Episode 2

So we get some rope to Bryn and get the hell out of this poison box.

With some risky juggling operating with one hand, Bryn is able to get the rope, hold the torch, and climb into the upper room.

Those below see him disappear and the panel fall shut but the rope is still passing through and moving somewhat.

note="Oxbox"]There is a bracket near the west door. Again, not sure of the door can open or not, but it is a good tie off. Few seconds and Bryn has that done.

I think Bryn would do best to lay he torch on the floor of the upper room, near the panel door, so that it is not right in the mega-bats' face. If you drop that thing back to the lower room, this room is going to be extremely dark. Not pitch black, but close to it - would be extremely difficult to navigate, avoid bats, find escape, use tools perhaps to manipulate mechanisms on doors locks if necessary, etc.

As he goes over to the door, Bryn has to go agonizingly close to the outer edge of a hanging bat row. So creepy. He gets by and starts the tie off.

Now with better vantage on the whole room:

* There is a north door. It is closed, but no interior cross bolt bar like the west door.

* There is a chain mechanism that routes to the floor panel door. As predicted, it seems to come through a port in the wall, somehow rigged to the chain in the hall below in all likelihood by way of pulleys outside past the north door, would allow a chain puller below to open the floor panel door here.

* Besides the chain, there is also a heavy rope line that comes in and is tied off to a huge tree-like iron frame of hangers. Attached to the hangers are dozens of....bells. On the opposite side of the rope, hanging from the front of the hanger structure - a sizeable lead weight. Like a counterweight? At the base of the iron bell hanger structure: two hinge pivots. The apparatus is leaning forward and still, but looks like it could be pulled back by the rope, pivoting back, but then likely would fall back forward upon release due to the front loaded counterweight.
Deductive reasoning: oh shit. Is there some rope back at the lower exterior hallway that routes up to this rope? Something an attendant could pull, ring a shitload of bells, and awaken this fearsome looking flock of clawed long-snouted sucker bats?

* The most horrifying of all, there are two huge mega monster winged creatures in the northern side of the room previously not in view:
1) A slightly varied version of the other bats, but huge, about the size of a great Dane dog. It hangs upside down separated from the others. Instead of a proboscis, it has a huge terrifying maw with an oversized jaw and a wide spread of teeth. It is horrible looking.
2) Sitting high on a shelf near the north door is a mega-sized fly-like insectoid creature. It is crouched and not moving, but it is unsure if its large eyes are open or closed. It's bug wigs are tucked into skin like covers on its back. It has hair-like strands on its head and back. Its limbs look large and stout, tipped with claws. The upper appendages almost seem like arms. It also has a long snout proboscis protruding from its face like a sharpened piercing tube mouth. This horror show creature is about the size of a beefy calf or a large mountain lion. Holy shit!

Bryn finishes the tie. As he moves back towards the torch and the floor panel, one of the closest bat creatures lazily drops onto his shoulder. Little claws dig into Bryn's armor and the sharp proboscis snout stabs at his flesh!

MISS

The bite is blocked by Bryn's collar. The bat flutters once and sort of stumbles and slides down Bryn's back. It grips again on his armor, sort of under his arm wrapping around near his right kidney.[/note]

On the ground floor, from outside of the cage chamber, down the north hallway and room beyond the gate, a gravelly voice speaking in a haunting tone.

In Heshbaan (assume various level of understanding based on intermediate language capture by most):

"You have entered the cursed House of the Fallen King. You trespass! You have angered the spirits of the Deep Pits. Doom! Woe to you. DOOOOOOOM!"

Maeriks CON Save attempt via NPC control...

Maeriks finally stumbles forward, emerging from the smoke in the back of the room.

note="DMJ"]I think the firs priority is dealing with this one bat on Bryn. I’ll drop the torch on the floor and try to kill the bat quietly and quickly as to not awaken the others.
Then he’s going to try to stealth in and disconnectthe alarm rope by cutting it.[/note]

note="Oxbox"]Got it.

Sending a freebie on the first: Bryn pushes the bat to the floor and then crunches its head with his heel, silencing it and killing it in one quick squishy crunchy step.

Send a Stealth Check in to move across the room to the bell tree pivot hanger. You are moving closer to the mega bug shelf and to the king bat, so there are some unknowns involved - we need to see what happens there.

Sorry to remind, but....
remember the exhaustion effects of the neurotoxin, still active. I think Ability checks Disadvantage.[/note]

note="DMJ"]Ill try the keep my distance from the large one... as much as possible. [/note]

note="Oxbox"]Thats solid, but Bryn’s body is still shaking, labored breathing, headache.
Roll Disadvantage. Sorry.[/note]

In the caged trap room, the rope feels taunt. It extends up to the opening. The door is closed over top of it.

The haunting voice again, "The scorned spirits that are stranded judge you. They descend upon you to consume your life. You will be the thralls to those who were murdered. Vengeance! Vengeance falls upon you, trespassers! DOOOM!"

You hear the chain in the north hall rattle. The ceiling shutter door opens.

.... but nothing else happens.

note="Oxbox"]Bryn starts cutting the heavy rope. Then he sees the chain pull. The floor door lifts open.

Bryn saws through the rope. Right when he does it pulls away, flopping to the floor. Again it is pulled, as if by a hard yank. The running end of the rope slides up and out of the port hole.

Bryn had cut the rope just in time![/note]

Required Action: Everyone except Bryn DC 10 STR Athletics to climb 20' rope (no Disadvantage)
Send order of climbing if it is further contrived. Seems like Ivor is volunteering for last. Kray second to last?
If nothing else is declared, I'll take it that the climb is in the same order as how people roll the skill check.