Episode 2

Bryn sees the chain the comes through the north wall pull back. It lifts the floor panel door up. The panel hits a bumper on its back with a bit of a thud then stops. The chain holds tight for a moment, then it leans back forward with some slack, then it is pulled hard again.

KNOCK! The sound again as it hits the back bumper. Everyone cringes as the noise rings out, with the sleeping creatures all around. Someone below seems to be pulling the chain back and forth to make the crashing sound!

Maeriks climbs up, heaves one final time and rolls onto the floor.

He shifts over, belly on the floor and looks down into the lower chamber. Taking hold of the floor door as it bounces back and forth. Maeriks pushes it back to the rear bumper with a shove and extends a hand into the lower chamber, maybe trying to reach the others as they make the climb?

Miraculously, the deadly creatures in the room remain in slumber for a moment longer.

Lower chamber

Trece tumbles down after failing the climb attempt.

Kray sees him falter and can sympathize; Kray can feel his own strength being sapped out from him with every moment now. The effects of toxin seem to be getting worse.

Through the commotion, Kray and Ivor hear voices talking at the north gate. They cannot understand the language spoken, but one of the voices speaks with a fierce tone.

Ivor peers through the smoke, looking for any clues even though it is so difficult to see. As he cannot see he listens. He hears the rattle of a chain as the voices at the north door exchange with one another.

Stepping a bit closer to the north gate, he sees the big robed figure approach the gate door, coming a bit clearer into view although still obscured by the smoke.

Required Action: Ivor send Perception check, Disadvantage because of poison effects

Ivor isn’t sure at first, but then he is convinced: the rattle of metal at the gate, it is a set of keys rattling...and one of them being fitted into a lock on the gate!

note="jabes.plays.rpg"]OOC: Yo, Jabes. There are some critical moments passing through right now, so I want to make really sure about my interpretation of what is going on. Ivor especially because you've announced that he is being the vigilant one keeping eyes peeled for anything he can.

Where exactly is Ivor standing? Near the rope, which is more to the interior of the room? Right at the cage gate, that is at the very furthest north end?

He just heard some manipulation of keys in the gate, so now the suspicion has to be that either the large gate is opening or the smaller low imbedded door within the gate is being opened.

It is difficult to see, but if have Ivor right at the gate (which I did not initially picture, but as I reflect more on it I think I might have been wrong not to, perhaps he is right there) then I will send some more detail on fleeting but important visual glimpses that may allow for more reaction and exploitation.

Sorry to belabor the details, I just don't want to unfairly miss delivery on something because I misunderstood intentions and positioning.

Thanks,
J[/note]

note="DMJ"]Ivor is standing near the rope, covering the retreat.[/note]

Timing...

Bryn's hands are shaking. His eyes are watering. He tries to breath deep, but not too deep to cause another cough.

Holding tightly, he inserts the small flat bar counter clockwise to hold tension. With the small hook, he starts searching for the pins and shifting them. One. Two. Three. He clicks them over right in a row! Turn the handle....Click.

The north door latch opens.


Optional Action: Stealth Check Disadvantage to open door silently.

Standing beside the rope to cover the retreat, Ivor has all eyes and ears focused on the north door as he hears the sounds in that direction. Kray and Trece hear it as well. Voices talking and then suddenly the clanging and scraping of metal.

A loud screech of metal grinding against metal. The sound of the gate opening?!

Their senses still reeling from the effects of the toxic fumes, all three of the men in the lower chamber turn attention fully to the north gate door.

There is an eerie hissing sound in the smoke.

Required Action: Ivor, Trece, Kray send Perception Check and individual Initiative roll.

In the upper chamber, Thorn freezes after he climbs in. As he stands rigid to maintain silence while Bryn works on the north door, he carefully scans the room that is illuminated by the burning torch that lays on the floor near Maeriks and the trap-door panel.

note="Xorthan"]OOC: This isn't much, but trying to incorporate little details from Thorn's high passive Investigation via the Observant Feat.

The west door is where the climbing robe is tied off. Bryn tied the rope to a threshold door frame bracket that holds a crossbolt that is thrown over the door. Thorn is not sure if the west door would open or not, but if it did it would definitely take the lift and rotation of the crossbolt that is in place to seal the door now. Thorn is only a few steps from this west door.

The panel door that is cut in the floor appears to be rugged newer construction. The cut in the floor/ceiling is rough and imprecise. The hinges are utilitarian and stark, and do not seem to fit with the design of the floor. The chain that is linked to door goes through a cut port of some kind that is beside the north door, so the chain hanging through the room seems out of place. Similarly, the other working apparatus seems makeshift. The bumper bracket that stops the floor panel door from locking open. The scrap metal tower of hangers for a collection of mismatched bells. The room seems converted by someone who has ingenuity and some practical skill, someone concerned with functionality but not with aesthetics.[/note]

Lower Chamber

To varying degrees, all three of the men have heard talking and noise at the north cage gate door.

Ivor and Kray stand near the rope that is more towards the interior of the room, but in line with the north hallway.

Trece moves through the smoke towards the door.

He hears the voices again, speaking Otessite...
note="HypCo"]Lighter Voice: Don't! Suter-Set wants them alive!

Heavier Voice: I do not care.[/note]

...and then he hears the scraping of metal.

Trece feels something flash by him low in the smoke - something alive that darts by extremely fast!

As he gets close enough, he sees the outline of a large figure wearing a dark hooded robe on the other side of the gate. The figure slams the smaller lower gate shut with a crash.

Another voice heard...
note="HypCo"]Lighter voice: "Seal the gate! There is one approaching!"[/note]

Optional Action: Trece wins Initiative at the north gate v. the robed figure closing the door. A closing window of opportunity (literally and figuratively), possible to come up with some way to intervene or interfere with the closing and locking of the smaller shutter gate door.