Alister dismisses his mount and then draws out his trusty long sword.

"I never saw this cave back then.  Could this lead to somewhere?"

Glim gives a short, sharp, laugh at Alister's question.  "I am not suprised we did not see this before, we did not spend any time looking.  Also, see here....and here...", the half-Drow points to two large rocks just inside the entrance.  "The ground tells me these men pushed the rocks aside, walked a short way in, then came out."  Glim falls silent without further elaboration, and begins walking farther into the cave.  After a few moments, he calls out "You may want to see this."

Meanwhile, as the roar of the storm increases, Ha'laam asks Aelynia to help prepare the mounts by lining them up within the narrow ravine, hobbling them, and covering their eyes with rags.  Tuar's bird, amazingly, buries nearly its entire body, including its head, within an area of loose sand.  It seems Dom can take care of himself.

The rest of you follow the sound of Glim's voice, although the Zhentarim stay near the entrance, perhaps fearing a possible confrontation with the cave's inhabitant.  After about thirty feet, with the sulfurous smell very strong, you find Glim standing next to a large pile of gathered bones and detritus.


This message was last edited by the GM at 01:11, Sun 12 Nov 2006.

Aelynia nods and smiles sweetly, taking the cloth and carefully tying it over each camel's head, asking for Ilmater's blessing on each one as she did so, giving them a special few seconds of attention and loving strokes down their long necks.  Then she carefully hobbles them as Ha'laam had instructed her, singing a soft, sweet little tune since she the wind is so loud nobody could hear her.  Once she is finished she stays with the camels, hoping her presence can keep them calm so that her friends do not lose them in the storm, and so they do not grow too frightened.  Curled up in her robes she sings her song softly, spending the extra time in prayer.

Tuar was wondering what to do with Dom - for all he knew there was no way to humanely keep him safe without risk of harm - but he had no worries after seeing the huge bird bury itself.  He walked on into the cave, following closely behind Lysande and Glim, with his sword at the ready.  Tuar had little problem with the smell - he'd smelt much worse in his few young years - but was a bit strange at the bones and detritus.  He moved closer to it, inspecting the bones he could find.

"Someone has been feeding, lately.  Another monster?"  There won't be anything coming out of the cave mouth anytime soon.  What worries Alister are the thing that might be coming from inside the cavern.

Lysande had hoped for a little respite after the ride under the hot desert sun, but it was not to be. Thoughtfully she looked at the pile of bones then decided a bit more resilience would be called for. Being careful the sun elf recited the spell when nobody seemed to watch.

Knocking an arrow Lysande looked at the group "Glim and me can go without a light and we are stealthy. We shall find out what lurks within this cave's depths. I have a spell that I can use to keep you informed, step up if you want to receive it." she knew that the inhabitants of the Anauroch were not happy with the use of magic and abhorred the use of arcane magic, but the use of her spells seemed necessary. Her eyes rested on Tuar, offering the information bringing spell to him.

Tuar stood from his examination of the pile and looked back at Lysande.  "You're sure, Lys?" Tuar asked as she mentioned her idea of going off further into the tunnel with only Glim for company.  He did nod as her eyes moved toward him, offering the spell.

Lysande simply pointed at the white-haired rogue and whispered "I would like to take you with us, but you still require some light to see in the dark. Do not worry my friend, I shall keep you informed using this link. It can reach almost 200ft and if you follow us at some distance there will be no problem in communication." Tuar could see it in her eyes, she was determined to go but he could see she also wanted him close. Lysande was a little confused, at all times she had done what seemed logical, and going alone without a light was logical, but why did she want Tuar to go with her? Shaking her head she focussed back on the task at hand.

"If that's what you want, Lys.  I'll stay back, but call if you find anything strange, anything dangerous.  I'd need to be up there."  Tuar stayed back, trying to stay close enough to see some vague form of Lysande before she disappeared in the darkness.

the ai in the cave is very still as Lysande and Glim move slowly deeper into the darkness.  After only about 60 more feet they find the back end, with no other sign of life, or even unlife.

As the rest of you begin searching the pile of trash and bones, you notice every single bone has been scoured or polished to a bright white.  Also, the walls of the cave appear to have been blasted smooth.

Within the pile you discover various bits of leather armor, tack, and a few broken weapons.  You also discover several items of much more interest.  In particular among them, Tuar finds a pale polished stone, engraved with a dark dancing figure, and having a small hole drilled through the top. He also discovers a long, faintly glowing, silvery strand with loops on either end.

Joseph finds a grey, sand-encrusted cloak and three vials filled with a metallic oily fluid.

Alister finds a ring of yellow metal, engraved with a symbol of Tyr.

Half buried beneath all the trash you also find an unlocked metal box containing a dozen gems of various colors!

The Zhentarim do not appear to notice your finds as they are watching out the entrance at the darkening sky.  The howl of the storm grows much louder, and the horses and camels secured in the ravine make nervous, fearful noises.

OOC:  The items I have assigned  are your RoA birthday gifts
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:11, Sat 18 Nov 2006.

Alister found it odd to find something like this in a cave.  He then prayed to his god asking him if he could keep the ring, then thanking him for being lucky enough to find one.

"Joseph, this might help in finding the right way."  Alister gave the elixer of vision to Joseph.

When Lysande returns she sees Tuar handle a few things she can barely cover her excitement. "I think I know this... it's a singing bowstring. I read about it in the old texts. It's melodious vibration can cause severe harm to an enemy if he's hit by an arrow fired from this string. Will you... let me see it." she whispered, her face flush with excitement.

After putting on the cloak, Joseph examined the vials carefully. . .  then, he tried smelling the scent they gave.  He found them to be familiar - his uncle, a mage of some reknown who had ended up leaving the village he was born in for a southern metropolis, had used to make those, he was sure of it.  Quickly pouring one over an end of his blade, he could see a faint glow from it, and a grin spread on the young man's face, as he repeated the action on the other side of the blade.  Then, with just one left, he tried it on his armor, finding it to have the same blessing effect there, too!

"What effect does it have, then?" he asked of Alister, not wanting to waste something which might be more useful another time, perhaps.

"Of course, Lys."  Tuar handed her the string without much thought - he cared little for the almost unfair advantages of bows and like weapons - but kept the polished stone for himself.  He looked at the engraved figure and would have liked to compare it to the one tattooed on his back.  They seemed close enough, but to find a token of his goddess in the deserts of Anauroch?  What next?  Perhaps she may guide him to what he truly sought after.

"Well, it heightens your senses into a certain level so more or less it should improve your chances in finding where the black scorpions are hiding.  Only thing is the potion's effect will only last for a few minutes."

"Le hannon!" Lysande said taking the bowstring and giving the young half-breed a peck on the cheek. What she had done only occurred to her when she withdrew and made her stop for an instant, then she blushed and averted her eyes. Focusing back on the bowstring she let it glide through her hands reverently, then, feeling like a child in a candy shop, she began replacing her own bowstring with the newfound treasure. Once done she gently breathed against the string and it gave off a light humming sound, pleasant to the ear. "Elven craftsmanship at its best." she thought to herself.

While her friends, unbeknownst to her of course, were marveling over their finds, Aelynia huddled in her robes for the meager protection they provided, watching the camels to keep them from harm as well as she could in the storm.  In a way it was exhilarating, out here in the wild wind and sand.  She would suffer for her friends' safety and protection, just as Ilmater suffered.

"I'll try to put it to good use, then," Joseph said, and put the vial in a pocket, saving it for later.  Then, he looked around, seeing what the others had found. . .  and then seeing that one of the others weren't there at all.  Aelynia had stayed behind with the camels, he realized, and quickly walked out of the cavern without a word, hurrying over to the elven lady.

Without saying a thing, he sat down next to her, and wrapped the cloak he had found in the cavern around the both of them as best as he could, placing an arm around her slender waist as well.

Aelynia was surprised that someone had come out in the storm, until she realized it was Joseph.  Turning to face him with sand stinging her eyes the way it should be, she shook her head no and shouted above the wind, the first time her voice had ever been strong or loud.  "You must stay inside.  Go back and be safe."

"I am staying with you, Aelynia, storm or no storm," Joseph replied, just as loud as he had to in order for her to hear him, and shook his head.  Where she would be safe, so would he.

"You have to go," Aelynia shouted, determined to keep him from the suffering she needed to endure.  "Please, Joseph," she added, pleading with him with her eyes that were full of tears from more than just the grainy sand's irritation.

"I can't," Joseph replied, and then quickly leaned in to place a soft kiss on Aelynia's lips, hoping it might stop her from arguing - he had to do this, there was no way around it for him.

Just about to tell him to leave again, Aelynia was shocked into silence by Joseph's sudden kiss.  Sitting as straight and still as she could, she fought the urge to actually kiss him back.  Fought with all her strength.  And slowly she pulled away with her tears streaming down her face, leaving stinging tracks in the sand on her face.  How could she keep Joseph safe from the storm if he would not leave her?  Unless she were to become like some sects of Ilmater's sufferers that actually harmed themselves she had to do things like this sometimes.

Finding that his throat was getting sore from having to speak so loudly, Joseph leaned closer to Aelynia, so he could whisper - well, speak normally, but in the storm around them, it might as well have been a whisper - into her ear. . .

Joseph's words and the look on his face pained Aelynia more than anything ever had before, even more than the deaths of her family and friends.  Her suffering of this moment was much more than any storm could throw at her.  She would have to let him stay and suffer through her fear and worry for him.  Perhaps her even greater suffering would find her in favor with Ilmater, for she couldn't send Joseph away and cause him any more pain.  Following Joseph's lead, Aelynia leaned in to speak into his ear.  "I understand, and I will not make you go."