Chaos Land

"Footprints, Geraden?" asked Shuryou as he turned to the large warrior, "Where did you find these? Guide me to them." Knowing the moves of his allies, he knew Geraden hadn't moved and figured the footprints were closeby. "I may be capable of learning more of them if I can see them," said Shuryou while turning his face to the face of Geraden.

[[ Don't know if I can do another check, but if so... Knowledge: Nature check, 5 in skill, concerning Geraden's footprints. ]]

My name is Nalerenn Brokken." Nalerenn said, bowing respectfully to the others. "If it is a background you would like, I'm afraid now is not the time. We have matters to attend to."

The wolf near Nalerenn pushed his head against Nalerenn's leg, as if trying to get his attention.

"Ah, and this is my companion, Baryl. He is more useful than he looks."

Kneeled down at the footprints, Shuryou moves his hand over it softly and nodded a few times. "Can't be an animal," he whispered softly while examining one of the footprints, "The footprint is deeper than normal..." Also listening to voices coming from behind him, he continued to research the footprint within his mind and knowledge. "An enormous human... An ogre," muttered Shuryou as he stood up and looked at the hole where they had to go into eventually, "But how could he enter... What is a small ogre...?"

Shuryou took some steps away from the footprints and spoke to his companions a bit louder, "A half ogre. That is what I expect. It had large feet, weighs a lot and is clearly not animal." Turning away from the others, he slowly walked over to his mule and stroked over its head lovingly. "There there, Divi... You wait here, OK?" he whispered as he took 2 torches from its pack and took his backpack off to place it on his mule Divi. From a small pocket in the pack of the mule, he took a set of flint and steel and put it in the pocket of his robe.

Turning back to them again, he looked at the woman with the scythe and Geraden. "We're dealing with living and undead beings here. You'll get your blood spill. Same for you Riverwind, less undeads," he said to them. He then turned to the rampaging boy Mercutio and spoke to him, "As Geraden said, be calm. We're all in this together." Taking his whip into one hand while putting the two torches and flint and steel into pockets of his robe, he spoke to them one final time. "As Nalerenn mentioned... I'd love to wait until sunrise to attack some undead abomination, but it's better to get it over and done. Sunlight won't reach in the cave, so be sure to bring some kind of illumination with you."

[[ 2 Torches, 1 Flint and Steel in Inventory +2lb; 1 Backpack to Mule -2lb ]]

Noticing the speaker examining a footprint, Nalerenn takes a closer look...

[[Knowledge Nature check, pl0x]]

[[EDIT - Result! Somewhat...]]

"Hmm ..." Nalerenn mused. "This is definately not a normal animal's print. Perhaps a magical one, though perhaps something humanoid. Anything more, I'm afraid, I cannot learn from this alone. Regardless, I advise we be prepared."

Andria gets up and walks over to Tharum and asks while looking a bit pounty "After this, do we get to kill fun stuff? Because Undead are no fun to kill. Much rather Goblins, they make the funnyist sounds when they die."

Tharum pauses, as if considering his words carefully. "Ah... Depends, I suppose. Whatever's next on the list, I guess. Maybe if we find a job? Far as I know, after this bit, we're heading back to the Everchanging City. I thought you guys' contract expired once we got back? Huh, well, I guess if you really want to hang around with the Blade, you could try and get another contract, but I guess that all depends on what kind of business you all have in mind of doin', y'see."

"Alright" Andria said, her face showing some more excitement then before. She turns to Mercutio and approaches him. She turns him around towards the pit and begins trying to push him. "Go on and take point pointman." She goes, giggling some as she does this. The pink pony now has his head next to Tharum's side. If we could understand what was going trough the pony's mind at that moment, it would be "O deer, not again." Why it was that, we don't know, as it would take an much better understanding of the universe then we posses..... That or Andria's actions previous to this point.

Tharum breifly takes note of the creature at his side before looking back to the flask in his hand. "... Powerful stuff 'ere. Better save that for later." He looks back to the group, shaking his head as if to shake off the bizarre image, saying, "What're you fellas still doin' pussy footin' around the grave! If you're scared, just say so! We can go back and I can get payed for this nonsense now! Otherwise, get a move on, I won't wait forever y'know!"

Nalerenn raised from his kneeling position, looking towards Tharum, slightly annoyed by the outburst.

"Knowing is half the battle, my friend. It is always best to be prepared for the situation."

"Infernal woman! Get your disguisting, low-born paws off of me!" Mercutio was pushed to the edge of his balance again, and this time shoved the girl back. He took two long steps away from the grave, only affording himself a passing glance at the footprints that the others had discovered.

"I most certainly will not be going first. If you're so keen, woman, why don't you start us off? I will not be putting my health beneath yours, commoner! Yes, of course, why don't one of you foolhardy myrmidons take the lead? Hmm?" He glared about at them again, as if daring them to head down the steps first.

A soft sigh left his lips as he walked over to the hole to look inside of it. He then turned around and pointed at Geraden, "Geraden and Andria," he said as his finger went from Geraden to Andria, "I suggest you two go into the hole first. With your skills and weapons, you'd be the best choices." He then turned away from them and looked at Mercutio, "Mister Strongarm, you take the position behind them. Riverwind, you too. You two should be capable of seeing the traps before our warriors step into them. Keep those eyes open." He then turned around one last time to look at Nalerenn, "You and me should stick behind for back-up and in case we get attacked from behind."

Shuryou took a few steps away from them all to look at them all and started to talk again, "I suggest we leave the animals here with Tharum. He'll take care of them. And I would like to see the people of our group cooperate instead of retaliate. Mister Strongarm and Miss Andria, could you two create a peace treaty between eachother? If need be, temporarily?"

Tharum shrugs. "I don't know nothin' about takin' care of 'em, but if you just mean make sure they don't run off, well that's fine. Won't make my job any harder anyway. Yeah, sure I'll watch over your critters."

"Myrmidons," Geraden murmured, unsure if the duke had used the work correctly. "Bah, you are correct Shuryou. I just hope that the cave allows for the length of my weapon. In narrow spaces, Andria and I would be far less effective."

Still, the large warrior stepped to the entrance of the hole and stared down, a sly grin of anticipation escaping his lips. He turned one last time toward his companions.

"Coming?"

He made his way into the hole, keeping his eyes peered for any foul creatures.

Leaving his bow slung upon his back, Riverwind patted Swiftgale for a final time, commanding the horse to stay put with a click of his tongue. Reaching into his pack, he extracted one of the few amenities he had allowed himself--an enchanged torch, to light the way ahead. Well aware that the warrior himself hadn't prepared for such circumstances, he swiftly followed the colossus, unsheathing his rapier in the process.

The faster this was done, the better. He disliked the thought of leaving his companion alone for extended periods of time.

((Spot, Listen checks at +6))

They move down into the passageway, carefully making their way down. They are still within sight if one looks down the passage. They now stand at the bottom of the stairs.

Andria saw that some of the group has started moving, and there was no way to get the bossy one up front. She gets up and walks past Mercutio, making sure to say something that he would hear. "If my uncles find out how you treated me, not even your "Nobility" will beable to save you." She continues to the pit, and starts to walk down it.