The old Dwarf stopped at a house a few blocks up and knocked on the door, then waited, while the others tried not to laugh.
The door opened and an ancient woman, bent with age, glared out at him. "Go away, we're not buying." She insisted, then slamd the door in his face.
The old man knocked again, and the woman huffed as she opened the door, then stepped away to let him inside.
"His mother-in-law. We can go to the dungeon staging area now. I will show you the public portal's location, so you know where to arrive next ti, and then help you set up a group." The shaman who had cast their portals for them explained.
That revelation completely changed the way Karl understood the Dwarves' interaction. Karl had thought that was his wife at first, but if it was his mother-in-law slamming the door in his face and then relenting, not his wife not recognizing him, it beca much more amusing.
"The Dungeon ford on the outer surface of the Mountain, so the staging areas are just inside the entrance, near the public portals.
That helps reduce the need for bright lights throughout the city, but you will find that most of the items closest to the entrance are overpriced, and intended for the gullible or extrely wealthy.
Not that you're likely to be short on money, being an Overlord Ranked craftsman, but the Dungeon Gate is less popular among locals as a shopping district than the deep gate, forty levels below us, which cos out on the west side of the river." The Shaman explained.
That would also explain why Karl was seeing so many other species in this area. Even if the city was primarily Dwarven, the outer regions were more hospitable to other species than the inner parts of the city, where the oppressive weight of the stone and the depths would bear down on their minds.
Karl was still at ho in the city the sa way he was in the mines, but he could see that many of the other species didn't like to stray too far from the light.
"This is the staging area for groups, and that building with the stepped double spiral pillars covers the Portal. If you follow this way, I will introduce you to a few of the better group leaders." The Shaman led Karl to a group of Dwarves that were standing around with four nervous looking dragonkin. "Thomas, good timing. Do you still have a spot left? We made a new friend in Drodh, and he's got a pass for free entry." The Shaman greeted the leader of the team, a stout Dwarven Paladin with long red hair.
"Shaman Petros. It's not often that the Council makes friends with the Demons, so this one must be special." The Paladin replied in an even tone.
"He's a Runemaster, and he can write Dwarven Mystic Runes." The Shaman replied.
The whole group turned to look at Karl, and one of the Dragonkin rumbled in amusent, a very draconic noise.
"So, he's not a Demon at all. Only a Dwarf's offspring could make Dwarven Runes work. But a true Runemaster? Council Shaman, Slate Petros, you have found exceptional luck today." The jet black haired Dragonkin girl noted with a smile.
"You don't sound surprised?" Thomas, the Paladin leading the group, asked.
The dragon Priestess winked at him. "I am a High Priestess of the Death God. There are few things that I don't know."
Karl smiled. "Is it that, or is it that Dragons gossip incessantly and Nacht already told your Bishop?"
The Priestess began to laugh, amusent dancing in her eyes.
"Nachtia, youngest niece of Nacht, of the Divine Beast Nation. Welco, to the Dragon Isles, fellow Exile." She replied, and briefly pulsed with pure draconic power, letting Karl know that she was not, in fact, a dragonkin, but a purebred black dragon.
"Oh, so it's firsthand gossip." Karl laughed.
"You know her?" One of the other dragonkin asked, curious about the interaction.
"I know her Uncle. In fact, I was there when he t the requirents to beco a Black Dragon Ancient." Karl offered.
"He's an Ancient now. Damn, I had wanted to be there for the inheritance. Who got it? Has the inheritance awakened, or are they still waiting for the God's attention?"
Karl shrugged. "I have no idea what the status of the Inheritance is now. I haven't heard about it being activated yet. But that doesn't an it didn't happen."
The other dragonkin were getting excited about a lore drop on their reclusive companion, but Thomas was all business.
"We will take Overlord Karl with the group for this trip. Even if we weren't short a mber for the day, he's got a free entry pass." The Dwarf insisted, as if that settled everything.
Shaman Petros laughed. "Yes, that does make it easier for him to find a group, does it not? Few will turn down the chance for a free group entry. But compared to the value of the trade we made, it's nothing."
Now the Dwarves were all fascinated. It was not cheap to get a ten-person group into the Overlord Ranked Dungeon, nearly equal to a ten percent tax on your gains. If your group was incompetent, it could be a losing day for you.
The Shaman nodded in satisfaction, then simply turned and left, his duty done. He had more to do today, and the group leader would show Karl the rest of what he needed to know.
"Alright, what are your skills?" The Paladin asked, wondering where Karl should be in their lineup.
"I am a Beast Master, so I have a small group of beasts with . But I also have Golems, Bodyguard type summons, as well as ranged and lee damage skills.
It might be best to let the beasts out after we're inside, but there is a Ghostfire Thunderbird, a Blood Destruction Demonic Spider, and a Void Badger, all at Overlord Rank." Karl explained.
The dragonkin stared at him for a mont, and the Dwarves were suspiciously silent.
It was Thomas who broke the silence. "You brought a Void Badger here. To an entire mountain filled with gems and shiny objects?"
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