You instinct was correct. The sea bed suddenly drops away, to reveal the ruins of the Sunken City of Ziusudra. Crumbling towers climb out of the hazy green depths, and shoals of flashing silverfish dart through the abandoned windows and doors of coral-encrusted buildings.
The creature you are following arrows down towards a large dome-like structure covered in waving tendrils of seaweed. It disappears through a hole in the roof of the dome.
Carefully, you swim down to the hole and look through, into the palace of the repulsive ones.
The inside of the dome is lit with an eerie yellowish glow that comes from the sea-moss that carpets the ceiling. At the far end, a grotto in the wall contains an idol made from sea-shells and coral, presumably of Oannes, the god of the repulsive ones. At its feet lies the golden net of Alvir and Valmir, the object of your quest. Between you and it swim several of the giant squid-creatures, carrying out various undersea chores.
Underwater encounters are a challenge to represent in a 2D game as nothing can beat the vivid imagination of the reader but we try our best!
A knight, in full plate armour, rides up and says, ‘Welcome to the Castle of the Dragon Knights. It is our custom to joust against all who would come here – for a wager, of course.’
He explains that you must bet the weapon and the suit of armour that you will use for the joust. If you lose, you forfeit the weapon and armour. If you win, you get the armour and weapon of the knight you defeat. Most of your potential opponents, you note, would be using a sword and plate armour.
There are so many wondrous places in the Fabled Lands and it brings me joy exploring them visually. I know for sure that I love our leading artist's work (Bernar Aganchyan), and while I configure, balance and test all combat encounters, I cannot but feel eager to find your reaction when you explore every single place we are preparing for you.