Aeldris dismounts and leads Tethis across the bridge.
Avala motions for the rest of the rest of the group to stay where they are until she's able to confirm the area isn't immediately dangerous.
If there are creatures or beings in the hold guarding the windows, she thinks it prudent to disguise their presence as long as possible, particularly as the crossing is so difficult.
Crystal does not bother with the glamored rock bridge but instead takes the time to remove a small item of clothing to drape over her mounts eyes.
"Horses are trusting, both of their feet and of their rider. Take away the distraction of their eyes and they should walk across with less fear than the rest of us." She smiles as she explains her actions quietly to her friends.
Bronn will sit back and watch all of the action going on.
To gain a view of the windows will prove a difficult task indeed. The stone doors themselves are almost perfectly flush with the walls alongside them. And as you slowly feel your way you notice that the 'bridge' is the exact width of the doors. Getting to the windows is feasible, though it will require some skill in climbing. The walls of the mountain are not smooth which does add to it's hidden appearance and will add some benefit, though not much, to your climbing skill.
Aeldris will hold off on crossing until Avala is satisfied as well.
Avala gets to a better angle on the bridge to peer into the 'windowss', looking for signs of movement; signs of danger. She sees nothing except for obvious webbing blowing in the wind as it enters those windows.
Avala returns as quickly as possible, stopping very briefly every 3 feet or so to make a roughly footlong "scribble" along the outer edges of the bridge in chalk so it's easier for the group to see where the side dropoffs begin.
When she reaches the group, she'll begin to explain what she saw:
"No evidence of danger, or recent habitation of any kind so far as I could tell. I neither saw nor heard anything of interest, save some writing on the main doors. I don't know the language, but I can identify that it's some type of runic."
"Anyway, I think it's safe for the group to cross, but whoever is going to open the door should go first. The bridge is narrow, as you can see, and there's nowhere else to stand once you reach the door."
Bronn will wait until the doors are open keeping his axe ready incase their is trouble.
Ardil waits for the elvish lord to cross and continues his efforts to outline the bridge.
Crystal waits patiently with her horse. Not wanting to block people's movement in such narrow spaces.
Avala waits at the back of the line, intending to bring up the rear as the group enters the hold.
Once across, Aeldris carefully investigates the doors, running his hands across them and giving a solid push to see if they'll open.
Aeldris examines the doors and easily determines they must be pushed to be opened. He gives the doors a push and he quickly learns it will take more effort to open them.
Ardil finishes his task of outlining the bridge in addition to the chalk marks Avala made, his journey ended as he meets up with Aeldris at the sealed doors. They both pause and their brief silence is interrupted with the realization that UU is also there, "Need a hand?"
"The doors are quite heavy...perhaps the three of us together might be able to push them open? Assuming they are not reinforced...if they are, we may find ourselves in quite a dilemma."
If there's room to help, Ardil will attempt to help also.
"Oof! I apologize, pushing heavy things around isn't exactly my specialty."
Crystal continues to watch from the far side of the bridge. Ready to call an alarm or such if needed, while keeping her horse calm and controlled.
Aeldris, UU and Ardil all push on the door, they can feel it give a little but enough to earn a view of the inside.
"Shall we?" UU asks as she puts her shoulder into the doors again.
Aeldris leans into the door once more.
The door opens and for those immediately near can feel the air from within collide with the air from outside. There is no stagnation, though there is a slight stench. As you peer beyond the doors you see a small intersection…the hallway continues to be twenty feet wide, at twenty feet in on either side is an additional hallway on either side going in opposite directions; ten feet beyond those hallways this current path ends in another pair of double doors.
Assuming there is no sources of light inside the tunnel, Ardil produces a fist-sized rock he's picked up along the way and tied to a small length of rope. With a flourish and a few arcane words he evokes a glimmer of light within the stone. He ties the stone loosely to his staff to help guide him through the darkness.
"I do believe we're finally getting somewhere! These long travels do tend to dampen my spirits. I rather expected a welcoming party however... it's not like the dwarves to leave their halls untended from what the songs would tell me."
He turns back to his companions.
"Perhaps someone with sharper eyes would like to go ahead? I'm likely to miss an important clue and stumble into something I shouldn't like to have any part of. I would be happy to offer my stone if you would like it."
At the opening of the doors, Crystal leads her horse across to join the others. At Ardil's comment Crystal chimes in,
"I would not mind going first. Elven eyes are used to seeing in moon lit glades, a Dwarven Hall should be just as enchanting." She offers a smile to Bronn. =)
Bronn walks over to the doors
"I am not sure where you got dwarven halls but as you remember from the journal Thorm came here as an ambassador. This place is finely crafted for sure so I see why you would think dwarven."
Bronn Scratches his head "This place should not be empty." He readys his shield and axe.
Crystal steps past the others and enters the compound; the only noise audible is her light footsteps but more so those of her horse.
Crystal
Stepping up to view the intersection you can identify that the double doors ahead are made of wood and not stone. The hallway to your left has a single door on its north side about twenty feet in and the hallway on your right seems to be laid out the exact same way. The hallways both continue in their direction beyond your vision.
Crystal explains the cross ways intersection that she can see, further describing the large double doors and the two side passage doors.
Slowly and carefully she leads her horse inside.
Ardil follows Crystal into the doors, swinging his light around to illuminate shadowy corners.
"I also thought that this is dwarven stonework... Are we not looking for a lost dwarven clan? I would agree that I did not expect to find these halls empty also."
Avala steps up to the doorway, bringing up the rear.
"Seems unlikely dwarves are living here, lost or not. I know little of dwarves but what I've heard leads me to think no dwarf has been here in some time. No lookouts, no fires, no signs of habitation. Please correct me if I'm wrong, master dwarf, , but it seems unlike dwarves to leave their halls so undefended, unless something has driven them deep underground."
"At any rate, Gorin did tell us how to locate the local dwarven clan, but that path diverged a while back and we headed in this direction instead. It'll be smart to remember the way we'd need to go to visit in case we need assistance, however."
Avala takes a few more steps into the doorway and moves aside to the the other party members to end fully as well.
Crystal walks slowly forwards and turns to look down the left hand passage. "I wonder what's down there...?" She muses softly. Then turns to look at the rest,
"Um, what should we do with the horse?" She asks, now obviously concerned that her impulsiveness at bringing said mounts may not have been the very best idea she's ever had...
"Perhaps we could just tie them up here and leave them with some food? This area doesn't look like it's been traveled much... I would think they should be safe here for the day or even two if we end up being that long."
"I think that would be wisest." Aeldris then goes about making sure Tethis will be comfortable in his absence, speaking to the horse in Elvish to calm it.
That done, he quickly checks over all his weapons and makes sure his shield is easily accessible. He'll then walk down the left hallway until he is near the door.
Crystal like wise sees to the care of her horse for the groups sojourn deeper into the complex.
"Perhaps we'll find some where to stable them? Maybe there are rooms for such here?" She asks quietly, hopefully.
Bronn looks around. "This is not what I hoped to find" he looks down the right hall weapon in hand and starts walking slowly. "Who knows what we will face be on your guard."
Aeldris steps to the door after comforting his horse and readying his gear...his elven eyes allow him to notice the hallway continue for at least another fifty feet then it appears to have a branch off going right and just beyond perhaps another door ending the hallway.
The door itself he stands in front of is wooden, crafted with skill any door would have, with no external markings. A handle and locking mechanism(contained within the door) is visible from the outside, and the door appears to open going into the room and not the hallway.