BILADOC
I take a step back to breath and turn to Legildur:
"Sure I'm going to search it. Don't you think it's a little strange that such a place is behind a secret door? Why going to such trouble to hide it? And, as you remarked yourself, these orcs seem to have a tendency to keep interesting, if not valuable items around waste."
I move back to the greater room, pick up one of the orcs weapons and look at the one legged orc with the open skull. I smile at Saggar:
"All right! Defenseless enemies nil, hot headed dwarves two!"
I run back to the room where Legildur is before Saggar can throw a hand axe at me, laughing out loud.
I take a deep breath and start searching the small room thoroughly , poking the weapon inside the wooden toilet and examining every square inch, stepping out from time to time to breath.
In one of these moments, I say to Legildur:
"Don't be so ready to say we won't find anything here. A good thief never goes for the obvious hiding places."
Noticing the look on some party members and the (in)voluntary movement of hands approaching belt pouches and checking their contents, I add:
"So I've been told! I wouldn't know!"

KINSON
"Could there be other secret doors leading out of the privy-room?"

DM
When you look in the wooden toilet you notice that it is empty except for stains on the sides et.. That is strange...What do you do from there?

BILADOC
I look at the inside of the toilet and tap the floor with the weapon, trying to determine if there might be a passage underneath. I then try to move the toilet, asking Legildur to help me. If I don't find anything, I'll drop the weapon inside it and see what happens.

SAGGAR
Saggar mumbles following the thief "mayhap a secret tunnel down in the latrine?

TIMOR
When Timor looks over and notices Biladoc 'playing' with the toilet, Timor cringes his face.
"Perhaps we are looking to hard....it is after all a toilet..."
Though Timor does think it is prudent to check (after all, it is one without wisdom who will deny his mind of a possibility), but at the same time, he finds it rather ridiculous to be checking a waste receptacle (I don't think the 'treasures' you will find are the kind you want to take home to ma... ;)

DM
Tapping the bottom of the thing shows a hinge that pops the bottom open that reveals a dark shaft. After a short period of time the hinge pops the bottom back into place hiding the dark hole beneath. The hole looked quite large.

TIMOR
Timor, open jawed and wide eyed, merely stares at Legildur and Biladoc wondering how serious they really are..
When he realizes he is starting to drool, he closes his mouth and just shakes his head thinking about how far gone the lot of you are and that it is pointless to point out the facts - the fact being that you are about to go shimmying down into a toilet..

LEGILDUR
OOC:
Large enough for a hobbit to fit through? Sorry Biladoc, looks like an even dirtier job than you first imagined.
BIC:
Legildur moves over to the privy at Biladoc's behest.
"Better close that door Alof while we sought all this out." he says as he moves to join Biladoc. He takes a couple of sniffs of the air and says:
"I'd say we'd best not use a naked flame to examine this." (assuming of course it has been used for what it was intended.)
If there is sufficient room for a hobbit to descend then Legildur will remove his (light) silk rope and secure it around the privy and then prepares an elaborate harness, for a person of about hobbit size, from the end of the rope, so that he can lower Biladoc down if he chooses.

DM
Large enough for just about anyone to fit through.

BILADOC
When I hear Legildur saying to Alof *we* are going to sought all this out and start to prepare a harness, I move away from him, keeping the toilet between us. I throw the orc sword to the ground and yell, gesturing like a mad man (hobbit?!):
"What the $#%$#$ is the matter with you, you tin-headed #£%*##$%& knights?! Kinson wanted to throw me at that black water tied like bait, you want to flush me down this "%#&%& toilet! Why do you always pick on me? Why don't you try to think of something else to do before?! Oh no, to much trouble! Lets tie a rope to Biladoc and see what happens to him! I had enough work, searching this blasted foul-smelling $%&#$&$% toilet!" I stop to regain my breath and calm down. Even though I don't like the idea of being lowered into this dark hole, after the bad experience I had with the owlbears (it's in one of the first chapters and it was then I met Kinson and his friends), I'm curious as to what we may find in that hole. In a normal tone of voice, I continue:
"If you don't want to lower a candle into this hole, why not reflecting some light into it with a mirror. Maximillion as one, right? Or Timor could make that trick he did with the kobold cutlery again, making them glow in the dark and we can lower that, before *any* of us went down."
I wait for my suggestions to be followed, but keep watching Legildur and stay out of arms reach. ;-)
OOC:
As Kermie, I'm willing to go down this shaft and see what's down there, especially after all Charles' hints and clues. It's Biladoc that is a little reluctant in doing that. ;-)
Legildur and Kinson, don't pay attention to what he's saying. He's always going on like this, but he'd jump in front of a dragon to save you guys... err, as a last resource, of course. ;-)
About the kobold utensils, did Timor cast a 'perpetual light' in them? Or just a 'temporary light' spell?

TIMOR
Timor laughs as Biladoc begins his tirade - though Biladoc's concerns are legitimate, his manner of expression is a bit amusing, hence, Timor can't help bit find himself starting to laugh. To keep himself from offending anyone, and since he knows it would be rude, Timor takes several steps back away from the group and begins chuckling to relieve his inner tension..
Timor walks over and gets a peek at the hole (if he can manage to wade through the crowd at the privy's door). When he sees that it is indeed large enough for any of us to slide through, Timor quickly steps back. He doesn't want to be volunteered for the scouting task, and for some reason, he wishes he hadn't lost so much weight (and girth) during his days of training at the temple - that would be one way to avoid what he is prophesizing is going to happen - that they all have to travel down there....(can I get an "eewww" from the audience? :)

BILADOC
I look at the size of the hole, large enough even for Legildur to pass through and say:
"What do you think of this: first, lets try to shed some light into this hole with Maximillion's mirror or one of Timor 's spells. Then, we can lower one of the orcs, or just that leg Saggar cut out. If there's something hungry down there or some traps, better let one of those bodies get hit than one of us."
I look at my map and say after a while:
"Strange... There's a 10ft. area along the north wall of the larger room. Alof, do you want to give me a hand trying to see if there's any passage there or if it's just a wall thicker than the others."
I'll move back to the large room and start searching the north wall (another excuse to stay away from Legildur). After this search I'll move back to the toilet and proceed with the hole examination.

DM
You discover no secret door's or compartments in the north wall of the room.

TIMOR
"Oh, that particular prayer merely produced a limited holy light. I am at the moment unable to extend the length of the light, but perhaps with more understanding of the complexities of the prayer, I will eventually be able to do so. (ooc: he had only cast a temporary light spell and he is unable to cast the permanent light spell due to insufficient experience and level attainment.)
Timor just realizes that Biladoc had a purpose for asking the question of the holy light prayer and quickly wishes to correct the issue.
"Oh, I had not heard you mention wanting to use Elanna's light (he cringes for a moment at the thought of _where_ the holy light would be going if he cast it)...but, I had only prepared myself to invoke that light once. If it is absolutely necessary, I would need time to rest and prepare my body to vessel the divine energies, but since we have other light sources available to us (turns questionably to the others for a moment), we would save time using already prepared light."
{he doesn't have a second light spell memorized - even if he did, he doesn't like the idea of putting 'holy light' in the stanchion' hole... but if it is necessary, then he will have to rest and meditate before being able to cast that spell again}.

KINSON
A great roar of laughter escapes from Kinson as he listens to Biladoc's tirade about being tied up and thrown over black water and lowered into toilets...
"Haven't you ever been fishing before, we need some bait!"
He nearly doubles over he's laughing so hard.
After a while, his chuckles subside and he says (still smiling):
"Please forgive me my friend, but perhaps that is what I needed, it was getting pretty serious around here. I do think Biladoc's idea is good, we should lower a light first. I'm going to stand watch out here, call me if you need me." and he steps out of the privy-room.

LEGILDUR
"Now come on Biladoc...." says Legildur as he hides the rope harness behind his back and begins to sidle towards the elusive bait, uh I mean hobbit.
"Be reasonable, you know you're the best qualified for this job - who knows what treasure is down there...."
Legildur stops his advance when Biladoc mentions the use of light either lowered or reflected into the hole (ignoring the fact that the hobbit is actively evading him). He begins to think twice about what sought of being would use this privy given the size of the trap door. How big is the seat?
Gesturing towards Maximillion to bring his staff of light and a mirror across, Legildur holds down the trap door with an orc sword while Max and Biladoc use the mirror and reflect some light down the hole.
Legildur tests the smell again - if he feels that no particularly noxious gases exist, then it might be safe to lower a torch into the depths, and he will prepare and lower such (unless someone has a more appropriate source available).

DM
4 feet across at the base. The seat itself is two feet but the wooden seat can be moved you realized to reveal the entire 4 foot hole beneath.
The hole is dark and the reflected light shows a little of it but not much. It does smell awfully bad down there.

KINSON
Kinson looks over his shoulder back into the privy-room.
"If you are worried about lowering a torch down there, then Max's staff would be a better choice -- it won't start a fire, and it's a better light source than a torch anyway. What do you say Max?" MAXIMILLION "Sure." (Boy he's talkative...) Max hands his staff to Legildur.

SAGGAR
Saggar's expression sours as he thinks of it.
"Ain't no dwarf worth stone that would go into a orc crapper"

ALOF
I'll close the door I just opened and head toward the toilet. When I reach the group I'll say:
"I thought this might be just a way to dump waste until you guys found it to be a four foot opening. Would orcs be smart enough to construct this to hide treasure by themselves or were they assisted is what I want to know."

LEGILDUR
Legildur is disappointed at the lack of success of the reflected light to view the hole. He gratefully accepts Max's offer of the staff and says:
"Is anyone skilled in the tying of knots?" If no one answers then Legildur uses his silk rope to create a harness for the staff that relies on friction to hold the staff vertically at three points along its length. (OOC: hard to describe but I have used it to hoist antennas and it secures the antennae rods quite securely) before lowering it into the hole.
Legildur stands some distance back from the hole and runs the rope around his back and holds it firmly.
"Silvan, use your keen eyes to survey what is below." he adds as he lowers the staff just enough to cast sufficient light into the hole.

DM
You lower he staff and it disappears. In fact the rope seems quite light.

SILVAN
OOC:
Can Silvan still see the staff? Can he see anything else?
BIC:
Silvan frowns, and peers into the depths of the hole, reporting on what he sees. On a whim, Silvan pulls out a copper, saying with a grin:
"For luck!", and flips it into the hole.

DM
It disappears as well.

LEGILDUR
Legildur frowns at the light rope and at the disappearance of the coin. He then pulls on the rope to (hopefully) retrieve Max's staff.

ALOF
When I see the staff disappear I begin to think. After a minute I step up to the toilet and put my orc detecting sword against the seat (not putting it inside) When doing this I'll say to the group:
"This should answer my question of whether or not the orcs are hiding treasure for themselves or for someone else. It should also give us an idea as to if it is an orc guarding what lies beneath. Whatever it is it appears we now must go after Max's staff."(He's not going to be happy when he gets back!)

LEGILDUR
OOC:
Whoops, guess I'm gonna owe John an apology. Or I can try and dodge the issue by reminding him about the dark wall and the extreme gravity pit that he nearly shoved the his staff into - but I don't think that carries much weight. I guess Legildur might have to do some nasty spelunking. I hope the staff wasn't overly special.

TIMOR
OOC:
Kermie backs away and acknowledges no responsibility for this act of de-staffing of a mage... ;)
BIC:
Somewhat hesitantly, Timor looks around. He quickly counts heads (everyone present or did someone disappear while we weren't paying attention? - just making sure..). It is obvious he doesn't want to say what he is about to, but for the sake of possibilities, he will go ahead and say it...
"Probably another portal leading somewhere...." the unknown possibilities that come with portals leaves Timor rather unsure and disturbed - for it could be a way out, but it could just as easily be a way to certain death.. oh, if only Elanna were here to guide them...if only...
He then looks apologetically towards Reena...for if it weren't for him, she would have remained in Hasbis and enjoyed the company of sun-filled days and merry-filled evenings. He shouldn't have dragged her into this... she came out of a spider's web in one underground prison into the maze of another one...all that aside, even if Reena has forgiven him, Timor has yet to forgive himself.
He backs against one of the far walls (one not in the privy, or immediately near anyone else) and waits, eagerly looking this way and that, wondering which direction would be best to travel, wondering which direction would best result in finding one of the three missing elves, wondering which direction would prove helpful in finding a way out... he has been so lost in thought, he hasn't paid much attention to any exterior noises from his colleagues or noises that could have been from nearby orcs or other denizens of the maze.
He isn't depressed, merely contemplative - after all, to be depressed would make for a bad example to those he has been trying to boost in morale every so often, and in the words of a lecture once given in a temple's class, "Show by doing as well as by word - be the example you are professing others to be."

DM
Legildur pulls on the rope and feels something tug back on it. It almost pulls him into the toilet.
Alof's sword does not glow as he holds it over the toiler seat. Timor sits back against a wall and waits. Suddenly a load croaking sound comes from behind the south door.

----------------
Who can it be, knocking at that door? Go away, and don't come back no more...
Unfortunately, as we'll see in the next chapter, they didn't went away, quite the contrary...