Mikael pressed his back against the rough, wooden wall of the warehouse. The front entrance was merely a couple meters away. He could feel the ethereal spray of the ocean on his face from here, and periodically had to wipe the dampness from his brow. Jacqueline bumped against his shoulder as she shifted into a more comfortable position. She was crouched in a low stance ahead of him, and in front of her, Adwonus and Pyrra stooped in a similar stance. Together they lined up along the wall outside the warehouse. Adwnous peered around the edge of the front entrance whose doors had been propped wide open. He looked back at the others, “
It’s still empty. Let’s move inside.” As swift and silent as they could, they turned the corner one after the other and filed into the building.
They dashed behind a pile of crates stacked ten feet high. But the exertion seemed needless, for not a sound stirred in the remainder of the warehouse. As Adwonus had said before, the entire place appeared deserted. And there was not much to speak of inside. Crates were stacked about the room in various piles and rows, and in the center was a large wooden platform flat on the ground; chains connected each of its four corners to pulleys along the ceiling and finally to a lever alongside it - a crane lift for moving boxes. After a few moments of waiting, Adwonus cautiously stepped out from behind cover and into the center of the room. When nothing happened he relaxed and called out to the others, “
It’s safe.” After a few uneventful minutes, the stealth team called in the others waiting outside, convinced now the danger had passed. They all converged within the warehouse.
“Where’d they all go?” asked Imbellem as he poked his head between two stacks of crates. “
I mean, wasn’t there like a lot of people in here not long ago?” “
Yes,” replied Johannes. His tone was thick with suspicion. “
We need to check for clues - be thorough.” Pyrra was already of him and had begun scouring the interior walls of the building, searching for any hidden door there might be. Mikael explored the opposite end. Johannes' attention then fell on Jacqueline who was acting strangely. “
Jacqueline, what you doing?” he inquired. She didn’t respond but instead stood in the center of the warehouse, staring pensively at the chains and pulleys which operated the crane, studying them. Letting her be, Johannes switched his focus to the crates, “
We should check these crates and see what’s inside. Dwalin, crowbar time!”
Pulling out their instrument, they went between the many stacks of crates and pried off lid after lid. And in each one, they found exactly the same thing -
nothing at all. Imbellem knocked on higher ones with his mace, but they all replied with a resounding, hollow thud. Every last one had been emptied. They’d never felt so bewildered. After prying open the tenth empty crate, Johannes and Dwalin gave up in frustration. “
Where is everything? This is strange.” Finished, the whole party congregated near the center. “
Nothing,” said Pyrra with a trace of disappointment. “
No secret doors around the walls.” “
Same,” Mikael corroborated. Dwalin looked between the dumbfounded faces, “
So, what are we going to do?”
Only Jacqueline stood apart from the others, ignoring the nearby discussion. Her eyes followed the chains which draped the ceiling. Then, an insight struck and filled her with elation. “
I’ve got it!” she cried, almost too loudly. The others quieted down as they turned toward her. “
What is it?” asked Johannes. “
The chains! The chains, don’t you see?” She was excited at her discovery. Confused, the party responded with blank but attentive stares. “
The chains! Their - aghh - just look. The rigging, makes absolutely no sense. I mean, this crane literally doesn’t lift; it’s already at its max height. So what good is it for moving boxes? That’s the thing. The chains have slack on all the wrong sides. It doesn’t lift anything up at all, at least higher than it already is. It lifts things lower!” The party continued appearing confused, struggling to interpret what she was saying.
“
Aghh- Do I have to spell it out!?” she exclaimed. “
It’s an elevator! An elevator that leads underground. . .”
[
Private to Lady Jacqueline Raynelde: Eureka (nice natural 20)! You discern that a flip of the lever will activate the elevator and lower the platform. Judging by the length of the chain, you reckon it goes rather deep - perhaps twenty feet. There must be a decent layer of stone between you and the lower level.]