Vinoh smiles. He had been tested many times with these forms of "exercises" during his training in the guild. Actually, he quite enjoyed these puzzles and mind games, despite their potential deadliness, especially now.

However, his smile faded a bit when his suspicions were revealed by the scarab.

"Alright, people. These two statues are golems and may activate at any time. As for whether they might hold the key for our escape, I do not know. I've been through games like this before and sometimes a percieved threat might just be something to cause panic, while the real answer is simple or requires nothing but patience. Basically, we might just have to wait until the sand runs out, before the doors becomes unlocked; or we might have to defeat the golems in that specific amount of time, then inspect their palms; or perhapes palms refers to something completely different and symbolical... the possibilities are endless.

Whatever the case, please stay away from the golems. Thantos, you might probably be able to slow one down with you web power, and Darghon with your magic, while I take the other down. We could then switch roles... In the meantime, Sexodus, D'Aleen and Krazixs can inspect the brazier and hourglass further.

Whatever happens, stay calm, everyone."

{ooc: How high is the hourglass? Hs the top attached firmly? Could I reach the top? Is there anything on the floor or walls that appears to be flammable?}

James casually eyes the hourglass,then shifts his attention to the golems, then to the chest. He turns and addresses the group.

"Here's my take on things. Nobody touches the chest, if you do, the golems animate. My guess is that trying to open the door will either activate the fire curse or animate the golems. The only way to get out is to kill the golems and find what is written on their palms. We have to stop the hourglass before doing anything else.

James produces a small flask of water from his bag.

Wet sand cannot fall through an hourglass. If we can get some water into it, we can stall, if not prevent, our death by immolation. Meanwhile, if anyone thinks that they can get to a vantage point from which anything on thr palms of the golems can be read, plese try to do so. I think that it is vital to refrain from touching the statues until we have decided on a course of action and are ready to fight."

Krazixs frowns, this was definatley not good.

Concentrating Krazixs focus's his attention on the chest

:Spell-Detect Magic:

Watching Thantos try all the doors, to no avail, D'Aleen walks over to James. Pulling the dagger that Krazixs had given her from beneath her cloak, she holds it out to him.

"Here, take this dagger please. It is valuable when dealing with the undead but I prefer my attacks to be from a distance with the help of my bow. I think it may be of more use to you than to I."

With a slight bow, the elf hands the dagger over and turns to inspect the brazier. Not wishing to see how the flames will react once the sand has run out she ponders their situation.

"Obviously we have to tread carefully with the golems but we are quickly running out of time. I do not think we shall be so lucky as to have the doors spring open when our time runs out.....that is not the nature of this place."

::XianXian, still upon Sexodus' shoulder looks toward the ceiling, slightly transfixed by something she is not sure she sees. Urging Sexodus toward a wall more bare than the others, she attempts to climb up, turning her head often, to see her baring on what she continues to stare at, above.

She makes her way part way to her desired destination and cannot climb any further. With lazed determination, she throws off her rags, and flies up, towards a glint... a glimmer... and gets as close to it to find out what it is that is shining and calling her attention::

XianXian:
* The glimmer that attracts your Fey eye
as you fly high
is one of two stone
in the palm on the left of the iron giant of the left
bright opal, round, smooth, shiny & small
in the other you see in the right
another, but black not bright
one glinting, the other not
in the flames of the hall *

"I see something!!!!!"

::XianXian yelps alarmed.::

"Two stones! One is a beautiful jewel! So full of life!! Life!! ... On the outside!"

::XianXian begins to quiet and flies closer to the dark stone... very close, just within distance for her breath to touch it, and whispers into it, trying to find out what kind of stone it is::

"Are you a bringer of fire, dark one? Or is all you need a flame to burn?"

Krazixs kneels down close to the chest. It was definatley enchanted in some way. The elf leans close careful not to touch the chest and examines the lid and any other marks that maybe inscribed on it.

James:
* The hourglass is floating above the brazier,
there is no support holding it up.
Nothing in the room seems flamable, except perhaps the thick wooden doors or the chest.
The brazier is brass, as is the hourglass with the glass portion of course
The statues are iron, and the room is covered in marble and granite. *

krazixs:
* The chest appears to be locked, you do not see any unusual markings *

XianXian:
* The opal stone flickers light from the flames of the brazier,
but sits quietly in the palm of that statue
The eyes are looking at you though... *

All:
* The sands have reached halfway full to the bottom *

Anxiously glancing at the rapidly falling sands in the hourglass, D'Aleen ponders XianXian's discovery.

"The removal of those stones from the statues will most likely result in their animation. But they could be our only hope as well. Vinoh, Thantos...what do you think?"

::XianXian closes her eyes and beats her weight faster... stretches out her hand, and reaches for the dark, black stone. As each grain falls, her hand grows uncomfortably closer and closer.::

"I don't fee like I should be doing this!"

::Nearing a climax, her hand gets closer and closer, and her eyes shut tighter and tighter:::

Darghon grins, his eyes shimmer a bright gold colour.. "Oh a fight, this should be fun indeed"

"And in response to you idea Jame.." Darghon looks at the hour glass "I could fill that hour glass with water.. if that is what you want.. It would not be to hard... but is it what we want to do?"

Darghon notices the golems watching XianXian as she flies up to inspect the palms of the golems "Either way it shall be interesting when these two start to move around..." Darghon eyes the chest.. "Maybe we should just open the chest and see what's inside?"

XianXian:
* Your hand touches the small black shiny stone.
It shifts slightly with your touch in the iron palm.
Neither iron giant moves *

All:
* There is a third left at the top half of the hourglass... *

Seeing that the sand is filling the downward portion fast, Vinoh activates his telekinesis and flies swiftly to the other golem, to see if it holds gems in its palms as well. Passing Darghon and D'Aleen, he says:

"Don't touch anything yet and don't worry about the sand. Actually, the golems may simply become activated once the sand has gone completely into the lower half of the hour glass, which could be one of the meanings of the inscription on it. I'll check out the other golem to see if it holds anything."

::XianXian lifts the black stone and throws it into the brazier::

Vinoh:
* As you raise to a decent height
within the palms of the giant on the right
are two stone, each hand has one
one red, one blue
their color is true, but not bright like the sun *

All:
* With a swift move & a intent that is strong,
the pixie takes up the stone with a great effort...
and heaves it towards the high flames of the brazier.

The stone arcs up from her and across the divide
Your eyes seem to trail the shiny black stone in slow time
to just land on the edge of the brazier with a clang
and off this rolls into the flames...

The fire quickly consume the stone with a flash
On the wall with the doors of three
opens the one farthest than you came through first.
Inside you see a narrow spiraling staircase going up steeply to the right.

All is quiet, and expecting the worst, all is the still the same.
But when you look back from the door...
But you note the sands have stopped,
as a matter of fact, the sum of sand is at the top again,
nothing at the bottom of the glass. *

"Wow, that was easy. . . hmmmm. Someone prop open that door, so it doesn't close on us again. Sexodus do you think you can try and open this chest?"

Darghon raises a dissappointed eyebrow.. "Yes Krazixs.. I agree.. a little too easy.." Darghon rushes over to the chest.. "Are we sure we want to open this? That might activate the Golems.."

::XianXian, surprised by the results of her experiment, hovers open mouthed, eyes widened in amazement.

She turns her direction and moves anxiously toward the other stone, her hands out stretched to grip it, and throw it into the brazier::

"XianXian, Don't grab that other rock yet!"

still amazed that the sand has stopped flowing, Thantos moves over to the open door and looks for something to wedge it open. Finding nothing, he sighs and stays in the doorway to prevent the door from closing himself.

"I'll stay here and make sure we have an exit but you guys be careful over there. We don't know what set off this trap in the first place."

"Cubby is right, do not touch the other stones. I think that each one, once thrown into the brazier while the sands flow downward, opens one of the doors. There are four doors and four stones, so I think this all follows. As for the chest, I believe the golems will activate if we touch it and there's no telling what will happen to the stones they're holding. They might be destroyed, which would prevent us from exploring the other rooms beyond the still locked doors.

Basically, I believe that we could explore what's beyond the door that just opened, then come back here if we can later. We will simply have to toss a different stone into the brazier to reveal another passageway."

"Sounds good..." Darghon looks at Thantos standing in the doorway.. wandering over to him he looks up at Thantos "So.. I'll go in and have a look and you stay here" Darghon works his way past Thantos into the hallway.. "Well this should be interesting..."

Krazixs moves from the chest, his curiosity will just have to wait. "All right let's go then"

Nodding her agreement with the others, D'Aleen moves over to the passageway.

"I'm ready."

::XianXian, amazed by the excitement of the previous events, zooms along in the air, newly appeased by her reclusive skill in flight. She heads out the room, up the inside well of the staircase, as quickly as she can, her eyes ever on the lookout for what might be her ---.. err... the party's next trial.::


"Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!"

Darghon ducks as he enters the corridor the pixie whizzing past his head.. watching her fly off quickly without regard he quickens her pace hoping the others are following and hoping nothing nabs XianXian before he can catch up..

Darghon laughs to himself "I don't care what you lot say.. someone else can look through the door.." Darghon sits patiently for the rest to catch up.. He looks up at XianXian and grins, his tail flicking to and fro with a slight twitch..

"I think we need to try it...can anyone sense anything on the other side?"

D'Aleen asked the others, smiling a little at Darghon's comment.

Krazixs looks at Vinoh, "Well it's either you me or the farie, what say you?"

::XianXian lands on the ground, and turns around, her knees bent, and wings twitched up like the tail of a cat, she turns her head toward the party to await approval as she fits herself to go under the door.::

"Hold it, XianXian. No use in risking exposure by sticking your head under the door. I'll do a scan before we open it."

*Psychic power: Sense presence (other side of oak door)*

Vinoh:
* You sense noone currently *

XianXian
* You feel a warm current of air coming from underneath the door
Very distinct in comparison to the frigid halls of the keep *

Vinoh:
* But wait...maybe you DO sense something...you're not sure... *

"Argh... my senses are garbled for some reason. At first I sensed noone, but now things are somewhat off... How about we let the fighters open the door, while mages back them up?"