Eyes Of The Lich Queen

[DEFCON 1]

Jango reports that he can see everything that everyone points out to him (including the portcullis, the lever, the milliscule rise in the floor where the pressure plate is). Only the large door and the hidden lever were invisible and intangible to him when they were in the hoard chamber, and that was only right up until the lever was pulled and the door spun open. Then everything came into view.

OOC: jksason: that is correct, Rogan passes the info on. Anything not in spoiler blocks are considered to be info gained and passed onto everyone... only info inside sblocks are considered personal info that needs to be vocalized for everyone to know.

 

[Mista Collins]

"So far, pressure plates have mostly been for opening doors, not springing traps around here," Donovan offers up. "But if this 'blocked to dragonkin' theory's right, a large plate's a good way to trap some of 'em, leaving room 'round the edge for our kind, and a lever for same. Say, Jango, can you see this lever, or is it blocked to you like the other one?"

"I don't think this pressure plate opens the portcullis." Rogan says as he gets up from his hands and knees. "It is more than likely a trap designed to catch any who just walk up to the lever. The lever itself is probably the way to raise the portcullis."

Rogan takes a few steps back in order to give himself a running start and tires to clear the pressure plate. Once doing so, he will examine the lever further, using it to raise the portcullis if he deems it safe.

 

[DEFCON 1]

With the running start... it is simple for Rogan to clear the 10 feet of pressure plate, and he lands gently on the far side, not even needing to grab the portcullis for support. (Jump check DC 10: [14] + 7 = 21 *success*)

While the others look on, Rogan moves over to the lever in the wall and begins to inspect it. From a quick scan, all indications are that it appears safe and does indeed open the portcullis. (Search check [6] + 12 = 18)

Not wanting to take a chance, however... Rogan spends several minutes doing a much more intensive search. The party sees him pull out his thieves tools and begin nudging and pricking and blowing on the lever... scratching away bits of rock and dust, listening to the wall as he moves the lever ever-so-slightly, going back to observe the portcullis and the chains that should be up inside the wall above it, making directional calculations in his head about how the gears and chains would need to be placed to make this lever raise the bars.

After several minutes of careful deliberation, Rogan turns back to the group and shakes his head. "Doesn't open it. Probably a trap trigger." (Take 20 Search check DC 25: [20] + 12 = 32 *success*)

The big question now is... "if the lever doesn't open the portcullis, what does?"

 

[Velmont]

"That's bright, you put an obvious trap to lower the vigilence and put a mroe hidden trap after that. If it happen, the pressure plate is not a trap but the way to open the porticullis. I think it would worth the trouble to put the bones on teh pressure plate to trigger it... or just any armor in the stash of the dragon. There was a few armor that wasn't magical, but they are heavy, two of them could probably trigger the pressure plate. Just stay way from the pressure plate, like ten feet, and throw the armor on the pressure plate." suggest Jango.

 

[Mista Collins]

Nodding at Jango's suggestion Rogan stays on this side of the Pressure plate. "There's got to be a way to open it around here somewhere."

As the others get ready to trigger it, Rogan will look for any signs of a secret way to open the portcullis.

 

[jkason]

Brother Donovan, warpriestly human cleric

Brother Donovan shrugs. "Seems as good a plan as any. Assembly-line might be the best way to get thing from that end to this," he suggests, starting to clank his way back the way the group has come.

 

[DEFCON 1]

As Donovan goes back to the hoard room to grab an unused set of plate mail armor... Rogan begins looking around the area on the far side of the pressure plate for some other mechanism. As Donovan finds a good piece and begins coming back, Rogan vocalizes an "Ah ha!" and pops open a small panel on the outcropping wall directly to the left of the portcullis. When he looks inside the panel he sees quite a number of levers and gears... some of which can lift and lower the portcullis freely. He can open the gate with those. The other chains are connected to the pressure plate and control whatever the pressure plate is rigged to do, but from this panel it's hard to tell what that might be. Rogan is assured though that is does not connect the pressure plate to the portcullis, and he's certain the plate has nothing to do with raising or lowering it. (Take 20 Search check DC 25: [20] + 12 = 32 *success*)

Donovan then walks up to the pressure plate with the armor and is ready for whatever is asked of him.

OOC: Edited the above a tad to make it more clear.

 

[stonegod]

Ari massages his forehead. "A level that doesn't open it. A secret compartment which doesn't open it. And a pressure plate that might? Give me something to hit; I've got no patience for this stuff." Breathing out, he looks at the group. "Okay, we can fiddle with the compartment levers or drop something on the plate. I say we do the latter. Thoughts?"

 

[Velmont]

"Rogan, I suggest you to not stay there if we trigger the plate." tells Jango.

 

[drothgery]

Ari massages his forehead. "A level that doesn't open it. A secret compartment which doesn't open it. And a pressure plate that might? Give me something to hit; I've got no patience for this stuff." Breathing out, he looks at the group. "Okay, we can fiddle with the compartment levers or drop something on the plate. I say we do the latter. Thoughts?"

"It's either that or find a half-orc with a battle axe. And father always hated resorting to that method of getting a door open..." Khalia said.