Itzal quickly put a finger on his lips and then gestured with his head at the opening, and the unexplored room. He was nearly frantic as he did so.

as the lager of their new compaoins came back into the room julein graped him by the arm and pulled him to the side. with one finger infront of his face he made a "shh" gesture at Hu before walking back over to dimble, long spear at the readly incase anything "poped" out at the little man.

it was then that he was hit with a thought and turned to see how the boys and lone women where doing?

Since nothing came out of the weed covered cave opening, Itzal nodded towards it and pushed through, taking a quick look about as he did so.

'A very cautious man' thought Dimble before following Itzal in the next room.
'But it is not a bad habit, I must admit'

Itzal and Dimble pushed past the unpleasantly slimy weeds and into the next chamber.

The room was disappointingly clear of life. However, the walls of the roughly circular chamber displayed the remains of old frescoes, and along the sides of the room were arranged stone benches, carved from the rock itself. These benches in turn bore worn artistic carvings. At the far end was a dais, upon which stood the remains of a stone lectern.

There was material here enough to greatly interest a historian - but no sign of the two men they sought.

Back in the first chamber Julien checked on Melia and the children - they seemed well enough, if a little fidgety in the damp air.

"wonderful! what an interesting discovery!"
said the gnome as he began to inspect every area of the room, taking notes and mumbling in his beard. Only a few words were intelligible and repeated
"interesting" "how curious" "how remarkable"

[Private to GM:
Oo I just realised I forgot to put skill point in the Knowledge (history) skill^^


22:34, Today: Secret Roll: Dimble Nackle rolled 14 using 1d20+6. knowledge (bardic) 2.
22:34, Today: Secret Roll: Dimble Nackle rolled 16 using 1d20+6. knowledge (bardic) 1.
22:31, Today: Secret Roll: Dimble Nackle rolled 14 using 1d20+4. knowledge (religion) 2.
22:31, Today: Secret Roll: Dimble Nackle rolled 23 using 1d20+4. knowledge (religion) 1.
22:31, Today: Secret Roll: Dimble Nackle rolled 21 using 1d20+4. knowledge (arcana) 2.
22:31, Today: Secret Roll: Dimble Nackle rolled 12 using 1d20+4. knowledge (arcana) 1.
22:30, Today: Secret Roll: Dimble Nackle rolled 18 using 1d20+4. knowledge (adventuring) 2.
22:30, Today: Secret Roll: Dimble Nackle rolled 6 using 1d20+4. knowledge (adventuring) 1.
22:29, Today: Secret Roll: Dimble Nackle rolled 18 using 1d20+3. search.
]

Itzal watched as Dimble carefully took notes. "Interesting," he echoed. But he was interested in something else. He was carefully inspecting the room, or cave, for any sign of an exit, other than the way then entered.

julien signed as he watched the little gnome run to and fro form one part of the room to another. shaking his head in such away as to show that he was used to the gnomes actions julien once again took up a stance that would allow him to interpose him self bewteen the gnome and any danger that my arise.

Dimble and Itzal looked carefully around the room, poking into every nook and cranny and leaving nowhere unchecked.

Despite the thoroughness of their search, they turned up nothing much. No concealed exit, no hidden treasure - just old carvings.

[Private to Dimble Nackle: From the style of the carvings and certain figures that are represented, as well as the size of the benches and dais, you're pretty sure the work is halfling in origin.

That's fairly odd, since the halflings are supposed (by certain majorities) to be a lesser race, and not at all sophisticated.

By the layout and positioning of the lectern you'd guess that this used to be a temple of sorts, but you cannot tell to which god - certainly not one that you know of.

The details are fascinating - but only to an historian.]

"This is indeed most interesting"
said the gnome after some time.
"You" he said to Itzal "Can you believe this place was carved by halflings? This was some kind of temple.  Does it ring a bell?"


He turned to face the woman and the boys.

"Sadly - or Thankfully, I suppose - There is no trace of your husband.  Are you sure he had this particular cave in mind when he left?  Do you have other possible destination in mind?"

"Interesting, but really, a let down. I'll check for other possibilities on the way out. Good news on the man, though." Itzal moved back through the green exit, and began to search along the corridor for any other branch that tey could take.

julien walked into the next room and began looking around as well. He doudted he'd find anything the other two had missed but who knew.

[Private to Mr. DM: juliens gonna look around useing Elfsight. +2 to search and spot and I get to auto roll for serect doors like and elf.]

Melia looked a little panicked.

"No, no, they were definately heading upriver to this cave. But we did find their boat a way back - maybe they were taken the other way?"

She paled.

"Out to sea..."

Meanwhile, Itzal and Julien searched thoroughly - but could find no sign of another exit. Combined with the lack of tracks and the undisturbed owl, it seemed clear that the men had not reached their destination.

apparently done with his scribble and sketching Dimble detected the woman's worry and answered.

"Well, I believe we are done here, at least for the moment. I'm looking forward to meeting your husband, I must say. I have so many questions to ask him.

So, which way did you say they could have gone? You hinted that they were abducted? Did something like that already happen? Do you know of some kind of piracy in this part of the land?  Anything that could explain a possible kidnapping? "

Itzal was disappointed, but understood that not every cave nor every ruin would be places of great interest. The owl was interesting, little else was going to stick with him.

Dimble asked his question, and Itzal was so used to stepping into the background that he had no trouble allowing the smarter to take the lead. Itzal spent his time souring the nearby ground and branches for telltale signs of passage, passage not directly attributable to the present company's presence.

Melia looked worried.

"Pirates, yes...yes, and bandits too! The Thorny Crew, the Briar Gang...they've been quiet of late but who knows?"

She frowned.

"We thought it'd be safe, just travelling up the coast. Not much round here for bandits, and pirates would surely not be this close to land?"

Melia didn't sound confident.

"Maybe we went the wrong way. Could..could we check for signs back at where we found the boat?"

"Well, I don't think we have many others options.  And this little trip proved to be quite interesting after all"

said the gnome confidently.

"would you be kind enough to tell us more about those bandits?  Anything might be of some use, at some time : you never know"

Itzal nodded as she made the suggested, and hurried along to further investigate the area around the boat. He checked all the surrounding hard land, trying to find anything, a footprint, a crushed or broken plant, disturbed foliage, anything that could hint at recent passage.

"You mean you haven't heard of the Briar Gang?" asked Melia, shooting an odd glance at Itzal.

"They've been menacing north Ddaran for a couple of years now - though they've been quiet of late. They mostly range around Shadow Valley, that's a way south."

She waited till Itzal was ahead and out of earshot, then continued.

[Private to Dimble Nackle; Hu Sit; Julien Ravenhold: "And the Briar Gang are mostly his type", she said. "Hope you're right to trust him."]

"The Thorny Crew, they're just pirates round here. Surely wouldn't be this far in to land though."

Leading the way back to the boat, Itzal had a good look around.

At the boat, Dimble will take a closer look too, to try to find any clue about the previous owners.

"And why would those ruffians kidnap your husband? or maybe was it for his client?"

Sorry to say that I have not heard anything about this gang. So any information you can offer would prove most help.

Julien asked breaking his long held silence.

I found nothing," Itzal reported when he rejoined. "So perhaps there's nothing that can be determined form this. Maybe we should just push along." He didn't bother looking at the woman. He knew his opinion would count for next to nothing with the human, regardless of her commitment to finding her husband. Itzal still doubted that story.

Melia frowned, again looking askance at Itzal.

"The Briar Gang well they're...they're halfing bandits. The big names around here. Army's been trying to deal with them for a couple of years now, but they just can't track them all down."

"They surely wouldn't bother with two men though - and why take them, if they did? I suppose the historian he was with might be worth a ransom, but I can't be sure."

Itzal and Dimble took a careful look in and around the boat, being extra thorough. It seemed it had been dragged up the bank from the seaward side, and some plants off in that direction were flattened. Perhaps they'd gone the wrong way when they went to the cave, and the culprits were to be found near the sea shore...

"I'm beginning to think this historian guy might be more than he let you know... or at least that he knew more."

said the gnome thoughtfully.

"Anyways, I suppose we might go backward and try to find where they went.  Is any of you able to 'drive' that kind of boat? I we have to explore the shore, we might need do to so from the sea."

Dimble will then follow the other way, the seashore.
If he has to go by boat, he will ask the boys to know if they are used to navigate with it.