-----The others see an outline of a large trapdoor where Kazel points. On the latch there is a curious looking lock. It appears to be made of black metal with the image of a skull just below the keyhole. The lock looks a little bigger than most ordinary ones.
-----The Dread Pirate eyes the lock warily, saying, "I don't much like the look of that lock. It seems a bit ominous. That skull is a bit too obvious to be the sort of trap left for the unwary. It must be a warning as well as a trapped lock. I don't think we should try to unlatch it. However, we need to get past it. Let's look around here for a couple of saws. We'll saw a hole in the floor and leave the lock undisturbed. If worst comes to worst, we'll pry up the hinges and get in that way." The Dread Pirate commences searching the walls and wagons for any sort of saw.
-----Two saws are quickly found and the Dread Pirate directs Runik and Krord to begin using them while Brandel continues his watch by the door. The two mercenaries position themselves on opposite sides of the trapdoor and take each end of a saw in their hands. In this way, they begin cutting across the door in two places. As the rhythmic sounds begins to build, Brandel shifts over to one of the windows to watch the street.
-----Finally the wood is weakened enough that Krord slams down on the partially sawed blanks that make up the trapdoor. After about three solid punches, the trapdoor has a large hole in it.
-----Abbar brings up two lit torches. Holding it over the broken trapdoor, what is revealed below are damp stone steps leading down in the darkness. The silence below matches this end of town.
-----The Dread Pirate sighs and looks down the gloomy steps, then draws his cutlass and proceeds down the steps. Before he starts his downward trek, he checks the steps for traps and listens for any untoward sounds emanating from the darkness below. He also says, "Let me go first, if'n I run into anythin, I can run back up here a lot faster than any of you. Ideally, whatever I run into might follow me back up here and we can all ambush 'em as they come up the steps one at a time."
-----Seth nods and stands next to Krord, while he waits for Dread to scout ahead.
-----"Alright then," Kazel lets Gimplefwick exercise his enthusiasm for dark entrances. "Come back up here anyway though, so we won't wait and wonder too long this time."
-----Looking for something to kill time, she picks up the saws to examine their condition.
-----The Dread Pirate's boots touch down on the cold damp stones. As he peers down underneath the trapdoor, a slight breeze that hints at a chill brushes his face. Checking around the steps, Gimplefwick sees no indication of traps. He then carefully eases himself downward.
-----Everyone else stands silently around the trapdoor as the halfling pirate disappears from sight. Abbar stands frozen as the light of his torch picks out a fire in his eyes.
-----After a few moments, the Dread Pirate emerges from the darkness. Popping his head back up through the hole, he says, "The corridor splits off in two directions and there's an additional pathway through what looks to be some raw sewage. I'd prefer to try the other two corridors first."
-----"Then let's try them," Kazel replies. She starts to climb down the hole in the trapdoor.
-----Seth shrugs his shoulders and loads his new light crossbow. He indicates for Runik to go after Kazel. He then climbs down after Runik, muttering, "I better not get these boots scuffed. I hope there is a washer woman nearby where I can have my shirt cleaned and pressed."
-----Abbar follows Seth carrying a torch with Krord and Brandel bringing up the rear. Brandel carries the second torch, which flickers off of the rough-hewn stones of the descending tunnel. As they move below the surface of the ground level, the tunnel they follow has a distinct arch shape.
-----Those in front of the procession nearly curse the ones behind them as the heavy footfalls on the steps send and receive odd sounding echoes from the darkness below.
-----After moving downward about twenty feet, everyone emerges from the stair tunnel into a larger tunnel, which is partly filled with a murky foul smelling liquid. The larger tunnel seems to run east to west with no sign of an end in either direction. A ledge of built up stone runs along the tunnel allowing passage without getting into the water. The ledge runs about three feet above the level of the murky water.
-----Of the water itself, the color is a brownish tone as it is shown under the torchlight. Although there is no hint of movement in the water, a light chilly breeze seems to flow down the tunnel.
-----Seth shudders at the thought of wading through the water. He whispers to Dread, "Do you think some one may have trapped the easy, dry path? I am not keen on walking through the water, especially as we can not see if there is anything of danger in it."
-----The Dread Pirate makes a disgusted face at the water, then replies, "Arrr, I'd just as soon avoid that muck myself. Let's go left. No particular reason, but we need to go some direction." The Dread Pirate edges discretely away from the water, getting as far against the wall as possible. Whenever he glances at the murky liquid, an uneasy expression crosses his face and he presses further up against the wall.