03:58, Today: Bella Donna rolled 24 using 1d20+7 ((17)).

You realize if it goes underwater, I will die right?

Not sure what I had to save for but okay!

Why would you die just because you went underwater?  You can hold your breath!

And the test was to see if you could pull back fast enough.

As the gun butt passes through the floor of the mosiac, you suddenly feel pulled forward.  You are standing...well, falling really...from a high place, staring down at a large cavern whose floor appears to be submerged.

But you quickly manage to pull yourself backwards, and you are back where you started.  In the room with the mosiac.

The villagers are huddled in the doorway, blinking at you in shock and surprise.

That great booming voice suddenly rumbles from the thin air.

<b>Enter!  Enter and...</i>  you don't understand the words at this bit...<b>You will find peace!</i>

ooc
Can't hold it for long.

The alchemist seems surprised. She looks at the villagers "Don't follow me until I tell you to alright? You will fall into a submerged unknown area and I don't want you to be hurt as it goes against the reason I came here. Understood? It wants use to go through it to find peace which I'd rather be drawing and designing things not wandering around in a possible earth elemental ready to...nevermind then." She flips out her mechanical wings, makes sure everything is secured and 'dives' into the mosaic reading herself to fly.

You come out back over the water.

The cavern has a roof, but somehow it's lit as if there's dim sunlight filling the air.  You think the water itself is shining somehow, but can't quite tell.

The cavern is large.  A quick buzz around reveals three areas of interest.

There's an island of sorts near the center.  Part of the island is covered in large, odd looking, purple flowers.  A stone hut sits next to this bizarre garden.

The water must get shallow to the east, as you can see the bones of several animals sitting in the water.  Most seem to be the skeletons of moose or maybe horses.  You see a couple of human looking skeletons mixed in.

But the weirdest part may be what you spy along the southern wall.  There's a row of pipes jutting up out of the cavern floor.  They look like spouts, though nothing is running out of them.  They are just...sitting there.

The alchemist ponders. What if the skeletons were given to this whatever is it to spare the ones above? Something doesn't make sense and the pipes are interesting to say the least. Bella hovers near them, examining them from above. She then flies over to the building, steering clear of the flowers and drops down. Not sure of what to expect, she pulls out a extracct and chugs it-and vanishes. Bella takes another look around and looks to see if there is any open window so she can peer within the building.

OOC
Casting Invisibility
19:51, Today: Bella Donna rolled 19 using 1d20+9.  Perception.

Is there any knowledge I can do to figure out more of the 'water' or the pipes?

Dungeoneering for the water.  Engineer for the pipes

And throw in two PER checks while you're at it please

Well got:
Perception 1: 19
Perception 2: 28
Perception 3: 13
Know (Dungonerring): 24
Know (Engennring): 16

04:35, Today: Bella Donna rolled 13 using 1d20+9.  Perception

04:32, Today: Bella Donna rolled 28 using 1d20+9.  Perception.

04:32, Today: Bella Donna rolled 16 using 1d20+11.  Knowledge (Enginerring).

04:32, Today: Bella Donna rolled 24 using 1d20+6.  Knowledge (Dungeonerring).

19:51, Thu 25 Apr: Bella Donna rolled 19 using 1d20+9.  Perception.

In reply to Bella Donna (msg # 188):

The water seems to be normal.  At least as far as you can tell from the air.  The source of the glow seems to be some kind of lichen or something that is growing on the rocks below the surface.  It's not a species you recognize, but you don't see anything obviously dangerous about it.

The pipes are fascinating.  You can tell from the patterns of rust on them that water probably gushed out at some point.  You feel safe in assuming they must connect to some kind of underground river of some kind and are probably the source of the water that lines the floor.  But as to why they are there...no idea.

There's some fauna about the cave.  Small lizards mostly.  Small fish in the water.  You see a lack of bats or mammals, which makes it seem like the only way in here other than the one you took is underwater somehow.

There's no movement from the island.  The flowers look a bit worrisome.  But you don't believe they are mobile.  So as long as you leave them alone, they should leave you alone.

OOC
Is there a way into the hut?

In reply to Bella Donna (msg # 190):

That would be helpful to know, wouldn't it?  Sorry about that.

The hut appears to have two doors on opposite sides.  Also a chimney that seems large enough for someone of your size.

There's no smoke coming out of the chimney nor any signs of life in the hut.

Still invisible, the alchemist flies over to one of the doors. She goes to slowly open the door, standing behind it and goes to look inside carefully and quietly.

The inside of the hut has seen better days.

You guess that at one point, way way back in the long ago, it was some kind of lab.  Old beakers and shelves filled with bottles and jars line the walls.  But most of the beakers and jars are broken and lay strewn about.  There are old stains on the floor and wall.  Like caustic liquids exploded here and marked the interior of the hut from some terrible accident.

A skeleton lays on the floor, half under a table.  It wears the remains of an old robe, one that looks so old it might come apart as dust with the slightest touch.

You notice two other things.  First, there's no signs of life.  No lizards or insects or anything.  Also...there's no odor.  This room smells like nothing.  It seems devoid of any scent at all.  It's not even musty.

Grabbing a rock, Bella tosses it into the room. Most probably think she's nuts but no-she's being safe. Or as safe as anyone can be. If nothing happens, the girl steps inside with her gun and glances up at the ceiling and the floor. Like a cat hunting who is probably being hunted right back.

The rock just bounces.  You step inside.

Whatever blew up got splattered all over the place.  Even on to the ceiling.  But there's no goo or anything dangerous looking visible.

None of the lab equipment has aged well.  You glance it all over, but everything seems to broken or old to be of any use.

The skeleton has one interesting item.  A key is hanging on a chain around it's neck.

Kneeling down, the girl take a breath and goes to grab the key almost expecting a trap. Seriously.  She gives it a quick tug and occasionally looks up at the ceiling. and all around almost paranoid.

In reply to Bella Donna (msg # 196):

Suddenly!

The key yanks on the neck of the skeleton and the chain doesn't come lose.  You end up having to lift the skull up and slip it over the top.

But yeah.  You get the key.  No undead shenanigans.  It's kind of anticlimactic.

There's something etched into the side of the key.  Symbols...

Draconic?  You think.  But some kind of really weird version of it.

Let's see...the past perfect form of to kill is fraun lieben...

Something Run Off Stop

With the key in hand, the alchemist steps out of the hut and flies over to the pipes. She goes to check them one at a time looking for a 'keyhole'. If one is not found, she flies up and scouts the area again.

Two PER tests please.

If you want to roll some additional ones, go ahead.  I'll keep the unused numbers "on file" to use the next time a PER is called for. 

05:01, Today: Bella Donna rolled 19 using 1d20+9.  Perception.

05:01, Today: Bella Donna rolled 14 using 1d20+9.  Perception

You spot a key hole on the second pipe, near the base.  There are two symbols on the lockplate.  The key does fit in the slot.

You could turn the key all the way clockwise.  If you do, you would turn the key towards the first of the symbols:  a black circle.

If you turn the key widdershins, you end up moving towards the other symbol:  a circle with what looks like an owl in it.

Yeah.  An owl.  Who knew?

"This doesn't make sense. If the key was used to do something why was it on a long dead corpse? Course it is possible there is more then one key but the likely hood isn't well likely. Furthermore well...I do need a possible way out. Could bring the villagers here but is it safe? No probably not. Safe isn't a complete logical choice. So a owl or a possible black circle." Bella takes a breath. and turns the key to the circle.

The empty non-owl circle, correct?

Yes

Thanks.  Just wanted to make sure.

There's a rumbling sound.  Out in the midst of the water, there's a sudden eruption as a great mound of bubbles launches upwards.  And then...

Nothing.

For a while.

But...

You think the water level is lowering.

Want to wait to see what happens?

"Interesting. Could be lowering the water to solidified the area and provide a possible way out. Or could bring on other odd creatures. Maybe both. I do not know which oddly surprises me. Of course with all that has occured well...." Bella waits.