Blacklock quickly spots a third lever along the wall- but as he makes his way toward it, a small switch (hidden underneath a few pebbles) gives out and the floor beneath him drops, causing him to fall to the pillows below. When he finally manages to clamber up, his continued search of the room reveals two more traps (easily triggered and avoided) that likewise have nothing but pillows within. On the home stretch, though, he gets sloppy and triggers another trap, falling into the pit. He emerges battered but undeterred.
"Ready!" calls Phineas for all to hear. "On the count of three...One...Two...Three!"
With that the youth flips the switch, hoping that all do it at nearly the same time.
Cira calls back. "Ready." and counts down with Pheneas, pulling the lever on three.
Athromar grimaces at the wounds that Blacklock has taken but he holds back his desire to heal the man until the room is safe to walk through.
"Ready".
You all flip the switches at the same time.
And, so far as you can tell, nothing happens.
Athromar raises his eyebrow, "That seemed rather anticlimactic". He stays in the same spot.
Blacklock bounces off the (very firmly locked, it would seem) door.
There is a very complex mechanism holding the door firmly closed, but it is just beyond Blacklock's skill level- far more complicated than anything he's ever seen.
Athromar follow the path as laid out by Blacklock so as to not fall into any pits. Once near him, he releases divine energy, "You are roughed up rom your endeavors, let Sarenrae's light shine upon you".
Channel Energy
"Perhaps we can try the door together?"
Athromar tries to put his shoulder into the door.
Strength
three to open, but be quick, for the door will only open for those who work together
Thinking back on when they pulled the switches, Blacklock recalls a pair of quiet 'clicks' coming from over by the door.
Cira frowns and shakes her head.
"Let's try that again with Athromar at the door. As soon as we pull the switches try to open the door."
Phineas remains in place and counts down, once Athromar is near the door, and then pulls the lever in synchronicity with others. He quietly whispers a prayer to Erastil, as he waits to hear the results of the new plan.
Everyone pulls their lever- click- and Athromar easily opens the door as it unlocks. Behind it, a branching hallway leads in two directions, with the wailing emanating from the passage to the southwest.
Athromar quickly draws his weapon as he hears the wails yet again, "That did the trick. I will proceed first unless you believe there will be more traps Blacklock".
Blacklock finds no evidence of more traps in this new area.
The mournful wailing grows louder with each step toward the door at the end of this musty hallway. There are a host of bones strewn on the floor here, many of which are cracked and broken. The door at the end of the hallway is locked, but the wail is certainly coming from the room on the other side of it.
"I don't think it's weird about the pillows. They just didn't want to kill us in the pits. This wasn't supposed to be truly dangerous."
Cira moves closer to the door that is the apparent source of the wailing. She listens carefully at the door.
Cira makes her way to the door, but hears nothing other than the wailing. It seems that whatever is making the noise doesn't realize that the group is present.
She turns around and whispers. "Well... should we try to open it? I think whatever is happening here needs investigation. I'm just not sure I want to find it."
"If it is a person in need we shall aid them, if it is one of the restless dead, Sarenrae's light will ease their passage into the next world. Blacklock, can you see about getting the door unlocked? As you have seen, I fear that bashing down doors is not one of my talents".
As you start to search the door for traps, the wailing goes silent. Blacklock easily pops open the door lock, but when he goes to open the door, it won't budge- it's stuck on something.
"Hmm... I guess we push?"
"It's really stuck."
Shrugging, Phineas puts his back into helping with the stuck door. Knowing that brute force isn't really his forte, he strains, putting his back into it, and hoping that someone else will help out.
Blacklock slams into the door, and it opens a crack- just enough for a crossbow bolt to come whizzing through the opening, shattering against the wall. From the slightly-opened door, you hear indistinct muttering. When Phineas adds his strength, the door opens even further, and its possible to see a mound of crates piled up against the door. While most of the room isn't visible, it looks like the door is almost open.
"Oh, the angry bones think they can get to Roldare, do they? Well, I'll show them. Ack! here's another one. Come on out, bones. Roldare's got a little treat for you." this is followed by the unmistakable sound of a crossbow being loaded.
Athromar steps into the safety of the wall and attempts to pull Phineas back with him , "Roldare, we're not undead horrors but people. People who belong here whereas we are quite sure, you do not. Put down your bow and explain your presence here at once!"
Intimidation
"No. You're nothing but tricks! Tricks of the dead one! Get back! Get back!"
Another crossbow bold comes hurtling out through the mostly-open door, striking Athromar in the shoulder
Blacklock recalls that Roldare is a cobbler in Kassen, but he doesn't remember if he was at the festival or not.
Phineas is dragged back by Athromar just as a bolt flies out at the Sarenrite priest. Phineas realizes that shot could've hit him, and shudders a bit.
"We have beaten the bones that walk, as Erastil intended. Let us enter and see that you are well. My friend can heal, and we can make sure you are safe." calls the young novice, trying to sound reassuring, despite his nervousness.
"It's true! Think about it. How could we get here otherwise? Do undead talk? We're from Kassen, we can take you back there where you'll be safe."
"No! You are tricks of the dead one! The dead one that speaks! Leave me be! It's all I have left...." the voice begins sobbing, then snaps back, "Get out! Go away!"
"No! St-stay back! I'm warning you!" Roldare is sounding panicked at this point, even as his crossbow clicks back into place.
Athromar raises his shield and holds, he considers following Blacklock in but if he knows this Roldare best to let him try to reason with the man.
Seeing no other solution, Phineas rushes into the door again, trying to get it fully open so they can prove their sincerity to this Roldare. Fully expecting to be shot with crossbow, the young cleric gives the barricaded door one last desperate shove.
A crossbow bolt is fired at Phineas as he slams the door open finally, but it gets stuck in the now-open door instead. A haggard-looking man is on the other side, frantically trying to reload his crossbow. In the room, there's a number of bags (most of which look empty) and several bedrolls piled up against the wall, but otherwise this space is empty, clean, and well-kept (ignoring the splintered remains of a makeshift barricade).