Eyes Of The Lich Queen

[stonegod]

Ari, after Rogan, leads onward.

 

[DEFCON 1]

Rogan leads the group down the stairs... following its twists and turns as it progresses downward. The temperature noticably rises a bit as you descend, warmth coming up to everyone from down below. Finally the party reaches the bottom and the stairway opens into a wide chamber... however the floor ends precipitously after 10 feet. A deep chasm splits the room, with three platforms suspended above it. From the bottom of the chasm 80 feet below, molten lava illuminates the chamber with a dull red glow. At the floor's edge closest to you, two draconic-looking humanoid statues stand sentry, their cold eyes seemingly watching you. Two identical statues stand on the oppostie side of the chamber. Above you, sparkling in the dull red light, a crystaline shard is set into the ceiling in the center of the chamber over the central island platform.

The center island hangs straight down from the ceiling securely on metal rods at the same height as both floor edges here and on the far side. The other two platforms are suspended from the ceiling on chains... however the chains are connected to the ceiling centered on the span between the center island and floor edges. The nearest platform is currently pulled taut up to the floor you are on, while the far platform is pulled to the center island. You cannot tell what is holding these platforms in place, but you can easily assume that should the platforms release, they will swing across the span to the other side (either the center island for the near platform, or the far edge for the further one).

Four ropes that look like the kind you would find in a manor house that you'd pull to ring a bell are hanging down from the ceiling over where the platforms currently hang now, and where they would be after swinging.

 

[Velmont]

"At first sight, I would think these rope activate the platforms." tells Jango. "Pulling them should move them from one side to another. Rogan, what do you think of it?" asks the sorcerer.

"I suggets we try it. One person goes on the platform. He will be secured by a rope that we will hold. That person will pull the rope and if it works well, he will end crossing the chasm. If not, he will fall, but the rope will stop the fall before he end in the lava and we can pull him up."

 

[jkason]

Brother Donovan, warpriestly human cleric

"At first sight, I would think these rope activate the platforms." tells Jango. "Pulling them should move them from one side to another. Rogan, what do you think of it?" asks the sorcerer.

"I suggets we try it. One person goes on the platform. He will be secured by a rope that we will hold. That person will pull the rope and if it works well, he will end crossing the chasm. If not, he will fall, but the rope will stop the fall before he end in the lava and we can pull him up."

"If we figure the ropes do the steering, isn't it safer to figure out the ropes without putting anyone on a platform for now?" Donovan suggests.

[sblock=OOC]I may be misinterpreting where the ropes are. I'm having trouble loading the image, so apologies is the ropes require us to get someone on the platform.[/sblock]

 

[drothgery]

"There's no way anyone would be expected to go through this kind of nonsense regularly." Khalia says. "I'd wager half of father's estate that there's a back way or a secret passage we missed that's a lot more direct. Or at least, there was once."

 

[Velmont]

"We could, but what I fear it is the only way to send back the platform is by pulling the rope over there."

 

[DEFCON 1]

I may be misinterpreting where the ropes are. I'm having trouble loading the image, so apologies is the ropes require us to get someone on the platform.

The four ropes are each about 5 feet out from the edge of the floors and the center island. If you are standing on a chained platform that is pulled taut to either the floor edge or the center isle, one of the ropes is hanging down at the 5' mark of a 20 foot long platform. Should the platform then swing to the other side, the other section's rope will now be over the platform.

If you can get the image to load, you'll see the four grey dots which represent the four ropes. As it's only five feet over the edge, a person could probably lean forward and grab the rope without actually get onto the platform... provided someone had them by the belt or something so they didn't fall into the lava below.

 

[Mista Collins]

"At first sight, I would think these rope activate the platforms." tells Jango. "Pulling them should move them from one side to another. Rogan, what do you think of it?" asks the sorcerer.

"This is very odd. I have never encountered such a system." Rogan says as he fully takes in what is set out before him. "Jango's right. It does appear these ropes might do the trick. But I wonder if those chains will be able to support the weight of these platforms, along with whomever might be on them."

Focusing on the chains, Rogan is trying to spot any obvious signs of weak links or foul play.

 

[jkason]

Brother Donovan, warpriestly human cleric

"This is very odd. I have never encountered such a system." Rogan says as he fully takes in what is set out before him. "Jango's right. It does appear these ropes might do the trick. But I wonder if those chains will be able to support the weight of these platforms, along with whomever might be on them."

Focusing on the chains, Rogan is trying to spot any obvious signs of weak links or foul play.

"If we're worried about weight, me and my blacksmith's shop here should probably stay back during the testing," Donovan says, indicating his heavy armor. "On the upside, I make a fine anchor."

 

[DEFCON 1]

Rogan reaches out from the ledge to one of the platform's chains and gives it a yank downward. It doesn't move. It appears at first tug to be very securely connected to the ceiling. He pulls on the other chain and that one also has no give. The platform seems secure.