Deathtrap Dungeon: Meat and Greet (IC)

[Liatai]

Ah, so the serpent woman was the Nadhiya mentioned on the scroll of rules and regulations. And my, how strange it was to hear "Kittrick" pronounced in the gryphon way by a giraffe! (An undead demon giraffe, but a giraffe nonetheless.) When the talk turned to flesh golems, though, she began to inch the other way, away from the chuul and well-dressed necromancer. Eugh. If she had to deal with the dead, she would much rather deal with dry, dusty bones, not some stitched-together abominations. Much less... squishy. At least the chuul had mentioned that the brains would be kept in containers, so if they were shipped, she wouldn't have to touch them. Yuck.

Fortunately, Xephelon had also moved the other way, so she was able to move farther under the pretense of getting a better look at his exoshell. "My... how impressive! I would love to see them when they're complete; that is, if I am to stay here." The gryphon grinned. "Once everyone's settled in, you'll have to let me know if you would like any raw materials your projects delivered. I work for the post, you see... and time you don't have to spend trekking all over the place to gather materials is more time to spend on other things, am I right?"

"Although, that reminds me... Madam Nadhiya?" She glanced at the naga, hoping that she had heard the name right. "I have a few questions about the dungeon complex and the existing infrastructure for transporting goods and messages, if you wouldn't mind."

[VAE]

Glup noticed that even the gryphon left the group, so he went to the table, ate some more meat from the rich supply, and went to a corner of the cave.
There he unpacked a part of the wares he had in the bags, a lot of electronic components, and a gas soldering lamp.
He took out a piece of paper, and began making designs with a pencil, often cursing in deep speech if the pencil broke ... (and if one thing can be said about deep speech, its curses are both plentiful and ... innovative) , scaring away several kobolds.
Finally he began working - his lamp had an innovative mechanism designed by him - a piece of quartz stuck near the flame outlet. He put on the gas and struck the stone on the dungeon floor, producing an igniting spark.
For several hours, temtacles flicked around as he was welding aluminium plates and soldering together wires , condensators, coils, integrated circuits .....
In the end, he looked around, and when nobody could see  him, took out a small, scary looking cylinder with Rellanic script on the surface and two electrodes.
This in fact was the only non natural, although not exactly magical either, being of somewhat darker kind, device he could make. He designed it together with a lich who paid in this way for a supply of brains for his undead army, long before the profession of a consulting contractor was invented by Beings. Then he spent painstaking months until he learned to make them, as it was something that made a difference
It was a power cell. An "eternal" power cell, powered with the soul of a rat. A dire rat to be exact.
The skill to do this was not entirely easy, but the two had figured out that capturing the life essence (more precise than a soul which some would claim adresses only those sentient) is far easier with a non-sentient victim, and calculated this species of  rats to be the optimum for common applications. It had a limited power output, unlike more advanced devices, and thus for bigger applications a whole array was needed, but it made for an excellent 20 VA direct current battery. Not to mention a rather tasty treat of a rat corpse.

He put in the last bit, screwed the last screw in, closed the lid and flicked one of the many switches which along with some open wires decorated the top of the box.

the machine began to beep and the antenna, looking like a miniature version of a tesla coil, began slowly spinning around. while a much more massive disc, emitting a hum was supposedly sending signals to a satellite .He began punching in the operating instructions through the front panel ,and withessing some lights - the book about computing he learned from at Zinvth's public library reflected their appreciation of technology, not all that different from SAIA.

But more importantly, the main tower seemed to work , and according to the panel's controls, it was transmittinng and receiving signals at certain frequency all around the cave.
However, something in the ground above seemed to be isolating the signal, so instead of picking up some poor being's unprotected wifi, the satellite received nice patterns of static, and something which looked like rust monster interference.

::$@$#% !!!:: Glup thought.:: Oh well, at least the Wifi works inside the cave. I will inform Nadhiya ... Oh @$#@ of course, they have mainline connection. Now i will need to plug it in somehow and then make a few in-cave amplifiers - there seems to be lot of metals in the stone:::

[techmaster-glitch]

   Xephelon observed with interest as Glup and the surveillance expert continued demonstratng the mirror, eventually getting into a discussion about psionics after Glup showe his ability with it. During this, the surveillance expert also claimed to be of Furrae, and an Angel to boot! He certainly wasn't an Angel like Xephelon had ever seen, although he realized he really couldn't say anything about that himself...
   As the Chuul left to go work on something, Kittrick asked a few more questions about constructs (and unless Xephelon missed his mark, she didn't seem to like the idea of flesh golems, either).
   "I will be very happy to introduce you to my work as well, if you stay here. As for raw materials...as I understand, this dungeon is only newly established, and I imagine I will only be working on small things to begin with, and leave the logistics of starting a materials flow to be taken care of with the other things this dungeon must undoubtably resolve in the next few days and weeks..."

[Mechanisto]

Nadhiya seemed to be doing her best to answer a dozen questions at once... which all things considered, she was rather good at. She nodded at Xephelon's comments in particular. "Our resources are limited at the moment, yes, but our treasury is currently experiencing... an inordinate influx of fungible and liquid assets... shall we say. Our first few projects will be rather grandiose."

She turned to Kittrick in the next breath. "And of course, grandiose plans require hard to find equipment and supplies... we'll need a top-notch courier system to keep things running smoothly."

"Unfortunately, our logistical infrastructure is not extant. The Kobolds have had to carry supplies by hand, and rely on ropes and winches for shipping goods between levels. There are some very large shafts that look like they used to be elevators... but nothing actually functions."

[techmaster-glitch]

   If Xephelon was capable of "perking up" with his exoshell, he would've (as it was, the exoshell had no means to display any emotion at all). The serpentess, named as Nadihya, spoke of a system of large shafts that apparently housed non-functional elevators, and they had been using a rope-and-pully system instead.
  "Large shafts that used to be elevators you say?" The slightly droning voice did sound excited, and perhaps the exoshell could display some emotion, as the arms began gesturing about animatedly. "Are they empty now, and how large are they? Why, for a temporary solution at least, it's a simple levitation enchantment! If the shafts are cleared, and I have properly-shaped platforms, I could have a functional system ready in mere hours, a single day! Enchanted platforms that move up and down speedily, held on course with a magical guideline... Lady Nadihya, as soon as these welcoming festivities are concluded, you must show me these shafts. After I have evaluated them, I will need platforms to work with, but once I have that, it will be trivial to establish a functioning elevator platform system to alleviate your supply-transit shortcomings. And in the future, with enough labor, perhaps I can upgrade it to a much more advanced tube or chute system...but now that I think about it, that probably won't be necessary, in fact... I do have one question. Your bulk supply needs currently exceed the capacity of your portals, I presume? For a longer-term solution, upgrading the size capacity of the portals might prove to be the more efficient course..."


An engineer of magic, hard at work...

[Liatai]

"Mm! And if the shafts are wide enough, those of us with wings may be able to use empty ones as quick ways to reach different levels of the complex!" Kittrick's tail switched back and forth, just barely avoiding tripping up a kobold that had been walking by with a platter. The Mythos' excitement was contagious. "One would just need to be able to generate an updraft -- Ah! Sir Xephelon, how familiar are you with wind magic? I can generate updrafts for myself with very little difficulty, but if we had a system for generating them, an enchanted fan of some sort, perhaps -- why, it would speed transport tremendously! Perhaps something with adjustable levels of output, so that it would ease descent as well..."

[techmaster-glitch]

   Xephelon took in what the Gryphon was saying as well. "A curious proposal, Miss Kittrick. I suppose if there are any smaller secondary shafts, ones that would not be put to better use as a bulk transportation platform, then this could be a viable project for those creatures with the capability of flight... Though perhaps the smaller shafts could take small platforms that are of relatively high speed, so as not to close off use of the shaft for us landbound creatures... I will have to see just how many shafts there are, and how large each one is. Also, I am familiar with all types of magic in general. When I need an effect I don't already know, I can usually develop it for myself, or for speed, reverse-engineer an effect already in place. But yes, an air displacement enchantment, if warranted, should not be very difficult."

[SquirrelWizard]

The two moles were walking along when a Squirrel Being in Janitorial garb halts them, "Urist? Urvol?"

The two moles look confused but Urist replies, "Ay'm Urist. Whadu yawon?"

The squirrel pulls out a pair of goggles and puts them on, "I'm sorry, I'm from the Administration, I needed to ask that for confirmation purposes. Its important that we don't eliminate the wrong people." And, without warning, the squirrel pulls out a rather nasty looking piece of equipment and zaps the two moles with it. Both of the moles are vaporized in a brilliant explosion of heat and light, leaving no trace of their existence.

The squirrel turns to the crowd and speaks up, "I apologize for the interruption. If you would kindly look this way I'll address any questions and concerns you may have." There was a brilliant flash of red light from the neuralizer that the squirrel was holding up. The crowd stood motionless as the tool did its work; selectively deleting any memory of the moles.

With that, the squirrel snaps his fingers, and disappears.

[Drayco84]

Zyrais merely listened in on the conversation, not having enough experience to really add anything. Then again, he was also concerned with something else... Like how the heck he could make sure the devices were secure and safe from sabotage...

Meanwhile, he was slowly consuming his dessert and thinking about where to find some better chefs... He was willing to admit that kobolds knew how to serve mushrooms, but their desserts needed a bit of work...

Edited to fill minor plot hole.

[Liatai]

"Wonderful! I suppose all that remains to be seen are the dimensions and number of shafts available... which reminds me. Madam Nadhiya? I have two more questions; when is the next guided tour of the area, and where might I leave my résumé?"

(The plate of snacks Kittrick had gathered earlier was now truly forgotten, laying dejectedly on a flat stone.)

[Drayco84]

"I have those same questions." Zyrais stated, wondering if the naga was purposefully ignoring him, or just overwhelmed. Well, he'd be the first to admit that the thought of angels residing in a dungeon would be rather unusual. "I would also like to know where the main entrances and exits are, and what the rules regarding slaves and concubines/boy-slaves are."

[Mechanisto]

"The tour will be starting..." She looked at her gold-plated wristwatch, cleverly disguised as a ritual bracelet. "...shortly, actually. I should be heading over now. If you'd care to come with me, I can answer your questions on the way."

Nadhiya seemed to consider Zyrais for a moment. "As for slavery... those laws, like all others, will have to be decided by the local Creature Committee... which I am attempting to hire as we speak. My master has no specific rules for slavery or polygamy, so the decision to legalize would be yours... but there are complications."

She tucked her clipboard under one arm as she slithered, and gestured at the entire group. "Naturally, any of the races on the Committee could demand special freedoms for their own people. If we have a Gryphon on the committee, for example, they might request that Gryphons not be subjected to slavery... or that enslaved Gryphons must have certain rights not available to other slaves. Not a serious problem... but what happens to existing slaves if a member of their race is later inducted into the committee? We would either have to refuse those slaves their rights, or confiscate them from their owners... which no property-owning citizen would appreciate."

"Sorry if the answer was more convoluted than you were expecting... but these are important issues to consider. And for many of them, ultimately, we will go to you for the answers."

[techmaster-glitch]

   The Furrae Angel "security expert", who had called himself Zyrais earlier, spoke up again. One of the questions he asked very much troubled Xephelon.
   "Slaves? Concubines?" The droning voice from the metal exoshell exclaimed. "How uncivilized!"
   Xephelon then followed Nadihya as she began heading to the next guided tour with the assurance his and Kittrick's questions would be answered. On the way, she explained how a chosen "committee" was going to decide on the rules and laws of the Dungeon. This concept intrigued and informed Xephelon, as he realized that this dungeon was even less established than he thought. It seemed that this dungeon was meant to hold entire communities, and if the laws were poorly-made, Xephelon knew this dungeon would not last long...and while Xephelon didn't exactly have a mind for politics, he did have a long view of things, and evaluated on practicality.
   "Well, I for one shall hope that this 'committee' votes against such practices altogether. Hired servants are acceptable and completely necessary of course, but holding a person against their will to do one's bidding is hardly a practice conducive to the continued stability of a community, especially one as disparate as this facility seems intended to shelter. The society here must be very carefully constructed. Not to mention that outside forces may exert pressure in various forms if such practices were discovered. And I, for one, would be quite disappointed if I were to invest significant time and effort into establishing this complex only to see it suffer from internal unrest or external force because of careless and improperly-considered legislation."
   Xephelon paused from his take on the issue, then addressed Nadihya. Again, while not particularly interested in politics, he knew having knowledge would still be beneficial. "You say you are currently attempting to hire the members of this committee...I am curious, if you can take more questions. Who are the candidates you have in mind, and how are you choosing them? As for the committee's mechanics, what precisely are the members representative of? Will other inhabitants have a voice in this committee?"
   There was another pause. "Actually, answering my questions probably necessitates explaining the entire process, which may be best as a general announcement at a later time, so in lieu of that, I only have one question; What is the mission statement of this dungeon?"

[Drayco84]

"Yes, such practices ARE uncivilized, Xephelon." Zyrais replied, while following Nadhiya and everyone else. "However, a few hundred years ago, slavery wasn't only legal, but one of the marks of elite society. And even farther back, concubines were viewed as a symbol of prosperity and used by rulers to ensure that they had an heir. Granted, this was partially due to the mistaken belief that females controlled the gender of the offspring they bore, rather than the male, along with years of gender discrimination, but the Angel representatives on the Furrae creature council have been very resistant to change, especially on the issue of slavery. Thankfully, equal rights for both genders was pushed through pretty quickly, but most suspect that the mysterious disappearance of the biggest opponent of the new laws had a lot to do with it." Zyrais paused for a bit, noticing the stares he was getting.
"Don't look at me like that! I know the Furrae Creature Council has been pushing a number of 'Humane Slave Treatment' laws into enforcement and due to that, mistreatment of 'indebted servants' carries some of the harshest penalties on record for both angels and demons. Heck, for them, the practice is even still legal, but the charges are so hard to fight and carry such stiff penalties that even some businesses have considerably worse treatment of their 'employees'."

Whooo yah! That's a freaking crap-ton o' bluff checks! Yes, I'm making all of this stuff up as I go using nothing but Amber's Demonology and what I know from the comics, then using logic to fill in the gaps and irony to smooth it all out.
EDIT: Since Zyrais was picked up for practicing law without a license, he may be telling the truth. Then again, he may be bluffing big time. Heck, even I don't know what he's doing!

[techmaster-glitch]

   If Xephelon could blink with his exoshell, he would've. In fact, he did; the three eye-lights flickered off for a moment. "I am not ignorant of history, Angel, as I have lived through some of it myself. And it is not necessarily for the cause of equality in and of itself that I am supporting. Merely, the insitution of slavery is difficult to maintain and is a source of conflict. As Lady Nadihya gave an example, suppose special exceptions must be made for a committee representatives race. Suppose everyone wants such special exeptions. It is far simpler to not meddle with it at all. Morever, keeping unwilling servants always carries the risk of them rising against you should they ever get the opportunity. And even then, if all these are immaterial, the very practice may attract negative attention, and possibly even action, from the very legal bodies you have mentioned, or even adventurers. Such attention will surely disrupt anything that is being founded here. Honestly, I would not blame them. Furthermore, I care not what any servant or laborer is required to do as part of their job, even if a particular job may be seen as... distasteful... but merely that they have a choice, a choice to leave and find other employment if they are unsatisfied here. By instead making the effort to satisfy servants and laborers and treat them well, you often gain willing loyalty, quite a valuable and all-too-rare commodity."

[Mechanisto]

Nadhiya listened to their conversation quietly, waiting before responding. "I must admit, I wasn't expecting such an enlightened view from you, Xephelon... but I fear the issue is not so cut and dry. Many being societies condemn slavery, but also permit the use of draft animals... some creatures see other races as intrinsically inferior, and some druids believe that even animals have rights. The respect accorded a knight's steed is one example; it has the legal right to be fed and cared for. And what if someone declares war upon us? If our soldiers are not permitted to keep prisoners as slaves... they are likely to stop taking prisoners at all. And some creatures have no choice but to rely on intelligent species as a source of food... which no creature is likely to volunteer for under any circumstances."

"Regardless, there are alternatives. In some cultures, slaves are like land rights... the property is actually owned by the government, and citizens simply have the right to make use of it. Those who abuse or mistreat it will have their rights revoked and the property confiscated. As well, bondsmen and concubines are not slaves; they assume their duties willingly, and have the right to be treated fairly... they are simply paid with room and board rather than wealth or goods."

"The subject of the dungeon's ultimate purpose will have to wait for now. Everyone currently present in the dungeon is a potential committee member. I wouldn't have invited you, or allowed you in otherwise. And as for the Furrae creature council... this Dungeon is sovereign soil, and it's local committee supercedes them. You cannot be punished for breaking the Council's rules... but you can be punished the instant you set foot out of the dungeon, and we can be forced to extradite citizens for certain reasons."

She looked at Zyrais with a stern (but not quite hostile) look... a look that was very rarely directed at a demon or angel. "As for the idea that Angels and Demons are penalized for their abuse of slaves... my experience has been that such penalties are generally insignificant. Our laws and punishments will need to be effective at deterrence and prevention, rather than punishment after the fact. Being able to pay a fine a thousand times over doesn't mean you can break the law as much as you like."

"Aah... the first shaft." Nadhiya stopped then, gesturing ahead of her. The dungeon they had seen so far resembled a shopping mall (for those who had ever seen such a structure); huge, two- or three-story hallways, lined on both sides by rooms, doorways, balconies, and catwalks. The area ahead was different... it was a massive shaft, as if a huge circular hole had been drilled right through the ceiling and down into the depths below. Several floors were visible, both up and down, and the bottom was beyond visible range. The inside surface of the shaft was ringed with spiral ledges, which functioned as ramps leading up and down the entire length of the shaft. Within this spiralling helix, the vast majority of the shaft was open and free; more than enough room for a very large creature to fly.

"Please watch your step... there aren't any handrails." She looked back to the group, counting heads. There were quite a few people along for the guide, though only a few of them were being talkative. "...you are free to wander from the group on your own, if you don't mind getting lost. We have ways of finding stragglers... as well as trespassers."

[Liatai]

Kittrick followed the group silently, listening closely to both sides of the argument. Politics and drafting laws were not her areas of expertise; she was accustomed to thinking of laws as being mere products of social mores, things that enforced the values that helped you to define a culture and its impact on other cultures around it. Mores and folkways came first, and then laws to support them. To craft laws in an environment with few established mores and folkways... It would be building a whole society from scratch! How intriguing, if only as a sociological experiment! Hohokam would love to hear about this, she thought, soaking in the information and making a mental note to write all of this down at the soonest opportunity.

A local Creature Council sounded like a good way to start, using something most of them already knew and adapting it for their own use. Well, she knew one thing for certain; if she was put on the council (through some fluke, no doubt), she would fight her hardest to keep gryphons, at least, from being enslaved. No creature should be forced to work without some form of compensation, she thought, ruffling her wings a little. Compensation gave room for choice, and choice gave room for trying new ideas, which gave room for net improvement in all areas of a culture. Plus, gryphons had their pride, after all.

She stopped her musing for a moment as they entered the shaft, carefully peering over the edge of the walkway toward both the ceiling and the floor. "My... this is perfect! I shall have to return later to test the air, if I may..." She unfurled her wings a little while gripping the edge of the walkway, feeling for any air currents. Deep caves sometimes generated their own wind; a shaft as deep as this might have its own natural updraft, which would save her some effort in the long run.

Augh, I need to review my anthropology notes for this character. XD

[techmaster-glitch]

   Xephelon listened carefully to Lady Nadihya as she spoke. As a general reply to the issue, he said "For animals and beasts of burden, if they are properly cared for, there is no issue in training them to perform specific tasks. Humane treatment does extend to them, and as long as they have that, they are well enough off. Aside from that, being provided for instead of being paid in currency is also good enough. What tasks one is asked to perform, I care not. Whether one is paid, provided for, or even isn't at all, I care not. All that matters is the conscious choice. One must choose where and for whom they will work. As long as this criteria is met, it is not involuntary, and therefore not involuntary servitude. As for prisoners of war... barely tolerable, so long as these hypothetical prisoners are not treated in a way that would give the hypothetical enemy any further reasons for animosity beyond whatever started the hypothetical war." The way Xephelon spoke of this suggested that he wasn't very comfortable with the idea of war in general.
   "As for being 'enlightened'... I must confess I do not have any direct experience with these matters, but I know what I do and do not like for myself, and have been able to observe how others make decisions about what affects them. Additionally, my usual work often leave plenty of time for thought. All in all, I cannot see such practices as anything but an unnecessary risk for this dungeon. But these are only my views of the situation. If our committe-to-be decides otherwise...well, I suppose it depends on how many degrees removed the decision is that will determine if staying here is a good investment..."
   The group came up on the first shaft, and Xephelon took the opportunity to carefully evaluate its features and dimensions. It was decently wide, and seemed capable of accomodating a platform large enough to transport something up to as big as a vehicle or two. Or three. There was also a spiralling pathway on the edge. While good enough for someone on foot, it couldn't be very quick, and was understandably unsuited to transporting large or bulky items. Xephelon was also curious...
   "I certainly will not be wandering off, a guided tour is much more informative. And speaking of information, how were these shafts created? That seems like a good place to start..."

[Mechanisto]

"How were these shafts created? That is an excellent question. If you discover the answer, I would appreciate being informed."

Nadhiya began slithering down the ramp, gesturing for the group to follow in single file. "The dungeon was provided by our gracious benefactor... he was not forthcoming as to it's origin. In all likelihood, he simply discovered it and decided to put it to use. He's assured me it's relatively safe, and we have yet to find evidence of habitation... no signs of activity, and no archeological artifacts. No animal or plant life exists, apart from some fungal growths in the lower levels. The architecture is badly in need of cosmetic and functional refurbishing, but is structurally quite sound."

As they moved down, Xephelon got a better look at the layout of the ramp. It was obvious (to him, at least) from it's overall design that the shaft itself had once been used for more than simple foot traffic. It had obviously been engineered... but there were no signs of enchantment or runes, and no evidence of mechanisms or moving parts. Odd.

[Drayco84]

Zyrais followed the group, sticking closely to the wall of the shaft. <You'd think that having wings and being able to fly would make heights seem less scary but nooooooooo...> He thought to himself. BY the time he had thought of a response to Nadhiya's... Threat? Warning? Regardless, by the time he felt that he could respond, the subject of conversation had moved on and there was no point in beating a dead horse. Besides, there would be time for a debate on it later.

Still, he moved along with the group, sticking close to the wall and hoping that the shaft didn't go up too high...

[Liatai]

"No artifacts?" Kittrick fell into single file as well, having sampled the updraft. It might suffice for a glide, but she would rather test that when she wasn't in danger of falling behind the group. "How peculiar. Not even a scrap of chipped stone or metal? Bone? What of fossils?"

[otaku999]

Katya could hardly contain her excitement. This was amazing! She'd never seen so many different creatures in one place before! The hamster bit her lip, trying not to look too much like a child in a candy store. So many new faces, each with lives, stories... Oh! And abilities! Katya couldn't wait to find someone to fight! There was so much to learn!

A small-ish group caught her eyes, led by a Naga. Wasn't the administrator of this place supposed to be a Naga? Great, Katya could ask her about a job later! Looks like she was about to give a tour, though. Katya rushed to catch up to the group, her large combat boots clunking loudly on the stone floor. She was usually quieter when she moved, but... well this was just too exciting!

She caught up with the group, looking around at the other guests. A griffin, an angel, a giraffe zombie, and some sort of... Robot? Insectis? Thing? Whatever. She slowed her steps, trying more silently behind them. She hoped they wouldn't notice her immediately, she did love surprising people like that.


(Like Katya, I have very little clue what is going on.  )

[WhiteFox]

"Thessaly?" Nethalzar said.

"Yesss Master?" She answered.

"Attend the tour, and report anything noteworthy." The towering necromancer said. "Do not fail me in this."

"Of courssse.... master." She replied, and bowed as she steped back. Nethalzar nodded, and turned back to the buffet table.

Thessaly, shuffling rapidly to catch up with the group, took a smaller tome from the sleeve of her robe. Its cover was bracketed in blackened steel, and bound in stiff leather. From her other sleeve, she took a small vial of dead black fluid.

She flipped through a number of pages, covered in a variety of scratchings. Eldritch symbols, arcane runes, annotated diagrams, and lecture notes filled the pages. Interspersed throughout were occasional hearts, butterflies, and smilies.

Thessaly tugged one of her black leather gloves off with her teeth, then tucked it into her pocket. One of her claws was split; she  dipped into the vial, and began writing a few initial notes.

As she caught up with the group, a pair of batwings captured her attention.

Thessaly shuffled over to stand adjacent to the feline... rodent... person. "Missss," she said, plucking at the demon's shoulder. "Pardon my intrusion... you are the first demon I have seen here this night. My master would likely want to make your acquaintance. Might I ask... your name?"

otaku: Thessaly is indeed talking to Katya Nethalzar left the group after introducing himself to Nadihya and a bit of small talk, and is currently drifting around in the main hall. (See Post #59)

[techmaster-glitch]

   As Nadihya explained that she did not know how the shafts were formed, and a few local quirks about them, Xephelon's interest peaked. "I shall certainly have to make it a project to study these shafts sometime, then..." A few things she said were particularly intriguing. The shafts didn't seem like a natural formation at a glance, but other than the shafts themselves, Nadihya said there was nothing left behind...if someone made the shafts and then abandonded them, they cleaned up after themselves impeccably well.
  Kittrick asked more questions, including a few that were on Xephelon's mind, mainly ones that concerned that little point of nothing being left behind. Xephelon continued to follow Nadihya and the group, listening for anything else the serpentess might say.

[Mechanisto]

Nadhiya continued moving down the spiral-shaped ramp as she spoke. "There's been no obvious artifacts we've been able to find so far... though I admit that making archeological discoveries has been rather low on our list of priorities to date. Yet another thing we need skilled professionals for. The kobolds are only laborers, and I've been too busy to do any looking myself."

As they descended, the area quickly became much darker. Nadhiya held her hand aloft, creatign a pinpoint of deep, amber light in her palm. The light illuminated the next lower level of the dungeon; it was much like the main level in architecture ,but with far more waterways and fountains. Instead of havign decorative shallow rivers in the floors, the area had full-fledged water canals, large enough for small boats to move through the area.

Nadhiya continued speaking as they went. "The kobolds have theories, of course... that the place was abandoned very carefully, or that it has already been picked clean by scavengers over the last few centuries."

[Drayco84]

Zyrais felt slightly uneasy as he cast a spell on his forehead gem, which then began emitting a brilliant beam of light towards whatever direction he was facing. More than likely, the place had been carefully abandoned, which normally meant grim foreshadowing.
"Well, nothing ventured, nothing gained..." He mumbled to himself, looking around but still clinging to the wall. Then, he wondered where all these waterways led... Shame he couldn't breathe underwater to find out. Then, a thought came to him.
"Nadhiya, do the waterways here contain fresh water or salt water?" He asked, knowing that if they were salt water, then they connected to an ocean. Well, they could also connect to a river if they were made of fresh water, but those were usually rarer and not as suitable for water-based commerce.

I hate it when I think of something and have to come back later to make an edit.

[WhiteFox]

Thessaly stopped scribbling briefly, and took a moment to study the fountains. Much could be learned about a culture through its statuary, after all.

[Liatai]

For the same reason, Kittrick approached the fountains. Even if Lady Nadhiya had said that no artifacts were uncovered, the carvings and structures of those who came before might tell volumes about them. Even their building methods would say something; did they use mortar? Mud? Interlocking blocks of stone? Did they carve the fountains directly out of the living rock itself?

"What do you make of it?" the gryphon asked Thessaly, examining the stone.

[Mechanisto]

The stonework hereabouts was all brick and mortar, though the bricks were quite large. The stone was obviously hard, and showed almost no sign of age or degredation. This made it all the more difficult to estimate how it's original inhabitants had lived their lives; there was no wear to indicate where travel or work had occured.

Nadhiya's response to Zyrais drifted back to the others who followed behind; the cavernous shaft did, after all, have an impressive echo. "The fountains and aqueducts are all fresh water... in every sense of the word, it might seem. There's no trace of salt, nor of any toxicity or pollution. No fungus or plant matter, either... the Kobolds were even using the smaller waterways to dispose of loose soil and chemicals from their work. I told them to stop, for fear of polluting the supply... but so far, none of the other aqueducts have been affected."

As they continued down the spiral ramp, the next lower level became visible; It was much like the main floor they had all seen upon arrival... but where the main level had been composed of great halls, lined with smaller rooms and corridors, these halls were uniformly gigantic. A titan could have lived here comfortably. It was disorienting to see the exact same architectural features blown to massive proportions... it almost compelled the viewer to feel as if they had shrunk. It was almost like walking past an optical illusion.

[Drayco84]

"Well, it's obvious that this was made by some rather large inhabitants, quite possibly dragons." Zyrais remarked aloud. "But, they rarely live in communities and there would be traces of their presence. Things like claw marks, for example. Is there any way to tell which parts were made first and which areas were added on later?"

Mechanisto, I've got to wonder if you have a map, floorplan, or some kind of diagram for this place made up. Visual aids for this place could come in handy.