[center] [@Sho Minazuki][@Landaus Five-One][@Spectral][/center]

It had seemed the plan to distract and run worked out. The group came across another decent spot to rest for the night, and made camp. Typical forest chattered on, but they remained otherwise unaccosted this time, even able to eat something. Carver certainly was excited at that prospect, even if his rations were homemade jerky. The next morning, at first light, they set out again. It took another day and a half of travel - crossing rivers, trying to keep their footing on crumbling ledges, and making their way through dense underbrush that had overgrown parts of the path - to finally reach their destination. 

[center][img]https://www.wallpaperup.com/uploads/wallpapers/2013/06/17/103971/84a3264d09a4ec0f3ba86d359a3daf81-700.jpg[/img][/center]

The forest ruins hide under tall, ancient trees. Pathways once kept up were now crumbled and overgrown, or broken and moved by roots no longer hidden beneath the earth. Crumbled out bridges lead to other collapsed buildings. The main hold, carved into part of the mountain, stood firm, though. A few columns decorating the entrance may have fallen or broken up, but there wasn't much blocking the pathway in.

Carver pulled out his notebook and verified a few things he'd written in it before giggling, "[color=darkkhaki]Oh this is absolutely perfect.[/color]" He made no delays in heading straight in. The first room had grand vaulted ceilings with tile art crumbled in places, columns lined the length, but much of the artwork carved into them was covered by large clusters of vines that crept up their height. Damaged tapestries hung between pillars, and broken tables littered the ground with broken pots and forgotten nondescript rubble of what might be destroyed relics of the culture lost to time. 

Further in, the next room opened with a window carved into the ceiling higher up, faded mirrors were set up in various places along the ceiling to cast the light in various angles and help provide a bit of natural lighting so it wasn't all darkness; a few of the sconces fixed to the columns and walls lay amongst rubble where their holding locations had crumbled. Like the previous room, there was rubble scattered around the held what appeared to be destroyed scrolls or pottery and relics, as well as other threadbare tapestries either still managing to cling to the walls or piled on the ground amongst rubble. Nine archways led further into the mountain. 

Crouching down, Carver dug through his backpack again to retrieve a different field notebook. He flipped through the pages quickly, finger scrolling down page after page as he searched for just the right information. "[color=darkkhaki]Right, yes, so according to this we are in a greeting chamber. So...[/color]" He stood while keeping his attention fixed to the page. "[color=darkkhaki]If we go, this way[/color]- " he pointed - "[color=darkkhaki]we should end up finding the great hall, which doubled as the throne room. The treasure room is down that way [/color]- " he pointed again - "[color=darkkhaki]And the sleeping quarters are that way[/color] - " with another point - "[color=darkkahki]which is where we would logically find the royal sleeping chambers. So considering the layout means we will be heading from one side of the ruins to the other, we might as well start in the throne room, where my research indicates is the most logical location for the scepter to be located.[/color]" 

He shoved the book into a pocket inside his jacket, and slung his backpack back on his shoulders. He pulled a flashlight out and turned it on, before heading off into the darkened passage he first indicated to the others. Like the previous two rooms they'd walked through, this had huge columns carved out to support the vaulted ceiling. There were more sections that had crumbled with time, and scarce sections of light broke through the cracks in the ceiling to paint the room in a mix of dusty light and sheer darkness. At the far end, caught in a quick flash of light, was the dais on which a set of thrones sat among other crumbled bits. Skeletons scattered around the room in vague piles in remnants of what they had been wearing at the time of their demise, much like that sat on the throne itself. A glint of something caught the beam of the flashlight at the far end of the room and Carver smiled more. "[color=darkkhaki]Perfect! This is going much better than I anticipated. That might actually be it,[/color]" he said as he picked up his pace into the room.

"[color=olivedrab]Hey! This is my stuff. Get out.[/color]" A bellowing voice came from a dark corner Carver hadn't shown a flashlight on yet. Not long after, a huge boulder came hurdling their way.