The man shakes his head. "From the other side you can just push it open. No switch."
He looks down at the cradle of rope bridges briefly before shaking his head again. "Nothing of interest to you, I promise you."
Looking at the "temple," Mirela determines that while this large chamber may look like a temple, whoever uses this space do not worship gods. It is an elaborate monument to hubris. Whoever built it sees themselves as the ones who should be worshiped. This room is a vast nod to the builder's ego and pride, as the statues represent the tiger-headed man as the god-ruler of Korvosa.
Artegall leads the way down the hall, not offering any comment while in earshot of the man.
After some distance, he whispers to the party, "I think the Arkonas are Rakshasas. Very dangerous. Subtle, crafty, and powerful outsiders."
Have you ever fought some Rakshashasa? What do they look like? How do we kill them?
Cynara nods. "If so, I suspect that he has no intention of letting us live. If we disappear in this labyrinth, who will come looking for us?"
"I believe that holy piercing weapons are most effective, Nargun."
"They use shapeshifting and illusion to disguise themselves. They are powerful evil spirits in mortal bodies. I've never fought one that I know of.
I'm not certain that we will have to kill them. We very well might, but remember - Lord Arkona sought to use us to eliminate a rival. To manipulate us. And we proved successful at that task, at least as far as he knows. So he might try again to manipulate us into doing something he needs done. And if we can trick him again, we might get out of this easily. The one in that temple - presuming he is a rakshasa - did not attack us, although it could be part of some game.
Still, if it comes to blows, holy piercing weapons are best."
We did be getting here by swimming through the river. If we figure out what's going on with the water, that could be a way to be sneaking out of 'ere without Lord Arkona's permission.
"Shall we, then?" Cynara indicates the dark, narrow passage ahead. "If you think it advisable, I can send Chil ahead to scout. She's quite unobtrusive, and can see in the dark."
Might be good to be ‘aving warning of things up ahead.
"That sounds a fine idea, Cynara."
The tunnel curves down and down and down until the group is certain they are below the level of the water in the large cave. Still dimly lit by the occasional torch, the way had been prepared for someone who wasn't a rakshasa. Finally, after some interminable time, it bent sharply to the north here, ending at a set of large bronze doors, each carved with images of tigers chasing other tigers in four adjacent circles. At the center of each circle of tigers, a snarling tiger head looks out at the newcomers.
Someone really do be liking their Tigers…
Mirela peers around keeping watch for anything dangerous as she expects Artegall to handle the doors.
Cynara holds her hand out for her familiar, who crawls up and onto her shoulder under her dress. "Well done, little one. After we open this door, though, I will have need of you again."
Artegall will indeed inspect the doors for traps, then open them.
"If we happen to need holy piercing weapons, what are our best options?"
Artegall has a rapier and composite longbow (both piercing). Mirela has, I think, a single Align Weapon spell, and a 1/day use of the Holy Lance Good domain ability (lasts 4 rounds).
Nargun has several piercing weapons, and the Celestial Blood rage power to make his attacks count as Good.
Lord Erastil has given me a a couple different blessings that can ‘elp our weapons ‘urt evil spirits.
One lasts a few minutes and the other do be more powerful but only lasts for a few strikes in combat.
To be doing more I would need to pray for new miracles.
We'll do our best, I'm sure. Those beasties, the Rakashakas, they are evil, aren't they? Do they come from another plane, like devils and demons and stuff like that?
Artegall finds the doors well maintained, unlocked and most importantly un-trapped; they swing open silently at a touch. Inside, two statues, each depicting a tiger-headed man- the same man from the "temple" far above, stand in alcoves to either side of the doors. Their arms are wide, as if to usher visitors forward into the room beyond.
The otherwise empty room continues north. Artegall notices a hand-width gap in the floor, walls, and ceiling as he looks toward the end of the hall where it ends in a wall about 50 feet from the door.
Near the end of the hall, two alcoves open on either side of the otherwise empty room. In one, a long lever with an ebony handle protrudes from the wall.
Artegall walks around the room, trying to peer through that hand-width gap as well as listen at it. What seems to be its purpose, or what is beyond it?
As far as Artegall can tell, the gap goes all the way down to the center of the earth and all the way up to heaven. Or at least, he can't see where they end.
It do be so obvious that the lever makes me think this do be a trap.
Artegall tries to figure out the purpose of the gaps.
"Maybe, Mirela. I think this is all some game to them and we are here for their amusement."
Artegall searches the room for any other secret doors, or any other buttons or levers.
If he finds nothing, he says, "I suppose we'll have to pull it as there is no other way to proceed. Everybody ready?"
Artegall tries to think of a reason why there would be a gap in a floor and a ceiling but he can't come up with anything that makes sense. As far as he can tell, there's nothing in the alcove but the lever.
Artegall pulls the lever.
With a rumble and a deep vibration through the floor, the entire room spins clockwise, linking up to another room now to the east. While Artegall stands next to the lever he just pulled, another lever is in the southeast corner of the new room configuration.
A closed door leads away from the room to the northeast.
Quietly Mirela asks Someone want to scout ‘ere, or should we be pulling the lever again.
She nods to the darkened doorway.
"Check the door first. I suspect that having the whole room move has to have made enough noise to alert anything down here, though."
Artegall moves up to the doorway and listens at it.
If he hears nothing, he opens the door.