John's lightsource flickers dimly in the darkened corridor a couple of times before activating with a steady glow. That's when everyone except Grok realizes that the alien language is coming from the lump in his neck. A toothy black mouth with a blue tongue was making foul utterances, but once the light glares steadily the utterances become a mouthy scream, then silence as the lips close again and the 'bump' goes back to looking like a bump. The entire steps underneath you and wall next to you is covered in a thin layer of black worm-filled goo which sickeningly writhes and ripples. At the end of the stairs it seems that there is a door, but you are loathed to attempt to touch it as it too is covered in the mass. You seem so close, yet still so far as emotionally the party begins to succumb to a feeling of despair. What the heroes really feel they need is something to believe in. Some sort of faith despite all seeming to be lost...