Zika approaches the wood and takes it in her hands. Similar to when Shattertooth took it up, one section begins to burn with images although this time there are clouds and lightning, wind whorls and runes that seem softer in their writing that appear in a quarter of the wood.
Dark notches mark the quarters of the wood, almost as though it would be cut apart, though the notches are not deep enough to break the wood apart easily.
I guess we just keep touching the tree? Shattertooth was really starting to hope this was all just a fever dream or something...
Glom-Glom eyes the hob defiantly;
"First Ratty-Rat touch... Then Glom-Glom... leave best to last hehehehe!"
Narissth picks himself back up off the ground. Finding himself only battered and bruised, but not really injured, he goes over to the tree and touches it once more.
Fort:
And probably get blasted back again.
Despite the sense that something might happen Narissth is left unscathed and instead the wood circle arrives on the stone circle.
Zika cocks her head at Shattertooth's observation about being marked, and nods after she sees what happens to Narissth. "Same happen Zika?" she asks, comparing the Hobgoblin's and Ratkin's altered features.
Noticing the wooden disc has vanished from her hands and reappeared elsewhere, she defiantly walks back and seizes it. Crouching down in the sand while waiting for the others, Zika eyes the disc, trying to discern what it might actually be.
She points to each quadrant of the disc one at a time. "Land Big Goblin. Wind Zika. Fire rat." She cocks her head at the other goblin. "Touch wood. Make Water on disc. Complete shape."
Narissth shakes his head:
Don't say "Make Water." He will drop his rags and relieve himself again.
If he does that I'm going to do my best impression of that log... Shattertooth growls
Glom-Glom eyes the others with interest;
:
"Hoo-hoo. Many changes... Nice ears ratty-rat!"
At the instructions and grumblings, the feral goblin scuttles over to the wood (tree?) and gestures over it theatrically...
"Om-nom-nom! Buzukilito hah-ha! Neepanappa Glom-Glom!"
Utter nonsense ;)
...before grabbing the tree with a screaming laugh!
Glom-Glom seems unaffected from the touch. Like with the others the wooden circle appears on the dias ready for Glom-Glom.
Like the rest of the group Glom's appearance changes, his teeth taking on a light sheen of pearlessence, soft spots of blue and white mixing together...
Glom-Glom strides confidently to the dias and raises the wooden circle high;
"Heheh! Glom-Glom is Water? No wet!?"
Narissth looks at the others, suddenly realizing that he must have had something similar, likely red for fire, as has affected the goblins.
Fire. Air. Water. Earth. The four basic elements. What do you think it means?
That coming here wasn't an accident.
Glom-Glom looks at the big hob with wide eyes, then starts chuckling hysterically;
"Oh-ho-ho! Silly Mister Hob... Nothing washes up by chance! Lady Lastbreath sent us all yes-yes!"
Narissth scratches his scalp while looking at his goblinoid companions and their various colors.
But what does it mean? There must be logic. Some reason we are here. I agree that this was not an accident, but rather appears to be from some plan. The question is what is the plan, and who, or what, set it into action.
The conversation continues for a few beats, the circle filling in with more of the runic language and images after a few more seconds the circle snaps into four pieces. Glom-Glom, almost by instinct, catches his wedge which then promptly changes into a dull grey key with a lustrous blue gem in the "bow" (or head) of the key. The other wedges fall into the sand...
More mysteries and secrets... Shattertooth grumbles as he scoops up his section.
Zika looks curiously Narissth. "Big plan. Not easy. Cause shipwrecks. Must be gods make plan."
Sniffing the wedge with the air engravings in it, Zika cautiously picks it up, more than slightly expecting it to change as Glom-Glom's did. "What next?" She asks, looking across the sand towards the trees. "Forest dangers. Sand dangers. Night bring more dangers."
Throwing caution to the wind, Narissth picks up the reddish piece.
Very strange.
He hold the piece tentatively expecting something to happen, although pretty clueless as to what.
Glom-Glom grins with his pearly teeth as the wedge becomes key;
"Magicks! BIG MAGICKS! Oh-ho-ho... flotsam we are! Big Plan!"
At Zika's words he eyes the forest then the sands with a sneer and growl;
"Dangersssss..."
The wariness proves appropriate as each wedge transforms to a key with identical dimensions and style save for the gems which are white (Zika), Orange (Narissth) and Green (Shattertooth).
It takes little to notice that after the last key turns the tree, once on it side, stands tall as though it has always grown from the ground. Its wide roots part in the center and deep into the sand it is easy to see finely crafted wooden steps heading down and into the darkness in a tight spiral.
Narissth looks down at the steps:
Perhaps the forest is not our only option.
The crow caws at Narissth, Options
Hoping one of the crazy goblins will go down first, Narissth moves over and examines the new set of steps, wary of the unexpected considering all the strange things that have happened to this point.
Shall we see where this goes? He asks while looking at Glom and Shattertooth.
Zika peers down the stairs, but looks up when the crow actually speaks. She cocks her head at the bird, thinking that it must possess the spirit of a god. With narrowed eyes, she begins to move slowly down the stairs. After a few steps, she turns back with a grin full of sharp teeth. "Come, boys." She urges.
Glom-Glom bows his head reverently at the crow before scrambling down the stairs with a yowl.
Zika leads the way and twists around steps that travel through 15' of hewed stone (that seems to be right "under" the sand) before opening up to a larger space. The stairs are in a tight coil though they are well made and are almost five feet in width seemingly craved into a large piece of timber (or one massive root of the tree?) straight down. After the initial 15' the group can see that the stairs continue down to a stone floor (about 50' down) but no one can see walls or anything else. (As your vision only goes 60')
Crawling on all fours Glom-Glom will scuttle down the stairs until he encounters something edible or the ground... whichever comes first.
Shattertooth is not bothered in the slightest by the environment. He follows the crazy one.
Narissth follows behind the tallest, and least animalistic, of the goblins wondering how long it will before the crazy goblin gets himself killed.
Glom Glom takes the lead, pushing a bit past Zika and scurrying farther down the stairs looking for "something edible". Nothing presents itself and Glom Glom reaches the floor, which promptly lights up as the goblin sets foot off the steps.
Moving along the floor soft blue light fills the various cracks and crevices of the hewn stone floor, images and symbols revealing themselves to be larger versions of the same imagery of the stone circle that formed the groups keys. The images shift and move until finally the light moves off the floor and onto a series of iron wall sconces that hold soft flickering blue flame. [There is one about every 15' or so]
The room is a large square, roughly 300 feet wide in each direction. Each wall is interrupted by a 50' wide alcove. Within each alcove are a stone slab bench and a stone chest. Each chest has a gem embedded in the lid which matches the keys. Otherwise the large room is empty save for the NW corner which has a small stone pedestal. All of the stone in this room looks like smoothly hewn granite. Seems are very hard to see and the finish on the stones is almost glossy though the floors are a bit rougher and less smooth.
Zika's ears curl in apprehension as she approaches the bottom of the stairs, and she's happy when Glom-Glom takes the lead. The lights that come on do little to alleviate her worries, as she sees the size of the room, and the chests that match the keys each of them is holding.
She scans the ceiling, looking to see if the bird followed them , before returning her attention to the corner, and noticing the pedestal. "Big house." she says, softly, not wanting her voice to echo too loudly through the chamber. "Someone big plan. Much time." Curling her ears further inward, she looks to the others, especially Narissth. "Zika still think gods. But why gods bring rat? Gods favour goblins."
Because the rat is smarter than you. Shattertooth replies as he steps down onto the floor. He slowly walks over to "his" chest and carefully examines it for traps.
The bird appears does not appear to have followed the group down.
Shattertooth approaches the southern alcove, seeing the chest there bears his stone. Checking the stone chest over thoroughly the hobgoblin is convinced that the container is safe and pushes his key into the "lock" (though the lock appears to be simply a key shaped hole in the stone.)
There is a slight flicker of air and the lid to the chest disappears. Within the chest is a stick of charcoal, a roll of parchment (blank) tied with a small leather cord, a waterskin and a dagger (without sheath) that appears to be dull and pitted with rust.
Unsure what to make of this, Narissth looks about. He is about to make a comment, but decides that restraint is wise since he is clearly outnumbered. When Shattertooth speaks in his defense, he glances over at the taller hobgoblin realizing that clearly despite having some common ancestry, the hobgoblin and the goblins are not aligned.
It is strange. I have seen large chambers under the city, but never one this large, or polished.
He then takes and heads over toward the fire emblemed chest where he places his key to see what happens.
Narissth pushes his key into the chest that sits to the west and is greeted by an identical pile of objects as the hobgoblin.
Glom-Glom stares intently at his water emblemed chest as its contents are revealed when his key is engaged.
The feral goblin sniffs, then licks the charcoal before grabbing his knife with a grin;
"Rusty blade better than no blade... Water makes rust..."
Glom-Glom bows his head in reverence;
"Gifts! Gifts from Lady Lastbreath! Yes-yes!"
Glaring at the larger Hobgoblin but being too nervous to say anything in response, Zika waits as the others in turn use their keys on the chests. Narrowing her eyes, she follows suit.
She first picks up the charcoal and parchment, unsure of what to do with them. "Goblins not write." She says, with confusion. Looking to Glom-Glom for confirmation, she holds them up. "Why gods give tools make writing?"
Narissth looks at the charcoal and the paper wondering. He takes the dagger and slips in through his belt while contemplating what this means.
After examining the items, he carefully unties the leather cord and unwraps the parchment. He also carefully examines the chest wondering whether there are any hidden chambers in it where something else might be hidden.
Mysteries upon mysteries. mutters Shattertooth as he stores the items in his pockets.
He goes to examine the strange altar next.
Glom-Glom eyes the parchment being waved at him with a hint of fearful confusion... before eyes narrow and an evil grin spreads;
"Sacrifice! We destroy the writings yes-yes! Eat, rip ,tear, bury!"
Zika starts to comply but then thinks for a moment before shaking her head. "Wait... Gods see all. May has purpose later." She tucks the materials into her bag, and walks closer to where Shattertooth is investigating the altar, though still keeping a reasonable distance. "What is?" She calls out. "Dangerous? Magicks?"
The altar is mostly just a raised stone pedestal, featuring little in the way or ornamentation. There is however two slightly half moon like indentations in the flat plane of the stone pedestal top. Barely a few grains of sand in distance separate the two indentations.
Wis:
Shattertooth shrugs. Looks harmless enough. Kinda pointless though.
Allrighty then...moving on?
"Zika hope more here. Rusted dagger not same sword Zika used to. No spells, too." She folds her ears back. "We go?"