-and where the dragon was, stands a tall, dark-haired woman. "If that helps."

"That...that does help."

"Quite."

"Here's hoping the library guards actually let us in."

"I'm sure they will," Owain says.

Zana looks doubtful.

"Why would they not?"

"The knowledge in the library is... valuable, and they have had people try and take it in recent years."

"He means the gaurds are tetchy. But not completely without cause."

"I see." Most intriguing.

"The guards can be convinced. It's tricky, but--" He shrugs. "We've managed."

"Bribery, intimidation, or persuasion?"

"Persuasion and having a few friends among them."

"Isn't that useful."

"Friends are good. And Nyoka in particular is useful." He starts turning around. "Now, let's see if we can get you into that library."

"After you."

They head towards the Shu'gohl. The worm is even more massive when seen from the ground, with hairs large enough to carve into towers and great tunnel works in their flesh.

The elevator workers seem a bit surprised that they picked up an extra person but don't comment.

How polite of them.

She's never seen a city or beast like this one. It is... very strange, that something so large lives.

Shu'gohl is crowded with people, or all shapes and sizes and species. The elongated nature of the city means everyone is funneled through long arterial roads. Hawkers and pickpockets and black robed missionaries and aggressively leafy missionaries and missionaries covered in hammer symbols and common folk just trying to get from one place to another jostle past her.

They're heading towards the worms head.

Religion. Bah. Any pickpockets that want to try their luck on the well-dressed tall woman will find that her clothes don't actually contain any pockets.

Is there a sense of progression in the quality of the neighborhoods from tail to head? Commercial districts, industrial, residential?

The districts towards the head appear to be richer, higher class.

As expected. Some things about mortals remain constant, it seems.

They reach the library. It's a a huge tower, carved into the gargantuan hairs of the worm. The steps are guarded by armored humans, wearing tabards with hammer-and-lightning symbols printed on them, and carrying actual hammers nearly as tall as themselves.

These would be the guards. Hopefully her escorts' friend is on duty.

She is. An old woman in the same garb walks out of the shadow of statue. "It is good to see you again, friends."

"It's good to see you too, Nyoka," Owain says. "We have someone who'd like help getting into the library."

Nyoka smiles. "My comrades might point out that last time you went in, you brought in a vampire."

"We brought a vampire out," Zana says. "Big difference."

"I am no vampire, of that you may be sure."

"I assumed as much. They do generally skulk a bit more, and dress like they're from Shyish."