| 9 The lever is very stiff. So much dust has accumulated in its workings it appears to have not been operated for centuries. After some effort however, you are able to fully depress the lever. At first nothing happens. As you stand waiting you begin to feel a slight vibration in the floor that suggests some ancient mechanism is slowly returning to life. The vibration continues to grow until, with a major grinding sound, the tapestry covering the northern wall is lifted outwards and upwards by a hidden stone door behind. To your surprise you now stand before an entryway to a long stone tunnel. Quickly gathering as many of the torches as you can reach you move cautiously into the darkness beyond. Roughly hewn from the rock of the mountain the tunnel is circular in cross-section and very damp. Your torch is constantly in danger of being extinguished by the large amount of water dripping from the roof. Dirt and rubbish is piled up against the sides of the passage, so much so that in some places it is almost blocked. Everywhere about you is the smell of death. Moving further north you notice you are slowly descending, the floor sloping slightly as you continue forward. You are traveling far deeper into the mountain than you would have ever expected. As the angle of the floor steepens you find keeping your footing becomes more and more difficult...
| Turn to section 129.
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