The Exemplars follow the tracks that branch off to the right down the passage and into a larger chamber that's been smoothed out. The walls glisten in the torchlight from moisture seeping down from the mountain peaks. The tracks end with another cart by a stone block to keep the cart from derailing.

Faint dripping sounds echo from another corner where a stalactite hangs over the rotted and rusted remains of a barrel. There's also a chimney dug into the rock along with a second block where a rusted anvil has tipped over - unmistakable signs of an old forge.

The passage seems to continue past all this and slope downwards.

"Harald! Where are you Harald? We're coming, just come to the light!" Brodd 'shouts' in a soft voice, but not a whisper or a yell.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:07, Tue 21 May 2019.

"Most of the bards I've known couldn't shut up," Ali couldn't help but offer, in a quiet voice.  "This one makes no more sound than a church mouse."         She did hope he was okay, though.  There'd been more than enough death, recently.

Manaku steps briefly into the area with the chimney and anvil, scanning for signs of Harald with his infravision.

No such luck.

Manaku nods. "He's not here. Further down," he urges, pointing to the passage beyond.

Holding his torch and leading the mule, Brodd follows behind Manaku and Einhard, looking for Harald.

Einhard continues forward shouting for the bard. "Harald, where the hell have you wandered off too?! Let's go, we've got places to go and people to save."

Dwarghar followed close to the Knightly Einhard, feeling a natural air of leadership emanating from his character.

The party advances, and the passage narrows to double-file. The stone floor is cut into short steps at regular intervals. There also alcoves dug into the walls at measured lengths as well, where you find glass oil lamps whose wicks burned out long ago. The ceiling slopes as well to the point that the steed has to lower its head as its being lead.

Brodd continues to lead Sasar, the mule, yes, he named it Sasar, down the steps behind Einhard and Manaku, looking for Harald who had wandered off during the commotion.

Dwarghar inspects the corridors they travel through, inspecting to see if there has been any recent work done on these ancient looking hallways.

It's decent work, better than human construction, not goblinkin for sure, but the scale is smaller than dwarven work, almost certainly gnomish. But the wooden supports you do see are in bad shape. He pushes on one and dust falls from the ceiling. That rockslide they just escaped - and any others since the place was abandoned - might have shifted the pressure on the supports.

Manaku takes all this in but presses on, keeping an eye open for any secret or concealed doors as he does. His thoughts are mostly on exploration for exploration's sake and finding Harald; he leaves the side-searching to everyone else.

Manaku senses nothing especially unusual, so far...

He turns to make sure everyone else is coming with him and presses on if they are.

Amalrik eventually decides that guarding the lever is a waste of time, and walks along the side passage. His strides lengthen as he until he catches sight of the column moving along. Rear guard for a change.

The party comes to a set of wide double doors. The wooden planks look damp and rotten, and the hinges are coated with rust. The top hinge on the right door is broken, so that half leans downward slightly, offsetting the left half. For handles there are iron brackets, and an iron bar has been slid through them (as per design).

"How did Harald shut and bar the door behind him? Or... how did his captors shut and bar the door behind them? Take a listen, but something's strange about this..."

Regdoc scratched absently at Chomper who had positioned himself perfectly for just such a thing.

Manaku listens at the double doors but hears nothing. He waves at Dwarghar. "Listen hear to see if you hear anything," he urges.

21:48, Today: Manaku rolled 5 using 1d6.  Listening at door.

As Manaku checks the door, Creston turns around and guards the rear.

"Harald did not pass the doors, that is evident."

"I hope he didn't pass on the doors, either, because Manaku is pressing his face against them."

Einhard looked confused. "Did we miss a side passage or something? We did here him calling out, right?" He faced back up the passageway and cupped his hands around his mouth. "HARALD! WHERE ARE YOU HIDING?!" he shouted.

Dwarghar mumbles to himself I sure hope nothing bad is in these halls, with all this racket we're making.

"There are kobolds down here. Gelatinous cubes too."

Manaku can't hear anything beyond the barred double doors with all the racket the party is making.

"Now shhhhh, let the man listen!" he hissed

Yagi pressed her large goblin ear to the door. She frowned, the pressed the side of Mr. Wong's skull to the door as well.

She stops, then seems to have a whispered conversation with the skull. She moves the stick as if it's nodding and shaking its head.

Alietra likewise gave it a try, having honed her hearing as something of an obsessive evesdropper throughout her life.

Alietra rolled 5 using 1d6.  listen... or maybe not....   

Amalrik approaches see almost everyone listening at the doors. Must be something very interesting on the other side he thinks ... So he moves closer to also lend an ear to the enthralled listening ones ...

Dwarghar stares in wonder at all the people squished against the door attempting to listen to something.

Chomper let out a little whine and cocked his head to one side.

"Alright fine!" Regdoc grumbled. "Go join the fools if you want to so badly!"

The guard dog licked his ample lips and padded over to the mob at the door, sniffing a bit before finally pressing his own floppy ear against the door to listen.

The dog perks his other ear as he listens. Then he presses his nose against the thin space between the door and stone floor.

After several sneezes, the dog backs away, looking disoriented and snapping at thin air.

"Bah! See? That'll teach you! Putting your nose where it doesn't belong! No doubt that chamber is to keep something IN rather than keep someone out... Come over here you mangy shedder..." Albricht scolded the hound, though he pulled a bit of cloth over his face... just in case.

"Would one of you mind opening it up before your ears put down roots into the rotting wood?"

Manaku nods and, lifting the bar, opens the door.

Amarik stands ready, nothing at all to be heard.

The bar is heavy, but with some straining and with a little help from Amalrik, the pair set the bar on the stone floor, far enough away to swing the door open.

[L O A D I N G  N E X T  S C E N E . . . P L E A S E  W A I T . . .]