[color=00a651][center]Malkai[/center][/color]

Malkai drove the caravan forward in stoic quiet, half driving the horses, half meditating. He needed to keep his senses sharp even in these vast deserts. He did not want to get ambushed again. Falchion had been sent out to scout ahead as usual, though they didn't go so far that Flachion would spot anything before the group arrived. Malkai smelled it before they saw; the stench of death and decay. It was fresh too, not the same stale smell from mummified corpses. Sure enough once they arrived to the temple there were the corpses of gnolls spread around the place. The corpses were wrapped in thick cloth, not unusual for mummification but also bound in such a way that it would even keep rotting bones and flesh together. Obviously guardians of this temple, even after death.

Everyone began to spread out and search. That was their first mistake. In his greed Malkai had hoped that perhaps one of the gnoll leaders had left weapons or equipment, but before the half-orc could react he fell into a deep dark chasm. Malkai had barely enough time to brace himself before he fell into a pile of skeletal corpses. He should count his luck; Malkai was only a few feet away from Forbes, who was impaled on large rocks. He could hear the wolf's sad whimpers before he was put out of his misery by Alexander. Malkai wasn't going to pretend that he sympathized with Alexander, but Malkai would pay his respects to the noble beast and leave his body alone. As tempting as harvesting it for ingredients would be.

[color=00a651]"Ach... That was rather painful. Anyone else alive?"[/color]

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[color=7ea7d8][center]Veridis Quo[/center][/color]

Once everyone got on the road Veridis allowed himself to calm down about Kalista. He could worry as much as he'd want, but there was nothing he could do but make sure he didn't end up dead weight. He tuned his lute, cleaned his sword, and organized his tombs. As he waited in the back, holding the lute in his hands, Veridis's mind went back to a time before. An exciting time, to get his body pumped and ready for the wicked adventure he'll no doubt see soon. And accompanying this memory was a [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xl2C28hMN2U]song[/url]. He could remember it as if he was witnessing it himself first hand: A round table. 

Veridis sat across a mountain of a man. A rogue, a bandit, a villain. Veridis had come straight to him to offer him a choice: surrender peacefully, or face swift justice. Outnumbered by ten and the shortest of the bunch Veridis was certain that he would have lost. But perhaps that would have been the case if he faced them with only his blade. But he had wits on his side. Wits, and magic. Veridis could see it again. Swashbuckling against these vile foes, parrying and riposting their strikes before adding a dash of magic to befuddle and take away their advantages. Simple things; a spill of grease here, uncontrollable laughter there, and shattered glass everywhere. It wasn't just a fight, but a dance with the accompany music of battle. Veridis relied on these memories to keep him alive; these expereinces which he could apply to battles in the future. No doubt he'll be seeing more soon. 

Eventually the group stopped after they arrived to the temple. When they did however, a foul stench assaulted Veridis's nose. [color=7ea7d8]"Eug, disgusting. Smells like death."[/color] Veridis took a moment to prepare himself a makeshift mask to cover his mouth. he supposed it made sense; this was the temple to a dead god. Plenty of rotting corpses within, riddle with diseases and sickness. He hoped the party had brought anti-plagues. But as Veridis got out of the cart and got ready to look around, a large pit opened up. Many of the others were swallowed up by the sand and sent into an abyss. Veridis took a step forward, but when the sands started shifting underneath his feet he took retreated before he was sent plummeting into the darkness. By the time the hole stopped expanding, nearly half their party was consumed. It was far too deep for even the sunlight above to illuminating the darkness below. Veridis wished the best for the others, but he was almost certain that they may not have made it.

[color=7ea7d8]"Looks like we found an entrance. Should we try going down or taking the regular way instead?"[/color]