The climb back to the surface with the dead boy feels much slower than it should to the three heroes, but they are back on the surface soon enough, and as they make their way back down the hillside to the village, they are joined by the villagers, who make their way over to the group in ones and twos. By the time that they are back among the cluster of buildings that form the village proper, the heroes are leading a rough and ready funeral cortege.
By the door of the little shrine to Asklepios, god of healing, Lysimachus the headman stands waiting, with his daughter Amarande at his side. He steps forward to greet the returning party. "So, he is dead, then," says the priest, "I feared it was so."
The wailing family of the boy come to claim his corpse, pressing their near-incoherent thanks upon the party as the rest of the village come round to view the scene.
Amarande signals to the party to come inside the temple. "We need to talk, I think." Lysimachus nods his consent.
Before heading into the temple, Seraya does her best to console the mourning family a little. "I am so sorry for your loss... It is a personal failure to have not returned him safely to you. If there is anything at all I can do, please don't hesitate to ask. Athena's blessing upon you..."
With that, the paladin bows deeply before turning on her heel and heading for the temple.
The boy's family mumble their thanks for the blessing between their tears, and Seraya walks into the temple, which is mostly empty inside, apart from the statue of the god and a few couches for the sick and infirm to lie upon. There is a firmly padlocked door behind the statue, which is presumably where the temple treasures are kept.
Seraya and Hannah enter the temple,but Lysimachus and his daughter wait for Caflice to enter before speaking up about what's on their mind.
Caflice walks into the temple, looking at the place. As he enters, he speaks up. "We've found the missing boy. It looks like a place not intended for any man to enter."
Lysimachus nods. "Yet you returned alive, for which I am grateful. Please, tell me what you saw and did in the depths of the earth, if it is not too unpleasant remembering."
His daughter looks up. "We will also have another favour to ask of you, I am afraid, but please tell us about your adventure first."
She smiles at the three adventurers, and takes a seat beside her father.
Seraya takes a deep breath and frowns lightly. "There was an underground cavern, possibly uncovered when a column of stone fell. Inside we found a spike trap, where the boy's body was pulled out of. There was also a fog-filled arch that a spider creature came out of. It attacked us, and we defeated it. When we saw the missing boy's body, we decided to bring it back and to better prepare for a return trip."
Caflice nods gently. "There's more spike traps still inside that cavern. Whoever built that thing doesn't want anyone outside coming in." He looks towards Seraya. "I bet we'll be finding the thing that's been plagueing the villagers down there too..."
Lysimachus frowns. "You may be right, but the dangers..."
Amarande interrupts her father. "...will not be lessened merely by waiting. We need to act."
"I know." the old man says, "but the dangers are increased for the hasty and ill-prepared. If you intend to accompany our guests into the underground, I must ask you to spend some time in preparing a proper effort. That is, of course, if our guests are willing to countenance such a venture."
He turns to the three adventurers. Hannah looks at the floor and nods quietly. "I can't promise for the others, though." she says.
Caflice crosses his arms, looking between Seraya and Hannah. "Well, I'm game. There's little choice we have but to go down there and find out what's going on."
"You can count on me, elder." Internally Seraya tries not to worry whether this was or wasn't her Goddess's intended task. They'll need my help... it must be done.
Caflice looks towards Lysimachus. "So where do we go to prepare for a trip down into that cavern?"
"I do not know what you will need," Lysimachus says, "but here in the village we have torches and lamps and rope and such like, which may be invaluable. I also have, in the temple here, a few potions which I have been brewing, and that might be helpful in a pinch."
"Likewise," says Amarande, "I have written a couple of scrolls that might be of some use if I come with you into the cavern. I think we should take ropes and grapnels in case there's climbing to be done, lights so that we can see, food and drink in case we need them, tools in case we need to dig, and weapons to fight off the creatures of the darkness."
"If we're going to fight, I'd better make more bandages and collect some more healing herbs, in case Seraya hurts herself again." Hannah muses. Amarande looks a little surprised.
Seraya rolls a 3+7 = 10 on sense motive, a failure
"Yes, that all sounds appropriate. I'm not sure about you coming with us into the cavern, though, Amarande..." As far as the paladin knew, the woman had no combat training.
The girl looks surprised. "I can cast spells ; I don't need to be able to hit things to be useful."
Caflice nods, looking towards Amarande to try and read what her intent is. "Well, we do have a druid here, but if you really want to..."
Caflice rolls 10+3=13 for sense motive ; a fail
Amarande seems composed enough. "I assure you I know secrets that Hannah does not ; our abilities are complementary."
"Very well... after we get the equipment we'll need, you'll come with us to the cavern." She has no reason to deny the girl, and if she indeed can cast spells, she might be a major help to the expedition.
Caflice nods a little. "Well, she can go... But we must be careful. If the rest of that place is anything like the room we were in, I think that it must be filled with vicious monsters and traps."
The girl considers this. "I don't know anything about fighting or disarming traps, but I'm sure that you three do, so I will have to rely on your abilities in those areas, and I'll do what I can to make sure that you don't regret taking me along."
And so it is settled. Lysimachus says that he has sacrificed a chicken to read its entrails, and the auguries are not good for the party to set off until after the funeral ceremonies, some three days hence. This, then is how long the group has to prepare for its next exploration.
I'm assuming you will be taking a full load of adventuring kit with you. If there are any special preparations you want to make, or unusual you want to take, specify them in your replies before the game moves to the funeral proper.