-----After a long steady climb during which some in the party stop momentarily to readjust their load, the Dread Pirate comes to a door stretched across the top of the stairs much like a trapdoor. To one side of the door, there is an interesting box shaped mechanism mounted to it.
-----The Dread Pirate squints at the box shaped mechanism, then motions for Brandel to take the torch while he examines the area for traps. When he is finished, Dread calls for Seth and Kazel, "Aye, ye two might want to take a look at this thing. If'n I were to trap somethin, it'd be the entrance or exit. And I'd rather be safe than sorry."
-----Seth nods and puts down his sack, and moves up to the box. He closely examines it, the trap door and then the area around it. He then moves back to let Kazel check it as well.
-----Kazel looks at the box as well. But she's more interested on the floors and walls to see if there are any bloodstains, acid burns and nicks telling of previous victims.
-----The Dread Pirate eyes something on the box from several angles, but doesn't stick his eye directly in front of it. He says to the others, "I bet that somethin will come shootin outta this thing if we mess with it. And it seems to be locked as well. Did ass-ugly back there have a key or somethin on him? It'd make this a lot less risky. Actually, don't mess with it quite yet, I'll be back in a minute or two."
-----Dread then shucks his pack and races back down the corridor, retrieves his various knives, rechecks the corpse of 'ass-ugly', grabs up the disembodied head and races back to join the others.
-----When he gets back to the mechanism, he presses the head up against the side, so that if anything comes shooting out of it, it will just stick in the head. Dread figures the head is beyond caring what happens to it at this point. "Might as well get all the use outta this guy that we can. Maybe we can come back down here sometime and reclaim his armor as well. Brandel can wear it to keep himself from getting chopped up all the time."
-----With the head secure against the box, Dread begins fiddling with the lock, unless someone has the key, in which case he merely unlocks it. He still keeps the head pressed up against the hole, just in case though.
-----Brandel looks a bit more pale, not only from his wounds, but also with the new activity of the Pirate. "Do not retrieve the armor on my account," the young mercenary says, "it would probably only serve to slow me down."
-----The Dread Pirate continues to work with the lock when suddenly there is a disturbing hissing sound. The hissing seems to penetrate the quiet of the ascending tunnel making the sound louder than it ordinarily would be.
-----The sound appears to come from the head and a chill runs through everyone when the thought of the head animating flashes through their minds. Suddenly a cloud of purplish gas begins to erupt and then everyone realizes the disembodied head is not to blame but rather the gas comes from the mechanized box!
-----Kazel holds her breath and quickly covers the box with a sack to slow down the gas. She indicates to Krord to try slamming the trapdoor open, while she pulls out a crowbar and starts to pry the trapdoor.
-----The large mercenary sets down his ends of the chests and barrels toward the trapdoor. As he makes contact with the portal it barely gives any indication of moving. Krord falls to one of the steps and there he can't help but take a big gulp of air. Immediately, his shoulders sag and he looks like he is weakening.
-----Still holding her breath, Kazel jams the crowbar in a space in the doorframe close to the box. The half-elven girl pulls with all her might, but the door doesn't move!
-----"Keep a' pullin', lass!" shouts Runik as he shoves on the door as she pries once more. However, the trapdoor stays put as the dwarf also seems to be affected by the purplish gas now filling the top of the steps.
-----Luckily Kazel holds onto her breath as she starts backing down the steps and the Dread Pirate also succeeds in covering his face.
-----The Dread Pirate yells at everyone, "Alright, everyone back to the zombie room. I'm bettin only so much gas can come outta that thing. We'll just wait it out. We can probably all use a little rest anyway. We'll come back once the gas has dissipated. I have a hammer and some iron spikes in me backpack, we'll hammer iron spikes in all around the trapdoor til the hinges come loose. But fer now, get back to the zombie room."
-----Dread snatches up his pack and makes for the zombie room.
-----Seth grabs hold of Krord and tries to drag him back down the corridor. "'Runik! Brandel! Help me, he is so heavy."
-----As everyone makes it down the steps a bit, Krord slowly begins to get strong enough to carry on his own. The three mercenaries then retrieve the two treasure chests and everyone makes it back into the tunnel at the bottom of the steps.