All this talk of elevators is not Walt’s cup of tea. He begins to meander about the chamber and looks around for signs of birds, owls or any sort of critters. 

“Has anyone ever broken up an owl pellet to see what’s inside of one of those things? I’ve found mouse skulls, exotic seeds from far off lands and all sorts of things.”

Walt continues looking around. 

“Imagine what you could find in the pellets from a humanoid owl fiend?!”

perception check: 18 or Nature check: 12. DM’s choice  

Pax looks back toward Itzmin and the looters. Itzmin is nowhere to be seen – presumably still in his carriage. Most of the workers seem to care less about the new activity in the mine. But a couple of them – like the crossbow woman – are actively watching the mine entrance.

Walt looks around for owl pellets or other wild occupants, and finds very little in that regard. A few more bootprints of unknown age, and a section of the northern wall that rattles in the wind.

As to the elevator, it looks as though one side could be lifted (with a sufficient strength check, as it looks quite heavy) long enough for another medium-sized person to slide through into the open shaft, should you choose to.

Gusts of air continue to wail through the mine system, adding an eerie backdrop of unsettling noise.

Zartan will recall Fang. To the group "Hey, I was thinking that with this wind there may be another easier entrance around the side or back of the mine. Now, it may just be ventilation but this is a pretty strong wind. I'm going to send Fang out to search around the area from the air." 

The bat flies up the mine shaft and out and then around the area. Zartan maintains his vision through Fang's eyes.  

Bendrak considers wrenching the elevator out of position, but instead examines the section of rattling wall.

Walt walks over to Bendrak and says “Are you hearing that rattle, too? What is it?” Walt looks over the wall a bit more. “Keep searching, I’ll let everyone else know, just in case. Be careful.”

Walt heads over to the rest of the party and informs them of the rattling. “That wall over there…there appears to be a rattling sound emanating from the wall.”

“Like maybe the wind is blowing something like, maybe a door?” Tuuli walks over there, too, peering at the wall in the semi-dark.

Perception (because she is not proficient in Investigation, so cool with this being the wrong skill and delivering nothing more than “yeah, it’s rattling”) igl: 8

Tuuli just stands there, staring at the wall, hand to her chin, puzzled.

Fang, Bendrak, Walt, and Tuuli gather where Walt heard the sounds.

They find an old wooden door, hidden behind a pile of rocks at the back of the cavern, rattling in the wind.

Zartan, coming back to his senses, moves over to the door with the others to investigate the door. Carefully moving rocks as needed

Tuuli takes a few steps back and swings her crossbow around, loading a bolt and standing Ready should anything attack once the door is opened.

Aranor walks over to the others gathered in front of the door. He glances at the others before stepping up and attempting to open it.

Walt whispers to Zartan “careful, friend. Once that door is cleared, move out of the way.” With that, Walt moves back 30 ft and braces himself with his wooden shield and spear at the ready. 

Aranor carefully opens the old, rattling door. It swings out easily, the timbers barely holding together.

Behind it is a rough empty corridor, curling downward to the left. It is dark, empty, and quiet, except for the low howl of the subterranean wind.

Zartan brings Fang to his shoulder and see's through his (Fang's) eyes. He invites the others to go before the squishy wizard and then falls in line down the stairs.

Tuuli will hang back with Zartan, then invite him to go in front of her. “I’ll cover your butt,” she says. She will keep her senses trained behind her, trusting the people up front with what’s up front.

"Thanks" he says with a smile

Walt steps into the room, secures his spear to his pack and uses produce flame to conjure up a flame in the palm of his hand to illuminate the room. 

“Where do you need me?” Walt says to his friends. “I can be at the front and lead the way, or a step in front of Zartan to aide those at the rear.”

"I can lead the way," says Aranor, unsheathing his long sword. "I can see quite well in the dark, but if anyone needs more light I have torches in my bag."

The moon elf leads the way into the corridor, his sword at the ready.

“You got a light for us, back here?” Tuuli asks Zartan. “I’m useless in the dark.”

Zartan takes out a torch and lights it

Pax continues watching the woman with the crossbow who is watching them while the others investigate an entrance to the mine. Satisfied she is not going to shoot them in the back, or is awaiting some fiendish monster to jump out and attack them, Pax follows the others. His eyes glowing with the magical light he conjured, he positions himself behind Bendrak and Aranor. "Perhaps you should go a little further ahead Aranor, with your ability to see in the dark. With all the light the rest of us require to travel, we would not be very stealthy. But not too far ahead, in case you find trouble." Indeed as he walks, the sand that has gathered in his stone joints grinds and cracks. He is not quiet at all.