No more spiders
"OK. Now let's find these supposed 'walking bones' and the stuff they took back."
Do you go down the wider path or the narrower path.
Sir Alfric motions towards the left hand (wider) path, then leads the way.
"Sure you don't want someone who can see in the dark up front?"
Kiley falls in behind Alfric, unless he motions for her to get up front.
Your not the only one who can,
remember the games of Hide and Seek we played near sundown
and we'd both had no trouble being it.
"Well, I can't, but it does sound reasonable to send someone who can see in this ahead. Flip a coin!"
Sir Alfric stops.
"Yes. Well. Perhaps that would be wise."
Grudgingly, he motions Kiley and Mai ahead.
"Mostly what I remember is you putting sand down my pants."
Kiley waits for no coin and forges on ahead.
"I was quite the prankster when we were kids,
but at least you did not get the poison Ivy in the underwear
like Kanta Xen, but then again he was the head bully of our childhood."
"I also seem to remember you catching a lot of hell for that one."
Kiley gives Mai a half-smile, but continues deeper into the caves.
Natara stays in the rear with Sir Alfric, hopefully prepared for anything.
These brackish waters remain behind
from periodic storms and floods, slowly seeping into the
rock. The water here is 3 feet deep at its deepest point, but
the rock floor beneath the water is slippery.
I need acrobatics checks.
"Watch it, the rocks are slick."
Natara cautiously works her way through the water.
Sir Alfrics foot skids on the slippery rocks and he windmills his arms to stay in balance.
And sir Alric slips and soaks himself
she jokingly says
"Have a nice fall Sir knight?"
Sir Alfric will heave himself out of the water, biting down on any ungentlemanly invective as he does.
"Good thing we weren't being stealthy. Enjoy the bath here at Chateau de Spider?"
Though almost no one could see it save Mai, Kiley's grin was of the good natured infectious kind.
Sir Alfric smiles sourly as he thinks of the cleaning job he'll have in the evening.
"Yes, yes. Very amusing. Somewhere, an unfortunate Lord is missing his Court Jester..."
"Nah, they ran me out."
"Not really the place for swimming lessons. Let's see what's further in here. So far, no 'walking bones'. If this turns out to be a trick, I'm all for turning that stupid chief into bones. period."
She steps onto dry ground and looks around as best she can.
"I think they were telling the truth, given the damage and how frightened they were."
"Good point. Well, we're here. Let's see what we can find."
Six human skeletons lie on
the ground, scattered throughout this large cavern
perception Checks?
Squelching forward, Sir Alfric looks around sharply (even up).
"I think this is them. Not very lively are they?"
Natara cautiously checks the skeletons.
"Not now. I wonder what this is all about. Maybe these aren't the animated ones. Does this cave go further?"
and yes the cave goes on.
Kiley stops once she sees the skeletons, and begins to pray for the dead. After a few minutes, she moves on, deeper into the caves.
"I don't know Natara, but I wouldn't put it past whatever malevolence that animates these things to grab what they can. Watch our backs Alfric, if they rise we might be in a tight spot."
"Given that they outnumber us, and could be the force that wrecked the goblin's home, I think it could put us in quite the tight spot."
"Scared, Mai? I thought you were the Fearless Shadow Warrior of the East."
Kiley continues deeper into the cave after her jest.
"I'm not scared, it's just my tactical evaluation,
and If I recall you got scared in the Bravery Test when we we kids"
"Hmm, was that before or after the snake incident?"
"Both, if I recall right.
It was only after the graveyard incident,
that things started to scare you less."
"Can anyone here summon positive energy to destroy them if they do, or will we have to use the 'pound it til it breaks' method?" says Natara a she changes to her hanbo.
Holy light surrounds Kiley's hand as she holds it up for the group to see.
"Though if it's more than a couple we'll still need the pound it 'til it breaks method."
"That is 'Sir Alfric' child. And do not worry about our backs; they are well defended."
"So, if these are the skeletons that attacked the goblins, why are the not moving now?"
Natara comments "Oh, and there are more of them in the water, as well. Lovely. I do hope they stay down. I'm not betting that way, though."
"Wise choice. Let's keep moving. I'd hate to have to fight our way out of a corner."
"Agreed"
"Let's go then." Said Sir Alfric impatiently.