Following the marker on the map to the location of the lyre of Arachne the Monster Mash expected another well equipped bandit fortress decked out like the last one. However, they were surprised to find they instead were led to a hub city like area. The capital to one of the many city states powers of Midterranus. Ackeron. The white marble buildings were capped with red shingles rooftops and red banners with a Spartan Chevron hoplite shield with two spears behind it decorated many buildings as well as the carts and soldiers in the city. There were no city guards, just military members.

  Everyone looked in awe, Racknar commenting out loud: “It's like I stepped into a time capsule of ancient Sparta. The question is, where in a city state that's likely a strength based meritocracy would you find a musical instrument?” Another thing that caught the part off guard thanks to them mainly being in the Empire till now is the fact that some military members and citizens of the city were not human. Orks and Beast Kin walked freely without being harassed and without needing to be adventurers. Krys'tal was taken aback by the city. “I don't know, but I could get used to a place like this.” They then spotted several same sex and polyamorous romantic partnerships. “This place is like paradise compared to the Empire.”

  Racknar grumbled. “Don't let your guard down, things may seem peaches and cream but there's always a chance something is going on in the background.” Ariagoria looked around the city. “So where do we start? This city is massive so I don't imagine just asking random people if they've seen the lyre is going to be that effective.” Racknar nodded. “Find the adventurer’s guildhall, ask around there. It's the best spot to start in this situation.” The Monster Mash finds a town map on a street corner that helps them find the guildhall. The building here was as large as the one in Flowers or Londinium.

  Davy whistles as he walks in. “It's as lively as one would expect in such a big city. So do we split up or what's the play here?” Racknar grumbled a bit to himself. “I guess just ask around. This place isn't as worried about pagan artifacts as the Empire so we should be able to openly ask people if they know who has the Lyre of Arachne.” An adventurer who was drinking set down his cup and looked over to the party. “Did youz say youz waz lookin’ fer the Lure of Arachne?” The muscular crocodilian lizard-folk addressed the party.

  Racknar hummed. “It's a lyre, but yeah. We've been collecting the set of Arachne’s artifacts and getting the lyre would put us halfway through them.” The lizard-folk stands. “Wellz I know where it iz. A friend of mine in za military got it while raiding a bandit fort. Kept it az a war trophy. You'd have to convince him to givez it, might brawl ya for it. He’z at the barrackz last I checked. Just ask for Laz’drek. Iz black komodo lizard-folk. Big face scar, can't mizz him.” Racknar nods and tossed the crocodile a silver. “Thanks for the info, your next drink's on me.” He lifted his cup and cheered before downing it. “Appre… appre… thankz.”

  The group left the building and started heading for the military barracks. Once there they started looking around and even asked for where to find Laz’drek. They were led to a training area where soldiers were practicing their spear toss at a firing range. Laz’drek was in fact difficult to miss as they were told and Racknar walked right up to him. “Excuse me, Laz’drek? I was wondering if I could talk to you for a moment.” The muscular komodo didn't even look at him. “M-my e-earz work f-fine.” The komodo struggled to talk in Imperial common.

  Racknar continued to talk over the sound of spears hitting targets. “It's come to my attention that you collected an artifact of Arachne from a bandit fort. My party and I have been trying to gather all ten and already have four of them. I was wondering what if anything it would take to convince you to part with your trophy.” Laz’drek stopped practicing. “I got that loot fare and square in combat. “ Laz’drek growled. “Only way I'm letting it go iz if you can beat me in a fight. Completely nude, no itemz at all. Except for an inhibitor collar.”

  Racknar looked at the rest of the party who made various gestures from shrugs to Davy giving a thumbs up with a big grin. Racknar rolled his many eyes. “Alright, sure. You got a place for us to use?” Laz'drek nodded. “Barrackz sparing area.” He gestured and Racknar followed. He was shown a table to place his items including his coin purse so he started placing items on it. His satchel of infinite javelins he could sell, his doorknob, his cloak, belt, boots, and various rings with the last thing being his ring of illusion. He looked at it and twisted it on his finger.

  “I guess I've got no other options.” Racknar pulled it off and put it on the table, the illusion breaking and letting everyone in the barracks see what he really looked like. Several people let out gasps of shock and there was some murmuring among the crowd as the shackle-like collar was slapped on his neck. “I think we should find that extra set of arms and legs, in the interest of fairness.” The person helping Racknar prepare said. Racknar looked at Laz'drek who was already set to go collar and all. He nods to Racknar who then nods at the person helping him. His lower two hands were then cuffed behind his back and his two spider-like legs coming off at his hips were tied to his thorax with rope.

  Laz’drek let out a hearty laugh. “You know, I haz zeen a lot of strange in my life, but never a Black Iron Spider Beast-kin. Iz no shock why you'd want the Arachne trinketzez.” Racknar cracked the knuckles on his free hands and clenched his fists. “We going to keep chatting or are we going to make a mess with one another’s faces so the healers have something to do?” The muscular black scaled komodo lizard-folk smiled and let out a growl before the two people helping the fighters get ready moved to the side and let them go at it.

  Racknar and Laz'drek met in the middle of the area and immediately started slugging one another. Exchanging blows aimed for the face right at the start before engaging in a grapple and wrestling with one another. Marionette watched the two as they tried their best to gain ground to pin the other into submission. “Maybe someone should have got out the olive oil.” Ariagoria looked at her. “Are you… getting off on this?” Marionette let out a short nervous laugh. “N-no. What's there to get hot and bothered about when two guys are wrestling?”

  Ariagoria rolled her eyes and looked back at the fight. “(I'm guessing those collars prevent the user from using abilities like rage so it's a true test of the user's own strength without any special abilities.)” Racknar adjusted his hold and lifted the large lizard-folk off the ground before slamming him back down on the dirt hard and putting him into a submission hold. Laz’drek let out several sounds of pain and distress before managing to get loose and stand. Both fighters standing Racknar took another fist to the face only to meet it in kind before grabbing his opponent by the face and thumbing at his eyes.

  Laz'drek screamed as he grabbed, clawed, and punched Racknar’s arms eventually getting free and tail whipping Racknar causing him to hit the floor hard, landing on his back. Racknar rolled out of the way of a second tail attack and sprung up aiming a fist for the lizard's guy, hitting him hard enough to knock the wind out of him. Racknar didn't let up for even a moment as he quickly followed up with a heavy hit to the lizard-man’s face nearly knocking him over, then kicking him the rest of the way down.

  Laz’drek coughed and laughed as he struggled back to his feet, wobbling around a bit. “Damn.” He wiped off his mouth. “Even with a handicap to even the playing field you're whipping the floor with me.” He growled and took a ready stance. “I've still got some fight in me.” Racknar shook his head. “No, you really don't. Adrenaline is the only thing keeping you going right now.” Laz’drek made several attempts to punch Racknar with him dodging each and every one. Then he grabbed the punching arm and flipped the lizard over and landed him back to the ground before rolling the lizard over and putting a knee on his back and still holding the arm.

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  Pinned to the ground and unable to get up with Racknar wrenching the arm that's in the armbar the lizard had no choice but to tap out. “I give, I give.” Racknar got up and even helped Laz’drek up with Ariagoria healing them both. “This means we're done here, right?” Both Racknar and Laz'drek gathered their things with Laz'drek bringing over the musical instrument. “Indeed, my word iz my bond.” He handed over the lyre. Racknar grabbed it and looked it over. “Unfortunately I doubt any of us will be able to actively make use of it, still gotta get them all.”

  Laz'drek rolled his arms, stretching his shoulders. “I gather you aim to restore Arachne.” Racknar nodded. “We now have half of her artifacts. You wouldn't happen to know the location of another would you?” Laz’drek shook his head. “Wish I could aid ya, but no. However, you have my respect as a warrior.” Racknar hummed. “Can't put a price on that. Maybe the cult of Lilith has one. I know she herself likely kept an artifact but I'm not ready to fight her yet.” The party left the area with Racknar stopping at a shop to sell his javelin satchel for extra coin. “We stay the night then I guess head home to plan our next move.”

  Racknar had trouble sleeping that night, he tossed and turned as he felt a nauseous feeling like he had a stomach ache, something he had not experienced since being reborn. When the party got ready to leave he was clearly sleep deprived. Marionette looked him over. “What's the matter?” Racknar let out a low growl. “Couldn't sleep. I feel off and I have no idea why.” The Monster Mash loads into the cart with Ariagoria offering to drive while Racknar takes it easy. The entire trip as they gate hoped Racknar sat in the back groaning from discomfort and rolling around.

  Marionette did her best to try and comfort him. “Where does it hurt, how can I help?” Racknar groaned. “My abdomen, my thorax… Charity tried a recovery spell that removes status effects and Davy tried an identification spell to find one and nothing helped us find out what's going on or how to stop it. I just have to wait it out the old fashioned way.” Marionette put some cloth in cold water and put it on Racknar's forehead as he tightly gripped stuff with his hands to help with the pain.

  Once the party got back to the castle Racknar went straight to his room and locked the door. The rest of the party eyed one another with worry but they already understood there was little or nothing that could be done. Racknar continued to writhe in pain in his bed throwing himself on the floor. Eventually, everything went black and Racknar assumed he had passed out from a combination of exhaustion and the pain but he had split second memory fragments of doing something with his hands as if on autopilot.

  When Racknar finally woke from his fugue state, he saw an elaborately woven tapestry of silk and metal thread. The cloth itself shimmered with lingering magic and Racknar recognized the tapestry the moment he set his many eyes on it. It was the Tapestry of Hubris and Humility. One of the artifacts of Arachne. Racknar looked at it, extremely confused. He picked himself off the floor and grabbed the tapestry before walking out of his bedroom and into the living area. He held it up and aimed it at Davy. “I need you to double check this with identification.”

  Davy looked over, got up, and cast the spell. His eyes widened. “How did you… where did you?” Racknar placed it on the table. “I made it, in some sort of fugue state. My best guess is my mother was an avatar of Arachne and her soul was the one it was bound to. So when I killed her it passed over. I just couldn't manifest it until we had at least half of the set.” Ariagoria put up a finger. “Wouldn't that make you the grandson of Arachne since Ebony said the avatar was her daughter?”

  Racknar grumbled. “That's not important right now.” Ariagoria gestured at Racknar somewhat angrily. “That's what you always say every time we discover something new and interesting about your background. When will it be important?” She then cleared her throat. “Right, sorry. Let's focus on the mission.” Racknar eyes her for a moment then gestures at the tapestry. “This isn't exactly something we can actively make use of similar to the lyre so I guess we can keep it at the castle.”

  Lisa busts in holding a crap ton of scrolls. “Hey hey, if it isn't my favorite party of Adventurers, the Monster Mash. How are things?” There's a dead silence as everyone looked at her. “Did I interrupt something?” Racknar waves dismissively. “Not really. What do you have there?” Lisa beamed with excitement. “I finally figured out one of your sketches that's been bothering me and started making actual progress. I wanted a second set of eyes on my latest concept drawing. The Black Tortoise two point oh.” She unspoiled the large scroll and pinned down the edges.

  Everyone looked it over with Davy being the first to comment. “Hey, this looks familiar. I've seen it before.” Ariagoria and Krys'tal nodded and verbally agreed. Racknar looked at the drawing. “It's the Da Vinci tank. You couldn't have started with something earlier like the gun?” Lisa waved dismissively. “I figured out all the gun notes ages ago and already built a working model of both the revolver and repeater rifle.” Racknar put a hand to his chin and nodded. “I expected greatness and you still surpassed my expectations.” Lisa smiled smugly as she took a proud stance. “I am pretty great aren't I? Anyway, since I figured out the shelled bullet I figured the next best step was to upscale to a cannon.”

  Racknar looked at the blueprint. “You… have you already figured out the magic battery you need for this thing to move without horses?” Lisa frowned. “Not yet, but I'm close. I can feel it. I can't quite get the lightning or fire gems to activate then stay on since normally a person has to touch it or a wand it's connected to.” Racknar put out his hand. “Why not have the steering connected to the gem with wires so you activate it by holding the steering wheel or something?” Lisa sat in a blank stare silence for a moment. “You know you'd think I'd come up with that but I guess I was overthinking things again.”

  Racknar chuckled. “It's easy to miss an easy solution sometimes. Anyway, it looks great. Just be careful because we don't want the Empire getting this stuff. Was there anything else you needed?” Lisa hummed. “Well not exactly but I was wondering how you were going to handle taxes since as a mayor of this city you bought you still have to pay them starting next year.” Racknar shrugged. “I guess I can charge the people and monsters rent, give the kingdom the bare minimum.” Lisa nodded. “And the autumn season… are you… prepared?”

  Racknar made a confused expression, or the closest he could get with his limited ability to emote as his fangs, eyes, mouth, and hands did their best to convey his current emotions. “I uhh… the buildings should already be weathered for the cold.” Lisa chuckled. “Not what I meant. You're a hybrid creature and this may be prone to follow the biological clock of a Black Iron Spider.” Racknar’s eyes lit up. “Ooooh~! oh. Uhh…” Racknar rubbed the back of his neck. “I was planning on just powering through with sheer willpower.”

  Marionette butted into the conversation. “What is she on about?” Racknar explained. “Black Iron Spiders mate in the mid to late autumn so the eggs are ready to hatch by early spring. So it's possible as a physically mature specimen I'll experience a hormonal shift.” Ariagoria rolled her eyes. “He means he may be chronically horny for a month or so.” Racknar nodded. “However, I'm not some mindless animal acting on instinct. So I'm sure I'll manage.”

  Marionette shifted awkwardly. “O-oh. Okay.” Racknar looked at the drawings again. “We need to locate those other four artifacts as quickly as possible and grind out more experience so we can gain more abilities. We've gotten this far mostly because of having way more and much more powerful magic items then we should at this point. We can't depend so heavily on our equipment, especially considering we'll lose the Arachne artifacts shortly after we get the last one.”

  Lisa hummed and put her hand on her chin. “Do you know how mythril is made?” Racknar looked at her, unsure where she was going with her question. “It's silk from a magical silkworm found primarily in Alfheim in this world. The silkworms gather magic energy by living in special magic crystal geodes like the one Krys'tal and their people come from.” Lisa nodded. “So since the thread of a Black Iron Spider depends on its diet, what would happen if you added magic crystal dust to the drink you drink for the strongest thread?”

  Racknar thought about it for a moment. “Well spider's silk is a lot stronger than silkworm silk, especially when processed and woven correctly. As is I can basically make what amounts to titanium thread since it is as strong as but lighter than steel. Not magical like mythril but almost as good. Theoretically I could make a magic silk shirt even more durable than mythril and it similarly wouldn't count as armor just on its own.” His eyes suddenly widened. “Oh shit! Okay, I've definitely got something new to look forward to. Black Iron Mythril. Combine that with an epic level metal like adamantine or orichalcum… though that'll be hard to get our hands on.”

  Racknar double checked the Arachne items. “The badge of spider command, the tapestry of hubris and humility, the bow of Arachne, the lyre of spider’s song, the cloak of spider kind, the armor of Arachne, the swords of Arachne… seven. I must have miscounted at some point. We still need the eyes of Arachne, The Golden Spider's egg, and finally The Memorial of the Spider King. Three artifacts left to collect and only one of them is an item we can use. Lolith likely has either the egg or the statue, possibly both. So I guess that leaves the eyes. I'm going to rest and we can start fresh in the morning.”

  Lisa nodded and rolled back up her papers. “I have work to do anyway so I'll see you all later. Hopefully we can find a lead on the artifact soon.” The rest of the party, also tired, went to bed to rest after a long day's work.