"Fair enough. Stand back that ways a bit."

Zoe lays down flat on the floor at a distance she thinks the blade wouldn't reach even if she were standing, and tries poking at the trigger stones with her stick.

The blade slashes out; she's far enough back to easily avoid it.

The third trap is just inside that side passage-- a fine metal cord that runs across the floor just above ankle height. If tripped, it will bring an axe down from the ceiling. Zoe shines a flashlight around the area and looks for a glint; she sees the tripwire and indicates it to the others.

"I think we can probably just step over this one. If you want I could try to trigger it from a ways back but. It's right there, just don't step on it."

Zoe will hold their hands for balance or point at the wire or whatever they might need.

Everyone makes it over the trap safely. Thank you, Zoe.

At the end of the side passage is a small circular chamber, which houses a narrow stone well with no rope or chain, just a hole in the floor decorated with Maltese crosses.

"Okay! Next thing we're looking for is a well!" -- oh it's there. "I'm guessing this hole is the well." She shines a flashlight down. How far is it?

Quite a few feet; they're not going to die if they fall but they might break a bone.

Zoe anchors a rope to one of the crosses and climbs down.

Part of the way down her foot slips on a bit of rock that wasn't nearly as securely attached as she thought it was. She desperately clutches for the rope to keep from falling, and pulls it down with her.

Fortunately, she only has some light scrapes. Unfortunately, she's on the bottom of the well with the rope and two people who can't climb up there.

Well that thud didn't sound good! He rushes to the edge. "Zoe, are you alright?"

"Fuck! I'm okay! The rocks here are loose. I'll... try to figure out a way for you guys to get down."

The ruins are a simple collection of chambers with walls of simple upright stones and floors made of loose gravel and detritus. Which sucks.

Zoe calls up the well: "There's not really a lot down here. I think I'm going to have to try to climb back up." She powders her hands with the powder from her compact to get a bit better grip. "Can one of you shine a light down so that I can see what I'm doing?"

Oswald grabs the light and crouches by the entrance.

Zoe takes a deep breath. She's done this before, in the circus. She's Zoe, lucky Zoe, and her people need her.

She starts to climb.

Her arm muscles hurt and her legs hurt and the rocks keep scraping against the little cuts on her hands. But she grits her teeth and keep going and she's at the top of the well.

He offers her a hand when she reaches the top.

She takes Oswald's hand and hoists herself out of the hole. Stays on the ground for a moment to catch her breath.

"So do we want to try that again, or--"

(This is the 'focusing on concrete specifics that need to be dealt with because this is a bad time to have feelings' tone of voice. Zoe might recognize it.)

"We can do it. I know the climb now. I'll stay at the top this time to make sure the rope stays anchored, and I'll call down to you where to put your feet as you lower yourselves."

It does not really seem like either of them want to go first. "I can go first," he says.

Thank you Oswald neither of them in fact wanted to go first.

"If you want, I could tie a double bowline, and you could try rappelling down? Rocks are not my typical climbing surface but it might be safer."

"That might help."

He doesn't exactly know more about rappelling than regular rope-climbing but he sure would like his feet against a solid surface.

"It's basically just like walking down a wall. I'll spot you."

The hard part is getting back up, but. They don't need to worry about that right now.

Once the rope is where it ought to be he -- well, first he experimentally tugs on it a few times -- and then he slooooowly begins his descent.

And near the bottom Oswald slips.

He tumbles the last foot and a half but escapes with nothing but scrapes on both his knees.

THIS IS WHY WE USE DOORS this is a wholly inappropriate response to literally everything that has happened in the last twenty minutes but Nonetheless,

"You okay?"

He catches his breath. "Yeah I'm fine."

"Okay. Keep an eye on Mordred as he comes down. Be ready to grab him, or the rope, if necessary."