Fergus:

Finishing his rest, Fergus tends to the others, giving each of them encouragement and a short performance to soothe their nerves and prepare them for the upcoming challenges.

Spend 3 HD on healing:  13

Everyone gets 10 temporary hit points, and three people may also get heroic inspiration—first to claim it gets it.

To Boona’s question, he responds, “I think the arcane magic that powers the conveyer relies on crystals that have currently run out of power.”

He adds, pointing to the figures below, “Look down there—I wonder if those might be our missing townspeople, put to work?  Shall we head that way?”

Boona blinks slowly and uncomprehendingly at Fergus.

Jorzu 

Floating over the edge with Fergus' help, Jorzu let's his spell drop. He stumbles a little as his ragged body hits solid ground. "Thanks Fergus. Nearly lost it down there. I should've stayed with you and Boona. Nevermind, a little rest now will do" he says as he slumps against the wall of the forge.

Whilst resting he runs his hands through his glass beads, concentrating on the shape of each one. This helps his mind relax and he can feel his arcane power return.

When Fergus mentions investigating the crystal workers, Jorzu agrees it might be a good place to start. "Yes, yes we should. I imagine evil folk would enslave townsfolk".

Spends 3 HD 19hp regained

Bryony misses the look Boona kept shooting her way. If she had noticed, she might have let the giantess give her a toss. It would probably have been pretty fun, if not a little dangerous. Instead, the halfling climbs up to the second level the old-fashioned way, by using the rope. She slumps against a wall and sighs. Her muscles are tired, and she's still somewhat burned from the encounter with the angry drill. Fergus attempts to cheer them all up with a song, and the halfling feels her spirit begin to recover a little of its previous vivacity. They were going to rescue Aunt Qelline and Carp. Nothing would stand in their way.

"If that's true, that means they're alive!" Bryony exclaims once she's done applying ointment to her wounds and has recovered sufficient energy. "We should head there next."

Expended 4 hit dice to regain 20 HP.

Quinn awakens feeling stiff and achy. He stands, stretches and cracks his back. In a low grumble, Quinn bemoans his aging and injury riddled body.

The talk of people down below perks his interest snaps him out of his sour mood. Quinn walks over to the shaft that leads down to the tunnels below. He activates Lightbringer and looks down below to see he can hear or spot any movement.

Perception check: 24

(Is Quinn looking down the eastern opening between the forge and the darkened mining tunnels’ storage chamber below? If so, he sees nothing. All is still and silent, as they left it. The coiled rope is ready to drop back down.)

Quinn was looking down the eastern opening down into the tunnels below. He figured if we’re going back down, that’s the quickest route. 

And Quinn will take up Fegus up on his offer for heroic inspiration. 

Everyone now rested (and some of you inspired by Fergus' performance), you prepare to move again. 

(Is everyone intending to climb back down the rope into storage chamber Z18?)

IF everyone intends to climb down the rope, Quinn will do the following:

”I can’t see any movement down there, but I’ll lead the way just in case.”

Quinn clips Lightbringer to his belt, still glowing with warm light so that it lights the way as he descends. Once he gets to the bottom be takes a defensive stance and quickly scans the room to look for any threats. 

Fergus:

Fergus climbs down after Quinn and looks around a bit since this is his first time in the room.

Perception:  23

Boona joins Quinn.

Bryony climbs down after Fergus and Boona. She takes out her shining rock to help with seeing in the dark, although Lightbringer is certainly living up to its name too. 

"Should I scout ahead some more?" Bryony asks, uncertainty in her voice. The last time she'd done an angry, giant drill had almost murdered her!

Unless anyone has any further business, the party descends back down the rope into the storage chamber. All is still and quiet, other than the low growl of the lava sea to the southwest. 

As far as you can see (as even Lightbringer can't penetrate the distant reaches of this large cavern), there is little here but buckets and crates. Some of the larger crates are half-covered by dusty tarps that barely hide the ore within, while a few smaller ones are nailed shut. 

(If Bryony wants to scout ahead, go ahead and make a Stealth check.)

Jorzu 

As Lightbringer shines brightly, Jorzu steps away from the group a little to see if his darkvision can see any further than Quinn's weapon. He quietly moves closer to the edge of the track that loops around and peers deeper into the cavern. He attempts to keep his tiny body as small as possible, just in case there's something out there.

Stealth 7

Perception 6

"Keep an eye out for that stench coming from that hole. Not sure what to make of it."

Quinn covers his nose with his forearm. He moves south to get a better view of the blue lava field. He'll move slowly looking and listening as he goes.

Perception check: 22

Jorzu steps forward and scans the rest of the cavern. Nothing but crates and barrels and rock and dust.

Quinn gets an excellent view of the vast lava lake, the surface of which lies some twenty feet below the lowest level and the bridge extending out to the pyramid.

A half dozen figures occupy the cliff’s lowest scaffolding. They are clearly long dead, probably once dwarven like the smiths in the forge above. They mimic mining, clawing at the rock.

Bryony steps up next to Quinn and follows his line of sight. Her shoulders slump when she sees the undead dwarves toiling away. There's still no sign of her family, and she is growing increasingly sick with worry.

"Just more dead guys!" she cries. 

Boona comes up behind them.

" Smash dead things?"

Two of the ashenwights look up as Boona lumbers into the doorway. You hear whispers in your head. "Strangers... Bring riches? Or take them...?" They go back to clawing the cliff face, occasionally glancing up to track your movement.

Fergus:

Sighing, Fergus says, "Sorry Bryony, I had hoped the figures were our missing townspeople."

To Boona, he says, "Perhaps we can bypass them without conflict--but if we need to fight them, attacking with range from above would give us the tactical advantage."

Now that they have been spotted, Fergus steps forward and calls to the ashenwights below, "My apologies, good miners.  The riches we seek are the bonds of friends and family with those we hope to rescue.  Please, let me entertain you with a working song to make your labors easier."

Taking out his harp, Fergus starts playing his best Dwarven mining song.  Including some robust singing, a jig or two, and a bit of whistling, it evokes the virtues of hard working and diligent searching to find riches enough to sustain one's family in comfort for the rest of their days.  Intertwined in the song is a bit of illusory magic (Minor Illusion) to make subtle glints of precious metal or gems embedded in the rock on the far side of the lower ledge upon which the undead stand--far enough that, were the miners to concentrate their efforts there, Fergus and the rest of the party might slip by unhindered on their way to the pyramid.

Performance with harp & dance and diverting illusion:  23