[IC] Chapter 1-4: Cellars of Hate

[Silent Giant]

"I do," Maul confirms briefly. "And I have as much of an idea about the key as you. Anything that has something to do with hate. Same goes for the sea."

"The moat once separated the castle from the surrounding are; now just a swampy region. Beyond that is the road to Hommlet, my place, two hours or so to the southwest."

Two hours only? Then we can run there and pick up your book if it can help us to find the unknown key. Let's go.

ooc - I have remembered 1 day.

[Lugar]

"That'll be at least four hours there and back.  I don't mind getting rid of those giants if you want to, but i've been thinking about that iron door with the runes.  From what I gather they must be turned in some fashion to unlock their secrets but anyone doing so risks getting blasted.  I remember there being a missing counter-weight in the barracks and that might be the trick to disarm the traps in this infernal castle. Or with Maul's magic someone clever enough can try solving those runes."

[DM Surranó]

OOC - did I write 1 day earlier? possible... I just made up 2h without my notes.

Maul and Murkatos don't consider themselves clever enough to deal with traps.

[Silent Giant]

"That'll be at least four hours there and back.  I don't mind getting rid of those giants if you want to, but i've been thinking about that iron door with the runes.  From what I gather they must be turned in some fashion to unlock their secrets but anyone doing so risks getting blasted.  I remember there being a missing counter-weight in the barracks and that might be the trick to disarm the traps in this infernal castle. Or with Maul's magic someone clever enough can try solving those runes."

A missing counter-weight? - He is trying but can't remember. Okay, we can do a try again if you want.
Poor Merri, she was clever enough. Maul, are you sure, you can't resurrect her? Maybe somebody outside. Murkatos, do you know somebody who can do it? In the worst case we can bury her with honesty.

ooc - SG also doesn't consider himself clever enough to deal with traps. :-)

[Lugar]

Ooc - it was worth a shot to try and save his own skin I thought it was more of a puzzle and less of a trap.

Lugar will lead the group back to the barracks room and thoroughly examine the mechanism again, to gain a good idea what this weight might look like and how heavy it would have to be.

[Lugar]

Lugar finds two trigger mechanisms. One at the indicated place indeed but curiously it's unrelated to the trap. The echo in the surrounding walls suggests that hanging appropriate weight on the ARM hook triggers a complex mechanism that moves something beyond the confines of this room.

Besides, Lugar finds that it was the original door of the cache, along with its lock, that used to disarm the trap. Now broken, Lugar fails to figure out how to disable the device.

Lugar was sure in one thing; while this devilish instrument is created by an artisan with a master level of engineering skills this was not dwarven made. The details were so refined, so precise in fine details (as opposed to dwarven precision embodied in robust solutions) that it had to be elven made. Probably one of the elven subraces with the most twisted mindset; like the reclusive magic-using grey elves or the insidious drow. Either way, if this mechanism is moved by a proper counterweight it has to be absolutely perfect. Not a hundredth of an ounce more or less. Otherwise, it surely sets off the trap again.

[DM Surranó]

Hasn't the party already figured it out waaaay earlier?

And just between you and me; this is indeed a puzzle and possibly to the players not the characters. You have already figured out where to look...

[Lugar]

Ooc - ok, i got confused. I knew we figured out how to unlock the first door in the cellar but wasn't sure if the mechanism upstairs also disarmed ALL the traps in the castle, but that would be too easy Also, I'm afraid we might actually solve the trap/puzzle and have to face something nasty without the help from the others.

[Silent Giant]

Ooc - it was worth a shot to try and save his own skin  I thought it was more of a puzzle and less of a trap.

Lugar will lead the group back to the barracks room and thoroughly examine the mechanism again, to gain a good idea what this weight might look like and how heavy it would have to be.

ooc - SG doesn't consider himself clever enough to deal with puzzles too :-)

[Silent Giant]

"That'll be at least four hours there and back.  I don't mind getting rid of those giants if you want to, but i've been thinking about that iron door with the runes.  From what I gather they must be turned in some fashion to unlock their secrets but anyone doing so risks getting blasted.  I remember there being a missing counter-weight in the barracks and that might be the trick to disarm the traps in this infernal castle. Or with Maul's magic someone clever enough can try solving those runes."

A missing counter-weight? - He is trying but can't remember. Okay, we can do a try again if you want.
Poor Merri, she was clever enough. Maul, are you sure, you can't resurrect her? Maybe somebody outside. Murkatos, do you know somebody who can do it? In the worst case we can bury her with honesty.

ooc - SG also doesn't consider himself clever enough to deal with traps. :-)

SG continues.

Murkatos, do you know somebody outside who can read these runes or know more about this place? What do you know about this evil place?