Akkramar arrives just in time to see the snake being eliminated - "Proceed?" - he questions Bethune and Sarasanna.
Lucifer moves to the stated distance and continues to keep watch, shovel still in hand.
Dakkar realizes that his communicator had been switched off for a few minutes. After reactivating the comm system he headed for the scouts, curious about the snake.
Noticing that Akkramar had gone ahead to scout, Horgus and the rest of the survivors sat near the fire to rest. Both Aravashnial and Horgus are lightly snoring, while Anevia seems to be catching a few winks herself.
Horgus wakes with a start, his last snort reverberating through the cavern as Dakkar come back from the original chamber. He looks around, fuzzily, before standing back up. He walks over to Dakkar and says, "Look, I know you guys sent my escort out to scout ahead and make sure that there's nothing to attack me, but how much longer are we staying here?"
Sarasanna proceeds to gather the snake flesh for later cooking.
Sarasanna looks around the room, in attempt to see how secure and stable it looks. Does it look like the ceiling might cave in? Does it appear defensible in its current condition?
As Sarasanna gathers the meat, Akkramar stands watch for any other potential threats.
@Sarasanna: The room could be defensible, but the continuing rock fall suggests that someone might get bonked on the head in the process. Also, there's enough snake meat to supplement rations for about 1 meal at this point. Max prob indicates that mentioning this to Archie will bring likelihood of her eating it to near zero.
@Akkramar: There is an exit on the east side of the chamber. With your darkvision, you can see that this is likely a long corridor.
@All: A wave of static goes through your greyfangs. Messages are not currently being received. Source of disturbance is unknown at this time.
I just turned it on! Dakkar slaps the side of his head and shakes it a bit. Unfortunately, the greyfang remains inoperative, though his ears now have a nice ring to them.
Dakkar continues towards the last known location of his companions, ignoring the pompous human.
"Curiosity is in the heart of every good ranger," Sarasanna says, as if reading from a script. "I think I used to say that. Therefore, to immerse myself in my discipline, I shall look forward to seeing how this snake tastes."
After finishing packing up the snake meat, and looking around the room, Sarasanna pauses for a moment, and looks slightly puzzled. She turns her head to one side, and with one hand scoops her hair up to gather it over one shoulder. With the other hand she rubs about her neck and ear, as if feeling for something.
"What is wrong? I am not able to hear anyone's... other voice..." She observes. Tossing her hair back in place, she shrugs, and turns to her immediate companions.
"We could set up a perimeter in this place. However, with the instability of the ceiling, it would not make a safe campsite."
She looks around. "Shall we retrace our steps to regroup with the others, or should we explore the passages before us?" She asks her counterparts.
"Curiosity is in the heart of every good ranger," She quotes.
Then looks back over her shoulder at the passage whence they had come.
"What do you mean 'I just turned it on?' Turned what on?" Horgus watches Dakkar walk right past him, ignoring him! Horgus shakes his head in wonder as he walks over to Archie. "When are we getting out of here, and when is my escort supposed to be back?"
Archie turns to the small man and looks down at him. "Mr. Gwerm, it is in all of our interests to get back to the ground level. If you are referring to Akkramar, I have sent him forward to scout ahead, particularly for a place to rest for more than a few minutes. I can tell that everyone is tired, but we need to find a more secure location to do so. I will let you know when they have found something."
"There is an exit to the East" - Akkramar states, moving towards that direction, and peering down the tunnel.
"It seems to be no more than a tunnel. Shall we move ahead?"
Turning to Dakkar, Archie says, "Go ahead and get with the others and find a way out of here, if at all possible. At the very least, see if we can at least get closer to the surface. If you don't find something in the next hour or so, have everyone come back here, and we'll try to figure it out from there."
She then looks at Horgus. "Mr. Gwerm, go ahead and sack out with the others. I'm sending Dakkar here, out with the others to see if we can find a way out. You have at least an hour to rest."
"But who's going to protect us in case of attack? No offense, but you're just a woman, and a nurse at that."
"Mr. Gwerm, I can assure you that this cavern is about as secure as we can make it. Further, only you and I are still awake at this point. As for any attackers, I can say with confidence that, while I can in fact heal the sick and injured, and I am also quite proficient with the scimitar that is attached to me. Also, from what I understand, if there was an attack, they would have to go through our scouts to get to us. I wouldn't be worried."
Horgus looks at Archie for a moment, trying to stare her down, but he is the first to look away. Turning around to grab the torn bedroll, he mutters under his breath; something about group sexual positions, from the sounds of it.
Sarasanna joins Akkramar in peering down the Eastern tunnel.
As she does so, she says quietly to her counterpart, "Let's see where the tunnel leads. So far, there seems to be equal likelihood for a way out in both directions where we've explored."
"Agreed" - Akkramar retorts, plodding down the tunnel as silently as he can.
Sarasanna moves forward with Akkramar, moving silently, and keeping with to the shadows.
She keeps an eye out for any potential threat or ambush as they proceed.
You work your way down the tunnel, going for several minutes (and your sensors say about 1900'), not finding any side passages or anything. The tunnel is dark, except for any light sources that you bring. Soon you do reach another cavern, this one almost as large as the chamber you woke up in. It also appears to be a junction, with a tunnel leading north, and another one leading south.
Lucifer nods at Archie's transmission. "I'm going to go ahead with the others," he says aloud, then moves off to join the rest of the group in scouting.
Down the tunnel, Lucifer stays near the rear, his shovel gripped in a ready position. He relies on his built-in night vision, not wanting to give away position with a light.
"North or South?" Sarasanna asks her counterparts. "Or perhaps we should check each tunnel for immediate hazards."
Sarasanna takes a moment to look down each passage from their edge in the junction.
Does either tunnel appear safer, more dangerous, or do both appear the same?
The northern tunnel goes only 5' into another chamber. It appears that someone has built a religious temple of some kind, back into the chamber itself.
As Bethune and the rest of the scouts come for the first time to the new cavern he observes the passages to the north and south and looks between the two several times.
"Hmmm." the droid strokes his chin. "50/50 probability of choosing the 'correct' path..suggestion: method of trial and error."
Bethune skirts along the wall as quietly as possible towards the southernmost passage, which he chooses to investigate first.
Akkramar peers at the construction from the entrance to the cave, looking for signs of activity within or without.
As Bethune and the rest of the scouts come for the first time to the new cavern he observes the passages to the north and south and looks between the two several times.
"Hmmm." the droid strokes his chin. "50/50 probability of choosing the 'correct' path..suggestion: method of trial and error."
Bethune skirts along the wall as quietly as possible towards the southernmost passage, which he chooses to investigate first.
[dice=stealth]1d20+8
[dice=perception]1d20+9
Looking to the south, you see only more tunnel, out to the range of your vision. There appears to be no signs of recent activity through here.
Akkramar peers at the construction from the entrance to the cave, looking for signs of activity within or without.
[dice=Perception]d20+3
You see...nothing of interest...
"The religious are known to collect the wealth of their followers. Therefore, if this is a temple, there is a good chance there is a great deal of wealth," Sarasanna assesses. "Thus I suspect we find something of use to us in here. I shall check to see if it is presently in use, or abandoned, as I suspect."
Sarasanna checks out the temple, being sure to stay in sight of at least one of her counterparts at all times. She keeps an eye out for traps as she searches.
How big is the temple, and does Sarasanna find anything of use in it? Anyone- or anything- presently inside?
@ Sarasanna: This is what you see before you. It appears that you are standing in a courtyard in front of this temple.
You hear a buzzing sound, like those of wings, above you...
At some point it seems wise to recollect the others lest we scout too far in advance of them.
Sarasanna withdraws from the Temple courtyard for the moment.
"Agreed," she confirms to Dakkar. "There is an entire underground structure here. In addition, I hear something in the air above, like a large insect. It would be wise for us to wait for the others to join us, and then explore this area together."
Sarasanna looks around at the party of scouts. "I believe we only need to wait for Lucifer, correct? Archie expressed her intent to remain with the wounded."
Lucifer frowns at Sarasanna's comment on religions. "Temples and churches don't 'collect the wealth' of their followers. It's not a tax. They're offerings to help keep everything afloat, so the clergy can provide services to the worshipers." He pauses as she forges ahead, then shakes his head briskly side to side and moves to rejoin them.
Sarasanna tilts her head slightly at Lucifer's reply to her comment. "If you say so. You are better informed on this matter than I," she concedes.
Sarasanna then addresses the entire group, stepping slightly further away from the North passage.
"It appears that our scouting party is gathered. Shall see what sort of temple this is, and what the source of the buzzing sound is, so as to protect the North flank, or shall we explore the Southern passage? I would still prefer to investigate the North cavern. However, I shall follow the path our group decides to take. "
Bethune returns to the group just in time to hear Sarasanna's recounting of the temple that was to the north. He turned his head to the side and seemed especially troubled at the mention of the sounding of wings.
"The southern passage seems like it will be our way out. I would say it's more efficient to investigate the north before moving forward. This course of action avoids the risk of an unknown threat catching our flank when we lead the organics through this area. "
Sarasanna nods in approval of Bethune's reasoning, while still keeping an eye out for trouble.
We seem to be some ways underground, acquiring supplies for ourselves and the organics is ideal.
"I agree. Let's check the temple."
"So we are all in agree-" Sarasanna stops mid-sentence. She gestures in the direction of the giant fly, with the intent of alerting her allies.
"We appear to be under the scrutiny of a very large insect. I suggest all scouts have their weapons ready!" Sarasanna declares.
She raises her halberd, watching for the giant fly's next move.
"It does not seem immediately aggressive" - Akkramar adds - "We should proceed" - he finishes, weapon in hand and moving into the cave.
Sarasanna lowers her halberd for a moment, nods, and turns toward the temple courtyard.
"It appears you are correct. Let's see what's hidden within this place."
Halberd in hand, Sarasanna follows Akkramar into the Northern cavern.
The fly moves back to the ceiling above you, content to observe you rather than 'spit up' on you. The temple itself appears to have been built into the cavern itself. There is a 10' tall carving of a hammer that is part of the facade of the building. There is, however, no immediate sign of an entrance from this side of the building. You can walk around to the sides, but the recent seismic activity has added several boulders to either side.
Lucifer moves around carefully, his shovel in one hand at his side, hoping to recognize anything that could show the temple's patron deity or other purposes.