Jaya sends the message to the statue, but it causes neither a reply nor any movement from it. Flying up to it would certainly give you a better angle from which to pull the box, as you'd need to climb on the stone fish monster otherwise. Seeing as how tightly the creature clutches the box, it would be a fairly difficult task to pull it out, but not impossible.

"Blitz." Pisgah's voice answers back. "You both. Get. Close. Then. You," the wizard points to the Genasi, "grab. The box. And. Run..."

"After" he continues, his mimickry having swapped to Jaya's, "the. Dragonborn. Shoves the. Statue. As hard. As. He can. Then he. Returns at. Full. Sprint, before. The. Acid. Can fall."

He follows through, using Canti's dulcet tone, directed again at Jaya: "I can. Give. You. Extra. Life so. The. Acid doesn't. Burn as. Much. If you. Get. Splashed."

Thanks to his lack of lips and the hood covering his features, no one can see the manipulative mirth on the bird's face. 

Rico suggests, "Or we could just have Steel go try and retrieve the box. He is expendable, the rest of you are not."

Jaya says “My muscles are like stone; I am very strong. I am not immune to acid however and am not keen on this plan of yours Nikk. Especially as this box seems to have a lock and we currently have no key. Now as far as Steel going to get the box, that is a plan I can support!”

Pisgah turns to the kenku, "When that acid drops, and I am pretty sure it will somehow drop, it is most likely going to fill this room and the corridor all the way to where it turns back to the west. That is a 40 to 45 foot run that Jaya and I would have to make before the acid falls. How do you know we would have time to make it that far? Can you protect both of us? And, what makes you think we can just topple over the statue?"

"Rico, we may need Steel to come rescue one or both of us if this idea goes tail over tea-kettle. Or Jaya and I could each tie a rope to ourselves and Steel could help pull us out if we go down."

“I have no interest in standing under 5 feet of acid to grab a box that I know nothing about. For all I know the box can have more acid in it.” Jaya says.

"I think I may have the key. The key I took from the fresco of the Dwarves seems to fit with the theme of a stone box."

"I agree, I am not convinced that we would escape the acid drop unscathed. What if we tie a rope to Steel? If he/it/they could get the box and got into trouble we could pull him out."

Rico suggests, "How about this? I have Steel go in there and see if it is safe to enter the room and touch the box. Then we have two choices, I can either have Steel remove the box, or I can go in there and try to pick the lock while it is still held by the statue. If the later, I can have a rope attached so I can be pulled out quickly if the acid falls."

“Can Steel go in and tie a rope to the box, then when we are all out of range, we yank the rope and pull the box away? Or at least try that, who knows what may happen as we set it up!”

Jaya will investigate the box, and the floor, from where he is, to look for any signs of acid marks.

Investigation: 9

The Kenku digs around in his pack, producing a pickaxe.

In the corpse's voice, he rasps, "Or we. Dig. A moat."

"IF Steel can make it to the statue without the acid dropping could he try using the stone key on the box?"

Rico agreed, "That is an even better idea. Let us make sure Steel can reach the box before risking the key."

Jaya examines the floor and the box from a safe distance. Both objects are fairly weathered, so it's hard to make out if they were ever exposed to the acid before. At the very least, they haven't been recently.

Steel is indeed able to walk all the way up to the statue without any retaliation from the gurgling acid above. It languidly flows along, undisturbed by movement below it.

Rico will get the key from Pisgah, and have Steel go back and try the key to see if it fits, and if it does, what happens. Rico will take the torch while Steel is busy under the acid. Rico will watch (and shout directions as needed) from as far away as she can still watch. That's probably too close to be safe, but will cut down how far she has to wade though acid if the worst happens.

BUT first, Pisgah takes his extra 50ft of rope and ties it around Steel.

Steel does as instructed, inserting the key. Incredibly, it fits. The machine turns it in it's lock.

*click* *click*
*plop*

The box opens and and item falls out of the box and to the floor. The thing looks like an organ. In fact, it looks like a dry, withered heart.

Neither the statue nor the acid seem to have paid attention to what Steel just did. Both remain in their places.

Nikkitch is interested in possible necromantic connections, but nonetheless retreats to a safe distance. That is, he leaves the room, back down the hall.

"Rico, would you ask Steel to retrieve the 'items from the floor and bring it and the key back?"

Rico calls out, "Steel, collect the items that just fell on the floor, and bring them and the key back."

Pisgah takes in the slack as he returns and is ready to pull.