A New World

Ch'aska does in fact see, checking out the alcoves under the months and days, a smallish stone box with a keyhole under the current month (looks like its inlaid into the alcove- difficult or impossible to remove). All the other alcoves are empty, although the only easily accessable ones are the current day and month, as well as the past two and next two- after that the calendar continues into the walls, hiding their contents (if any) until the passage time causes the calendar to move.

"Wait,I think I found something. A locked box." Carefully, Ch'aska reached out and tried to open the box, on the (very) slim chance that it was unlocked. Hopefully, doing so wouldn't set off some horrible trap, but she braced her self just in case.

As you suspect, the box does not open, or move. Nor does your attempt to open seem to trigger anything either.

Ch'aska withdrew her hoof. "Yes, definitely locked. Anyone see a key?"

Ch'aska nodded. If the thing in the box was what they were looking for, then this did seem suspiciously easy. Where were the fire traps and lava pits? She moved away from the box for now. "Good point. All the more reason to search the room." Ch'aska started scanning the room. While doing so she also prepared her magic. that box was currently their only lead, and either way she was going to open it, through fore if necessary.

ooc:

"Here, Rufus, why don't you search about the calendar and altar for clues to the box, and I'll see if these walls hold secrets, eh?" The mole nods his affirmation, and scurries off near the centerpieces of the room, while Piasa walks around the room, studying the walls and floor for some sign of intrigue, some clue that there is more than meets the eye here.

OOC and sorry:

Ch'aska shrugged, turning back to the calender. There didn't seem to be much on the walls except a lot of gruesome paintings, so might as well check the mechanisms themselves. "I can try, but I don't know much about machines and things like that. If either of you are familiar with that sort of thing, you might want to check as well."

ooc:

Ch'aska stepped away from the machines. It didn't seem like she was getting anywhere trying to figure out if there was anything to trigger. But if it wasn't in the calender, or on the walls, then there was only one other place to look. She suppressed a shudder and approached the altar. She tried to focus all of her attention on the altar, especially trying to avoid looking at the walls.

ooc:

You continue to be amazed at how clean the Altar and the area around it is- considering the acts depicted on the walls.

This becomes even more pronounced as you get a close look at it- it's spotless really, flawless even, polished to a reflective sheen. You're glad it's not midday, otherwise the overhead sun would likely make it blinding to look at.

And so is a rectangular section of the floor, off to the side of the altar- the same shape and size as the altar's base. It's smoother, and slightly lower than the rest of the floor- as though worn away somehow through repeated use.

Spoiler:

"Okay, I might have found our entrance. Let's see if we can move this altar." Ch'aska positioned herself so that she would be pusing the altar onto the smooth patch on the floor, then started pushing.

ooc:

Together you make rapid progress sliding the altar along the barely visible grooves in the floor. You can see the beginnings of a staircase in the opening beneath the altar- you've already managed to move it about a third of the way open

However, it is strangely warm to the touch. Hot even. And getting hotter. Is it shinier than it was? Perhaps glowing rather than merely reflecting light? Arcantos, pressing his shoulder against it in particular feels he'll end up with a nasty burn on his shoulder if he keeps pushing it with his full weight. (Each of you make an endurance check, stop pushing the altar, or whatever else you can think of to avoid being burned/minimize the damage.)

Ch'aska stopped pushing for a moment, feeling the unnatural heat coming from the altar, instead focusing her energies on breaking any sort of enchantment long enough for them to push it aside without burning to a crisp.

ooc:

(Whew, that's quite a roll! Wasn't automatically a success, but I rolled poorly for the spell's strength)

Almost immediately the altar stops glowing and burning- though it still warm to the touch. As you push the altar the rest of the way, you reveal the descending staircase completely. Warm air rushes out from the exposed tunnel. As sunlight reaches down into the opening, a couple of crystals set into the wall halfway down begin to glow. As that light spreads down as far as you can see before the stair takes a turn, you can make out another set of crystals beginning to emit light as well.

Ch'aska and Arcantos are unharmed- although the altar seems to have managed to burn away a tiny bit of fur and loose scales. Not that there's any evidence of burned objects on the altar, which is as spotless as ever.

Ch'aska didn't quite like the way Arcantos looked at her after she disabled the spell. Was he getting suspicious? "Go ahead.

You all descend the staircase, which is lit by the crystals.  After only a couple flights, you find yourself in a large chamber- also lit by the crystals, though not as brightly as the stairs.  

What you can see at first glance:

You can see the rest of the calendar mechanism here, all of the days and months of the solar year that you couldn't see above (minus a few that are stuck between this ceiling and the floor above).    

On the other side of the room, towards the center of the city, parts of the mechanism continue downwards along a continuing set of stairs.  

There are two very heavy looking stone "X" 's  that look to be winches, one attached to each part of the calendar.  One arm of each "X" sinks into a groove in the floor- the two grooves extend the length of the room, and end in a little inset in the wall, each with an adjacent small lever.

Spoiler:

Ch'ask aglances over the very complicated looking machinery. "Should we keep going, or do either of you want to take a look at this?

Ch'aska nodded, and moved to follow