The Ivy Pillar ended up being a massive complex once you started exploring its passages. There were several chambers up and down the pillar. Most of the rooms were empty, but the Gnomes had been doing a lot of work, there always seemed to be more of them around whenever Kurt thought about it. They were diligent and mostly kept to themselves, and spoke an unfamiliar language, it seemed only a select few even knew some of the human tongue. But they seemed alright, at least they were hard working, he hadn't caught a single gnome slacking off ever, other than the 'guards' at the top of the pillar. Apparently gnomes were not the best at just keeping watch, they seemed to always want to be doing something, and looking at an empty land was the opposite of that.
The Pillar actually had a few windows beyond the two large slots overlooking the canyon, the bottom one with water flowing from it. Windows being, smaller holes that let light in. It wasn't well lit, as there were a few torches, all with a white flame, it was explained the white flames don't produce smoke and are only warm to the touch. They seemed to last quite a while, a strange stone seemed to be the actual source of the light and fire.
The main room with the large view, had become somewhat a throne room. There was a raised platform and couch, with the right side's arm more raised than the left, like you were supposed to lay down on it, not sit, instead of a throne, and a few seats to either side. It was fairly basic, but if anyone did come it would make an impression, as you would have to walk up most of the pillar, the view from the panoramic view. There was also a small spring flowing near the center of the room, it was mostly a simple bowl, nothing ornate, with a spout in the center. The pool in which Kurt woke up in, was still in a hidden room, more hidden actually.
Every time Kurt tried to understand the scenery on the walls he just couldn't make much sense of it. There were great rivers, and battles between…what they were between was a question too. The story did seem to have a victor, and it did seem that the canyon had used to be a river, if that was what was being depicted.
Underneath the two slots facing the canyon, were several hallways, with various rooms to the side. They could be used for most things, one floor seemed to be set up as a workshop on one half and a training ground on the other. It could probably house 100 people fairly decently, if everyone shared rooms.
At the end of every floor there was a room that was always more ornate and always seemed to hold some religious meaning he couldn't understand. The most important difference to Kurt was there were some runes, or writing of some kind in these rooms. So maybe one day the mystery could be solved. Kurt started wondering why he needed a new place on Earth, couldn't he just stay here. He was the guardian right? Wouldn't that make sense? Kurt hadn't really volunteered for the job, but it didn't seem like something too troubling at least so far.
There was a disturbance coming from the main entrance. And Layla came into the room.
"So we have a couple of visitors."
"What kind of visitors?"
"They appear to be….i think goblins would be the best term in your language. They are short and green."
"Vicious?"
"Some stories about that, and their magiks."
"So you think it's going to be trouble."
"Not sure, it's sort of the first guests we've ever had, it might be a big moment for us."
"So how do you want to handle it."
"We'll take an audience with them in the throne room, I would like your company. As my guardian it would be fitting, I think."
"You think."
"Well, remember when I said I was ambitious."
"Yeah."
"It is not very normal for a Faye to rule over a territory."
"Well, I don't think anything has been normal for me since I met you." Layla laughed. "So what, go up there and look tough, let you do the talking."
"If you would, I think the show would be nice."
"Do you think they are going to threaten you?"
"I hope not, I don't think that would end very well. I hope they just want to pass through, and this is just a formality. It is very unlikely there aren't a bunch of them somewhere. They came from behind us, so you haven't even been going in that direction."
They went into the throne room, Layla took a leisurely place on the couch, as if she always was there. Kurt had decided to stand a bit down on the platform in the classic guard position, instead of taking one of the seats. And a few minutes later a gnome had led in the three goblins. The one in the center came first, and was noticeably shorter and held a large staff that towered over him and the others, on the top it had a few bags tied to it. He was the only one dressed in robes, and wore a mask covering his mouth. The other two, looked like they were guards as well, but they did not have swords in their sheaths, nor spears. They were most likely disarmed before coming in. They walked past the fountain in the middle and came before the platform where Kurt and Layla were, and kneeled.
The short goblin said something Kurt could understand, Layla spoke back, and after a bit she blew him a kiss. But the kiss was visible, the goblin chanted some words, dust fell from his bags onto it and the floating kiss exploded silently. Suddenly, Kurt could understand what was being said.
"Is that better guardian? I apologize for speaking in a manner you couldn't understand," the shaman spoke.
"Yes," said Kurt firmly, trying to play his part. What was that? And how could he just understand now?
"You may continue," said Layla Laying leisurely on her couch throne..
"Yes, your majesty. As I was saying, we are asking for asylum."
"You wish for me to take you in?"
"Yes, I assure you our members will be of great help to you. Our magic, and our soldiers would help defend the pillar. The gnomes and goblins have always been friends as well, mostly, they tend to follow others, some not so much our friends, but the gnomes themselves we would call friends." He paused, "We only ask for you to allow us to make our home nearby."
"I must say this sounds too good to be true, the stories I've heard of goblin hordes would take this offer as a miracle. Is there a reason that I'm speaking to a shaman and not a warlord?"
"Yes, many of my kind are in hordes that wouldn't think twice about attacking you, several of them you wouldn't stand much of a chance against. We however are not in a horde, that is part of the problem."
"That's not possible, I don't know much about goblins but your kind can't survive without a horde, you live as a colony of organisms, the two next to are noticeably different breeds than yourself."
"Hmm, you are right my Lady, it is normally true that we can't survive without the rest of the horde however, there is sometimes an event."
"An event?"
"A caravan, generally its meaning is that there is a new born Brood Mother. And the caravan is supposed to protect her until a horde can be established."
"So you are in a horde, it's just in its infancy."
"You could call it that, an infant horde, we wouldn't. To declare yourself a horde can be dangerous, the rite of the caravan is sacred, the other horde will let us pass, once we declare ourselves that would change. We are not ready to do that. This means that the goblins in our caravan will not be raiding anything until the mother is safe, they can't, this is Our most important duty, without her we are lost, we could not survive. The caravan must arrive completely or not at all."
"Is that the only reason?"
"No."
"So what else?"
"The bones told me to come here, and that you would be here, and that we would bring protection, prosperity and glory. It was foretold, dith'erir' ri mera" The last bit didn't translate for Kurt. But Layla had a smile from ear to ear, like she was possessed.