Seventeen notes the footprints and takes a closer look. "Humanoid tracks, presumably from the Androids. Maybe we should re-locate the Dusklight." suggests Seventeen.
"On it, sister."
Omo will unlock the craft and boot up the engines.
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Moving behind the gunnner's seat, Jarreck instructs the Guaire in the different knobs and switches. "Have a light touch on the control stick or you'll be chasing the target all day long. The further out it is, lead it a little more. Much like using a bow."
Turning towards Omo and Seven, "If we are going in with this why don't we head towards the fork in the river? From there we can study the waters coming from the swamp, if it's blighted like the rest of this canyon, then perhaps another ship, or piece of one is down in there as well."
"A logical suggestion." Remarks Seventeen, "Afterwards we should try to find someplace else to leave this, preferably not too visible."
The Heroes head back into the Scar and needless to say, nothing interferes with their travel. After only a few minutes of travel (vs hours walking) the Heroes arrive at the confluence of the streams.
It's a simple task for Mort to realize that the worst of whatever pollutes this area comes from the West (where Isuma said the fallen Dropship is located). The stream heading SouthWest is less polluted, but its obvious whatever plagues the Scar of the Spider is active in that water was well.
Seventeen relies, "We need to decide where to leave the Dusklight. One option is on the flat up there. Another might be near the swamp assuming we can find solid ground."
"Agreed." replies Seventeen.
She tries to help Omo find a suitable place to park, and then disguise the Dusklight with whatever foliage they can find.
Mort equally helps out camouflaging the Dusklight and brings in an eye of natural camouflage so it blends in better.
Mort transforms into a Raven and scouts from above to see if there's any problems up ahead.
Thinking the Dusklight sufficiently hidden, the Heroes depart for the Swampy area to the South of them.
The farther south you travel in the Swamp vegetation grows more brittle and ashen.The vegetation is strangely dry and has a chalky, ashen texture. But elsewhere in the swamp, the vegetation seems eerily abundant and mobile; tree branches writhe and sway despite the lack of wind, while roots and swamp fruits bulge with foul-smelling fluids. At night, the entire swamp glows with a faint radiance.
Mort's scouting reveals two cave systems. One, just a small cave mouth (Area j) and another with several cave entrances that seems larger (Area k).
nvm
Spike sniffs the air, as he walks alongside Guaire.
*Grunt*
Yet he has nothing to report.
"Seems he's getting a bit more restless."
"This swamp is quite the contrast to itself."
Seventeen suggests, "Perhaps we can avoid walking too much in the swamp if we go around the high ground before finding a safe way down. I propose we clear the smallest cave system first before returning to the larger one on our way back. If the Robojack isn't in either we shall have to search the swamp."
"Awk awk! Caw caw!" Mort replies to suggest Seven's correct.
Hidden under a pile of rubble was a decayed corpse, bones really, carrying the following a tattered leather pouch that contains 490 gp minted in Alkenstar, a dozen pieces of artfully carved jade worth 1oo gp each, a +1 huntsman double-barreled pistol, three lesser burrowing bullets, and a delicate golden wayfinder inlaid with bits of chrysoberyl. The inside of the wayfinder's lid contains a detailed portrait of a handsome man wielding a pair of pistols
Jarreck leads the heroes towards the smaller of the cave systems. The entrance looks small, only about 3' wide.
Seventeen whispers something in the spider like language of the art and Jarreck promptly vanishes. She cautions him "Don't fight anything Jarreck, that will fade instantly if you attack."
Jarreck cautiously enters the mouth of the cave, careful not to touch anything.
Jarreck enters the cave and finds it devoid of light. The entrance to the cave is only 3 feet wide so Jarreck must squeeze to move through the narrow confines. The cave itself is quite damp, with walls
dripping with runoff and moisture.
Jarreck goes about 40' into the cave before the narrow passage widens into a larger cave. He doesn't hear anything out of place.
So lightly footed it was if he was a ghost, Jarreck continues to explore the cave before returning to let the others know what he finds.
Mort changes into an owl and follows Jarreck into the cave, until he finally perches on his shoulder.
Using his illuminated tattoos Jarreck scouts the cave and finds the skeletal remains of a humanoid being slumped against the western wall in between the two pools of algae ridden water. Jarreck also notices that a small tunnel connects the southern pool to some other portion of the cave not shown.
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Jarrell makes a cursory examination of the dead fellow, trying to determine u is c a use of death. AND checks for anything of value.
Continued searching brings his attention to the tunnel, "Appears your feathers are gonna have to get wet if you follow me, wait here and get help if I don't come back soon."
Entering the water Jarreck takes a deep breath and swims down into the tunnel.
+3 vs traps
The remains have lain here too long for Jarreck to determine cause of death IE the DC is too high now.
Jarreck, roll Stealth please, it matters.
Jarreck rises a little from the water and he sees a shape standing very still in the darkened cave. Jarreck doesn't think he was noticed as the shape hasn't moved.
As they wait outside Seventeen notices Guaire pacing softly. In a low voice she told him, "Pacing is illogical, I'm sure he's fine Guaire. If anything went wrong no doubt we'd hear it..."
"I know, Seven. He's a capable scout.
It's just the waiting that gets to me."
Unsure as to which way the creature is facing, Jarreck slips back under the water and returns to where he left Mort and the others. Wriggling up to where Guaire and Seven wait he says quietly.
"Something is within, the first room has the remains of a long dead humanoid, through a water filled tunnel another creature waits. I don't think it saw me, appears to be man-sized though."
Sorry Jarreck, it was facing away from you.
"Ah there he is Guaire." notes Seventeen before listening to Jarreck's report. "Based on the preponderance of data I suppose whatever it is will prove to be irrationality aggressive." she replied before asking, "Could you try and describe it, we might be able to determine what we are dealing with."