Move 142:  At the Mines

The Garlstone Mines--Afternoon, 2 Eleint 1374 DR

The group talked quietly among themselves near the entrance to the mines, attempting to establish a marching order, to plan, or in some cases, to steel their courage to enter.  The mine entrance opened into a dark tunnel about twenty feet in width.

Ceth stood hesitantly near Renn, "Who is the leader here?" she asked softly. "I would recommend either me or Renn near the front and near the rear. We will have to use light so that all without our ability to see in the dark can see and that will impair our own ability--unless someone wishes to scout ahead far enough that the light does not hinder them?"

"Renn and I both are sometimes granted the ability from our deities to turn back the unliving. So one of us at each end would be wise. I would recommend possibly you put your mage in the middle. Any of those with knowledge of traps near the front as well, to help look for and disarm them. Could someone check the entrance of the mine, to see if it is trapped," Cethyran asked softly.

"If you put me near the front anyone tall could easily shoot over my head." She added.

"I'll go up front," Jana said.  "I'll protect the two who're up there for traps and undead."

"N-no . . .",stammered Aloysius quietly.  "N-no scout.  We stay together . . .this time."

He turned to Jana and put both hands on her shoulders.  "Janathell?  You remember . . don't you?" he asked in a pleading tone.  "When we didn't stay . . . together?  Pug . . ?"

A wave of realization swept over his face.  "And Zond. . ."  His breathing seemed to becoming increasingly heavy.  "The lantern.  I'll carry the lantern. Someone . .  please . . just tell me what to do."

His attention suddenly shifted to Cethyran.  "Traps? Yes, we must check for traps.  I can do that.  You all remain here for the moment."

The mage began scurrying towards the mine entrance.

"As you wish Aloysius," Rennirolas said as he unhooked the lantern from it's place on his backpack.  "Are you certain you will be alright?"

Echo followed after him.  "Aloysius, stop.  Let me look for traps.  I should go first and look for traps," she repeated.

Upon hearing Echo's voice, Aloysius stopped in mid-scurry.  "B-but, the last time . . at the keep.
You  . . ."  He wrung his hands nervously and then nodded his head.

"Of course.  Thou art much more accomplished at such things than I," he said quietly.  "By all means, be careful."

He looked back at the others and gestured them forward.

Echo walked over to the entrance of the mines and pushed back her cowl so she could look around.

Ceth took a step backward at Aloysius's gesture. Turning to look at the others near her, her expression wore a face of dismay. "Please, tell me he does not lead you. He does not seem ... sane."

Arachne went to Ceth and stood on tiptoe right next to her.  "Do you know how sheep herding works?" she asked, quite softly, so as not to upset anyone.  "There's a shepherd, who doesn't seem to do much and then there's the shepherd's dog, who runs around nipping at everyone's heels, shooing them here and there."  She shrugged.  "Can't tell you who the shepherd might be."

Aloysius watched as Echo walked towards the cave entrance.  He stood ready in case she suddenly needed assistance.

"Cethyran's suggestion has merit.  I would suggest this marching order:

Cethyran, Echo
Etienne, Jana
Aloysius,Arachne
Daelen,Blacky
Renn

This way we are protected in front and rear by the strongest among us as well as those more capable with the unliving.  Echo can also look for traps and anything that looks familiar to her.  One lantern up front and one in the back. Aloysius you prepare your spells, you are here as a potent magical force, not a lantern carrier.  Use your spells to best help those under attack. If we all think and move intelligently and as a group, we will be able to overcome whatever the dark priest has in store for us.  I suggest we make for the lower level if Echo feels that is where the prisoners and Ranchefus are." Blacky tried to organize everyone
while Echo checked the entrance.  "Alright, let's do it." He said taking a deep breath.

"I w-will . . try," said Aloysius, still holding Renn's lantern.  He gave Renn's lantern back to him and assumed his position as Blacky had indicated.

"An excellent plan," Arachne said cheerfully.  "And putting me in the middle like that will help keep me from trying to run away before it's appropriate.  And away from the lanterns, too.  Don't worry, Aloysius:  If it gets too gloomy between front and back, I can guide you.  Best thing for a useless gnome anyway," she added.  "As in, woof.  I wonder what I should be _trying_ to do?"  Absently, she got out her sling and moved over to the wizard.

Cethyran moved to the front near Echo. Watching her check the opening for traps. She stayed well clear of the human mage.

"I don't see any traps," Echo said when she finished looking around.  "Are we ready?"

After Aloysius gave the lantern back to Renn, he spoke to Blacky.  "Er, Eric?  I mean not to seem doubtful of thine expertise, but what about this:

Blacky, Jana
Cethyran, Echo (lantern)
Aloysius, Arachne
Daelen (flaming sword), Etienne
Renn

We only need Cethyran in the front rank in case we encounter the walking dead.  She can quickly present herself if need be if this formation is used.  Echo need only be in front if we encounter a door, or an odd looking passage of some sort.  If she inspects every square foot of passage, it will take us a full ride to walk 100 feet.  Again, if we see something that suggests a trap, she can quickly move forward to check it out. This formation gives us ample light, as well as stout fighters and undead repellers on both ends.  If we encounter an enemy, Daelen can simply use his sword, and Echo can either set her lantern down or pass it back to Arachne.  Someone is going to be inconvenienced by a light source."

The mage had rambled through the last portion of his plan quite quickly and was out of breath.  He seemed
to be quite embarrassed and then lowered his eyes towards his boots.

"Shall we?" Ceth asked Echo, and walked into the opening a short distance, waiting impatiently for the others.

"Shall we?" Echo asked nervously, "uh, okay."  She followed Ceth about two steps into the mine before stopping.

Jana turned to Blacky and said, "That makes a lot more sense to me.  And I have another lantern, in case we need a spare."

"I'll walk last, that way if anything comes up behind us, Snow'll hear em and the elves can shoot 'em with their bows while me and Snow hold 'em back." Daelen said, though he clearly wasn't thrilled with the idea. "As long as you folks don't get in the way I can make my way up to the front line if trouble comes that way too."

Aloysius watched as the two women entered the mine.  "'Twould appear that the die has been cast," he said
quietly.  "Well," he said in a louder voice, "it looks as if we are proceeding.  Daelen, might we use thy blade for light?"  He then got in line next to Arachne and waited for the others.

"Alright, lets do it that way." grumbled Blacky "I'd rather be up front anyway. Its more fun that way." He smiled to Jana and halted Echo and Ceth as he and Jana moved into the front rank.  "Lets push on then." Blacky said pulling out his two handed axe.
 

"This is ridiculous," Ceth said softly. "I cannot even see over you. Nor will Echo be able to find traps once you have fallen into them."

She shook her head and shrugged, allowing Blacky to go past her.  She fell to the back near Renn. "Would you mind if I walked here by you? I do not seem to be wanted up front and cannot see over the large humans that march there now."

"Your company would most certainly be welcome," Rennirolas replied in Elvish, adding a small smile.  "I have seen but few of the People since leaving my home, and the presence of a fellow Teu'Tel'Quessir brings a bit of joy back to my weary spirit."

Ceth blushed unexpectedly, also replying in Elvish. "My people have answered the call for Retreat and left for the Isle. I have not seen them in years, but there is something holding me to the mainland. And something that brought me here. I can only assume that Sehanine has some small task for me to do, before I can take my leave and join what is left of my family and my friends."

Blacky and Jana made their way to the front of the group while Cethyran retreated to the rear.  Echo was given a lantern, and Daelen's sword provided additional light at the rear of the group.

The smooth, regular stone at the entrance had obviously been widened by someone's hand.  The tunnel sloped gently downward as they began the descent into the old mines.  The air cooled slightly as they walked for a few minutes.  Directly ahead, the tunnel widened into a chamber.

Jana held an arm up a moment and whispered, "Hold up for a minute."  She peered ahead, then said, "it looks kina hazy up there, right before it widens."  She turned to Echo and whispered, "Your eyes are better than mine.  D'you see anything?"  She pointed to the area she thought was hazy-looking.

Echo moved up beside Jana.  "It does look sort of hazy.  I guess I should go look closer."  She waited for any objections before moving forward.

"Echo, wait," said Aloysius.  "I can not see what the two of thee refer to, but it might be one of two things.  It could be an enchantment of some sort, or it may be some type of underground gas.  If the latter is true, it may well prove highly combustible.  If you go forward, you may want to consider leaving the lantern behind.  Does anyone have an incantation for the detection of magic?"  He frowned.  "I do not."

Daelen's eyes widened and he looked at the flaming sword he held and he shifted uncomfortably at the thought that they might be shot out of the cave entrance like the projectile of some Gond-inspired (Gond-damned?) weapon.

"There's only one way to find out." he muttered, but did not move to experiment.

Jana scowled for a moment, then shrugged.  "You can see kind of good in bad light, right?" she asked Echo.  "If we have someone just hold the lantern here, think you could walk over there and take a look?  I'll come with you, in case there's anything hiding over there.  The lantern'll give me enough light to see well enough over there."  Jana quietly pulled out her sword.

"What are they looking at?" Arachne whispered, tugging on Aloysius's sleeve.  "I can see quite well in here -- especially when I keep from looking at the damned lantern.  And I could also tell you if whatever it is is just gas -- if you give me a moment.  Would you like me to look?"

"Apparently there be some type of haze ahead in the tunnel," replied Aloysius.  "If thou art able to
determine something about yon haze, I would favor that."

Ignoring the magical query, the gnome edged up to Echo, trying to shield her eyes from the lantern and also peer around the significant obstacle posed by Blacky and Jana.  "What's up?"

After peering ahead briefly, Arachne backed up again to the wizard.  "There's no smell that I can detect," she told Aloysius, softly.  "And it's a strange combustible gas that would hang visibly in just one portion of a cave.  Isn't there a warding spell that would look like that?  It's... um... wiccan watch?  That's not it...  Something like it, though.  If I were magical and wanted to secure the entrance to my lair,
I think a warding spell is what I'd use.  We could go around it, if you like."

Aloysius nodded as Arachne spoke.  "It may well be a ward of some sort," he agreed.  "Perhaps if I got a
little closer and could see it, I might be able to tell."

He looked at Echo.  "Echo, please keep the lantern close enogh to me so that I can see yon haze.  I shall endeavor to identify it if arcane in nature it be."

Aloysius crept slowly forward in the direction where the others said the haze was, making sure that Echo kept the lantern close enough so he could see.

After a few moments checking the haze down the passage, Aloysius returned to the group, his head lowered.

"Stargazer knows not what yon haze may be.  I can not even say if it is arcane or not.  Doubts have I that there is a danger of explosion."

Without offering an opinion as to further action, he returned to his spot next to Arachne.

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