Wide steps descent to a landing flanked by two alcoves. Within each alcove, taking up the full 30' height of the ceiling, is a bronze statue of a warrior holding a spear. A soft blue curtain of light flows between the two alcoves. Stair lead down to the tomb proper.

This tomb rests in hushed silence. Two coffins are resting atop white marble slabs. The one against the north wall is marked King Barov von Zarovich, and the other one against the south wall is marked Queen Ravenovia van Roeyen. The vaulted ceiling thirty feet overhead is inlaid with a beautiful gold mosiac.

DEVELOPMENT: There is a source of light that is casting shadows on everyone in the room. It is rotating from an unknown source about every 6 seconds like a hand on a clock - moving the shadows around the tombs in a circular pattern.

Martha looks up at the mosaic.

It's pure gold. It's hauntingly beautiful. Who is in the room?

OOC: Seems like Kia and I as we were sprinting here

Ok. What do you do. The shadows are long, about 10 feet each. As you stand in the room, you each can see yours. Every 6 seconds, the shadows move with the light source.

Welp. The "soft curtain of blue light" is between us and the marble slabs, yes? We'd have to go through it to get to them?

Yes. Ezmerelda and Stella approach from behind, waiting, watching, observing.

"How...?" Stella wonders, "Those shadows don't look natural...?"

"We should wait for Grishkar and send one of his damned souls through."

Kia does not like puzzles.

"Why does he always have undead servants? How do we know he's not in league with Strahd?" Stella looks back, squints at him.

Ezmerelda gives her a sideways glance. "Child, he has not hurt us..yet."

"Yeah, YET." Stella reaches out to touch one of the light shafts..

Martha’s going for the queen’s coffin and she’s going to “table flip” the lid off of the coffin, while she mutters a faint blessing over the body, “Sorry, miss, I’m sure you’re very nice, but your son is about to kill an... I dunno, acquaintance, so I’m gonna need the sword!”

Martha, please make a STR (Athletics) or DEX (Acrobatics) check.

Athletics: 19 Gimme!

OOC: Curses and drats! I don’t suppose it’s been less than a minute since my rage, huh?

Your left foot slips and scraps upon your left foot's shadow, and you fall about waist deep into your own shadow your body made a moment ago. If you don't make another STR (Athletics) or DEX (Acrobatics) check and pass it, something horrible, very horrible is going to happen to your body in about 6 seconds.

This is the ONE ROLL you DON'T wanna fudge.

Athletics: Don’t you fail me! 24

Ok Yeah, just remembered I had inspiration (stupid past me!) Advantage!

Athletics: 26

Hells, that was close.

Ezmerelda screams out "By the GODS!" and quickly stands to make her shadow appear next to yours as the light clicks away from you, saving you from half body dismemberment. But just barely.

"NOBODY MOVE! No, wait! I- Hold on! Watch!" Stella yells. "Watch the bloody shadows!" They position themselves carefully so that you won't "fall in" as you get up. Barely avoiding death. The shadows move every six seconds. Click. They move again.

Stella is sweating profusely, near panic. Eyes darting on the floor. "Oh, gods, oh gods.."

Martha, the Sunsword is resting on the skeletal body of Queen Ravenova. In order to move her hands, grab the sword, and watch where the hells you are going, you are going to make THREE STR (athletics) or DEX (acrobatics) checks.

You need to pass two. If you fail, you make ANOTHER check. If you fail that, something really awful, really really awful, will happen. Ezmerelda is doing the best she can to help you, so MAKE ALL YOUR CHECKS AT ADVANTAGE.

Stella is about to throw up.

Click.

OOC: So everywhere not shadowed is false? Is that it? And shadows dispel that?

The unseen light source is creating shadows - the shadows are creating pits, for a lack of a better description. This room is defying general physics in this regard. When the shadows move, anything in a shadow gets cut, like teleporting into a solid wall. Death.

Imryll is standing guard at the steps leading up and out of the catacombs. After spending one lovely afternoon inside a womb, she has no plans of spending another. Feeling she can best serve the group by keeping watch over the entrance to the catacombs, she’s hiding in the shadows with her cloak wrapped tightly around her, shivering. Not from the cold. 

OOC: I see. Can I get back up to the coffin?

You're already out. The save you made earlier a moment ago, you stepped out of the shadow to non-shadowed area. But they're moving, so you have to act fast. You're basically making those three saves to make sure you don't "fall in" again, while you grab the sword - because if you're in a shadow when it moves, you're cut in half. Ezmerelda and Stella will provide advantage.