The stone trapdoor is very old, and seems to have been cleared of rubble but not moved.
Tim moves to take a quick look through the rest of the tower on his way to the top (very careful like) when he reaches the top he uses the vantage to examine the area for signs of anybody anywhere near this place. (looking out is taking 20, starting in close and working outwards, he studies the layout of the area, looking for where people may be hiding or may have gone while taking note of features that be usefull to know later)
Meanwhile, Koyr more closely examines the bottem floor
"Does someone has a crowbar ?" Baster asks.
Miss Koyr looks at Baster, "Are you sure we should be opening that right now?"
"Yes. I am sure" Baster answers.
Whenever Baster actually opens opens the door, Koyr will step away and examine something else just in case Baster sets off a trap.
"I have not a crow bar, but I have a flute!" And without a pause she whips it out. "Give her another try, maybe my music will help you focus..."
Leylyn plays as Baster tries again. With lingering song, this gives Baster 3 tries with a +2 bonus.
Leon and Jevon make their way down to where the others are huddled around the trap door.
Opening his pack and fishing around for a moment, he pulls out a rolled toolkit and retrieves a well-used crowbar and hands it to Sir Baster.
Baster inserts the crowbar in the crack delineating the stone door, braces himself against the floor and strives to heave the trap open.
Miss Koyr looks at Baster, "Are you sure we should be opening that right now?"
Baster's strength succeeds in lifting the stone slab slightly off the floor, letting a blast of air shoot out, blowing hundred years old dust into the air.
Above, Tim spies a column of what could be the Seekers in the distance, perhaps a day away. However, it appears that someone is camping nearby as a small column of smoke rises to the east of the column.
"Grab it !" Baster pants as he keeps the stone slab off the floor.
Acting all together, the Seekers succeed in pushing the stone slab to the side of the floor's opening.
Tim comes down, "Hey, we have company. Gee, doesn't anyone here have patience? Any way it looks like they are in a postion to ambush, or possibly meet up with, the column. Can't tell whether they are friend or foe from here so we should check it out."
"Did you see the column by chance?"
Brushing his hands off and tucking the crowbar away into the outside straps of his pack, Leon looks in the direction Tim points.
"Hmm. Jevon and and I didn't see anything when we looked around a moment ago. If they were hidden, why reveal themselves now?"
Frowning, he nodded to himself.
"I don't like the feel of it. How long until the column reaches the position of the smoke? Maybe we can move up on their position unseen and get a look at them. If they are ambushers, we might be able to turn the tables on them."
"The column is about a day away, and Leon, they didn't exactly pull out some signs, I just had a height advantage. You probably just didn't go out far enough, which might be a good thing if they are enemies. Koyr what kind of illusion magic you got? I am thinking an illusory dragon might be a good thing to prepare, just in case. But let's make sure the camp isn't the excavators before we let it loose."
"Remember Tim, if they are excavators, that doesn't mean they aren't the enemy." Ithriel pointed out.
"Maybe, but if they were of the sort to be our enemy then they would likely have already robbed what they could from below instead of getting word out and waiting for government backing."
"No use debatin' when we can go look. Lead the way Tim." Jevon says.
Baster looks at the hole in the floor.
"I guess we'll be able to go down there later."
Then he clasps his mail-clad hands like he means it.
"I agree with Jevon: let's go get them !"
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Leon takes the time to replace the heavy stone over the trapdoor before following the others.
"OK, let roll out! What is the plan of action then? "
Jevon will hang back with the less stealthy types, waiting for their report.
Leylyn starts to follow Tim, and turns to the other more armored types as they stare silently at each other. "What are you all standing around for? I thought we were all going to check things out?" Leylyn shrugs and follows after Tim.
Perception
Stealth
Leylyn moves as silently as a cat on the prowl, despite whacking into every low hanging branch as she follows Tim.
"In the meantime, let us find a suitable spot to establish the camp, until the other Seekers arrive tomorrow" Baster says to the rest of the company.
Baster and whoever chooses to will go around the tower in an ever expanding circle, searching for a suitable spot to make a camp (near a stream, protected from the weather, easily defensible - perhaps by making use of the remnants of a convenient stone wall, etc.).
Leylyn and Tim, you both head towards the smoke, following its trail through light woodlands. Getting near, you slowly approach what appears to be a small encampment, roughshod stone palisades surrounding it. From within, you can hear the sounds of work, the clangs of metal to metal and what sounds like raucous merrymaking.
"I bet you can't drink ALL of that in one shot Highhammer!"
As Tim and Leylyn head out, Ithriel stays with Baster, Leon and Jevon. Right after Baster makes the suggestion of finding a camping sight, the Elf has a realization. "Where's Endrian? Has anyone seen him?"
"He didn't go down the hole did he?" Jevon asks, one eyebrow raised.
"D-Dwarves? Do you understand Dwarven? All I know are a few obscenities... Hmm, sounds like they are having fun and drinking. Worst case scenario, I can speak merrymaking... You think they know the common tongue? Lets get a closer look!" Leylyn whispers to Tim.
Leylyn tries to sneak closer to the encampment to get a better look.
Perception
Stealth
Tim will cast detect magic (quietly), then, keeping his distance, he will circle around, taking his time to stay hidden and to see everything he can.
Take twenty if can, if not,