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Katten swaps to her hand axe and begins to climb down. The passage is damp and uneven, but plenty of handholds and the narrow passage make it easy enough to keep one's purchase by pressing against opposite surfaces with elbows and knees.

She descends some 60 feet or so at an angle until the passage begins to level off, clearly carved by natural erosion. Her whiskers detect the faint stir of air and the mustiness of the air begins to freshen

Findalsip winced at the sound of the scraping metal as Katten goes into the opening. He marvels at her bravery. He is keeping track of where they are in the the cavern. Nothing in the chest excites him but the stones yet they aren’t rubies. He agrees with helping the group provision. “Perhaps some of the items belong to the freed people” he remarks.

She hugs herself against a wall, making herself look small as she moves onwards. Was this an escape route? She ponders.

Katten continues on down the twists and turns of the tunnel as it shortens but widens out. More and more fresh air fills the space until eventually it opens to the outside.

The pale blue of moonlight reveals the far wall of the chasm, though the exit is shielded by a wide overhanging rock. A ledge runs off to the West that curves around the natural irregularities in the canyon wall. From here it seems she must be 60 feet or so down from the Chasm edge itself!

Findalsip gathers what he can so that he can return items to their rightful owners. The captives could use some better news in addition to their freedom.

Nocturno will wait patiently at the edge of the hole Katten went into. Listening for signs of trouble.

Marvelling at the sight she pauses, allowing her body to take in the fresher air.

"Come. See. Strange." Katten calls back keeping the axe close as she steps carefully towards the edge.

Noturno will sheath his weapon, and crawl in.

Findalsip’s curiosity gets the better of him and follows in the opening. The change in the air lets him know he is close to surface. He will cautiously approach where Katten is and then break out his journal and make notes about this cave system and the openings to it.

"Find path?" She ponders this quietly, "We look." She pats Nocturno on the side. "Be safe."

Findalsip will head back up allowing the two friends their moment. He wants to find the owners of the goods they found.

Fin gathers up the equipment and treasures from the Chief's in one of the larger animal skins like a sack while Katten explores the tunnel. After he joins the others and the Felis calls for them to come see what lies at the end both he and Nocturno follow through the narrow passage.

The abrupt cliff descends into darkness. For the Ranger and the High Elf, the pit itself seems even more daunting in the darkness; like a great yawning void opening to devour the very world. The Svirfneblin marvels at the massive maw of darkness, and notes other ledges and shadowed recesses on the far side that could easily be peeking passages lying in wait. He knew from experience that such tunnels and natural formations lay far below their current vantage, deep in the earth yet exposed to the wall of the tremendous chasm... in fact, it was one such that led him to the discovery of it's existence many years past.

Wetrock Chief's Lair: Postern
Agreeing to see how the westward ledge proceeds, Katten continues onward. Her nimble paws find the stony passage easy enough for one of her skill and nature; likely even a cautious or agile human could traverse it without too much risk. Small pebbles and grit tumble in spots, and tiny flecks break free underfoot but for the most part the path remains stable. After a few hundred feet it switches back and finally emerges on level ground at the precipice. Scanning the familiar terrain, Katten determines she is likely no more than a couple hundred yards from the Wetrock Cavern Entrance.


Wetrock Chief's Lair: Interior
Nocturno and Fin make their way down the corridor leading towards the main chamber, where they are soon met by Linar. He looks past them searchingly but they quickly explain the passage leading to the ledge, and the decision for Katten to explore it further. He nods, The captives have been freed but they have a torch with them, so protect your eyesight. The Drow leads them back to the main chamber, and the pair can see a dozen new faces with Aldgild, including her three teenage sons. Among the others are an Elven woman with a much younger Elven male who bears a familial resemblance, a Half-Elven man who seems to be past his middle years, a female Rock Gnome, a Hill Dwarf with the look of a miner to him, a pair of human woman sticking close together and two other human men. Several of the group are armed with goblin spears or axes from the dead guards.

Just as Linar is about call out to the freed captives he stops. To his fellow adventurers he gestures silently to the East where a pair of fresh worgs with riders scan the carnage of the battle, and seem to have just noticed the escaping slaves...

(just checking so the path leads back out to the chasm again?)

[The path leads up to the surface. and I apparently copied an incomplete version from my word doc to the forum... Fixed now ]