Log Entries: Icejaw Pit

Icejaw Pit

(5 Oct 2001) Our heroes journey to the treacherous Icejaw Pit to begin their quest.

The Icejaw Pit
The dark woods thin out at this altitude, but barring the expedition's progress is a vast chasm which seems to breathe icy steam. Rocky spikes jut from both sides to further make it resemble its namesake, and it vanishes down into the rock to seem like a very throat, leading to some stony pit of digestion.

Several crows fly overhead, visible only as tiny specks of black in the sky, and the fleecy white clouds belie the heavy feeling of dread that seems to close in about the party. Perhaps there is the sound of growling from far away ... or perhaps it is only worry that lets them imagine it.

"Welcome to a place where death itself has seemed to walk," the Explorer announces to the others as he emerges from the tree line and near the edge of the pit. "The Icejaw Pit -- a dangerous place," he explains. "Proceed carefully and watch your footing."

"Foreboding it is indeed," Sir Lefallon says, glancing over to the Explorer from where he walks by one side of the ladies with hand on sword.

Redmane pauses to assemble and light her lantern, which she holds with her shield arm. "Are there other dwellers here aside from the Jruuh?" she asks.

"Oh ... whyever does evil always dwell in such a terrible place?" frets Angel as she follows along with the party. "And ... and really, Icejaw Pit? Well ... I suppose it does resemble jaws and a ... pit but ..." Her words trail off as she huddles her warm cloak around herself, drawing up the hood and causing her to resemble some fuzzy-headed mushroom with her cloak pulled tight and draping over her broad dress.

"Numerous creatures have been known to use the pit as a home from time to time. Large dragon-like reptiles, wolves, snakes. We must proceed with caution," the Explorer replies to Redmane, then digs in his pack and produces his lantern as well. "But, I did not see any such creatures when I last traveled here," he adds.

Raven twines her braid around her fingers, walking gingerly towards the chasm mouth. "I wish I could take more comfort in that, Lord Thomas. How long ago was your last sojourn to this place?"

"Not more than a couple weeks ago, Lady Raven," Thomas replies, "After seeing and hearing the sounds of this place, I called all of you to gather at the fortress immediately."

Marginally more reassured, the prophetess nods. Nonetheless, she waits for the explorer to lead the way into the darkness. A rune-carved sign warns off those who would venture here, while the remains of a ward that once blocked the mouth still linger around the edges.

The Explorer offers a reassuring rakish smile to the oracle. "I will enter first and make sure nothing awaits us just inside," Thomas starts to explain. "Knight Redmane, you and Sir Lefallon stay with the Princess and Lady Raven. I'll call out an all clear and then you all come in."

"Should we be tethered together, Lord Thomas?" Redmane asks.

The Explorer pauses and considers the tether. "No, I think that could only endanger us. If we need to flee quickly or break up and scatter to avoid an attack, we wouldn't be able to."

As the Princess of Mirari follows behind Lord Thomas, keeping well back and near Lady Redmane, she inspects the various signs and wards as she draws near them. "One would think this place its own ward," she comments to those near her. "Though ... it is intriguing seeing these elder runes. One wonders what might once have dwelt here that required such seals."

Sir Lefallon nods to the Explorer. "Aye, milord."

"Dragons," Redmane suggests. "I can think of few creatures that could negotiate such a chasm."

"... or what creature was capable of breaking it," Thomas adds, then asks, "Princess Angel, would you search your spell book and select a couple of spells to defend us if it should come to that?" He digs into his pack and produces a sturdy rope and looks about for a place to secure it, focusing on the jutting rocks that surround the pit.

As if in answer, a pale cave lizard can be seen as the party draws closer to the chasm, the reptile clinging to one of the protruding rocks, hunched in on itself, with its tail curled miserably around it. Every wisp of steam that crosses it causes it to tighten itself up for a moment until the fog passes. As the Explorer-led group navigates the jagged stones in their approach, it looks up, then sidles back on the rock, and slinks down from it, descending into the pit.

Thomas quickly lashes the rope to a rather large rock outcropping and tosses the other end over and into the pit. He pauses, listening to see if he can hear the end hit the bottom.

Redmane strains to listen as well ... for any sound at all coming from the pit.

"I suppose I could re-seal the chasm if necessary. In my studies I had come across such a spell," offers the princess with a nod. Carefully then she reaches for her book bag, a leather storage accessory of buckles and covers suspended by her arm much like a complicated form of purse -- a bag fit for the carrying of tomes and scrolls and bound close to ward the elements from its precious cargo. She works with undoing a buckle, then slides the Lady Sorceress's spell book from her bag before bracing it against her left forearm. "I will see what else I am able to find. Lady Redmane, do help guide me; my eyes will be necessarily distracted."

"Of course, Princess," the knight says automatically.

There are some scrabbling sounds down in the dark that reach Redmane's ears, of small blunt claws trying to keep purchase on slippery rocks.

Sir Lefallon stands close by, sword drawn and eyes on the forest as he takes up the job of rear guard. "Such a spell... It sounds as if it must be costly indeed. Let us pray it will not become necessary, my Lady."

"That is my hope as well, sir," says Angel to Sir Lefallon. "Magic is draining; it ought only to be performed when necessary. And I fear I am but a novice ... though, I swear by the royal name, I will do my best to aid you."

"You are too kind, Your Highness," replies the younger knight, looking very serious. "It is our duty to serve the Crown, but there, it is your nobility that shines through."

The princess smiles at that. "And it is the duty of the Crown to serve the people, as my father told me. Advice my father always held dear ... always ... until ... " The princess's smile wavers, and she shakes her head. "But you are too kind, sir."

Thomas runs his fingers through his wild black hair, then secures his lantern to his belt. The Explorer picks up the rope near the edge of the pit and rubs his thumb against it thoughtfully. "I'll head down now. I'll call up if I reach the bottom safely. If you do not hear from me ... then I ask you, Redmane and Lefallon, to make sure the Princess and Oracle make it back to Hawksmoor Keep safely," he says slowly.

"Of course, Lord Explorer," Redmane pledges.

"You may depend on me in every way, milord," Sir Lefallon pronounces, watching Thomas with eyes that suggest he wishes he could go with the Explorer at this moment.

Gathering her skirts to her, and drawing her cloak close against the cold, Lady Raven kneels beside the pit, watching as the Lord Explorer prepares his descent. "We shall not leave you here, m'lord," she says, "whatever you may say now." A crow caws in the distance, followed by the raucous cawing of several others, then the rustle of wings as they all take flight.

The signature roguish grin of Thomas creeps across his face. "Fear not, Lady Raven. I'm known for being able to escape the most difficult of situations. You and the Princess are more important," he says. He then swallows and looks at Lefallon and Redmane, the prophecy coming to mind. He shakes his head in an attempt to clear his thoughts, then grips the rope firmly and eases himself just over the edge.

Sir Lefallon looks about uneasily. The environs of the Icejaw Pit seem hardly fit for noble company ... as evidenced by the spiders, which draw his attention until he seems about to reach out and stamp to startle them from the Princess's presence. "This dark place crawls with dangerous things, my Ladies," he grumbles.

Redmane quietly grinds her teeth as she awaits the results of the descent.

"Oh, Lord Thomas is quite harmle--" The princess blinks, then laughs softly. "Oh, yes, spiders and ... and spiders ... " She eyes a nearby spider for a moment, then scoots a step away. "... and, other things, I'm sure ... " Her eyes follow the spider a moment, her nose wrinkles in distaste, and then she returns her gaze to her spell book.

A smile forms on Raven's lips as she notices the spiders, her gaze softened by the momentary distraction from the danger below. "Don't you like spiders, your highness?" she asks, sounding a little surprised.

"Darkness alone is dangerous enough," Redmane says, and kneels by the pit to check on Thomas' progress. "Spiders are harmless ... until they become dog sized or larger."

"I like spiders. They catch other pests," Raven explains, her voice quiet and words a little rushed, as she pauses to listen for sounds of progress below.

The rope going into the pit goes slack. Minutes pass, no signal from Thomas. Finally, the call comes echoing upward, "The immediate area down here is clear. Please climb down carefully. It's a fairly easy descent."

"I prefer things that skip in the sun, not ... " Princess Angel looks up from the book and at the spider again. " ... those that dwell in the darkness. Though, I suppose now that I look at it, it is not so very terrible." She reaches out a gloved hand and tries to get the spider to crawl from the rock to her finger. "I imagine some creatures never get a chance to see the light, and it is unfair for me to judge them so. But, you seemed surprised Lady Raven?"

"I just ... thought most people liked spiders," the oracle answers. She stands, her skirt swaying, and throws back her cloak. "I will go next, unless another would prefer?"

"I have no objection, Lady Raven," Redmane says, "although I will want to lower the Princess on the end of the rope rather than risk her climbing down unaided."

Lady Raven nods, and grasps the rope firmly, swinging down into the chasm, and soon vanishing from sight as she descends to join the lead explorer. A few more minutes pass before the rope slackens again.

Sir Lefallon looks nervous as the Princess acquires a new pet. "Are you certain that is wise, Your Highness? Even very small insects may carry stinging poisons. Certainly it is no creature fit for a gentle and well brought-up princess."

The spider crawls on to Angel's finger after a moment, and she smiles down at it. "Hello, little one," she greets the arachnid. She looks up and turns her smile to the male knight. "Yes, not so bad at all. Isn't it the Crown's duty to protect creatures great and small? Come, look, ... " She extends her hand so the knight can see the spider more carefully.

Redmane begins pulling up the rope once Lady Raven is down safely. "Princess, I'll want to tie this around your waist, if you don't mind."

The princess nods after a moment, distracted as she is with the process of parlaying with one of the smaller subjects of Mirari. "Yes, of course, Knight Redmane."

"You have heard the story of the snake and the kindly old man, have you not, my lady?" the younger knight says, apparently not inclined to lean closer to examine this wonder of nature.

"I have not," answers the princess. Seeing the knight would rather not meet the small arachnid, she extends her finger back to the wall and allows for the spider to depart.

Redmane ties the end of the rope into a loop around the Princess' waist, with enough slack to keep it from squeezing her.

"It is said that an old man who lived on a mountain came upon a snake that had come unseasonably out of its hole when the winter was raging, and found it frozen fast to the ground," Sir Lefallon recites as the Princess is about to make her descent. "Being kinder than wise, he took it to its home and warmed it gently by the fire, and gave it milk from his pet cow on which to feed while it recovered...."

"Is this comfortable, Your Highness?" the knight asks after testing the knot.

The princess listens with rapt attention, and nods when the knight poses her question. "Oh, quite acceptable yes," she answers.

"It recovered and seemed healthy, and even content with its situation," the younger knight says with doleful face. "And yet, when he reached out to pick it up, doubtless so that he could give it a name that befit another of his pets, it turned about and -- I cannot say this in any kinder words, my Lady -- it bit him to death. His ghost rose to Heaven, and he spoke to Saint Peter, who guards the gate, asking, 'Why has God let this happen? Have I not been good to all his creatures and done his bidding in every way?'"

Redmane puts on her gloves, and waits for the tale to end before taking up the rope.

Continuing to listen, spider-free, the princess takes a moment to tuck her spell book away while the story continues. Her nose wrinkles at the part where the man gets bitten to death, though.

Sir Lefallon ends the tale in a soft voice. "Saint Peter told him, 'It is in every creature to act according to its nature. You have done well by your own, my friend, and by your kindness shall you be admitted to God's land. But the snake acted according to its own nature. How should God ask it to do otherwise?' And the old man bowed his head and entered within the gates."

"I think I understand," says the princess. She smiles a little, inclines her head to the knight, then nods to Lady Redmane. "We are ready, then. Please inform Lord Thomas?"

"A wise lesson, Sir Lefallon," Redmane says, before calling down into the pit, "I'm ready to lower the Princess!"

Sir Lefallon looks a little heartened that his tale has been of some help. He turns about and faces the woods to stand guard again, sword drawn.

"Okay!" comes the reply, "We're waiting and keeping watch down here."

"Hold tight to the rope, Princess, and use your legs to guide your descent," Redmane says as she passes the rope behind her back, holding onto it with both hands to turn herself into a makeshift pulley.

With her hands held tightly around the rope the princess peers down in to the black pit. "I ... feel rather like a spider myself, now, I think," she mentions, voice unsteadied by apprehension. "Pull as you will, my knight."

Redmane nods, and begins playing out the rope to lower the Princess.

The princess descends with relative ease, only once needing to extend her foot and push away from the wall. When she does so -- about midway down -- across her she catches a faint whitish outline in the gloom, vaguely lizard-like and quadruped, be-tailed and with a triangular head. The reptile is crouched on an uncomfortably cramped ledge, huddled as far back into a crevice as it can manage, and while it's hard to see amongst the mist, its eyes reflect some small measure of light from above. She blinks at the sight, but a moment later and she's past it. In a few minutes, the line slacks, and down below the princess begins untying herself. "I've arrived, thank you Lady Redmane!" she calls back up.

Up above, Redmane calls down, "Okay, step out of the rope then!" While she rests for a bit, she asks Sir Lefallon, "Want to go next?"

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