You see a lovely, slender woman in silken robes. She smiles as you approach. "Larina. I run the Lycaeum. It is a pleasure to be able to speak with thee." "I watch over the BOOKS and SCROLLS. None doth take them from here, but all are free to peruse the knoweledge here maintained. Feel free to use the Lycaeum, butplease take nothing." "There are many books here. Some are STORIES, others are GEOGRAPHICAL, and stillothers deal with ancient LORE." "Most scrolls deal with magical lore. Please do look around." "Our land is rich with many stories, and many of our books are filled with them." She smiles. "I myself am a storyteller. My favorite is the children's tale about the CYCLOPS." "Would you like to hear it?" "Well, maybe another time. It's really very funny." She pulls up two chairs, and pours two cups of tea: "The land is large and rich. Many a book has been written on geography. It art indeed a most respectful job to be a SCHOLAR who canst do such things. I'm a respected scholar myself, but I don't deal in ARTIFACTS as most do." "The lore of the land art old and complex. It wouldst seem that certain seemingly ordinary objects can be empowered with all manner of magical properties. It is such as these that we call ARTIFACTS." "If thou find any, take them right to a good SCHOLAR somewhere who dost deal in them. Such a scholar may help thee discover what the artifact art, and what it doeth. Nay, never use them without first knowing what they art!" "I believe there art a few scholars here and there on the islands. I see thee hath a ship." She looks out one of the large stained-blue glass windows. "Perhaps thou shouldst explore. But please stay awhile, I ENJOY talking with thee." She gives you a big smile, and takes a sip of her tea. Suddenly, she says: "I hath been researching the legend of the underground CITY." "Well, it art just a legend. Like the children's cyclops. But I wilt tell thee what I knoweth. It may be USEFUL to thee." "Well, maybe not. But legend says there wert mighty MECHANICAL men, who at one time liveth with humans, as servants and friends." "They built an amazing city underground, with many passages and chambers. The gods themselves put them here. But then there was a great TRIBULATION." "The legend says a massive overflow blew out their source of power. The mechanical men worked frantically to attain coal to re-ignite their furnaces, but did not aquire enough in time. Slowly, their power failed, and they DIED." "And their beautiful underground city grew cold, and dark...never to be seen again by mechanical or human eyes." She falls silent, deep in thought. She gets up, and removes the empty tea cups. "It hath been a great pleasure to speak with one as intelligent as thee. Please visit our Lycaeum often. I look forward to it. Farewell for now, master."
