"I could change forms and scout on the other side, although I'll be unable to speak again, or I could change into a giant bat and fly everyone over." Troxell offers, thinking aloud about his options.
Xerexis makes it across the river easily. Looking around the far side it is obvious that a cave-in has obstructed another passage leading out the far side. The signs of men using this cave to camp in our all around, though the food supplies have all gone rotten.
The table on the far side of the cave appears to have a map spread across it, held down by a few stones, a vial of ink, and what might be a potion bottle.
"This cave might be a nice place for us to make a camp, if we aren't able to clear this place in the remainder of today. Unless of course, there is something off kilter in the water. Some creatures at our back could he bad."
Troxell takes his time crossing the swift underground river via the stones, looking relieved when he makes it across.
Using the illumination from his quarterstaff, he takes a moment to examine the campsite, "Obviously no one has been in at least one month. Perhaps the map can give us some information on the location of the missing people."
Before making his way over to the table, he looks around for any potential traps or ambush predators.
"Teena, could you see if there is anything magical about?"
Teena follows Trox's lead and casts Detect Magic, scanning the area.
Troxell's keen eyes discover a few things of note in the area.
Above, just at the edge of his elven vision is a hole a hole in the ceiling, likely opened by the cave-in. Old webbing dangles from the edge.
Troxell also finds a tiny hand protruding from beneath the cave-in debris. It is badly decomposed but still covered with mangy fur.
Last, on the far side of the cave, where the river exits the area, he finds signs that someone large slid down the bank and disturbed some rocks at the edge of the water.
Over at the table Teena detects magic in the potion, identifying it as detect secret doors
The map on the table is a rough copy of the region with a few notes indicating time and places of troll activity in the north. Additionally, a landmark called Candlemere Tower has been singled out with the note "secrets".
Troxell points out his various findings to his companions, then tries to jog his memory about Candlemere Tower.
"Can anyone determine what the dead creature was?" He asks as he thinks.
Mikmik, does this map show anything or leave anything out that we need to know," Teena asks as she shows the little creature the map.
"Mikmik not know much more than caves and land nearby. Not ever gone north of Gold River." The kobold points at a river a bit south from the lake.
Meanwhile, Xerexis digs out the creature from the rubble. It is tiny, and looks like a really ugly dog with a humanoid body.
"Ah yes, Candlemere Tower. The ruins are rumored to be haunted." Troxell murmurs with a sage-like nod. "Do any of these clues seem consistent with what any of you know of the Brigand's Brigade?" He then asks, seemingly perplexed.
He then walks over to the disturbed rocks by the river bank to see what he can make from them.
"Unfortunately, I've not heard of any of these landmarks before. I can only assume they might have taken this same path before. And quite simply, I don't have a clue where else to search. Perhaps following this path to its end might reveal more clues that are helpful."
Myhm is a great climber, but tiptoes across small rocks is another matter. He paws at the first rock like a kitten at water. Eventually finding his footing, he joins the others.
At the discoveries, he looks back and forth in the darkness, rather confused on what everyone is talking about.
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Searching among the rocks, Troxell finds a piton submerged beneath the water, pounded into the rock surface below. Attached to it is a waxed rope. Reeling that in he discovers a rusty metal coffer attached to the other end, sealed with a small lock.
"After last time I'm almost scared to try to pop that device. Come help point anything you see out to me, Troxell, and let's see what we can do.". Teena casts detect Magic, trying to see if any possible trap could be magical.
"Yes, that's no difficulty." Troxell answers Teena's request in the affirmative, moving over to examine the chest in detail without touching it.
Troxell finds no traps on the coffer and with a little time Teena is able to pop the lock and open it. Inside are perhaps a couple hundred silver nuggets of various size and shape, plus a handful of gems. A rough guess places the value over a thousand gold.
"This Candlemere Tower, perhaps? If these clues indicate predecessors used this as a gathering point, perhaps they headed to that haunted keep. Really, that's the only idea I have right now. Anyone else?"
"I believe we are at a dead end here, unless that hole in the ceiling leads to a new area," He points up at the space in the roof, "Otherwise, it looks like Candlemere Tower is our only lead, unless one of you wants to go hunting trolls."
"Myhm knows Candle Tower. Red Haired lord go there last season. Ugly troll area. Maybe a place for bigands to hide."
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"Candlemere Tower appears to be our next destination, then." Troxell says with a brief shrug. "Although I'm hesitant to visit such a haunted place on just a hunch."
Myhm looks up and gets to climbing without question - seemingly quite easy to tell this Lord what to do.
Climbing to the hole is very difficult, even for Myhm because he would need to scale a wall that goes inverted before rising through the hole. With time, and the use of climbing equipment, it is possible though.
"Bah," Troxell curses at the difficulty of climb. "I'll just fly up there, no need to risk any injury."
Leaving behind his illuminated quarterstaff, Troxell wildshapes into a small air elemental and flies up carefully into the hole.
Troxell scouts the tunnel above and finds a warren of passages that spread out in multiple directions. There is no sign of any more spiders, but the evidence of them having lived here is everywhere. Webbing, sacs, desiccated corpses of the kinds of creatures that live underground, including some mites and another gremlin. Nothing of use is left here, the spider-man apparently have moved his entire nest to a better location when the cave-in opened up a new are for it to prey in. Exploring a few of the passage branches for about a half-hour, Troxell doesn't find any exits.
"If there's nothing up there, how about we get back on the path? I guess it's the Tower or bust for us. Anyone have any magic useful against undead? Other than blasting them, I'm not much help against them."
Troxell returns, reverts to his true form and relates his findings to the group, "The spiders used the cave-in as an opportunity to move to this part of the caverns. There's nothing of note up there."
He then agrees with Teena's assessment, "I concur that the Tower is our next destination, after we return to the kobold chieftain and receive our reward for freeing his silver mines from terrible monsters. Isn't that right, Mikmik?"
"Yes, yes. Chief Sootscale honorable kobold." Mikmik says, his head bobbing in agreement.
As the group begins begins to head back Troxell slowly becomes aware of something. At first it seems like the rushing water of the underground river is echoing strangely through the caves, but as the group returns to the cavern where they encountered the ooze, he instantly realizes that it is indeed not an echo at all, for the cavern is half-full of water pouring in from the far side at an alarming rate. The way back to the kobold caves is blocked, and the water is rising!
I can turn into a water-breathing animal, but I'm pretty sure everyone else is $#%@ed.
"It appears someone turned the water on us and blocked our exit. Unless I'm forgetting something, either we can go up into the abandoned spider tunnels which have no exit and hope I can dig us out before we starve to death, or we can ride the underground river further into the caverns and hope for the best. I can change into an elemental again in either case and see if I can't free us from here or explore the river and see if it comes out to a safer place." Troxell lays out the options as he sees them.
"Mikmik, do you know where the river leads? Will take take us out of here, as well as you know? I hate the idea of hiding in that spiderhole, and possibly being helpless as we drown."
Looking at the water-filled cavern with gape-mouthed astonishment Mikmik startles at Teena's question. "Wha? Uh... Mikmik guesses it goes into Gold River. Mouth of cave overlooked canyon there. But Mikmik no can swim!"
"If we can find a safe place for the day, I can grant the ability to breath water tomorrow." Troxell offers with a minor shrug, "I could try to seal the hole now, though."
He then tries to find the hole where the water is pouring and to figure out it was small enough to close with magic.
Troxell sighs heavily as he realizes his magic isn't powerful enough to stop the flooding, "Unless someone has a better idea, let's go to higher ground and wait until tomorrow when my magic is refreshed and we can find a way out of here via the river."
He begins moving towards the upper part of the Bandit's cave.
"If you can find a place here that would be safe, I'm with you. If you think we could wait it out for the time being, let's do it."
The group withdraws and, with some ropes and Myhm's strength and skill, ascend into the spider warrens. Soon they can see water spilling out from the passage below and joining the river passing through the Bandit's Cave, and after about an hour that river has risen and stabilized at a height that blocks the exit, but doesn't quite reach the ledge where the Bandit's camp rests.
Hours pass and the party sleeps in shifts. Eventually Troxell and Teena rest and prepare their magic again.
Feeling much better after yet another day of sleep, Troxell meditates for new spells before announcing his plan, "I can give the ability to breath water for up to 6 hours. That should be enough time to follow the river to the canyon exit. In addition, I can grant superior mobility to a couple of you in the water for a short period if we get into a nasty situation. I will be taking an animal form while we swim."
He then looks over to Mikmik, "Are you back to full strength?"
"Mikmik was feeling better." The Kobold says, but since hearing Troxell's plan he appears more than a little queasy again. "Me bad with swimming. Thinking I stay and try finding exit that way." He points into the spider warrens.