Chapter One, Part One: Fires over Brinestump

[TheTick]

"What's this then?"

Faraway examines the hilt.

While futzing with the hilt, Faraway finds a compartment that reveals itself when you press on the end of the hilt just so.  A mithral scroll tube falls out, landing on the rocky floor with a *ping*.  Picking it up, he unscrews it and slides out a slip of paper, wrapped tightly.  Too small to be a spell scroll, when unrolled it appears to be a note written on fine watermarked paper.  Unfortunately, it is written in Tien, but you know Ameiko could translate it.

[Phil]

"I agree.  Surely there must be something else for us to find here."

"It appears you are correct, Jeddy.  I suppose I should not be surprised at a little prescience from an oracle."

[Lotofsnow]

Faraway holds up the note to his allies with a small shrug.

"Sometimes I wish I'd taken up Ameiko on her offer to learn some Tien."

[SpamHead]

OOC: I thought there was a path going behind the skeleton.

[TheTick]

The drag marks led to the chest, and there are no further tunnels here.  There were a couple of other tunnels you didn't explore while following the trail however.

[Lotofsnow]

"Our task was to investigate the ships and the drag marks. I think we should get this note to Ameiko as soon as possible. Let us return to her and leave the creatures of the cave in peace."

[Phil]

The paladin looks a bit uncomfortable with that idea.  "But how can we know there is not more to find in the caves?  Another chest?  More of the undead?  I am concerned that we may leave another piece of the puzzle undiscovered if we do not at least give a cursory exploration of the other chambers."

I'm actually fine leaving now if everyone wants to, but the video gamer in me has pretty much never left a path unexplored in a mission.  Its just against my nature to do so!

[Lotofsnow]

"I understand your curiosity, Owen; however, I saw no evidence that the path of the chest diverged or anything diverged from it. While I have no doubt there are creatures existing in the other tunnels, they are likely part of the cave's natural ecosystem. I would hesitate to disrupt them. In fact, we have done the cave a great service by destroying the skeletal guardian. Now, more creatures can make their homes in the depths."

Faraway's voice is kind, but his convictions are firm. There is no pleading. He's simply stating the truth as he sees it.

"If there is more to this mystery, perhaps it lies within the chest itself. Could the contents be a decoy? Perhaps something to distract thieves from searching further."

With that, Faraway begins searching the chest for secret compartments.

This dice roll has been tampered with!
Perception 1d20+6 : 7 + 6, total 13

[Phil]

"Very well.  I will trust your druid instincts here."  Owen concedes.

[TheTick]

Faraway finds no hidden compartment.

(I'm giving the others a chance to comment, then I'll write up your return to town if there are no objections)

[SpamHead]

"I think that if one part of the cave contains undead like this than how do we know whether the rest of the cave was affected? If this-" Horcrust gestures to the skeleton sprawled on the ground "was in the cave than something else could easily be in the rest of the cave."

Horcrust does not really believe anything he is saying, but hopes there is more where the chest came from.

Bluff Roll = 1d20+8 : 14+8 = 22

[SteveRogers]

S'Vith takes a seated position on the floor and begins stretching.  With eyes closed, he mutters, "I think it best we cover the rest of this cave now.  Or else allow whatever other creatues within more time to regroup."

[Lotofsnow]

"Other creatures? Regroup? The only threat we spied in here was the skeleton guardian. So, when we stumble upon and slaughter a mother bear who chooses to defend her cubs, we are preventing them from regrouping? I saw no humanoid tracks during our trek into the cave."

[SpamHead]

"And why would skeletons only inhabit one part of a cave and leave the rest untouched. If there are any mother bears the skeletons probably killed them already."

[SteveRogers]

S'Vith scowls at Faraway, "You'll forgive me if I don't want to trust my life to your tracking ability.  We know not what may be in other chambers of the cave.  If we leave and our presence here is discovered, I don't trust these caves to be hospitable to a return trip."