Conflux/Places/Supplies For the Strong

This alcove contains multiple items which prove helpful for a starter party: food, a sword, etc. even a Shuriken. Retrieving any item will trigger the barbed gates and will damage your party until it steps out or dies ! It is possible to block the mechanism albeit momentarily: a hint is provided in the nearby mildew area where a similar gate is stuck open. Perhaps an innocuous item dropped by the local fauna can be used on either side of the door… For the last item, speed is of the essence.