Thanks, Sendy. I completely agree. I spent a few hours recreating that tileset (because I really do like it) and that was enough of a horror. I'll be recreating ideas from my sketches rather than any of the screenshots I've posted up.
I'll add some more stuff about the level in this topic for the moment. The water was something I wasn't too worried about - I'm more interested in using my time creating critters and other custom objects, after all, water is pretty much water. Elixir of life, and all that, sure. :p But you can't really tell it apart even if I did make some myself.
I'm also planning on creating lighting maps for some areas, the pictured cave being one of them. Something to give these "discoveries" a little more interest.
Oh, and the cipher? Well. It's a human language, I'll start you off with that. :p
-Apte