6 years, 1 month, 12 days and 10 hours since the defeat of Chronarchus
It has been a long six years for the world of Anatar - broken and shattered in the wake of the events leading up to the Battle of the Gods and subsequently, the arrival and defeat of Chronarchus. Many of the champions that stepped forward at that time have since disappeared from the world - Mortuus and Seleran Delar have not been seen since, Panul Sault has returned to Cintar to tend to his duties as High Priest of Dracutl, Olfgar the Sandman was killed in the final battle, and the child known only as "Door" has only been heard in whispers.
In this shattered and broken world - torn apart by seemingly endless civil wars and poltical strife - are four young people about to embark on a long journey. All seemingly called or beckoned by some unknown force, have made their way to this: a small clearing fronting a cave entrance in the rugged foothills of the country of Heldenus.
Once a part of the Netyhsian Empire, Heldenus was known for it's abundant supply of both iron and coal for the making of steel. Though it is well-forested, the timber is generally not of high quality, as the soil is not very fertile. This is also home to a good majority of the remnants of the Nethysian Empire's Air fleet - many of the military vessels owed their loyalty to Admiral Invictus, who seized the region of Heldenus after the death of the Imperial family.
And so into this rugged terrain, our young people have tracked. It is nearing the end of the spring season, and getting into the summer season - the wet season in this part of the world. Indeed, while it is sunny out at the moment, a storm can be seen brewing to the east, thunderheads curling up into impressive anvils, tall and threatening.
The glade, which fronts the cave is not a large one and it is quite rocky all things considered, seems to be where our strange grouping of young men and women appear to be called towards. A young free spirit of Desecrate, a promising Tinker of House Dask in Sannatus, a Gandian ex-Vanguard woman chosen by the Gods, and a Vanguard loyalist of Nethys. A strange group of strangers to be so drawn to this seemingly unremarkable place.
Jericho has been aware of others nearing this glade for most of the morning, but the drive to get here has been so strong he has not taken the time to investigate. First to arrive, he pauses just inside the treeline and examines the glade. It is empty. One hand resting on the polished handle of his father's gun, Jericho steps out into the glade. Setting his pack next to a suitably sized rock, and tugging his wide-brimmed hat low over his eyes, Jericho leans against the rock to wait.
Seirin picked her way carefully among the rocks, her cloudy vision making it difficult for her to make her way safely through. She was as of yet unaware of any others moving towards or already in the glade. A teenage girl of middling height she was pretty enough, but mostly unremarkable except for her clouded eyes. She was dressed in loose practical clothing, a colorful skirt and embroidered tunic with various scarves tied around, one serving as a belt, one knotted up containing her meager possessions and slung across her back, another tied around her shoulders as a shawl, and still another tying her long dark curls away from her face. Her rope sandals had not been intended for long travel when she started out and by now they are a sad joke, barely qualifying as shoes anymore.
If there was anything Midha had learned in her short time since leaving Desecrate, it was that the surface couldn't seem to make up its mind about temperature. Her homeland - homelands, if you counted growing up in Yamalund as a separate territory - had the benefit of the sheltering earth and resilient stone, and their resolute strength and unwavering existence kept the underground regions a comfortable, stable cool throughout the year. It was never too warm unless you went too near the fissures or vents where there had been breakthroughs to the magma below, and these areas were normally secured off, safe from accidental intrusion just in case something became volatile, and were harnessed for the power such geothermal incidents provided. It was never too cold unless you went too high up toward the surface at the wrong time of year, or stumbled into a place that someone had designed - for storage, maintenance, experimentation, or countless other reasons - to be cold. Yet since emerging, she'd had no end of indecisive weather. First it was too cold, then as the season waned on, it's gotten too hot. And judging by how the days have continued to get longer, it would only continue to grow warmer and warmer until it came time to start getting cold again. Perhaps as it descended again in autumn she might find a few weeks of comfort, but she'd started to doubt it.
It was almost never wet, either. Not like this. The caverns dripped in places where groundwater seeped through, that was obvious, and stalactites marked the places you needed to watch your head. If your ceiling was smooth, you were probably safe to not worry about a few droplets on your head, but the spires never warned of anything more than that. Surface flooding sometimes caused under-flooding as well, that was a fact of life; however, places prone to flooding were wisely not built upon or established as permanent residencies except by the most foolish. Yet since she had emerged, Midha had found herself caught in rainstorms - which sprung up more quickly than an angry geyser, and often with much less warning - at least thrice. She had finally broken down and spent some of her spare coin to purchase an umbrella from a merchant in the last town she'd passed through. It was only after leaving that she'd seen what the flashes of electricity thrown from the sky could do - a splintered, smoking tree that looked like it'd been struck in the preceding storm. She could only hope it would see her and her little umbrella as not interesting enough to bother assaulting, the next time the weather raged. At least this time, she could see it coming. The last storm, somehow despite its overwhelming sound and size, had managed to sneak up on her from behind.
She wasn't sure where she was headed, really. She just had an unwavering sense of "this way". Another merchant in the past town had tried to sell her a map, and gave her the most quizzical look when she'd claimed she didn't need one. He'd clearly recognized her as a foreigner - not hard to do, she wasn't exactly common-looking for the area, what with her ghastly-pale skin, white hair, and narrow eyes - and didn't seem to believe she knew her way around without a guide or a reference. Which she didn't, in the traditional sense. It helped that something, someone, was telling her which way to go.
She wasn't alone, either. The smell of water, plant-life, animals, and other unidentified fragrances was strong, but she could smell other things on the wind. She'd always had a particularly keen sense for odors, and paused a moment, trying to pick out the disparate scents and identify them. Steel and leather, and something bitter... guano? Not quite, but very close. Ash... something burning? She couldn't tell what, though; no fires visible nearby, nor smoke in the wind, that was a good sign. Perhaps a fire-mage. Spices. Salt. And sweat and flesh, of course.
Her hand fell to the haft of the hammer hanging from her hip as she ascended the last rocky outcropping leading up to the treeline; with the other she holds the umbrella, knowing soon she'll be leaving the limited shelter of the trees and stepping out into open ground, exposing herself to the torrent once again, when it strikes at last. She can see a small clearing ahead, with the entrance of a cavern protruding from the opposite side. A sense of finality overcomes her as she reaches the last obscuring trunk, bringing her to a pause; a sense both of conclusion and of impending beginning. This? This is where I've been led this whole time? She scowls slightly, looking around for the other travelers she smelled approaching, and steps out into the open.
Jericho looks up from the gun he is cleaning when he hears the first woman enter the clearing. He tips his hat politely, unable to see her eyes from this distance, and returns to his task for just a moment when the second woman enters the glade. Looking up again Jericho tips his hat to this second woman, then begins packing up his kit.
Strange clothing. I wonder how far these have come.
Jericho has a wide brimmed hat and a long leather coat that seems very sturdy. Unruly black hair hangs nearly to his shoulders in the back, and his eyes are the blue of a noonday summer sky. A pair of gunbelts are crossed over his hips, with strange loops running all the way around them, and two holstered pistols rest along his thighs. Though he has no horse, a pair of saddlebags lies on the ground at his feet. The handle of a long-bladed knife is also visible under the coat.
A good picture of what he looks like is here.
Another addition stepping out of the trees, walking forward from the denser foliage into view of the glade, then pausing to slink a moment into the shadows it provided once more.
After seeing that there wasn't any immediate averse reaction to the others that stepped out, along with that all too familiar 'lure' that was transpiring of late, Augustus stepped out of the shadows finally and peered over with curiosity at the small gathering of people.
Given the hat tipping, and such, Augustus finally stepped from the shadow and headed slowly outwards.
Dressed in the fashion of a traveler and explorer, it would be immediately obvious that there was no visible threat by way of weapons presented, at the sight of the teenager. His clothing is similar in coloring to the area, dark green, grays and the like, with slight hints of black. On one hip, a satchel, oil slicked and clearly weather proofed. On his back, a light backpack with various pockets, not completely filled by the looks of it, casually swung over the other shoulders. Travelling boots, a bed roll and very little else.
As he walks out into the clearing, a glance over with hand over the eyes to block from the illumination of any sunlight, Augustus greets in Nethysian to those that are within hearing.
"Hello. Does Nethysian work?" He glances around to see anyone reacts to the language, with a faint smile on his youthful face. His manner, for anyone who's perceptive to such things, is cautious, yet mostly relaxed.
Jericho nods to the newcomer in friendly wise and speaks in the same language, "Greetings. Nethysian works for me." He is obviously familiar with Nethysian, but it is not his native tongue.
The clearing forms an irregular circle about 40 feet in diameter, not large by any measure. Seirin's limited sight will pick up at least a few of her fellow travellers, if not all of them.
The odd tugging sensation is steadily growing stronger... but now it doesn't seem to have a direction, instead simply pulling on the minds of those present. A very odd sensation no doubt, but not disruptive yet.
The sun goes behind one of the advancing clouds in this mid-afternoon, causing a sort of grim shadow to fall across the gathered folks.
"That will do." Midha nods assent as she steps fully out of the treeline then leans back against the trunk of a nearby oak, crossing her arms casually and observing the trio of other visitors who all - seemingly coincidentally - happened to arrive at the very location she'd been feeling herself pulled toward for the past few months. It would be a lie to say Midha didn't believe in coincidence, but there was only so far once could stretch the believability that, with this precise of timing and the remoteness and lack of any noticeable importance to the location otherwise. It seemed much more practical to her to believe she hadn't been the only one lured out this way, and it irritated her slightly that she still didn't know why.
The Yamalundi woman stands a little over five and a half feet, with the athletic build of someone who is quite capable of taking care of themselves in a fight. Her pack carries the most basic necessities of travel, as well as two books, the larger of the two clearly a spellbook, the other likely some kind of ledger or journal. Her skin is extremely pale despite the weeks of wandering on the surface, and her hair - despite her appearance of only being in her mid-twenties - is stark white, hanging down to the middle of her shoulderblades except for a few braided strands that have been ducked behind her ears and laid over her shoulders. Her eyes are narrow, as common among the mountainfolk, and bright green.
She is dressed in a common traveler's outfit, wearing a simple black broad-brimmed hat, white shirt under a dark grey vest fitted with several pockets, gloves, shin-length brown skirt over black leggings, and worn boots that might have once been black or a darker grey. In addition to her books and tools, a warhammer hangs from one hip, though she doesn't appear to be wearing any armor to go along with the weapon. She holds a folded umbrella in one hand, and occasionally glances up at the darkening sky, as if expecting the rain to burst down at any second.
Seirin jumped in surprise when Midha entered the clearing.
"Ah. Sorry. I couldn't see you....my vision is poor," she said in Nethysian.
She merely nodded, making a assenting gesture toward Seirin out of habit, then looked around the small group again. "So. Is this the lot of us? I can't quite believe, after all this time getting here, that the four of us arriving almost simultaneously is anything close to accidental."
She shifted to supporting her weight on her other leg, causing her hammer to rattle against the tree slightly. "In any case introductions are probably in order. I'm Midha."
To say that Augustus doesn't regard Midha's books for a few moments would be an overt lie, though, after those few moments, he looks up with a youthful grin and then collects himself nodding.
"Well met, everyone." He gives everyone a polite nod and then adds, "I am named Augustus of the Octavianus family. I am the second born of Alexander, warrior and father, Davina, healer and mother, and brother to Hermeta, warrior sage of the Vanguard Loyalists. I am a simple scribe by training."
For those that know of the Nethys capital and it's ways, he's effectively announced his own loyalty to the city and it's way of life as a child of a loyalist family. He most likely was born a slave and knows little of other ways to be.
"I concur with you, Midhi. This is more then mere chance-- though, the darkness is an omen, perhaps we should, not be so exposed in the open?"
Augustus peers around, considering the glade and such, though he's clearly distracted at the oddity of the events.
Jericho glances at the approaching storm, "I am Jericho. I too would find it hard to believe that the four of us just happened to all come to the same clearing in the same hour on the same morning by chance. Do the rest of you still feel the pull as well?"
"Yes," Midha replies bluntly, and pushes herself off the tree. "And I agree with you," she nods slightly toward Augustus, "that we should probably not be out in the open. Both for omens and for health. The cavern should be dry inside, should the storm break, and with little fear of flooding in. Perhaps we should relocate this discussion there, before the wind turns."
In the distance, there's a low rumble of thunder that can be heard, and the wind picks up slightly from the direction of the gathering stormclouds to the east. The tugging sensation continues to grow with each word spoken between the group of travellers.
Giving the other three a polite greeting and appropriate Nethysian salutation in terms of bowing or what not, Augustus peers once towards Seirin and says, "Does the Lady wish some assistance? I am happy to serve." He would provide out an arm, having walked up closer now to the group.
Glancing up at the weather then back to Jericho and Midha, he adds, "I agree with your observations, both in regards to this odd 'yearning' and 'pull', as well as the weather's apparent intent to darken our day. Please lead the way."
He'll wait on the unnamed, as of yet, Seirin, while keeping an eye out on the weather. One might notice too that he's paying attention to distances and such, while seeming to concentrate on an internal dialogue or feeling while doing so.
Clearly, much going on in the mind of this youth, and not paying too much perception on the reality around him.
For all his naive manner in the field, he certainly has a 'air' of polite about him, and a personality that some might find charismatic.
Jericho nods, lifts his saddlebags to drape over his left shoulder, and turns to walk towards the cavern. As he nears it, his right hand settles on the grip of his pistol.
Giving the other three a polite greeting and appropriate Nethysian salutation in terms of bowing or what not, Augustus peers once towards Seirin and says, "Does the Lady wish some assistance? I am happy to serve." He would provide out an arm, having walked up closer now to the group.
"Yes, thank you," she said with gratitude. "I can only see for a limited distance and even then it's a bit fuzzy. Like looking at shadows. I miss being able to see colors," she said wistfully. "My name is Seirin Amathia. I'm no one of any particular importance, just an ordinary girl from Gand. Although I have some affinity for fire. The village cleric used to babble on about how I was chosen by the gods. But he never could seem to figure out who I was supposed to have been chosen by or for what purpose," she added dryly.
"Yes, thank you," she said with gratitude. "I can only see for a limited distance and even then it's a bit fuzzy. Like looking at shadows. I miss being able to see colors," she said wistfully. "My name is Seirin Amathia. I'm no one of any particular importance, just an ordinary girl from Gand. Although I have some affinity for fire. The village cleric used to babble on about how I was chosen by the gods. But he never could seem to figure out who I was supposed to have been chosen by or for what purpose," she added dryly.
Arm still offered, Augustus helps guide Seirin as they head with the others for the shelter of the cave from the possible storm arriving.
"An intriguing greeting, Lady Amathia. Please, this way. I would be thrilled to hear more of your affinity of fire, if you would allow. In fact, to better assist you all, if you would care to share any specific concerns or needs I should be aware of, so I might better serve, I encourage you to do so. I had the pleasure of serving the Archmages and esteemed others in Nethys, before I departing on this trip which placed me here."
He gives Seirin a smile and continues to walk with her, servant, apparently, in his manner.
As the group makes for the shelter of the cave, the tugging seems to intensify to an almost painful level. Suddenly there's a dazzling burst of light about the four gathered youths, followed shortly by what seems to be a small concussive force, but felt only in the mind. While it does not cause physical injury, it renders our four heroes unconscious in this glade to which they have been brought.
All four are awakened by the first droplets of rain falling on their faces, the tugging sensation gone. While they are not sore, and took no injury from their sudden loss of consciousness, the four feel radically changed. Their minds are almost /alive/ with new energy, and an almost instinctive knowledge that they have acquired some strange new power - simply a thought or a powerful emotion might bring forth these new abilities. They can also sense, though very faintly, the presence of these other newly awakened psychics nearby.
They do not have much time to ponder these new abilities, at least in the immediate, as the rainstorm is about to begin in earnest, having crept up on our intrepid heroes as they were unconscious. Lightning flashes across the sky. The cave seems an even better idea in light of this.
Sitting up immediately upon regaining consciousness, the first thing Augustus does is run his fingers over his hands, where a simple band of white gold ring is worn on his right middle finger, and then to the satchel at his side.
Then he sits up and peers around, glances up at the rain falling on his face.
"Are you three all well? The storm ...I was rendered unconscious. My-- I suspect from your expressions, similar experiences?" He then, somewhat deftly, but mostly not that impressive, rises to his feet. He'll go over to assist anyone nearest him, then to help others, unless they are up on their own.
"Let us make for the cave with all due haste, unless we prefer the wet clothing styling of the jungles of Volmia." He'll glance up again at the rain, the keep an eye on the others, moving closer to Seirin eventually to provide her support as needed.
"You have my arm or shoulder, Lady Amathia." As folks make for the cave, unless it's obvious someone else will wait for him to go in first, he will go in last.
Jericho sits up, his hands going immediately to his guns. Assured that they are still in order, he checks for his saddlebags and finds them still there and unopened. Letting out a breath he had been unaware of holding, he answers Augustus as he climbs to his feet, "Right you are, Augustus." Jericho lifts his saddlebags to his shoulder, and begins leading the way into the cavern once again, one pistol drawn and ready.
Midha was about to make a mental comment regarding Augustus's eagerness to help a lady, but any coherent thought was quickly interrupted and washed away by the sudden torrent of ... well, whatever that was that turned the world on its end.
The first thought that manages to cogitate into recognizable form when she regains consciousness is, "Dammit, not again." She feels around for her spellbook and journal, then ensures her hammer is still at her belt or side - it had fallen loose in the crash, or whatever that was, and she takes a moment to quickly return it to the leather sling it hung from when not in use. Ensuring her books were in proper order, none of her ink bottles broken or spilled, and no money missing, she at last pushed herself upright and took stock of her surroundings.
The rain had begun, though thankfully it wasn't in sheets yet. A few more minutes of unconsciousness and I'd have awoken face-deep in mud, she thinks with a slight scowl as she gets her feet back under her and at last rises and follows the man with the strange mechanical weapon into the cavern with little more than a mutter of acknowledgement, books and bag tucked under one arm, her other hand on the haft of her hammer.
While walking towards the cave entrance, Augustus did take a few moments to look over the other three-- and mentally scrutinize what he was 'sensing'.
>> How bizarre.. I can 'feel' them still, and there are.. a wellspring, of something, held back? no ... stirring about, as if all I need do is reach out and turn a key to unlock a door. Study is required, obvious- <<
His thoughts fall silent, as his emotions seemed to suddenly fade from his face, still walking along with Seirin as they made for the cave. His pace hadn't stopped, though there was a change in his stance, as if any focus on being the doting servant, fades for a few moments in his arm or shoulder aiding her.
Then, after an equal amount of such, he blinks and is back to the manner before. It might be rather subtle and hard to notice, given the motions and all, yet, someone very perceptive might.
As he comes upon the cave, Augustus adds, "The lure is gone, yet, another presence of awareness ...gained... remains." He's clearly a bit excited, yet being polite and restrained.
Jericho nods slightly, his attention not diverted from looking for danger, "I can sense that as well. Do any of you have a means for making light?"
"Afraid I didn't predict cave-delving to be on my list of events for the day, so unfortunately no," Midha sighs as she takes up a spot along the north wall near the exit. "I can run back out and grab a few sticks off the trees before everything gets too soaked, though, and Seirin ... that was your name, right? ... said she has a way with fire."
Without waiting for confirmation, she grabs the umbrella from her bag and opens it as she slips back out into the rain. She gathers up a fistful of sticks from the ground or low-hanging branches not far from the cavern mouth, and hurries back inside before getting too wet, pausing just inside long enough to shake the gathered rain from the parasol before leaning it against the wall to dry.
Glancing back at Seirin after Midha's suggestion of sorts, Augustus stands there waiting to see what's going on, and also, peering into the darkness of the cave.
"I can provide illumination, as needed. I do not have an issue with the dark. I suggest we wait, and perhaps the Lady here, might assist-- or the other Lady on her return."
Once Midha does return, Augustus does smile at her and sees what she's doing with the sticks.
"If nothing else, kindling for a fire."
Midha nods to Augustus. "That's the plan, at least. Warmth and dryness as well as light. Do we wish to set up here or move further in?"
"A bit further in, I think." Jericho suits action to words and begins heading a bit further in.
"If you would be so kind, Madame," he says to Midha, "I shall request one of those sticks from you to provide illumination. Perhaps we can forgo the use of a torch, so's to avoid any fouling of the air at this time-- just yet. After all, we do not know what is in this cave and I am not a combatant."
Presuming she does not limit him from taking one of the sticks, Augustus would then place one end into his cupped hand and say in a quiet voice that fulfills the verbal casting component of an Arcane cantrip, closing his eyes while doing so, "Luminis."
Hand removed, there is a glowing, pure white, illumination that pushes back the darkness one step, covering 20' radius from the stick tip. He smiles a moment after that, returning to a position of helping guide Seirin with either his forearm as a rest, his elbow or shoulder, and glances around, following the others.
Midha passes a small branch to Augustus with a nod, holding the rest in one fist. She picks her umbrella back up, shaking off the last remains of rain, then tosses it into a pocket in her pack and draws her hammer... just in case... before following the light deeper into the earth.
This, at least, is starting to feel familiar. Just when I thought I'd gotten used to being above-ground.
Seirin had been about to correct the young man...Augustus? Ocatavius? She couldn't quite remember. But he'd called her lady, which was silly. And then BOOM! And since being awakened by the rain she'd been too disoriented to speak. The others seemed to recover more quickly. But she was utterly overwhelmed. She'd thought her emotions were running wild before, but now...they were nearly crippling. Everything was so intense. She was confused and scared and curious and angry and excited and....and she could feel the presence of the others just vaguely on the edges of her sense. It was disorienting which just sent her into another emotional spiral. Things were moving too quickly, she couldn't catch up, she felt panic.
Outwardly she seemed quiet,docile even, as Augustus led her into the cave, her emotions changing so fast none of them had the chance to make it to the surface just yet.
As he leads the way further into the cavern, Jericho keeps glancing slightly behind him just enough to catch a glimpse of where people are.
Jericho is rather disconcerted. He can feel where everyone else is. Not quite well enough to pinpoint them without looking, but the fact that he can sense them at all is .. strange .. to say the least. And his father's revolver ... he has always had a knack for guns and for shooting well, but this is just eerie. It is as if he can feel where the barrel is pointing far more accuratly than ever .. as if he can tell exactly where the bullet will land .. as if he the revolver, or the revolver was him. He is trying to mask how unsettled all of this has made him with a cool facade, but every time he sees that one of the group is more or less precisely where he somehow knew they would be, a nearly unnoticeable shiver travels up his spine.
The cave slopes upwards at about a twenty degree angle for about ten feet or so before evening out and then dropping down again into what looks to be a long tunnel - or at least the group suspects so. They cannot see too much farther in the gloom, and the light only goes so far. The tunnel is just wide enough for a pair to walk abreast, though it does narrow or widen slightly at some points, it seems to be strangely consistent in size.
An interesting thing discovered by Augustus as he walks along - noticed likely because he is carrying the light rather than any skill at awareness - is strange marks along the wall at odd intervals. Patterns of grooves etched into the natural stone of the cave walls.
If brought to the attention of the other group members, Midha may realize that these grooves are leftover markings of intentional digging. Something bored this tunnel, though by the wear of the marks, it must have been a very long time ago.
The group is now standing at the crest of the tunnel which seems to lead down. Unless they want to wait the storm out in an uncomfortable tunnel - which is an option - they ought to press on.
As they walked along, if their travels took more than ten minutes, Augustus would repeat the incantation, "Luminis." to re-invoke the Arcane spell once more.
He would have pointed out the patterns and such, or at least paused to ask others, "Did anyone notice these? They are a pattern, I'm certain."
Otherwise, mostly he tried his best to help guide Seirin, smiling occasionally as they walk along, not really speaking unless spoken too.
All in all, a thoughtful, and quiet young man, assisting where able.
Midha didn't notice the markings at first, which she would later chide herself on for being too distracted - she was wired, slightly overenergized, as if anxious or excited about something she couldn't exactly place, and had been ever since waking up from the momentary blackout. She dreaded when they stopped, as she knew that she wouldn't be able to sit still and would end up pacing around or simply twitching involuntarily. Thankfully her distracted state was remedied when Augustus pointed out the markings on the wall, giving her something to do with all that pent-up energy.
"Almost like a pickaxe or chisel," she muttered, mostly to herself but loudly enough to be heard. "A very large one, or a team of them. Something or someone dug through the rock here, though it's been ... impossible to say, but not recently. Clearly intentional, the marks are too uniform for simple weathering, but I can't tell if it was truly the word of human tools or some burrowing creature." She left unspoken the unpleasant idea of running into something that could burrow through solid rock.
"I am happy to follow, but I must caution you that I am not trained in the way of warfare. My talents are limited- though, upon waking from our meeting, I /feel/ there is, something, uncategorized as of yet at work. Caution, if you Lord and Ladies would heed my fearful words, yet not for any known reason."
He glanced around at the tunnels they were in with mostly an expression of curiosity, and some of concern.
As he reaches the summit of the slope in the tunnel, Jericho turns to face the others, "Augustus, I am no Lord. I am simply Jericho." His voice is very flat and carefully emotionless as he says this. After a moment he continues, "If we are going to stop in this tunnel, we should do so here. We have the high ground here, and are able to defend either direction. We can also press on to see what else there is to discover here. I admit I am curious as to why this tunnel was carved out of the bones of the earth."
"It depends who carved it," Midha replies as she takes up a position against the wall where she can look down both slopes of the tunnel and be ready to react to incoming threats. Augustus might not be a warrior, but she didn't just carry this hammer for show.
She runs a hand down one of the grooves after Jericho comes to a stop. "If by beast - though I can't say I know of anything with the strength to chew through rock like an earthworm burrows in soil, much less something of this size - it was likely merely just seeking food or making a lair. If by man, though, there are many more options. Tunnels can serve as roads to reach distant lands by going through obstructions rather than around them. A mountain that might take a day to climb and a second day to descend the other slope could be simply walked under in half that time, or less.
If not travel, then resources. Metals, stones, gems, salts, and other treasures hidden within the earth. Or perhaps the earth itself - a quarry rather than a mine. Or both, equally likely, taking the valuable resources from the stone and then making use of the excess as best they could. 'Waste Not', as they say."
She shakes her head slightly. "Whatever the reason, it's long past. If there was indeed mining here, I imagine the veins have fallen dry, or the resources found were not in enough abundance to be worth the effort. If it's merely a passage, the work was ceased for whatever reason - likely the tunnel reached its destination. Or if we come to an end, then we'll know it was abandoned before completion. Unless we stumble across more recent excavations, I doubt we'll find anyone who could tell us exactly why."
In her musings, Midha may realize the strangeness of the cave's width - almost completely uniform, with only small deviations. While not smooth by any means, the width of the tunnel stays fairly consistent - there are no outcroppings of rock that narrow the passage overly. This may indicate that whatever bored this hole was not manmade - as such uniformity is not the nature of men... with one exception that Midha knows well. The Department of Distribution would be meticulous in that regard, ensuring a uniform tunnel such as this, but then again, Midha was far from Yamalundi territory.
She scowls at that thought, only momentarily, then shakes her head. This far from home, no. I am well beyond their borders. Even if some mad excursion brought our forefathers this far south so long ago, they would be long gone now. But... no, that's too unlikely.
"Given the general uniformity of the tunnel's size," she resumed after a few moments, "I'd wager most heavily on some beast's back-trail. Most miners wouldn't be so meticulous about maintaining a uniform tunnel, not to this extent. Look: no jutting shelves, no noticeable rock outcroppings, no large stalactites or stalagmites... simply a corridor of barely-variable width and height. More like a monster's maw than a miner's maze." She smirked slightly, then pushed up off the wall. "Regardless, it isn't likely it'll still be about to harass us, not after this long."
While standing there at the apex of this 'hill', or the high ground as Jericho puts it, Augustus gives a light bow and says simply, "I merely wished to be polite to you all, as strangers and unknown social standing, per my upbringing. Jericho it shall be, henceforth. Well met."
Glancing between the two sides of the tunnel he then asks, "Is it necessary for us to even remain within this cave? As interesting as spelunking is to me, I see little point-- as of yet, to delve further in. The more interesting topics would be, how soon before the weather improves, and what our connection to one another is-- why the lure to that place, and the reason we lost consciousness."
Perhaps Augustus wasn't the cave hunter others might be, he did come off as 'young'.
He did, however, maintain the light, every ten minutes, while keeping an eye open... and probably listening intently too.
All this talk of a large burrowing creature didn't quite throw him off, yet.
As the group stands around discussing the particularities of the tunnel and whether to stay near the entrance or proceed deeper, there can be heard the scratching and skittering of a small rodent or like creature some ways down the tunnel. After a few moments, the sound fades away, presumably because whatever rodent was making the noise moved away from the group.
Hearing a noise while in a subterranean tunnel, Augustus seems to grow quiet and focused. His eyes peering over to where the noise he'd heard, while around hands, as if preparing to collect there, the lightest shimmer of silver and blue, not enough to ruin any chance at stealth, but almost as if something was collecting in anticipation from the air itself, or elsewhere. People might notice too, his free hand stays very close to the belt pouches he has.
Otherwise, he is silent and waiting.
Jericho turns and raises his strange weapon in the direction of the sound, ready to attack. He relaxes a bit when the sound fades.
The hammer is out of its sling before Midha finishes turning toward the source of the noise. Unseen to the others, however, is the sudden anxious burst of energy that responds to her surprise. It's almost like a second heartbeat, some distant part of her mind observes, and she almost lunges forward at the unseen traveler on pure adrenaline.
It takes a conscious, deliberate effort to force herself to relax and return to a less battle-ready stance, but once she manages it reslinging the hammer is significantly less frustrating.
"Perhaps you're right," she observes after a few moments. "We're all becoming overly anxious, it appears. Does anyone know where this tunnel leads, and if so is the destination beyond worth reaching? Otherwise, perhaps we should head back to the entrance to check and see if the storm has passed."
Glancing between the people gathered in the corridor, Augustus merely says, "I only recently arrived to this area, thus, I have little to contribute to awareness of the tunnels. For this reason, I'd recommend we resolve our next course of action while waiting out the weather. Perhaps we could compare ..experiences? On why we arrived here together? Though... I tinge of curiosity for the cave's depths-- though minor, very minor."
Peering down the tunnel going further in, he then adds, "I'm curious if our recent event, is related to this ... cave and passage." Studying the wall and the grooves again, casting his Light spell as needed every 10 minutes.
When the sound had startled her it had brought the storm of emotions to a boil. She sat down, curled up, her knees drawn close to her chest, silent tears running down her face as she was completely lost in feelings.