There was a moment of cold dread which overwhelmed Nefri's hot-bloodedness. This eyesore was unforgivable, true, but she knew that certain death awaited her. For a moment, she stayed hidden behind cover, wondering,<em>waiting,</em>for the next movement. Movement that never came. Eventually her fear overwhelmed her, and she climbed sideways across the chasm while using<em>levitate</em>to beat a retreat.<br/><br/>Nefri was not to be seen at the Eightfold Academy that day, or tomorrow.<br/><br/><hr/><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;"><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: andale mono;">A Warm Body in Bed</span></span></div><br/>There was a knock upon Zelara's door, at Late Watch when the water clock's basins were nearly full. A familiar bespectacled face greeted her through the door's one-way spy hole. In her arms Rizzid held a folded-up silvery garment.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Detect Magic</div><div class="spoiler_body">The garment radiates faint abjuration.</div></div><br/>"Hello there, Mistress Dreth," she said with a smile. "Among my belongings I had a knitted cape made some months ago. I figured it'd be something you appreciate. It's a Cape of Catching, (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/wondrous-items/wondrous-items/c-d/cape-catching) a rather useful garment for defensive purposes."<br/><br/>After being let in, the commoner looked about the room.<br/><br/>"Heh, I bet you get a nice view of the place when you wake up," she said. "One time when excavating out in the wilds we came across a large circular pit of a similar size as this academy's tower. Folks were worried at the size and scope of the passageways created, curving to the point that they could only be dug by worm-like beings. Folks thought the worst and assumed it to be a nest of purple worms. But I knew that wasn't the case."<br/><br/><em>Roll a Knowledge Dungeoneering or Nature DC 12</em><br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Success</div><div class="spoiler_body">Purple worms usually leave behind purple flecks during times of molting as one way to know their passage.<br/><br/>"Right!" Rizzid says, impressed. "This is well-known among many travelers who have to deal with them, but then again most population centers aren't anywhere near those creatures, so the knowledge isn't as widespread as it should be."</div></div><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Failure</div><div class="spoiler_body">"There were no colored flecks to indicate their passage," Rizzid continued after confirming Zelara's ignorance. "It was molting season for such creatures, and when tunneling they can shed an awful lot!"<br/><br/>She sounded rather prideful, at knowing something Zelara didn't.</div></div><br/>"Guess what created the passages? Thoqquas! Yes, thoqquas. Apparently some summoner was out working in the passages. But even with the aid of such creatures, such excavation for one person would take...years. And we never found the responsible party. Guess it goes to show you, in a world this big there may as well be infinite surprises out there waiting for us."<br/><br/><em>Rizzid is more than willing to talk Zelara's ear off with many different tales, or they can focus on the reason she came and answer more questions about herself. Unless of course, Zelara has other things in mind for the night and wants to take her immediately...</em>