"Shall we see where this goes?"
If no one objects, Kal gets everyone to stand on the northern circle, raising his bow in readiness.
The party piles into the circle and Kal speaks the written command word.
It appears that the receiving circle, wherever it is, is damaged or destroyed.
"Huh, alright... how about this other one? If that doesn't work we can either head back to the ship or go deeper into the caves. Any thoughts?"
The other circle is similarly unresponsive.
Going deeper into the caves doesn't look to be an option at this time. The cave-in looks pretty severe.
Kal wanders back over toward the dome, staring at it intently as he tries to discern its secret. As if by sudden cosmic inspiration, he produces a dose of the drug that was found earlier in the storeroom. Eying it dubiously, he nonetheless lights it on fire with the flame from his hands, and inhales some of the smoke.
"Let's try this..." he mutters to no one in particular.
The drug hits Kal hard.
Despite his intense trip, the young sailor can suddenly see in a way he never could before. Looking up toward the dome, he can now see a doorway that wasn't there before.
"Whoa..." mumbles Kal, blinking rapidly at the decorated dome. His bow-arm dropping to his side, he shakes his head a few times and frowns. When that doesn't work, he tilts his head to one side and stares. "There's a door... come on, you guys... there's a... a door over there..."
He pulls out the rest of the hallucinogenics and hands them to the nearest person, then starts to walk slowly toward the dome.
Bjorkus looks up in the direction, Kal's facing and then back at Kal.
"You sure boy? We don't see anything."
The minotaur takes the offered herbs and looks at them anxiously.
Kal holds out his flame-filled hand in the direction of the minotaur's voice. "Ha... you're not scared, are you? Nothing to be scared of..."
After a few moments of suspicion, the whole party imbibes the dangerous hallucinogen.
The minotaur stares up at the glowing portal.
"Whoa. You were right."
"Of course I was right! What do you take me for, you fluff-hided bovine?" Kal laughs at his own joke.
"Come on, let's see what kind of treasure's in there!"
A flare of light sweeps through this oval chamber, blazing from a large, singular crystal resting atop a six-foot-high silver pedestal in the center of a raised dais. Two large statues face the pedestal, holding up large, curved swords that nearly touch the chamber’s ceiling. On the pedestal is a large gem shining with baleful light.
Two monstrous undead cyclops guarding the room turn with malice when the party enters.
Kal blinks in awe at the huge crystal, then twitches as he notices the room's guardians. With a word and a gesture, he casts a spell, feeling more power than usual flow through him... almost as if the crystal itself were enhancing his abilities.
Kal recognizes that the crystal is out of control and bristling with dangerous magical energy. It can unleash a slow effect and enervation rays. Removing the crystal from the pedestal should disable it.
The jagged chunks of ice hit their marks knocking one undead giant to the ground.
"Hey... that crystal... we need to get it off the stand, I think."
"Are you sure man?" Luthor stares at his knuckled fist as if he's looking through it. He shrugs his shoulders and walks up to grab the crystal.
As Luthor approaches the crystal and touches it, he feels something tearing at his mind.
Luthor's lifeless body falls to the ground.
"Hey, Luthor's in trouble!" exclaims Kal. "He just... just fell, like a sail in calm weather. Whoom!" The last is accompanied by a hand falling limply in demonstration, as Kal glances around at the others appealingly.
Opal fires a pair of shocking rays at the northern giant.
Both rays hit their mark shocking the cyclops badly.
Chubwart rushes forward and stabs the same target.
Bjorkus moves in aside the mighty goblin captain and brings his trident to bear.
The northern giant climbs to his feet...
But is hacked to pieces before he can stand.
The southern giant advances and swipes at Opal.
The crystal pulses and sends out a wave of sickening energy.
It then fires purple ray at Opal.
The ray hits, draining Opal's lifeforce.
Kal summons a wave in hopes of pushing the crystal off the pedestal and away from the party.
Kal's conjured wave of water knocks the crystal from the pedstral sending it clattering to the ground.
Kal steps back and unloads his bow into the giant.
Chubwart rushes in to slay the other giant.
The undead cyclop's clumsy swing fails to hit the wily goblin.
Opal steps back and fires another pair of rays.
Bjorkus follows suit and brings his trident to bear.
The undead cyclops lunges at Bjorkus.
The giant's enormous claws tear into the raging bull's hide.
Chubwart tumbles around the giant.
And brings the cyclops down.
Luthor remains motionless and the crystal, while no longer out of control, still pulses with potentially dangerous energy.
Kal sways slightly as the giant falls, then moves over to Opal and Bjorkus. "Are you both alright? Here... let me help with those wounds."
After the wounded are seen to, Kal moves over and examines Luthor, sinking to the ground next to the half-Ulfen's body. "Is he... he's a sail... but no wind..."
Luthor appears to be alive, if only barely, and in some kind of coma.
"Now what?" asks Kal, glancing around. "I don't see any treasure in here... and Luthor's alive, but I don't know how to help him."
"I think we need to find a way to smash that gem without touching it. I think that should release Luthor's soul back to his body."
"I can smash it with this", Bjorkus says while hefting his trident.
"Heh. That's pretty good at smashing faces, so maybe it'll work on the crystal too. Go ahead, try it!"
"Uhm, perhaps you should throw it at the gem? I would rather you not risk any kind of contact with it, just in case it tries to suck your soul out too."
"Oh, she has a point there. And you have three! Haha..." Kal chuckles at his joke.