Crafting Motif 9 : Argonian Content . This morning my maid Dariella came to me all a - twitter with the news that there was a lizard - woman at the door , asking for me and insisting it was urgent . There aren ' t many Argonians in the City , and it occurred to me this might be a relative of Seif - ij , sent with some dreadful news about Morian , so I donned my University robe and hurried down . There was indeed a young lizard - woman waiting in the street , clad in a fetching spidersilk jumper adorned with intricate spiral designs . She said her name was Lifts - Her - Tail ( which I thought must be a joke , but who can tell , given these reptilians ' impassive features ) , and she ' d been sent to bring me to her master , Desh - Wulm the Perspicuous . She said she didn ' t know what it was about , but it was a matter of some urgency , and she was to lead me to her master immediately . I nodded , nervously , and followed . The Argonian lass led me out the Temple gate and down to the Docks , far out on the end of which we found a curious old house I ' d never before noticed , with a dark sign by the door that read " The Xanmeer " — a word unfamiliar to me . We went inside to find a large house entirely occupied by Argonians , a dozen or so who seemingly lived there using all the rooms in common . Everywhere I looked I saw Argonian hangings , sculptures , and fetishes , all made from natural materials such as shells , bone , and feathers , glowing with bright spiral and geometric designs . If these objects were representative of what the Argonians used in their home regions , then snakeskin , tortoise shell , jagged teeth , turquoise and jade , all of which we would consider exotic materials , must be commonplace in Black Marsh . Lifts - Her - Tail led me up a ramp that had apparently replaced the house ' s staircase . On the upper level she introduced me to a humid room that , to me at least , smelled of decay and mold . Coughing , I entered , discovering a room almost entirely full of potted jungle plants — some of them seemingly long - dead and rotting . I stepped on something that squished beneath my sandal and stepped involuntarily back , but the lizard - lass gently took my hand , drew me past a wall of ferns and into the center of the room . There , incongruously , I discovered a large porcelain Nibenese bathtub , like the one in my own vanity chamber , though this one was filled almost to the rim with a noisome , greenish mud . And lying in this mud , nose barely above the surface , was the oldest Argonian I ' d ever seen . In fact , the withered and wizened lizard - man looked so much like a mummy I was startled when it opened its mouth and spoke . In a voice like creaking leather , the reptilian slowly said , " I am Desh - Wulm . You are Al - Phid , Brightest Star of the City . You are welcome in my uxith — my nest . " He seemed to be looking someplace over my shoulder , and I saw that the old lizard ' s eyes were clouded over with an opalescent film — he was blind . This infirmity was somehow reassuring , enabling me to regain my self - possession and fall gratefully into the routines of etiquette . I bowed — though he couldn ' t see it — and said , " I am honored to be received into your home , venerable Desh - Wulm . How can one such as I be of service to an Elder of Wisdom ? " " You can beware ! " he croaked , scaled hands emerging from the mud and levering him up on the rim of the bathtub . " Your dryskin mages — the weft unravels about them , " he said , more calmly , making an unfamiliar spiral gesture above the tub . " It is wrong . The Aurbic skeins should not be disjoined with intent of malice . " I had been around wizards long enough to guess at what he meant . " Morian ? " I gasped . " And Divayth ? They ' re in danger ? What can I do ? " Desh - Wulm clacked his jaws twice , and then said , " You are capable . You must stop them . You will prevail . If not , " three sharp spines rose up from his brow , " there will be ill dreams and serration for all who swim the river . Kaoc ! " The old Argonian suddenly began thrashing about in the tub , spilling muck over the sides . " Theilul ! " Lifts - Her - Tail deftly picked up a jug that seemed to be made from a single insect ' s carapace , uncorked it , and poured some brown liquor down the old lizard - man ' s throat . " Go ! " she hissed , pointing toward the door . " Do as he says ! Now ! " I turned , ran out of the room , down the ramp , out the door , and back to the Imperial City .