The crab's pincer opens. It releases the kuo-toa's webbed hand and turns toward the fish you hold. Its legs click against the wet stone as it walks closer. It snatches the fish from your fingers with surprising gentleness. The crab is not friendly, exactly. But it is calm. That is good enough. You keep your face still as a statue. Inside, Leo Peterson winces at the sight of the acolyte's bleeding hand. The webbing between his fingers is torn. Blood mixes with the water dripping from his scales. But SHOOGBIMBHALD does not wince. SHOOGBIMBHALD does not feel concern for such small wounds. Gods do not flinch at the sight of blood. Your mask holds perfectly. The congregation explodes into motion. [b]"THE ENCHANTER!"[/b] one kuo-toa shrieks. His voice cracks with emotion. [b]"BENEVOLENT! BENEVOLENT!"[/b] another cries. [b]"HE SPEAKS TO BEASTS!"[/b] [b]"THE CRAB OBEYS!"[/b] [b]"SHOOGBIMBHALD! SHOOGBIMBHALD!"[/b] They begin to move in circles around your throne. Their webbed feet slap against the stone in a rhythm that might be dancing or might be chaos. You cannot tell. Their voices layer over each other. They chant words that are not quite words. Sounds that bubble up from their throats like water from a spring. [b]"Glooble shaa!"[/b] [b]"Bimthala gloop!"[/b] [b]"Shoogbim shoogbim HALD!"[/b] Round and round they go. Faster. The water streaming from their bodies creates a ring of moisture on the floor. One of them trips. Another catches him. They keep moving. The chanting grows louder. Wilder. Your flumph, Nyphl, dims its light further. You feel a pulse of concern through your connection. Then, as suddenly as it began, it stops. The kuo-toa freeze in place. They stand perfectly still, their chests heaving. Water drips from their bodies. The sound of it echoes through the sudden silence. [i]Drip. Drip. Drip.[/i] Blibdoolpoolp steps forward. He raises one webbed hand. The other kuo-toa begin to file out. They move in silence now. Their bulging eyes stay fixed on you until the very last moment. Then they turn. They shuffle toward the cathedral's far passages. The sound of their footsteps fades slowly. Soon, only Blibdoolpoolp remains. The high priest approaches your throne. He moves with an odd sort of reverence. Each step is careful. Deliberate. When he is close enough that you can smell the brine and rot that clings to his scales, he stops. He bows his head. [b]"Great SHOOGBIMBHALD,"[/b] he croaks. His voice is quieter now. More serious. [b]"Your faithful servants have news. Good news. The Mother of Pearl smiles upon us through You."[/b] He pauses. His gill slits flutter rapidly. [b]"We have been excavating. Exploring the cave systems that branch from Your sacred cathedral. Going deeper. Always deeper, as You have taught us. To find the treasures of the drowned places."[/b] Another pause. His bulging eyes gleam with excitement. [b]"And we have found them, Great One. Stones. Brilliant stones. Each one as large as my head."[/b] He gestures to his own skull. [b]"They glow with inner light. They pulse with power. The chamber where they rest... it feels sacred. Holy. We knew immediately that this was Your doing."[/b] Blibdoolpoolp prostrates himself again. His forehead touches the wet stone. [b]"You led us there. You, in Your infinite wisdom. You wanted us to find these treasures. And now we offer them to You. We ask... we humbly beg... that You come see what Your servants have discovered in Your name. That You bless this sacred place with Your presence."[/b] He remains on the ground. Waiting. The crab in your hands finishes eating the fish. It waves its claws slowly. Almost contentedly. From somewhere in the flooded depths below, you hear the distant sound of water moving. A current shifting. Something large displacing liquid in the darkness. Nyphl drifts closer to your shoulder. --- What does SHOOGBIMBHALD say or do?