Gaius takes his time examining the entryway and then steps into the room, confident that nothing has been left behind to harm interlopers. As he moves forward, the forces of his spell fix react to something from the far end of the room. Now that he's moved further in, he can make out shapes, including one large, looming object against the far wall. The whole area seems to be circular and about eighty feet across. Stopping to focus on the magical emanations, he ascertains they are coming from one source, the great, shadowy shape across the room, which is looking like some sort of large boulder sitting against the wall.
Gaius pauses. "Don't walk past me. Something is here."
"Magnus, send your lights towards that boulder in front of me. It is not what it seems."
"Done" The lights whoosh forward, and spread out from each other to provide more light around the room. [ooc] Magnus will also cast light on a pebble and toss it forward to Gaius in case the lights' duration expires.
As the lights sweep the room, you can see that the other shapes appear to be sagging and tumbled shelves, pigeonholed to hold scrolls or braced for books. Time and moisture have not been kind, what remains is a sodden, rotted mess. The piles nearer the entrance may have once been the same, but have suffered to the point of decaying into unrecognizable masses.
As the light washes over the large object, it is revealed to be a great stone carving of a humanoid head, standing half again as tall as a man, perhaps as wide as a man is tall. The features are severe: deep-set eyes, a long, aquiline nose, and wide, thick lips, and a prominent, square jaw. No hair has been carved for either face or scalp. The eyes glitter in the light.
Stilgar scowls at Tarrana's comment, though not entirely unamused by the truth that rings in her words.
As they approach the monolithic carving, a look of surprise passes over Stilgar's face. Heeding Gaius' warning, the cleric moves as closely as possible to the intact statue, trying to get a better look at its features.
Perception:
Knowledge (religion):
Religion:You're fairly certain, despite the possibly Baalite door, that this is a pagan shrine. Mimir, the god of knowledge, is depicted as a disembodied head. The myths surrounding his decapitation are many. One says that in order to keep the secrets of fire and smithcraft to himself, Baal cut off Mimir's head and tossed it down the well behind his house, going out to speak secretly with him in the night in order to master the art of the forge. Others say he was born this way, merely a floating head that contained all that could be known.
"The head is magic, but more than that.....Take a look at it. I was never very good with stone."
Gaius drops the detect magic and moves forward slowly searching for traps/etc.
Gaius begins carefully searching, and quickly uncovers some markings on the floor, inscribed near the stone head. The rest of the group can't quite make them out from where they stand, but Gaius continues to expose them as best he can.
"Fascinating... it is a shrine to Mimir, god of knowledge," Stilgar says, stroking his beard as he gazes at the statue, "Some legends say that Baal decapitated him and threw his head down a well, so that he could use the god's vast knowledge to expand his mastery of the forge..." Frowning at his recollection of this particular detail, he looks to the others. "A legend, of course. Others say that Mimir's always been like this."
Magnus ponders this thought. God of knowledge. Too tempting to resist. "Anyone know how to turn on the knowledge? " K(appropriate)
EDIT1: "Because I have no clue..."
"Perhaps Baal merely misheard when Mimir told him all he had to do was ask him. It's sad that all this knowledge has fallen to dampness adn time. Though I have no delusions what would happen to it were anything unwanted in this pile."
"Do not get too close to old and stony here. There are markings all around him that set my teeth on edge. Not sure if they are graffiti or a summoning circle or death to intruders. It looks safe up to about 15 feet.
.
detect magic +spellcraft
There are no magical auras coming from the markings on the floor. The half circles might be indicators of ranges of certain effects of the idol, put their for the benefit of anyone wishing to enable its effects. Then there's the small circle in front of the idol, just large enough for a single person to stand in.
"Well. One way to find out. Anyone else want to touch it? " Magnus steps to the centre circle, preparing to reach out and touch the idol's eyes. He sends Tuboo away to the outside... just in case. When everyone else has moved, he touches it.
"This is an object of worship," Stilgar says, stepping away from the statue, "I somehow doubt that anything malicious would be incorporated into its design... with so little subtlety, for that matter. Though if you're eager to test that theory, I won't stop you."
Jinjer tenses when Magnus steps into the circle and eases forward into the room a little further. She is fearful of the gods and this type of hidden, secretive magic.
"Who knows what you could unleash? Careful now!" she hisses.
Magnus steps into the small circle in front of the giant head. As he does, the eyes glow with an inner light. Magnus flinches visibly, his hands moving to his ears as if to block a loud sound. However, the rest of the group hears nothing.
'Crazy Gnome."
Gaius awaits developments well away from the head. He is clearly nervous.
"Did we just break our gnome?" Tarrana syas as they stare at the paralyzed gnome.
Those of you watching note that he appears to be speaking to the head, but while you can see his lips moving, there is no sound. Also, you hear nothing when it appears he is listening to a reply.
The Lady of Shadows sounds naggingly familiar, but you cant' place it. Perhaps a pagan goddess or demon? The Great Wound is a legendary geographical phenomenon, a huge rent in the earth a thousand miles long and so deep it's said to strike the Earth's molten heart.
Magnus steps away from the altar half dazed, and then nearly falls to the ground, holding his head. "Let's go, and no, I don't want to talk about it. "
Stilgar moves to Magnus' side, helping him keep his footing as he staggers away from the statue. His expression is a mixture of concern and confusion.
"Rest easy, friend," he says, casting a wary glance at the statue, "But I'm afraid I must insist on asking just what happened."
"Going works for me," Jinjer mutters turning to leave the room, once she sees Magnus is being helped out of there.
"An old soul, forgotten by time. It saddens me to the core. To see such helplessness, such squandering of knowledge. " Magnus looks at Stilgar, tears in his eyes. "How can Baal allow this? "
"Squandering of knowledge...?" Stilgar says, wrinkling his brow in confusion. When he is sure that Magnus can stand on his own, he would release him, before turning his attention to the statue once more. "You don't mean to say that it..."
As his voice trails off, Stilgar would approach the head, careful to avoid the circle before it. Laying a hand upon its surface and forming gestures with the other, he would try his own hand at identifying its magics.
Spellcraft:
"I can tell you how it works, I think. Stand in the centre circle to speak to the voice. The outer circle probably show an area of silence for privacy. Ask him any question and he will answer. Finish by saying that you have been quenched. " Magnus blurts out these facts without emotion, but then turns to a bit of a sobbing mess. "This soul only exists through those that speak to it. It knows the answer to any question, but it is only aware of what is occuring with these circles at the same time. Is this the price that one must pay for ultimate knowledge? Have I been mislead this whole time? This entity has reached the goal I have strived for my life, but it is a pitiful soul indeed. "
"Remarkable..." Stilgar says, enthralled by what he senses, though his face goes dark as the moment passes. Initially, it is unclear whether he has heard Magnus' explanation of the device's function. After a moment, he walks towards the circle, sliding his hand across the head before moving it away.
"Whatever this thing is... dark magics were definitely involved in its creation. Amidst its magical auras, I sensed necromancy," he says, pausing in hesitation at the edge of the circle, "But there are things I must know."
Contemplating his current dilemma, he then steps onto the circle.
Stilgar hesitates once more, surprised by the voice. Regaining his composure, he speaks.
"An individual wearing red sent prisoners and exiles to kill me and my companions. Is the one responsible among the Order of the Flame, as they claimed?"
Stilgar frowns pensively before speaking once more.
"I fear much time has passed since you last met with an apprentice, for I am not one. This place was worn and beyond recognition when we arrived. Cannibals had made it their home. This 'Grand Archivist' you speak of may no longer be alive."
You'd expect the thing to be swelling with pride, were it not made of unmoving stone. After a pause, it booms out again.
The group notes that Stilgar, like Magnus, seems to be having an unheard conversation with the head. His lips move, but no sound emerges. Like Magnus, he seems to be wincing slightly whenever listening to responses.
"Oh Magnus have you learned nothing? Their is no such ultimate knowledge only a pointless, endless journey that ends into emptiness of the soul. Besides you said the being has no knowledge of what goes on outside the circle. By that definition would you not say that is in fact not ultimate knowledge?
"I will call them here then. I believe it is time that they all hear you speak, Grand Archive."
Stilgar turns to the rest of the group while staying in the circle. He gestures at you all to come forward, indicating with his hands that he wants you to step into the semi-circle surrounding the head.
Before stepping in, he says to Tarrana "You'll see what I mean. "
Jinjer hesitates...not wanting any part of this...sorcery or whatever it is. She checks with Magnus before doing anything...and once he assures her, she takes his hand and steps into the semi-circle...
Magnus and Jinjer step into the area marked around the head.
Tarrana gingerly steps into the trap.
Gaius strides forward.
"Anything if it gets us above ground faster."