With another day of adventuring under her metaphorical belt, Smoke took a look around herself and considered whether it would be worth retreating to the surface, to a popular node, or to settle into a sheltered corner in order to rest. After much contemplation and a little bit of travel time calculation, she decided that heading to 'safer' spots would be more effort than she had energy for. Besides, she didn't need to overnight out here in order to feel sufficiently recharged to travel furthe...

Exploring is thirsty work, so it was with this in mind that Smoke turned her attention toward finding an appropriate source to slake her thirst. It was a mission easier said that done, as the abundance of growth within the caverns meant that the air always had the scent of moisture to it. But a perceptive nose would notice how it waxed and waned through the tunnels. Which eventually she did, and after some puzzling and a series of trials and errors brought her to a small alcove into which an ...

For several hours now Smoke's explorations had been of nothing but the mundane. Strange mushrooms and lichens, flowering mosses in sky-light pocked caverns, peculiar stone formations projecting from the ground and the ceiling and occasionally the walls. Plenty of tunnels lit by torches marking the path from the surface to the lower levels and to points of general interest. More tunnels dimly illuminated by bioluminesence of various types both expected and unexpected. It was highly over...

What the...? was the only thought running through Smoke's mind as she stood in bewilderment only a couple steps into this newest cavern. It was enormous, and would have actually felt that way if it wasn't for the multitude of faintly fuzzy columns of what was very clearly not stone. They originated from the roof as relatively thin points that gradually broadened to a consistent diameter before shrinking again. None of them actually touched the floor, and the further up she looked the...

All had seemed to be going splendid on this foray into the dungeons, until it very much seemed like a problem. "Well drat," muttered the grullo as she took stock of the situation. She stood, not quite alone, in the middle of a chamber with multiple exits, trying to figure out which one had been the one she'd entered from. This wouldn't be so hard, but she'd gotten distracted by the ceiling. You see, when she had looked up (to check for potential dangers such as bats or loose stalactite...