Keyleth is just about to head through the secret door when Ransyl emerges with a splash noise. She startles for a moment at the noise before turning to look and seeing her friend. "Oh, Ransyl!" she says. "Were you worried about me? That's sweet. Wasn't that pool a trip? I'd love to learn how they did that."

"This door over here was hidden," she says, gesturing toward the secret door. "Let's go see what's through here first... maybe it's some sort of observation chamber, where we can see what we're getting into in the other room before we go in."

“Well, maybe, yes... I was a little worried...that sounds like a good idea. Let’s check it out.”

You follow the passage around and it leads to where Keyleth found the secret door before.  On this side are 3 bars that can be removed that allow the door to open, something that she couldn't do from the other side.

Keyleth lifts the bars and opens the door. "Huh. Ok," she says, stepping out into the entryway where they had been before. "Ransyl, hang on here for a minute; I'll be right back," she says with a slightly mischievous smile.

She makes her way down the hallway quietly, and tries to sneak up on the rest of the party, putting her hands over Kirinar's eyes.

Stealth: 20

"Boo! I'm back! Ransyl and I found the back way in."

She then guides them back to the northwest pool room. "Haven't been through here yet. Shall we see what's behind this one?"

"Ahbut it is fun to see young ones at play!" is all Dr A says.

Entering the last room (19E) you see that eight torches illuminate this room. The light washes over a floor mosaic showing two creatures locked in combat: a small bear with sharp claws and a rabbit with a spiral horn on its forehead. In the middle of the room, a robed figure stands next to a waist-high pedestal, atop which rests a stone cube. The figure is bald and has one hand on the cube. It takes a moment to realize that the figure is a statue.

The floor mosaic shows Obo’laka (a zorbo) fighting I’jin (an almiraj). Inscriptions in Old Omuan underneath the mosaic explain how I’jin ruined Obo’laka’s attempt to placate Ubtao

One morning, a wise zorbo emerged from her hollow tree and spoke to the dying Omuans. To convince Ubtao of their worth, she decided to cook him a stew made from all their good qualities.

Keyleth takes a closer look at the statue whose hand is on the cube. Can she tell by close inspection whether this was created as a statue or whether it was a person who got turned to stone?

Investigation: 26

 The light washes over a floor mosaic showing two creatures locked in combat: a small bear with sharp claws and a rabbit with a spiral horn on its forehead. 

What if anything does Dr A recall (Arcana / History check 13) about the two figures - e.g. is one a good guy?

Quote from GrantFromCanberra >>

 The light washes over a floor mosaic showing two creatures locked in combat: a small bear with sharp claws and a rabbit with a spiral horn on its forehead. 

What if anything does Dr A recall (Arcana / History check 8) about the two figures - e.g. is one a good guy?

 You know that Obo’laka (a zorbo) is the bear fighting I’jin (an almiraj) who is the rabbit.

Quote from Esker >>

Keyleth takes a closer look at the statue whose hand is on the cube. Can she tell by close inspection whether this was created as a statue or whether it was a person who got turned to stone?

Investigation: 26

 You can tell that it is a man who was turned to stone.

So what now?

"Huh. Looks like we aren't the first ones to try to get the cube. Wonder how we avoid getting turned to stone? I guess we need to make sure to 'tread lightly and stay in the light'..."

OoC: Are the torches in this room casting any sort of shadow pattern on the floor?

No, the torches create no special shadow pattern.

Kirinar says, "You know, we passed 8 empty torch brackets coming in. What is we take these torches out there and see what we can see without them?"

"I mean, taking the torches out seems like the opposite of staying in the light... Does Obo'laka speak in opposites? I suppose we ought to change *something* if we don't want to share the fate of this gentleman here... But I sure would feel better if I had some confidence that we had the right solution before we go touching the Cube of Petrification there..."

“Ahbut if you two young ones were prepared to wait until tomorrow I could seek the guidance of Mystara on this matter!” Dr A opines.

Dr A recalls that Obo’laka (represented by a zorbo) is a trickster god.

"Well, that may support my idea. I think clearly this stony-faced fellow thought to put all of the torches here to "walk in the light." You can see where that got him! Let's move the torches out to the hallway and I'll grab the tablet. If I turn to stone...well...it's been a good run! At least I'll have a life-like statue of me that people can look upon for years to come!!" Kirinar starts to grab the torches and move them to the entry hall. 

In a short while Kirinar has moved all of the torches from the center room to the sconces in the entry hall.  Returning to the center room he steels himself to the possible fate of being turned to stone and reaches up and touches the cube.

And ... the cube is gently lifted by Kirinar and taken into his possession.

A slightly maniacal laugh erupts from the young fighter as he lifts the cube away from the pedestal instead of becoming anther fixture in this forgotten and forsaken temple...