Ben:

Already headed over that way as he talks to the two, Ben sees Horatio start to fall and lunges his way, hoping to help.  He throws out an arm and steadies himself, giving Horatio something to grab onto if he can.

Athletics:  9

Horatio:

(( Dexterity Saving Throw = 21 (in DDB game log) ))

As the rungs give way, Horatio barely has time to shift his weight in a desperate attempt at regaining control. Somehow, luck sides with him and he manages to recover. He looks at Titaani and Ben, "Uhh... look, before any of you make any wise cracks, I'm a good carpenter alright! I've just got a ton on my mind right now and didn't think to check the wood!" He looks down sheepishly, picking a few splinters out of a well-worn palm. "Anyways, unless you want me to fix this hag's house, that way isn't going to be a good idea."

Two steps are now missing, having fallen with a muffled splash into the foggy lake below. Horatio, however, managed to catch himself before he could join them. A steady droning sound continues to emanate from the shadowed mass over and above the door at the top of the stairs.

Matilda fills her pockets with more trinkets, none of which seem to match any of the lost items her new friends had mentioned. Nevertheless, she continues to have a nagging sensation that what she seeks is somewhere in this realm (as does Ben).

Matilda left the room to join the others at the stairs.....

Ben:

”Is that staircase completely unsafe, Horatio, or can you reinforce it enough we can safely ascend?” asks Ben as he returns from the cloth room with some long strips of fabric and starts tying them together.

“If we can’t get at any plumbing elsewhere, we may have to lure the ooze out directly from the well.  What tempts an ooze to move?” he wonders…

Quote from Scott_R_Simmons >>

Ben:

”Is that staircase completely unsafe, Horatio, or can you reinforce it enough we can safely ascend?” asks Ben as he returns from the cloth room with some long strips of fabric and starts tying them together.

“If we can’t get at any plumbing elsewhere, we may have to lure the ooze out directly from the well.  What tempts an ooze to move?” he wonders…

" Well...........my gran might have been right......if so...I can be bait."

Titaani was alarmed when Horatio nearly fell. However, her worried expression dissolves into a wry and somewhat relieved smile as she listens to him protest his professionality. 

"If you say so," She giggles, before taking a moment to contemplate Ben's words. "Hmm...oh! Actually, Ben, I think I have an idea on how to get that thing out! Only it won't work unless I can see it."

Ben manages to prepare about thirty feet of crude, multicolored rope out of cloth and thread. It won't hold much more than one normal-sized humanoid, but it might be helpful.

The group pauses, waiting to hear Titaani's idea. The buzz continues to drone from above, even as the active footsteps begin to slow down above the cupboard room.

(( Horatio comes back inside! - You don't have to update the map, just making the note. ))

Horatio steps away from the gaping hole in the rickety exterior stairwell and joins the others inside. 

Ben has a makeshift rope, Matilda offers some bait, and Titaani has an idea...

Ben:

”Well, out with it, Titaani, don’t keep us in suspense.  Nothing else seems to be working…Although seeing the ooze directly might prove difficult,” responds Ben as he tests the strength of each segment of ‘rope’ with a sharp tug.

"Well, I can make things fear me," Titaani grins. "If I can maybe be lowered into the well, to the point that I could see the thing, then I'll cast my spell and it'll freak out. It'll try to run as far away from me as possible."

Matilda smirked, " Sounds good. Scary Girl."

Horatio:

"Hey, why don't we just use the weird implements in the room with all the.. uh.. no longer living animals. *Ahem*.. To create a spear or something? We just need to be able to reach into the main water shaft right? We could just try to stab the thing to lure it out, then Titaani can do her thing to scare it off."

(Ben still has a functional spear with a tip still glowing with Cad's Light cantrip. Is Ben going to wade into the pool again to deliver Titaani to the top of the well, like he did with Matilda?)

"Oh, well we could use the spear we have already, no need to go into that room," Titaani says a little too cheerfully. "Or, we could use the rope Ben has made to lower me into the well - and if I see it, I'll scare it off."

Ben:

Lifting Titaani on his shoulders and moving over to the well, he hands her the spear and braces to give her a firm foundation…but his is ready to grab her and pull her away if the situation gets bad and the ooze tries to come after her.

Titaani jumps onto the well's edge, and takes the spear with a nod to Ben. She then lodges it into the hole of the well, and takes the makeshift rope and ties one end around her waist securely, the other she ties to the spear. 

"Wish me luck!" She smiles, then slowly begins to lower herself down the well. Perception: 17

Ben wades back through the stale-smelling pool once again to deliver the little gnome to the top of the well. 

Plunging in, Titaani can see little. The acidic water burns her eyes and makes her skin tingle uncomfortably. The light from the spear dimly illuminates the inside of the ancient stone well and maybe about 10-20 feet downward, but it's cloudy and hard to focus, and the water stings her eyes sharply.

(How deep does she wish to go?)

(Am I in the water itself, and if so, how far down does the water go? How far down can I go before needing to breathe again?)