DM: The Slashing Cage Trap

The party edges forward. Everyone can sense now that they are deep in the heart of evil. This place has a fetid stench and unearthly chill to it. The young eladrin and half-elf edges forward towards the doors at the end of the corridor, intent in putting an end to this foray into this ancient evil complex.

Orik suddenly shouts a warning. “Wait! They’ve reactiva –“

He doesn’t finish his sentence as an arrow hits him on his left shoulder which sends him flying back towards the steps. From the far side of the corridor, a lone figure runs up northwards and into a room.

Something then clicks. Gryffin looks down at his feet. In a fraction of a second he realizes that he has activated something. He is upon the dust-free area of ground, between the two statues.

He sees it play out before him in the tiny fractions of time that only afterwards one can piece together to create a sequence of events. Two heavy iron portcullis structures comes crashing down, about to separate him from Lloyd and his companions. Then the two statues start moving, their heavy glaives ready to slice him to pieces.

*

Lloyd, hearing the click, seeing the hesitating flinch of Gryffin, realizes that the young wizard isn't going to make it clear. The half-elf watches the two heavy portcullis gates start to crash down. Being the closest to Gryffin, he lunges forward, trying to stop the western gate from connecting.

He barges forward, throws out his hands, and braces against the portcullis.

He feels it hit against the palms of his hands, but the sheer weight and speed of it just smack his hands out of the way.

The two heavy gates crash into place with an almighty boom, shaking the ground and sending faint motes of dust up into the air.

Lloyd curses in the elven tongue. Gryffin turns to face his companions, a look of fear on his face. He is trapped.

And then the glaives falls.