Didit was thinking and hearing the ticking sound from inside along with the text rang a bell " The first one... There's no time to lose! We must hurry, we cannot hesitate!" she began running straight into the room getting lost in the darkness.

Lukas hurries in through the door and starts looking around wanting to know what all the fuss is about

Leo looks around to the others and shrugs, "A leap of faith I guess." Then jogs through the doorway into the darkness.

Borimer shakes his head, muttering to himself.  "Faith be damned-"  He steps inside, his grin swallowed by the darkness.  "Here's hoping we're lucky."  His hand grasps the Godslayer's hilt...

I reread the post and it sounds like borimer is griping at leo, sorry m8 :)
This message was last edited by the player at 04:09, Wed 24 Sept 2014.

Tahldar addresses the Gnomes and says "I do not know if it would be wise for you to follow.  I will leave that decision up to you."

Sighing at the decision, Tahldar tentatively reaches his arm into the darkness to see if it is safe, and if so, slides a foot forward to test for any unseen pits, and if none are to be found he pokes his head in for a look, and again if all is still well he finally steps in fully.

The gnomes back away, afraid.  They will not enter.

When you enter, something strange happens.  The golden cube lights up as you cross the threshhold.  The intertwined runes and designs on one side of the cube light up to form a recognizable word.

That word is "DARKNESS."

Once crossing the threshold, the cube lights up a 10'x10' square area around you.  The light is dim, and it is still very dark in the room.  However, a directed beam of light--like a cylindrical conduit--connects from the golden box to something in the center of the room, and from that thing to the far north side, giving you a dim but at least some vision of an exit passageway on the far side.

That thing in the center of the room is an ornate altar with a dragon twisting around it.  The mouth of the dragon faces up, is open, and holds in its jaws a pinkish gem about the size of a person's open hand.  It is through the gem that the light flows.  The gem is a huge, cut jewel, its facets flashing with a fiery light from the light of the cube you hold.

The exit at the far end ("north") is a single arched exit.

The floors here are made of hexagonal flagstones (as indicated in the map).  Each stone is polished marble but is covered in ancient dust from disuse over the eons.

You currently stand in the two bottom hexagonal flagstones.  Please indicate which way you will move from here in the darkness--northeast, northwest, east, west, southeast, southwest, and indicate if you start in left or right hex.  Each hex is approximately 5 feet wide.

The person holding the cube will bring the 10 feet radius of light (although again, it is a very dim light) with him.  Those stepping outside the radius will be walking into complete and absolute darkness.

Shae will go straight north to the pedestal and examine the jewel and the altar more closely, including whether the jewel can be taken from the dragon's mouth.  But she will not actually touch it.

Borimer watches Shae's brash maneuver with appreciation even as he readies to deal with whatever she might set in motion.

Lukas frowns at the other gnomes.  He will follow along with the others remaining in the light.

"I think the box should be brought closer to the gem to see if it does anything.  For some reason I think the box is supposed to hold it and maybe it will open if brought in close contact with the gem or altar." Tahldar says as he watches Shae approach the dragon adorned altar.

"Shall we move after her?" he asks the others.

"The box and the gem do seem to be interacting together. I would also like to see what happens when they get closer, and was thinking we might see what else is in this room by walking the box around the alter."

Leo kneels down to inspect the hexagonal stones, blowing off some of the dust. If nothing seems out of the ordinary he will follow Shae's path to the altar.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:05, Thu 25 Sept 2014.

"Yes, you should go take a look Tahldar" said Shapfren getting closer

Borimer follows the others while taking care to watch for any trouble that may be following them all.

"It's a plan then!  Leogold you can check the floor in front of us as we go."  Tahldar states plainly.

OOC:  Since the box only provides a 10' radius of light then we'll huddle behind Leogold as we approach the altar.

Shae says, as she steps to the altar, "I think our time here is very limited.  We should be careful, but I also don't want to be stuck in here when that door behind us closes.  I think we move quickly in and out.  That ticking sound to my elf ears sounds like a clock ticking down, a countdown.  Let's be careful but quick."

"I thought you hadn't heard that." commented Didit "Now I'm surprised. Even then we have no way of knowing how many ticks we have to spare so it is as good as not hearing at all. Remember you've got to have faith for this test"

"I suspect that there will be no going back." Kahan states, following behind the others, pulling out a length of rope and handing it forward. "Everyone make sure you get a good grip on this rope, and we can use it as a lead in case the light should get too dim. As far as this test is concerned, most ancient trials I have run into are typically one way only, so forward is the best direction to go."

Shae moves forward (taking the rope from Kahan first).  She doesn't get far before she falls as though directly through the floor.  Her weight drags everyone forward who has the rope, causing some rope burns.  You hear a splash about 15 feet below...followed by the scream of pain.



Shae has fallen into a pit of acid below the apparently illusory stone.  (The illusion are the shaded hexes in the map.)

Borimer quickly hauls her back up with everyone's help.  (8 hp dmg.)

However she is now burning from the acid that soaks her body from the waist down.  (It will need to be rinsed off or otherwise acted upon.)

Borimer takes his water skin and pours it over Shae's head and shoulders.

Lukas uses his water skin as well to pour on Shae legs.  "We could use some wings right about now."

Helping the others pull, Kahan mulls over the best solution to remove the acid from Shae's skin. Wasting water is not the best solution, but it looked like the only option they had at their disposal. He waits to see if any more water will be needed, and will use some of his own of need be. "I guess the rope was a good idea." he jokes a little, trying to figure out if jumping over the gap would be possible (and safe) using the rope to see where the tiles become solid. He then uses a binding kit on Shae's legs.

Shapfren helped to bring Shae up and offered some of her own water then spoke "I know a flying spell. But I can only cast it twice and it would be a waste. We don't need it. Borimer hold this end of the rope and don't let go of it or you won't find it." she gave her own rope to Borimer and then began walking towards the illussory path "hesitation and safety measures are signs of lack of faith."

Borimer takes the rope and wraps it once around his waist before holding it tight during Shapfren's attempt to pass the test of faith.

Leo pushes himself in front before Shapfren can move forward while saying, "Time is of the essence, this might give us a better idea of which stones are safe."

He pulls his hand out of a pocket and releases a handful of marbles across the visible path, making sure to take note of which stones the marbles hit and which ones fell through. Leo will then help lead Shapfren across the path.

Since you know the path going north has illusory flagstones, you will need to indicate if you are going east or west.

It takes more time than you would have liked, and the internal ticking of the door continues, but you manage to wash Shae down and rinse off the acid. She suffers only 2 more points of acid damage.