The gift of ash

[Anastasia]

There is magic. Touch the altar and a passage will appear, as well as sending out alarms to places deeper within.

[Nephrite]

"This looks like it starts the whole process." Moore says. "Should we cast some protections now, or just continue on?"

[Anastasia]

"It's a test, not an ordeal," Cresiel reasons, "Let's start as we are, in case we're that much superior to it."

[Nephrite]

"If Raziel said this place was a challenge, then I have a feeling we are." Moore says, but he smiles as he touches the altar nonetheless. "But we can always do it in battle anyway." He adds as he waits for the passage to appear.

He's going to take 10 on Spellcraft to identify the caster of the magic on the altar if possible. Entirely mild curiosity on his part.

[Anastasia]

The casters are Raziel and Sealtiel, in case that matters.

[Nephrite]

Moore just smiles as he will proceed to whatever this passage will be.

[Anastasia]

Give me a Perception check ahead of time? Have to run the dog out so I'll just do this now while I'm doing that, and you get a longer post next time.

[Nephrite]

Take 10 for 97.

[Anastasia]

Ahead a passage opens up. You notice a faint shimmer over the doorway - magic. Your arcane lore lets you know that's to prevent backtracking. A force wall will come up once you're all past it and seal this escape route entirely.

Not that this stops Cresiel, who is already going forward.

[Nephrite]

Moore proceeds as well! They're in no real danger here.

[Anastasia]

You walk down the halls, little rivers of molten platinum on either side of you.

Ahead is a circular room, and save for a little walkway into and out of it on the other side, is ringed with a moat of bubbling platinum. Here stands a...hound archon? One who wears a loincloth and bracers, little else. He inclines his canine head, that of a pointy eared, black furred hound, and announces, "The honor is mine, but the challenge is yours."

[Nephrite]

Moore offers a nod of his own. "Can you explain what you mean please by challenge?"

[Anastasia]

Kaja steps forward, "A fight? You're underarmed for it."

"I have all I need," The hound archon declares, "If you think otherwise, here I am. I challenge your group to martial combat. No magic, merely steel, fist and skill."

[Nephrite]

"How about bardic song?" Moore asks. "I assume no, but I want to make sure I follow your rules."

[Anastasia]

"None of that," The hound archon says, arms crossed. "Do you accept?"