To the standing stones!

[Prince Herb]

Hannah leads the way out of the village, along the dirt track that leads up to the pastureland.   Before long, the large white stones of the circle can be seen in the distance, but reaching them takes much longer as the path winds back and forth up the hillside, always looking for the easiest route.

The upland pastures are a little cooler than the village, due to the altitude and the summer breeze blowing from the east, but still warm.   The shepherds and cowmen seek frequent shelter from the sun, but none now shelters in the shade of the great white stones, nor will they, Hannah surmises, seeing from the pattern of grazing that none of the animals is being let within a mile of the place.

Hannah rolls Knowledge : Nature 5+5=10

Finally the three adventurers arrive at the top of the small outcrop on which the stone circle stands.   It is perhaps thirty-feet in diameter, and somewhat overgrown.   Moss grows on some of the stones.

The white shafts of stone thrust up from the earth, decayed and broken.   Though some columns are bent, and others lean against their companion stones, only one stone has truly fallen over.

The fallen column has partially shattered, and chunks of stone are scattered about it and down the hillside below it.   The stone now lies outside the circle proper, leaving a dark cavity in the earth below.

Listen checks:

Seraya 13+1=14
Caflice 16+0=16
Hannah 4+7=11.

Caflice hears a gentle sussuration from the black depths of the cavity as the group draws near.   He glances around but sees nothing.   As the others stop and listen, they hear it too, though it is very faint.

[Seraya]

Frowning as she listens to the murmuring, Seraya draws her sword as quietly as she can. Maybe it's the missing boy, but one can never be too careful. She glances at Caflice and Hannah, ready to call out a hello to see if it's the boy or not.

[Robbie]

Caflice nods, and quietly pulls out his bow, drawing out a arrow and drawing it back.

[Chimera_Zero]

Hannah nods to Caflice and readies her dagger.

[Prince Herb]

The seconds tick by slowly, but nothing happens.   The long grass ripples in the summer breeze, and the sussuration from below continues to gently issue forth, but no monster, or anything else comes from the pit.

[Seraya]

"Hello! Is anyone there?" If anything didn't know they were there, they knew now... Seraya just hoped she hadn't just gotten them all in deeper trouble than they could handle.

[Robbie]

Caflice moves slightly closer to the edge of the pit, expecting something to emerge. "Maybe it's doing something down there?"

[Prince Herb]

As Caflice approaches the edge of the pit, he feels a warm, moist current of air rising from out of the darkness.   Peering down, he sees slick stone steps leading into the earth.

[Chimera_Zero]

Hannah does and says nothing and simply lets the others continue what they're doing.

[Seraya]

Seraya steps to beside Caflice, frowning when she sees the steps. "No direction to go but down, I suppose. Who has a light?"

[Robbie]

Caflice nods. "I have some iron, flint and tinder somewhere... Anyone have a torch?"

[Chimera_Zero]

Hannah frowns. "Nope, I don't have a torch. Sorry."

[Prince Herb]

And, after all, why should she?   After all, as a druidess, Hannah knows the Light spell, which is clearly superior to any torch.

[Seraya]

"Okay, no torches... illumnation spells, perhaps?" She wasn't sure of either of her temporary partners' abilities, so if they had to they'd go back and get a lantern. So much for being prepared... forgive me, my Goddess.

[Robbie]

Caflice sighed. "I never knew we were going to go underground... He looks over at Hannah. "You do have a spell that'll illuminate the area, don't you?"