Emerald Spire 07.0 - Alternative Religion

Climbing down the stairs from the Splinter's hideout, they were led into what appeared to be a foyer closed off with a strange, coppery door. A subterranean lacertian stood napping beside it but quickly sprung to attention when he heard the explorers approach, greeting them in broken Dionisian and inviting them inside to present an offering to the godbox. While they were obviously uncertain, expecting a trap or something similar, the troglodyte urged and cajoled them, seeming legitimate in its earnest desires to let them in and make offerings. When asked, he assured them that the godbox accepted only metal, not flesh or blood, and with that, the four shrugged and allowed themselves to be led inside, insisting that instead, they be taken to the large glowing crystal. Slaagh, as the doorman introduced himself, was baffled as to why they would want to see a patch of wall over the great godbox, but he agreed to take them there as well. 
Slaagh cheerily led them through the strange copper door and down some hallways, pointing them towards the spire. It indeed jutted out the side of the wall, but, when they approached to investigate, they saw no sign of a symbol like on the other floors. Stymied, they wondered whether there was another side to it and Slaagh admitted that yes, the crystal grew through the opposite side of the wall, in the southern nests. He continued to insist that the godbox was much more interesting than some silly green rock, and the group sighed and agreed to be led to it. Slaagh was thrilled and led them away once more. 
As they walked, the troglodyte made some off-handed comments about their lives here: the godbox provided food and water, and they revered the godbox in turn. It seemed as though there was a bit of religious tension: the south clan, whom he was a part of, believed that the box was a gift from Kraugh, the great old god, while the north clan had it in their heads that some "Sabreal" was their benefactor. He held the north clan in obvious scorn, but some questioning made it seem as though it was less outright animosity, and rather more like a dispute within a family: the two groups lived basically side-by-side, without borders or sanctions, and just took turns worshipping the box in their own manner while scowling at the ones who did so differently. 
When they were led inside a central chamber, sealed by another coppery door, they saw a large metallic object, humming a low, constant tone and flanked by statues of reverent troglodytes. A few other lacertians were there, but they respectfully withdrew when Slaagh led in the visitors. A huge assortment of metal weapons and items were stuck to the side of the object, and the four could feel the tug of their clothes and accessories as they pulled to the room's center. The godbox was a huge magnet. Brokenly, Slaagh explained that visitors should make offerings of metal, which the godbox would take. If it was acceptable, and by which he meant enough, then they would be granted passage to the back room, where stairs would lead on to distant tunnels. Kormon frowned: a rather beautiful-looking great sword was stuck to the magnet, obviously beyond his reach. Marin, meanwhile, noticed a strange series of slots around the base of the magnet. As he sized them up, he realized that the copper doors might well fit inside them. With that in mind, the group muttered as to their next step. 
Agreeing on a plan, they asked if Slaagh might lead them on a full tour of the floor, which he was honoured to do. Marin began to make notes, sketching out a rough map on the way, as he led them back towards the living area in the south. Leading them past locals, who looked at them with an obvious nervousness, he showed them where the south clan spent their days when not in prayer. Going around a bend, they saw indeed the far side of the spire, this time branded with an arcane symbol. Sketching it out quickly, Kormon had Ismail teleport them back to the second floor: they would collect up the longswords there in the audience chamber to use as the offering to the magnet, to see what it would do. Slaagh was a bit taken aback when the two left, but continued to take Marin and Amara on a tour. 
Leading them back around, they saw a room where a small portal seemed to draw in fresh, pure water into a cistern for drinking. Slaagh proudly showed off this gift of godbox and Amara scrutinized the portal, wondering where it was leading exactly. Moving on, they passed more coppery doors, behind one which was an apparently empty room. Slaagh explained that there was a floor panel here that sealed off the exit, which only opened when godbox was pleased or when someone came up from the other side and rang the bell. As the guide took them past the north clan living area, Marin questioned whether they had ever tried putting the copper doors into the slots at the base of the godbox. This took Slaagh firmly off-guard, having never conceived of such a thing, and he wondered about it as he led them into a final room dominated by a cistern filled with an odorous, pink, meat-like substance that the troglodyte swore was delicious, nutritious food. 
Kormon and Ismail teleported back without issue or delay, though they found themselves on yet a third exposed side of the spire in another area of the south clan dens. They yelled and waited and eventually Slaagh led the two groups to reunite. 
Marin insisted that the troglodytes should try to slide the doors into the slots, and so Slaagh gathered up the tribe and posited the idea to them all. They muttered and argued among themselves in the Reptilian language, and there was at least one highly vocal detractor from the north clan, who swore that this would anger the box and destroy their blessings. Overall though, the lacertians agreed to try: the group hefted one of the metal doors off of its hinges and dragged it to one of the slots. However, when it was inserted, the box's hum immediately changed pitch. The change terrified the troglodytes, and they scrabbled to remove the door and replace it in its frame, to the imperious cries of the north clan leader. Marin frowned, as he was reasonably certain that this would affect some sort of change, but it was quietly agreed that it wasn't the best time, especially if it risked angering the whole tribe. 
When things had calmed, Kormon made the offering to the box, by sequentially taking the swords he had collected and throwing them towards the magnet. Each one flew across the room and lodged itself onto the magnet's side, layering on top of the myriad of other items, and when he had thrown three, a distant scraping noise could be heard, followed by the ring of a bell. Slaagh informed them that their offering was pleasing, and that the way was open. Heading towards the stairs, they thanked Slaagh for his hospitality and bid him farewell. He accepted their goodbyes and invited them to return and pay tribute again, for the blessings of the godbox. Walking down the now-revealed staircase, which very quickly turned into a long, winding ramp, they made their way away from the trap door which they heard slide shut behind them, pitching them into darkness once more. 
Category:Emerald Spire