Yillim carefully wades towards the pyramid, holding up his light, careful of his footing. Slow movements, so as not to go under the foul water. To when it appears that there are no other creatures in the room, and hearing Isani and Arasmes, he motions with his free hand for them to approach as well.
I think I can see where the water is coming in, fellows, but what else may be here, I'm unsure...my hope is that no serpent still exists here, as it could easily swim under this muck and most likely would not be seen. Does anyone have the ability to detect its presence with magicks?
Perception 1d20+7
Yillim seems momentarily distracted from his search by the smell of the water...
Very important questions -
1. how close to the stone stairs do you get that holds the altar?
2. where do you explore? So far you are advancing directly to the pyramid/stones - will you turn aside to look one of the caves - and if so - which cave?
Okay - please let me know - and be precise - this will be very important very quickly depending on where you walk...
Yillim waits a bit for at least one other member of the party to accompany him.
You say this pyramid structure is ensorcelled somehow, so we know that much. We have options, fellows. Shall we check one of these side tunnels, or pit our will against the magic of this structure that saps the will? I would like to get out of this muck, but also, I would not like to begin climbing those black stairs and then fall unconcious into this filth. What say you all?
Hmm - it seems your companions are strangely quiet... when they speak - we shall know more, perhaps. Yet for now, they say nothing - and only you are talking; though - no doubt - your words are soft and the trick of your speech is subtle.
Even so - you are sure your voice is heard.
With softness of voice, although the caverns seem to be carrying their words aloft, Isani answers Yillim, "Climbing the staircase will take all our strength of wills. The Lady Ariarh only managed to climb half way before having to turn back. Perhaps we should find an alternative method upward and these side tunnels may provide us with such a way. I say let us explore the side tunnels."
Compelled by Isani's extensive knowledge of the caves... you are now better informed on the potential dangers of the stairs - even so - what is your next move?
Where shall you go - how shall you advance - and again - please be as precise as you can in your language... It will be important...
Your words are wise ones, Isani, I think it is best if we heed them. I propose we check this tunnel here, he says pointing to the left But we should stay close together, I suggest no less than 10 or 15 feet apart.
Yillim, accompanied (hopefully) by no fewer than two others from the party, will begin to wade towards the opening on the left, moving slowly and carefully, moving at a slight angle so as to still have a bit of sight on the pyramid. He first moves directly to the left wall, and then follow it along till he gets to the opening.
Your words are wise ones, Isani, I think it is best if we heed them. I propose we check this tunnel here, he says pointing to the left But we should stay close together, I suggest no less than 10 or 15 feet apart.
Yillim, accompanied (hopefully) by no fewer than two others from the party, will begin to wade towards the opening on the left, moving slowly and carefully, moving at a slight angle so as to still have a bit of sight on the pyramid. He first moves directly to the left wall, and then follow it along till he gets to the opening.
You wander forward to the left wall; your feet sliding over the stone floor. Even so - as you advance to the wall, your feet stumble - you pitch forward and fall into the darkness of the water.
It seems that the water is very deep here - deep enough that you have fallen beneath the surface.
Swim
For a moment, Yillim vanishes under the dark murky water, but he quickly re-surfaces and makes his way back to the last stable place he had footing, gasping for breath and coughing out the foul liquid.
*Cough cough*...Bah! Have a care, the footing is bad there...and I suspect the water is much deeper. If we are to make it to that other passage, I think we must swim.
[ooc]if i can, I'd like to try to grab the torch as well, but If that's not possible, so be it. Reflex
Isani moves forward, mindful of the slippery rocks but also concerned for Yillim who slipped and fell into the murky water.
She sees him resurface and draws a relieved breath. She casts and retrieves his torch from the water, moving it to the rocks beside Yillim.
"Are you alright, Mister Dross?", once again hoping her voice does not carry across the large chamber, even though Yillim's splash would have caught the attention of another if it were present with them but hidden in the cavern.
Looking at Arasmes on the mention of having to swim, she politely responds to Yillim with, "Arasmes is not a strong swimmer. I, however, can hold my breath beneath water longer than most." Isani is not bragging just simply stating a fact.
The torch has slipped deep into the water - you are not certain how deep - the slime and ooze make it difficult to see.
Dross - you manage to flounder back to where you started, banging your arms on something. Your guess is that from the stairs you walked down - under the water - is a ledge or a stone "bridge" that leads directly from the stairs that descend from the "cliff" behind you directly through the water and in a straight line to the "pyramid".
It seems you simply fell of the "bridge" as you moved to the left wall.
You have no idea how deep the hole is - nor how big it is. You can see the entrance on the far wall is still there - but you do not know "tall" it is off the ground.
A better search of the water can be done - but you will have to submerge under it to seek out its depths.
To Isani,
As much as I think you will loathe this, Isani, I think we need to know the safest path across. If you are indeed the best swimmer, perhaps you can go under and find the best way across?
"I did not swim overly much in Sothis but I do know how to swim. My skill lies in breathing beneath water. My lungs are better able to do so than others I know."
Everburning Torch:
This otherwise normal torch has a continual flame spell cast on it. This causes it to shed light like an ordinary torch, but it does not emit heat or deal fire damage if used as a weapon.
Continual Flame:
A flame, equivalent in brightness to a torch, springs forth from an object that you touch. The effect looks like a regular flame, but it creates no heat and doesn't use oxygen. A continual flame can be covered and hidden but not smothered or quenched.
To Isani,
As much as I think you will loathe this, Isani, I think we need to know the safest path across. If you are indeed the best swimmer, perhaps you can go under and find the best way across?
Excellent - your torch is still able to be discovered - as you see the light, but not the exact location. That said - you are able to swim for it - or attempt to you use Mage Hand. The depth of the water is still hard to determine, however, especially with the scum and filth floating there.
Anyone who wishes to swim is able to - but I should warn you - the water if very filthy - possibly diseased...
What is your next move?
"Perhaps we can tie a rope around each other and move steadily to the entrance of that passageway? So, if one potentially slips on the rocks and begins to fall toward the dirty water, the others joined weight may be able to steady them enough and pull them back? I do not advise swimming in this water, Mister Dross, for it has much filth and could bring disease upon us."
"Wait - as I recall from the words of Lady Ariarh - this "bridge" leads directly from the stairs we walked down straight across to the stairs of yon black steps which lead upward - as a pyramid - to the summit where that foul Black Stone sits on the dark altar..."
"Again - Lady Ariarh suggested that if you were to step off the "bridge" you would simply fall into a deep well of water - and that the water's depth beside the bridge was not marked. She does not know how big that deep space is either - but believes it extends to the walls which flank us - and again - forward to the walls in front of us on either side of the pyramid. As for the two "doorways" that flank the pyramid on wall in front of us - one on either side, from where the water issues from? No doubt she did not advance so far and would not know if those doorways rest on a similar stone ledge for a person to stand on - or, if they are the height of a great arch which descends deeply beneath the water... If we move toward those openings - we may find a ledge to stand upon there - and beyond - or we may simply discover that the entire cave beyond is filled with water that covers our head completely, should we attempt to swim."
"Aye - it makes sense! My dumb brother mentioned something about this - the undead serpent he fought? It was as big around its torso as a man's chest - and it's length was about... maybe 80 or 90 paces? As for the depth of the water, and the ledge - the dumb basterd dropped his weapon right into the water, and it fell deep down... Makes sense the water would be deep for the serpent to be able to coil in it - unless it could swim through the doorways there. I've heard of snakes doing that... Still - you'd think that half-elf would have bothered to give us some decent information on this place - rather then lounge around bathhouse's in the capital getting "happy-endings" to his "massages", likely as not..." she adds - suddenly stopping her speech in mid-sentence - realizing her voice may be a bit too loud, even as she berates her brother.
Clari holds a light in the air, and looks at the Pyramid, trying to see if anything is up there on top of it
Perception:
Assuming that Isani did grab the torch as she could see it, we look at the pyramid first, see what's up with that...
And someone with a decent Will Save would be a good candidate to try going up there. Clari's is half-way decent (+5) but i'm sure there are better candidates among us...
"Perhaps we can tie a rope around each other and move steadily to the entrance of that passageway? So, if one potentially slips on the rocks and begins to fall toward the dirty water, the others joined weight may be able to steady them enough and pull them back? I do not advise swimming in this water, Mister Dross, for it has much filth and could bring disease upon us."
Not in her current incarnation, but thankfully I was able to puzzle out a spell recently that will allow me to make minor alterations to her form for a short time.
Arasmes moves over to Cali and places a hand upon her shoulders, making a quick pulling motion a pair of brilliant white leathery wings burst from her shoulders.
It will not last long, a few minutes at most to maintain the change but it should be sufficient to move us across.
Cali will immediately start ferrying everyone across, starting with Arasmes.
Clari holds a light in the air, and looks at the Pyramid, trying to see if anything is up there on top of it
Perception: 1d20+10
Assuming that Isani did grab the torch as she could see it, we look at the pyramid first, see what's up with that...And someone with a decent Will Save would be a good candidate to try going up there. Clari's is half-way decent (+5) but i'm sure there are better candidates among us...
You see - barely - that on the top of the steps is what looks like a black altar.
The altar is roughly 8-10 feet in width - you think - on top of it is some sort of crude statue, or stone - or something - you are not certain what it is. But it is roughly the size of a large melon, you'd think - without being sure.
The stairs that lead up this "pyramid" go at roughly a 65 degree angle - a bit steep - and the lead up for roughly 30-40 feet above the water - you are not sure - but it looks like the summit of the pyramid is roughly 10 feet below the ledge you walked in on behind you - and if the ceiling runs straight across without changing height - you believe the summit of this pyramid to be about 15-20 feet from the roof itself.
You are free to advance - holding either the torch (if someone gives it to you) or taking another magical light source up with you, if you desire to reach the summit of the pyramid.
"Perhaps we can tie a rope around each other and move steadily to the entrance of that passageway? So, if one potentially slips on the rocks and begins to fall toward the dirty water, the others joined weight may be able to steady them enough and pull them back? I do not advise swimming in this water, Mister Dross, for it has much filth and could bring disease upon us."
Not in her current incarnation, but thankfully I was able to puzzle out a spell recently that will allow me to make minor alterations to her form for a short time.
Arasmes moves over to Cali and places a hand upon her shoulders, making a quick pulling motion a pair of brilliant white leathery wings burst from her shoulders.
It will not last long, a few minutes at most to maintain the change but it should be sufficient to move us across.
Cali will immediately start ferrying everyone across, starting with Arasmes.
Two things of note -
1. Remember the doorway on the far side of the water is fairly narrow. If I'm correct in my reading - you are attempting to fly over the water with a person and fly through the doorway?
Again - this is a important question - especially as it relates to the space of the cave - but how wide are Cali's wings - her wingspan? In other words - can she fly through a doorway if the doorway is too narrow; especially while carrying someone? This is an important question for spacing that I will need to know in general - and it doesn't just relate to Cali; but the group as a whole.
At this time - you wouldn't know specifically how wide the doorway is - yet - though you do have some guesses from the others. But I need to know it for what could/might happen next.
Don't mean to be a stickler - but based on the nature of what is in here - I need know as precisely as possible what is going on.
2. Ras - concerning this action - where exactly does you want to be dropped off - once he is flown over? Right in the doorway itself - beyond the doorway - and how far beyond the doorway? Or before the doorway - and how far in front of the doorway? Also - what doorway did you choose - the left one, or the right one? Again - sorry - don't mean to be asking so many questions - but this is actually important details for what will happen next... possibly - depending on your answers, that is.
Wile the others are casting spells to fly to the tunnels, etc, Clari casts and takes a look around looking for auras in both holes and then down the sides of the lake into the muck.
Perception
"Perhaps we can tie a rope around each other and move steadily to the entrance of that passageway? So, if one potentially slips on the rocks and begins to fall toward the dirty water, the others joined weight may be able to steady them enough and pull them back? I do not advise swimming in this water, Mister Dross, for it has much filth and could bring disease upon us."
Not in her current incarnation, but thankfully I was able to puzzle out a spell recently that will allow me to make minor alterations to her form for a short time.
Arasmes moves over to Cali and places a hand upon her shoulders, making a quick pulling motion a pair of brilliant white leathery wings burst from her shoulders.
It will not last long, a few minutes at most to maintain the change but it should be sufficient to move us across.
Cali will immediately start ferrying everyone across, starting with Arasmes.
Two things of note -
1. Remember the doorway on the far side of the water is fairly narrow. If I'm correct in my reading - you are attempting to fly over the water with a person and fly through the doorway?
Again - this is a important question - especially as it relates to the space of the cave - but how wide are Cali's wings - her wingspan? In other words - can she fly through a doorway if the doorway is too narrow; especially while carrying someone? This is an important question for spacing that I will need to know in general - and it doesn't just relate to Cali; but the group as a whole.
At this time - you wouldn't know specifically how wide the doorway is - yet - though you do have some guesses from the others. But I need to know it for what could/might happen next.
Don't mean to be a stickler - but based...
No problem. I can explain.
Cali is not flying into the doorway but is stopping just outside it and placing Arasmes into the doorway. She has 10' reach for her claws and bite in this form and as such should be able to place him into the tunnel while keeping far enough outside to be able to use her wings.
For your second question he is being placed in the square immediately inside the doorway. Once placed he will move in so that the next person can be dropped off and so on.
Wile the others are casting spells to fly to the tunnels, etc, Clari casts and takes a look around looking for auras in both holes and then down the sides of the lake into the muck.
Perception
1d20+10
Other then the gear you and your comrades are wearing - you detect and notice no aura of magical gear whatsoever.
...
"Perhaps we can tie a rope around each other and move steadily to the entrance of that passageway? So, if one potentially slips on the rocks and begins to fall toward the dirty water, the others joined weight may be able to steady them enough and pull them back? I do not advise swimming in this water, Mister Dross, for it has much filth and could bring disease upon us."
Not in her current incarnation, but thankfully I was able to puzzle out a spell recently that will allow me to make minor alterations to her form for a short time.
Arasmes moves over to Cali and places a hand upon her shoulders, making a quick pulling motion a pair of brilliant white leathery wings burst from her shoulders.
It will not last long, a few minutes at most to maintain the change but it should be sufficient to move us across.
Cali will immediately start ferrying everyone across, starting with Arasmes.
Two things of note -
1. Remember the doorway on the far side of the water is fairly narrow. If I'm correct in my reading - you are attempting to fly over the water with a person and fly through the doorway?
Again - this is a important question - especially as it relates to the space of the cave - but how wide are Cali's wings - her wingspan? In other words - can she fly through a doorway if the doorway is too narrow; especially while carrying someone? This is an important question for spacing that I will need to know in general - and it doesn't just relate to Cali; but the group as a whole.
At this time - you wouldn't know specifically how wide the doorway is - yet - though you do have some guesses from the others. But I need to know it for what could/might happen next.
Don't mean to be a
Arasmes - based on what you have heard about this place - you instruct Cali to make wider banking motion on her way there and back. As you approached in a rather direct line to the doorway - you felt a cold shiver run through you - and Cali trembled, rather violently...
You suspect that this stone may be responsible for that trembling - you also suspect that if she moves too close to it - she may be forced to return to her home plane - banished, perhaps - and there is no telling how long such a banishment could last.
You believe that if she takes a wider banking around the edge - she should be okay - based on what Ariarh had mentioned... even so - you caution her against any unneeded risks.
Arasmes is dropped off at the appropriate door - when he is "dropped" inside the doorway, he plunges into the water and slime and his boots hit bottom at about waist deep. The muck is lapping against your belly - and the smell is foul.
You are not certain, as you cannot see into the water very easily - but you believe that there is enough room for you to stand easily.
Reaching down to plumb the water with the toe of your boot - you feel stone around you. You believe you will have enough room to stand there - with at least some of your companions... Even so - you don't know what is in this room - rather then the other room - yet...
Clari Casts Light on another arrow-head, and when Cali picks her up, she moves past Raz to look, arrow knocked and drawn to fire into the room to give the party a look, or at an enemy that attacks.
Okay - I can't stress this enough -
I CANNOT TELL YOU WHAT HAPPENS NEXT UNTIL I KNOW IF YOU WENT LEFT OR RIGHT! PLEASE TELL ME, THANK YOU VERY MUCH :)
Okay - when I know that answer - which cave Arasmes had Cali take - then I can help you more. But I really do need to know that first.
Okay - that is all - as soon as I know more - you'll know more.
I'll check in a few hours to see if it's up there.
Left
You advance into the cavern to the left – you know that – instinctively – you are now on the western edge of the cavern. The right side being the eastern side…
The cavern you have entered into is fairly large and open – the cavern expands in a wide space – to the north and the west you cannot see anything – and above you is the feeling of stale open air. It is not the sky – but rather, you sense that the ceiling is higher above you then a mere twenty or thirty feet. As for how high? That much you do not know…
You feel that you have plenty of room here to allow your companions room to enter into this cavern. The water is still lapping at your waist, and the filth is terrible; it clings to you, and it smells horribly. Even so – on the western side you are confident that there is room for your companions to stand.
You are sure of that – before they advanced you would have naturally prod the ground gently with your booted foot around you to make sure your allies have room to stand comfortably, and with room to spare.
To the rest of the party –
Arasmes has made his offer – who among you will follow – and in what order?
Blast, the perfect time for a ten foot pole! says Yillim as he stands in the muck. Looking back at the others with a look of frustration, he wipes some of the dirty water from his face.
I will go next Arasmes, I would hate for you and Caliphana to be the only ones over there, should you be attacked.
He then retrieves his everburning torch from Isania with a sigh and a "thank you" and waits for his own chance to be awkwardly ferried over to the new section of the cave.
Isani bows her head to the strange man and wonders privately why he believes the party would not follow Arasmes and Caliphana and simply leave them defenseless (well, without support since both the summoner and Caliphana were not entirely defenseless).
It would do no good to split the group and have each move into the western and eastern caverns because precedence showed them they were stronger as one and anytime they divided, danger seemed imminent and deadly.
Isani waits her turn to cross to Arasmes' side. She defers to Arasmes' judgement, "Do we leave Clari and Lia here, on higher ground, ready with their bows? Or should they accompany us inside the cavern?"
Calling back to Isani mid-air, as he chafes below the grip of the otherworldly Caliphana, Yillim responds...
You are, correct, we should stay together. Clari, Lia, if you would join us in the filth as well? obviously with feigned excitement.
Lia throws a subtle look to the elven female on her left. Clari had said nothing to her directly to this point and Lia did not expect her to speak anytime soon.
Lowering her readied bow just a little, she starts words with the elf, "It makes no sense for all of us to walk into darkness without scouting first. If we all move in a line, one after the other, we will be easy targets. Yet, we are commanded to give up the higher ground. So, we follow orders and pray our pack is stronger together."
Lia remembered something Isani mentioning a "bridge" and not stepping off the stone bridge into the deep, foul water. That would be the course she would take when she descended from the ledge/top of the staircase. There was no reason not to follow the advice of Ariarh who walked this "bridge" before them.
You are all able to move across...
The western side of the cave you entered in initially - as the eastern side - looks symmetrical. Both sides of the northern wall have a cave mouth - or doorway - carved into it.
The western side is the one you chose - when you enter it - you observe that the western side is filled with waist deep water. It expands to the north and west and has a high ceiling.
It is dark; pitch black - and you feel that the eastern side of this room is a solid wall.
At this point you can advance then to your west (left) or to your north (straight).
Well gang - you can't see; the water is up to your stomach - it smells of foulness. What exactly are your plans at this time? You can go north or west... Just remember - even with the light - you cannot see much around you - the cave expands far from your position in either direction. The mouth of this doorway is wide enough for you to enter one at a time -
What is your next move?
You can see - but the point is - you can't see "walls" in front of you, because there are no walls in front of you (north) or besides you (west) - there is a wall to your right (east) - and of course behind you (negating the opening you walked through) - but I assumed those walls were obvious. All you see instead is a wide open space that recedes into darkness. You are able to peer ahead - with no noticeable end to the room - so it seems.
The ceiling you can see - theoretically - and it seems to be roughly 60 - 70 feet above you - you just aren't sure of the height specifically - 60 feet is roughly six stories - there is nothing next to the ceiling to gauge it; nothing to measure the height. So you know it is high - but as to exact footage, that you don't know.
And of course - darkvision won't let you see through the water - because it is so thick with slime it obfuscates your vision. It is like walking through crude oil - or, in this case - heavily laden with bacteria filled, septic-like nastiness.
Ah gotcha. I thought there was some effect blocking our darkvision or something.
Clari takes her lit arrow and fires it up in a high arc toward the ceiling so party are able to see what's up there a little better. The arrow flies high and along the southern wall, toward the West, giving them a point in the distance where the party can see until the light is obfuscated by the muck as the arrow splashes into the water.
Unless the arrow hits something else instead of the water.
"If we were not specifically searching for allied friends, then I would declare wading through this fetid water a rather unwise decision. However, we must determine if they have been trapped somehow in here or not."
The thing that worries me Habibty is that this water could conceal half an army of dead and we wouldn't know it due to the quality of the water here. We could have gone past them one the way in. I truly hope this is not the case but it could be. For now we march on but I hope we can find a way to release some of this water so as to make things a bit easier in our search.
"We have not heard a sound in this forgotten place, apart from those of our making, habibi. I wonder at the predicament of Misters Mak Morn and Ironhorse. May the gods protect us all and reveal the evils that lurk within the dark. Blessed Everlight shine your light on us and upon that which cannot be seen."
Clari takes her lit arrow and fires it up in a high arc toward the ceiling so party are able to see what's up there a little better. The arrow flies high and along the southern wall, toward the West, giving them a point in the distance where the party can see until the light is obfuscated by the muck as the arrow splashes into the water.
Unless the arrow hits something else instead of the water.
Your shot sails into the air - it clatters against the ceiling and falls directly into the water with a "splash".
The distance traveled is approximately 60 feet up.
Clari has a rudimentary knowledge of arrows and flight - and could tell you that (therefore) - the distance it traveled from her would be (roughly) 45 via the standard archer arrow mean of flight distance - being that A Squared + B Squared = C Squared - for the approximate angle of the flight being at a projected standard of 45 degrees.
During this flight you can see in the light before it fell into the water that there is a rather large and wide opening. You cannot see the opposite side of the cave clearly - but you believe it is a wide room that expands (perhaps) roughly 100 feet north. As to the west? Clari did not look that way - but if she had - she would believe that the room becomes more narrow and there is an opening in the western wall roughly 50 feet from the southern wall.
In short - this room seems to look like a fairly big square - but there is clearly an opening somewhere to the west - about 50 feet north - and roughly 100 feet west.
Of course - this would take about 3 arrows for Clari to figure it out - all told - as she wouldn't have discovered these dimensions on either the first shot, the second - but - in this case the - third.
So - to speed things along - she discovered there is a wide opening to the west - but it cost her 3 arrows.
"We have not heard a sound in this forgotten place, apart from those of our making, habibi. I wonder at the predicament of Misters Mak Morn and Ironhorse. May the gods protect us all and reveal the evils that lurk within the dark. Blessed Everlight shine your light on us and upon that which cannot be seen."
While it is true that you don't know their preidicament - you can take some comfort in the knowledge that folk like Mak Morn - dwarves who have a knowledge of caves and other such places - would not be as easily confused and can give ready advice on how to advance - and good stratagem besides.
Regrettably - they are not with you.
Also - as you advance you - discover that the water slows your movement considerably. Wading through water that is up to half your height may be a useful form of exercise and physical therapy to wounded soldiers - but for you - it will simply be called "difficult terrain" - with all penalties implied.
What - by the way - is your next move?
So the elf would not deem to speak with her. So be it, Lia thinks.
Determined to find a way through or out of this rank, dark water, she surveys her surroundings, gauging/noting anything of value.
So the elf would not deem to speak with her. So be it, Lia thinks.
Determined to find a way through or out of this rank, dark water, she surveys her surroundings, gauging/noting anything of value.
You are no expert in dungeons - and you are a stranger to these lands - and have no expertise in these places whatsoever - and your roll would be completely useless for the information I may otherwise impart.
But you got a damn natural 20... so:
Odd that the western cave is so filled with water? What could have caused it - where did the water come from? What caused the water to fill this place, and why? Water is dangerous to mines - it collapses and rots framework that is created for mine shafts easily - and erodes any earth, washing that away too.
And given the nature of the precise stonework you've seen so far - you don't think the water was meant to be here - it's not consistent with the precision of the craftsmanship - too sloppy...
What - therefore - could have caused the water?
Well - it would seem that underground springs may have - but if so - they could have been discovered, diverted and halted when the caves were made.
Still - what was to the west?
Your in survival recalls something vague to your mind - especially given that you traveled with your Mistress Ariarh to her property to the west...
On the map - to the west of this cave - was a great amount of collecting wetlands that drained south to form the river. Could it be that - over time - this collection of water in the form of heavy rains and other such things eventually collapsed part of the cave somewhere to the west?
Could it be that the lands which had so much run-off for flooding waters - waters which seeped south to form the river - may have expanded farther underground - and caused this flooding now?
If that is so - well... that's enough random information, natural 20 aside - with what you have guessed - you are free to make your own conclusions.
Yillim looks at the members of the party with a frown.
As lothe as I am to say it, I think we need a better way to test the ground beneath us, so as to not fall victim to the horror of going under this filth as I have. Since we have no poles, I think the only thing that will do is my lance. Sadly, though, I left it back with Blackfang. If I was taken back to solid ground by Caliphana, I think that I could call up for someone to throw it to me. Then, on my return, I could use my lance as a prodding tool to test the ground in front of us. I will take several minutues to retrieve, true, but I think it a valuable tool at this point.
Then, shrugging and looking about;
Unless someone has a raft or something else we could use to stay out of the filth