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[bahihs]

(( You need not quit the game, do keep in mind there is always the second passage! Also I will say that, yes, the fact that only Arvin and Astra are interacting with the paintings is limiting your options *hint hint* ))

You take one of the paintings from Astra and pin it up on the side wall (to your surprise, both side walls now have nails in them, exactly in the spot where they were before). Nothing happens.

Although the pillar is still gone, you can remember that the paintings inside were decorative portraits, probably of Lord Fa and his family.

[Dwarmin]

((I can only WTH to that. I have not seen/understood any indication that different people moving the paintings had led to anything different happening, save for alot of trial and error that really didn't show us much. It seems to me the walls always mirror each other, regardless.

Edit: It probably doesn't help that the two others are AFK... ))

Action: Alright, place the last painting not on anything, on the nail across the room. Any changes?

If not, take down both paintings on either entrance, and put up the original entrance painting in the opposite place it was originally, opening the previously sealed passage as indicated by the map. Probably? Then for fun, place the two taken down paintings in the opposite spaces to where they were originally.

[bahihs]

((I can only WTH to that. I have not seen/understood any indication that different people moving the paintings had led to anything different happening, save for alot of trial and error that really didn't show us much. It seems to me the walls always mirror each other, regardless.

Edit: It probably doesn't help that the two others are AFK... ))

Action: Alright, place the last painting not on anything, on the nail across the room. Any changes?

If not, take down both paintings on either entrance, and put up the original entrance painting in the opposite place it was originally, opening the previously sealed passage as indicated by the map. Probably? Then for fun, place the two taken down paintings in the opposite spaces to where they were originally.

Doing the first causes the pillar to reappear, exactly as it was before.

The second is confusing. Here's a diagram of the current situation:

**A**
*     *
B || C
*     *
**  **

|| = pillar
B/C = Side painting (doesn't show entrance)
A = Entrance painting (shows entrance)
*  * = Entrance

Assuming you take down A, * * becomes solid wall (no nail), as before. Swapping A with B or C will only result in the rotation of the room, as before, with nothing substantial happening. Swapping B with C only flips the pillar. Removing B or C removes the pillar. Removing A activates floor and closes the entrance.

[bahihs]

Also, in regards your confusion, keep in mind that only you and Astra have ever handled the painting thus far (and while you do cover each other's weaknesses nicely, there is one area you are both lacking...) and so you are correct. No indication has been given, as different people haven't handled the paintings yet.

[Dwarmin]

((Huh? I thought our current setup was

**C**
*     *
B || A
*     *
**D**

With D being an empty wall, with a nail. I was trying to move A to D. Which should have opened the passage to the North, though I probably have to move C. Or did putting up C cause the nail on the other wall to disappear?

Uh, just tell me if I'm wasting my time trying to figure this out with just myself, okay.))

[bahihs]

((Huh? I thought our current setup was

**C**
*     *
B || A
*     *
**D**

With D being an empty wall, with a nail. I was trying to move A to D. Which should have opened the passage to the North, though I probably have to move C. Or did putting up C cause the nail on the other wall to disappear?

Uh, just tell me if I'm wasting my time trying to figure this out with just myself, okay.))

There is never a nail where the entrance is. I will draw a diagram a little later, but basially you've not changed anything by rotating the paintings. There is one portion of the puzzle that can be solved without any help i.e by yourself.

[Urist Arrhenius]

((Edit: It probably doesn't help that the two others are AFK... ))

((My apologies for my absence.))

"I had hoped to stay out of the dangerous bits, but perhaps it would be helpful to have someone familiar with the arcane handle the paintings?"

[Dwarmin]

to your surprise, both side walls now have nails in them, exactly in the spot where they were before).

((What did this mean before, then? I guess it meant...nails where we already knew there were? I got fooled by 'to your' surprise.', and thought it meant the entrances. I guess that also did nothing. Or did they disappear at some point?

Question marks???))

((Edit: It probably doesn't help that the two others are AFK... ))

((My apologies for my absence.))

"I had hoped to stay out of the dangerous bits, but perhaps it would be helpful to have someone familiar with the arcane handle the paintings?"

"Go ahead."

[bahihs]

to your surprise, both side walls now have nails in them, exactly in the spot where they were before).

((What did this mean before, then? I guess it meant...nails where we already knew there were? I got fooled by 'to your' surprise.', and thought it meant the entrances. I guess that also did nothing. Or did they disappear at some point?

Question marks???))

((Edit: It probably doesn't help that the two others are AFK... ))

((My apologies for my absence.))

"I had hoped to stay out of the dangerous bits, but perhaps it would be helpful to have someone familiar with the arcane handle the paintings?"

"Go ahead."

Ok, in essence, swapping the paintings didn't change anything because the room rotated to create the original state:

**A**         
*     *
B || C
*     *
**  **
    |
   V

**B**
*     *
   || A
*     *
**C**

Which is the same as above, just rotated 90 degrees. As for the surprise, looking at diagram 2, when you removed A you would expect the C wall to have no nails. However, when you placed A on the side wall (where B previously was in diagram 1), a nail appeared on the previously smooth wall. I will post the result of Evelyn's actions shortly.

[Dwarmin]

((Cool. Somebody else figure it out.

I've been wracking my brain on this for two days now. ))

[bahihs]

(( Sorry about the delay, computer problems ))

I am assuming that Evelyn is not doing a check (yet).

You use your sensitivity toward magic to study the paintings. However, the concentration of magic is so high it is difficult to distinguish anything from the background. The most you can tell is that the smell of the paintings (magic is sensed by smell and taste) is slightly stronger (i.e more sour) as you get closer. You'll need to really concentrate to get more information (DS = 5)

[bahihs]

Here's a (crude) picture of the paintings:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

From left to right: Painting with entrance, painting on the side walls.

Note that the stuff inside the pillar is not drawn to correct perspective (I was lazy) but in the actual painting they are.

[Dwarmin]

((I vote for Eveleyn doing that check, btw. WTF are we going to do. I give up at this point.

Also, some more random guessing in my apparent solo quest. If I get through this, I swear I'm going to recruit a better team than you guys, lol.))

Action: More stuff!

1. Does switching around the paintings completely maybe cause the nail to rotate to the other side of the room? Try this. I don't care how. Just do.
2. Can the paintings be turned around/upside down? Does this have any effect?
3. Does the pillar block changes? Try to switch the entrance paintings again, without the pillar

[bahihs]

((I vote for Eveleyn doing that check, btw. WTF are we going to do. I give up at this point.

Also, some more random guessing in my apparent solo quest. If I get through this, I swear I'm going to recruit a better team than you guys, lol.))

Action: More stuff!

1. Does switching around the paintings completely maybe cause the nail to rotate to the other side of the room? Try this. I don't care how. Just do.
2. Can the paintings be turned around/upside down? Does this have any effect?
3. Does the pillar block changes? Try to switch the entrance paintings again, without the pillar

Flipping around one of the paintings on a whim you discover *gasp* a second painting painted on the back of the first. You quickly check all the paintings and - indeed - they all have a second painting behind their first. Interestingly, they all seem only to be paintings of the wall (no features, no pillar), as if the walls were recently painted and the wet paint rubbed off on the back of each painting.

(( Didn't expect to figure that part out without a hint. Good job! ))

[Dwarmin]

Action: Alright, let's try to place an reversed hallway (blank) painting where the original archway painting was. What happens to the wall opposite?

Or, just try reversing the archway painting, which should show a nail. Then hang a blank painting on it. Then switch them.

Note, if there's any chance of solving it, run the hell away from this puzzle.