UPDATE 5
Naskus carefully steps along the wall of the northerly passage in total darkness. The water below now roars at a fast pace. His elven sight begins to take in the space. A cave entrance in the eastern wall is at the same level as the dead cave fishers around the corner, so Naskus gives the cave a wide berth. The passage narrows gradually and the ceiling slopes downward. The water is now a deafening roar and Naskus sees that the river falls away perhaps 50 feet. He continues northward along the smoother ceiling and comes to another great cavern opening out to the east. The water seems to flow out through a narrow passage directly north, and a tall rough-hewn cave entrance sits on a wide landing just above water level to the northeast. It looks like some type of natural or man-made stairs lead up to the north in this cave. The great cavern itself reaches out to the east past the limit of sight.
A presence moves on the south wall of the cavern, not far from the ceiling. Naskus senses a humanoid shape at warm-blooded temperature. It sits in an alcove or small cave entrance, but it has stopped moving. He considers the layout of the caverns, and estimates that the figure is at the same height as the cave fishers to the south...and Oryeni.
Naskus hurries back past the falls, and around the cave entrance to the original easterly passage. He looks down and sees the heat emanating from Oryeni's hiding place. He continues east along the passage for a final look. The cold water below begins to show small eddys and turbulence in this section. Some of the current flows into a low cave entrance on the opposite south side of the passage.
Naskus moves closer and sees that the cave shows signs of masonry. The edge of the cave entrance seems to have been fitted with stones into an arch. The large keystone in the center is about five feet above the level of the water, but the radius of the arch seems to be about 15 or 20 feet. Naskus assumes that there is more masonry below the surface. The texture of the keystone comes into view. It appears to have been inscribed with an ancient runic script. There are only seven characters. Naskus recognizes a rune which would later become the letter 'E'. He assumes that this could be one of the many words held in common by the languages of the continent of Äram - such as a numeral, a greeting, a day of the week...or a curse.
Naskus carefully steps along the wall of the northerly passage in total darkness. The water below now roars at a fast pace. His elven sight begins to take in the space. A cave entrance in the eastern wall is at the same level as the dead cave fishers around the corner, so Naskus gives the cave a wide berth. The passage narrows gradually and the ceiling slopes downward. The water is now a deafening roar and Naskus sees that the river falls away perhaps 50 feet. He continues northward along the smoother ceiling and comes to another great cavern opening out to the east. The water seems to flow out through a narrow passage directly north, and a tall rough-hewn cave entrance sits on a wide landing just above water level to the northeast. It looks like some type of natural or man-made stairs lead up to the north in this cave. The great cavern itself reaches out to the east past the limit of sight.
A presence moves on the south wall of the cavern, not far from the ceiling. Naskus senses a humanoid shape at warm-blooded temperature. It sits in an alcove or small cave entrance, but it has stopped moving. He considers the layout of the caverns, and estimates that the figure is at the same height as the cave fishers to the south...and Oryeni.
Naskus hurries back past the falls, and around the cave entrance to the original easterly passage. He looks down and sees the heat emanating from Oryeni's hiding place. He continues east along the passage for a final look. The cold water below begins to show small eddys and turbulence in this section. Some of the current flows into a low cave entrance on the opposite south side of the passage.
Naskus moves closer and sees that the cave shows signs of masonry. The edge of the cave entrance seems to have been fitted with stones into an arch. The large keystone in the center is about five feet above the level of the water, but the radius of the arch seems to be about 15 or 20 feet. Naskus assumes that there is more masonry below the surface. The texture of the keystone comes into view. It appears to have been inscribed with an ancient runic script. There are only seven characters. Naskus recognizes a rune which would later become the letter 'E'. He assumes that this could be one of the many words held in common by the languages of the continent of Äram - such as a numeral, a greeting, a day of the week...or a curse.
