Grykham pulled on the handle and felt the resistance.  Gripping with both hands and firmly planting his feet he pulls harder.

Athletics 14

With all of his might, he feels the resistance fade away as he vigorously pries the hatch open. The hinges squeak loudly as they haven't been tended to in a while. The cellar is now accessible, and Grykham can immediately smell the scent of deterioration as they are more trash in the cellar.

"Eh?  What's that Krivnaar?  Sorry, this cellar door was stuck and I am sure I felt resistance more than just rusty old hinges.  Something whispered in me ear also, said 'It's closing time'.  This place may be haunted after all.  Not sure yet though but I am hoping there's some good stuff left in the cellar as it doesn't seem anyone's accessed it in quite some time."

He takes a moment to wipe his hand on his pants before getting ready to go down into the cellar.

"If we can find a few good caskets of beer or what not down here this place may be worth fixing up and staying in.  So far its just dirty.  Now let's see what's in this cellar."

With that said Grykham moves down the stairs into the cellar.

"I'll join you down there!  If it's truly haunted down there I can spot that ghost quick, as well as help haul up some brew!" 

She scampers over behind the dwarf to head down to the cellar.  She leans forward to get closer to the dwarf's head as they head down into the cellar with a hand on the dwarf's shoulder, unable to see in the darkness.

"Also, may I please get your name?"

Grykham and Aubree venture into the cellar. They both can see that the casks that are in here seemed to have been punctured and the brew has spilled out into the floor. As they're down there, they both suddenly are surprised by the wicked sound of a thunderous slam, knowing that the apparition residing in the manor had closed the hatch again. It's pitch black in the cellar. Gryham and Aubree will stumble around if they lack darkvision. Anyone that tries to open the hatch to the cellar will need to make a Strength (Athletics) check.

"Yeah, definitely haunted. Probably not best to leave them trapped in a ghost-infested cellar..." Krivnaar goes over to try and pull open the hatch.

Athletics: 17

Aubree was able to see dimly the casks totally drained of brew, frowning at the sight; she wanted a pint herself.  Suddenly, the room went dark with a loud slam as the hatch closed.  Letting out a yelp, gripping her dwarven ally's shoulder with one hand and drawing her shield with the other, she'd shout out.

"It's haunted, most definitely haunted!"  She exclaims as she uses her Divine Sense once again, she may not be able to see the ghost, but she can at least point it out the dwarf!

Grykham looks around, the darkness not bothering him.

"Eh now!  That's not fair!" he yells drawing his hammer from his belt and holding it with both hands.  "Show yerself!"

"Well seems like Volo had that much right." Morgan says with an amused grunt. He starts towards the door to the basement to open it, but sees another has that taken care of already. "I suggest we leave, as I don't see any reason to harm this spirit, nor to upset it by our being here at this point." He glances to the others. "I think we should gather outside and decide what we are going to do."

Rashar stays back as Grykham and Aubree enter the cellar, and watches as the hatch slams shut again. A chill creeps up his spine as he prepares his crossbow, though he doubts the effectiveness of the weapon against any sort of apparition. 

If Krivnaar manages to open the hatch, he will try to jam the entrance by placing furniture in the opening, preventing it from closing shut again. 

To Morgan, "I think we should at least check out what's it the cellar first. It seemed quite dark, perhaps we should let down a lantern?" 

Krivnaar seems to be unable to pry the hatch open, as he's unable to muster the sufficient strength to do so. He gets the idea that he may need help with this.

Aubree's able to detect that the Undead creature is nearby, in the cellar with her and Grykham. They're able to see the empty casks stashed on the feeble racks getting flung across the room and crashing into the wall, shattering upon impact.

Rashar will take a crowbar from his pack and reaches it out to Morgan. 

"Would you like a try?" 

(Probably can't do better than Krivnaar, even with a crowbar. The crowbar should grant advantage on the pry check.) 

Sensing there is an undead creature in the room and hearing the crashing of casks into the wall, she grips her shield tightly, whispering down to the dwarf, "The ghost is in here..."  In Dwarvish.

Clearing her throat, and taking a deep sigh to calm her nerves in a dark room with a ghost, she begins, "Oh spirit!  We mean you no harm!  What binds you to this manor, I wish to help you find peace or at least a fulfilling afterlife!"

With a shrug Morgan takes the item and tries to open the door... Athletics: 23

Aubree doesn't receive any sort of response, and Morgan is able to pry the hatch open, courtesy of Rashar's crowbar.

Jarret will cautiously walk over and stare through the hatch. Can he see any glowing objects that may be magical in the cellar?

His arms aching from his failed attempt at opening the hatch, Krivnaar peers down, and calls out jokingly as he spies the environs below: "Closing time...? Well, seeing as we're the new owners - surely we can keep the place open for a little drink, hm?" He then goes to help Rashar secure the hatch open so the poltergeist's shenanigans don't repeat.

Jarret isn't able to see anything that would signify anything magical is occurring. After Krivnaar mentions being the new owners, he suddenly has a figure appear before him, a ghastly half-elf man wearing a fashionable attire. The attire may resemble what folks would have worn many generations ago, indicating this man may have been dead for a substantial amount of time.

The ghost utters "New owners? Elaborate." the ghost inquires, seemingly interested in knowing of their ownership of the manor.

Upon hearing the hatch open and looking about the now dimly lit room, she'd pat the dwarf's shoulder and starts to scamper up topside, still having her shield out.

"Ah, well met, um, sir...," stammers Krivnaar, trying to maintain his composure in front of the apparition. "Technically, we're not the new owners yet. The transfer of deed, from one Volotham Geddarm, will be completed after we've, ah, inspected the place," Krivnaar admits. He'd never had dealings with a ghost before, but perhaps best to deal with them as if they were a client... "I am Krivnaar Nemmonis, solicitor and one of the parties to the transaction. I assure you, the paperwork will be in order."