Karl looks around the room for something to tie the top of the rope to, something solid that won't shift with his weight.
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Karl looks around the room for something to tie the top of the rope to, something solid that won't shift with his weight.
Unfortunately, the room contains no such thing. The chairs and the table and the empty crate would move with his weight, and the fireplace is too big and solid, making it impossible to tie a rope onto it.
Bronsk
Bronsk frowns.
"I can stay here and hold the rope; Iz no trouble."
Lisaa
"Hmm, let's tie it on the grappling hook and affix it on the window frame.", says Lisaa.
"Is this even necessary?" Mia asks. "Didn't you hit something solid early on under the surface?" She says as she turns to Bronsk.
Bronsk
(OOC: *facepalm*)
Bronsk looks confused. "Well... yes, but we saw that there iz a room below; if it iz deep, getting back up will be hard, yes?"
"Well, you're probably right. Can't hurt to be cautious." She extends her hand. "But if you're going to hold the rope, I think it is best that I hold the staff, in case the surface only remains liquid while the staff is touching it."
Bronsk
The shaggy-haired nord nods, and grasps the end of the rope. He concentrates, and then expands outwards with a crackle of joints and bones as he transforms into the yellow-eyed wolf. Vakri gazes at the assembled group, and then wraps the rope about his lithe waist with clawed hands.
Yes, I was going to say that, says Karl, I don't want to be stuck inside the ice, water, or whatever it is.
"Be careful Karl." Mia says as the rope is tied around Karl. However as Karl descends into the icewater, he finds that he is only knee deep before he touches something with his feet.
Hey, I'm standing on something. He reaches down and feels around his feet.
The thing he is standing on feels like very smooth stone.
Varek just watches curiously. He was about to offer helping hold the rope but Bronsk, or rather Vakri, appears to be more then capable of holding Karl's weight just fine.
"He, did you find anything ?" he asks after Karl groped around a bit.
Lycar
It feels like I'm standing on stone, the mage replies. I can see straight through, but I can't get any lower. He starts to shuffle about. I'll see if I can find a hole or something.
(Is the solid place by any chance parallel to the place to which the end of the staff reaches?)
(Yes)
As Karl moves around a little, he suddenly finds an edge and almost slips down the side, though just at the last second he manages to get his balance back. Following the edge with his foot, he realize that he seems to be standing on a rectangular platform of sorts. Its width is about 1/4th of the ice mirror, and its length is about 3/4th of the ice mirror.
Seems like I'm on a ledge of sorts. He turns to Mia. Can you lower the staff a bit?
"Okay." She begins to lower it further down, however she has to go down on her knees and grip the end of the staff to hit something. "Hey, that's odd. It seems to be deeper here."
Vakri
The wolf adjusts his grip on the rope.
"A staircase."
Lisaa
"Do you won't to go through completely ? I will follow you.", says Lisaa.
"Uh, is this a good idea ? We don't know where this is going to lead us to." Varek asks with a frown.
Lycar
Lisaa
"Hmm, I trust that it won't be a deathtrap down there. And we can keep the entrance open with the staff."
Vakri
Vakri nods, but retains his grip on the rope.
"Okay then. Want us to come with you ?"
Lycar
"Well, I can stay up here and keep the door open if you want to explore." Mia says.
Vakri
The yellow-eyed hybrid sniffs the air, and sets the rope on the ground.
With a final enigmatic stare at Mia, he leaps down to where Karl is standing, and finally ducks his long neck below the level of the ice, looking around.
Beneath the ice, Vakri can see a set of spiral stairs leading down towards a star shaped platform floating apparently in midair. However Vakri quickly realize that it is water, in fact everything around him seems to be water. Yet he doesn't choke. Looking at his own features, he realize that the ice has formed a bubble of sorts around him, protecting him from choking in the water.
Vakri
Blinking slowly in the otherwordly blue light, Varki paces slowly down the spiral staircase, pausing at the first bend to wait for the others to follow. He sleek gray coat appears to almost float in the watery atmosphere.
Karl follows nervously. Please keep the staff in the ice, he says to Mia before he goes down.
Mia nods. "Don't worry, I'll stay here." She replies before Karl descends beneath the ice. Tyrgen chooses to follow, and he too begins to walk down into the ice...
When they eventually arrives at the platform itself, they see that there are pedestals on each tip and indent of the star, as well as a pedestal standing in the middle of the star. Upon the pedestal in the middle is a bowl filled with 10 round aquamarine gems, and at the pedestal itself there is an inscription.
"To open the path further, you must first solve this puzzle. In the middle of this room there are ten gems. One gem must be placed on each pedestal, but you are only allowed to carry one gem at the time, and each gem must jump two pedestals before you are allowed to collect a new gem.
Should you ever wish to begin the puzzle anew, pick up the bowl containing the remaining gems. The gems on the pedestals will then return to the bowl to be placed anew, but beware. The gems do not like being moved haphazardly and will cause pain to the one who removed it from the cup without purpose."
Lisaa
Lisaa also jumps down on the platform and walks down to the strange platform. "Another riddle ? Jumping gems this time ... how do they jump ?"