WIR S1 Tomb of Horrors [SPOILERS!! SPOILERS EVERYWHERE!!]‏

[Bullgrit]

The door is almost impossible to get through. "No forcing or knock spells will open it." Those locks that were apparent? The module doesn't say anything else about them. Instead, the PC's have to either Disintegrate the door or else chop it to pieces to get to the other side.

I wonder if people reading this thread but not the module text, itself, understand your accuracy here. It kind of sounds like you are using hyperbole for fun. But you're not:

The door radiates a dim magical aura, and no forcing or knock spells will open it. A disintegrate spell, or physically chopping it to pieces, provide the only means to continue past it.

Bold as in original text.

Similar to Area 4, this trap (theoretically) punishes the PC's for being curious and going off the the path. I don't see any specific clue or warning about its danger.

The PCs don't even know they've gone off the path. If they missed searching for the secret door back in the pit trap, they think they're just moving along the Tomb path as they're supposed to be.

Actually, I think I like the concept of this trap. It's a "dead end" in the Tomb. Literally. But like so many of the tricks and traps in this Tomb, the [wall of] text is just a little too complicated for quick and easy DM adjudication with more than a couple of Players.

Bullgrit

 

[Stoat]

Actually, I think I like the concept of this trap.

I think this has the potential to be a great trap. I glossed over it, but once the hallway starts tipping, the PC's have a little time to save themselves. The take some damage from the heat, slide down toward the lava, take more damage, slide farther down, and then fall all the way into the lava.

There's the potential for a some drama as the PC's slip toward their doom, and the possibility that a quick-witted player will save them all with some clever plan or another. But as I said, I don't think very many parties will fall prey to this trap. I think most of the time the point man will trigger it, and then turn to run as soon as the DM starts counting.

 

[amerigoV]

Of course, not canon, but a NWN remake of this had something clever. You opened the door and you see someone fleeing down the hall. The might get a group carelessly moving (or just "open fire" - depends on the group )

 

[FoxWander]

The group I just ran thru this heard the music and figured there was no way the sound of "happy singing" in this place wasn't a trap, so they ignored the door entirely. One of them remembered the poem again so they searched the pits and found the secret door.

My group (back in Return) had pretty much flooded this corridor with mud from getting past the Gate. Mud had busted open the 3 "stuck" doors, filled the pits, and then the rest of the corridor to about 4' high. We swam across the 3 pits and found this door. We also assumed the singing meant something wasn't right and thought, because of the poem, that the 3 deep areas we swam across might be pits we needed to search. Since this door was still closed (and seemed to lead to a trap besides) we hoped that at least opening it would give us someplace to move the mud before it started to dry so we could check out those pits.

We braced ourselves with pitons in the walls and ropes around us (so we wouldn't get swept away) and broke down the door. The mud poured into the corridor beyond but not so fast to be dangerous (all our bracing and preparation wasn't necessary). When the mud reached the tripping point it triggered the trap and we watched the whole corridor become a long pit into lava. We shrugged and said "Yep. Trap." and started shoveling mud down the hall and into the lava. We camped out in the somewhat mud-free corridor and the wizard memorized move earth the next day to empty out the pits. We found the secret door and moved on.

 

[Herobizkit]

Odd question: Why are all of [MENTION=18280]Raven Crowking[/MENTION]'s comments removed from this thread?

 

[Flatus Maximus]

Odd question: Why are all of [MENTION=18280]Raven Crowking[/MENTION]'s comments removed from this thread?

He left the site and erased some (all?) of his posts. His good-bye thread is in Meta: "Thanks for All the Fish."

 

[jonesy]

He moved the things he said here to his blog (where it now looks rather out of context). I just can't help but wonder what someone who didn't know him will think of this person who has twelve thousand empty posts here. But maybe we shouldn't derail this thread with that.

 

[Bullgrit]

*walks along, whistling innocently*
*"accidentally" kicks thread back to first page*

We left off at 16.

Bullgrit

 

[Flatus Maximus]

Poor thread. Once so full of life and promise....

 

[Bullgrit]

I hope Stoat doesn’t mind me carrying on this discussion.

17. MAGICAL SECRET DOOR

The secret door in the wall of the pit trap, (mentioned in area 15), leads to a corridor that goes down stairs to area 18. In the wall of this corridor is a magical secret door that “can be found by any means.” This door will probably be passed at first, unless the PCs are searching every wall throughout the Tomb. But once/if they realize area 18 is a deadend, they may come back to search for another way they missed.

Once found, “nothing will enable it to be opened” until it is viewed through the gem of seeing or some similar magic, (like detect magic). Once the PCs have pinpointed the magic aura, they must use dispel magic or remove curse to “remove the guard which prevents the door from being opened.” Then the door can be easily opened from either side.

Bullgrit