Yes, Alexios, I do wish to camp within these caves. We have precious little to report, do you not agree? I wish to establish a guard to be on the lookout for any developments. In particular if the flow of water from these gaps changes flow, color, or temperature.
Turns to Miklos Can you possibly make your way up there and see if there's anything interesting? Is it a passage that can be traversed, or must we crawl to an uncertain end? In your professional opinion.
Alexios, while we wait for Miklos's report, do you mind if we try a little experiment? I recall you volunteering to wade through the shallow pool. Brave man! Would you mind terribly being nibbled on by our elusive fishes. I was bitten just about here... would you stick your hand here and wave it around a bit, see if anything develops? he smiles ruefully See, if I am right, you have little to worry about. They have a most picky diet, and you are not on the menu! Still, you are a big fellow, seen some action, ehh, military. You have a good grip? Hauling out one of these things may be difficult, but maybe not impossible!
Waits for things to happen
Hmm, I remember when I was a lad, some fishermen built little cages, fish swam in, and when the tide turned, they were stuck. I wonder... he trails off looking at boulders in the big cave.
I wonder where we are in relation to the village. Is this lake connected with the one outside? And what was that large bone in the other cave, something that was alive when the cave was flooded elsewhere. Comforting thought!
Alexios makes sure his hands are well-covered with the leather gauntlets he wears when using his fire siphon, and then searches through his pack for any spare clothing so he can wrap extra cloth around his left wrist. He then grabs hold of something solid with his right arm, and puts his left hand/wrist in the water and waves it around for a few seconds. If he is bitten, he will try and pull his arm back with all his force.
[tab][/tab] Taking all precautions Alexios puts his gauntlet and padded hand in the water and waves it around. Then splashes some more. There is no response, even when tries that again. Clearly the fish aren't biting (him). Your fourth member of the party is silently making some preparations for a camp, wondering if its a good idea to make a fire or not (he is a simple lad). Scylax is clearly fixated on the fish that supposedly swim in that water.
[tab][/tab] Miklos on the other hand climbs up to the opening on the south part of the alcove. Though the stone wall is slick from the moisture and its smoothness provides no handholds, he uses the fallen stalactite to reach the opening, then squeezes through. Dusty and full of grit, it makes for a crunchy crawl with a lot of effort not to sneeze. All the debris are probably the result of earthquakes, the small passageway the result of a fault line or some such. Surprisingly the crawling is short, leaving Miklos high above another passageway, on its north side. This one is a broad expanse of cave, filled with large stone formations, in grey fantastic shapes, and no hint of moisture. The cave has an incline from east down to west (meaning from the center of the hill to the rim). To the young thief it is also intriguing that the western, down-sloping part is ever so slightly more illuminated that the rest of that cave. The must be some light down there....
[tab][/tab] The floor is naturally formed but filled with gravel and debris, parts of rock that fell from above. Stalactites and stalagmites abound but some show damage or small breaks. The opening is quite high above (Str+Athletics 12) but there are handholds on the wall that one could use to get down.
(Please include your Str+Athletics 12 roll for climbing down)
[tab][/tab] Miklos manages to descend, looking back at the cave wall the magi will definitely have a hard time climbing down that. He glances around in the gloom, using the light pebble he got to highlight different stone formations. This cavernous chamber slopes from east to west, creating a difficult meander of corridors, natural steps and inclines, overhangs and balconies, all formed of grey calcite deposits. It takes quite a nimble explorer to navigate the sharp, pointed rocks and crannies, but slowly Miklos finds a path towards the slowly brightening light.
[tab][/tab] After some minutes of spelunking through fantastical yet cracked stone formations, the thief reaches the lowest level a large circular depression free of stalagmites or stalactites, a kind of stone basin filled with rubble and dust below the main caverns, reaches by a sweeping stone ramp. He can clearly see the opposite mass of the stone wall and the apparent cracks in them spilling pale light in beams inside the room. There are connections to the outside world here. Quickly he scouts the cracks for an exit. Most are less than a hand-span in size, slight faults and holes that bring air and indirect light into the caves, but offer no sight of outside or even a means to get out. One though is a narrow passageway that might allow a slight man to pass through inching sideways (if he does not get stuck that is). It is around the size of a tall man long and the other side seems to be inside some kind of bush or tree, the light is severely filtered through the green canopy. Miklos can faintly hear bird song and the twinkling of far off goat-bells.
(Please also do a Per+Second Sight EF 9. Do not add keen sight or the aura. Botch dice=2)
[tab][/tab] Testing the small crack, Miklos finds that it is possible for him to pass through without losing too much skin off his hide. Having a supple body also helped. The cunning man manages to slip through and finds himself outside the cave complex on a small, precarious ledge inside a wooded hollow in the hill's south-west side. Dense bushes and prickly oaks totally choke the hollow , making it difficult to pass through but also concealing the crack from sight. In fact, it takes Miklos sometime to find the crack again, its that well hidden, no wonder people never found this second entrance. Entering the cave again, he starts up the path to alert his group that he has found the exit. Just right of the exit and up the path Miklos spots a huge hole on the smooth cave wall. At the height of a horse's back and as tall as a man, this is a perfectly round hole, an opening to a cylindrical passageway further into the hill. Amazed at having missed it the first time (clearly this is not natural, there is funny business here) Miklos notices that what looks like smooth surface, feels like pitted stone, contrary to the sculpted surfaces of deposited rock. The passageway is long, the light barely reaches inside, illuminating two large cockroaches clinging to the side wall, fornicating....
Miklos will call back to the main group and let them know what he is found. He will support anyone with the climb who wants to explore the tunnel with him.
Scylax is very interested! Good man, Miklos! Did you remark on where on the mount this entrance is? Is it reachable by foot, from where we entered the cave complex? And you say it is unnoticeable, except to your keen eyes? Commendable effort! Hmm, I must see it from the outside, but we must not attract attention! That is paramount! I have some thoughts on that . He does not elaborate. However, he is extremely concerned with traversing the difficult passages, including the climb. He is terribly unapt at these physical endeavors. If Scylax can use Wizard's Leap ReCo 15 Mastery 1 Fast Casting/+9 without having to roll too many Finesse rolls (and ending up inside a wall!), he will use the spell to avoid the rougher parts, including the initial climb.
[tab][/tab] Miklos returns, full of scrapes and dust, to report that there is another cave complex on the other side of the that narrow passageway, leading to the outside. From what he gathered, while your party entered from the north-western part of the hill and well away from the village, this exit seems to be on the southern part and near the village itself, if just outside it. Still the entrance was quite concealed. However Scylax is right, searching it from the outside might attract attention ( as is exciting from there willy, nilly). Caution is advised.
[tab][/tab] The exit from the caves is just some cracks in the rock leading to a ledge in a wooded depression. It was concealed only by the plant growth and the nature of its placement. It was the side passageway that seems to be...funny. As for casting the wizard's leap, Scylax knows that would almost be impossible.
[The spell needs either line of sight or an arcane connection, HoH:S 36. To follow Miklos through the passageway and down, you will have to do a Str+Athletics 12 each (with Miklos help and ropes etc). At the other side is the cave as described. Sensing the extra tunnel needs magic or Per+Second Sight EF 4 now that Miklos has spotted it. He can guide you through too]
If Scylax requests an object for his spell casting (i.e. An arcane connection) Miklos will gladly go back himself and retrieve a stone or whatever Scylax asks for. He would much rather make the climb again than have to support others to make it given the difficulty involved.
Scylax chews on Miklos's suggestion for a while. He looks up to the impossible climb with an utter lack of enthusiasm. So, please describe the other side as best you can, again. Scylax closes his eyes and concentrates mightily on what the scout is describing. The distance is important, my good Miklos, how far to X? (Scylax wishes for an arcane connection from a small distinctive formation on the other side, and relatively clear of debris, no more than 40 paces away -it's 50, but let's err on the side of caution!-) Alexios, is this climb and squeeze too much to ask of you? Please speak honestly. My neck is my own to break, I will not be missed overmuch! he chuckles And Miklos is a professional, umm, how should we term it, retriever and scout? That sound good? to Miklos. But you, Alexios, are a professional soldier and chymist. No, best you stay here and keep a pair of watchful eyes, establish a camp in the vicinity of this fallen column, and keep an eye on the water and the crack from which it issues forth. We shall be back soon. If something should befall me of a terminal nature, please flee if you can, from the other entrance, if retrieving my remains is impractical, and report all details of this place to Annastaj and the others at Meru Mudi, while keeping it secret!
<OOC Once Miklos retrieves an appropriate connection, Scylax will spont Creo Vim to increase the length it lasts, rest, will pick some moss leaves, spont Creo Vim them as well to lengthen their connection duration. Rest. Then he will take some time, review what Miklos has said, wait until the man has climbed and is on the other side, and cast Wizard's Leap ReCo 15 Mastery 1/+9, praying to the gods of the Underworld for a happy landing! OOC>
•Scylax Spont Creo Vim to extend life of arcane connection to rock on the other side of the passage, extra levels to move to 2 or 3 steps: [Cr 2 + Vim 12 + 2 Sta + 1 Aura +_: 1D10 = [6] = 6]/2 = 11, Base 5 + 1 touch= 10 to retard rate of decay by one step , success
(probably from hours to Days)
Rest 2 minutes
•Scylax Spont Creo Vim to extend life of arcane connection to moss near the fallen stalagmite, extra levels to move to 2 or 3 steps: [Cr 2 + Vim 12 + 2 Sta + 1 Aura + _: 1D10 = [9] = 9]/2 = 13, Base 5 + 1 touch= 10 to retard rate of decay by one step , success
(probably from Months to Years)
Scylax rests a few moments, looking to Miklos as if saying, yes I can't believe it myself, that was dangerous.
He will then proceed to cast in a soft voice Veil of Invisibility PeIm 20 Mastery 1 Quiet Casting/+19 on himself + 1 aura + _: 1D10 = [8] = 8 = success.
Well, Miklos, hope this is not too awkward. I could do this minor thing to aid you as well. Do you wish it? Lead the way. I will whisper to communicate. Once they reach the narrow entrance, Scylax might have to Wizard's Leap outside as well, 9+ _: 1D10 = [7] = 7 + 1 Aura, success, no problem!
Once outside, he will Cast with no words Piercing the Magic Veil InVi 20 Mastery 1 Quiet Casting/+18, -5 no words, + 1 Aura + _: 1D10 = [9] = 9 = success, no problem, and see what he may see (remember he has Eyes of the Cat, so he can see in shadowy conditions with no trouble)
[tab][/tab] With Miklos a bit behind looking worriedly, Scylax approaches the hole the thief has pointed out to him. He can see it is a long, unnaturally round passageway. The walls are perfectly circular, yet what looks like smooth stone is actually a minutely pitted surface. There are no markings, scratches or cracks seen inside the passageway...just two large cockroaches still on a wall, one atop another. Scyalx cannot see the end of the tunnel.
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