Mishok and Sartan climb down the well on a rope tied to an iron cleat in the wall. They find themselves in a circular chamber. In the center of the room, directly beneath the well shaft down which they had climbed, is a pool of filthy grey water. The walls of the chamber are adorned with hundreds of bones, mortared right into the stone. There is a pervasive stench of death and decay.

There are two irregular tunnels that lead in opposite directions from the well chamber, and a double stone door between them. A brass medallion is mounted on the doors as some sort of closure. It is crafted in the shape of two hands cradling a shallow bowl. There is a tacky brownish residue in the bottom. The doors also bear a carved inscription in a lettering that neither of the explorers can read.

After spending some time talking and investigating the rooms, they hear the approach of what is unmistakably the snarling of ghouls. In moments, several of the undead creatures rush from the two tunnels. Mishok and Sartan leap to the rope and begin climbing. The ghouls and ghasts are hot on their heals, climbing up the rope as quickly as the can. The two gain the top of the well mere seconds before their pursuers. Cycek and Davros, waiting at the top rain down arrows and quickly as they can, managing to dislodge a couple of the climbers, sending them plummeting to the bottom. The undead are at a disadvantage, climbing up a shaft and arrows, sword strokes, and even bags of grain are hurled against them. The one ghouls that manages to make it over the lip of the well is quickly dispatched and sent back down the well.

Hearing no more attackers from below, Mishok decides to go back down to explore. He ties a 100 ft. length of rope around his waist and has his companions lower him down. He explores the two tunnels a far as he can, and sees that there are tracks going in both directions. He calls out to the acolytes and hears no reply, other than the distant gibbering of ghouls. He investigates the fallen bodies of the ghouls and ghasts, and finds that they have emeralds jammed into their eye sockets. When the creatures were ambulatory, the emeralds glowed. Now that the ghouls are dead, the emeralds appear inert. Mishok gathers a total of eight of the gems, two from each of the four dead creatures.

The other three join Mishok down the well and renew their investigation of the mysterious door. Sartan looks at the inscription more closely, and hears his sword Demonsbane speak in his head, “Hey, those letters, they look like Infernal. You know… the language of fiends: demons and devils. Oh boy, there must be something demonic going on here. I sure do hope so!” He translates the inscription as, “Pay now the toll of the living lest ye enter the domain of the dead too rich in life.”

The quartet discuss what it might mean, and settle on the theory that opening the door requires some kind of sacrifice… perhaps blood. Sartan agrees to cut himself with the sword, and drip his blood into the bowl. To his surprise, he bleeds profusely. “What the hell!?” he exclaims. “Sorry!” Demonsbane replies, “I’m just eager to get to those demons!” This approach works, and the door swings open.

Cycek moves forward to investigate. He finds himself in a corridor lined with bones. The air is oppressive with the stink of death. He rounds a corner and sees a series of niches along the corridor. Each one contains a standing skeleton chained in place. At the end of the corridor is a chamber containing a stone altar presided over by a robed demonic figure. There is a bowl-like impression in the stone surface of the altar, it flickers with scant green flames. This altar bears an inscription that reads (according to Demonsbane) “Feed life to the skull, and it shall give ye death to wield against the enemies of Azarumme.”

Mishok is aware that Azarumme is the name of the ancient civilization whose ruins litter provinces. He finds it likely that these chamber under the church are remnants from that bygone era.

The party ponders these findings and discusses what to do next.