Hmmm sorry if I shouldn't revive this but in the Lore about Jack Willow it says:
"In the battles with the Tainted Sages of Necrovion, he became known as “Fortune’s Son” for he was the only Berserker ever to venture head first into battle and never receive a scratch. Actually, except his childhood scars which also healed in time, Willow never had a mark on his body. Many portraits of him during that time and in his later years show Jack Willow as a beautiful man with a clean skin and gentle eyes..."
Now I hardly think that the skull/face on the spike is Jack Willow's. Also, He never received a scratch even though he was always going head first into battles Time mastery? therefore able to dodge attacks knowing when to dodge(knowing what rit to use to go around defensive rits set XD )
Another reference to Willow and his inability to be harmed(Also a Time Principle reference?):
Page 156 [2008-08-07 03:14:05 - The Shade Ballance - Kh.]
Khalazdad, having concluded that Willow’s incapacity to be harmed was his downfall in the House of Liquid Dust, makes his way to the entrance. He is confident that his vulnerability will allow him to be transformed. Khalazdad’s lungs begin to burn as his feet move the dust. The darkness is heavy, energized by an intangible force. He can feel the memory of another man, in the same spot, long…or soon, in here it is all the same. Breathing deeply, his lungs are ablaze, he feels weak and yet strong; a hollow voice booms out “At last you have come, I have waited so long…..”
According to someone earlier stating about how the cube feels familiar to the gates somehow and knowing that Jack Willow made the Gates through his Transposition principle, no doubt Jack Willow was the one that created the cube. Whether he was the one that gave you the cube or not who knows.
If you still want a way to get into the house of liquid dust, I suggest either doing it during a storm with heavy rains, or causing your own flood. reason for this is from the Adventure logs.(I knew reading them all would be profitable)
Page 94 [2008-05-26 03:56:20 - Golemus Wizard quest - sim.]
It seems the water he jumped in is much more than a water, or at least for him it is. It is said that shades can not get into water because it will drain their powers and return them to earth.
I might have a couple more things to state/comment about but I'm too tired to compose another more thoughts right now.