The Dauntless III: Revenge of the Sith

Dorrak's eyes widen at the sight of that library, and on seeing another possibility tome on the shelves, but a quick assessment makes him realize that this isn't an abandoned library, this belongs to someone, and he wasn't about to invite Ragathiel's disapproval a second time - he had the feeling that a second breach in the same way wouldn't pass quite as easily. "I'm not certain where we are, but whoever owns this library would be either a potent ally or a dangerous enemy."

Suki admires the library, feeling a pang of regret for her own ruined collection back at the citadel. "And they have excellent tastes," She adds.

"Noted," Antoinette replies setting down a book she was inspecting. "Oddly enough I don't feel an intense need to take anything from here, despite the incredible value. I suppose we should press on."

The domed ceiling of this massive cavern rises to a height of eighty feet. A garden of small bushes and flowers restsbeneath an opening in the ceiling above. Two tables stand in the northeast portion of the cavern. The smaller table holds a number of glass containers and other scientific equipment. The larger table supports a model of a city that features large, red walls and a number of walk ways that span the length of the model. A large bed of stone and a massive pile of gold, jewels, and other treasure fill up much of the space at the southern end of the room, and Antoinette suddenly realizes exactly why she didn't feel a compulsion to claim the books: a dragon's instinctive awareness of, and instinctive respect for, a fellow dragon's hoard. The cavern connects with a smaller cavern to the east and a large, stone staircase to the west.

Antoinette's mouth goes agape. "Well that would explain why I didn't want to take all the books. This is a dragon's lair. No doubt about it. It's a very rich, and likely old dragon too. And... oh no. That's a model of Promise... on Hermea. This is Mengkare's lair. We are in Mengkare's lair. Oh fuck. We need to tread very fucking lightly. We are dead if we piss him off."

"I can tell you a little more than that," Dorrak adds, grimacing. "Hermea is Mengkare's personal eugenics project to create perfect humans. Uri Zandivar was from here. I expect everyone we meet to be as potentially powerful as him." He pauses for a moment, having another realization, "Which means his sister... that he sent the golden orb to, is also here."

"Indeed, that's a big problem," Antoinette states, assuming her human form. "I think this answers why the Triad was so obsessed with getting the gate operational. If you want to go against Mengkare, a direct portal into his lair is a great thing to have."

"We're going to have to meet with him," Dorrak sighs. "If only to avoid any misunderstandings. Our portal leads directly into his lair, and that's not our fault, but he will likely view it as trespassing."

"Undoubtedly. Besides, if the Gold Orb is in his city, he'll definitely want to know about it," Suki adds.

You head up a winding staircase into what seems to be the entrance to the lair. A barren cave opens to the ouside via an opening in the southwest. As you head towards the exit, you hear a feminine voice coming from outside. "Come quickly, Rinnarv, before whoever it is gets out or goes back through the gate!"

"Easy," Dorrak calls out, riding Nova towards the cave exit and sheathing Verdict. "We're not running anywhere, and we're not here to start a fight."

You meet the speaker at the cave entrance: a human woman in her late 20s wearing a fine and expensive looking white dress, flanked by a half-elf with crystal blue eyes and white-blonde hair. She huffs a little from exertion, having clearly run most of the way here. "Oh, good. I wasn't hoping for a fight but when the alarm spell I placed on Lord Mengkare's arch went off I was worried." She looks at you, eyes widening. "... who are you all? You're neither citizens nor visitors."

"We're adventurers by trade, and the ones who control the citadel on the other side of the arch's portal," Dorrak explains. "I'm Dorrak Hakdarson," he adds, letting the others introduce themselves as well and sliding off Nova's back to extend a hand.

"The archway is a portal?" The woman seems surprised. "That explains quite a bit. When the archway started acting up yesterday and spilling out smoke, Lord Mengkare got into a bit of a panic and put some sort of ward on it before crossing over to Axis. I only know because he asked me to keep an eye on it, and now I understand why. Oh!" She starts when she seems to realize she hasn't introduced herself. "I'm Emaliza, by the way, and my silent friend here is my bodyguard Rinnarv."

"Pleasure to meet you," Antoinette replies. "Apologies for the trespass. We had no idea where the portal went. We didn't take anything from his hoard, though we did touch a few of his books before we figured out what was going on."

"Oh you needn't worry," Emaliza says. "He doesn't mind people perusing the books... although usually that's people with permission to be in the lair..."

"That's a reason we should arrange a meeting with him, if that is possible," Dorrak replies. "Among other things, a portal passing directly between our home and his lair is something we should discuss."

"Well that, and the other very important thing that should probably be brought to his attention," Antoinette adds.

"Oh, I see. Well, these are exceptional circumstances, but I've been instructed not to bother him. He sent me a message promising he would come back in, oh, was it three days Rinnarv?" The silent half-elf nods. "But if this other very important thing regards Hermea, rather than Lord Mengkare specifically, then I'll be happy to discuss it with you. As High Councilor of Promise, I'm more than qualified to address your concerns."

"Then you should be aware of the aspect of Dahak trapped inside the portal network," Dorrak says, cutting right to the point. "When we opened the gate, it surged out on our end, and we were able to contain it, but only temporarily."

"... Dahak." Emaliza blinks rapidly, and Rinnarv looks confused as well. "As in, the god of evil dragons, bringer of destruction? There's an aspect of an evil dragon god sealed in an archway on my island, less than two hundred feet from where my nation's leader, who is also a dragon, has slept for more than five hundred years!?" She looks absolutely horrified.

"Yes. Also, is the name Uri Zandivar familiar to you? We recently brought down a slaving company he operated and learned he was from Promise originally," Dorrak asks.

"I... that can't possibly be right." Emaliza's concern visibly grows. "Uri is the head of talent acquisition! I've never met him personally, he doesn't come back home often, but he works directly under the Glorious Master as one of our public faces. Lord Mengkare wouldn't promote someone to such an important role who would resort to something so barbaric as slavery!"

"He was," Dorrak emphasizes the word, "A vile slaver who ran the largest slaving company in Katapesh, the Scarlet Triad. It seems, based on what we could learn, that Mengkare found his services to be less useful around 4710 and scaled back his operations. Uri made up the difference with a very different form of talent acquisition."

"I see. That is... concerning." Emaliza turns away from you slightly, worrying at her lower lip.