“Sweet, Auto. I knew you’d make yourself useful.”
I’ll lower Auto and a torch down the well slowly so he can look around and find any other hidden compartments or passageways.
Auto rides the rope all the way down to water level without finding anything. It’s dark and scary down there. Just as the last turn of rope is coming off the windlass, there is an audible click from the direction of the locked door.
“Was that caused by me or is someone on the other side?”
I’m going to wind Auto as quickly as possible. If the door starts to open I’ll abandon winding him up to draw my ax and shield to prepare to fight.
Melon takes position to the side of the door (the side that opens) with his shield up and weapon ready, just in case.
**Frodo **takes position besides (and a little bit behind) Melon, his staff on the ready
Auto finds nothing “Hey, there’s nothing down here! Oh well, you know what they say, all’s well that ends well.”
Rope and bucket climb up at an alarming rate “Woah, not so rough! What’s going on up there guys?”
I have my holy symbol out and ready in case there is undead behind the door.
Is the door opening or did it merely unlock?
In either Case, I’ll duck and hide.
Undead? Funny you should mention that. There appears to be a dry rattling of bones from beyond the door, echoing as in a stone-lined passageway as the door creaks open. Your torches do a poor job of illuminating the gloom. Oredigger, you can either crank away furiously for another round or put the brake on the windlass - it seems up to now to have been in working order. Appleciders is still on the safety rope and willing to follow your lead.
You catch a glimpse of some of the approaching dry bones. They look nothing like what was depicted in the mural earlier.
“Wave the Wand at it! Wave the Wand at it!”
I Wave the wand at it with little hope of success, “is it some kind of walking dead?”
“Sorry Auto, I hope you’re comfortable.”
I’ll lock Auto in place, draw my shield and mace and position myself between the skeleton and the rest of the group. I’m not going to attack until we find out if these marking work or not.
“My plan of staying safe in the well is working perfectly…yeah…”
You can’t just climb out yourself? Sheesh, some rogue!
The rope is wet I think, or something.
I’ll stay in the back of the room and see what we’re up against exactly before I actively engage it.
“I think those markings are working - It doesn’t seem to be attacking. Looks like you were a coward for nothing, Auto”
“Cowardly? I prefer to call it smart.”
Auto can try to climb if he likes - the inside of the well is reasonably dry where he is at the moment, and the stonework not too smooth. But there’s no-one to take up the slack on the safety line at present and it will take at least four rounds (and hence four checks) to get out.
Meanwhile… Waving the wand achieves nothing - popular rumour has it that you need a command word or phrase, assuming this is a magic wand (and even the wizards have seen tolerably few of them). There seem to be a number of animated skeletons entering from beyond the open door. As previously stated, they don’t look much like the figures in the murals, nor are they showing signs of being deterred by those symbols you’re carrying/wearing.
After waiting for a while, I begin to get bored. “Guys, what’s going on up there?” No response. I hear signs of a scuffle, and decide against my better judgment to attempt to climb up to join my fellow ignorants.