No time like the present Omar
Rey pulls out her parchment and quill and makes some more markings, and jots down a few more notes. Acid tears... she says just above a whisper as she writes. Animal headed statues... When she finishes she puts everything away, and then casts detect magic on the new room as well. If those things are coming to life, which, quite frankly, I'd give even odds on right now too, they are probably being animated by magic right? Either that or they're some kind of flesh golems.
The great central elephantine statue looks like it might fit in one of the alcoves - but it would be a tight fit.
Rey casts detect magic on the room, and only detects a very minor glow from a small hole high up in the black pillar.
Omar's arrow speeds through the air, fast and true, and causes a chip of stone to fall from the side of the elephant statue's head. The arrow ricochets off and falls to the ground.
"Any of these statues or pillars move? Might be some code to crack if we can slide them around. Seems like a witch trick this sorcerer might think highly of!"
It might be the pessimist in me, but I feel like we are one fart away from having all these statues come to life, all the souls of the people whose eyes are trapped in the walls over there, and all the skeletons in the foyer popping to life and eating us slowly with sauteed garlic and onions. There... I said it. I'm sure everybody was thinking it, I just went ahead and said it out loud. Rey makes sure her crossbow is cranked and loaded. She then takes her own careful look around the room, moving slowly, being careful to stay at least ten feet from every statue as she does. She makes her way over to the corner with the black pillar from which she detected magic.
The group enters the room and begins to explore the environment. Both Omar and Reyondelee quickly notice a few things:
The central statue rests on a one foot high circular dias that looks mobile; perhaps the statue can be turned in place.
The southeast face of the black pillar bears all four mud sorcerer symbols in a diamond. The northwest face, higher up where the faint magic radiates, holds a small keyhole.
"Will the key we found work in the keyhole there? Sometimes easy answers are the best."
Reluctantly T'wich steps into the room with the others, both fo his short swords in hand. He looks around beginning with his left (always left), He eyes the statue first than the floor walls and ceiling. He listens for background noises and his comrades conversation.
Then instinctively he adds, "Let's not touch anything before we exam the room and each item. Omar, I'll work left and work my way around, why don't you take right...meet in the middle."
Between them, T'wich and Omar examine every square inch of the room with painstaking attention. Almost as if their very lives depended on being as thorough as possible.
And for the first time, they find something.
Two traps. One is a small, magic trap within the small keyhole, high in the black pillar, and a second is a poisoned needle in the north door's keyhole.
Otherwise, they detect that the central, south-eastern, and south-western pedestals on which the statues stand should be able to be rotated.
With two satisfying clicks, Omar disables both traps with no difficulty. He recognizes on some basic level that these would both normally be quite terrifyingly dangerous traps, but for him, with his level of expertise and confidence, it's almost child's play.
Excellent job all Sargon says as he moves towards the black pillar. I am a bit curious as to what the purpose of this black key is although I have a suspicion it would not benefit us in the least bit
T'wich stuffs a pipe with hickory week and strikes s the tinder. "Devious comrades you had Sargon, down right devious." He blows a a smoke circle and waits for others to decide direction. "Does the key fit the keyhole?"
Electrical trap entering this place, acid trap from the doorway/crying ghosts, needle trap and magical trap...Looks like two trap-finders were necessary.
It looks like the black key will indeed fit the keyhole.
"If it will fit the hole, let's turn it and see what excitement is in store for us next!"
Excellent work boys! Rey says as she looks at T'wich and Omar. I'd hate to have magic exploding all over. Since you took care of the trap, I'll second the idea of twisting the key in the key hole, but first, I think we should rotate the statues in the corners so that they are facing the corners, meaning their backs are to the room, and the statue in the center should be facing towards the north door. That's just my gut reaction to this whole situation. Rotate the statues, and then twist the key. How's that sound sugar, I mean Sargon? She says as she winks at him. Before we do that though, let's see just exactly what magic this is. Rey says and then weaves her hands in the somatic movements of detect magic specifically focusing on the keyhole.
"Unlock the Kraken." The dwarf finishes his pipe, the carefully wraps it in soft cloth before tucking it into his bag. He resumes holding both of his swords.
I think we should rotate the statues in the corners so that they are facing the corners, meaning their backs are to the room, and the statue in the center should be facing towards the north door. That's just my gut reaction to this whole situation. Rotate the statues, and then twist the key.
Otherwise, they detect that the central, south-eastern, and south-western pedestals on which the statues stand should be able to be rotated.
but first, I think we should rotate the statues in the corners so that they are facing the corners, meaning their backs are to the room, and the statue in the center should be facing towards the north door.
Sounds like a plan Rey Sargon will wait until the group is where they would like to be positioned and then turn the key
Should the statues rotate at the same time or one at a time, or in a specific order? The dwarf motions to Clank, "You're probably the best at movin' things."
"I can certainly move those statues around easy enough, but if something magical should happen and one of them should come to life, it might be better for me to have my sword in hand to get the first quick strike in. But," he sighed, ..."I've got my orders. You tell me what you would prefer me to do."
When Dragnox comments T'wich replies to the half-orc barely above a whisper. "Grizzly bear, songbird, and the oldtimer aren't gonna be d'one's twistin' things, b'sides they have magic. My swords are ready and trust me, I pack a deadly blow if I get the jump on 'em." The dwarf stands to the opposite side of Dragnox, so to be in flanking position should the statues come to life.
The south eastern and south western statues, while they should be able to pivot on their diases, don't. It's as if there's something blocking them from being moved, despite the mechanism being in place.
The central elephantine statue, however, can be moved.
Reyondelee scrutinizes the keyhole, and determines that turning the key will both unlock some other portion of the pillar - though she can't determine where - as well the southern diases. It will also animate the three corner statues, however.
as well as animate the three corner statues.
Do we absolutely have to have these statues animate to move on? Let's see if we can get through the doors first
Added a couple of small details to my previous post.
"Tell me which statue to move and which direction, when you are ready. I'll get it done."
"Me gut says it's a bad idea to try the door first. Turn the key Songbird." T'wich point the closest statue on the left, "Turn the ones that can move without the key first - that elephant - then always left to right like a clock me ol'gran pappy use to say."
Wait! Wait, wait... Is there any way we can destroy these statues before we animate them? I mean, if we can break the stone into bits and then operate the key, it might make things a lot easier than fighting a living breathing enemy? Amiright? Anybody got a nice adamantine hammer? Rey says smiling, and still pondering what exactly, if anything all this might mean.
"What if They are the key and if you decide they should be destroyed maybe we all die or worse, don't succeed." Clearly emphasizing that he does not like the way the conversation is going.
"Dstroying everything in the whole place before opening a door doesn't sound like the smartest idea to me. And I'm the guy with the biggest sword in the room," Dragox says, shaking his head. "These might be valuable too. I'm here to fund an army, not reduce everything here to dust."
Optimistically, "What if they're just statues t'look at. Maybe that's what the Mudbugs liked t'do, look at statues and think."
Reyondelee scrutinizes the keyhole, and determines that turning the key will both unlock some other portion of the pillar - though she can't determine where - as well the southern diases. It will also animate the three corner statues, however.
I've got more than a good hunch that turning this key is going to animate those statues. I've also got a pretty good hunch, since this isn't my first tomb exploration, that in order to find the main chamber, and by that I mean the one with the best treasure, we're going to end up turning this key, in this keyhole, in this pillar, in this room. If all those things are true, and we know that, it only seems logical to me to destroy the statues before we turn the key. If we all decide otherwise, I'm not about to abandon the group and wait outside whilst you all fight some animal headed guardians. I'll help, but if we survive that fight, when I'm playing my soothing song, you'd better believe I'm going to add a new refrain, 'I told you so, ooooohhhh, I told you so.'
T'wich hisses. "I'm a tomb robb'r seems asinine to destroy treasure. Like the big man says, he's got a war to pay fer, and I have a few precious baubles to gather." He spits. "if they come t'life, so be it, then we see if we have strength in arms besides all the butterfly words bein' spilt." He pauses and looks suspiciously at the bard, "Why you so certain they will animate...you know sumth'ng you aren't spillin'?"
I would rather not use resources if we don't need to, How about we try opening the doors if that don't work then we can put the key in
"Ohhhh, it'll probably work t'set off the nasty trap." We looks over to Trigger for some assistance and confirmation.
Works for me. I'll be back over here while you try and open those doors. Rey says as she smiles and then maneuvers herself into the threshold of the secret doorway that lead them into this chamber in the first place. By all means, have at it. Rey says, waving the boys on.
The dwarf glances back and chuckles. "Once was tomb robbin' with a party...the lead'r of the group - so he claimed - was one of those stay in back type guys, who gave directions." He shakes his head. "He nev'r had a chance wit the invisible stalk'r enjoy'n himself at the back."
He looks at those who have now re-position themselves by the door. he exams then tries the door.
The door doesn't open.