Sorry, the compass is on the roof, near the trapdoor to the roof.
Zilchus looks at the trapdoor that he was able to scamper up through and look around the roof area for danger...and tracks.
Perception
Survival
When he thinks the area is clear, he'll call the others up.
He will keep guard while others examine the compass, walking over to the edge that faces the fissure in case he can catch a glimpse of the snaky thing therein.
Zilchus finds similar tracks here, as if the creature climbed up the side of the building, or maybe flew. It went to the compass.
As soon as the group reaches the roof, and he's close enough to the compass, Benedictus will analyze its properties.
Benedictus is able to identify it without the need for a scroll - it is an elegiac compass, and seems to be undamaged. However, a significant component of the device - its copper-wrapped quartz core - has recently been removed...
Zilchus looks down at the fissure and sighs, shaking his head angrily at some unknown, unseen, and surely malevolent force. He closes his eyes.
"It's in the damn fissure. Whatever has been raiding this place likes shiny objects. It's down there. We can either go to it, or wait it out...but, gah!, yeah, let's get going," Zilchus bemoans as he climbs down, unbarricades the door, and prepares to enter the fissure of doom and death and stupidity.
The party descends into the pit and follow the short but windy tunnel a brief distance. Not too long in, you hear the shuffling of silk sheets and the light cascade sounds of coins shifting. It isn’t long before you see the long sinewy form of a dragon (image) come forth into your lights! This brilliantly colored large dragon has scales, teeth, and claws made of multicolored crystal, and its wings are sheets of flexible glass.
It, or rather she, rears up in the small space and demands, ”Who are you to disturb my home! Why have you come to annoy me so?!” Her voice is like the tinkling of a glass chandelier, trembling in the wind.
- - -
Nidhi will take a 10 to climb down and will be the last to descend.
Nidhi is relieved to see its a dragon - not a disgusting insect - the party faces.
As to the type of dragon, Nidhi only knows it's a dragon.
"Oh! May the gods be praised! I'm so happy we found you, magnificent being! My name is Nidhi and these are my companions. May I ask your name, oh great one?"
"Why reside here when there are undead roaming above? Aren't they an annoyance? You should kill the undead or give us something to help us eradicate the pest problem." Nidhi glances around for something that looks like it might fit into the compass.
Zilchus freezes at the sight of the dragon. Though his weapon cord is bound, he has yet to draw his weapon.
That the monster speaks gives him pause...and that others are trying to parley gives him yet more reason to stay his sword.
He remains alertly reactive wondering why this thing would steal the crystal from the compass and awaits response.
"Oh! May the gods be praised! I'm so happy we found you, magnificent being! My name is Nidhi and these are my companions. May I ask your name, oh great one?"
"Why reside here when there are undead roaming above? Aren't they an annoyance? You should kill the undead or give us something to help us eradicate the pest problem." Nidhi glances around for something that looks like it might fit into the compass.
The dragon rears up, but does not immediately breathe. Well it breathes, but not that way. "It is true, I am magnificent!" she purrs, pleased at the obsequiousness nature of Nidhi and Florence.
"The undead have been so invasive of late. Not like them at all..." Nidhi cannot see the dragons hoard, and so does not see the missing compass part.
"I am Shardizhad."
"Um...I'm...I'm Florence," she finally squeaks as Nidhi begins making introductions, offering a hasty bow. "We're really really sorry, we didn't know you were down here, I swear! We were just trying to find the elegiac compasses to try and maybe put all the dead back to rest and we saw part of the one up top was missing so we came down here looking for it," she explains in a gush of verbal diarrhea. "But, um, if you're using it then I'm sure we could maybe find a different one up there and don't worry about Nidhi, she's just always got so many different ideas and you don't have to worry about the undead unless you just feel like it, of course you don't..."
”What’s an elegiac compass?” the great dragon turns her head to the side slightly, curious.
- - -
Ben stares in awe at the magnificent dragon.
I've read about dragons countless times in my books, but having one in front of you it's a something completely different...
Benedictus is far more curious than intimidated. He stares in wonder at the dragon for almost an entire minute as his friends interact with her, while his mind is busy trying to recollect any memories about dragons made of crystal. As it turns out, Ben never studied crystal dragons in particular.
Shardizhad...What a powerful name. It's really true that Draconic is a language that exudes power.
Feeling his turn has come, Benedictus chimes in. He bows respectfully to the dragon before addressing to him in Draconic.
___________________
"Of what use is this elegiac compass to me? Why should I part with a single shiny coin to you for knowledge I have no use of?"
- - -
The dragon flows into the small chamber and rises up in front of Benedictus. She opens her mouth wide, seemingly in a grin, but all you see is razor sharp teeth.
Ben seems not impressed by the dragon's display. He grins back at the majestic being. In his eyes there's wonder and admiration, not fear.
Zilchus listens and waits, unsure what his being said. He puts his trust in Ben to negotiate the issue with the Dragon...or orate long enough to put the dragon to sleep so they can slip away with the quartz.
He stands patient...and ready should things get out of hand.
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Nidhi's mouth grapes open, staring a Benedictus in surprise. Where did he learn Draconic?!
Nidhi is content to listen for the moment. This is her first time seeing a dragon in person so she's feeling a bit starstruck. The tales told by travelers who'd visited the tavern for a drink couldn't have prepared Nidhi for this encounter. Nidhi recalls what she'd been told by strangers: dragons breathe fire, they fly, they like treasure, they dislike wearing hats... Nidhi's expression is contemplative for a moment, before turning back to face the dragon with interest.
"Beautiful and powerful Shardizhad, I wouldn't even think about taking a single gold coin from you - but, perhaps you would be amiable to a trade? Something valuable and golden for something you are willing to part with."
- - -
The dragon looks up in the air, as if in a huff, though it's hard to know for sure.
Then Shardizhad tips her head in Nidhi's direction, "Now this is someone I like." She seems to curl around Nidhi, growing very close to her, showing a lot of teeth...
She even pokes her nose into her pack, or tries to, "What do you have for this bauble you wish. What do you have in trade!"
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Zilchus looks at Nidhi.
"Try promising to tell the story of Shardizhad's magnificence to all the land. Just like you have been doing for me...except with the dragon, it might be more accurate," Zilchus offers.
"Sadly, this dragon has no love of words or your poetry would be a kingly gift, Nidhi. Even if this dragon has no love of your verse, know that I do, Nidhi."
Ben looks at Zilchus, shaking his head. "He's not interested in stories, according to what I've seen..."
Benedictus tries to think about something to offer to the dragon in exchange for the quarz core.
Brillant idea, Nidhi! Now, what could we offer...
Ben takes out the diary in which he meticolously notes everything the party finds during their adventures. Every single item they've found is listed in this meticoulously kept inventory. Ben quickly goes through the list, moving closer to Zilchus so that he can take a look as well.
Dammit, we have sold almost everything!
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After trying to root around Nidhi's pack unsuccessfully, the dragon clearly pouts, "Books and scrolls are fine for some, but I want something shiny!"
"Shiny for shiny!" she exclaims loudly, her voice reverberating through the tunnel like a tremor.
"Maybe we should come back with something shiny. Might be something else in these ruins that will be good trade," Zilchus offers, wishing he had not sold his old armor.
"We should thank the nice dragon for his or her time and be gone, hunting for shinies in addition to the mask."
Zilchus is ready to go. On the way out, he will pick up the coins he scattered from above.
Zilchus looks to Cahal and wonders why she's yelling at him and not speaking to the dragon about the proposed offer. Or to Ben to have Ben make the offer.
"Ask it, not me. I don't know why dragons would want coins or shiny things."
If no one else has things to try, Zilchus is ready to go.
"I'm with Zilchus....I don't have many shinies on myself at the moment!" whispers Ben to his friends.
"Nidhi, hey! Nidhi! Tell her we're going to fetch a shiny thing for her and that we're going to be back very soon". Ben then looks at his companions, and shrugs. "She seems to like Nidhi more than me!"
The party, for now, pulls back and climbs back out the hole up their ropes. Shardizhad is sad to see you go without a deal in place, but she understands you must find a trade worthy of the crystal and copper sphere she holds.
You find yourselves on the street in front of the glassworks. What's your next move?
"Let's do a thorough search of the glassworks? Maybe there is something within that the dragon missed or could not reach?" Zilchus has an idea.
If granted the time, he will do a take 10(?) search for things of interest, including the enclosed tomb.
Then Zilchus will be ready to go to the next letter, he suggested (L).
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At Ben's words, Nidhi's chest puffs up a bit, Nidhi, friend of dragons and savior of Wati. Nidhi then thinks of all the beautiful muscular woman and the streets of Wati decorated in garlic.
Nidhi bows at the dragon, "We shall return with something shiny and beautiful and befitting a magnificent dragon like yourself. We humbly take our leave of your presence." Flattery seems to work well. I wonder if all dragons are like this.
Nidhi is fascinated with the dragon and doesn't seem to grasp the potential danger they'd just been in. "Shardizhad seems nice. I'm sure Shardizhad won't mind seeing us again if we have something shiny to trade."
Nidhi does a slow turn to access their surroundings outside. "Should we check the next compass? Maybe we'll be able to find one that's still intact so we'll know what we're looking for."
Nidhi contemplates what to bring back the dragon as the party proceeds to the next compass. Perhaps because of her thoughts, Nidhi is largely unobservant to the world around her.
I assume a take-10 perception of any given area you enter, so you've already lightly searched the glassworks and found nothing of particular interest. You are at area 'L' currently.
Cahal had at one point suggested that 'K' was the next nearest compass.
According to Sebti’s map, one of the Pharasmins’ elegiac compasses was placed in the ruins of an unassuming middle-class bathhouse called the Marid’s Caress.
"You did less babbling than some, Florence. And not like it was going to do much good, anyway. That dragon seemed pretty set on what he wanted."
Zilchus agrees with Florence and that the 'Marid's Caress' is a good place to go. He leads the party there.
The party, with high hopes, makes their way to the Marid's Caress. As you pass through the streets you make a wide berth of the main gates, where you can hear, and as you pass by at a distance see, a large contingent of mostly mindless undead. From behind you see a few ghouls on the permitter watching the other undead scrabble at the gates and wall, but they seem patiently waiting for something to occur.
So you reach the next site without difficulty. After centuries of neglect, however, the bathhouse’s plumbing finally failed, collapsing one wall onto the compass and damaging it beyond repair. The windblown sand, collapsed rock, and constant leaks have since transformed the Marid’s Caress into an indoor swamp - and it smells just as bad.
A cursory search reveals nothing of particular value in the rubble. Certainly no intact core to swap with the other machine, and no particularly interesting pieces to entice a dragon with either.
Vizier Hill, area 'I' on the map, is indeed very close. Is that where the party is headed next?
Zilchus seems disappointed by the lack of anything in the Marid's vicinity. He does a deeper search of the area before consenting to move on.
Perception
"Yes, Flo, the dark folk sounds like a good idea. And I think if we employ the same diplomacy with the dark folk that we did with the dragon, we might, indeed, avoid any trouble," Zilchus adds, ready to go there.
Zilchus finds a lens in a cracked holder buried under the rubble a bit. Considering the stone that fell on it, the lens was either very lucky to avoid damage, or stronger than glass should be...
Ben is a little frustrated, but eventually he gives the whole search of the Maris a shrug. "We can't just expect to randomly stumble across something precious to offer to the dragon. We need to keep searching," he says, trying to motivate the group. "I would second Florence's idea as well. Let's go and see what this dark folk has for us."
Zilchus hands the lens to Ben.
"What do you make of this? Shoulda broken under the rubble, but it didn't," Zilchus says hopefully.
Cahal, though she searches even more thoroughly than Zilchus, finds nothing new, though she too sees the lens as Zilchus reaches for it.
The party moves on, shying away from the clattering shuffling noises of the restless dead when possible. You do encounter a small pocket of skeletons milling about in front of an old sweet shop, but you handle them easily - and quickly.
You reach the Vizier’s Hill which seems quieter than the surrounding area, but perhaps that’s just your perspective. There are several noble villas on the hill, and it takes an hour or two searching through them before you reach the old Asetiti Estate (according to an old sign, half hanging from it’s bracket in the stone structure). When you enter the villa grounds, three dark creepers nervously approach you with daggers out but lowered.
”You are not dead, yet you roam the Necropolis. What is it you want from us?” one of them asks as the other two flank her, almost pushing her forward to talk to you.
Ben finds himself unexpectedly uneasy when the dark creepers approach. It takes a few second for him to calm his unsettlement. With a nod, he encourages Nidhi to take the stage first.