Churisan's step would have done a wondrous job of incinerating someone on the step with the pattern of holes if the materials necessary to the task were still in their proper places and conditions.  They are not.  It may actually be safe for Churisan to leave the step.  As the users of this place tended to go up the stairs, not down them, I am pretty sure the priests would have prostrated themselves there before continuing upward, with the lead individual a likely sacrifice to the flame.  It would have also made a wonderful display of raw power, for those instances where a live sacrifice was not needed.

What exactly have you discovered under Urutlen's step Shih?  You indicate a magical trap.  Is it different from the fire trap Jenge and I have described?

Ssrivan waits for any responses to his explanations.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:11, Sun 03 Sept 2006.

"It's not magic ... it's something explainable, though even if I were to spout the words that now can come to my lips, they'd be so much gibberish.  An analogy ... before creation of a fine Salshin pottery vase is possible, you must first have tamed fire as a tool, and created a kiln, molds, hand tools, glazes, paints ... so many things.  Then there are the centuries of techniques for use of these tools.  Still, this only represents a few generations of tools.  To make something that the Ancients took for granted would require a thousand generations of tools.  I might at least recognize such tools if I came across them now ... now, after this change to what I am.  In truth, I believe that such tools could be created at will, if we only knew the right way to ask.  It's all terribly frustrating."

Shih kneels down to point at Urutlen's step.

"Urutlen's standing on the trigger plate.  See the plate and power lines there and there, and the opposing plates there that activate it.  You see that line going off.  Follow it to the hub over there.  From that, there are other lines that go to other things ... see there ... among perhaps other things, a line goes to under Churisan's step.  I may not have your understanding, but I am able to understand that Urutlen's on the trigger step and that moving off it will result in everything activating.  I'm not certain that it's flame ... can you tell me how you understand that that's what will be expelled?  What is it that you see?"

Throughout this explanation, Shih's been pointing at the walls and steps as though he's seeing through the rock.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:03, Mon 04 Sept 2006.

Ssrivan listens to Shih carefully, following his description of the step and its environs.


He seems to follow Shih's description without any problems, doing a careful scan of Urutlen's step once more.  He quickly loses himself in his musings, though he indicates both Churisan and Urutlen ought to stay put while he's working out the connections here.

Jenge follows Shih's gestures intently, he seems to see whatever it is that the priest is pointing to.

"Dlarumei, if Ssrivan, Jenge, you, and I work together, do you think we can siphon off the energy in this thing, even if only for a time?  The dwellers within us thrive on the power that drives this device.  Thoughts?"
This message was last edited by the player at 20:14, Mon 04 Sept 2006.

Urulten stands still on his step looking up into the air.  His tone is somber and he mentions quietly to Jenge that the hallway seems to have no ceiling that he can see.  It seems to extend for quite some distance, at least beyond his ability to see.

Churisan peers up at the ceiling, and holds up his magic light to try to see better.

Jenge also looks up, squinting into the darkness

Dlarumei concentrates for a moment and then says with little hesitation. “I am sure that the device is so old that is components have all but become inert.  One of the two liquids has become a solid and the other is no longer even there. From what little that I have seen of some of the ancient traps, this one would have created a large amount of very hot flame, probably enough to incinerate the poor individual climbing up the stairs.  It seems that stepping off the one step onto the next one up would put one in the unfavorable position of being a sacrifice to the flame lord himself. We are lucky that Noble Churisan found this before we trigger one that actually could do some damage.” 

"Ah, the ceiling is very high indeed here, but it is there. It seems to be flat even as the stairs descend - I wonder why it is so high? Quite a lot of bugs up there too."

<after Dlarumei speaks>

"That's certainly good news. Churisan found this trap only by stepping on it. Those of us who can detect such things from a distance might look ahead as we move, to provide a little bit more warning.  Shall we proceed?"

[ooc: ready to move on]

I think there is a light at the bottom of the stairs. I wish it might be sunlight.

It's different ... not sunlight ...

Having decided that the trap stair was no longer active, the party, lead by Churisan ventures further on down the stairway until the architect stops the group again at the next step. After careful examinations by Jenge, Ssrivan and Dlarumei this step is also deemed too old to function.

This step seems to have a representation of the symbol of Dra etched upon it. Some wonder what kind of peril would await some one from such a temple. In any event this is the way the next hour and a half is spent.  Being lead down the stairs to the next trip step, waiting while those who can see into the devices check them out and then noting another gods symbol and an inactive step.

Churisan stops again, not due to a trigger step this time but to the fact that he now stands only two steps away from placing his feet on steps bathed in light from beyond the doorway at the bottom of the steps. In the silence of the party one can almost hear the whispers and voices of beings not too far ahead.  The dialect is odd and words seems to be unintelligible but they are distinctly spoken and by living being.

Thrilled to have descended this far, though aware of the fatigue that the humans in the group must feel after descending this many steps, Shih looks on the light with relief then great concern.  Holding up his hands, he does his best to signal ahead, quietly tapping the shoulder of the individual in front of him ... whatever it takes ... to motion STOP!!!

Assuming this works, he whispers "energy barrier" to any who might do something about it (certainly Dlarumei and Ssrivan).

Approaching the slave with the High Cartography stones, Shih looks to see which one is now active to see if he can discern anything useful.

OOC: It's probably fair to assume that those with POE going see that energy is being reflected from the light below.

Ssrivan leans forward to whisper to Churisan that Shih's supposition as to the nature of the barrier is substantially correct.  It would not be a good thing to come into contact with it unprepared.  He then nods back in Shih's direction to let him know that he understood the missive he passed forward.




Ssrivan looks at Dlarumei momentarily before going into one of his working trances again.

Dlarumei look quizzical at the light and then at Ssrivan and then to Shih.

“Good thing you stopped,”she said to Churisan, , “this barrier is very strong and hard to detect.  I would assume that this is a back door of some sort to whatever has been developed in this area after the ancients left.  Or, whoever is using or was using this area had some extreme fear of what might come from where we did.  The trick here will be to disable this barrier and not alert anyone on the other side, if they are still there that is.  The other trick is to disable this barrier and stay intact.”

She looks to Ssrivan with a sullen look and shaking her head indicates that what he has planned would be more than simply painful..  “Some things you can learn from experimentation noble Locksmith, this one you need to learn from advice and someone else’s experience.  Leave your plan by the way side and do not revisit it in this arena.  We will need to figure a different manner to deal with this barrier.”

In all this time, the rock may have become sufficiently cracked or porous to circumvent the energy barrier.  Shih gauges the opportunity.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:02, Tue 24 Oct 2006.

Dlarumei, about four people back from the leading edge, slides out of her bulky robes and slides bare past those in the front of the pack.  Her body contorting and moving around each person as a dancer would through a crowed room.  Reaching the edge of the light barrier she kneels down next to Churisan and smiles at him briefly.  She knows of his discomfort with her and revels in the irony of the situation.

“Noble Lord,” she say with real kindness, “I know that you are not going to like this very much, but I need you to place your hand in the middle of my back, your palm flat against my spine between my shoulder blades.  No harm will come to you unless we are all to die, but that is not going to happen here.” She says with a wry smile.

“Please, my noble worshiper of Karakan, it is very important that you not remove your hand until I tell you that it is safe to do so.  I apologize, but you are the only one present that can do this with me or I would ask another. I also need you to remove anything that you are wearing, including amulets and religious items, sandals, armor and clothing.  All of those items will interfere with the process and probably be destroyed.  Not only that, they could cause failure to what I have to do here.”She then closes her eyes and puts her head down and waits for Churisan’s hand to press on her back.  Jenge, Shih, Ssrivan and Deshnah all press in hard to see what is happening next.

Churisan looks unhappy and a little confused, but he complies with Dlarumei's request, setting aside weapons, gear, his few pieces of armor, clothing, sandals, and amulet. Then he stands behind her and presses his left hand to her back.

Jenge is intrigued, and casts a more potent version of Perception of the Energies, in hope of understanding more about the barrier and Dlarumei's effort.

Ssrivan remains in position, studiously watching the actions of Churisan and Dlarumei.

Shih continues watching and listening to understand what Dlarumei is doing.  Clearly useful if he ever encounters a similar energy barrier.

Dlarumei can feel and understands Churisan’s reticence over this process and does nothing to calm him or discourage him.  It is what it is and necessity outweighs comfort in her mind.  Churisan places his hand carefully in the area Dlarumei had directed him and presses lightly.


There is a slight moment where the two of them seem to faint, but they do not falter and stand strong where they are positioned.  You watch as the two of them seem to create a faint glow, a bluish-gray tinge fringed in red.  The colors seem to blend until a dark purple color is reached.



The two begin to work as one, you watch as Dlarumei slowly slips her hand into the light barrier.  First her fingers slide softly past through the light and then her knuckles.  She pushes until her hand is through the barrier and then she waits.  She waits for a minute or so and then she and Churisan, there back muscles rippling under the strain, pull and a loud pop is heard and muffled as a piece of the barrier pulls away from the its source.  You can see that it is about 20 inches in diameter and seems to be fused to Dlarumei’s hand.  Shih takes careful note of this event, his mind racing in thousands of different directions at once. Dlarumei bends her arm back towards Churisan who grabs hold of the light barrier section and seem to absorb it through his own hand.



This process is repeated several more time until a sizeable hole has been created.  The light seems to be held a bay and does not even seem to try and fill in the gaps made by the removal process. They continue to widen the gap until an opening large enough for people to pass through has been created.  The opening is generous enough to allow the largest in the party to pass and allow whatever items remain with the group at this time to pass as well.


The last piece that Dlarumei pulls out of the barrier is round and thick, as though much more of the barrier has been absorbed in this section than in others.  This time she stands and turns towards Churisan, his hand still placed on her back she loops her arm over his and the two of them embrace. She places the piece of barrier on his chest and they hold each other tightly.  They kiss, and there is deep passion involved with this kiss, their hands race about each other as Dlarumei presses Churisan against the wall. This is all a bit uncomfortable for the others as the hallway is extremely narrow and leaves almost no room between the two in the passionate embrace and those in the front of the line.  Dlarumei places her hands on the top of Churisan’s head and slides them down over his face, his shoulders and chest and down to his hips.  The two of them pause for a moment, look deeply into one another’s eyes and smile at each other.  Churisan looks at her face, her neck and her shoulder before he catches a glimpse of Shih and Jenge, who try though they might, cannot give the couple any room.  Churisan looks back at Dlarumei; she gives him a quick kiss and a smile and asks for her robe and Deshnah hands it to her.  As Churisan dons he attire again she whispers to him.

Deshnah still sitting, lets his orb out of his robes and allows it to float down through the hole in the barrier. It is almost invisible and it move out and away from where the party stands.  Soon an image appears over the barrier, it is an image of the chamber beyond and the three doorways that enter the chamber.  The doorway with the barrier is the fourth and that is the one where you stand.  The image peers down each hallway and sees nothing and the sphere returns to Deshnah, who whispers something to the object and slides it once again into the folds of his robe.

Having heard voices, Shih is now very concerned about the lack of bodies to go with them.  Shih leans forward to whisper, "I still cannot perceive energy, though I know that you removed some part of the barrier.  Something still is blocking. Can we move forward safely?"

Shih now prepares for combat.