The Northern Mountains

Sylvandur watches the crevance...
"Even tying our rope is not enough to get so far down.
But stairs connect walking paths... There must be a tunnel or something similar to get to those stairs."

"Aye, we must keep looking." Blornvid proceeds to search the area for signs of a cave or steps leading down.

"Seems to me that some sort of stone hidden door must be close."
Although he keeps thinking what kind of lock would it has. Anyhow, he approaches Blordvid and searches for some kind of door outline in the walls.
If he can't find he way start knocking anything around the place :)

Sylvandur's searching uncovers an odd shaped groove. Conversing, the party determines that the groove looks to be both a receptacle for a pin and what might be a key whole? Could the missing key key be a knocker as well?

Blornvid, in your experience in dwarven domains, do you recall anything like that/ a knocker also being a key?

"A knocker as a key... hmmmm..." Blornvid strokes his chin in thought. "I can't recall any, but I wouldn't bet against the possibility. Dwarves use all sorts of items and even magic phrases as keys." He starts to look around the immediate vicinity for signs of a knocker or its pieces.

Blornvid sighs. "This woulda been easier to fix back at the Manor with the forge." He thinks for a moment. "Maybe I can fashion a pin out of wood. It only needs to work once." He looks around for a branch that he can use to whittle into the shape of the pin. Once he does, he focuses intently on the task.

Blornvid successfully fashions a wooden replacement pin. Swinging the hammer it strikes the stone and a chime resonates in the crevasse echoing off into the depths as the outline of a door appears in the rock face and slowly swings open. A darkened space appears beyond with clean, dust free stairs spiraling down.

Well done Blornvid! If anyone is down there, they know we are here. Will either of you need light? says Elyse grinning in excitement at her companions.

Blornvid allows himself a moment of pride at accomplishing the task and getting the door open.

"I can see for a wee bit in the dark, further if there's dim light. I don't mind taking lead." He brandishes his axe with a smile to underscore his point.

Still with an amazed look in his face...
"That was impressive my dwarven friend! You can really unlock the most unconventional doors. I'm thrilled!
Please, do take the lead."
And Sylvandur calls Fur to his shoulder so they can enter the underground stairs...

Blornvid bows in acknowledgement of his companions' praise and then leads the way down the dust-free spiral staircase. It ends after eighty feet in rough room about fifteen feet in diameter. There's a natural tunnel worn smooth with use leading out of the room, but it's only five feet high. There's also a sturdy rope dangling in the air near the wall beneath the entrance door.

At the bottom of the shaft, Blornvid looks up at the meager shaft of light coming in through the door. "Looks like the stairs were constructed to overcome the steep drop. From here it looks like whoever lived here used the natural tunnel. Pulling on the rope might close the door." He shrugs.

The natural tunnel descends, widens, and grows tall enough that Sylandur can stand up straight, which is helpful now that the light is gone.

As the tunnel levels out, a dim glow becomes visible. As they near the end of the tunnel, they come upon a ten by ten stone landing that looks out upon a cavern forty yards wide and sixty yards long. To their left is an opening that leads to the crevasse spotted from above. Forty feet below them looks like the remnants of a small village, though it appears uninhabited. Alas, there's no easy way down, for a wooden staircase lies in a heap.

"Hmmmm. Any suggestions as to how we get down from here?"

Well, I am the lightest out of all or us. You two could lower me down and I can put some pitons into the rock face as I go which would give you both hand holds and something to attach a safety rope.

The adventurers spend a few minutes getting everything ready and slowly lower Elyse over the edge. An hour later, Elyse sits at the base of the precipice barely able to lift her arms. I don't think I was built for that. She call up to her companions.Elyse secures the anchor rope and does her best to act as the anchor as Blornvid and Sylvandur repel tier way down the last 40 feet to the abandoned village.

Sylvandur follows Elyse plan. Once below...
"WoW, Elyse, that was remarkable! But I see you weaken yourself. Let's rest a moment before continuing."

He sits by a big rock, gets his healers kit out, and mixes some herbs with a bit of oil. And chants some strange words in a whisper. A few minutes later, a small coin-sized mixture is on a fresh leave. Strong and sweet fragrance fly by.
"Here, use a bit of this mixture on joints and hands to recover them faster. You can also put a bit on a headband over your forehead and the smell is invigorating. You shall be as new in 10 or 15 minutes."

Then he closes his healers kit carefully.

Thank you Sylvandur, that salve is remarkable. You should bottle that, with the right customer base, it would be worth it's weight in gold!

Elyse grimaces as she realizes her merchant background just spilled out...

Shall we do some exploring? Blornvid, any suggestions on where we might start our search?