Try to sneak into the temple.

Heeding the implied warning from the goddess, Sonja forgoes putting her clansman in danger and strikes off by herself for the ruin City of Theritie.

Knowing the country well the she-bandit makes good time by the light of the near full moon. Theritie was destroyed decades ago by its rival, the City of Khorbul. All that is now left is the underground temple of Bel, the lord of chaos and thieves. Several of her more foolish bandit clansmen go to the temple after a very successful heist, for the pretty priestesses of Bel are know to bestow their "blessings" on worshipers generous with their tithe. There is only one entrance into the temple, through a ramp going underground in the center of the city.

Having neither coin or a cock, Sonja decides stealth is her best choice. The rumors of an underground river used as a sewerage system for the city have come from several of her bandit friends, which the redhead brigand now banks on. As she makes her way through the woods Sonja gathers the materials for a torch. She already has flint and steel in her belt-pouch, and the forest provides a thick oak stick, birch bark and pine resin. The linen cloth comes from the bottom half of her shirt.

Coming over a hilly ridge Sonja makes out the ruins below. Even by the moonlight a mountain river can be clearly seen whining its way down to the former city. Following the river takes the she-bandit pass a partially collapsed guard tower to the entrance of an underground aqueduct.

Most of the stones on the entrance arch have fallen to rumble into the water below from years of neglect. Though the water is slow moving, and only a foot deep, the submerged stone footing is very slippery, making progress slow. Steadying herself against the moss covered wall, and thrusting her torch forward, Sonja careful navigates her way down into the darkness. With in a few moments the she-bandit comes across a large iron grate that was meant to block trespassers such as herself. Fortunately, a large hole has been ripped in the middle of it, and by the impaled skeleton wearing tattered armor Sonja surmises Khorbul forces used this path as a means of ****.

After going 50 yards, and nearly falling a half of dozen times, the she-bandit makes out a faint light far ahead. Putting the torch behind her Sonja confirms the light, the faint splashing sound, however, is more concerning.