Blowingsand

As for the gate, try pressing shift-d to bring up the cheat console, then type in:

 

sdf 63 23 1

 

Then walk up to the gate.

Thank you muchly!

I 've been quick-saving through the game - RARELY making another saved game. The auto-save bailed me once, but now I seem to have dug myself into a pit :0

In Skarragath I've killed the guardian BEFORE he opened the second portcullis.

The auto-save triggered AFTER i killed him, too.

My old saves are WAY too old to go back.

Do I HAVE TO free Grah-Hoth to escape from Avernum/kill the Emperor?

Or is there another way (console command) to open the second portcullis?