As the dead Redbrands continue to smolder in the backyard pyre, and as Jurgen resumes building a simple box from the boards he scavenges from the ruin next door, Syzygy uses one of the brand-new mining shovels to dig into the tough, rocky ground to the east of the house. It's slow and time-consuming, but his progress speeds up as he discovers smoother brown sand a few inches below. Then, about 30 inches down, Syzygy hits a large chunk of ancient masonry. He begins to pry it up, and...

(Whooomp!) The ground collapses around him. What was a coffin-sized excavation is now a six-foot-diameter crater as Syzygy falls into a subterranean cavity. Rocks tumble, dust plumes, his shiny shovel clanks on flying stones as he finds himself atop a heap of rubble in what appears to be an old cellar. (No damage.) It looks like a single room, with a boarded-over exit to the south, and the remains of a wooden stairwell up, twisted and broken, leading nowhere. Many small, metal boxes are stacked here, together with a small, wooden chest atop an old bench. The air feels unnaturally cold here.

Kimberly moved quickly but carefully towards the edge, " Are you ok down there?"

Jurgen, hearing the ground give way and gasps of the others drops what he’s doing and sizes up the situation. 

(how deep is he down?)

Jurgen starts to pull rope out and if needed goes to the wagon for additional supplies. 

Bryony gasps as Syzygy falls. Somehow the entire ground just gave way underneath him. She peers over the edge of the big hole. It looks like a room. Apparently, there used to be another house here, and this is its cellar.

Quinn, hearing the cave in, runs to the wagon for supplies. He's looking for rope, shovels or picks and brings what he finds back to check in on Syzygy.

DM: Is there anything nearby that we can tie off a rope to so we can climb down into the hole?

The cellar bottom isn't far down – maybe ten feet from the surface, and Syzygy perches atop a sizable pile of debris. But the edges of the hole – roughly centered over the room, away from any walls – are ragged and unstable – he could definitely use some help getting out. There are a few reasonably good options to tie off a rope on Roderick's cottage – like the cottage itself, by running a line right through a window and out the front door.

Jurgen helps Quinn get the rope tied off and situated. 

"I'm fine," Syzygy says coughing on the lingering dust. "Some interesting stuff down here...finders keepers." Syzygy stands up and dusts himself off before taking a look around the room for any insignias or symbols that may reveal something about the ownership of metal boxes and chests. 

Investigation: (15+1)=16

Jurgen and Quinn make fast a rope and throw the free end down to Syzygy.

Syzygy takes a moment to examine the room. It holds dozens of small hinged metal boxes, each maybe a 12-15" square, covered in dirt. They are unmarked.

The chest is blackened. There is a layer of ash covering everything that suggests a fire once burned through here. But the chest itself is intact – it is simple, functional, and not ornate in any way, with a basic latch and no signs of a lock or trap. It also displays no symbols or writing. Everything is freezing cold to the touch.

There is some other furniture here, but it is badly damaged. A couple of old chairs, another bench, a flattened empty crate.

The door to the south is barely four feet tall – more like a square hatch. It is boarded up with old, blackened boards and heavy iron nails.

The ceiling - or what's left of it - is low; not even seven feet tall. Daylight streams down through the hole Syzygy fell through, and sand continues to slowly trickle in, even as the dust begins to settle.

Quinn grabs Jurgen by the shoulder and nods in thanks for his assistance. He wraps the rope around his waist, bracing himself so he doesn't slip in. He leans over the edge and looks into the opening.

Though he isn't sure, the blackened boards and objects in the room reminds him of mold that he's seen in his travels. He yells out "Syzygy, careful! Those dark spots could be dangerous mold!"

He then uses his free hand to cover his mouth with his hooded cloak.

"We managed to survive a small horde of goblins...as if a little mold will hurt me." Syzygy looks around the room, big enough to bury Sir Roderick (and his ego), he looks back to the blackened chest. Syzygy tries to open it. 

Kimberley looked down, " Depending where that hatch goes this might make a decent mausoleum......any idea why its so chilly down there? Your breath is misting."

Quinn, his mouth covered, clambers down the rope and into the hole to join Syzygy.

Syzygy opens the blackened chest. Inside is a very old, thick cloth covering a set of Carpenter's Tools (saw, hammer, nails, hatchet, square, ruler, adze, plane, chisel, etc.) There's also a bag of silver coins (160 of them, if anyone counts.)

The room is certainly large enough for Sir Roderick and his box – it's perhaps 15x20 feet in size, although much of it is taken up by a pile of debris caused by the cave-in.

It is indeed very cold within. The blackening of the exposed wood appears to be a combination of great age and an ancient fire that once evidently passed through here.

Jurgen will join the others in the hole.

Are there any doors or exits out of this room?

Jurgen clambers down the rope next. There is a small, squat door to the south, barely four feet tall – more like a square hatch. It is boarded over with blackened boards and heavy iron nails.

Shrugging, Kimberley headed down.

"Hmmm, compensation for our troubles," Syzygy says jingling the bag of coin and reminding himself to divide it later. "And, If anyone has an interest in carpentry...a cottage makeover perhaps?"

Jurgen asks "Do we want to open up that door over there? I'm all out of spell slots."

" I'm tapped out as well........but best we take a peek under the sun than later."

Jurgen will take a listen for any sounds behind the boarded up door.

Perception: 5

Investigation: 23