Frederic rises an eyebrow while looking at Tayma there is also a subtle smile detectable.
“Well I suggest you take care about the naming and mapping while I´m softening the rock!
Should we go into that cavern and have a closer look?”
He starts moving into the cavern, stops at the center and looks around.
"Let's go where Nicolae's nose takes us," Vulpus suggests.
“I agree!
Nicolae, which Tunnel smells interesting to you? And please let us know what are you smelling. Go ahead If you want to lead us the way. But please keep in mind that I might send a pilum of fire over your head in case some potential enemy comes in your way.“
Nicolae shift back to human form before answering Flavius' question
"Five of the tunnels leads to human, probably primitives. We would have been able to have a conversation with them with the help of Quezkal if he was still around..." He spits on the floor nearby.
"There are two tunnels they dont usually take, so my guess would be to explore them and hope we come across another shelma'durath. There might be nothing there, but I think it is worth a try."
You follow one of the caves back, it climbs slowly upwards and twists and turns, and after about 20 feet you come to a dead end with a pool of water and a "chimney" leading upwards.
Float up the chimney to see what is top (lift the dangling puppet).
At the top of the chimney is a large bush which is in the way of exiting the chimney, its roots clinging 8 inches down into half the chimney wall.
Does the bush seem to be outside, or is there a bush in a cave?
The roots are growing into the cave but the bush itself seems to be mostly outside.
Drop back down, and report to the others. "The shaft seems to come out at the top of this set of caves. There is a large bush or shrub blocking most of the entrance. I don't have a good way to mark that from the outside, and I am not sure we want to do so. Nice to know it is there though."
"That takes care of this one; no one goes there because it leads nowhere. Let's try the other one, and then maybe we can go see the locals. Maybe someone will have some basics in a language you scholars speak."
The second passage leads to a large chasm, 20 feet across. It looks like there is a passage on the other side, and smells like this may have been used for funerary purposes in the past. It also sounds like something may be moving at the bottom.
Nicolae will try to catch a glimpse of was is down below with his emerald faerie eyes.
"It sure smells like death in here, no need to be a dog to figure that. Hey Flavius, I think there is something down there. Might be a scavenger, might be something else. It could be a good idea to throw a sun stone down there, just to be sure. In any case, I think we should maybe get back to the other tunnels after this; no need to profane our neighbors' cemetary."
"Quite so," Vulpus agrees. "And perhaps this isn't the time to needlessly disturb the carrion eater."
Before Flavius prepares a “Sunstone” he will chek with visions of heats light (duration conc.) if there is a living thing moving (one with body heat). In case he detects something that might be human or humanlike he will inform the others. Flavius doesn’t want to expose the location of our team to whatever is down there.
If there is nothing humanlike he will drop a stone with lamp without flame duration diameter attached.
Vision of heats light Level 20 reduced to 15 (Flexible Formular Magic): CT 20 + die (=2) =22
Vision of heats light die: coyotecode.net/roll/lookup.php?rollid=92017
Lamp without Flame Level 5: (CT 24 + die (08))/2= 16
Lamp without Flame Level die: coyotecode.net/roll/lookup.php?rollid=92019
Heat vision pretty much shows a constant cool background. Do you still do lamp without flame?
Yes, but I will ask the others to stay away from the gap for the time the light illuminates us. Once it is on its way down Frederic will look what´s down there.
You hear the sound of movement below, it sounds like several things moving away from the light as it descends. You then hear a splash. When you look over the side again you see your light emanating up from a shallow pool where a score of half eaten bodies lie at the surface, many on rocks protruding from the water, some of them floating. None of them are clothed. Whatever was moving before there is no sign of it now.
Half eaten bodies and no obvious source of harm. Plus unclothed. Something was dangerous here and Tayma didn't know what. I think we should head back, dead bodies and its not clear what killed them. I don't think we should jump in blind.
"I agree, that canyon should be left for later. I can imagine use for exploring it, but there is plenty more to look at first. Anyone got a suggestion for how to pick one more before we head back?"