From TES issue 13 (January 2002)

Series 5/6/7. Level 1/2/3.
THE DESCENDER.
 
This was a lift-like device designed to help dungeoneers change levels. The great metal contraption would rattle down a lift shaft, passing various doors and windows on its way. Although it had a few appearances in series 6 and 7, the Descender only presented a challenge in series 5, when it was voice-activated. The dungeoneer would have to shout “DOWN” to start the device, and then call “STOP” or “HALT” to stop it in the right place. Usually this involved counting levels (doors and windows) as directed by a character or scroll. Sometimes the challenge was slightly different. Winning dungeoneer Ben I, for example, was told by Gwendoline that it was winter in level three. The advisors had to look at the scenery through the windows and tell Ben to stop the Descender when they saw a wintry landscape [a.k.a. Winteria].
 
Earlier in the series, Sarah had been told by the Gatemaster that level three was five levels down, six levels up and two levels back down from her current position. As the Descender does not go up, however, the team had to work out that this was the equivalent of simply one level down. Once the challenge was complete, the team could choose their door – often avoiding the one with a frightknight logo above it – and proceed onto the next level. Failing to stop the device in the right place would result in a very swift and unpleasant end to the quest, as Duncan found out when he failed to pluck up the courage to shout out when he was told to. He emerged from the Descender into the Corridor of Blades, where he was immediately sliced in two. (Treguard: “You missed your station, and now Duncan is missing parts of his body.”) The Descender stopped and started itself in series 6 and 7, and was used mainly for travel between levels two and three.
 
Difficulty: 5 Counting windows shouldn’t be too difficult.
Killer Instinct: 4 One victim in one series.
Gore Factor: 10 As it was the Corridor of Blades on the other side.
Fairness: 7 A small challenge between levels.

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