Pink of Doom (IC)

[BurntOfferings]

Wellby

"Well, it would appear that once the capstone is moved more than a few inches, a stone weight will be dislodged, causing the stone disk to spin. I'm not sure what that will do, but it would probably not be healthy.

"I believe that I can disable it by cutting the thread that will pull the wedge loose, but even so, we shouldn't move the capstone more than necessary. Who knows what will happen if that copper wire is severed?"

If no one objects, Wellby will carefully reach through the gap and sever the thread connecting the capstone to the wedge.

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Disable Device with masterwork thieves' tools: (1d20+20)[27]

( P.S. Fixed my character sheet links. TTW moved things around. )

[Pink]

Wellby succesfully cuts the thread. He thinks that it's disarmed.

OOC: as a head's up so you guys aren't waiting for it, this is a heavy stone and will probably require nearly every +1 you guys can contribute to a str check, whether that's through magic or having additional people help out. However you can't move it with the crowbar, you will have to grasp onto the stone to move it if you're helping, unless you can think of a more ingenious way of moving it.

[harmonictempest]

Oloren

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Okay, DM intervention if this is at any point metagaming. There no statted skill for Knowledge (physical sciences), but I'm going to assume that a character who has spent the majority of his life at a university, maxing most of the Knowledge skills that exist, has a passing knowledge of relevant stuff.

On that note: I failed the Int check (understandably), so I don't get to have the DM hand me the answer. May I still presume it without confirmation? I think Oloren would reasonably conjecture uncertainly that the elemental spotted a magnet, and it certainly fits the bill. If failing the Int check means that I have to play it completely dumb, let me know.
Relatedly, if you think it inappropriate for my character to think "copper wire...electricity? Maybe magnet + copper wire...ack stay away!", also let me know, and I'll fix the post.

"Don't cut that wire. Copper, you said? Let me look, and if you would, describe to me what you saw?" He just barely remembers politeness as he asks "It would be helpful if I could use your torch as well." As he strides over to the stone, Oloren speaks in comfortably accented Terran, instructing to elemental to wedge a few rocks in the gap already created, so that the dwarf won't tire while they investigate.

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Looking specifically for magnets or anything conforming to the description of "Metal-loving rock".
Search - (1d20+8)[14]
Spot - (1d20-1)[11]

BurntOfferings, I'm assuming you could do something like "I tell him", rather than retyping that huge description - if you wanted.
(Oh, and clarification: Oloren's not objecting to the cutting of the thread, just of the copper wire, which you haven't touched yet.)

Round 3 of the elemental.

[Telemont]

Father Tolbin

The robed fellow puts his hands upon the crowbar to lend a little relief to Dances with Sand. It's certainly not enough strength to push the stone further but perhaps it gives the dwarf some momentary relaxation.

"There is a certain academic benefit to disassembling the trap, but for the sake of making our supplies last longer is there any way we could simply shatter this lid into rubble and let it be the first to descend to any traps that might lie far below?"

[Reptilius]

Thomas

"Wait, cutting the thread seems like the weight could still fall. We should cut the rope connecting the weight and the axle. If the weight can't pull, nothing will burn or dismember or whatever this thing does."

Thomas lies on his stomach and peers under the capstone to inspect the current state of the trap.

[Pink]

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No, I see nothing wrong with the current conjecture going around, it's not like a wild barbarian is spouting off the laws of physics or something. For the most part your characters are quite intelligent. I'm actually counting on you guys to be able to put two and two together in some occasions as I may be necessarily vague on certain details of traps that would just be impossible to know or obtain knowledge of. Afterall, it wouldn't be fun otherwise if you guys didn't get to fret about a silly little dart trap only that's distracting you from the time released poison in the room.

Also, as a note, the book considers this one of the more ingenious nonmagical electric traps ever made. Fun eh?

The elemental gathers a large stone from under the ground and places it as a suitable wedge to hold up the capstone and taking the weight off the shoulders of Dances with sand and the good father.

Oloren is able to see enough of the trap to understand what Wellby is describing, even if it is quite dark and difficult to see properly through the angles available looking through the tiny slit.

[harmonictempest]

Oloren

Thinking on the possibilities for a moment, the elf concludes with authority. "Let's cut the rope as well, since it seems to provide motive power for what appears to be an electricity engine. I cannot fathom what hidden purpose the copper thread may yet have, however. If we can, let's see if we can pivot the capstone to the side without breaking or disturbing it." If others agree, he instructs the elemental to aid them in moving the stone, stepping behind the main group so as not to obscure their efforts (which is exactly what he'd say if you challenged him for moving out of harm's way).

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Two rounds left on elemental.
Strength check for elemental: (1d20+3)[20]

[Telemont]

Father Tolbin

With an absent shrug, and deferring to the leader (funder) of their little organization, Father Tolbin lets Dances with Sand have the full range of the Crowbar, and he simply props his hands upon the stone and throws his back into the heaving of the thing!

"Rrgh, grunt, huff!"

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(1d20)[19] DC10 to Aid Another on the Elemental's ability check. Success = +2 to its roll.

[HellFencer]

Dances with Sand

Glad to have the help, Dances with Sand had let up on the crowbar while Father Tolbin helped. After a few moments, it seemed the group was ready to open the lid. "I don't claim to know much about this kind of thing, but why don't we just cut whatever won't fall," the dwarf asked.

As the father and the elemental both began to push on the lid, so too did Dances with Sand push.

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Strength check to aid the elemental. (1d20+3)[9]

[BurntOfferings]

Wellby

(( Let's assume that Wellby always describes to the others whatever he sees in situations like this. ))

"Well.... We could cut the rope as well, of course, but what if this is all a clever ruse? Maybe the rope and weight is all that's keeping the disk from spinning on its own. You know, springs and things. I don't mean to be paranoid or seem a craven, it's just... the things we read about this place...." Wellby visibly shudders as he finishes speaking.

"Perhaps I can jam the disk itself so that it can't spin. Oh, for a scroll of disintegration...."

[harmonictempest]

Oloren

"A worthy thought, but unlikely. The rope and thread had some, if not much, slack in them, no? If they were anything except taut, they can't currently be exerting any significant force on the contraption, inhibitory or otherwise. I'm comfortable that it's primary obfuscation was not to appear to be something it is not, but mostly to be sprung before we were even aware of it." Pausing for a moment, he adds, "I'm not one to do anything but praise the virtue of paranoia in this place, but past a certain extent it will cease to be helpful. There could always be another layer of trickery behind all that we are able to find, but no matter the precautions we are able to take, we will have to move forward eventually, which will always carry the risk of something we have not anticipated. Evinrood was powerful and crafty, and though I am confident in setting my power and our craft against his, he had the luxury of time and resources to dream up defenses against every power and trick he encountered in his lifetime. At each juncture, we will eventually have to move on, have to choose to decide that we may not have found everything, but that we are prepared to defend against and overcome that which is still hidden from us. I say this not to be inspiring, but because this is perhaps the last moment in which turning back in relative safety will be possible, should anyone be thinking of doing so." He falls silent, eager to open the tomb and begin their journey.

Summary: Long-winded speech, cliffs = "'Let's rock and roll."

[BurntOfferings]

Wellby

With a grimace and a sigh, Wellby once again reaches under the slab to cut the rope. Anyone peeking underneath would also see him push a few small wedges of wood between the disk and the capstone.

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Disable Device with masterwork thieves' tools: (1d20+20)[29]

And just in case Pink wants separate rolls for jamming the disk and cutting the rope (in that order):

Disable Device with masterwork thieves' tools: (1d20+20)[27]

(Original post with official rolls is here.)

[Pink]

As Wellby Disables the trap further (each attempt also successful...he thinks...) the dwarf, binder and elemental struggle and heave and after a couple seconds, are able to shift it aside, just as the elemental disappears.

[stupnick]

[OOC]not sure it really mattesr, but i did say i was helping...but that's ok : )[ooc]

[harmonictempest]

Oloren

Ignoring the disappearance of the elemental, the elf bends slightly to look at the underside of the disk and announces that without the weight for motive power, the rest of the device should be unable to generate electricity, and therefore harmless. Straightening, he eyes the rope under the stone and asks "Prodigious feats of climbing aside, is anyone else able to fly? Failing in a more elegant solution, do we have enough rope between us for that depth?" As he speaks, he walks to the edge and drops a small rock down the shaft, counting seconds until he hears a splash.

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How much rope is coiled under the capstone?
How rough (climbable) are the walls of the shaft?
Would you allow a very high Int character to determine the depth by counting seconds until the splash? It requires the character to be aware of gravitational acceleration, but that's it - the rest is simple math. (4.9*numbers of seconds squared gives the answer in meters, if my calculations are correct)

[BurntOfferings]

Wellby

"Yes, I can grant one of us the ability to fly for a few minutes. I can also enable us all to float safely down to the bottom as a group, provided we all jump down the shaft together." Wellby scratches his chin as his continues. "Experience has taught me not to rely overmuch on magic, however. Even if you choose to use magic to enter the dungeon, I suggest we first establish a mundane method of exiting. A knotted rope of sufficient length should suffice." He then returns to examining the device on the bottom of the capstone while waiting for the others to decide on a course of action.

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Wellby has prepared both feather fall and fly, but only one of each. He can cast fly on the strongest member, who would then carry everyone down to the bottom of the shaft, but this leaves us with no way out. Alternatively, he can cast feather fall on everyone, saving the fly spell in case we need to retreat to the surface, but we would have a problem if the shaft is deeper than 540 feet.

I vote knotted rope, assuming we have enough or reach. Wellby is carrying 50 ft. of silk rope.

[Reptilius]

Thomas

"Well, I can fall a good distance without harm. But that all depends on how deep this shaft is. We could drop a rock and see how long it takes for it to hit bottom."

[Telemont]

Father Tolbin

The kindly fellow looks to the left, then looks to the right, and finally reaches down to scoop up a sturdy looking rock. Something more substantial than a clod of dirt. He turns about and gestures it out to the group in general.

"I've got a wee bit of a plan. Do any of you with a mastery of the arcane or the like have the ability to conjure light upon this stone? I understand it's not a terribly taxing spell, and it could come in very handy in the near future."

[HellFencer]

Dances with Sand

Wiping his brow, Dances with Sand stood up and stretched his back. He looked down into the hole trying to see things in the dark. Slowly, he slipped his crowbar back into his pack. "I have nothing in the realm of flying, but I do have rope," he said, pulling out a long length of silk rope.

[Pink]

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I'm afraid I have to disallow the use of that knowledge. You can get a rough estimate but not exact. This is partly cause I didn't allow it to the other group either XP

After a brief pause, the sound of a splash can be heard from the objects sent into the Tomb, and the scholars of the group are able to figure the length of the fall to be a couple hundred feet. At a glance there appears to be around 200 feet of rope, of the same quality as the silk rope brought by other party members, however knotting it would reduce it's length to 175.

[harmonictempest]

Oloren

Listening to the rock fall, and eying the rope coiled under the capstone, the elf grimaces. To Father Tolbin, he says "I can manage it, but I'd rather not have to if we don't need to. What's your plan?" Turning to the rest, he says "Well, with the amount you two have, added to the rope under that stone, we'll have a few hundred feet already. Knotting it will make it easier to climb, but shorten it slightly. Think you that that will be enough to reach the bottom?"

[HellFencer]

Dances with Sand

Looking around at the others, Dances with Sand spoke up and said, "I've two hundred feet of this silken stuff. I don't mind knotting it, but I'd rather not cut it, so be careful." As he arranged the rope he looked around again, quickly this time, and added, "So, who's in the tank first?"

[Reptilius]

Thomas

"Well, I don't need to climb all the way down, but I'd rather fall as short a distance as possible. I'd rather not fall screaming into a tank full of demon sharks with wands grafted onto their heads. That being said, I still volunteer."

[stupnick]

Slisseth

Well Sssinsse i can ssswim, i might asssss well go firsssst. i can help keep otherssss afloat, and i won't drowned at all.

[harmonictempest]

Oloren

"Well, whoever goes down will need rope to do so. We have enough that we may as well knot it to make it easier. And with a few hundred feet of rope, many hands will make the job go much faster." Oloren makes no immediate move to be the first to dirty his hands, but if no one else stirs after ten seconds or so, he gives a sigh and begins putting a knot in the rope they have, every two feet or so. He also strongly considers conjuring a flight spell. "Just make a decision, before we've no light left."

[BurntOfferings]

Wellby

Seeing Oloren doing something useful, Wellby leaves the mechanism and joins him. He pulls a 50' coil of silk rope out of his backpack and proceeds to knot it, following Oloren's example.

[Reptilius]

Thomas

"Well, I already volunteered. The halfling should come too; we're both sneaky, and could scout out the path ahead."

[BurntOfferings]

Wellby

The halfling's eyes widen a bit as Thomas volunteers him for exploratory duty. He continues to help with the rope-knotting while looking up at the rest of the group. "Um, well, of course I can go, I mean I'm here to deal with traps, right, so of course it makes sense for me to go first. Or maybe second. Whatever works." He quickly looks back down.

[HellFencer]

Dances with Sand

Much with the same sigh that Oloren gave, Dances with Sand began to help knot the rope. Once done, he double checks everything to make sure it is secure and will hold plenty of weight before grabbing the rope and stepping to the edge of the hole. "I'll go first since I can see in the dark. I want you to be the second down there in case there are surprises," he said, pointing at Welby. "That ok?" he asked tentatively. Without waiting for much of an answer, the dwarf began the trek down the rope...

[BurntOfferings]

Wellby

As the dwarf descends into the darkness, Wellby makes a show of examining the rope. He eventually moves to the opening and looking down, calls, "Alright, let me know when I should start down." He then prepares himself for the descent.

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How much weight can a rope hold?