[Child of the 7th Age]

As they emerged from the narrow passageway, Luindal led the main group of Elves and Lossoth towards the middle of the first cavern. The Elves' footsteps echoed eerily as they silently made their way through the passage. There was a blackness in the cave that was a hundred times darker than the deepest forest glade on a night with no moon. If only, mused Luindal, we had brought a dwarf with us, preferably one who likes cold weather and could swim. He would feel at home here. But it was no use dwelling on what might have been. They'd need to do the best that they could with the people and equipment they had.

Reminding the group of the purpose of their mission, he then suggested their next step: "We must scour the floor of the cave, as well as any ledges and crannies to search for the Stones. We probably won't be so lucky to have them laid out in full view. More likely, they will be buried in mud and silt with only a portion of the Stone showing above."

"Remember too that each of the Stones is different. The Stone of Annúminas is small, no more than twelve inches across. The Stone of Amon Sûl is so large that it will take more than one of us to lift it. Both will be shaped like globes, and made of black crystal. Still, if we find one, the other likely won't be far off."

With that, Luindal got to his knees, staked out his torch beside him, and began to feel very slowly with his hands amid the mud and silt, searching for any objects that were hard and round. He explained what he was doing. "Let's comb the floor of the main cavern first. If you find anything of hard crystal, dark in color and half buried in the mud, then let me know and we'll get someone to help you dig so we can see have a look at it. After searching this cavern, if nothing turns up, we may need to split up to explore the side tunnels. "

"But if you do find anything, use you hands, your pick axes too if that's needed--only gently. And please, no dawdling. I don't care to be here when the tide comes in!" With that, several of the Lossoth and Elves got down on their knees and proceeded to feel their way along the floor of the cave in the manner that Luindal had shown them.

A few of the party had already gone off to investigate one of the side tunnels: Galhardir along with two of the Elves. But most of the group were still gathered in the central cavern, crawling about on their hands and knees.

Seeing a small brown bat come flitting into the main cavern, Luindal beckoned him over and, despite the gravity of their situation, impishly observed, "Rôg, you're looking unusually good today, much better than I am, if I may so. However, I need a bit more information about those side tunnels. I have a feeling that nothing will turn up in this main cavern, and we'll have to spread out our search shortly. Any ideas on what order we should tackle those caverns. We might as well search the most dangerous ones first, those that are likely to flood the earliest, so we get them out of the way."