"I don't underestimate sneaking, knife between wizard's vertebrae can be good fireball prevention. This I know. But yes, I like this system you speak of and happy to be sharing my arcane knowledge I am." He nods as others mentioning exploring "With Mia's new friend to guard our new treasures or the like, I too would not might mind going in... heh.. we can always retreat screaming and later tell others we were on a learning expedition." He strokes Plague, the rat glances from the wizard's neck eyes bright.
Descending into the ziggurat, you find that the interior walls of the upper level - already in disrepair - have been torn down by the merrow to create a single wide chamber. A pair of stout logs have been used to prop up the old ceiling.
The ancient bricks of the walls are a stark contrast to the relatively new furniture adorning the room. Though they have been treated roughly by the merrow, the find craftsmanship remains unmistakable. Tables, chairs, shelves, and other bits of Keleshite-make adorn the place, likely having been plundered from ships passing too close to the nearby shore.
A strange brass sculpture sits upon one of the tables, depicting a human being tormented by three sultry demonesses. Despite its rather perverse imagery, Francoix estimates that it could be worth more than a thousand gold.
The opening of a shaft sits in the middle of the floor. A rolled-up rope ladder sits beside the opening. The fetid smell of stagnant water rises from below.
The wizard grunts "I am missing something."
Mia turns a little red when she sees the painting before turning to look around the rest of the room,
Hey, look at this. She says, as she bends down and looks over the red box.
I don't know if it has much value, but there are some coins here.
Kalig nods in agreement with the idea of exploring further. "Let us leave nothing at our back, foe or food."
Kalig's eyes linger on the glint as Mia speaks up to the existence of the box of coins. "In that quantity, it is no doubt worth something. The box itself is nice too. Perhaps if it is not too big or too heavy, it can be carried by Caragus for now, if Dorick and his friend are willing."
She then kneels down by the rope ladder and examines it. Is the ladder built to hold ogres or could smaller folk climb it without issue?
The box is relatively small, about one cubic foot in dimensions. It contains several hundred coins, the majority of which are copper. They are largely of Keleshite minting, but there are a few that seem to originate from Vudra and even more exotic locations. The contents have apparently been carefully counted out, amounting to 400cp and 50sp.
Ironically, the container is worth much more, as Francoix appraises its value at about 200gp owing to the rare wood it is made from and the artful floral patterns carved into its lacquered sides.
The ladder is quite sturdy, made from thick vines and reed woven together tightly.
Clearly, it was crafted by the ogres for their own use to descend deeper into the ziggurat.
Mia looks to the rope tentatively.
We won't find anymore undead down there.... right? The last one we dealt with is enough to last me my lifetime...
Sir Dorick is skeptical that there might be undead within the ziggurat, reasoning that the merrow and goblins would likely have eliminated any restless dead when they occupied the site.
Well.. in that case I suppose its worth checking out...
"I believe phrase is..." He grins at the ladder "Ladies first?"
You unfurl the rope ladder and let it fall into the dank darkness below. You climb down through a moss-lined shaft until you reach the bottom, finding your shoes and boots squelching upon the waterlogged stones below. Your lights reveal a wide, low tunnel sloping down into the earth. There are places where the stones have fallen away, allowing roots to break through and grow along the walls.
The passage corkscrews into the earth, running for about sixty feet at a stretch before turning at a right angle to continue this pattern. Periodically, you pass an old doorway that once opened onto an adjoining cell or dorm, but these rooms have long since collapsed into a morass of wet soil and roots.
Eventually you reach what must be the bottom, or at least close to it. You estimate that you are 100 feet below the surface. You find yourselves at the head of one last hallway, one that sits largely submerged. You can see the doorway at the far end, another sixty feet ahead, but the water reaches up for most of the doorway's height. You gauge the water to be about five feet deep.
"That would be Mia, then."
Mia gives everyone an unamused look before clearly looking back towards the water.
Fine... but I'm not getting wet if I can help it.
Mia begins to crawl across the ceiling of the hallway, staying out of the water.
He wasnt about to let miss Mia just venture into the flooded tunnels by herself even if she was wisely avoiding getting in the muck by using magic.
"Im going to have to burn these clothes."
He muttered more to himself as he made his way into the muck.
Before Francoix can enter the water, a small vial is tossed to him, and a grinning mia gives a thankful expression.
"Hoboy." At the water he wrinkles his nose. "I don' suppose you have another one of those spider climbin potions?"
Kalig casts spider climb on herself and joins Mia.
It is a dizzying experience, crawling along the ceiling of the ancient hallway with the murky water seemingly above you. You shuffle past looped tree roots that threaten your inverted path like lazy snares.
Hazarding the occasional glance upward - or rather, downward - you see water snakes and leeches wriggling through the waters.
One by one, you carefully climb over the lintel of the open door frame at the far end of the hall. It takes careful, slow movement to avoid dipping the back of your clothing in the water.
Crossing this portal, you find yourselves in a flooded burial chamber. Massive stone sarcophagi line the walls, filled with fetid water that, ironically, hosts a lively ecosystem of gnats, frogs, and other tiny creatures. Wide-bowled braziers sit in the corners, their rusting forms visible just below the water line. At the far end of the grim, watery chamber sits another open doorway, this one leading to a set of stairs rising from the water.
Mia takes the moment to take another of her concoctions.
I think we have company.
Avoiding the water, he has a book to care for, the wizard comes in. Plague sniffs about the litle rat twitching
thank goodness for sharp eared druids
Senses overwhelmed by the movement of the party and the sloshing of the water, Kalig can't tune into what Mia is noticing.
"Details, Mia! What and where?" She looks around frantically.
Uh.. I don't know? Something with wings, and the stairs through the doorway. Mia stammers out.
The mystery is soon solved, though with a bewildering answer.
Down the stairs emerges...a dragon.
A very small dragon.
Only about the size of a mastiff hound, this sleek dragon is covered in dull metallic scales whose bluish-bronze sheen catches the light you bring with you into this murky place. Rather than horns or bony spikes, its head is only fringed by small frills just behind its jaw.
Bronze dragons typically live near coastlines, as befitting their affinity for water. Rather than flame or gas, they breathe gouts of electricity to fend off foes. Of course, this specimen probably cannot manage much electricity yet.
Most fortunately for your purposes, bronze dragons have been known to ally with travelers and adventurers if the cause and reward are both right and just.
...
The small dragon pauses at the foot of the stairs, tilting its head as it appraises you through the dim light of the Kaskkari catacombs. Finally, it slips into the water and begins lazily gliding along.
"Are you here to see Barthazar?" he asks. He tries to affect a bored tone, but it's evident that he is quietly fascinated by the unexpected visitors.
"Ah, a Bronze dragon, how delightful," The wizard says "I have heard much of your noble kind. I am Dargys. A wizard, these are my companions. We are hoping to learn about our neighbors among other things. Is Barthazar a dragon like you?"
His eyes widened in almost childlike delight, He had never thought he would ever see a real live dragon regardless of his size. And it was a metallic one at that.
He did his best to stay quiet, he didn't want to ruin Dargys' inroads with the dragon by speaking out of turn or with his ignorance.
Mia lets out a small gasp before remarking
He's a dragon!? Awwww, He's so cute though.
Kalig purses her lips at the sight of the dragon. Though she had little practical experience with them, she had heard many tales from human and orc alike not to annoy dragons, regardless of their size. She addresses the dragon.
"What our esteemed naturalist means to say is what may we call you, sir?"
A sound of intrigued curiosity bubbles from the dragon's snout as he floats along the dark water.
"Barthazar is indeed a dragon, but not quite like me. If you were an acquaintance or an agent of his, you could call me Barthalaxis. That is the name he gave me. Fortunately, since you seem to be newcomers, and you didn't even know he was a dragon, I'm going to take a risk and assume you are not friends of his.
"That being the case, you can call me Sargon. That is the name I gave myself, drawn from stories I've read of the Kaskkari hero-kings of old. I'm more fond of that name than the one my imposter father gave me, which is drawn only from his own hubris."
Mia gets a mildly curious expression.
Why exactly does it matter that we are or aren't friends of him Sargon?.. What type of dragon is Barthazar?
"It matters because I need to know whether I need to play the role of Barthazar's dutiful son."
Sargon climbs out of the water and perches upon one of the open, water-logged stone sarcophagi.
"Barthazar is an old blue dragon, and I am one of his experiments.
"I don't know whether he slew my true parents or merely stole me away as an egg, but he has attempted to raise me believing I was his child. Admittedly, I fell for his ruse for a time as a wyrmling, but as I read through the scrolls and tablets he keeps in his library upstairs, I grew wise enough to see through the charade.
"Of course, I can't let him know that I've discerned the truth because he would just kill me and likely abduct another egg to begin his experiment anew."
Any fear of a nearby old dragon is soon allayed as Sargon clarifies that this is merely one of Barthazar's secondary lairs, and he is currently not present.
"He thinks himself quite clever. He assumes his foes would never suspect a blue dragon of keeping a lair in a dank swamp along the coast. The old ziggurat is essentially a backdoor into the lair, guarded by the half-wit merrow he recruited as guards. I've taken to bribing them with small bits from Barthazar's collection so I can briefly explore the outside world."
"A blue dragon." the wizard says with "Well, suddenly this area seems less warm and welcome"
"That explains 'the Azure'." Kalig frowns as a variety of thoughts fly through her head. "Even if this is a secondary lair, it would only be so long before he discovers our base of operations. There isn't much else around here to loot. Still I wonder if we could convince Barthazar that Citizen Borjan and his army have prizes worthy of collection first. Then we could take out whoever survives the conflagration while they are weakened."
Sargon, you said... how often does your uh.. adoptive.. father visit this place? And just how old is he? Are there any wards on his lair that would alert him to us? Mia asks tentatively.
"After he was satisfied with his initial years of 'parenting,' Barthazar has taken to visiting every three years to check on me. He is due back in about one year," Sargon reports. He pauses to think before correcting, "One year, three weeks, and four days.
"I don't know of any wards he keeps in the lair that can reach him, wherever he goes. It certainly hasn't alerted him to my tampering with his collection or venturing out.
"He has left behind a magic shell that allows me to contact him in an emergency, but I've not had need to use it in many years. I've used it to test how long it takes for him to return when summoned. The results have varied from four to eight days. I don't know whether the variation is due to his sense of urgency or the fact that he travels from different places each time.
"As for his age...I've asked, but he never gives a straight answer. Based upon what I've read in the library, my best estimate is that he's about 500 years old."
Mia thinks for a bit before responding.
Can we see the lair and library? and.. if he is gone for so long, why have you not left? Can he find you if you were to leave?
She also approaches the dragonling before speaking again, some of her timid nature resurfacing.
Also... m-may I.. um.. touch your scales? I've never had the chance to touch a dragon before.
"Certainly! Right this way," Sargon says, diving back into the water and quickly swimming back to the stairs. He pauses long enough for Mia to climb along the ceiling, alight upon the stairs beside him, and touch his scales.
"When I was old enough to realize Barthazar was not really my father, I was also old enough to realize how dangerous he was," the tiny dragon explains while guiding you up the stairs, towards drier ground. "I decided not to test my luck and try outright escaping - at least not yet. I wanted to read through the books, scrolls, and tablets in the library to learn more about the outside world, so I would be better prepared if the time came to escape. As Barthazar would bring more texts to add to the collection, I found new reasons to stay and bide my time.
"Perhaps that's merely another trick on his part to keep me complacent," Sargon concedes.
"Books?" Interest lights up, "The lore he must have. Pardon, Sargonn. I see your reasons for wanting to pursue them for liberation. Who can blame you ha? But I am thinkingg as a wizard I might be able to help you using some?"
Five hundred years old? Damn.. that would place him in the.. what was it that book on draconology said?
Mia's grin grows into a beaming smile as she runs her hands over the scales.
Today has just been... well, one of the best yet for me.
She tries to calm herself a bit, but all can see it bubbling beneath.
Anyway.. how would you like to come with us when we leave? I'd love a chance to speak with you more.. and I've this wonderful little garden and natural spring. And I'm sure the people of the town would... well you and um. Eep. May cause a ruckus at first but I'm sure it would be okay after a bit. She talks while following him.
Dargys recognizes that such a sum of years would place Barthazar in the aptly titled "Old" category of dragons. Among blue dragons in particular, this would mean he is capable of manipulating perception to create mirages and hallucinations, as well as produce a dangerous aura of electricity.
Mia's suggestion sends a shiver down Sargon's scales and frills.
"Well...I would like to see more, beyond the swamp, and I'd certainly like to meet new people," he admits. "I think Barthazar's plan is to keep me isolated, though. Easier to keep me compliant that way. Then again, we've already broken that rule."
At the top of the stairs, you find yourselves at a hallway intersection. Your small dragon guide indicates that ahead is Barthazar's lair and general collection, to the left is his own quarters, and to the right is the library.
"Old Blue... yes, I am remembering now, most likely illusions like mirages and illusions to play with the senses, and a mantle of the storm that is very real." A whistle "What a foe that would be to face." He does look sympathetically at the little dragon "I wonder if we could fake your death somehow? Not likely in a way that would fool him but if we could pull it off you'd be as free as you are likely to get short of Barthazar's death" The wizard sighs. Visions of an Old Blue's library in his mind war with visions of him being lit up by the Blue's breath.
"You mentioned a shell to contact him? What do you say we have you contact him, tell him about The asshat we have incoming and maybe he comes and deals with that for us?"
He chuckled when Mia mentioned bringing back the dragon.
"Plenty of space and warmth up in my rafters for now til we find you a home in Haven."
"Much as I would like to invite Sargon home with us, as ever I must be the person who throws water on things: if Sargon leaves, dies, or appears to be dead, Barthazar will seek out other dragon eggs and do to another what was done to him. And his new 'heir' may be far more receptive to the training. And then, if not we, your children and their children will have two dragons to fight rather than one. I would like to offer Sargon aid, but he may, for his own well being and ours, be better off here. Nonetheless, I am still stepping past the obvious question to ask."
She fixes a stare at the little dragon. "What do you want to do, Sargon?"
"What do I want? Sargon muses, pausing in the middle of the tunnel intersection. "I've never been asked that. I don't know."
He looks down at the ancient tiles lining the floor, deep in distraught thought.
"While I'd love to be free of Barthazar, I'd be fine as long as I can read new texts. I've already read everything in the library. Twice even.
"Of course," the young dragon suddenly chirps, perking up, "Since you're here now, that may change things! Barthazar may ask me to 'spy' on you, giving me a chance to explore and visit. After all, he likes to believe he's in control of everything, so we could make him think he's in charge."
Kalig is thoughtful. "That may well work. We also have a scholar at home; maybe we can convince her to share her books. I'd like to see your library as well," she says as they approach the chamber. "Maybe there is something on tactics..."
Hm... wouldn't that mean possibly bringing him here? Anyway, please, do give us a tour. Mia follows behind Sargon, seemingly fascinated by the young dragonling.
"A tour sounds most welcome" The wizard's head dances with a chance at books of lore galore, but with the dangers of an old blue to counterbalance.
Sargon moves with light steps as he leads you down the right-hand passage. The small dragon carries himself like a child eager to show off a favorite toy or secret hiding spot.
You pass benath a heavy sandstone arch, and the tunnel opens onto a long, broad library. Wide stone slabs set upon logs serve as tables, with three of them lined up down the center of the room. The closest one is empty, while the middle one has a collection of baked clay tablets upon them, and the farthest bears a pair of bronze tablets linked by iron rings.
Innumerable scrolls fill the dozens of niches carved into the walls, occasionally interspersed with shelves of bound books. At a glance, you can see that some of the texts are far older than others. Long lecterns cradle more clay tablets, whilst you can espy a few more metal tablets propped against the far wall.
Sandstone columns support the roof, with a line of three sitting on either side of the tables in the center of the library. They are carved with the likenesses of long-dead Kaskkari heroes. The walls are adorned with bas-reliefs of similar figures, along with winged beasts with the faces of wise humans.
Mia follows Sargon looking around the area in awe.
I can't believe they built this underground... I bet there is a lot of knowledge here... It wasn't a sacred grove, or whimsical meadow by any means. But it was impressive.
She picks up one of the scrolls and looks it over, curious if she could even read the text.
"This is grand, look at the designs, the structure!" The wizard seems to forget his concerns about an Old Dragon that might return sooner than expected.
While tempted by the scrolls, he tries to read the tablets first, without touching them.