As soon as the crystals were removed, a vaguely humanoid cloud rose from a nearby mound and vanished, followed by a marked drop in temperature. Several witnesses reported hearing the sound of laughter and developing a sudden urge to collect rings.
Sonic the hedgehog I think... Referencing Chaos Emeralds.
Multiple things bouncing in my head. I missed the mark a little on the particular flavor of doom being courted -- TFA mentions the area is ritually associated with an entity called the "Great Water Snake".