I guess i will go where the group is

Back!

I take the shortbow from the chest and offer it to Kyp, "Would you like to trade this most likely magical shortbow for the holy mace? The shield "welcomes being in the service of a holy warrior" and I believe both come as a set since they were together, providing a bigger bonus if held at the same time, esp. if you're a paladin or a cleric. If Svartalf doesn't want the axe from the chest, there's a 2H mythril axe you can try too, so that you can have a good melee item instead of the mace.

If the mace turns out to be better for me than my longsword (extra effective against undead) , and you can wield one, I can potentially trade the longsword instead of the axe (or if svartalf wants the axe).

Even if you're not interested in trading the holy mace, can I please try holding just to see what would happen? I'm curious, and I'd give it back, so feel free too write something like, "Kyp hands the mace to Erenear, who after trying it gives it back to Kyp." if you're not interesting in trading it.

I offer to pull one of the ropes with one hand, the other having my shield in front of me, while standing in front of the blocks, so I'm not next to them, in case they slide out and crush anyone standing under the ropes. If it's not possible to pull the ropes from a safe distance, I don't do it.

Otherwise all doors have been explored
- the room with the skeletons and loot
-the room with the altar and chest
-the room that leads to teh side corridor
-another room that leads to the side corridor that no-one has gone through, I think
-trapdoor leads nowhere
-portucullis ahead, pulling the ropes most likely opens it, while the blocks benaeth the ropes will (edited:) most likely crush whoever is standing there, so you need to pull from farther away

Thanks for the summary. So excluding going back to the main chamber, or diverting to the side corridor, these 2 seem to be our options.

If we had an elemental/summons, or telekinesis, those would seem to be ways to get the rope moving without sacrificing someone under the blocks.

Or perhaps someone has a hydraulic jack or a Log of Bracing +1 in their inventory?

Yes indeed! Doc just answered me, both doors lead to the side tunnel, so technically we've explored everything.

Elementals can only be cast...3 or 5 turns after the previous one had died/was unsummoned, according to a new rule in the main thread.

Also I think it should be possible to grab the rope, and pull it while moving backwards. Or maybe pull only one, then the otehr one, and then climb over the pillars?

EDIT: It's only my theory about the stone blocks in the wall. They're 3 feet long each, so I'm guessing that's what's gonna happen.

From PM:
"the stones ate sticking out of the walls in front of the portcullis roughly where the ropes are hanging down. They are about 3 feet long and quite sturdy"

Just curious, can you tell me how many doors have you encountered and whether there were any rooms you didn't fully explore? Just a basic layout, eg. 3 doors on the left, middle one is still full of ogres?
Thanks!

I don't have a good mental image. Most physical objects are in 3 dimensions, so 3 feet long only gets you 1/3 of the picture. ;) The initial description implies but does not state the ropes are close to the portcullis, which would imply the stones are also proximate.

From the PM you got, if I'm following it seems to be sticking 3 feet out into the hall ("long"). Do we have a sense of width or height? These stones presumably extend into the wall proper, so we don't know how long they actually are, correct?

They could slam together, which certainly could injure ones legs if they are of minimal height and one is not careful in where they stand, or could block the passage entirely if taller. They may also recede into the wall, perhaps triggering something like a ceiling collapse.

Can a thief or other perceptive folks scan the ropes/stone and surrounding floor/walls/ceiling?

I shall trade my mace for your shortbow and I shall take the axe in the chest!

*Gives mace to Green_Hilltop and takes bow and goes to chest and grabs axe*

I will keep my weapon. While it may not be as damaging as whatever we find, it can smash through any armor or shield with ease. Should we encounter something heavily armored, it should be quite useful. So Kyp can have the axe.

As for my action, I move to the vicinity of the portcullis gate with the others. Since we are coming to turn 7 and I still have 3 spell casts remaining before they recharge on turn 10, I can cast a Magic Shield on someone pulling a rope should they wish to. I don't want to test my luck again after face-checking the warded door :P.

Thank you! :) I try to identify all items in the chest, as Max had asked and then I take the shortbow.

I exchange the shortbow with Kyp, and take the holy mace. I sheathe my sword and equip the mace, wielding it and the shield!

I help with the trapchecking near the stone blocks and if I or anyone else don't find anything that would warn us about pulling the ropes, I pull the right one while not standing in front of the stone block, but behind it (farther away from the portcullis). But only if someone is pulling the left rope as well, so we pull at the same time. Otherwise I just go and try to lift the portcullis, if I can lift it while not being in front of the stone blocks, so that they wouldn't squash me should they extend and crush whoever is standing between them. I don't lift the portcullis if I can see enemies or something that looks like a statue or mechanicsm that would shoot arrows/darts at me once the portcullis is lifted without the use of ropes. And I watch my back so that I don't go through the stone blocks while someone else tries to pull the rope (which should lead to us pulling both ropes rather than me lifting the portcullis by force)

Bler, to clarify, I was asking Doc specifically about the length of the stone blocks (eg. how many people could stand in front of it while facing the procullis). So they should be 3 feet long each, and their height and width (how much they are sticking out) are unknown. I think Doc said the blocks are in the middle of the wall? That one line is the only additional info I got about them.

Edit. Depending on what trapchecking finds, we could try standing *on* the stone blocks while pulling the ropes. At the worst, they'll just retract, I assume (hopefully, and if they start extending, thsoe with high str or agility should be able to hold onto the rope and not fall between the blocks)?

Doc, could you describe the length/height/width of the stone blocks and their relation to the ropes? Where do you have to be to be able to reach the rope as a human/elf/dwarf? Do you need to stand on the block or can you be behind it?

Edit: After trapchecking I do what I had posted below, instead! :)

As long as I'm still ahead of the others, I'll Cast lightning storm down the tunnel. Hopefully I can fry any enemies currently in front of me.

Oh, you mean that after you pull them, you wrap them around for them to stay in one place? Gotcha!

Okay, let's get two people on those ropes then, I can do one if people don't want me to shield the rope-puller! :)

I either pull the rope, or if there are two other people who volunteer, I stand in front one of the "rope pullers" with my shield and holy relic ready.

If no one else volunteers, I try to grab both piece of rope and pull at once, then tie one and then the other. If there's enough rope to tie the block around it, there should be enough to move to one stone block and wrap it, and then the other. Hopefully the svartalf's magic shield will be on me in that case just to be sure nothing happens once the portcullis opens. ;)

Or! Since it's possible people won't respond in time, pull only a little bit on one side, tie it, then do the same on the other side and do it several times, which should be enough to get the portcullis up for dwarves to pass through and tall-fall to pass crouching.

Roark, would you be willing to pull one of the ropes with me and tie it around those blocks after you cast the spell, so that we can possibly get the portcullis up in one turn? I'm going to do the rope on the right, and if no one else volutneers, I'll either try doing both of them at the same time or bit by bit each, if Doc says you can pull it up like that.

Yes, I can pull the other rope

Great! So me and Roark pull up those ropes and then tie them around those stone blocks after the Druid casts the spell.

** TURN 7 **

Southern main tunnel:

52 - Roark - Elven Druid looks forward to his companions joining him and moving beyond the portcullis.

72 - Darrim - Dwarf Warrior opens the door and steps into a tunnel not like the one he left but narrower. To the right is a room and he can see scorch marks by the entrance.
To the left leads back to the chamber where everyone started.

78 - Cervello - Drow Battlemage follows Darrim into the side tunnel.

28 - Triock Ulagolor - Elven Paladin humming a cheerful Elven song to himself, the Paladin exits the room and moves over to other side of the tunnel where he had been heading originally. Sword and shield raised, he steps through the open door.

70 - Thras - Dwarven Mage picks up the cowl and puts it on. The cowl will shield you from mind control and confusion spells.

69 - Rudy - Human Ranger moves up to the portcullis and checks for traps while making sure to keep out of peoples way. *rolls dice* There are no traps on or around the portcullis.

9 - Max, son of Fulvus - Dwarven Thief takes the mace. It is a mace of +2 crushing power. You head to the portcullis and ask the others to join you there.

30 - Kyp - Dwarf Ranger hands his mace of holy power to Eranear. He then takes the short bow and 2 handed mithril axe from the chest.
He knocks an arrow in the bow to test and sees it automatically turn into a fire arrow. He hefts his new axe and sees a name inscribed along the handle 'Orckin's Bane'.
The dwarf makes his way to the portcullis.

80 - Eranear - Elf Paladin receives the mace from the ranger. As soon as he holds it he feels holy energy surging through his body, from the hand holding the mace to his shield arm and back. He knows in his mind that any attacks against undead will cause catastrophic damage.
You stand by the rope to the right of the portcullis and offer to pull it so long as someone pulls the rope on the left.

2 - SmartyFartBlart - Human Paladin checks the stones by the portcullis to ensure they are safe and three dimensional.

43 - Svartalf - Dwarven Battlemage moves to the portcullis and offers to cast Magic Shield on anyone pulling the ropes should they want it.

*The cackling is clearer now that most of the companions are by the portcullis*

52 - Roark - Elven Druid casts Lightening Storm and aims at the end of the tunnel where the cackling is coming from.
*rolls dice* The cackling turns into screeching and cursing mixed in with the crashing of thunder and lightening from the storm.
You grab the left rope, pulling it as hard as you can as Eranear pulls the right. *rolls dice* Slowly the portcullis rises enough that all the companions can walk safely underneath. The ropes are tied securely to the stone blocks.

*rolls dice*
41 - Zayd ibn Yasin - Human Ranger sensing danger, you wonder if the lightening storm spell was a good idea.

The parties jubilation of bypassing the portcullis safely comes to an end with the recently cast lightening storm ending abruptly.
Cursing can be heard further up the tunnel. The voices sound female.

The goblet with the liquid in it is still held by Thras.

** TURN 7 **

Southern side tunnel:

35 - Aslain Melemir - Elven Thief suggests he ties a rope around an arrow and shoots it through the vortex to see what happens.

15 - Says Beldarion - Human Warrior leans against the wall while waiting for the others to decide on a course of action.
*rolls dice* You notice no threat nearby.

29 - Og'rialt - Dwarf Brigand asks Dunward to cast magic shield on you and Kip if he senses any danger in the vortex.

5 - Dunward - Human Mage casts Magic Shield on Og'rialt.

29 - Og'rialt - Dwarf Brigand is informed by Aslain Melemir and Kip that they can't sense any traps or danger but that it is a magic vortex and beyond their expertise.
The companions tie a rope around Og'rialt's waist and hold it firm.

29 - Og'rialt - Dwarf Brigand with a deep breath, you step into the vortex.

*There is a blinding flash*

Dunward, Says Beldarion, Kip, Aslain Melemir - the rope goes limp in your hands. You frantically yank it back but there is no-one tied to the end of it anymore.