Realizing that you've been caught, you step out with your hands in the air and smile disarmingly at the gnome. "So... do you know what this thing is?"

The gnome looks even more startled after hearing you speak, but it pulls together and takes an aggressive posture before answering. "That's the central chamber and you shouldn't be near it! How did you get here anyway?  The entrance has been sealed for over a century!" The gnome takes a few steps to the side as he speaks in that unique lilting voice, placing his back to one of the metal pipeways.

"Me? I came in the front door." You let slip a little vibrancy to encourage enthusiasm in the gnome. "Central chamber, huh? What's inside it?"

The gnome visibly perks up as he takes to the topic and dives into a lecture on magneto-magical seals, ferrofluids, and the ritual ferromancy. You might have overdone the vibrancy a touch.

"Yes, but what's inside it?"

"...and the interleave matrix created by the flow of fluid creates a dampening effect... Wha? Inside it?" A sly look crosses the gnome's face. "That would be telling, wouldn't it?" He chimes, almost gleefully. "Why don't I take you to Grayson? He is in charge of the sealing project and I'm sure he could answer your questions."