Zephyros moves to investigate where the northern hallway leads.

Perception: 10+4=14

Meira gives Rasziel a brief look as he expresses his thoughts on where to go next. And once Zephyros expresses his opinion, she gives a slight nod.  She seems to a little begrudgingly accept the warrior's plan. As he moves to the east, she picks her way around the foul smelling remains of the ghouls. And as he goes north, she keeps a bit behind, staying alert for any obstacles. (Perception: 10)

Zephyros and Meira, 

As you walk down the long hallway, you see more arrow slits on the western wall. The eastern wall has a 2' wide 5' tall tunnel that looks like clawed hands dug out long ago. The tunnel disappears into darkness. At the end of the hallway is a door on the western wall that leads into the defensible area. This area features seven ballistas, each pointed at arrow slits, a winch that raises and lowers the portcullis, and a stone staircase leading up to a second story above. The winch is currently locked in place at the first of three automatic locks, keeping the portcullis 5' off the ground. A lever next to the winch can be used to unlock and lower the portcullis quickly.

Everyone else,

You see Gareth through an arrow slit on the second floor to the south. The same arrow slit the banshee came out of. He calls out to you in a loud whisper, "It looks clear up here, but there are several rooms to check. And two staircases leading down."

Lyra stays out of the debate—both plans sound equally reasonable, and honestly, she would've just flipped a coin to choose their destination! But when she notices Meira looking less than thrilled with the decision, she reaches out and gently brushes her hand against her arm, giving her a small smile and a cheerful thumbs-up that wordlessly promises: We’'l be fine! You'll see!

As the group starts moving, Lyra falls in beside Rasziel, her expression brightening with sudden curiosity. "By the way, your accountant, how come we never see him? Is he shy?" She glances around, peering behind him as if expecting to catch a glimpse of something small and fuzzy. "Is he like… a cat? Or a dog? Or ... maybe a rat? What's his name?" Finding absolutely no sign of the accountant anywhere, the cleric gives an enthusiastic little wave to some random space behind the scarred man. "Hello, Mister Accountant! Thanks for watching our backs!"

While waiting for Zephyros and Meira to report back on what they found to the north—or calling the rest to follow them— Lyra moves toward the closed southern door and examines it closely, guiding herself to do so. Does it look safe to open? Is it locked? Barred? Trapped? (Investigation + Guidance: 10)

The resolution of the discussion evinces an arched brow from the wizard. Not so much for her brief disagreement with Meira over the best course to take on their quest - a perfectly expected occurrence for an adventuring party from time to time. However, Rasziel's intolerance for even the smallest dispute, and the swift investiture of an unilateral authority to determine the party's path... now, that she couldn't help but find intriguing.

As she is mulling these thoughts over, she jumps in surprise at Gareth's reappearance. "Ah, our eternal gratitude, Gareth. For the information, and scaring a year off my life expectancy". She smiles with relief, takes a deep breath and unruffles her feathers, before following the rest of the party eastward and then north. When she arrives, she relays the ranger's findings. "This staircase may be one of the two Gareth discovered on his silent forays above."

Seeming a bit uncomfortable with the team splitting up, Rasziel decides to stay and watch over the cheerful halfling in case she would accidentally manage to open the door and release some uspeakable evil from beyond it. "I'm not sure shy is the word I'd use, but neither is he the most sociable, you would know if you'd ever met an accountant." The young dark-haired man says with a wry smile. "His name is Azazel and I can assure you he is no mere animal. I doubt he would be much use as an accountant if he was." He adds with a small dry chuckle, followed by an ominous sounding series of coughs. Wherever the aforementioned accounant may be at that moment in time he shows no interest in revealing himself, particularly to a cheerful and pretty halfling. This whole endeavour was in fact far outside his realm of comfort and now he only wished to return to his bookkeeping. All the while, both of them keeps a vigilant lookout for any approaching threats.

(Perception, assisted by Azazel, but unfortunately to no avail: 10)

Meira walks over to the arrow slit at the northwest corner of the room.  She looks out just to get a sense of where they are exactly. "Guess we try up the stairs next," she says, turning back to Zephyros. "Probably call to the others to join up with us too. Not sure why everyone didn't follow." She walks back, pausing at the stairs going up for a moment, just looking at where they go. (Perception: 15) She then continues to the door, calling back down the long passage. "Hey guys! Seems clear so far. Why don't you all join us?" She tries to speak loud enough so she might be heard. 

After doing that, she again glances to Zephyros. "What do you suppose made that clawed out passage? Not sure if I want to run into something than can just burrow through the stone like that." 

Zephyros stops forward progress at Meira's mention of the others, thinking 'Why didn't they come?'

Ironheart turns back to Meira and says, "Good call. Let's regroup before we press on." As Alisande joins, the armored warrior watches as Meira looks up the stairs and Alisande mentions Gareth scouting the second floor. "Hmm... not sure I like the idea of Gareth alone upstairs. Hard to say if this staircase leads to the same area he mentioned or not."

When Meira brings the discussion to the tunnel they passed, Zephyros says, "Let's head back to that tunnel to take a closer look while we wait for the others."  It's clear the warrior is hesitant to continue forward until the majority of the group is regathered.

When back at the tunnel, Zephyros takes a closer look to determine what created the tunnel and where it leads.

Nature: 12

Investigation: 19

Lyra,

You find the door to the south closed, but not locked. You don't suspect them to be trapped, but your eyes are not trained to look for such things.

Rasziel,

You don't currently see any threats.

Meira,

Moving to the northwestern-most arrow slit, you look outside the fortress and see the partially raised portcullis to the south and the storm battering the fortress to the north. Flashes of lightning light the grey landscape periodically as you watch. Briefly looking up the staircase, you see the area above thick with webbing. 

Zephyros,

Moving back to the tunnel, you immediately recognize that the claw marks match the claws from the ghouls you encountered. You suspect that the ghouls created this tunnel at some point in the distant past. The tunnel rises sharply halfway through and leads to an area on the second floor. A door on the northern wall of the room is closed.

Gareth continues to scout the second floor alone.

(ooc: Not sure if we are talking about same door? I meant this one: "In the room, you see a hallway leading north and a closed door to the south. The eastern edge of the room filled with rubble disappears into darkness." In any case I guess I don't see much anyway!)

Hearing Meira calling for them, Lyra gestures for Rasziel to follow and joins the others. "Upstairs then? I hope this connects to the place Gareth is investigating."

Rasziel nods and follows along. He started to wonder just how extensive the halls and corridors of ancient Axeholm was. He wouldn't be surprised if the dwarves of the Axeholm enclave had just kept digging until the dreaded plague struck, and they might have reached both far and deep into the mountain. Perhaps he should have brought more rations.

(Another Perception, assisted by Azazel: 16)

[[OOC: Lyra, my apologies. I didn't realize you followed the others to the east. I will update my post.]]

Heading back to the tunnel entrance, Ironheart says to Meira, "It was likely made by the ghouls. It leads to the second floor and looks clear." The veteran then checks the far end of the eastern wing where it was caved in to identify additional route options.

Meira nods to Zephyros. "Still odd they clawed through and didn't just follow the passages."  As others start to join them, she mentions the webbing she saw going up the stairs. "If we go up here, we should take care of the webs. Could we use some fire to clear them a bit before we go?  It may help draw out anything that might be there too." 

Zephyros,

You head east into the rubble-filled wing of the fortress. Amongst the rubble, you see a path that leads north, but ends in a cave-in not far from the main area. A path south opens up to another room. This chamber was once a shrine, as evidenced by wall carvings that depict dwarves carrying censers and observing religious rites. However, the eastern section of the room has collapsed, filling the area with rubble. Gnawed bones scattered among the debris are the remains of a number of dwarves. The room reeks of death and decay. You also see a staircase on the southern wall leading up.

[[OOC: Zephyros, please give me another perception check.]]

Lady Alisande furrows her brow in thought as she regards the clawed tunnel.

"Curious indeed that these ghouls saw it fit to burrow into the rock of the mountain. Perhaps their labours pertains to the radius of the wards at the front gate that barred their approach, or that divine magic whose provenance eluded me." She says in a speculative tone, idly running her hand over Ozymandias' fur.

"Or perhaps something conscripted them into service - an intellect intent on unearthing an egress from this fortress they were imprisoned within. Would that Ambassador Vyldara had tarried a while - alas, the mystery behind the doom of Axeholm persists."

The noblewoman shivers as she studies the webbing, peering through her familiar's eyes. "These webs are likely of a piece with the ones Ozymandias discovered earlier, when he ventured through the chimney. I do hope Gareth is exercising vigilance."

As Alisande joins Zephyros in the rubble-filled wing, she lights a torch, passing a flame over the murals that line the fallen shrine. "Careful now. The delightful perfume of undeath hangs thick over this area."

Alisande
Religion: 20

Ozymandias
Perception: 15