Dracogen's Price

 is a quest in Torment: Tides of Numenera.

Synopsis
Dracogen has promised to give you a merecaster and smooth your way to a meeting with the Memovira if you can procure an item for him known as the Magmatic Annulet, which is located in a place known as the Ascension. Dracogen told me to follow the "caravan route" from the Memovira's Courtyard to the Trade Post. That's where I'll find a Maw that will take me to the Ascension.

Walkthrough

 * Seems straightforward enough. After accepting the quest, head to The Vast Interior to reach the Trade Post.
 * Or not. Detour through Chiurgeon Slump to reach the maw that can lead you to the trade post. You need to somehow trick it into opening using Artaglio.
 * You can feed Artaglio to the maw directly, by drinking him down with (Endurance) and earning a favor, persuading him to face his fears using Persuasion/Deception, retrieving Artaglio's Standard, or feeding him the Essence of Bravery from Sheen. Doing so will allow you to absorb a reflection as he's consumed.
 * Or you can try tricking the maw. First, talk to Artaglio and get a lock of Artaglio's Hair. Talk to Sheen to receive Artaglio's Essence, then offer yourself to the maw. Mmm, puke. And death. Mostly death.
 * Finally, if you don't mind annoying the Bloom, cut the maw open with a transdimensional scalpel.
 * Pass through the Trade Post to the Ascension. Reach the Crystalline Cavern.
 * In the laboratory, interact with the machine. Touching the mazelike rune allows you to view the schematics and use (Lore: Mystical, Anamnesis) to recall the schematics. You can power the stasis pod and access it with the parallel lines glyph, allowing you to then interact with the generator and use  (Lore: Natural, Anamnesis) to recall the sequence code. This pulls down the force field. Touch your tattoo to the container to get the annulet.
 * Leave to run into Doran and his cronies at the exit portal. You can surrender (ill-advised) or try to kill them all - a moderately difficult proposal - or intimidate him with, which will cause the specter to kill him. Pop goes the noggin! Doran drops the Ossified Trifolium and Gauntlet of Murder, with his supporting crew providing the Gloves of the Forgotten Gardener. You also get 100 XP for dealing with him.
 * Return to Dracogen. To exit the Trade Post you need to interact with the tongue cluster. You can seize control of them now, using and decide to hijack the minds of the traders, release them, reopen the portal to the Slump, or move the tradepost to its original position. You only get to make one choice. Note: If you reach this point before your first rest in the Bloom you will be able to absorb the intellects of the minds trapped in the Trading Post also, gaining +1 to your Intellect Pool. You will not however be able to acquire the Orb of Perception. This is a good way to get the boost without angering the Bloom by helping with the cart.
 * He will accept the Annulet or, if you have it, the Navigational Cortex in its place. Then it's off to the Memovira and Into the Depths.