Sticks the torch in to see if it is or is not a tube to a lower level or a coffin....
"If this thing can just close up, I am not getting into it!"
The cylinder appears to have arisen from the ground itself. It seems completely flush with the ground and you can not determine how it functions except the doors appeared to open unbidden. A light tug on the thin doors suggest that they do go back into place if someone is inside.
"Time to give this a try. Without a person/"
Gnobby puts his waterskin in and closes the doors.
As soon as Gnobby manages to shut the doors the metal cylinder drops into the floor and stone the rose atop of it seems to rest flush with the floor now. Time seems to tick by and nothing happens again...
"Anyone see a way to get that stone open again?"
Artemis looks but has a hard time even telling that anything came up from the ground at that point.......
"Perhaps using the mechanism...turn it back to the previous color then back to this yellow position." Koross suggests, gazing with fascination at the floor where the cylinder disappeared.
"I am game for that test."
Tries to replicate the appearance of the cylinder.....
The cylinder returns as before as the thin doors slide open once again of their own accord. The waterskin is laying on the floor of the cylinder where Gnobby put it.
"So who wants to give this a try?"
Artemis goes over the group Erwin is still too injured, gnobby would be too weak to defend himself. Thantor or Koross could go.
He looks around at the group to see who wants to try it.
"Here is the idea one of us goes down and we wait and re-try the mechanism after waiting an amount of time, the person who goes can look to see what is below. If he finds it is fine and finds controls he can send the thing back up with a signal that it is all clear...."
His face set, certain, Koross says "I will go"
Handing his polearm to Edwin, he grabs his pack and walks to stand inside the cylinder.
Pushing the water skin out of the cylinder, he says "I will send back my dagger if I find a way to activate the machine. Otherwise, I will return to the cylinder after 10 minutes. Reactivate the mechanism at that time
He the crossed his hands in front and waits for the cylinder to close.
-Posted with Wayfinder
Artemis lights a lamp and passes Koross the ever-burning torch.
"You venture into the unknown my friend and light should go with you."
Likewise offers a spare handaxe to Koross.
Koross holds a hand up to the offered ax, "My thanks, but I have weapons enough." then nods his acceptance of Thantor's vow.
He then crosses his arms and awaits the descent of the cylinder.
Closing the doors results in the cylinder descending once again.
The cylinder doors open when it stops moving again.
The walls here are covered in bas-relief images similar to the slender figure upon 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.
About fifteen feet to the south, a dark passage extends from an elaborately carved arch. Only a little of this hallway is visible, however, as a large stone block obscures most of the passage.
The stone block is roughly 10 feet wide by 2 feet deep by 8 feet tall, and nearly seals off the passage to the south. A large niche about the same size as the stone opens in the ceiling 10 feet above.
There is a thin layer of dust covering the room.
As the cylinder opens, Koross holds the torch out , illuminating the room beyond.
Startled a bit by the figures, he pauses until sure they pose not threat.
Beginning to count in his head, he steps out of the cylinder, and approaches the dark passage way, eyes on the niche in the ceiling.
"How long has it been?....It seems like days."
The stone slab is blocking the passage beyond which leaves the only way to investigate being to climb up on top of slab to peer through the limited space between the top of the slab and the top of the passageway.
Further investigation in this room will reveal a hand-sized stone that can be pressed into the wall near the cylinder.
Having reached the half way mark in his internal counting, Koross turns to return to the cylinder. Approaching, he noticed the ' button' beside the cylinder. After looking at it for a moment or two, he decided to risk it. Taking his place back inside the cylinder, he reaches out and tries to depress the stone ' button'....
-Posted with Wayfinder
The cylinder returns about half-way through the ten minutes. It opens as usual... and Koross is inside.
Koross steps out of the cylinder, looking relieved.
"There is a chamber below, with other marble figures similar to the sarcophagus. An interesting passway leads in that direction, but is mostly blocked by a large stone that seemed to have dropped from the ceiling...a discharged trap perhaps. A trigger on the wall allowed me to activate the cylinder from below."
"Well there is nothing to see here and plenty to see down there...by the way did it look disturbed of undisturbed?"
Prepares for the one by one trip down....
assuming Koross, Thantor, Gnobby, Erwin and then me....
Koross nods to Atrtemis, "A layer of dust implies I was the most recent visitor for quite a time..."[/b]
He takes his trip down , then waits for the others, pointing out the other figures as they arrive.
When all have descended, he shows them where the fallen rock obscures the passageway...
The cylinder doors open when it stops moving again.
The walls here are covered in bas-relief images similar to the slender figure upon 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.
About fifteen feet to the south, a dark passage extends from an elaborately carved arch. Only a little of this hallway is visible, however, as a large stone block obscures most of the passage.
The stone block is roughly 10 feet wide by 2 feet deep by 8 feet tall, and nearly seals off the passage to the south. A large niche about the same size as the stone opens in the ceiling 10 feet above.
There is a thin layer of dust covering the room.
Gnobby prepares to go down.
A delighted voice escape the lips of Erwin as he looks around "Ah! This.. it... I dont know what to say. It looks magnificent and beautiful. It seems like we are the first people here after a long time, as it seems from the amount of dust in the floor. We might even find something here" Erwin speaks with an interest and excitment in his voice
Artemis inspects the nearly blocked tunnel.....
"As long as none of us end up under a ton of rock!"
Koross ventures futher in than he had before, assisting Artemis in the inspection of the blocked tunnel, even going so far as to extending the everburning torch into the available space.
Artemis watches Koross as he bigins to inspect the area above the block, the narrow passageway above.
"Are we certain this block will not move upwards."
@Gnobby
"Could this block shift and cause injury to Koross?"
Gnobby can not discern any traps with the stone block. Koross manages to get on top of the stone block as he lays himself down to thrust the torch through the opening and peer beyond.
You gain a decent view of the hallway beyond, and are able to make out a handful of alcoves marking the walls of the tunnel at regular intervals. The space between the top of the arch and the stone block would be nearly impossible to squeeze through unless you were small or quite nimble (Delicate Task).
Artemis looks into the opening as well, impressed by the degree to which Koross has managed to wedge himself within....
@Koross
"What do you see, Is anything beyond?"
He glances back at Erwin
@Erwin
"I do not think you will manage this opening with your arm as it is."
@Gnobby
"Tis a tight squeeze, but I would not send you beyond alone. Perhaps another level exists an we can come up from another level."
It is a challenge for Artemis to think of this new idea of multiple levels a far cry from his single room cabin in the woods......
Sighing with disappointment but also realising the truth which Artemis said "Huoh, you are right. We might as well try to see another way or try other lamps since this is not only one" Erwin spoke up as he looked at others
Seeing how tight and small the hole was Erwin took a look at Gnobby "Well, of course... if our friend do not mind taking a small look if there might be something worthy? We are not losing anything even if we do not. Better to not take risk and go alone but... well, who knows" with a small glitter of hope in his voice and eyes as his gaze is on Gnobby
Koross makes an inital attempt to maneuver through the small aperture, but sighs as his contortion skills do not match the need...
Looking to Gnobby, "The choice is yours my small friend..."
"I am hesitant to send a comrade into a place where we can do nothing to aid him, though it is true the choice is up to Gnobby alone."
"Maybe we can move the stone slab?" The gnome says as he stares at the stone like he can see the hallway beyond.
"Yes, let's do that. But I will pop through and scout a bit."
Gnobby ties a rope to his waist and goes on a bit, giving the other end to Art.
Curious carvings that seem to represent a stirring tempest cover the walls of this ten-foot-wide passage. At ten-foot intervals, small alcoves flank the passage, and each alcove contains an androgynous humanoid figure with cupped hands. The figures stand roughly seven feet tall. A faint wind seems to play within the passage, but it's difficult to tell where it's coming from.
The passage grows unnaturally cold at the point of the third and final set of alcoves. You get the odd sensation that you are being watched. The hallway opens up into a dull gray stone reaches from floor to ceiling in this large chamber. Halls extend to the east and west.
Standing a bit behind and watching Gnobby slowly disappearing through the whole, Erwin sighes as he unconsiously does small shuffling on his spot
Artemis shakes his head as the brave little gnome goes through the passageway.
"If we had a hammer and chisel it would still take us hours to get beyond this blockade."
"All we can really do is ready ranged attacks in case Gnobby flushes out something ugly."
Gnobby returns from a quick sneak ahead.
"I saw Curious carvings that seemed to represent a stirring tempest covering the walls of a ten-foot-wide passage. At ten-foot intervals, small alcoves flanked the passage, and each alcove contained an androgynous humanoid figure with cupped hands. The figures stand roughly seven feet tall. A faint wind seems to play within the passage, but it's difficult to tell where it's coming from."
He adds.
"Let's move the stone slab so we can all stay together."
"It is unfortuate that my polearm will not fit in the cylinder, it would be useful to lever the stone out of the way." Koross says , considering the stone.
"It may be futile, but good old manpower is the only option..." he says, placing his hands against the stone, and taking up a powerful stance.
He waits for the others to assist...
"I know more than I should about felling trees, but I know next to nothing about mining and stone."
"Which way do we want to try and shift it?"
After a few attempts at maneuvering the large slob of stone around you finally manage to get one corner free enough to pass through before the stone and the archway.
Curious carvings that seem to represent a stirring tempest cover the walls of this ten-foot-wide passage. At ten-foot intervals, small alcoves flank the passage, and each alcove contains an androgynous humanoid figure with cupped hands. The figures stand roughly seven feet tall. A faint wind seems to play within the passage, but it's difficult to tell where it's coming from.
The passage grows unnaturally cold at the point of the third and final set of alcoves. You get the odd sensation that you are being watched. The hallway opens up into a dull gray stone that reaches from floor to ceiling in this large chamber. Halls extend to the east and west.
Artemis readies his shield....
"Be may be beset by something worse than dogs, gents we had best be at the ready."
He looks at the everburning torch.....
"Someone remind me I need to get a scones for my shield."
Koross pads down the hall, eyeing the supplicant figures as he passes.
Coming to the the third and last alcoves , he pauses "It grows colder here..." he says, holding his hand up as if trying to determine where the coldness was coming from.
The west wall of the room's gray central pillar holds a deep recession that ends at what looks like a fountain basin about 4 feet off the ground, however the closer you get to it the colder the area gets. You believe the source to be a rather significant source of mold that extends out of the basin and into the eastern room.
The opposite side of the pillar looks like it was built with a similar alcove in mind, but a large stone slab similar to the one that blocked your passage into this area is in the alcove.