[Gameplay] 5. Best Left Buried

Tabat tries to find the way, per the suggestion he made, unless someone stops him with another plan or option.

Suspecting a nest of snakes lives in the wreckage you exit the crypt, carefully climbing out of the collapse.

You're on the streets of the necropolis. Wary of the event that seems to have risen mass numbers of dead throughout the Half Dead City of Wati, you have a few ways to go.

The most straightforward way is to follow the walls to area L, then probably up and go well around the plaza near the gate (there are dozens if not more undead near the gate), to area K, then onward to the Xotl at area I.

With this plan in mind you concentrate on first examining the next elegiac compass closest to you. You encounter some minor undead along the route but find them no test of your resources.

The Shiny Bubble

This former glassblower’s shop was repurposed to serve as a humble family mausoleum, as well as the location of one of the elegiac compasses. Examining the interior, the Shiny Bauble has been looted of its choicest bits of glasswork and jewelry.

The elegiac compass on the shop’s roof is in surprisingly good condition despite its age. However, a significant component of the device—its copper-wrapped quartz core—has recently been removed.

Khadi spots tracks leaving from the device, tracking the culprit is easy in the loose, dry sand covering the rooftop, a single creature to a large sinkhole behind the shop. She also identifies the tracks as those of a creature with the dragon type.

Well this isn't ideal.. Wait are those? ' Khadi drops to the ground to look at the prints.

' So... Don't look at me like I'm crazy but.. These may be a dragons. I mean.. It would make sense why the shiny thing is what is missing. '

"A dragon? But there is no way that a dragon could get in here, is there?"

Jaware, checks his arrows. "A dragon. Some kind of zombie dragon maybe?"

"Whatever it is, we will ask it to give us the piece we need and hope that it complies," Tabat says. He takes a moment once they are in the streets of the Necropolis to summon his mount.

"My friends, this is Andromeda. She has been gifted to me, by Horus himself - if you would believe it. Came to me in a dream, then when I awoke there he was." The idea that this dromedary might be of a divine nature might be obscene, but it materializing out of thin air might lend it some credibility. He climbs atop her and pats her neck.

"Ready to follow your lead, Khadi."

Khadi looks the camel up and down before looking at her amulet. 'Feel like giving me a camel Khepri? No?'l I need to blast more undead first?' She laughs before waving everyone to follow her as she starts following the tracks.

Khadi will lead the group to the sinkhole, but pauses. 'I don't think I should be the one going down there first. Perhaps someone with a couple more layers. Unless you are too comfy aboard your new ride?' She looks to Tabat in his armour.

'If there are more tracks I' ll point them out. '

If Tabat does go down she'll hop down after him.

Iseret falls in with the rest, seeking the safety of the middle of the party.

The sinkhole behind the Shiny Bauble drops 50 feet into a large subterranean fissure beneath the necropolis. How might you descend, and what precautions do you take?

Tabat dismounts Andromeda and goes to look into the sinkhole. "I don't like the look of this, but I'll volunteer to go down first. I have strong rope - if you tie it off I should be able to lower myself carefully enough to the bottom safely." Tabat loosens his pack and pulls a length of rope and a sunrod free, looking to the others for affirmation of his suggestion.

'Just don't fall. If you fall I'll have to go down to heal you, and I will definitely fall.' Khadi jokes as she looks for a place to fix the rope.

'Though if there is a dragon we should probably all go down.. You first, Aware lower me on the rope after then he and Iseret climb down?'

You affix the rope to Andromeda and lower Tabat down, the dromedary snorting with displeasure at the effort.

There, you see a dragon.

She's gathered a nice hoard, full of pretty baubles and shiny trinkets from the surrounding tombs. It is all displayed artfully, and she lies on a bed of silken sheets and stolen coin.

As Tabat lowets himself in, she rears up and demands, "Who dares sully my house?"

With his lit sunrod, Tabat reaches the bottom. He gives the rope two quick tugs, the signal agreed upon that would tell the others he was alive and well, then a third upon seeing the dragon - the agreed upon signal for danger.

He steps forward, weapons still sheathed and strapped. "I am Tabat Menese, Paladin of Horus. I hope you will find my presence as unsullied as could be, as I walk a path of the divine. I had hoped we could talk."

Tabat smiles and reads the dragon's aura while hoping for some sort of positive outcome to this decidedly dangerous situation.

Iseret peers around Tabat. "Sulliers? Oh, no, mighty one! We have come hearing that there was a majestic being here and wished to see for ourselves if the rumors were true. Truly, the tales fall short of reality, for your magnificence rivals that of Shelyn herself!"

The dragon continues to be hostile. "GET OUT OF MY LAIR!" she shrieks. She rises up, adopting a defensive posture. She's not likely going to attack you. At least, not exactly this second.

You might be able to make her an offer, she may or may not listen, but time is running out.

Jaware thinks... He whispers down to Tabat.

"Crystal dragons are known to be good aligned."

"Listen," Tabat says, thinking on Jaware's words, "we are not your enemies and we do not plan to steal from you. A trade, perhaps, at most. I can sense you are no evil creature - you may not know, there is great evil at works in the city: the dead roam, killing many. We seek to locate the source of this evil and expel it - certainly you would prefer the living dead quelled before they infest your home as well?" He holds his hands out to show they are empty and takes a breath, hoping to appeal to the famed pride of dragon-kind, and kneels. "Please, we beg your help. You may be the only one that can tip the odds in our favor. Would you at least hear a proposal?"

The dragon narrows her eyes, but you seer the glimmer of treasure lust bloom, along with a self confidence that she can best you in any negotiation.

"Trade? What kind of trade? I like gems and jewels and coin and pretty things."