Shalastar finally enters the room, languidly. He looks around, but probably doesn't see anything of interest.
Malak watched the others circumvent the trap and didn't like the idea of navigating his bulk through the doorway and avoiding the what could only be certain death at the same time. He spent a moment to see if he could find the trigger.
Malak stifled the curse on his lips as his searching revealed two things far more delicious than a trap lever.
Behold brothers, there are two hidden doors in this room. One centering the north wall and its mirror on the southern.
Sotha approached one of the doors and inspected it. "Hmm, indeed." He said, as though replying to something that had not been said. He looked at the others and added, "Clearly self deception refers to wandering into the pit. I suspect that the next part of the riddle is that we should establish ourselves as allies by choosing the correct door."
Tragen nods. "As I said, to believe the visible door is safe, is to deceive oneself. Not seeing either door is to be deceived. As to whether there is truly a correct door...," he says as he moves to the door opposite to the one Sotha was at and opens it.
"Well the straightforward is never fun anyway, subtlety is the key to seduction." Shalastar says, shrugging, and glides towards the northern door to inspect what is present, if anything.
Tragen gazes down the corridor and then back to the recently opened northern door."It seems our path continues through this door. What have you found Shalastar?"
Malak takes great care to avoid the trap plate and into the room with the others. Sweat beading on his brow, he let out the breath he had been holding and took stock of their situation. An open door to the south and Shal reaching into a small niche.. not a bad start to our test at all..if I do say so myself...
Shalastar takes the blue jewel, not knowing what it is. "A useful tool, perhaps? It is lovely, whatever it is."
Tragen looks over the blue jewel in Shalastar's hands, wondering how it could become a 'useful tool'.
Shalastar hands it over, the novelty of the gem wearing off. "Here you are. Don't say I never gave you anything."
Tragen looks at the jewel, giving it a small shake. "Interesting," he begins, "It's not truly a jewel of any real value, but a quartz container. Alchemist's ice... I wonder if, given the nature of the message found with it, it will prove useful in the near future."
He then shrugs and pockets the jewel before heading down the corridor to the next door.
"Careful, dear. There may be more traps." Shalastar purrs.
Malak had been more than willing to follow his co-conspirators down the hallway. He was never one to rush forward The sight of the door gave him pause though so he focused his arts on the portal expecting yet more devious traps.
As dimwitted as he is, Shalastar remains near the back of the group, looking around the corridor for anything else of interest.
"Never liked icy derision, either."
Tragen shrugs, "The 'clue' to the last room, for want of a better word, was before the entry, so one can presume it will be the same here... Or at least it's a possiblity. Stand back," he says and opens the door.
After giving the room a good look, Sotha headed toward the western door. Fancying himself as one who walked a less traveled road, both as a magus and a would be king slayer, it seemed right.
He carefully examined the strange moldy substance, so far as retrieving a dagger he'd taken from the guards and Branderscar and prodding the door with it. If it reacted, he would back away, brandishing his scimitar. Otherwise he would continue to examine it.
Shalastar looks down at the floor as they enter, attempting to lift his silken robes enough where it does not drag in the dust. Not that it matters to him too much, but it would be a shame to ruin such delicate fabrics.
"Oh, I see, I think. The many footprints are the way the "herd" went. Clever."
With his spell still active, Malak focused his attention on the purple door just in time to see Sotha stab it. A typically raised eyebrow was the only evidence of his shock at the bold move.
Sotha staggered back, grunting in either pain or surprise. "It feeds on warmth, that's why this room is cold." He looked at Malak, and then Shalastar, "Ice will kill it, if you have that capability." He added.
Folding his arms across his expansive belly, Malak shook his bald head slowly.
I have no power over the cold. Perhaps the jewel our friend Tragen carries will be a 'usefull tool' indeed.
Tragen looks at the frost covering Sotha and then his eye turns to Malak and his suggestion. "As you say, a 'useful tool' to combat the 'icy derision'," he says dryly with a nod feeling the jewel in his hand before throwing it against the mould-covered door.
"Let us continue." Sotha said. "Let the cold of this room propel you further." He opened the door and proceeded through, keeping an eye out for traps, clues, gaping pits and the like.
"Sadly, the cold has been resistant to my charms. However, if you are feeling cold, I will gladly warm you up." The suggestive tone is rather obvious.
"Burning, I can do. Fire is quite pliable to passionate natures."
With a sly smirk, Malak chuckled at Shal's proposition. Although he wasnt that surprised that the fetchling would be having lustful thoughts during their trial. The priest dismissed his own fantasies and concentrated on the inscription and its possible meanings. Caution now prevailing and almost a habit; Malak cast a minor cantrip and opened his eyes to any possible magical auras on or around the door.
Malak was in it for the long haul with these people and he remembered clearly the first clue. He readily shared his knowledge with the other three.
The door itself is not enscorcelled but their is a strong emanation coming from inside the room. Still, there could be more mundane traps to prevent our entry being easy.
Casually looking over the door as if he does not particularly care, Shalastar deigns to gaze at it for a moment.
Sotha inspected the room, wary of any number of tricks or traps that might be close at hand. "Shatter all that blinds you?" He mumbled to himself, wondering what it might mean. "I suspect their might be a fight beyond that door, but first we must puzzle out the first clue. . ."
He paused long enough to cast light on his sword, and then began holding it in front of him like a torch, in hopes that it might do something.
"Oooh, ooh, shatter it! That globe thing. Break it into tiny bits."
Malak followed Sotha's suit calling forth a small globe of light and affixing it to the circlet on his brow. He flinched when hearing Shal's suggestion and hoped no one took it to heart.
I would strongly advise against that action at this time. This has to be the source of strong magic I sensed from the other side of the door. Lets see what we can make of it before jumping to any hasty conclusions.
Sotha, not willing to rely on the interpretations of another, used detect magic himself to determine the same.
"I cannot believe that I am saying this, but it seems that Shalastar is right, destroying this orb should dissipate the darkness."
With that, he swung his glowing blade at the orb.