From the Hidden City (Warhammer Lizardmen Temple-City Quest)

North of Zlatlan, just past the mouth of the southern Red River there was a great cove cut into the shores of the Bay of Stars. Millenia ago, mere centuries after the slann of the First Generation shifted the orbit of the world and the vast continent-sized ice sheets had begun to retreat, the rushing waters had carved through the land and spilled out into the bay. Such was the volume of the melting waters and so swift their course that land that might have withstood ten-thousand millenia against a lesser river was carved away in only centuries.

But even before the Great Catastrophe the runoff from the retreating glaciers of the continental mountain range had begun to follow a new course and soon was only a mighty river rather than a titanic, continent-carving flood. It's new mouth not even a tenth the size.

Steep cliff faces towered over the cove, as it meandered in from the bay. Further back, near to the ancient mouth of the river long stretches of wide, sandy beaches lay at the feet of the cliffs where the dying river had deposited heaps of sand and gravel which had then been overlaid by white sands carried in on the tides. Smaller inlets dotted the sides of the cove, carved out in the millenia since, some even digging caves into the cliff sides. It was in one of these smaller offshoots that the pod of dragon turtles acquired in the previous decade had been established.

Along the northern edge of the inlet the ancient cliff face had stood on weaker soil and in centuries since its carving, part of it had collapsed to form a steep hill long since overgrown by the jungle. This was the first layer of defense. Dense foliage and undergrowth serving to hide the inlet from prying eyes. Meanwhile to the south a small system of sea caves had been dug out of the cliffs, affording an excellent position to construct a hidden set of landings and yards to store the future equipment of the dragon turtles. Work had not yet begun on such facilities, but would in time.

So far only a perimeter of boundary stones had been installed, each enchanted so that together they formed a subtle ward that would turn away beasts and unwary warmbloods. Against a determined enemy they would do little, but such intruders would then inevitably face either patrols from the assigned handlers or the dragon turtles themselves and both could retreat to the sea at need.

Handlers for the dragon turtles had been found from amongst the most experienced skinks that saw to the well being of stegadon, bastiladon, and carnosaur.

For the most part the dragon turtles preferred to hunt for their own food from the shoals of fish that made their home in the Bay of Stars and the waters just beyond its mouth, as well as the forests of kelp that grew thick in the deeper portions of both. But on occasion they deigned to allow the skinks to feet them, the youngest especially— and once battlefield injury, or illness, afflicted them it would be necessary to have ready supplies of food on hand. It was delicate work determining what foods they favored and what they would tolerate, centuries would be required before a complete understanding was developed. And then centuries more before it was mastered.

But even in just the few years that the skinks charged had had to begin their work they were already beginning to develop that understanding.

Day 8 Caxuatn's Season, 11650


Huatza-Botl prowled down the set of winding stone stairs dug into the hillside, behind them the skink in charge of the motley collection of handlers hurried to catch up. Their scales mottled yellow-green, a harness of leather straps clinging to their chest and upper thighs, tools and pouches dangling from loops. One eye covered by a leather patch and one clawed hand clutched the end of a long wooden pole slung over their shoulder. Spots of shadow and sunlight played across their shadows as the two of them made their way down towards the beach below.

"Progress?"

"Steady," said the handler as they caught up, "Most juveniles will accept food and grooming efforts."

"And the adults?"

They shook their head, "No."

Three years ago only a small handful would allow anyone but Huatza-Botl to approach without making threat displays; lifted heads and loud hissing. And even that only if the saurus had the Leviathan-Bone Harpoon.

More than a year ago the handlers had attempted to approach some of the youngest of the pod as the watching adult seemed to doze under the summer sun. Seemed, being the operative word. Before the group was within even a few meters it had rounded on them and let loose with a burst of boiling water from its mouth. Most of the handlers had been able to dodge out of the way. It had been nowhere near full power for an adult dragon turtle.

Most.

Their leader had been too close to move entirely out of the way and the near miss had been enough to burst an eyeball and scald half their face. Save for the eyepatch it was difficult to tell they had ever been injured.

"We've begun taking measures on some of the more sociable."

That was good. Significant growth still took place as a dragon turtle approached adulthood, and even beyond, but some juveniles were already large enough to mount something similar to a howdah. And the rough dimensions of their bodies remained mostly unaltered.

There would always be some need for adjustment to fit such equipment to individual beasts, it was true of bastiladon and stegadon, there was no reason it shouldn't be true of dragon turtles.

Near the base of the hill the jungle cover thinned out until it was only some low shrubs and grasses between them and the beach below where a handful of the pod lay spread across the sand, sunning themselves in the afternoon light. In the far distance Huatza-Botl spotted more of the dragon turtles dotting the other beaches of the inlet and even a few setting out to hunt in the waters of the Bay of Stars. Despite the relative chill of the season the dragon turtles were no less active. Perhaps they really were draconic in origin.

As they neared to within ten meters of the beach the nearest dragon turtles swung their heads about to fix their gazes on Huatza-Botl— or rather on the weapon in their hand. Though the Oldblood had not yet reached for the magic of the weapon. Dozens of dark eyes watched the two zar'kaix, listening for what no mortal ear could hear.

Day 52 Potec's Season, 11650

Spread out across the floor of the chamber were just over a dozen lengths of reed-pith paper, edges curling up and occasionally jostling in the breeze as steady spring sunlight streamed in through the wide trapezoidal windows. From beyond the sound of crashing waves and seabirds filters in, the scrape and crash and hubbub of activity faint beyond that. Stalking between individual lengths, their edge held down by carved stone, Huatza-Botl considered each design carefully.

All had the vague outline of a dragon turtle in command but from there they diverged, the backs of the beasts topped by highly detailed sketches; two-thirds were of some manner of platform and the other third a saddle. Notes scrawled across each schematic highlighted what still remained to be designed.

Most of it as it turned out.

Huatza-Botl had spent many lunar months travelling back and forth between this very chamber in the harbor citadel and inlet holding the pod of dragon turtles, collecting measurements with the handles and producing schematics with the scribes, iterating on the various designs in between their other duties. Thus far they had only settled on three categories of plans to bring forward. Crew platforms, designed to ferry Sea-Claws or skink sailors to their foes. Saddles for skink chiefs and priests, or for saurus champions to ride a dragon turtle into battle. Heavier platforms designed to mount Solar Engines or greatbows, though it was uncertain if the greatbows would survive the salty spray of the sea so close for so long. All were similar in principle, comprising a platform or set of platforms lashed to the shell of the dragon turtle or a saddle that would be set near the head of the beast where neck and shell met.

Even within those though there were… numerous options; some were little more than a howdah modified to sit on the broad shell of a dragon turtle, others were more like a cage than a platform, and others were several sets of platforms. Even the saddle designs had their own variations between those for saurus champions and those for skink chiefs or priests— the former was only a 'single' wide saddle with the potential to seat more than one, or to carry cargo, while the latter was a saddle connected to a small platform.

In the end some manner of equipment would be designed for each category. So long as it was functional. It only remained to decide where to start, that was a matter of priorities.

Or so at least Huatza-Botl had believed.

From the end of the chamber opposite portal looking out onto the harbor below and the Bay of Stars two figures emerged— each taller than Huatza-Botl, edging out the Oldblood by the length of bleach bone rising above their snout from the bone helms their bore, and deck in bronze-gold armor gleaming with enchantment. Wicked obsinite tipped halberds held in one hand and thick traditional quchi shields in the other. Their gazes swept the chamber and Huatza-Botl felt the assessing weight of their attentions measure them and then dismiss them.

Without a word both temple-guard stepped to the side of the shadowed doorway they had come through and began to stalk around the edge of the chamber. From behind them the prodigious bulk of a slann emerged, mottled red-orange flesh glistening as he floated forward atop his palanqin.

Lord Mextlep drifted in after him, his own deep blue-purple frame slighter compared to the other slann and his eyes shut in meditative contemplation.

Between them lay something curious and unexpected— a wooden carving of a dragon turtle as large as one of the temple-guards' shields with a strange protrusion of bronze across its back. Like a strange, bulbous fungus growing from the shell it bulged grotesquely it nearly doubled the height of the dragon turtle. A hexagonal section of bronze peeled away as the carving spun lazily through the air, revealing equal numbers of tiny wooden saurus and skinks within.

Lord Mextlep opened his eyes a slit and white light spilled across the floor for a moment before they shut again and the younger slann settled himself against the back of his palanquin. As the two drew to a stop and Tzula-Pec took up their own position behind the lords, the first pair of temple-guard made their way at last to the outer portal and posted themselves beside the entrance as two more temple-guard slipped in to the room and took up positions by the other door. His mouth splitting into a grin Macuiltotec raised his one hand and clapped it together with the air.

"Come now, Huatza-Botl, show us what you have."

---

Every basic category (Crew Platform, Champion Saddle, Weapon Platform) will eventually be produced according to your needs, this is just a decision on where you will start focusing. It will be some decades before Zlatlan has enough 'full equipment' for the dragon turtles.

But there is also the crew equipment to consider. Unfortunately you only have two options there; nothing or something expensive (though not as expensive as the original Abyssal Exploration Gear).

Pick Three (3):

[][PLATFORM] Crew Platform
- Carries Sea-Claws or skink sailors as passengers. Can be outfitted with dart guns.
[][PLATFORM] Champion Saddle (Priest/Chief)
- Carries a Chief or Priest into battle, with small crew of guards. Can be outfitted with dart guns.
[][PLATFORM] Champion Saddle (Scar-Veteran/Oldblood)
- Carries a Scar-Veteran or Oldblood into battle, with either cargo or up to two companions.
[][PLATFORM] Firing Platform (Greatbow?)
- Intended to mount a greatbow and firing crew, may possibly fail.
[][PLATFORM] Firing Platform (Solar Engine)
- Intended to mount a Solar Engine and firing crew.
[][PLATFORM] Crew Compartment
- Fully enclosed modification to all designs.
- Will allow all designs to freely submerge.
- Counts as Two (2) Choices.

Pick One (1):

[][CREW] None
- Leave crew without special nautical equipment
- Unless Crew Compartment is chosen, dragon turtles will be restricted to surface travel.
- Restriction does not apply to Priests and Champions with the Mark of Tzunki.
[][CREW] Adapt Abyssal Exploration Gear
- Allows crews to survive at limited depths and to freely exist Crew Compartments if chosen.

Notes: Bit shorter, but this is mostly setting the stage for the next portions where I'll get to describe the cool things you're building and how you go about getting new beasties into the fold. Comments, critique, etc.