Rethal leads the group down the path, Oberon leading Grevase and Aseneth about 30' behind the ranger. Rethal can tell that the path is used more by humanoids than by game. Also, the humanoids are trying to keep the path hidden, but due to lack of knowledge or skill, they've left the path more used and obvious than they otherwise could have.
Following the winding path through the dark forest that presses close on both sides brings you at last through the thick belt of trees and to the entrance of what's either a large ravine or a small cavern, depending on your point of view. You'd estimate it's well over 400 feet long and over 100 feet wide. The narrow stream that paralleled the path trickles down the center of the ravine, forming great muddy puddles in several places, its source hidden in the trees that cluster at the far end of the ravine. Several other clumps of trees could hide almost anything up to and possibly including a giant. The walls of the ravine slop up steeply on either side - you have no doubt you can climb them, but you'd need both hands. Several cave mouths are visible on the slopes, are visible on the slopes, crude paths leading up to them; more may be hidden by the trees. As a chill wind blows into your face, you feel sure that you have in fact found the famous caves of chaos, where many an adventurer has sought fame and left only his or her bones behind.
Coming up behind you, Aseneth marvels, "I'm guessing that whatever lives here moved in after a group of adventurers supposedly cleared these caves about 20 years ago."
UPDATE: Letting you all know that a map was added to the first post of this thread. The map is the Caves of Chaos and it provides you with the view that the characters see. The party is entering the map from the east.
Rethal follows the tracks as they lead into the ravine. Various sets of tracks peal off and head towards the different cave mouths that dot the hillside. Most are too old to determine what they belonged to.
The freshest and most recent set of tracks appear to be of kobolds and lead approximately 250' along the floor of the ravine to a cave opening on the north side.
The cave is only about 5' high and is pitch black inside. The kobold tracks lead into the darkness.
Oberon waves the others back. Once they are huddled out of sight he will suggest "Now that we know about these caves we need to approach carefully. We should head back to get ropes, torches, etc and see if we can hire a little help before plunging in headfirst. "
Rethal will tell them the tracks are those of Kobolds heading into the cave. They are the freshes tracks. "I suggest leaving a couple people here hidden to watch the caves to see who is coming in and out of them as the rest head back for more supplies."
In Character: "Good thinking!" Gervase whispers to the others. "Let's make a communal shopping list so we don't carry unnecessary weight. I think Aseneth should be in the shopping party: Because you know the keep best, you can advise on recruitment," He smiles to the sage.
Taking into account what they are carrying, Gervase scribbles the following items onto a shopping list:
50ft hemp rope 1gp 20lb
10 iron spikes/pitons 3sp 5lb
Small hammer 1gp 3lb
Quarterstaff/pole - 4lb
Fishing hook 1sp -
50ft fishing line (Silk) 1gp 1
1 Crowbar 2gp 5lb
TOTAL 4gp, 4sp 37lbs
Recruit: A Thief + others
"Anything else?"
Out of Character: I took the price + weight of a crowbar from 5e Dungeons & Dragons and suggested the cost and weight of the fishing line as 1/10 of a silk rope.
Aseneth chimes in, "Although monitoring what comes and goes out of these caves is a good idea. We don't yet know what actually lives here. Leaving two of us here could have grave consequences. And yet hat doesn't even take into account what we might run into on the road. Besides a band of thieving halflings, there could be any number of other dangers out there. But, that being said, I'll follow what the professional adventurers suggest."