>>101402“He’s still out there, you’d best believe.
What is it? Were you expecting mountains and valleys of gold? Tenochtitlan was
never as wealthy as advertised. With the line of Hayfeather only three generations old at the time of contact, the government lacked authority over some of its further provinces, needing lavish ceremonies, building projects like temples and canals to impress the populace, and a large standing army to put down rebellions and to repel incursions of the other neighuatl tribes with whom they shared the basin. When the Pegasi came, some of the wealth was seized by the conquerers as booty, tribute, or received in payment for foreign goods. Some, probably most, never left Tenochtitlan, with its various owners simply retaining it, or burying it. And only a portion was spirited away with the rebels in their flight to the Windy River Valley. They varied with them the robes, idols, ritual masks, and incense burners of their temples, and the jewelry and wealth of their noble families, but they could carry no more than what they could place on their backs, as they cantered out under cover of night. They hoped one day to take back the rest, and push out the foreigners and the puppet regime.
As the years dragged on, the rebels found that food mattered more to them than their trinkets, and no doubt much of their treasure was spent and dispersed in that time. And on top of all of that.”
Pear points down to an object to Iron’s right. It’s s lantern.
“Did you think you were the first to try to rob this ancient grave? Probably much of what could be carried easily has already been carried away. Only the danger of the jungle, the isolation, and the relative lack ways to carry heavy objects has saved this location. And besides, what else do you want?”
Looking over, Cauldron has taken the top off of a pot, revealing the pot is filled to the brim with gold coins. Cauldron herself is now jamming an iron tool into one of the sealed off portions of the wall - probably a grave - and smashing it. Pear decides to go for a physical demonstration and pick up one of the pots with her right hoof, and hold it up against her back. She pulls it up with an “ugh!” but finds that the weight is too great for her to sustain, and it slips down, until it falls. Only her hoof being in place to keep the pot upright prevents it from falling over, shattering, and spilling its contents everywhere. It makes a loud “clink!” noise as it falls in place to the ground, and Pear makes an “ook”
She returns to her description
“There are earrings, brooches, face masks, chalices, of gold, turquoise, and emerald. The frieze outside and the cal set wheels alone would go for a fortune to a private collector, and those aren’t even good. There is more here than you could possibly carry.”
She then stops her almost exasperated tangent, she says,
“Those stories of mountains of gold and vast wealth, were nothing other than stories. The creation of impressionable and adventurous young minds upon seeing the city for the first time, and of unscrupulous expedition leaders who wanted to trick adventurers into giving up their established lives to brave hot and disease ridden jungles, and to trick cautious governors... and deans, into giving the financial backing for risky expeditions.”