(http://kabegami.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/EXY4Zj.jpg)
The water’s icy chill swept over Jonias as he lowered himself into its darkness, though his sight allowed darkvision, the hues of grey in the deep, dark caved proved difficult discern. Running his finger over the walls as he descended the ruins and carvings seemed both familiar and foreign. A strange phenomenon that spoke of races as old as time that had split apart of the millennia. His lungs burned has he continued past the point he gauged he would not be able to return too unaided. The two inflated wineskins following closely behind, escorted by the invisible power of his cantrip.
The tunnel opened into a grand scene before it descended down into blackness. Small hovels were carved intricately into the walls circling the massive cavern, some larger and more elaborate than others. Taking his first breath from the leather pouch, the artificer pressed on. The Nundarian temple held many wonders for Jonias, as he approached the nearest open doorway he found a basic one room apartment with the regular amenities for any elven commoner. As he peered around the area, the familiar sting filled his chest as the urge for fresh oxygen pressed on him. Several breaths worth of air hovered at the top of the room, trapped by the low ceiling.
The elf is able to remain down below the surface of the water for several hours, siphoning trapped air from the ceilings of rooms, refilling his wine skins and traveling from room to room. The area appears long abandoned, as all rooms are devoid of anything organic save an occasional cave dwelling water creature. The histories Jonais discovers tell of a proud race forced to flee from their oceanic home. “The Great Awakening” was the catalyst for these events though he is unable to recall or discern any more details regarding the event.
After discovering this home, the elves lived a quiet, but prosperous life of solitude, researching and studying various art, magic, mathematics, and sciences. During that time, the mythal was discovered in the cavern and the portal to plane of water had been opened. The Nundrians utilized their access to the other plane as a haven for the open ocean loving race. As history often repeats, as quickly as the race’s presence in this cavern appeared, it ceased. Nearly two thousand year prior, with no indication of what occurred.
Leaving another abode, Jonais pauses to discovered he has wondered quite a bit deeper than perhaps he anticipated. During his reflection, he catches the quick movement of several creatures far deeper than him, the soft aqua glow of their bodies quickly streak deeper into the darkness below.