Shifter/Fathomless Depths

• ST'd by Neverwinter

Theme: Shifter, Mokole, Underground Spelunking

Summary

Returning Soon for Part 2

Previously, an assembled team of Gaians went spelunking beneath the Forest Caern. At one time a rift crevice hole opened up down in the cavern system of the Weirwood. A strange obelisk appeared at the entrance that was long buried, and upon it were unique glyphs that the Mokole may have had an affinity to translate. The depths go down far and deep. One team already found a mural map and relics in the dust. What else is down there to be discovered?

Plot Details So Far

• The Shrine. (See Below)
• The Map. (See Below)
• The Bridge (See Below)

IC Rumors

• Rumor: Fathomless Depths Desc: The entrance to the Fathomless Depths is a jagged, almost hidden fissure in the earth, concealed by roots and undergrowth. A chill emanates from it, even on the warmest day. Descend into this yawning maw and you'll find yourself in a world of perpetual twilight. The tunnels are a labyrinth of man-made and natural passageways. Chiseled stone gives way to raw, earth-formed caverns, their ceilings adorned with strange, otherworldly formations. The air is thick with the scent of damp earth and something older, more primal.

As one delves deeper, the tunnels become narrower, the air thinner. The sound of distant dripping water echoes through the emptiness, punctuated by the occasional skittering of unseen creatures. Here and there, the passage is blocked abruptly by massive boulders, as if placed intentionally to deter intruders. Other sections have collapsed entirely, leaving only treacherous gaps where the earth has given way.

In some places, the walls are etched with strange symbols, their meaning lost to time. Others bear the marks of ancient tools, suggesting a civilization far more advanced than any known to history. There's a sense of haste in the construction, as if the builders were fleeing some unseen terror. The deeper one ventures, the more the tunnels seem to twist and turn without reason. It's as if the very structure is trying to disorient and confuse. And then there are the whispers. Soft, almost inaudible at first, they grow louder and more insistent as one descends, carrying with them a sense of dread and foreboding.

It is in these depths that the true horrors of the Fathomless Depths may lie.

• Rumor: First Spelunking Theme Set, The Left Path was chosen as there are many paths!

• Rumor: Last Spelunking Poses: The Sept of the Holly King's exploration team gathers beneath the ancient glade, preparing to delve once more into the enigmatic Fathomless Depths. Their last journey brought them to a colossal plaza where the cyclopean architecture looms in defiance of time; massive stone blocks fitted with an alien precision, each etched with glyphs and murals hinting at an age dominated by regal and terrifying Dinosaur Kings. Their saurian forms, carved into the walls in dynamic scenes of conquest and reverence, suggest a realm where they were both worshipped and feared. At the center of the plaza, a monolith in the shape of an obelisk that waylaid the unwary party of explorers last time but was identified as some kind of Wonder crafted by the Saurian people who once lived in the ruins of this great city, long since buried by natural geological shifts and unknowing civilizations building atop what now lay beneath the surface.

Before the team lies a choice of paths, each distinct in character yet shrouded in mystery. To the left, an arched corridor framed by carvings of taloned claws and coiled tails stretches into darkness, its faint echoes suggesting vast, open space beyond. Straight ahead, a wide stone causeway flanked by looming pillars leads into a vaulted hall where faint, flickering light dances like a mirage. On the outskirts of the ruins and to the right, a narrow, winding passage descends sharply, the air cool and damp with the promise of subterranean secrets far beyond this singular location. Each route promises discovery, and danger, in equal measure.

• Rumor: Further in - The corridor opens into a vast cavern, the air thick with the mineral scent of ancient stone and the faint tang of damp earth. A sprawling forest of stalagmites stretches out before the group, their jagged forms rising like petrified trees, some slick with condensation, others coated in a dusty, crumbling layer of calcite. Faint streaks of bioluminescent lichen cling to a few surfaces, casting a dim, ghostly glow that does little to penetrate the cavern's oppressive darkness.

The terrain is treacherous, the uneven ground peppered with narrow crevices and puddles of stagnant water. Tiny rivulets run between the formations, their soft trickle barely audible over the cavern's oppressive stillness. Here and there, clusters of stalactites hang from the ceiling like fangs, some broken and scattered across the floor, creating natural obstacles and narrow pathways.

The silence is heavy, broken only by the occasional drip of water echoing in the distance. The sound seems to come from everywhere and nowhere, masking subtler noises beneath its persistent rhythm. Every so often, a faint breeze whispers through the cavern, stirring the air and carrying with it a chill that bites at exposed skin.

Rumor: There's creatures within.

Then, near a cluster of particularly large stalagmites, the light from their torches or glowstones catches something faintly reflective. At first, it seems like the glint of moisture on stone, but as they focus, the shapes come into view: small, segmented creatures clinging to the stalagmites and the cavern floor.

The creatures are the size of a small dog, their bodies resembling a blend of crustacean and reptile. Their segmented shells gleam faintly in the dim light, mottled with colors that blend seamlessly with the cavern's textures. Long, many-jointed legs end in needle-like claws that clack softly as they scuttle along the rocks. Their heads are wedge-shaped, with wide, unblinking eyes and gaping mouths filled with rows of fine, needle-like teeth. A closer look reveals that they are not alone. The creatures cluster in small groups, their movements unnervingly synchronized. When one shifts or clicks its claws, others nearby mirror the motion. They don't seem to have noticed the group yet, intent on scraping the mineral-rich stalagmites with their claws and feeding with their unsettling mouths.

However, the deeper the group looks into the forest, the more of them they see. Dozens of the creatures cling to the formations or lurk in the shallow pools. Alone, they don't seem particularly threatening; small, skittish, and entirely focused on their scraping lichen and feeding. But in such numbers, they could become a deadly swarm if provoked. A faint gust of air brushes past the explorers, causing the creatures closest to them to twitch in unison, their clicking temporarily silenced as their heads turn as one toward the group. A single beat of stillness passes, their eyes catching the faint light, before they return to their foraging. For now.

The creatures in the periphery remain distant, but their presence is felt; a constant, unspoken threat that lingers on the edge of vision. As the explorers push further, a sudden, sharp clatter echoes through the cavern, freezing everyone in their tracks. It's louder and closer than anything they've heard before, the sound of stone striking stone, followed by a low, guttural clicking. The noise reverberates in the stillness, bouncing off the towering stalagmites and making it impossible to determine its exact source.

From the darkness ahead, a silhouette shifts. A towering figure, hunched and impossibly still, stands amidst the jagged formations. It is indistinct in the gloom, its edges blurred by the faint light, but its sheer size and unnatural stillness are enough to tighten every throat and draw hands instinctively toward weapons. The clicking grows louder, joined by the faint rasp of claws dragging against stone. The figure doesn't move, but something about its presence feels wrong, like it's watching them with unseen eyes, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

It led to a broken stone bridge that Archimedes had to craft a way across for everyone.

• Rumor: Beyond the bridge, the terrain shifts, and the passage opens up into a spacious cavern. The air grows cooler, a sharp contrast to the humidity of the previous cavern. The walls are adorned with ancient carvings, many of them chipped and faded, but the unmistakable signs of a once-great civilization are still visible. Amidst the shadows of the cavern, something glints in the pale light - a small shrine stands in an alcove, lavishly appointed.

The shrine is an ornate, intricate structure, built from dark stone, its corners decorated with delicate carvings of figures holding strange, unfamiliar objects. Precious metals - gold, silver, and platinum - are woven into the design, along with gemstones that catch the light, sparkling like tiny stars embedded in the stone. The entire area feels almost sacred, the air thick with a sense of reverence that lingers despite the ruin around it.

At the heart of the shrine, an altar sits, laden with offerings - objects of intricate craftsmanship, some shattered, some simply abandoned over time. Among these offerings, there are shimmering jewels, polished weapons, and items of mysterious origin. It's clear that this place was once the focus of veneration, but now, only the faintest whispers of its past glory remain.

On the back wall, a large mural stretches across the surface, painted with what looks like faded pigments from another age. It depicts scenes of ancient figures - perhaps rulers, gods, or even warriors - who are surrounded by strange, otherworldly symbols. The hieroglyphs are worn and weathered, their meaning elusive, but the map-like design hints at the mural being something more. It seems to chart a landscape, full of winding paths and distant landmarks, a guide to places unknown, long since forgotten by all but the stone itself.

The shrine stands as a silent testament to a forgotten age, and its very presence hums with a sense of mystery, calling to those clever enough to decode its secrets.

Those Currently Involved

• Lucien
• Archimedes
• Rue
• Meridian
• Chance
• Ryoko
• Maddy
• Todrick

Past Scenes / RP Logs

• See Above for Notes.

How to Get Involved!

• Open a ticket!
• Get roped in by other players already involved.

How to Utilize this Plot Page

• I know things I want everyone to know. How do I get that out there?: Add an entry below, under IC Rumors. Feel free to specify a context under which you did or would tell people. Do you just tell every PC or NPC who asks, so the rumor is getting around? You don't have to post anything you don't want to, and are free to require people to seek you out for RP to get information, but if you're tired of explaining the same things over and over, put it up here.
• I was just in a plot scene! Now what?' If you have a follow-up, submit a ticket! Even if you don't, it would be great if you could add to the Plot Details and Summary sections above to help keep everyone on the same page with what's being shared IC.
• How do I connect with others related to this plot: Please review if the plot is open, and how to get involved. If you are already involved, please reference the list of other characters involved in the plot.
• Don't assume everyone knows what you know, even if it was in a public scene. If you have plot detail that isn't listed below, add it.
  • This is the documentation of your IC information sharing. Take ownership of it. Include important information that took place in scenes, even if there is a log. Not everyone reads logs!
• Do I have to share what I know? Of course not. You're free to operate at any level of shady and secretive that you like, but generally the most people have fun when information-sharing is collaborative, and plot resolution tends to progress a little more quickly. The choice, of course, is yours.