Rippling with a malevolent, purple glow, a ''large pool of water'', twice your height wide, sits in the stone floor. Writhing, languid tendrils breach the surface and embrace its border yet do not go beyond the narrow, steel band set around its edge. Pulsing with energy and gently bobbing up and down in the air, ''several runes''- orange, blue, and green- engraved on smooth elipsoid stones circle the pool. Whispers, gently, tenderly tugging at the mind, collude with adventurous impulses; they encourage drawing near, despite the ominous aura. Several stone slabs [[descend into the pool|krowbar-start]]
<<if previous() == "Start">>A blaze of flashing lights blur past, engulfing reality; all senses simultaneously stretched and melded in painful euphoria. A year or a second pass by while blinking becomes impossible.<<endif>>
[[The pool|krowbar-ExaminePortal]] emerges into a ''forest'' of [[tropical trees|krowbar-ExamineTrees]].
The heat and humidity of the forest is exaggerated in contrast to the cool, dry environment of the Hub. The sounds of ''gunfire'' and muffled explosions can be heard in the distance.
A wide, ''dirt road'' leads [[downward|krowbar-FollowPath1]].
This ''pool'' looks similar to the one found in the Hub.
<<if $events["krowbar-PortalRestored"]>>With ''restored energy'', it now has the same purple sheen.
<<else>>However, there are several locations around the edge of the pool that appear to be ''missing runes''. The rest glow dully; the water looks mundane and slightly dirty.
This dirt road rests on a hill that [[leads to the pool|krowbar-start]]. Several small footpaths lead off into the dense underbrush. It would be foolish to follow any of them.
In the center of a small clearing, there is [[a small, thatched-roof cottage|krowbar-EnterCottage]].
Three dirt roads intersect here; one [[leads upwards|krowbar-FollowPath1]], one leads [[toward a lake|krowbar-FollowPath3]], and one leads [[toward rubble|krowbar-FollowPath4]]