the traditional burial blessings.

"This evil, then, needs to be smote. Where...where have you come from and why are you here then?"