Zayid joins Hasani when he completes his initial survey of the room. Taking off his pack, he produces flint and steel, and proceeds to light the lanterns.
Despite her appearance, Zariah navigates the rope with nimble grace, settling in the middle of the group. As Zayid offers he a lit torch she shakes her head with a smile.
"The darkness is no hindrance to me, but thank you.
Scanning the area in front of her her face takes on a serious expression. "It is as if the silence holds a secret that is our task to coax from it."
Once one lantern is lit the others follow in short order, making the room almost cozy. The lanterns were well placed to light up the entire room.
The chamber was round and domed, expertly crafted. The walls were full of tiny perforations, drilled carefully in the stone long ago, long since filled in by the swallowing sand that had engulfed the place. Between the thousands of tiny pin-prick holes was a depiction of a maze-like design full of interconnecting pathways that ran on every surface, including the floor.
The two doors were low hemispherical arches, no more than three feet at their highest point. Ancient rotten cloth hung across them, carefully fathered back by the previous explorers.
Hasanni nods in thanks to Zayid, and follows the man as he examines the wall markings,
"Let us hope they are not a floorplan!" He says, amongst other comments as he tries to aide Zayid.
Apedemak drops down on the rope after the rest, and quickly moves to the center of the room--both to better guard his allies, and to get a good look at everything. He runs one hand along a wall, testing to see if he could get a good grip on it; then he waits to see what the others will do, looking to Farooq and Hasani, who are the apparent leaders.
Mahsati peers at the designs and walls. "A map of the stars, perhaps? They mentioned an observatory..."
"Indeed, based on this map, the previous group's base of operations was in the observatory. As to the small doors, I'd be glad of them... there's less space for any intruders to enter."
Zayid moves to stand by the doorway that does not lead to the library , and waits for the others.
Because the room is round and the doors equidistant from each other, it is difficult to orient the map. The library could be on either side. The only clue is four symbols drawn in Elder Tongue at the edges of the parchment.
It is worth noting that when used in their abstract form, the concepts they represent are neutral, possessing both positives and negative traits. (for example, Horus, as the symbol of Authority, could mean Benevolent Rulership, or Tyranny) The context which tells the reader which meaning of the symbol is the correct one is usually given by the surrounding text.
The map doesn't. It marks only the symbol itself.
The names of the three rooms marked on the map are written in Last Tongue, which is considered the language of knowledge and science. Above the words describing the rooms are are numbers. (1, 2 and 3, respectively).
Those same numbers are on the three crates near the work bench. Inside those crates are a number of small objects, probably found in the corresponding rooms, and sheafs of partially completed notes talking about the objects, where they were found, guesses on uses, measurements and descriptions of the rooms, etc.
A rough sketch of what must be the Library marks the area where the artist believed the stress points were. The drawing shows how floor cracked at some point, causing a partial collapse and making the book cases fall against each other into a tedious array. A number of probability calculations showed the most dangerous junctures and estimated chances of collapse.
Below those pages were preliminary drawings of a few different configurations of supportive frameworks that might allow the room to be safely excavated.
The pin-holes in the room denotes the stars. The labyrinthine pathways are not just a maze. They also group the stars into certain configurations. A few of those configurations are constellations you recognize, but in many places the constellations are cut through by the pathways. Many groupings are not any constellations you recognize, but there are four that you do.
The stars that form the images of the gods Set, Anubis, Thoth and Horus are framed by the maze, rather than bisected by it like so many of the others.
Those four constellations are noteworthy because they form something of an axis in the sky. During much of the year they are used for navigation and are interchangeable for North South East and West.
The constellations are all slightly off. They are recognizable formations still, but the measurements, if compared against the night sky, would all be incorrect.
Hasani nods to himself and thumbs his moustache thoughtfully as he moves over to the crate corresponding to the Library and examines its contents,
"It seems we have something of a guide to navigating the library here. These plans show the points estimated to be most precarious, and outline the beginning of an excavation plan. The fact that they have yet to be enacted makes me think our targets are unlikely to be in the library. The doors are numbered and correspond to these crates."
Apedemak glances again at the walls as he ran his hands along them. Something's familiar... His mind races for a moment before he realizes what it is.
"Stars," he murmurs to himself, then turns to his new companions. "These are stars, I recognize them from the charts at the temple. Look--" he points at some of the groupings--"Set, Anubis, Thoth, Horus; the directional gods."
Then the young man frowns, tracing some of the pathways with his claws. "But these... I'm not sure. They frame those constellations, but run through most of the others... And these other framed ones, I don't know."
Apedemak crosses his arms and steps back, hoping at least one of the other debtors can make sense of this.
Zayid nods in agreement at Hasani's pronouncement. "It would seem so. Still, as you mentioned, it may be good to know what's behind us before proceeding. Though... it means the others will be without help that much longer."
"The symbols on the map also represent Set, Anubis, Thoth and Horus. That should allow us orientate the map."
It seems that the Library is through the low doorway below the symbol of Thoth, which is on the right side of the map.
Ayaal listens quietly then waves a hand at the known constellations along the walls. "So which of these shows the way to the 'observatory'? If things go wrong, we won't all make it up the rope. When that happens, we'll need a bolt hole and we'll want a wall at our backs. At least, I will."
"We are in the observatory now, as shown on the map here. The previous group had established this as their base of operations." Zayid points at their location on the map.
"Given these plans and the likelihood that implementing the necessary supports would be time consuming I say we head through the library first. Can anyone verify the trap is disabled, a pressure plate I believe they said."
Ayaal shakes her head slightly, "Four entrances to a bolt hole are three too many for safety. Still, it is what it is." She listens to Hassani's question, "I can check and disable the plate if needed. Let's go see it."
Zariah silently moves closer to the wall studying the symbols.
The symbols do indeed represent the Gods, but those same symbols also represent aspects of humanity in the abstract. They would be Creativity, Judgement, Knowledge and Authority. Knowledge would most likely be the library, Authority a seat of power perhaps a throne room."
"Let's go have a look."
Zayid proceeds toward the library, looking for the pressure plate.
Ducking beneath the low archway, Zayid found himself in a dark chamber. The low spill of light revealed a collection of pillars throughout the round room. It was smaller than the Observatory, but it was too dim to easily make out anymore details. It was clear they were going to have to provide their own illumination.
Hasani enters carefully behind recasting the light spell upon his turban.
Farooq dances his magic lanterns around the room, poking the into every nook and cranny.
As the others crawled their way through the low doorway bringing lanterns and mystic lights with them, the Gallery was revealed in spectacular fashion.
Short pillars carved in the shapes of coiled cobras sat around the perimeter of the room. The snake's hoods formed the tops of the pillars where revered objects must have once sat. Rearing serpent heads were carved into the walls as well, each mouth containing an alcove to display the ruin's treasures. They were empty now. In the center of the room was a raised braizer where a sizable fire once burned.
Two more doors were in this room. One was small, like the one they had just come from. A chalk X was drawn on the ground in front of it, and one of the cobblestones was circled and slightly raised.
The other doorway was similar in size but was also surrounded in a serpent's mouth relief, like one of the alcoves, except that the fangs created a pair of metal bars which blocked entry. The serpent's eyes are deep hollows in the stone, about the same size around as a finger, curving gently downward.
Ayaal gets to work assessing the trap trigger, the raised cobblestone, as well as the trap itself.
The trap appears to be a simple pressure plate, though it's effects if triggered are not obvious.
The previous trapspringer did a pretty good job, but a better way to solve the problem would just be to lay a concave shield (or something similar) over the top of it. Any weight on the top of the shield would be distributed around the stone rather than on it.
Zayid asks for a lantern from Hasani, and then proceeds to move about the room, checking for anything the others might have missed.
Seeing that the hooded woman is attempting to disarm the trap, he moves to the other door and tries to determine whether there is some mechanism to move the bars.
Zayid didn't really know what he was looking at, but if he had to guess, it was possible the eyes were some kind of keyholes. Seemed like if that were true, the key would have to be bent though. He'd never seen a bent key before.
As the group set about studying the elements of the room Zariah stands alone in the room's center, a slow whispered rhythmic chant leaving her lips as she sways, almost hypnotically.
The flames in each lantern seem to pick up her movements, momentarily making the light dance back and forth in the entire room before returning to their natural motion as she fell still, her eyes flickering with a silver fire in the midst of their perpetual smokiness.
Apedemak waits until the rest have entered the room, then, with a final glance around, drops to all fours and crawls into the next area. Pausing to take in the decorations--not that different from those in his home, with the exception of there being an emphasis on snakes rather than cats--Apedemak moves toward the center of the room, but stops when Zariah takes that place. He watches her curiously for a moment, his eyes taking in her swaying and chanting, before moving off with the others.
Nearing the pressure plate, he moves to a close-by wall, running a hand along the surface. Then, suddenly, he jumps up and latches on to the wall, gracefully ascending along it to perch atop one of the rearing snakes, surveying the room from this new angle and thinking about what the snakes mean.
Ayaal sits back on her haunches, regarding the trigger, speaking to no one in particular. "He shimmed this thing to stop it working and probably didn't set it off. It is still live and I can't say what it trips... Shims aren't a bad fix but we can do better."
She doubles back to the Observatory and calls up for a strong convex shield or the nearest thing they have to it. When Ayaal returns, she tests the strength of the shield to ensure it can support body weight and then carefully places it over the trigger. After that, it is spiked into place. "What next?"
"Looks like everything for this room..." Zayid says as he moves past the shield to examine the door beyond it. Putting his ear to the door, he listens carefully, then tests the handle.
He then tries to open it quietly to see through .
Nothing in this room is magical" Zariah states after scanning the room intently.
Ayaal gives the pretty woman a smile, "Come now! I think the snake heads have an awful lot of charm."
Apedemak also grins down at Zariah. "And the absence depends on your definition of magical; you haven't really gotten to know me yet."
Ayaal winks at the man-cat, accompanied by a respectful nod for his climbing skills, "That's a neat trick. You'll have to show me how you do it, someday."
Apedemak smiles back, and hangs from his fingers before dropping easily to the floor. He walks over to Ayaal and shows her the claws. "It's made easier by these, and having the proper training and blessings. But I certainly don't have the expertise to have inspected that pressure plate; perhaps you'll show me that trick?"
Her own torch in hand, Mahsati had quietly accompanied the others into the next chamber. Unwilling as she was to venture further into the ruins (the sense of being underground and not under an open sky was beginning to press down on her), she was less than eager to be left alone in such a place.
In the second room she hovered rather uselessly near the small door they had entered in, scowling at the snake carvings that decorated the room in turn. The others were well underway in... whatever they were doing. Trying to get involved would be useless. She had little to offer in these matters. She would assist if one required it, but at the moment she was content to stay put.
Zariah returns Ayaal's smile with one of her own, broadening to a grin as Apademak chimes in.
"This is all true. While I mean there is nothing enspelled, the surroundings and company are indeed intriguing,"
Apedemak smiles back, and hangs from his fingers before dropping easily to the floor. He walks over to Ayaal and shows her the claws. "It's made easier by these, and having the proper training and blessings. But I certainly don't have the expertise to have inspected that pressure plate; perhaps you'll show me that trick?"
She raises an amused eyebrow, "If we live, I'll be happy to." Despite the dire talk, it's clear Ayaal is enjoying the expedition.
It wasn't actually a shield that was lowered. It was a shallow wooden bowl, but it did the trick. Unless someone was heavy enough to break the bowl, there was no danger of accidentally hitting the pressure plate.
Once Ayaal waved them forward, Zayid carefully crawled through the archway. It led to a short, curving hallway and to another opening similar to the last. He stuck his head into the chamber just enough to take a quick look. It was dark, but the small amount of light spilling from the other room he could make out a huge snake-head along the opposite wall with a low table set before it. It's eyes glittered like jewels.