Another Bloody Maze

[calair.livejournal.com]

In my last update, I mentioned that while seeking a gateway to the lower planes and the River Styx, we found ourselves in some sort of puzzle maze. I will spare my devoted readers the blow-by-blow and skip to the salient elements:

MAZE, formed by tall trees growing close together.

Room 1: containing a mirror behind a curtain, a carved scarab beetle on the wall (radiating necromancy), and on the floor a cloak (radiating abjuration) and a belt (transmutation magic).

Room 2: containing a stone statue, another carved scarab on the wall (this one radiating abjuration), and on the floor a pair of boots (illusion magic) and a tub of silvery liquid (which Cheleth had immediately tipped out onto the floor for reasons that no doubt seemed sensible at the time). The statue was about twelve feet tall, resembling a gargoyle of purple and black stone.

Various magic mouths, which gave us these messages:

(a) "By the six long fingers I no longer have, your lives are forfeit."
(b) "Look behind you, always!"
(c) "My long skinny vines, my deep dark clefts, my solid heart is all."
(d) "Deep inside, the inside is deep/ There flows the water of eternal sleep."
(e) [mad laughter]
(f) "Hold! By the darkness that shines, I command thee."
(g) "Pink and purple elephants will rule the day forever!"

( Readers are invited to figure out the riddle for themselves before reading on. )