There is a long moment of silence as you contemplate.
Eventually, the conversation turns to the threats at hand. He listens carefully to your report on the shadow Magaambya and their nefarious intent. You show him the letter you found on the fetchlings; in particular, this sentence seems nakedly insidious: "Once we capture the city, we shall utilize these power cores in a variety of new and exciting ways to fuel industry and magic."
The old tree rumbles. "They would remake the Jistka Imperium once again, for themselves."
He thinks for long minutes. "When the sun came back after the long darkness, I befriended an old human who sought knowledge. I shared what I knew, but this man sought more. And so, together we slowly unraveled the secrets of magic, such as the craft and art of making masks such as yours. But while I helped this person fulfill his destiny, I merely pointed him to the correct locations. Jatembe’s efforts in learning magic were entirely his own."
"Likewise, and as I mentioned earlier, the people who built this place were pointed to certain locations or learnings. But they have made this place their own. I have no ownership of it. The decision is not mine, though I am here to advise."
"In regards to this shadow-threat, I have noticed little gnats circling about our environs, but I did not know who or what they wanted. Now we now. They are not too close yet. We have some time. Therefore, I ask you disciples of Jatembe to follow in his footsteps and serve the people of this place."
Dimari—Diji's voice grows stern, like the roots that break the rock. "You are powerful forces come here, disciples of little Jatembe. Destruction can come from good intent as easily from ill, especially without understanding."
"Learn the history of the people here, and in so doing acquire knowledge of if they will accept your help and what that help may look like."
He sighs. "I too must meditate on this. When you are ready, perhaps in several weeks, find me at the Nemesis Well."
Wisps talks to the people of the city, trying to listen and learn as much as possible.
You explore the habituated sections of the Second Suspension, moving high above the gorge among the chains and vines. While beautiful in its strangeness, the city more functional. Its design blocks rain and wind; the air here is still, and the city dim with the lights twinkling overhead.
There are no inns or restaurants or temples; automatons have no need to eat or sleep, and few gather for communal events. As you move along you see automatons seemingly frozen in place in the middle of walkways or among the vines. When the automatons need to rest they simply stop wherever they are and recalibrate for however long they want.
You are assigned an unused mezzanine along the rock wall, where you can set up camp. It's not the most comfortable of lodgings, but at least the air is still and warm here.
As you explore the city, you see that many of the automatons have been designed as if they were part of a menagerie of "exotic" animals or fearsome soldiers. However, many of them have modified their own metal-and-stone bodies to participate in this grand public works project of building and maintaining the Second Suspension.