All is perfectly quiet, so far as Dis can tell. It seems unlikely any intelligent creatures have entered this building in a long time.
The first southern door basically disintegrates at the elf's touch. The room beyond has a massive ash heap in the center. Black soot stains the ceiling. Here and there are scattered bits of burned leather and singed paper.
Another battered down door barely hangs to the south.
"This is... odd," says Sienna. "Why this massive ash pile? What was covered up here?"
Total silence greets the elf again.
The circular room beyond is filled with glistening shards of mirror-like glass embedded in the walls, coating the floors, and hanging from the ceiling. Walking through this room would be risking being sliced or punctured a hundred times. Luckily, it is a dead end.
"Okay, two doors left."Ekee says as she eyes the north and south doors."Hell knowing our luck we'll end up at the Gith cave."
Sienna nods, keeping her impaler at hand, waiting for Jaryx to throw the doors open.
Seeing that the other are ready, Jaryx opens up the door closest to him and readies his weapon.
Jaryx pushes the busted door open. A short hallway leads to a long, narrow chamber. Broken picture frames, essentially petrified, hang on walls. Tattered remnants of canvas attest to looting and destruction, as does faded graffiti on the walls.
An open door way along one wall has a floor covered with ceramic shards and broken shelves.
Sienna moves carefully into the room after Dismoon and stands guard while the thief checks for anything useful in the piles of rubble.
Dismoon picks carefully through rubble looking for anything of value, however whoever came before in the distant past seems to have stripped just about everything of value.
"Just the last spot to check," says Sienna. She stays in step with Dismoon while heading to the final location.
"Okay Dis, you're up. We got your back. Nocking an arrow she glances quickly over her shoulder to check on the others.
Ko prepares for the inevitable confrontation that is coming. This had been too easy up till now.
Hearing and seeing nothing suspicious, Dismoon opens the door. The smashed remains of statuary litter the floor. Dust and rock in black, gray and white coats every surface. A door sits closed on one end of the circular room. Another is visible behind a wall of rubble.
Dis pushes the last easily accessed door open. Like the previous room, ceramics and plaster litter the floor. If anything of value remains here, it is going to be behind that last door amid the rubble.
Glancing up at the Half-Giant and the Thri-Kreen. "Let's get to it" She then begins to remove rubble.
Jaryx nods and begins to remove the rubble.
The group moves a few large rocks away from the door, which swings open on it's broken frame. Inside is a small chamber with a single pedestal. Resting on top of that is a large orange gem the size of a closed human fist.
Everyone's heads swivel as one toward the entrance as a series of stone-on-stone impacts ring out in staccato from outside. A rumbling rocks dust from the ceiling and covers the explorers. Voices echo through the ruined building.
"Khervee ted zugtval tedniig tsokhino uu!"
"Grab the gem and get out!" shouts Sienna.
Knowing that the elves are faster, she starts heading for the exit as quickly as she can, hoping that Dis or Ekee or someone quick will grab the gemstone.
The building shakes and rumbles as Sienna flees for the safety of open desert where she sees four gith ready to attack.
Meanwhile Dismoon checks the pedestal for dangers before snatching the orange gem.
As the chamber begins to crumble, Jaryx's sense of self-preservation takes over as he hastily makes his way toward the exit.
Casting a glance at Dismoon. "Grab it Dis! I'm going end the Gith." Ekee heads rapidly toward the door. I'm counting to 10 if you're not out I'll be back.She says over her shoulder. She begins to tumble just before exiting.
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Ko makes out as fast as her legs could carry her. As she cleared the ruined structure and saw the Gith she screamed but one word at them.
The gith look around confused with wide eyes. The last time these intruders came barging out of a ruin they were followed by an undead monster. The four immediately turn to run.
Dismoon easily snatches up the gem without any additional issues popping up. Large chunks of rock and masonry begin crumbling from the ceiling.
Ekee rolls to her feet with the longbow ready. She draws down on one of the fleeing Gith.
Eight, nine. She counts mentally, lowering the bow she turns to look at the collapsing temple entrance. Ten... Taking a deep breath she steps toward the doorway. When a thin long-legged form emerges. She smiles broadly at the Elf then says. "Let them go. This is their home after all. So do we think this gem is Farcluum's 'Eye' or the 'Orb'?
Sienna frowns and says, "Not sure, and I'm not too happy about being roped into playing with someone else's balls, let's just see if we can find the counterpart and figure out how to do whatever it is that needs doing so we can hopefully get out of this!"
The gith flee without looking back, heading in the direction of their plateau. The gem in Dismoon's hands vibrates softly and seems to glow as though a tiny fire burned inside the amber colored crystal. It does seem to resemble the magical projection seen at the outer building.
A load groan precedes the final collapse of the building not long after it has been evacuated. As with the previously unstable building from the day before a whoosh of sand and dust ejects from the door and holes in the structure.
For a moment everyone spots a curious creature watching from the district wall behind the collapsed building. It is short with a large, round head and wears what looks to be a bright blue tabard. A dust plume wafts across the horizon, blocking it from view. When it passes the creature is gone.
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Sienna regards the gem impassively and says, "I guess it was a load-bearing orb."
"C'mon. Looks like we'll have to do some digging. Were there any markings in that first building showing where things might have been around here? If we can narrow down the likely places we might actually find something. Otherwise we'll be digging until we die of thirst."