Though the journey to the caves should have been a short walk, the new Seekers would find themselves delayed for some time. Guards had been sent to retrieve two party members unaccounted for. From eyewitness accounts the Oni and Wraith were found and delivered to Scholar Printh and company. Once that had been dealt with the group began their trek to the mouth of the cave system. The entrance held the resemblance of a wound like a deep gash into the earth. Torches had been mounted to the walls of the cave, lighting the ways that had been explored and deemed safe for travel. Our heroes would go further than any other had gone before, to be enveloped by darkness in hoping to find a light. 

"I didn't think to see you outside the city, Printh. How have you been these past few days?", Sir Tavner let out a short chuckle as he saw the scholar appriach. The company he shared placed a puzzled look on his face as they grew closer before finally stopping before him. "Archivist Hervig's orders have sent me here, I'm afraid. While I'm not too fond of cave delving, I do relish the opportunity to claim a discovery for myself", Printh struggled to speak as he searched through his bag to grab his notebook and quill. Stopping himself halfway through his search he spoke again, "Ah yes, Dirron, these are our newest Seekers. They are Lance Corporal Eleanor Jehenne of Jumme, Rishi, Ansgar Staudinger, Amila Yilen 'The Sage of the Wilds', Krogier and his denmother, Jeggred, and Scarlet Wyrmcaller. Everyone this is Sir Dirron Tavner and Garren 'The Unbreakable' of Syrrendyl. These two gentlemen will be leading us through the cave" 

Dirron took a moment to examine these new "Seekers". [i]"The world's end has truly brought forth the strangest of us left"[/i], he thought to himself as his eyes fell upon the Oni. Taking off his helmet he turned to Garren with a look of disbelief as he looked back to address the group. "These caves run for miles, there are drops, tight crevices, unstable tunnels, and flooded tunnels. If you linger behind you will get lost and if that happens you're on your own. Garren and I have mapped out only a portion of this network and we aren't risking our necks or the group to save one of you. Should you get lost, your best bet is to look for the torches and follow them. Eventually you'll either reach the internal excavation site or the surface. With that said, let's head in. I'd prefer to be back in Venridge before nightfall", Dirron put his helmet back on and turned towards the cave before spinning back around. With a finger pointed towards the Denmother he spoke, "The tunnels will fit her but it will be a tight squeeze. Keep her under control when we're down there"

Without need of a response, Dirron headed into the cave with torch in hand, waving for the others to follow. As the Seekers ventured deeper into the depths, the formerly chaotic formations of the cave walls gave way to intricate carvings. The uneven ground beneath them began to flatten out as the cave became a dungeon of sorts. "The excavation site is a little further ahead. The miners are still down there but where we're headed is a bit out of the way. Once we pass through the site, whoever becomes lost is on their own", Dirron's voice echoed through the passageways, his words carrying themselves further into the darkness ahead. "Is the path to the obelisk mapped out at least?", asked Scholar Printh who just managed to not stumble on an uneven patch of the floor. "No, it is not. We'll be the first to go there after the intial group that vanished down there", Dirron did not stop to answer, his gaze fixed on the oath ahead. A few minutes later the path opened up to a large chamber filled with miners upon hastily made scaffolding. The sounds of their pickaxes working to clear a collapsed portion of the chamber filled the air, growing ever more harsh as they cane closer. 

"Dirron!", a voice called out from amongst the workers. A Omujirian man approached from amongst the other miners, his height and stocky build distinguishing him from the rest. "Hello, Suphis, how goes the work on the tunnel?", Dirron practically shouted to make his words heard over the deafening work of the excavators.

"Better than I expected, my friend. The men have gained new vitality after hearing news of the discovered chamber. They wish to hasten the healing of the world by clearing out whatever remains of these ruins"

"Then it seems I'll be returning down here soon", the two shared a laugh before a serious look came over Suphis.

"In truth, I am surprised that they wish to work at all. News of the lost exploration team has reached them but they do not seem bothered by it. Where one would be disheartened upon hearing such news they only press harder to their goal"

"Well the world is ending, they dont have time to stop and fear.  It is as you say, Suphis, they wish to see the world restored"

"Perhaps you are right. Safe travels, Dirron, may you find our salvation down there", Dirron nodded before turning to the group to signal their advance. Further and further down the Seekers went, deeper into the wound of the earth, seeking the answers to their world's suffering. The light of the torches from the main path could no longer reach them and the only illumination they possessed were the torches they'd been given. Down in those depths, the dark seemed to consume the light as one could not see beyond a few feet of themselves. The air was cold and still with no sounds beyond those of their own making. This place they had found themselves in was dead. Nothing, not even the smallest of insects dwelled down there. 

"Everyone stop!", Dirron's orders dominated the void they inhabited as the group's march came to a halt. "The walls are gone, we've entered a large chamber. I think we have arrived", something told the knight to look towards his feet, to the ground beside him. As he crouched down it became clear where they were. With a flick of his hand, a magelight was cast, bathing the room in a pale arcane light. The chamber they were in was massive, large enough to be used as an encampment for a small army. The ground pressed on towards the center of the chamber like a narrow land bridge while the area around the perimeter of the chamber was a sheer drop into impenetrable darkness. Two massive tunnels, one leading towards the center of the chamber and another trailing of towards the surface. At the center of it all stood what they had been searching for. The ground there stood like a pedastal above the black pits. An ornate platform resided at the centee of the chamber, intricately carved pillars and floor patterns that did not resemble anything known to this world. An obsidian obelisk stood admist the unknown architecture like a monument to whatever this place represented. As a whole, the structure somewhat resembled an altar of some kind with an unfamiliar language inscribed across almost every surface.

"Everyone, be careful. Whatever caused the initial team to vanish is probably still here. I want everyone to take note of as much of this place as possible. Write down whats written on these structures. It all needs to go back to Venridge for study. Printh, is there anything in particular you're looking for?", Dirron turned to Printh who possessed eyes of wonder and amazement at the sight of it all. Without hesitation, the scholar strode forward towards the obelisk, his mind too focused on this discovery to care for his safety. Upon crossing the bridge his eyes met a less fantastical sight. The decomposed body of a man, laid out before the obelisk as if he died in his sleep. "Dirron, come look at this", but the knight was already behind him. 

"That's not one of ours. His body has been here far longer...he killed himself", pointing towards the corpse's hand he revealed the dagger that plunged into the man's heart. In his other hand laid a notebook, old and worn but still intact. Dirron wrenched it from the dead grip of the body before lightly dusting it off and handing it to Printh. "Perhaps your answers lay here", Dirron rested at the foot of the obelisk, his foot kicking aside the body till it slid off into the depths. Printh watched as the corpse descended into darkness with pity before turning his attention back to the notebook. 

"I can't believe this...this notebook, that body...was the body of Ulric", Dirron turned his head to where he tossed the corpse. Taking off his helmet the same look of pity appeared on his face.

[i]To whoever finds this notebook, know that I am Lord Ulric Hegdhal of Venridge. This notebook shall be my final words to my family and to also convey the burden of my discovery to those who find it. To my wife, Iselin please forgive me, my love. I never meant to bring such pain to our world. I only wished for a world our children would no longer fear with such intensity. I wish I could have told you why I kept secrets from you in my final days, wgat I've learned had to be kept secret from those who would seek to destroy what I've found. To my son, Harald, look after our people. The duty of lord falls to you. I know I raised you to see our city through whatever blight is inflicted upon it. 

As for whoever finds this notebook, know this; our world is dying. In my final days I learned what afflicts our lands but I know I shall not live to see how it ends. As these are my final words, I wish to tell you my whole story so that those above may know the truth.

It was when my city began to suffer from the world's decay that I sought a way to save it. At first it meant improving the wealth of the city so I hired workers to mine the caves near Venridge in the hopes of finding silver. What we found was this undergound labyrinth. At some point the workers seemed off to me, they worked with such determination and ferocity I was impressed but did not look into why. It was when they discovered this room that I called my mage Guthrum to research the incriptions. We learned of the creators of this place,
this ancient people, who were down here with the purpose of stopping the decay. Our world's death is a cycle, with this revelation we looked further for an answer as to how long. I poured all I had into these ruins. I brought scholars from afar to help Guthrum in his research, I hired more miners to hasten the excavation of newly discovered passageways. It was only when it was too late did I realize my error. After some time, the ground began to quake. It grew in intensity as weeks went on. I was in this chamber when it happened, my obsession for this obelisk drew me to it and away from my family. I was taking notes for Guthrum when a massive creature dug into the chamber. It was large beyond my comprehension, as if it could swallow a fleet of ships in an instant. The creature came for me but it was halted. Some form of magic ward blocked its path. That was when the true horror was revealed. It spoke. With a voice of pire hatred it spoke to me, cursing my name and vowing to exact vengeance on me for failing to complete the task I had been given. Once its business with me had concluded it dug its way back into the ground, up towards the surface. Even with all the time I spent down here I knew where it was headed. My only hope is that Guthrum can find a way to stop it. 

Know this stranger, our world is ending but it can be saved. I've written below all I have translated from these ruins. My memory of their language is not as complete as Guthrum's but I hope this is enough. May the gods bless you on your journey, friend"[/i]

Printh closed the notebook for a moment, his mind contemplating the horror of what had just been revealed to them all. "All this time, we've mocked the man who was among the first to help us...may you find rest Ulric. Forgive us", Printh whispered a short prayer for the dead lord before returning to the notebook. "The translation is incomplete, Ulric left the unknown words in so we know where they fit. It says here that these people, this civilization, was known as The Eshonera. They knew of the decay's arrival before it started and had worked to find a way to prevent it. In their time the world was unified under their rule but as they poured more and more effort into finding a way to stop the decay, their empire collapsed. This place was their final attempt to save their race...that obelisk holds an Eshoneran with it", Printh began to feel all over the obelisk for some method of opening it. His attempts were futile as no matter how thoroughly he examined it, the obelisk remained sealed. "Maybe there's more to it, the notebook should tell me", Printh began nervously flipping through the pages, desperately searching for the answers.

"Is that wise, Printh"

"Dirron, whatever is causing our world to die is unknown to us. That Eshoneran in there is the answers to all of this. They are what we've been searching for"

"If it has all the answers, their people would still be here"

"We will know more when we talk to them, we cant let this opportunity pass us by"

"I know, Printh, but we don't know what it's capable of. If they can remain alive for this long down here and build all this, who know what else they can do. What if they possess magic, what if they are hostile?"

"We outnumber it, I'm sure we could handle it, if it attacks. We need to do this, it is a risk worth taking", Printh returned to the notebook for a moment, his finger running along as he searched for more knowledge. "Look here, the obelisk shall open upon the sensing of...of worthy souls. I honestly did not expect such an answer. Seems like a story for children", Printh let out a desperate laugh as he eyed the group. 

"I believe it wants us to all touch the obelisk, if we do that it should open to us"

Dirron rested his hand on the obelisk and almost instantly a faint humming sound was heard within. "I hope you're right, Printh", he said as he watched Printh place a hand on the obelisk, this time with the humming becoming slightly louder. "Alright, everyone get ready for whatever comes out of this thing"