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-----Here and there vines dangle down and stick out into their path. Some of these vines have burrs or thorns that draw bloody scratches on the arms of some of the party. The scratches in turn become more irritated by sweat.
-----At various places along the tunnel, the vines and plants over them thin out somewhat. The adventurers find they can stick their head up through the tunnel momentarily for a breath of fresher air. As they peer out, the surrounding weeds and bushes are too high to see either where they came from or where they are heading.
-----Toward the end of their crawl, the tunnel seems to straighten and head directly for some unknown place. Although the tunnel heads straight strangely here it is darkest. Soon they can see in the distance that the tunnel ends up ahead and the end of the tunnel is lit by daylight.
-----Finally, they exit out of the tunnel into a clearing several yards across. By now the seven adventurers are somewhat scratched, irritated and worn. After a few minutes of stretching and standing in the clearing, they begin to quickly revive.
-----In the clearing, the weeds are not so high, only coming up to just below Sol’s knees. As they look around, the party can see they have come onto the site of an old castle ruin. To one side stands what remains of the castle’s curtain wall, now reduced to a section of stone wall covered by vines.
-----At the end of the wall, there is what remains of a guard tower. With its structure completely destroyed, there is only a large opening into the ground left. The opening is very dark and there are stairs leading down below.
-----All around the clearing it is surrounded by the high briar bushes dotted here and there with other tunnels that lead in and out of the clearing. One of the tunnels looks enormous compared with the others. This tunnel on the south side of the clearing looks like a creature twice the size of a human could pass through.
-----Sol looks at the larger briar clearing with reproach, "Now why couldn't they have found that entrance to play with." He mutters, before turning to regard the ruined castle with renewed interest. Halfheartedly slapping at another insect, Sol says to Raven, "Can ye still follow their tracks? I'm guessin' down th' stairs though."
-----Being by far the worst outfitted to trek through brambles, Sarah has an even more difficult time than most of the others. By the time she finally gets out, her dress has burrs and small rips all over it. She looks down at herself and starts picking off the burrs sighing something about how much clothes cost these days.
-----Finally she realizes they've made it to something. "Wow. Cool." She says, looking at the old fortress. "We should check this thing out even if they didn't go down there. I'm not saying now, maybe later." Her eyes wander over and see the larger opening. She smiles at Sol, showing she completely agrees with him, and proceeds to pick off more burrs and sticks while the group decides what to do.
-----Seth tries to brush off any dirt that has managed to accumulate on his clothes or hands. When he is finished, he readies his sling and a small piece of pork fat in his hand. "Well lead on!" As an afterthought, he adds, "By the way did anyone notice a fuller or tailor back in the town before?"
-----Raven gives Sol a slight smile, "Damn Sol, you're turning into a tracker!" Raven looks over the area, "Aye, that’s where the tracks lead."
-----Sol's ever quick grin returns, "Hah! Well then, lead on Raven. I'll back ye. We all ready?" Sol gives a quick check of his equipment, ensuring nothing fell out during the scrabble through the briar, before following Raven down the steps.
-----Everyone turns back to the dark opening in the ground as they hear a growl. Nearby, Raven’s wolf stands with its head down as if to spring on anything that might emerge from below. "Easy there, boy," Raven says as he takes a torch from Rinda. "we’ll see soon enough what’s down there."
-----As Raven lights the torch, Albert alights on the vine-covered wall. Looking down at everyone, he caws loudly as if out of boredom.
-----Standing before the dark opening, Raven holds the torch aloft and says to the others, "All right, stay together and keep it quiet until we see what’s under here. Keep an eye on each other and watch out for traps." Raven then draws a short sword in his other hand and carefully begins to descend the worn stone steps.
-----The steps, once those that descended from a fallen tower, proceed downward in a circular fashion. Soon the light behind the adventurers begins to fade as the spiraling steps take them further downward. Out of the darkness a musty stale smell greets them. The light from Raven’s torch flickers as it shines on the long cold stones.
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