Tarja would also help pick up some of the planks with Zeke, struggling to manage in her dwarf form. (Strength-athletics 20) Usually she'd rely on an animal form for brute strength, but the corridor was too narrow for many of them, and she was unsure what form would be needed further down the path.

(edit: Hehe maybe not struggling! Beast-dwarf form!)

Quote from BaconExpert982 >>

"Huh?" Elra looks to Arvel, "what do you mean?"

 "Oh, you know, not my style."

Zeke snarls at the Redbrand's suggestion to pick up the boards - immediately suspicious that it's a ploy to distract the party.  He smiles as his comrades move to grab the boards and move them into place and barely suppresses a chuckle when Tarja muscles a single board up onto her shoulder.  Turning to look at the Redbrand, Zeke indicates towards his friends with the tip of his sword: 'Grab the other end of that board from the Dwarf and help her get it into place over the trap' 

Satisfied that the team has the immediate challenge under control, the barbarian continues to keep an eye on the Redbrand for signs of treachery.

Fae would remain silent, standing like a shadow out of the way and behind the light. While Zeke directed the Redbrand and oversaw Elra, Ethan and Tarja’s efforts to secure the pit, she’d focus on making sure the area was properly lit for their safety as they maneuvered the planks. 

The redbrand man glares at Zeke but helps Tarja with the boards.  He points to a spot in the next hallway where the slabs of stone in the floor are cracked and broken into smaller pieces and any mortar left elsewhere in the cellar has been replaced by dirt here.  Those who look closely can see a very slight sag in the center of the floor here as well.  Soon a few of the planks have been placed over the alleged pit trap and the party can easily walk across.  (No check required)

Rounding the corner Fae's light reveals a line of old stone coffins holding former members of the Tresendar lineage.  Opposite them a rougher room has been carved in the stone and leads to two cells.  The iron bars currently confine three prisoners, a trio of sheep.  The redbrand points to the far corner of the crypt and says "the cave is hidden back there". (secret door at SD, which the party actually finds left open a crack)

"Lost of coffins down here," Elra says, going to look at them.

Fae would hold her light higher to allow it to fill the room for everyone to be able to take a good look around. She felt a cold chill tingle up her spine, sending goose bumps along her skin as she’d step her way passed the coffins to the farther end of the room with the Redbrand. As he’d gesture to the far corner, the wizards eyes would follow. The light would shine just right to reveal a crack in the secret passage way. Someone else must already be ahead? Fae’s purple hues would look to make eye contact with Zeke. She’d gesture to the passage way with her chin to bring it to his attention if he hadn’t already noticed. “It’s open.” She’d say softly.

Zeke would nod his head and step forward towards the opened door, peeking carefully into the room beyond.

Ethan shows interest in the secret door, but waits until Zeke has finished his checks and given the all clear before trying to take a look.

Tarja heads along the wall opposite the coffins, giving them a wide berth so as not to disturb the dead. She would take a look in the cells.

Strange place to keep sheep. Pit trap on one side, secret door on the other, coffins across... Can't be too healthy here for 'em.

She turns to the redbrand and asks

Who takes care of these guys, anyway? Do we need to let 'em out, if the shepherd is locked up down in town?

(Do the sheep look cared for, or abandoned? Perception 11)

"It's a shame, really. These must be the former masters of the manor. An entire legacy and history in one room, soon to be forgotten. Seeing as how that's something I never had, I can't help but feel...something at that loss."

The sheep look a bit dingy but otherwise healthy.  Tarja guesses they likely haven't been here for very long or they'd be in worse shape.  The redbrand replies quietly "oh, them?"  "Yeah the boys steal 'em from the nearby farms and the younger lads have to feed 'em."

Ethan, Fae and Zeke find that the stone wall in the corner of the room swings freely, although with a notable creak of old metal hinges.  Beyond there is no light aside from the edge of Fae's magic, which reveals a few steps down to the next room.  Things are notably different beyond the door, as the once neatly constructed basement gives way to a damp natural or roughly carved out cavern.

Elra goes to join Fae and Zeke and the group, "Well, I guess we've left the house then," she whispers.

Zeke shifts his grip on his blade and leads his way down into the cavern.

Fae would gesture for the Rebrand to follow Zeke down after a moment, to give their tiefling some space at his back. She would then follow directly behind them with her light.

(happy to continue any other brief conversation about the sheep, but since those in front are moving on, so will I just a bit...)

Zeke moves into the hidden cave space, aided by Fae's light from behind.  He finds himself in a chamber filled with barrels and crates, some stacked two high.  Looking beyond, he sees a much larger cavern opening up at the edge of the darkness.

(put people on the map for a general reference of where people are at, but positioning is not critical so you can be on any square you wish)

Tarja follows Arvel and the rest through the secret door, keeping an eye out to make sure they aren't being followed. She closes the secret door behind her and then, in the new storage area, take a look at what's in one of the nearby crates.

Ethan follows the others in, but turns around once through the secret door, so he can examine any of the works of the mechanism that may be visible.

Zeke pushes forward, leaning around the southern corner and peering Westward (using Map cardinal directions).  Shield up, blade ready, the massive tiefling keeps himself tucked in the shadows and glides forward.

Ethan finds a series of simple iron hinges on the back of the stone door.  As Tarja enters and closes the door, she lifts the top of one of the crates to find it loaded with small casks likely containing wine or ale.

With everyone else in the cavern with all of the barrels and crates, Zeke continues to lead the way out into the larger cavern.  Hugging the wall, his darkvision gives him a good view of the rest of this larger chamber.  To his right he sees a corner with supplies and three large makeshift beds, each covered with heaps of animal furs.  Looking out over the chamber Zeke sees several natural stone pillars, a large black chasm running the length of the chamber, and a pair of simple wooden bridges leading to the other side of the chasm.  On the far side of each bridge someone has erected small makeshift barriers of rope and wooden logs, just enough to slow you down in any approach.  Beyond he also sees at least one dark area that may be a path in the cave leading deeper in, but it's hard to say.

Zeke: I'll honor the recent Stealth roll since it was mere moments ago in game time.  Please also make a Perception check in this moment.

Everyone else: If you enter the main chamber, please also make Perception checks.  If you so choose depending on your character's approach, feel free to also roll Stealth.

(Again, everyone but Zeke can be wherever you want on this map.  I have yet to update Tarja moving into this first storage chamber, for instance.)