“Okay. Very well.” says Walt in regards to his refusal for help. “By any chance, have you seen any mysterious owls lurking about? We’ve heard of reports of owls and mysterious people lurking in this area?”

 “Would you mind if I entered and inspect those nests there in the corner?” Walt says while pointing at the bests he spotted in his perception check. “I’m quite interested in all sorts of little critters…not just owl fiends.”

(Ooc: I edited my post last post a little and I’d like to run an insight check as well.)

Insight check: 7 (2+7) to see decipher how he reacts to Walt mentioning owl fiend. )

Zander will also want to see how he reacts

12

Tuuli examines the mine doors. They are only loosely covered, unlocked and untrapped as near as she can tell. She notices a few fresh bootprints and other disturbances in the dirt, suggesting that humanoids have recently entered this mine – although whether it was an hour ago or two weeks ago, she can't really tell in this climate. She proceeds to remove the boards covering the doors without incident. One of the doors creaks open a little on its own, as a draft of wind hisses through the opening. 

Nearby, the young man gapes blankly at Walt without speaking at first. He looks stressed and uncomfortable. "Rats," he finally says. "No owls." He goes back to trying to tear the rug out of the dirt.

Tuuli will throw the doors open wide, trying to let as much light inside as possible, and looks at what is revealed.

The mine’s entrance leads into a large, dark cavern supported by wooden beams. At the chamber’s center, a derelict wooden elevator rattles in the wind that rushes from the depths of a crumbling mineshaft.

Walt looks at the feller, shoots him an awkward smile and excuses himself. "Alright, friend. Happy trails." He looks at Zartan and shrugs his shoulders before turning his attention to the northernmost structure.  He winks at him and nods his head towards the other building. 

Walt begins slowly walking over to the other building, looking over at Tuuli to make sure she's doing fine. Walt will peep into the other structure and have a look around.

Perception check: 6 (1+5)

There's little to see in the other structure. The roof has partially or mostly collapsed, but Walt can peer under one of the eaves through a yawning dark window hole. Nothing but dirt and rubble is visible. None of the workers are looting this house currently, although you can see where somebody recently tore back part of the roof to extract something.

Walt quickly moves on from the other structure and heads into the mine entrance. He walks in and stops short of the rickety looking elevator and looks it over. 

“We’ll now, that looks safe, doesn’t it?”  

Walt uses the produce flame cantrip to light up the chamber and he searches for controls any sort of mechanism that might run the elevator. 

Pax leaves the looters to their looting, not the least concerned in their activity. This town was obviously long abandoned and anybody who may lay claim was likely dead.
He joins Tuuli and Walt at the mine entrance, adding the Light from his glowing eyes. Studying the mechanism, he concludes "Ah yes, this is the Lift2000 Model of mine elevator. I have the blueprints downloaded into my memory. It is designed to last 50 years, so I am sure it is perfectly safe. Assuming it was installed less than 50 years ago..."
He lights a torch and drops it down the shaft below the elevator to gauge how deep it may go.

Walt and Pax light up the cavern. The elevator is a primitive mechanism – a wooden platform in an iron frame suspended by a metal cable on a pulley and winch system. A couple of levers control it. Everything is rather badly rusted and dilapidated. (Roll a Perception or Investigation check to try to learn more.)

Pax pushes a lit torch down through the gap. It falls-falls-falls then bounces on a floor below and out of view – maybe 100 feet of drop. A featureless stone floor is dimly and erratically illuminated far below.

Gusts of air hiss and howl up the shaft and through the cavern. It's quite loud in here. (Disadvantage on Perception checks that rely on hearing.)

Tuuli approaches the derelict device, looking it over carefully. Lucky mewls tentatively, and she says quietly, “I’m sure it will be fine.”

Perception (igl): 7

Tuuli is too distracted by the thought of going down into a deep hole (she’s not claustrophobic, exactly, but is a creature of open, airy spaces).

Walt stands beside Pax watches the torch fall to the floor of the mine shaft. He looks back towards his friends and says “Did I ever mention that I’m not good with heights?” He lets out a nervous chuckle and heads over to Zartan. ”I’m also not very good with mechanical things. What do you make of that contraption that Tuuli’s looking at over there?” Walt grasps Zartan by the shoulder and casts guidance on his rabbit folk friend. 

Zartan casually walks up to the edge peers down and sends his bat down to investigate. “Tell us what you see down there little friend.”

Zartan examines the elevator (21) with Walt's arcane assistance. He can see that the elevator is rusted in place, and will likely collapse under any significant weight.

Fang slips through the gap and into the dark shaft, as Zartan falls into a familiar trance. Forty feet down are the remains of a framed platform where the elevator once had a stop. An open exit tunnel leads south before quickly turning east. A foul smell is strongly evident here. 

The shaft continues down another fifty or sixty feet to the floor of a large cavern, where Pax's torch still sputters in the draft.

When Zartan mentions the odor, Lucky goes to the edge, sticks his head in the wind coming up the shaft, and sniffs.

Cat smell perception (igl): 4 and 15 + 3 = 18

Fang knows the smell. Bones and rotten flesh. Corpses, maybe. And something tangy and acidic. 

While the others investigate the mine shaft, Pax turns to watch Itzmin and the looters, curious how they may be responding as the party seems actually intent on entering the mine despite Itzmin's warnings of the danger.

Insight: Nat20 for 27 in game log (would be same for Perception)

(Also, yaaaaaaaaaaaaaay, I cant remember the last time I rolled a nat 20 as a player! *does a little happy dance*)

Zartan says “I think ropes would be best so we have a way back up”

Tuuli nods at Zartan’s wise suggestion.