The Ancient Builders

What we know

The builders are a mystery to us. The only thing we know for sure is that they left in a hurry a few centuries ago. They left big mechanical cities, contraptions, and inventions for time to slowly destroy. There's only one city left that is in any condition to reflect how they once were, Merca. In it there are still mechanical creatures roaming around, repairing to the best of their abilities. They're lead by the dragons, big machines with intelligence capable of matching us humans or surpassing us.

Merca

Merca lies far up in the mountains, which has protected it from the world outside. Its large structures are seemingly mostly made out of a once white stone, with copper details. We haven't been able to enter the city, as it's large metal door are closely guarded by machines. There is one building significantly bigger than the others that we can see clearly from a distance. Its shape and size suggest it was once a palace, and the dragons seem to spend most of their time around it.

The dragons

We have only had any real conversation with one of the creatures. He greeted us when we first found Merca. While he seemed intent on making us leave, he did answer a few of our questions. They were originally built as war machines, with a builders soul being bounded to their heart. He hadn't retained any memories from before being built, and even the time he was alive before the builders left he couldn't tell much about. All the dragons still alive have moved into Merca, and they maintain the machines and contraption within it. He also told us were welcome to traverse outside the walls, but if we tried to get in that right would be revoked.