Move 278:  Light, Still Up Ahead

Tunnels--Midday, Day 25 (10 Marpenoth)

Once the examination of the rock and scrap of paper was more or less complete, Renn cast a spell and Arachne concentrated on enhancing her senses. The light down the tunnel from them remained steady, not growing brighter or dimmer.

"Well, as we're now prepared, I think I should take a position where any attack might first come from, or something along those lines," the invisible elf said. "I'm not all that familiar with ambuscade techniques, but it seems to me that the front of the party would be the most sensible place for me to travel," Renn added.

"Arachne?" asked Aloysius, "Can you detect anything amiss?"

"Are we ready to move?" Echo asked. She pulled her cowl up. "Is there anything else we need to do?"

"Might as well find out what's making that damn light." Blacky said and prepared to move out.

"Let's go," Jana agreed.

"Yes, let's get this over with." Olaf draws his sword and moves to his place
in the marching order.

"Mmmm?" the gnome's soft voice replied. "Oh, I was just thinking about what Renn suggested -- his being at the front, I mean. It's a bit of work walking there, you know. When you're invisible. You want to watch ahead for trouble...and the sides and above you and down at your feet. But you also have to watch behind to make sure that companions aren't going to walk into you -- since they can't see you. And, unless you're significantly out front -- as if you were a scout -- there's going to be this weird-looking gap in our marching sequence where everyone else is refraining from walking because they _know_ that they don't want to step on you. That's the sort of clue that would help a smart enemy know there's someone there even if they can't see him."

"But I thought you were going to . . . sniff . . . or whate'er it is you do . . . to see if you can determine what might be ahead," replied Aloysius.   "Did you . . .er . . .do that yet?" he asked in a quieter voice.

"I got distracted," the gnome's voice said sheepishly.  "I haven't noticed anything unusual," she added.

Azrun shrugged his shoulders, "Well, if they need light then they aren't from around here.I guess we move up slowly and see what or who it is. Umm....I'm thinking if they start shooting or attacking i'm going to toss a
web in amongst them. That'll catch em off guard at least and might give us time to form up."

After some rearranging of the marching order, the party was ready to move forward. Once they started towards the lights, it was easier to tell that they were not far down the tunnel at all, a fact that had been difficult to tell earlier because the lights were so dim. Proceeding slowly and cautiously, they made their way to the edge of the lighted area. It was a continuation of the tunnel they were currently in; the light seemed to be provided solely by lumps of iridescent mold and fungus generously stuck in crevices in the walls and even scattered on the passage floor.

They could see two passages splitting off the main tunnel about 150 feet ahead of their present position, one to the right, one to the left. The center tunnel, the one they were in now, curved about twenty feet past the side passages, preventing them from being able to see any farther down it.

Aloysius surveyed the scene up ahead very carefully.  "Azrun? I don't suppose that book Tauster loaned you said anything about man-eating fungus?"

Azrun shook his head, "No, I don't remember seeing anything like that. I read mostly about the more sentient life forms with big teeth." He listened to the others' suggestions on what to do then agreed with Olaf on checking a
little bit of each tunnel before going on.

Looking around at the others, Aloysius added, "My vote is for the center passage. Carmeneren's map doesn't mention anything about branching off."

Echo nodded and stayed quiet behind her cowl. She worried the tail of her cloak restlessly.

"Do you suppose this was some sort of a base camp for the group that came before us?" Blacky asked.

"We should at least scout down the other tunnel a short ways to make sure nothing is hiding around that bend." Blacky commented.

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