The Old Crew pt. 4

The way down wasn’t far at all, about three times his height once Tarmen could properly gauge it.
Stairs had once led down into the darkness, now broken apart and weathered down all around them. It would have made a grand entrance in their prime, but now Tarmen couldn’t help chuckling at how the rock had been beaten back into a more natural state after all the effort made to try and tame it. He also noted the sounds of water before spotting a sizable stream running the floor on one side of the chamber.
Once they had settled onto the first level of the cave, a torch was lit so the group could see more of the main room they now wandered.
Tarmen saw no immediate sign of the wayward newbie, making him wonder just how quickly the boy could have gotten himself killed.
Another whistle echoed around them, quickly answered by a slightly muffled response out of sight.

“In a corridor, so far there haven’t been any traps or collapse triggers.”

Tarmen could finally count the boy as stupid, continuing to ignore any reason instead of waiting.

“Get your ass back in here or it’s going on the first trap we DO find.”

In a few moments a dim light bobbed through the void, revealing the other half of the room and the passage it was in that went deeper into the ruins.
Lu’nep panted in soon after, giving a sheepish smile like he always did. One of the younger generation of native Kru’ll, Tarmen had been trying to take him under his wing as a potential second for Traps once he left, though this endeavor had been met with much irritation. He expected no less, but that didn’t help his temper when the boy relied too much on his looks.
This time Lu’nep earned a smack on the back of the head and lost his torch rights for the dungeon, Tarmen passing it on to Mataz. More would be waiting for him back at the base, but for now they had work to do.

“Make sure the boy stays with us and look for any other doorways.”
He looked to his second while thrusting a thumb at Lu’nep.
“Traps, do your thing and make sure he wasn’t as lucky as he is thickheaded.”

Finally giving the room more attention, he could take in how spacious it was. With the group of five they had, there was plenty of movement between them and he could barely make out the cave ceiling above them. With a wide estimate he could guess around sixty feet long and thirty wide. Unless other structures had once been here, he couldn’t understand why someone would want to make such a long entrance. The remaining evidence of the stairs hinted at maybe five, at most ten, feet, so there would be plenty of leg work regardless.

Tarmen then pondered on the makings of the cave itself, what parts remained natural or had been dug out or added by human hands. Had it been found this deep or been mined, maybe it had been a mine of sorts and then repurposed? With no wall supports to see he had doubts on that thought.
The only thing that came to mind that had decent standing was religion. This place could be some sort of temple that required them to take their sweet ass time when praying or something.
Whatever it was for, the lack of any other passageway meant they would be walking it themselves, back the way Lu’nep had come.

Traps came back quicker than expected, a look of pained confusion adding suspicion to his report as he held his throat. He waved it away as dust irritating his throat, though Tarmen noted he continued to rub the old wound there as he spoke.

“Not a thread Boss. Whoever built this place ei’her didn’t have shoot, or didn’t feel the need for ‘em.”

Tarmen nodded, then whistled for the others to follow into the lone tunnel in the back.

The man-made portion of the tunnel was a bit tight, the walls around them not giving enough room to fully stretch neither up or to the sides. Tarmen always hated these parts, where man thought it was best to constrict movement and not allow space for even two people to pass. Why this was such a common practice was alien to him.
He had the boy behind him as they quietly walked, looking to see what he had accomplished in his time alone.

“Well, the passage goes on a fair bit, then turns. I hadn’t reached the turn yet, but again, no traps or anything! Maybe they were a bunch of stupid poor monks?”

Tarmen pretended not to hear the quiet groans of everyone just thinking of such a fate, rendering this all worthless. He knew that they couldn’t even have a good reason to beat up Mathias, since his map was right, just not knowledgeable on what was there. It wouldn’t be a good night if they were denied both.
Reaching the turn in question, the dead air suddenly felt oppressive. They had reached a part wholly cut off from the fresh air outside and he turned his head to the others.

“Alright, we’re bein’ quick here. Not quite sure what the boy’s tolerance is, so everyone watch him. Any sign of Ruin Brain and we leave.”

Firm agreements all around and they continued.
Tarmen went over his mantra to avoid it himself.

Tarmen. Traps. Mataz. Mia. Lu’nep.
Five people in, five people out.

One of the first things he usually saw go with Ruin Brain was who you were with. If you split up, you could often forget anyone not at your back. Another reason he demanded they stay together and why Lu’nep now had his ire.
With the turn came the first real stairs they had seen, leading down into the dark. He almost wanted to turn back now, having no interest in risking more long ass halls that could add to the potential madness.
What stayed his doubts was a brief tickle on his cheek. Not from behind, like a final gasp from the cave mouth to sustain them, but from the endless void before them.
Looks like this ruin had some cracks, which meant less concern for RB. A small grin crept on him as he liked their odds a fair bit better now, starting the journey down.

The expanse that greeted them was awe inspiring. If the false tunnel they had walked was only to protect it from the outside world, Tarmen wouldn’t need a better excuse. He picked up a small gasp from Mira, letting him know he wasn’t the only one enjoying the view.

Below them was a plaza of sorts, bigger than even the entrance way and littered with roots and debris. In the center of the rectangle sat a podium-thing, to Tarmen it just looked like an ornate pillar from a distance but guessed it had some greater purpose.
Whatever it was, the glint of metal was apparent.
Looking to the source of the dull shine was what had drawn his attention initially. A long crag in the roof of this place allowed the briefest glimpse of light through the network of limbs and roots over their head.
He could have soaked in the atmosphere for a long time if it wasn’t for a chunk of rock that suddenly fell from a hidden perch above, plummeting onto the plaza with a thud.

“Alright, looks like we’re already unwelcome, so get to findin’ somethin’ before we collapse the place.”

With the go ahead the others dispersed to different parts of the undergrowth. Tarmen himself took out a notebook and began sketching, keeping a close eye on Lu’nep while taking notes.