Pizazz's Ravenloft and Beyond

Meepo just nods to Mordekai and heads back out of the crypt. He watches the others, ready to check out any crypt they open for anything that might be lost. "Meepo no think checking big trapped crypt good idea." Meepo does speak up, if Lionel is referring to the one behind the gates.

"Why?" Lionel even stopped on his way to the big crypt. "Do you feel something strange coming from there? Would not mind if your Rat can have a look, but why not checking it at all?"

"I think Meepo's right - we've been here long enough.  The longer we stay, the more chance we have of unleashing something beyond our means to fight, or worse, provoking a reaction from Strahd himself.  Unless you feel we're ready for that fight, we should be careful how long we linger in this place."

Ulthan shrugs "hrmpfh you think stad no know we here hrmpfh" Ulthan clutches his belly as he makes odd sounds "hahrmpfh hahrmpfh hahfrmpfh hah". "hrmpfh great magic hides great power or maybe trap but ignoring may mean our death hrmpfh".

"I'm sure he knows we're here.  He sent a carriage for us.  Do we want to fight him to the death here and now?  Are we ready for that?  If not, we should be careful."

     “Obviously he’s playing with us.  He’ll attack if he thinks we are on the verge of becoming a threat or finding out something he wants to remain secret.  Or because the whim takes him.  Or because we try to leave and he’s not done playing yet.  Or because of any countless reasons.” Ketch chimes in.

     “He’s no normal beast to be outwitted.  We’ll need power, magic and luck and as much of them all as we can get.  If we let fear of him dictate our actions then we should all run out of here and find a nice place to go and hide for the rest of our lives...”

Meepo shrugs. "Meepo think barred crypt probably more danger others." He would look at Lionel for a while then shrug again. "If want Rat check, then Rat go..."

Lionel added his shrug to the pile from others: "I am with Ketch and Ulthan on this one: Strahd knows exactly where we are, and yet just watching. We already found the most dangerous thing for any vampire one can imagine, we dared to rest in this place - and he still did not show up. He is indeed a constant danger we should assume to meet at any moment no matter what we do. But since we are already here, we can as well finish what we started."

He nodded to the kobold again: "Yes, Meepo, please, let Rat to check things out, then we can decide if we go there too".

With a nod Meepo says... "Rat Go." he has Rat disappear and then reappear inside the barred entrance to the crypt. Rat wobbles through the air as he looks around the crypt,w ith Meepo keeping an eye on him through the bars.

"Meepo see lever." Meepo speaks up as he watches. "Maybe leverl raise gate..." He suggests. He has Rat flap over and see if he can activate the lever.

Rat sits with his full weight on the lever and it slowly grinds down.  With a loud clanging noise that echoes through the crypt, the portcullis slowly raises into the ceiling. 

Also:  EVERYONE GETS INSPIRATION.

"Meepo open gate." Meepo says with a grin up at the others. "Meepo back to brave dragon!" He makes the sound of a copper dragon's roar using minor illusion though he does make it at 1/100 of the volume, wishing to be quieter than normal with it.

     "Bravest dragon I ever dealt with," Ketch agrees with a grumble.  Ketch repositions his shield on his arm, getting it just right, then tests the heft of the thighbone a couple more times just in case he needs it soon.  He'll then, slowly advance towards the start of the steps and look down them for himself.

(Uh...we are talking about the south most trapped one..right?  So....Ketch walks into the magically trapped area on his way to the stairs?  :-O. ) 

(Would be a shame not to use the gift)

I'll link the map again. https://www.dndbeyond.com/forums/d-d-beyond-general/play-by-post/49756-pizazzs-ravenloft?comment=3682

Since we know where traps are, is it possible to jump over them? Seems like 5ft should be possible even for Meepo.

The magic is "in the air", not just laying on the ground.  You have to pass through the field of magic to get to the other side, unless you teleport.

(Another situation that would've been helped by Dispel Magic!)

"There has to be some way in?  Some way to deactivate the traps?  The skull would know perhaps, but that would mean sleeping here until morning." 

We could get 4 out of the 5 of us in, technically, but I'd have to use both of my spell slots on dimension door in and out. And that still leaves either Ketch or Ulthan sitting outside.

(Lionel has Misty steps still)

"No way around and that shining black coffin... Do you think we found Strahd's resting place? I do not know if we are ready to meet him, but it does not look like he is eager to meet us even now. I take it as a good sign. Meepo, can Rat try to open the coffin?"

Quote from NathanPizazz >>

(Uh...we are talking about the south most trapped one..right?  So....Ketch walks into the magically trapped area on his way to the stairs?  :-O. ) 

     ((Well, ummm... Ketch does seem to have forgotten about having detected conjuration magic there so unless there is some visible sign of the trap to remind him then I guess he does indeed walk into the magically trapped area. Stuff happens. *shrug*))