Stone Men In Water Street

[Bjorn]

Indeed.  Apparently, I need a refresher course on mine safety.  Sorry about that, guys, and thanks.

Now.  Was it just me, or did that lantern vanish?

[Brian]

It did indeed vanish, Victor agrees.  Methinks that, perhaps, 'down' is a direction left best ... unexplored.  Otherwise, we always have a grenade to explore for us, and feet to carry us to safety.

He pauses.  Once the sun sets.

Rez merely shrugs, having been further back, and therefore seeing only you two about to fall.

[Bjorn]

Bjorn taps his fingers across the hilt of Shinmyouken, a single rhythmic beat of each tip before stopping.  I don't think we can leave it unexplored.  Even letting aside the fact that we still don't know what, if anything, is causing the weather issues, this might be a threat to New Delphi.  

But the point about being able to run is a good one.

Okay.  Unless you or Nathan have an idea, it seems to me like the thing to do is explore the other shaft behind that shack.  Thoughts?

[Brian]

This sounds promising, Victor sends, shrugging.  I merely hope nothing emerges from this darkness behind us.

[Bjorn]

I do, too, Bjorn replies.  But I wouldn't worry less if we sat here waiting for something to burst out, either.  So we'll watch our backs and hope for the best.

Picking up the lit lantern and passing it to Victor, Bjorn lights the last lantern, and leads the way past the shack.

[Brian]

Out the back is more mineshaft.  Looking back, you can see that the tracks continue beneath the shed, though they're covered with crates.  This section of mine looks pretty much like the first, but seems to be curving back, probably towards the original cave-in.

[Bjorn]

Let's follow this a way, Bjorn suggests.  If this does lead back to the cave in the early part of the mine, then good odds say that it was triggered by a grenade trap, or something like it.  Might be some clues there.

[Brian]

After a while, you find evidence to suggest that a triggered grenade trap is exactly the cause of the cave-in.  An unlucky survivor is now nothing more than broken bones in torn (and filthy) khaki pants and a hawaiian shirt.  Victor raises an eyebrow.  A particularly large rock seems to be half-embedded in the skull; most likely the blast didn't kill him, but the propelled debris did.

[Bjorn]

Putting the lantern down on the floor, and moving very cautiously, watching for any sign of further tunnel instability, Bjorn searches through the remains.

[Brian]

You find a switchblade (in passable condition) a .22 magnum, and a leatherbound (intact!) wallet.  It contains an expired Miami driver's license, and belongs to one, "Montoya Ferino."  Also, ten thousand dollars in five hundred dollar bills, a handful of business cards, and a 'punch ten, get one free!' card for a Midnight Lanes in Miami.  Two more before you get a free game.

[Bjorn]

Cash and a name, Bjorn reports.  One more useful than the other, but probably neither all that useful until after we get out of the mine.  The knife and the gun probably aren't of much use.

Bjorn rifles through the business cards, looking for anything that might sprint out as being relevant.  So, anybody have ideas as to the next step?  Unless I missed something here or at the shack, the next thing to do would be to investigate whatever's at the bottom of the shaft, which doesn't seem like a good idea -- at least until dark.

[Brian]

Ah, the wisdom of entering a scary place when it is safest: night, Victor replies sardonically.  It does expand my options, though.

He looks at Nathan questioningly.  No ideas myself, but you, Nathan?

[Rezantis]

"Weaponry is always useful, in our line of work, so we might want to let the peoples upstairs know it's here.  And . . . night or day, makes no difference to me.  Equally dark down here."

Rez hums.

"And we'd better inform a few people exactly what we're doing, before we go caving. This kinda thing's pretty dangerous."

[Bjorn]

"Good call," Bjorn grunts.  "Plus I should let the crew know what the Oracle said, before I get myself killed."

With that, he brings the Dracos, Ginrai, Paul, and Rez-smudges into focus, and enters into a mindboard conversation that conveniently happens in the other thread.

[Bjorn]

Having pulled the mindboard back from Dracos, Paul, and Ginrai, Bjorn then focusses on the Lazarus-smudge (with Nathan still attached to the board).

Lazarus?