Snippet #2469433

As the group follows one another down the dark passage, soon the light of the lamps and torches become unnecessary. A bright glow can be seen issuing from the other end of the tunnel as the its stretch ends in another neatly round exit. Moving slowly and with great caution the guards ready themselves and Dravon now pulls his own sword as the group breaches the entrance. What lays before them was not expected to be seen however, it was a large and widely untouched room built of stone with pillars supporting its inner structure. There was a scooped divot in the wall that lead all along its length on both sides and it was from this that a strong flame burned, casting a constant amber light.

Dravon took a step only for his foot to hit something, looking down it was revealed to be a small section of leather padding. A piece that was taken off a section of armor or clothing. Everyone could see that it was not just one piece but a vast array of discarded objects and they made a trail upwards toward the center of the room. As their eyes followed a figure could be seen laying amongst the rubble and several small dark silhouettes moved about its surface.

When the group closed its distance it was easy to see now what was going on.
The figure was a man laying on the floor of the room and his body was being stripped of its protective gear. The dirt and filth caking his face and hands easily revealed him to be a member of the dig team, but life was not present in his features. His skin was pale and his eyes were wide from the last moments of his life as his face sat turned to the side and looking to them, as if asking for help even after the fact.

A lite scuttling noise could be heard from the creatures on him however, each was no bigger then the size of a large house cat and they moved with quick jutting motions. The Captain of the guardsman wiped some sweat from his face and knelt for a somewhat closer look. "Its a small collection of Krawl..why would they be stripping him of his clothing?"
One of the other guardsmen pulls up his rifle and takes aim but Dravon places his hand on the barrel and sways his head at the decision. There are only three of them at the moment and they have yet to even begin to notice the group since their arrival.

The little insect like creatures have dark nearly onyx color shells and a somewhat bulbous body, perpetually hunched over in a leaning figure. Each works with its small claws and mandibles to pull away sections of fabric, pulling off small sections of the mans protective clothing leaving only his underclothes. Only when they approach too close do the Krawl take notice and give some form of stance. Holding up their small pincer like claws and taking a broad stance like a crab on the shore, before running scared as they close into the last four feet. They flee out through a door at the opposite end of the room with their chitin covered legs snapping sounds against the stonework.

Dravon takes a knee at the mans side while the Captain sends his men ahead to secure what ground they can, just in case the Krawl return in force. Looking the man over for a few moments, Dravon reaches down to shut the eyes of the departed and begins to thumb through what belongings he still has. "His body has nearly been picked clean." He looks at the mans linen shirt and pulls at it with his fingers revealing a five inch long slit in his chest.
"Well.. whatever killed him could not have been the Krawl. A weapon was used.. and it cauterized the wound as well." With care he rolled the man over to reveal an equal would on his back, but this one had some small sign of blood and a lightly singed section of cloth around it. "I would say a sword, with a broad blade and a long reach.."

"He was killed right here as well."

He noticed as he ran a finger along a matching impression in the floor of the room.

Steps came back from the doorway as two of the guards returned with heavy looks on their faces. "Sir.. your going to want to see this." One said with a deep draw of his voice and the two ran back through the door.