Merrick noticeably stared at Otavia’s bosom as she leaned over to grip a rock, then seemed to catch himself, his cheeks flushing as he turned away and tucked his lantern back into his backpack, earning a soft chuckle from Aleric.<br/><br/>The stone sailed easily thought the air, revealing about thirty steep stairs before striking a stone wall where the passageway turned sharply to the right, the floor seeming to even out into a corridor.  “Well, at least we know we aren’t walking straight into something’s mouth,” Aleric observed.  “Lead on, Merrick.  Try not to get us killed.”<br/><br/>Merrick took the lead, with Aleric following a few paces behind along the right wall, a space for Otavia to follow him, and Kent in the rear, hugging the left wall.  As they descended the steep stone steps, Aleric rapped his mace against the wall, while Kent tapped the hilt of his blade against the other wall.  “Checking for a change in the sound,” Aleric explained to Otavia.  “If the stone suddenly sounds more hollow, there might be a hidden passage or something.”<br/><br/>They reached Otavia’s stone without incident and, rounding the corner, saw a hallway stretching beyond the reach of Otavia’s stone.  Merrick picked the rock up and the party continued forward.  The next turn in the hallway was just coming into view when Kent stopped and harshly whispered, “Hold.”<br/><br/>Merrick and Aleric turned to look at their quiet companion.  “What is it, Kent?” Merrick asked.<br/><br/>Kent tapped his hilt on a few different spots, and the sound audibly changed.  Although the wall all seemed the same dull, solid grey at first glance, there was a patch that sounded like it might be hollow.<br/><br/>***<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">OOC</div><div class="spoiler_body">I'll take a search check; on a 15 or better you find a way to open the wall and you may make that part of your post.</div></div>