She tilts her head, the jangles of her ears clinking in tune with confusion. "I do not know what that is. I will be fine told hold onto the bowl however. My people are stronger than you might think."
After making sure that was, indeed, all there was to the caves, and packing up the treasure, the party descends back down the slight rocky incline to the maze-like path that leads through the buttes and small mesas.
Rocko's not finding any consistant paths, which is not surprising given the time that has passed since Gavalde allegedly frequented the area. The sun having risen in the sky to almost mid-day, the temperature is warming appreciably.
As the party rounds another bend, Chaucair is first to notice a wizened, weather-worn old man, sitting amongst the rocks near a shallow stream.
Her brow raises at the strange accusation from the human, though the appearance of someone out here was certainly curious. "Hello to you. I hope you have not been experiencing much in way of trouble."
Rocko knows well enough to let others handle the talking. While they greet the old fellow, he will be looking around the area, looking for anything in the area that might be noteworthy, especially if it's potentially dangerous or hidden.
Rocko can discern little that is not obvious from the current situation; ie they are looking for a network of caverns (some possibly worked by hand or magic) and they're surrounded by buttes and mesas in a semi-arid landscape.
He does recognize their approximate position; to both their west and their south lies the River Casnei. The party is now probably 3 miles north of where the river, running northwest to southeast, crosses these lands.
Hail, good sir! Look everyone, a wise elder who may hold great insight for us.
Her brow raises at the strange accusation from the human, though the appearance of someone out here was certainly curious. "Hello to you. I hope you have not been experiencing much in way of trouble."
The old man looks up, his hair waving in the wind in bizarre shapes as he does so.
"Eh? What do you fools want?" he says loudly enough that the entire group can easily hear.
Rocko mutters, "Well, that be quite a welcome."
In a louder voice, he'll call back,
"Why call us 'fools', sir? Do we be in danger here? We mean no harm."
"We want for nothing. We were traveling, and met another on our journey." She adds.
"Well, just keep on traveling then!" the man shouts.
"Why call us 'fools', sir? Do we be in danger here? We mean no harm."
The man almost laughs.
"Man, or beastman as it were, have to be a fool to travel in these parts. Very little to see and a very high cost to see it!"
"If there is so little to see and with such an apparent cost to witness it, why might you be out here yourself?" She innocently questions.
Djack holds Djill's reins and watches from a distance, not wanting to crowd the lone elderly man.
"If there is so little to see and with such an apparent cost to witness it, why might you be out here yourself?" She innocently questions.
The old man scoffs. "Me? I'm the biggest fool of all, of course! I'm seeking the wisdom of the ages, which one only finds in the remotest of places."
The old man seems somewhat agitated at the party's presence. He also seems resigned to some course of action.
Finally he stands, and steps spryly down some rocks into better speaking range.
"Look, you're obviously here for a reason. Maybe I can help you, and in exchange, you can bugger off and leave an old ascetic in peace."
Amideo gives a snappy salute before bowing to the man, "Good day, friend. I am Sir Amideo Caluzzo di Solva, knight of Espa and representative of the Marques, at your service. We have been looking for a series of caverns around here, ones that were said to have belonged to a necromancer. I do not assume you to be connected to them, but an ascetic such as yourself is sure to know his land well."
The man stares at Amideo with wide eyes and than laughs. Gesturing with his thumb, he looks at Yoltzin and Chaucair.
"This guy!"
He then turns back to Amideo. "My lord," he says, kneeling in mock respect.
"Here is what I can impart to you:"
"There is a mesa about a mile to the south that towers over all others. Forget that one. The caverns you're looking for are said to lie in one of the mesas south of it."
"A narrow track does go to the caverns, for when the old necromancer ruled, there was much coming and going to and from the caverns."
"Now will you all please leave me in peace?"
If he wants to be left alone, let's leave him be... Maybe we'll see him again, maybe we won't, Djack calls out to his companions.
Then, to the old man, Peace be upon you, Stranger.
Once they've given the strange old man his space, the party breaks for lunch, then continues on in the general direction of "south" following the old man's hints.
At almost the exact same instant, Rocko and Yoltzin both notice the "mesa that towers over the others" just a few hundred yards away. If the old man is right, somewhere south of that, but north of the River Casnei's southern bend, will be the caverns you are looking for.
Making a gesture to gather attention from the others, "Over there. We're close to where we should begin our search."
Holding his mount's reins, How do we approach?
"Keen an eye on which place? We've not even found what we've been searching for." She speaks. "I do not mind continuing to look however, though perhaps it should be done with foresight of seeking shelter as well."
"I say we find them caves before making any camp. Take one good look and a sniff at 'em first."
Rocko looks up at the lowering sun.
"Should be plenty of time to make it before dark, even goin' slow and careful-like."
He does make sure to add.
"Would also be a good idea to stay together. One or two wanderin' off feels like a bad idea for some reason."
After searching for another couple hours and circling around one mesa that turned out to be the wrong one, Rocko manages to lead the party to a mesa the correct distance from the landmark the old man mentioned, that also seemed to have a cavern entrance some 50' up a sheer wall. A path seemed to wind around the mesa to the cave from an unknown starting point.
As far as shelter, the environment lent itself to such things with all the mesas and buttes surrounded by brush and small trees. It is no problem at all finding a defensible place to make camp.
Februm 27
The night has passed without incident, though it was quite chilly. But the morning sun promises to warm the day quickly. After breakfast, the party discusses their next move. Somewhere around this mesa, a trail starts that seems from ground level to lead right up to the cave entrance.
"We are to be spilling blood, evil or otherwise?" She asks, curious. "We set out on this walk in search of the lantern. I suppose however that it is not unreasonable for there to be unwanted loiterers within."
”If we can avoid staining the earth with blood, even that of evil, it would be appreciated.”
Chaucair's understanding of their current landscape is a bit flawed, and it takes him a little while, but when Rocko gets in the correct area, he manages to determine the most likely place to find the beginning of the trail.
And find it they do, behind some brush up against the back side of the mesa at the top of a hill of shale.
The path, once found, is easy to follow, winding as it does around the outside of the large mesa fully three times to reach the cave. However, there, the party runs into another issue. The area where one would enter the cave itself has eroded with weather and time; it stops a full 20' from the cave entrance.
A gap before them, Yoltzin thought back to the lessons she'd gone through with learning to go between trees of the Forrest. Following these memories was a wince, as she'd been amongst the poorest students that day. Natural talent only got someone so far when it came to such life and death situations. Turning towards her human and gnoll companions, "How would we cross?"
Rocko rummages through his pack and then pulls out some of the stuff he'd bought back in Albarra.
"Here be some of the stuff Jules said we would need. I reckon she knew what she were doing when she sold it to me."
He pulls out the six climbing picks and the 150 feet of silk rope and then holds it out towards the party.
"I sure am hopin' this look helpful?"
And then Kaki can't resist adding,
"This would be so much easier if you lot could fly."
Rocko clenches his teeth and wisely refrains from responding.
Djack bends to pick up a medium sized stone, tossing it up a short distance and feeling the weight of it.
Then he arcs it over the crevice to make sure the cave opening is real and not a trick or the mind. Just enough umph to land on the other side and not go too far into the cave.
If I jump over, I'll be alone... may need one of your spirit friends.
Remember, I need them to help distract the enemy on the opposite side from me. He smiles, but it's grim.
The elf hummed to herself, thinking. "I could call forth a spirit not only to give you guardianship, but perhaps... Would any of you feel comfortable holding onto a large frog as it jumped the chasm?"
Djack looks to both offers, I should be alright making it across. But, if there's a party on the other side... might need help.
Djack's rock toss bounces off the cave wall and clatters down whatever rock lies inside the cave. Definitely a real opening.
I can take a rope across. Does that help?
”I would appreciate the use of the rope. Though I might be skilled at jumping, my armor weighs me down quite a bit.”
"No desire to ride a frog accross?" She asks, legitimately curious.
"Maybe tie this about your middle?"
Rocko will offer to tie one end of the silk rope around Djack's waist.
Taking the end of Rocko's rope, Djack backs up for a running jump.