Silver Insanity

Gregor's sword will stop an inch from the Phylactery.
"How would we find out without letting out the lich?"

Thirwin will think out loud, "I believe I could use a variation on speak with dead. It would take a bit to setup. If you want to make sure the lich doesn't get out, I wuld also want to double-check how he's kept in there, or discuss it with Stewart. I'd want to make sure that him becoming aware of the outside world won't free him." He continues, "My thought was, why go through all this trouble hiding a phylactery if it's just a red herring..." He thinks, "Stewart, I'm sure you were going to, but don't forget to check the rest of the room, it would be ironic if the dragon's was the chest this was in."

"I suppose this means you want me to stop eating fish and finish searching the room, doesn't it?" Skirrik asks.

"yes please i'll help"

"I am not particularly versed with necromancy, but odd variations of magic are what I do. I'll see what I can do to help."

"It's closer to divination than necromancy." Thirwin starts with a basic bone-dust circle and candles again, he asks Gregor to either let him handle the cube, or sit in the circle with him. Slowly he begins chanting, slowly altering the spell to retrieve knowledge not from a spirit that has left an imprint, but one that has been caged. He takes his time, careful not to release the lich but just to be able to ask it questions.

Gregor & Aurora: Searching the room turns up whole piles of junk, some of it magical, most of it not - and nothing that appears to be a phylactery, at least on casual inspection. Among the piles are about twenty locked boxes, which Skirrik begins to carefully sort through and open.

Thirwin & Stewart: It takes some time and effort, but you're eventually able to get a (heavily) modified speak with dead spell working. Unfortunately, the spell doesn't actually force the dracolich answer questions truthfully - or even at all, if it so chooses.

Thirwin likely hasn't moved, been holding the spell with the circle and adjusting the energies until it was what he desired, "Can you hear me?" He asks, figuring if it doesn't compel answers it's likely going to be based on time, or until he gets bored of talking.

There is a slight pause, and then a voice emanates from the cube. "Seven point two times ten to the sixth."

Thirwin resists the urge to shatter the cube, "Don't these people have any idea of treasure placement or effort? I mean, who goes through all this trouble with a red herring?" He sighs, "So, talking this thing through therapy is going to take a while. Gregor, would you mind if I finished this or broke it later? It can't get out on it's own, and if you want, you can hold it until we're ready to deal with it."