"Well, here, at least take this." He utters a single power word, and the same rock from before lights up in his hand once again. He then pulls out a rag from his pocket and wraps it up. "Ya never know when a spot'a light might come in handy." His eyes cut over to Udaya for only the briefest of moments and he mutters, "and take care, for cryin' out loud. It's gonna be mighty hard to get down there to save your bacon if things get hairy."
Bear once again turns the sarcophagus so that it is pointing at the yellow lantern. A moment later, the cylinder slides up and the doors open. Dara and Udaya remove the wolf corpse from inside, and then squeeze in together. As soon as they do so, the doors close, and the cylinder begins to descend.
It's very cramped inside. The two of them are pressed up against each other and the sides of the cylinder making movement difficult. They can't help but think that if something is waiting to attack them the moment the doors open, they won't be able to defend themselves or fight back.
The descent is over in a matter of seconds, though, the door opens, and nothing attacks them. They are able to step out of the cylinder without harm.
They find themselves in a room with walls covered in bas-relief images similar to the slender figure on the sarcophagus lid in the chamber above. Nearly a dozen androgynous, hairless humanoids stand in poses of deference, almost as if they are paying homage to the viewer. Many extend their hands in adoration, their faces awash in adulation. Several of the statues lack hands, arms heads, or anything else easily hacked off by long-absent tomb robbers.
Along the south wall, an immense stone block has been placed in front of an elaborately carved archway, blocking whatever passage lies beyond.
There would appear to be a small gap between the top of the stone block and the top of the archway. If you were to climb up, it might allow you to see beyond the block. You might even be able to squeeze through it.
added to site.
Dara and Udaya also notice a small button inset into the wall near the cylinder.
Just mere seconds after they step out of the cylinder, the doors slide shut and the cylinder rises into the ceiling above. Looking up, they can see the bottom of the cylinder rising up a long shaft.
In the chamber above, Bear, Fredrik, and Venedictus see the cylinder return. The doors open to reveal no sign of Dara and Udaya.
UU watches the lift ascend and says quietly, "This is some amazing engineering." She looks around the room, unwilling to touch anything yet. "Whaddaya think? Should we hit the button and see if the cylinder comes on command? If it does, we could send a note up and have some of the guys come down. Or try to sniff out what might be beyond this big slab before we risk a light and more company?"
Dara quite quickly locates a trap. The stone block blocking the exit is resting on a pressure plate. Moving the block out of the way will activate the trap. A quick check nearby reveals valves in the mouths of the adoring bas-reliefs on the walls. It would appear to be some kind of gas trap.
Udaya finishes her message and steps back. The cylinder takes longer to react this time, but after about half a minute or so, the doors slide closed and it rises back up the shaft again.
Fred and Venedictus squeeze into the cylinder, and the doors slide shut. It then descends into the depths. It's an uncomfortable journey, but thankfully short. The doors open again at the bottom and the two stumble out into the darkness. Udaya can reveal the light stone Bear gave her and provide the two with light to see by.
A few seconds after they exit the cylinder, the doors close again, and it ascends back up to the top.
Bear sees it return. When the doors open, he steps in and gets to be the only one to ride in comfort. :)
Bears soon arrives at the bottom. A few seconds after he exits the cylinder, it once again returns up the shaft.
Nearly a dozen androgynous, hairless humanoids stand in poses of deference, almost as if they are paying homage to the viewer. Many extend their hands in adoration, their faces awash in adulation.
When Bear steps from the cylinder an odd look crosses his face, "Ya know, this was strangely like a dream I had last night." He points at Udaya, "... and you were there..." then at Dara, "... and you were there. Though there was a decidedly smaller amount of clothes in the dream."
When Bear steps from the cylinder an odd look crosses his face, "Ya know, this was strangely like a dream I had last night." He points at Udaya, "... and you were there..." then at Dara, "... and you were there. Though there was a decidedly smaller amount of clothes in the dream."
UU rises to take the bait. "Oh yeah? Is this the dream where I ride you like a stallion all night long? No? Hmmm... Guess we didn't have the same dream then." She turns back to illuminating the bas relief for Flash.
"Might be a problem with that Freddie. That block's on a pressure plate. Look in the mouths of the guys on the walls. Those are gas valves. We move the block an' we get gassed."
"Still, there's a gap at the top o' the stone. If ya boost me up there, I might be able to crawl thru an' have a look on the other side..."
Dara is confident that extra weight won't set off the trap. It's the removal of weight that sets it off.
With Udaya's help, Dara climbs up on top of the block. The gap is thin, but she can get a look at what lies beyond. She can see a ten-foot-wide passage. Curious carvings that seem to represent a stirring tempest cover the walls of the passage. Small alcoves flank the passage, and each alcove would appear to contain an statue of an androgynous humanoid figure with cupped hands. The figures are roughly 7 feet tall.
Getting through the opening will be difficult. It will require a DC 25 Escape Artist check, which Dara cannot make (and unfortunately no one else in the party can either).
UU looks at the situation. "So the trick is to move the rock without getting gassed or whatnot. All we need to do is maybe move this rock like 3' right, just enough to squeeze around it? I'm wondering if that lift is strong enough to pull the stone out of the way. We tie several long pieces of rope to the rock and secure them somehow to the lift. Then the one person down here rides it up and we pray it has the strength to move the rock and doesn't bust the lift.." She fore-stall's Slick's response, "Yeah, it is risky as HELL. I'm just saying 'consider it'. OR, maybe we can rotate this thing enough on the plate to get around it. That's a nice solution."
Udaya watches Bear stalk the room, "Find anything there, Big Man?"
"Zip… not a thing. 'Cept this guy…" and he points to one of the carvings on the wall, " is also jealous of the dream you had about me."
As they discuss different plans for getting around the rock, Bear tests the weight of the stone with his shoulder. "I'm thinkin' we may be able to move this thing if we all push together. Long as everyone understands that we're trying to shift it.. not remove it from the plate. I'm also a little concerned 'bout getting stuck in that room with a difficult way out."
If everyone agrees with trying to shift the rock, however, he plants himself in the center, waiting for everyone to find a good place from which to support his efforts.
You manage to make a slight shift in the giant rock. Unfortunately, you discover you can't just push it side to side, as the pressure plate it's on is pushed down slightly below the level of the floor. You'll either have to tip it (which would take it right off the plate) or get enough leverage to raise on side a little and then push it so that side only comes off the plate.
Either will be possible with a DC 25 Strength check. Bear will just need to get another one of those awesome rolls!