Chapter 1 - Deep Delving

Felix approaches the edge of the Gloom. It was a dangerous undertaking, and it had taken a lot to convince him to try it. He brought a 30 ft length of rope with a metal pic on the end in case he needed to descend, but now he wishes he'd brought a machete instead. The foliage was thick and dangerous. He is a shorter man, thin and weary looking. He wears a dark colored shirt with a hood, under a leather vest. He has sturdy boots, dark trousers, and leather bracers. On his side is a satchel containing all his surgical tools, medicines, tonics, remedies, and other doctor supplies and on his hip is a small knife for protection. He has a thin beard across his always-frowning face.
"Well. How do you blokes plan on traversing this now that you've dragged me out here?" He complains.

Jonko's eye dart quickly from one place to another, searching for anything that might try to surprise them. A simple man he has his bow and quiver, filled with arrows, and a dagger for skinning. He is dressed in leather, skinned from the animals he has hunted, complete with a bone shoulder piece for decoration. His face is somewhat aged, scars littering most of it, an eye patch covers his left eye. His hair a mix between black and gray is messily cut and leads down to a full beard. "Would ya' quit yer complanin'. Desperate times call for desperate measures, it is up to us, for our clan, to get through this and find some supplies."

Felix frowns at Jonko's admonishment, but knew that the archer was right. He paces back and forth looking at the completely uninviting area. "Dark is usually fine, but completely dark is not." He squats and peers in at half-height. "I suggest we look around until we find an opening big enough for us, then move carefully. Unless either of you two thought to bring a blade to cut through it with?" He asks with a tone that suggests that he has more faith in one falling from the sky.

Sadoq has been scanning the scene some time with an enthusiastic light in his eyes. He waits for his companions' first remarks, then makes a merry snort. Heh, we've never seen the likes of this before. He softly pokes some plants ahead, with his usual metal rod's slanted-cut end, used for poking. He looks up several times, then at the others with a shrewd smile.
Then he produces a flask from his belt, and rubs some oily liquid into his hood and robe's backside from it. This will keep off the burn of acid - for a while. Don't get cocky, though, it's not real armor. - and hands it over to Jonko.

Using his rod to feel the ground, he starts to edge his way forward slowly, knowing they have to move sooner or later.

"Great, and now we are gonna have to get our clothes covered in more of your strange shit." Felix complains bitterly, remembering a previous venture where Toth had provided almost perfect fireproof clothes treatment. It had actually worked rather well, but the smell never fully came out of Felix's favorite coat. Despite his attitude, he uses the oil once Jonko finishes and hands it over. Then he passes it along to Zeno.

Sadoq looks back at Felix with a deliberately neutral look - You don't have to...

Jonko takes the oil and applies it, as much as he can but without taking too much, so the others get enough to be coated as well. When he is done, he hands it off to Felix "He's right no one is forcin' ye ta put it on, as weird as 'is methods are they oddly work." he starts to follow after Sadoq into the trees.

Zeno stands there, arm outstretched to receive the oil from Felix. He freezes slightly as Jonko grabs it away and applies it to himself. Huh. I guess I can wait. He just gives Felix a perplexed look when Jonko hands it back to him. Well that was rude.

Zeno takes the oil and starts to use it. "Thanks. Hopefully this stuff actually works" he says with a smirk. Zeno will take up the back after everyone else.

Going single file in the order we entered, (Sadoq, Jonko, Felix, and Zeno) the group attempts to move through while coming into as little actual contact with the foliage as possible. The group relies on Sadoq to keep his eyes and nose open to detect pools of acidic danger or carnivorous plants whenever he can. Jonko's role is to back him up if he slips and falls, having some of the best reflexes of the group, and to ensure no larger beast makes a meal of the group. Zeno actually does the same as Jonko, but ensuring that nothing takes them from the rear. Felix fulfills his primary duty of complaining and whining about having to be there.
The group does not always move in single formation, but the density of dangerous plants and goo's in the Gloom forces it. Usually they save this formation for sneaking past large groups of beasts (parasites of the beast) or cannibals, and it has saved them before.

Zeno is following in the rear, head turning in all directions, eyes never stopping. He is taking in everything but keeping an eye on the path behind them.

As they travel, Felix calms down. These people are important to him, and now that they are somewhere dangerous he does not want to give away their position to potential threats. If anything tries to see him, at least his dark clothes would help hide him. He tries to move as quietly as he can do that Zeno and Jonko can keep large insects or other threats at bay, and Sadoq can focus. At one point a drip of acidic ooze drops from above and lands on Jonko, eating a plum-sized hole through his sleeve and burning his skin. Doing his job, Felix uses an alkaline salve to neutralize the acid, then bandages the burn. He had stocked up on such things.