"Magic." Cal responds matter-of-factly to Wandreck's question. He lets it go as the conversation moves past that topic to the present choices ahead of them.

"I'd prefer to be systematic about our explorations, but finding the lost elves is a priority. If there's not other sign they stayed on this level, I have no objection to going down."

Wandreck also offers to scout ahead, and agrees with going down.

Trisvyre deferred to Ranzarth and Wandreck and allowed them to precede her on the strange elevating mechanism in the pit.  She remained anxious to discover where her fellow scouts may have gone and whether any still survived in this strange place of metal walls and mutant abominations.

Entering the pit, both Ranzarth and Wandreck quickly discover that they gently float within it, the moving handholds on the sides of the opening making it easy for them to guide their movements within it. Both adventurers feel as if they are under the protection of a feather fall spell; they descend, but very slowly. With only minimal contact with the handholds required for navigation, moving silently proves exceedingly simple.

Midway down the pit, on its western side, is a steel door. Red characters have been etched on the surface of the door, their meaning lost to Wandreck and Ranzarth. Above the portal, carefully painted in dark pigment, is the symbol of a leaf which has been broken in two. The door is not secured with any manner of lock.

At the bottom of the pit is another door open the western side, this one resembling many of the sliding portals that the adventurers have previously encountered. A black square is situated on the wall to the right of the door, the sort that has required someone to touch it in order for the door to open. Above the door, writing is etched into the steel wall. There are only a handful of characters, colored white. Beside the writing, another symbol has been painted, that of an arrow and leaf.

Although there is a steady, background hum that can be heard within the pit, neither Ranzarth nor Wandreck hear any noise from behind either of the doors that they examine.

Ella watches in amazement as Ranzarth and Wandreck magically glide through the air as they descend the pit. Strange sorcery indeed!

Though she is fascinated by the magic pit, she tries to keep her attention on the adjoining corridors, weary of any repeat appearances of steel golems or glowing balls of light.

“I wonder about that door,” Wandreck says, pointing at the one midway down.  “The red symbols and broken leaf imply danger, although I have no idea what the leaf represents.  And there’s another leaf here.” He gestures at the markings near the bottom door.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:30, Tue 08 Sept 2020.

"Well? Is it safe to come down?" Azad calls down the shaft.

"Do you see any symbols my brethren might have left?" Trisvyre adds.

"Magic it may be but I prefer to trust in rope and my own two hands."

“It seems safe enough,” Wandreck calls back up.  If any place in a dungeon can be considered safe, he adds silently.

"Excellent!"

Azad almost chortles with glee as he grabs the moving ladder and steps into the shaft.

"Most amazing!"

Trisvyre follows Azad into the elevating pit and can't hide her smile as she marvels at the weightless travel down into the bowels of the metal structure.  Her joy is tempered by the symbols she sees on the walls as she descends.  Her brethren had passed this way for certain, and had left their own warnings.

She explained the meaning at the bottom of the pit.  "The door part way down holds back something of great peril, at least in the estimation of the other elven scouts that came through here.  We should be very cautious if we ever open that door," she warned, before pointing the different symbols next to the door at the bottom of the pit.  "This one tells me at least some of the scouts came this way, through this door.  I think we should go this way."

“And leave the peril behind us?  Is that wise?”

"Ahead, behind," Ella replies while getting ready to take her turn in the magical pit. "Who's to say anywhere is safe in this steel fortress."

Ella urges her companions to follow and will bring up the rear once others have descended the magic lift.

Even though he’s not sure he agrees with this plan, Wandreck searches the door for traps... but only after checking both the ceiling and floor in front of it.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:48, Sun 13 Sept 2020.

Wandreck carefully surveys the door at the bottom of the pit, checking the the floor before it and the space overhead. Nowhere does the thief perceive the presence of any manner of trap.

Next, he examines the door for any sign it might be infested with ear seekers or some other parasites.  If he finds nothing, he listens at the door.

"That was just marvellous," Azad says as he alights on the lower deck.

While Wandreck is examining the door, the mage casts a spell, "Intelligo verba tua."

He then grabs the rungs moving up, and steps off at the door marked as dangerous by the elven scouts. He peers at the writing on the door, then continues his ascent to the top deck; and then comes down again.

---

Casts Comprehend Languages
Allows the MU to decipher a written language, or to understand the speech of another creature.
Does not gain ability to speak or write the language, only to comprehend meaning.

The steel surface of the door and the seams of the doorway show no evidence of any manner of parasite. Cautiously pressing his ear to the metal, Wandreck hears only silence.

Finishing his brief incantation, Azad watches as the strange characters slowly shift into words that he can easily comprehend.
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:17, Wed 16 Sept 2020.

Wandreck reports his findings to the party and then steps back.

Lumwik keeps watch from the top of the page.

Ranzarth had kept his ears tuned to what was happening down any additional passages near them as Wandreck himself examined the door, only after a moment did he speak "I concur with Ella, this is fraught with danger, leaving some behind a locked door isn't going to put us at any additional risk. Be thankful it is marked and we did not have to deal with it."

"The red words on the door above," he points to the door midway between decks, "read, Maintenance Access. Perhaps this is where the golems go to empty privies or such?

Why it was marked as dangerous by the scouts I cannot say. Perhaps the plant people live there now?

I agree with Ranzarth, that we should avoid it, at least until we can learn more of the history of this place.

These white words here, read Observation Deck and Lounge. Perhaps it is some sort of healing facility? People would lounge on beds and be observed by the healing golems?"

---

Edited per DM's comment in the OOC thread.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:47, Wed 16 Sept 2020.

“Would you like me to open the door?  I can, you know.”

Wandreck presses the black panel alongside the door and the steel portal slides open with a hiss of air. Beyond is a dimly lit chamber which opens onto a broad walkway.