Ok, from the semi-consensus I can see, I think I'll nudge you guys along. Investigate the waterfall to see if you can avoid the Trolins. Yell if, on retrospect, that's not something you want to do!
While it was not an overwhelmingly positive point, it was at least a point. The waterfall would seem to put. Depsite Haynuus stating upright with no apparent fatigue, his manner was a little quieter and focused than before, and more importantly his body couldn't hide the mass of bruising and cuts he possessed. Trolins above, and Trolins beyond. The crack was, perhaps, not an escape from danger.
There were certainly predators around here, but also the group had managed to defeat them before.
Most importantly, the waterfall still had its unnatural glow - what was the source of that? And surely there might be something behind the waterfall. If not a means of escape, then at least a small recess they could shalter behind away from the sight of predators. And wouldn't the waterfall disrupt their scents from those not relying on eyesight alone?
Westian had a preference for dealing with known dangers, instead of the unknown. However, a small voice he wasn't even aware of in his mind did want to see this natural wonder. And consciously, there was a small amount of calm he felt when he thought of the waterfall. Was his connection still present to Larethian? Was the High Lord sending him a small, subtle sign of the rightness of that course?
The group made off along the wall, Ameena hugging what shadows she could, and Westian and Haynuus walking not too far out from the wall, providing a bodyguard back and front (
I'm assuming this would be right, I'll need a party 'order').
As the group got closer, their aches and pains and losses were temporarily forgetten. Partially as the noise and scent of water grew tenfold, the roaring was a physical distraction like a child pulling on an arm, making them unable to think or dwell. Even the scent of the oddly fresh water of this lake and waterfall was overwhleming, it felt pushed into their noses and mouths.
However, those facts paled in comparison to the sight itself, and provided distraction from even the discomfort. The closer they got, the more they could see that the end of the cavern opened up. The waterfall was more vast than it could have been imagined, stretching up hundreds and hundreds of feet up a vast chimney. Here and there, some small flying speck could be seen dancing in the area above, even the occasional flick of vegitation swaying in the mists.
The reason for the light of the waterfall became partially clear. The chimney continued all the way tothe top of Mount Anaias, and out. A hole in the side of the mountain, perhaps near the top. The group had been in here for what felt like day, weeks, months. However, the reality was that it was not even a full day that had passed, and sunlight streamed in from high above, amplifying and playing with the sparkingly, inviting waterfall as it stretched up into the infinity. Evenin this deepest darkest place, light could intrude and illuminate and provide a brief respite. Even trapped as it felt down here under the weight of the earth, thre was a reminder that the real world could intrude. That there were ways to leave this place. Little rainbows formed as the group moved their head or changed position, as light caught the offspray.
The sight and scale might make the group feel small, but it was also a reminder of the High Lords. It was very likely the Grey Lord had scultped or even formed from nothing this place. What did it say about the might of the High Lords, when their mind was turned to something?
Looking to the waterfall itself and the surroundings, the group could see that there was one area of a narrow ledge that would be erqually as hard to navigate as their path above had been. Worse, it was narrow on this bottom level, so the water could get very close to them. Still, it looked liek the ledge opened up once more beside the waterfall. It was not clear if a path continued well beyond the waterfall, but there was definitely a space to rest as might be hoped.
There was only one wrong note to this spectacle. After spotting it in the cascade, it was even easier to spot the wrongness in the waterfall. There was no churning mess of water, there roar was not overpowering at the interface between lake and waterfall. The waterfall was not, infact, falling. The waterfall did not feed the lake, apparently the lake fed the water that climbed up to reach the sun.
And then, a second wrong note was introduced, as gradually the party became aware of the odd small black dot in the waterfall. There was something unmoving, hovering tens of feet up. It took a moment to resolve the shape in the playful distortions of the water. It seemed black. It seemed human sized and proportioned. A hopeful mind could have perhaps thought it was Aurek, but at the very least it was likely a blackskull soldier, trapped by an unknown force.
And then, all at once, the three companions heard the roaring of the waterfall take shape in their ears, felt the roaring of the waterfall that was resounding on the chests shape into emotional sensationion, and even felt words form as if they had crawled into their mind from the air around them.
Who disturbed the coterminous existence of VI and OH The sensation was haughty. It was powerful. And it felt as if it already knew the answer to their question.
And we shall leave it there. Assume you are pretty close to the waterfall just now, just a very narrow ledge to traverse. Assume it's too loud to properly hear what is going on without standign very close to one another and shouting.
Anyway, of course the cavern, waterfall, and the taking of Aurek (linked to his very, veyr early actions in Soorec's room) would end up having a point. And of course, I would have happily ditched it if you guys decided to go into Trolin country. Still, here you go. Enjoy the pay-off 
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