Marchosias scans the bodies, suspicious of possible undead.  But the zombies hadn't seemed capable of cleverness.  They were fine.  Maybe.

He follows the Hunter, once more.

Grahl follows the others, making sure to control his breathing with the thick smoke nearing. Not knowing what kind of fumes might linger here. 

Once at the cave entrance, Onyx re-lit his torch (he'd put it out so he could safely strap his staff to his back as he climbed the ladder.) He peered inside before entering, trying to ensure the hunter was still within view.

(( Perception Check: 12 ))

(( Are we waiting on anyone in particular? ))

(OOC - not sure. Arbon had followed the hunter up the ladders and I was waiting for the next descriptor.)

Arbon pauses at the entrance of the cave after ascending the ladder, relighting his mace at the top and waiting for the rest of the group to get to the cave entrance.

Within the upper cavern walls you can see the same scrawled scribbles about, deep indents of carved stone breaks the surface of the flat black stone. Whatever slinked up the ladder has scurried deep within. 

Proceeding forward, the openings in the cave wall where the rail system might be serviced come into sight like view ports on a giant stone boat. The cables pulling back and forth toward refinery and mine are so thick they cannot be encircled with a single hand. 

You can feel there is a downward slope to the system, ever onward and downward it went back towards the mine shaft. The jittering im the caves resumes and you can hear something moving in the small tunnels ahead of you. 

Arbon listens to the jittering as he makes his way downwards, trying to recall if there was something in his past experience or readings that might indicate what is ahead (History: 22).

Looking at the marks in the wall, the only thing Arbon may determine is that it is not writing of any kind. Demons, devils, even slime creatures all have some method to their communication patterns, and he is completely positive that this has no such pattern. 

Arbon pushes on, creeping further towards the sound.

Onyx followed along as well, alert and ready.

Marchosias levels his crossbow as they advance.  He pays particular attention to the ground under his feat.  He'd hate to go sliding towards danger, no matter how gradual the slope might be.

Going along with the group Grahl stays quiet and moves to the side of the cave and tries to walk a bit behind the others, staying out of the direct light. 

He will attempt to move out of sight so he might surpise a creature that only sees the rest of the group. 

(stealth 8)

Chazrael draws his bow once more, watching the sides as they move forward.

Blending into the cave wall, Grahl disappears into the darkness as the group slowly passes him by, the torch light fading. The group continuing in the forward direction eventually ran into a cave wall far down the path, leaving Grahl well in the dark. 

At this cave wall, there is a split, it goes left and right as before. On the left is a hanging cart, perhaps the middle point where the last rail mounted transport remained. A good shove off the platform and it would continue down towards the mine shaft at great speed, assumingly slowing before hand to be unloaded and pulled back up the other side. On the right, another system of tunnels where the creature must have slid down increases its downward slop. 

In the darkness, Grahl watches and listens, hearing nothing for the first time in a long while. The mutterings about this haunted mine have not gone unnoticed by any of you, and the small whispers, light scratchings, and constant blowing of a feint and unnatural breeze have become near white noise. In the darkness, they have stopped. It remains entirely quiet outside the light of the group now far in the distance. 

there was silence, and nothing moved for long moments

The group looked about and the Hunter answered their puzzled looks about: Grahl, the Cart's steadiness, and the shadowed tunnel leading downward with a firmly indecisive shrug of the shoulders. 

"As far as I know, those carts carried tons of metal. They'll hold all of us and then some. You got me on everything else." 

(DM - how do we know that the creature slid down the right tunnel? Is there a trail?)

Arbon, noticing Grahl missing, squints back along the tunnel they came through to try and see him. "Seems our orcish friend has been waylaid. I'll head back to find him while you decide which way you wish to go." Arbon looks at the hanging cart and the tunnel on the left, then to the right. "I would probably prefer not to race down into whatever is waiting at the bottom of the shaft on the cart though. It will definitely be quicker going, yes, but also a cacophony of noise and hence a beacon for the creatures that lurk down here." And with that, Arbon treks back along the shaft, with his magically lit mace in hand, to find Grahl.

"Well, clearly, the right makes more sense," said Onyx, presuming more so than outright dismissing the others' thoughts. "Who wants to go sledding blind in a dirty old mine cart?"

He tensed up a bit as Arbon first headed back, then relaxed when he remembered he had his own light source. "Wish I'd brought better boots, though. One slip and we'll be sliding down anyways, like it or not."

He peered down the right tunnel, as if expecting something to jump out at them, while waiting for Arbon and Grahl to return.

Arbon continues slowly, holding his lit mace high, searching for the half-orc (perception: 18).

(OOC - oh wow, rubbish *shakes head*)

Grahl sees Arbon moving back assuming Arbon got scared and is trying to bail out. 

Suddenly Arbon is stopped by a barrier, Grahl holds out his axe like a blockade in front of Arbons chest. Appearing at the side of Arbon. Human no need be afraid. Grahl still here. Shield human protect front of group. Grahl catch sneaky creature. 

He tilts his head motioning Arbon to get back with the group. 

Once he does Grahl will continue to walk just outside the light shaking his head. Mumbling You challenge Grahl again Gruumsh? Grahl will honor Gruumsh, turn foolish humans into warriors. 

"Haha not afraid Grahl. Just making sure you weren't left behind." Arbon says, putting his hand on the half-orc's shoulder. He turns to return back to the group then pauses and looks over his shoulder to the half-orc, "Gruumsh wouldn't let you run, I know that. But there's no dishonour in fighting together either, friend. I look forward to honouring your god, and mine, in the battles to come."

Chazrael nods. "I don't really care for gods - and that's no disrespect. To each their own. I always enjoy destroying evil."