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Post by River on Sept 24, 2022 0:24:34 GMT -5
Dark clouds dotted the sky, flashing violently with streaks of lightning, intermingling with lighter streaks of pink mist hovering above the snow-crested mountain peaks of Dragon’s Spine. From her vantage point on the second floor bonnet-roof of Bird’s Perch, River leaned back against the abutment taking in the vista spread out before her. She hardly noticed the cold as the icy wind whipped around her, instead, relishing the feel of the chaotic energy of nature. So cold and foreboding, yet breathtakingly beautiful. A sudden gust of wind struck River’s face, making her shudder. It was time to get back. River adjusted her pack and climbed down the side of the tower with spider-like ease (1). Reaching the ground, she looked around hoping no-one had noticed her descent. It would not pay to aggravate the management. As she made her way to the entrance of the tower, River wondered about what had waylaid her cousin Calloway. He was supposed to meet her here, but when River arrived a message had been waiting letting her know that he was not able to join her. Things seldom went as planned, and River had learned over the years, often the hard way, to go with the flow and take whatever came and make it hers. So now here she was at the Bird’s Perch with no plans or obligations, and she was determined on making it the welcome respite she needed after an eventful and treacherous couple of months. Artists were respected in Sky Peak Village, so her talents would pay her way for a brief stay. Every time she stepped foot across the threshold of the Bird’s Perch she couldn’t help but be awestruck. A massive furnace and smokestack formed the core of the tower, and stood tall at the heart of the kitchen progressing vertically with rooms on each level encircling the core. River’s eyes never failed to travel upward to take in the full glory of the structure. Instead of going to her room, River found a comfortable chair in the corner of the massive lobby and settled in. Taking her lute out of her pack, she began to strum a gentle melody, humming softly. Tables set for meals were arranged around the furnace centerpiece. Alcoves with comfortable chairs and couches were scattered throughout. It was early morning and only a few patrons congregated chatting quietly and drinking their morning caf.
(1) Surface Scaling
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Post by Caedes Oleander on Sept 24, 2022 14:17:11 GMT -5
From amongst those in the lobby, there is one man in particular who doesn't quite seem to fit in with the warm, cozy atmosphere of the Bird's Perch. The man is nestled in one of the alcoves, curled snugly on an armchair with a mug of steaming liquid in one hand, closest to the nearest patrons having a conversation together. A black cloak, which billows smoke and shadow from the openings, covers his shoulders. His red-tinted eyes turns upwards as the door opens, and a woman enters the lobby.
It is early in the morning, however; and it's not particularly strange.
Caedes lifts his mug to his lips, lowering his eyes to watch the ripple of liquid as he takes an idle sip, and continues to eavesdrop on the fellows sitting nearby. The gentle notes of a lute begin to fill the lobby, originating from the woman who had walked in. "...those tremors last night were ferocious, weren't they?" a middle-aged human man grumbles to the half-elf sitting across the table from him; he's digging ferociously into a bit of overdone meat with his utensils.
The half-elf takes a sip of his drink. "They were bad," he agrees, frowning as the man across from him sighs. Caedes lowers his drink, leaning his cheek against his upturned palm, and closing his eyes while he listens— pretending to doze, like a patron who just hadn't woken up yet. "Probably some of the worst we've had in a while; shook the foundations of our home. Thought the whole thing was going to collapse... but I think we only got the aftershocks of it."
"Where do you think it came from?" the human man asks, frowning.
Caedes opens his eyes in narrow cracks, turning them towards the chatting individuals. "Deeper in the Dragon's Spine— like, beneath it." The half-elf considers as the man across from him takes a bite of his food; he takes a quick peek around, looking directly at Caedes while he pretends to doze. He leans in, whispering just a little more quietly— but not enough that Caedes can't hear him. "I've been hearing that the head miner picked something up from Darkveil," he remarks; the human man starts chewing a little more slowly. "Something a little heavier than what they usually use down in the mines."
"... What's that mean?"
"You know those muskets that pirates've been picking up recently? They got gunpowder from some black market; I heard they wanted to use it to get to new areas in the mines, but..."
"... That stuff explodes, doesn't it?"
"That's the point; ore's been drying up in that mine over the past few years... I think they're getting desperate to find new veins... debts don't just pay themselves, y'know?"
Their conversation starts to trail off, but Caedes has heard what he wanted to hear; the changeling opens his eyes, giving the men a side-eye as he pretends to yawn, and stretches his arms over his head, as though he was actually dozing off. The man rises up to his feet, sipping on his drink as he fixes to move away— but suddenly, the doors to the Bird's Perch are thrown open.
Lightning flashes behind the person outside from the storm; the man who enters is bloodied and battered, covered in dirt and dust; and wheezing in panic.
"The... the mine...! It's collapsed...!"
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Post by River on Sept 24, 2022 19:11:55 GMT -5
River’s gaze roamed the room as she played, sizing up its occupants, and crafting stories about them to entertain herself. As a bard, River often found inspiration for her melodies and lyrics in the antics of those she encountered on her travels. A particularly striking white-haired man sat across the way napping. Curiously black smoke crept out from beneath the lapels of his cape, reminding her of the one that Izanami had used to help them escape from those miscreants in Darkveil. Curious, she mused silently, intrigued.
River got the distinct feeling that he was not actually sleeping and instead was eavesdropping on his neighbors. River smiled, knowing that that was something she’d do. In this world, one had to determine the lay of the land when in a new situation somehow. And River had learned over the years that listening in on conversations was often more effective when attempting to obtain information than any direct approach. As River found herself pondering what the human and half-elf men could be discussing that had caught the attention of the black cloaked man, he suddenly stretched and got up from his seat. Any additional musings were interrupted when a bloodied and dirt-coated man burst through the entrance.
"The... the mine...! It's collapsed...!"
Outbursts and shouts erupted from the patrons. A stout dwarf jumped up from his seat and wailed, “My son. No, my son. …I knew it. …Supposed to be back several days ago, …and these earthquakes…” His human companion laid a comforting hand on the dwarf's shoulder, and the dwarf sank back into his chair with a sob.
A large human man rushed in from a swinging door at the back. His commanding stature and confident stride alerted the room that he was in charge. “What’s this? The mine’s collapsed?” Addressing the disheveled miner who had brought the message, he inquired. “Tell me. What happened?”
“I’ve come from there. I was at the entrance unloading more ex-p…” the miner trailed off. “a… additional supplies when I heard the collapse. The path down is blocked now.”
“Well, hmm,” the large human said, his shiny black eyes surveying the room with a contemplative expression on his face. “We need volunteers. Those who know the mines are already down there, so we have no choice. Can any of you help?”
River had put her lute away in her pack during the conversation. She pondered the large man’s request. Could she be of help? River sighed, resigned. Of course, she could help. But would she ever have a moment to rest? Was life just a series of dangerous situations?
Shaking her head to dispel such fruitless ruminations, River stood up and started walking toward the man in charge. “Sir? The name's River, and I'm available to assist. ...How far away is this mine?”
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Post by Caedes Oleander on Sept 25, 2022 11:49:38 GMT -5
The tavern grows restless; someone from across the bar wails at the revelation. Caedes looks over his shoulder, frowning slightly as the Dwarf who'd stood, collapses back into his chair with choking sobs: the fate of his son, unknown as of now. Concerned murmurs, shouts of grief, and angry questions rumble throughout the patrons of the lobby in the waves of the aftershock; the human and elf who he'd been listening in on earlier look mildly horrified at the realization. They share a worried glance as a large human man rushes out the back, demanding more information. “I’ve come from there. I was at the entrance unloading more ex-p…” Caedes narrows his eyes, but the miner suddenly adjusts his words. He takes note, but doesn't linger on the near-mistake. “A… additional supplies when I heard the collapse. The path down is blocked now.” More worried mumbling ripples through the patrons, but quiet as the human man surveys the room thoughtfully. He requests volunteers; able bodies to check out the mines for survivors; or perhaps simply help to unblock the way. It is a chance for him to see, firsthand, the damage caused by what he already thinks he knows. Before he can speak, however, the woman with the lute speaks up. “Sir? The name's River, and I'm available to assist. ...How far away is this mine?” The changeling hesitates for a moment, then places a polite smile on his face as he steps forwards. The man in the dark cloak sways to a stop next to River, offering himself up to volunteer. "Caedes," he introduces himself; his voice is particularly chilly in the warmth of The Bird's Perch; but given he is here to volunteer, the man in charge only narrows his eyes at him. He looks a bit like a troublemaker, but his words suggest otherwise. "I would be happy to offer my services in light of the collapse; if there's anything I can do to bring the miners home, I will." A flicker of relief glints behind the man's eyes, and he nods. He looks between River and Caedes, lips pursed. "Thank you both." he remarks with a dip of his head; he lifts his eyes, "It's a few hours' journey," he adds; he looks towards the man who had burst in. Exhausted, the worker has slid down the wall; he looks like he could have run the way there, honestly; and he doubts he could go back anytime soon. "You're not native to Dragon's Cradle, are you? We'll need a guide." He looks out into the bar, repeating his request with more authority. Silence ripples across the mournful patrons; but the half-elf, whom Caedes had been eavesdropping on earlier, hesitantly stands. He looks regretful. "I can take you there." he offers. "My father used to work for the mine before he passed; I know the way there, and... the people there... quite well. My name is Falros." He offers the duo a bow as he steps away from his chair, and pushes it in behind him.
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Post by River on Sept 28, 2022 14:37:35 GMT -5
The dark cloaked man rose and joined River to volunteer. River glanced at him and nodded when he introduced himself. Caedes and she were the only ones to come forward, and when the large human looked them over he accurately determined they would need a guide. The half-elf Caedes had been eavesdropping on volunteered when the large human leader asked for a guide.
When the half-elf joined them, he introduced himself as Griff. Two other locals came forward as well. “I can bring my tools to help open the entrance at least,” one of them said. “I ain’t going deep into no mine though. No way.” The large human scoffed, but nodded. “Understood, but those tools will come in handy. You all work together now. We need to find these miners post haste. Get going.”
The half-elf, Griff, led them out the door. River wondered how such a small and ill-equipped group of people was going to save anyone, but she supposed that any help was better than none. Griff and the other two locals led the way as they moved along the road on the way to the mine, while River and Caedes strode behind.
River turned to Caedes, and said with a sardonic smile. “Sure ruined my plans for today. I was hoping for a relaxing day with no cares or worries ruining my peace. Instead I volunteered for a rescue party?” River shook her head incredulously. “Not sure what I was thinking.”
River scoffed at her own words. “I just can’t seem to resist helping when someone’s in danger. What about you? What made you volunteer?”
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Post by Caedes Oleander on Sept 28, 2022 18:26:19 GMT -5
Caedes looks out towards the half-elf as he volunteers; his eyes narrow slightly, but he smiles and nods his appreciation towards the man regardless. "Thank you," he remarks, nodding a greeting towards Griff, and then one towards Falros. "Any help we get now, is a quicker path to the miners stuck underground. A way through the entrance is a good start, even if you elect not to come with us." With only a few locals, the human man, and the two adventurers... they head off towards the mine.
Caedes shoots the man who had run in a glance as he passes; there's a look on his face that he reads as guilty. Tired, exhausted, and guilty. He won't meet any eyes, even as people approach to help him. The stranger closes his eyes as Caedes passes by him out the door and onto the streets of Skypeak Village.
He takes a breath, tilting his head up to look at the swirling clouds overhead; he flips his hood up, following as Griff leads them to where they need to go.
Still... he can't help but think: the people here must have been desperate to try something as foolish as— A woman's voice interrupts his thoughts, and Caedes blinks. He looks down from the sky, and glances to River as she smiles cynically at him— casually voicing her complaints about the rescue party. He smiles back, his expression similar in his distaste for the mission they're about to go on; although, for a different reason. "Heart's too big for your own good, huh?" he asks, a tease simulating playfulness in the icy tone of his voice. "Well, a rescue mission certainly wasn't on my agenda when I woke up this morning."
He walks alongside River, looking at her from beneath the shadow of his cloak when she asks what his motivation for volunteering was. He looks at her for a moment, then shifts his gaze to where the locals are walking farther ahead of them; and then, back to her.
"Well," he remarks slowly; he turns his head as he faces the road once more. "I came here on something of an investigation, I suppose you can say. I have reason to believe the mining practices in this town have become... a little less than safe, recently." He looks back to River, his smile almost melancholic; he keeps his voice quiet, as if he's telling her a secret. "I suppose I came a little late, though, given the state of things, hm? The least I could do is offer my help to those affected by what I could not stop."
He adjusts his cloak, shadows slipping from the seams as he peeks a hand out to adjust the fabric.
"Dragon's Cradle is a rather odd place to vacation, though; I suppose you didn't come here just for a day of relaxation, yourself?"
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Post by River on Sept 30, 2022 19:48:44 GMT -5
River grimaced when Caedes commented on her heart being too big for her own good. If only it were that simple. The guilt rushed in as it so frequently did. You couldn’t have saved them, she silently chided herself for the thousandth time. Even though River kept telling herself that, it never seemed to provide any solace. With a brief shake of her head, she pushed the morose thoughts to the back of her mind where they belonged. Focus on the moment, she told herself. Focus on… River focused on the words of the intriguing companion walking beside her. An investigator of sorts, eh? So Caedes had been eavesdropping on those two locals. I knew it, she thought triumphantly.
“Sadly, it appears your information was correct, eh?” she said quietly, not wanting the others to hear. “Greed taking precedence over a community’s safety, I suppose. Seen it before, unfortunately. Doesn’t even surprise anymore.” River let out a deep sigh, frowning. “Well, one thing for sure. No way there’s any blame to send your way. Stupidity brings its own punishments. But I’m with you. Let’s see what we can do for these folks. I suspect it won’t be easy.”
River chuckled when Caedes questioned her about vacationing in Dragon’s Cradle while he attempted to hide the shadows escaping from beneath his cloak. “Yeah, a bit off the beaten track, I suppose. Perhaps that was exactly the reason.”
Her expression sobered as the locals slowed up ahead and the entrance of the cave became visible. “A story for another time, I'm afraid. Looks like we’ve arrived.”
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Post by Caedes Oleander on Oct 2, 2022 22:58:11 GMT -5
The young woman's grimace does not go unnoticed when he makes his comment; for a moment, she seems distant— until she shakes her head. She seems to return to the conversation then, listening to him while he rambles idly about his false investigations and discoveries in regards to the mine; he makes note of her reaction to those words. As he finishes his long-winded speech about safety to cover his actual reasoning for the investigation, River quietly speaks in return.
"Unfortunately, it seems it could be the case." he agrees quietly, breathing a sigh that sounds a little melodramatic. "From the sounds of what I've heard thus far, the mine looked like it was drying up— and it was— I suppose— a good idea to use some... other methods, in order to find other veins of ore and minerals." He taps a finger against his jawline thoughtfully, "It's a bit of a double sided sword, really... On one hand, if it works, the mine stays in business... on the other, you risk the lives of your miners... Potentially affecting their families, and their families' income. It's reckless, regardless; I'm sure there were better ways to do what they wanted to do but.... ah, well. It's a little late now, isn't it?"
He looks to her from the corner of his eye, listening as she talks; but she's unable to finish, as up ahead, the mine comes into view. "Mm." he agrees, looking ahead of them as they begin to gather around the remnants of what had once been the entrance to the mine. "It looks like we have our work cut out for us..."
The small group of volunteers surround the remnants of the mine's entrance; large rocks have crumbled and tumbled over the wooden stabilizers, stacking upon one another to create what looks like a near air-tight seal to the inner tunnels and caverns that make up the mine shaft. A sombering silence spreads through the atmosphere between them, until the large human man clears his throat.
"Griff? I think we should start working on this entrance right away." he requests, frowning as he looks to the half-elf. Griff is staring at the entrance to the mine; one of the locals is nervously fidgeting with the toolbag he's brought with him. "This is.... this is a bit beyond what I expected, to be honest. This is..." Griff takes a deep inhale, and steals himself. "Right... Right, let's start working on the entrance, then. Can we get everyone set up with something to help us open up the mine?" Griff looks to the local who'd brought the tools; he nods, albeit hesitantly.
"We should go about carefully while we open 'er up... This is a massive cave-in." he says, frowning as he begins to fumble through his toolbag. The other local puts his hands on his hips, brows furrowing slightly. "I can't believe those tremors could'a caused something like this... what's the inside look like?"
Caedes looks at the entrance thoughtfully; it is... really bad, actually. The idea that the cave-in could be even further inside comes as a rather grim problem, but real possibility, by the looks of the rockface's innards spilling out from the mouth of the entrance. He looks to the local as he hands him a long, metal rod— something like a crowbar, for unwedging the rocks that have spilled out. "Start at the top," he directs as Caedes takes it; he offers River one next. "If we start at the bottom, we might risk collapsing the whole thing again; depending on how bad the damage to the support beams are, this could be a tedious process."
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Post by River on Oct 3, 2022 15:51:24 GMT -5
River frowned as she spied the scene in front of them. Simply entering the cave presented a gigantic problem. How in the hells were they going to get in? she wondered. After Griff gave them each a long metal rod, he moved away to begin work himself. River looked down at the crowbar in her hand, and gave Caedes a wry smile. “ Gotta say. Not sure I’m qualified to take this on. Not strong or anything like that.” The locals were already setting up makeshift devices to assist them in pulling down the rocks that sat at the top of the pile. River blew a raspberry, frustrated. “ I guess I could work on breaking through the rocks. I do have some ability to mold stone and create a hole through it, but not so sure it will work on this large a pile. It’s quite risky.” With a resigned sigh, River called out to the group. “ I have an idea. Not sure how well it will work, but it’s worth a try. I can create an opening through the rocks, hopefully allowing us to get into the cave’s interior. But I’m not sure what will happen once I do. I can’t put it at the bottom of the pile because the remaining rocks could come crashing down and cause an even more dangerous cave-in. So we need to shore up the pile around where we plan to make the hole. Hopefully, that way the rest won’t collapse when the opening is carved.” The group worked together to pull down the crumbled rocks from the top of the pile. It took an hour or so to make any headway. Once a small opening could be seen, River scaled the pile with the grace of a dancer, barely causing any disturbance as she climbed (1). Halfway up, her finger began to glow with magical energy. Gingerly moving, she traced the shape of a doorway into the stone surface (2). Tiny sparks flashed as the outline of an archway became visible. Slowly, the rocks disappeared and the interior of the cave could be seen. Small rocks and stones scattered toward the ground, but other than that nothing moved. From her perch, River looked through the opening. With her dark vision (3), she could see a clear path within the cave interior. The cave walls had crumbled in and rock fragments littered the ground, but there appeared to still be room to maneuver down the path further into the cave. “All right, all,” River said. “Looks like we can get through. How about half of us go in, and the other half stay out here to clear away the rest of the debris?”
(1) Surface Scaling (2) Create Door (3) Dark Vision
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Post by Caedes Oleander on Oct 5, 2022 21:31:54 GMT -5
"Honestly, I'm not sure this is going to be much help in general; we'll be here all day." Caedes remarks; holding up his own crowbar. He tests its weight, looking quite unconvinced about the tool he's been handed. "I was expecting something a little... heavier, perhaps; but I suppose using anything too heavy could cause another cave-in, hm?" At the end of the day, these do seem more like precision tools. A few men seem to be gathering up shovels left around the mine— ones which were not already covered by the landslide, that is.
He looks towards the locals; a few of them are already beginning to cautiously pluck at the top of the pile— one is checking the damage to the stabilizing beams on the outside. Caedes can see from where he stands a fractured crack shuddering through the middle of it; which is bad news for the beam, but, the men could probably re-support it somehow. "You can... mold stone?" he asks, cocking a brow at River. "Are you a Terramancer?"
He's not able to get a response before she calls out to the group; he quiets up, listening to the young woman as she announces her plan to the group. The locals all pause to look at her, listening respectfully; a few of them nod. Griff looks thoughtful for a few moments, rubbing at his chin, before looking at the pile of rocks. "It could work." he observes with a slow nod. Caedes laughs softly, twirling the crowbar in his hand haphazardly as he heads towards the group.
"With that in mind— let's start working, shall we?" he remarks to the men; the locals chime in with a chorus of agreements, and together, they work to make headway.
Although... at one point, the changeling disappears from the group; it's hard to say when he actually stepped away, and he's not gone for long— but he does disappear. It doesn't take him long to find the supplies that the man at the tavern had claimed he'd been trying to deliver when he found the rockslide— but it is odd that the man hid them just out of the way, so that they weren't easily visible. He takes a moment to look beneath the tarp, where crates sit amongst one another on the cart; and upon opening a crate, he notes that there are, in fact... explosives inside. He breathes a sigh, taking one of the explosives from the crate, and closing it. He tucks one away in his bag; and is soon to return to the group before too many people miss him, or notice that he's gone.
Not long after he returns, he sees River scaling up the pile with ease; barely a pebble is dislodged from her ascendance; and she begins to trace lines over the rocks. He waits, leaning against a shovel he'd been given by one of the other men, and watches as she creates a doorway in a flash of light and scatter of sparks. "Huh." he hums, watching as the rocks inside the archway begin to vanish— and then, the interior of the cave becomes visible.
Around the magical doorframe, a few pebbles and small stones scatter.
For the most part, it seems stable; the locals cheer as the interior of the cave becomes visible, and Griff looks relieved. "That's amazing." he praises, then clears his throat as he turns to look at the men. "Alright; who's coming, who's staying?" A few men volunteer; Caedes does not, but he walks over to where River is standing close to the cave interior— making it quite clear without announcement that he will be going.
"That was impressive," he remarks to the woman as he peeks inside. "Very helpful trick; I should learn how to do that."
Griff is still doing a head count, but eventually, a small group of individuals joins River and Caedes; including Falros, the elven man from earlier. "We should go carefully," he says as he lights up a torch; he hands a few out to ensure all have a light source, giving one to Caedes as well. He makes sure he's careful with it, given what he's taken in his bag with him. "There could be some structures damaged inside that may cause landslides, and... well, we're not going to help anyone if we get trapped, too."
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Post by River on Oct 9, 2022 15:29:38 GMT -5
River blushed when the crew cheered. She’d never tried to open such a wide opening before, and was pleasantly surprised that the magick had worked so well. Caedes moved up to join her and remarked that he should learn how to carve a door into bedrock. River chuckled and said, “ Yeah, saved us quite a bit of time, I suppose.” Griff and Falros took control of the crew, and warned them all of the dangers ahead. With some of them staying back to shore up the entrance, the small group moved carefully through the opening into the tunnel. Littered with large chunks of rock, the path was rough going. Falros seemed to know what he was doing as he led them through. River didn’t carry a torch, having the ability to see quite clearly in the dark. She walked with a light step, aware that heavy treading might spark a rockslide. Big chunks of the ground were gone, making them have to skirt the edges of tunnel to get by. Suddenly, Falros slipped and lost his balance, arms flailing to keep his balance. "Umph" River's instincts took hold immediately, and she reached out and caught Falros' arm, pulling him back. As they fell backwards, pebbles rained down upon them while the already wide hole widened further as some of its edges crumbled and rolled away. Falros gasped for breath and scampered forward to avoid the ever growing chasm. They remained still for a few moments, waiting for the ground to stop moving. Luckily there was still a narrow path along the edges of the crevasse for the others to follow.
River stood up and helped Falros to his feet. "Thanks. That was close," Falros croaked, still recovering his breath. River nodded and turned to take the lead. No sooner had she started moving, River stilled. “Wait,” River said, putting her hand up to halt the group, and moving forward carefully. “Quiet.” Ahead she caught sight of another cave-in with fragments of rocks breaking off and dropping to the ground. As River moved a little closer, taps and scratching noises could be heard coming from behind the blockage. Turning to the group, River said. “ Hear that? We might have just found our miners.” River sighed as she looked at the rubble. “ I’d yell out to them, but it could start a landslide or something.”
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Post by Caedes Oleander on Oct 12, 2022 21:27:04 GMT -5
Griff and Falros take control of the crew; he listens quietly to their warnings of unsturdy structures, and the possibilities of cave-ins. Keep quiet at all times, and try not to yell, lest you disturb the already damaged interior of the mines, and end up trapped. After all, they can’t really help the miners if they, too, end up trapped… Although, River and her abilities are a lifesaver in this operation.
With warnings and grouping out of the way, they move into the dark of the mine; Caedes walks calmly behind Falros, gently swinging his lantern upwards to take a look at a particularly alarming crack in the ceiling above them. He’s not particularly claustrophobic, but there’s something unsettling about seeing the damage in the mine’s structure first-hand. He walks quietly, gaze sweeping the shadows of River and Falros in front of him, when suddenly Falros slips in front of him.
Caedes comes to a sharp stop, holding his hand out to the others behind him to stop; and backs up to make room for them. Luckily, River has quick wits; and she grabs Falros before he can fall down a particularly steep chasm. Caedes takes a step forwards as the chasm crumbles away at the edges, looking down over the edge. It was quite deep, as far as he could tell; he looks towards River as she halts the group suddenly, brows furrowing slightly as she points towards a cave-in.
Small rocks and stone tumble down the pile, clinking as they reach the rock floor. “Ah…” he remarks, eyes narrowing towards the cave-in; he follows after her, stepping up next to the minstrel— when the earth around them begins to shudder and shake. “Wh—” Falros chokes, waving his arms again to keep his balance; but it’s not a chasm, this time. Caedes looks up sharply, pulling River away from a crack forming in the ceiling above them. Before he can process it, as he falls away from the collapsing ceiling; the earth is shaking, rocks tumble from above, cracking and slamming against the narrow passage that the cavern had made earlier.
As the dust clears, Caedes swings his lantern out to look across; Falros and the group are fine, but he and River have been cut off from them— a large, gaping chasm resting between them. “You’re kidding,” Caedes mumbles, brows furrowing as he looks back to the group, then to the cave-in behind them; at the very least, it seems the extra landslide has loosened some of the rocks— causing more to tumble and shift from their original perch.
“Are you okay?” Falros whispers across the chasm at them; Caedes nods, but… how are they supposed to get out with the miners, now?
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