Myn waves.

The shaman climbs on Valanor, and tries not to look too nervous.

The group climbs onto Valanor's back, and the enormous metallic dragon takes wing. Even as the dragon lifts into the air, each of you feels a sense of comfort and warmth envelop you, as if you were in a bubble of absolute safety--it seems that riding an elder golden dragon has a powerful influence over your mind. All of the normal discomforts that you would expect from a prolonged aerial journey on the back of a monstrous winged creature prove to be of little concern; or at least, you are not noticing them. It seems barely any time has passed before the sun has set and Valanor has set down in a wooded foothill along the path towards the Well of Dragons.

Camping out for the night is largely uneventful. Reiyasu and the shaman each spot what appear to be goblin packs peering at you through the foliage, but no sooner are they spotted than do they retreat. Perhaps the presence of a metallic dragon sleeping by the campsite has deterred any potential trouble. The next day is largely the same, and camping higher in the mountains discourages any kind of interference at all. However, you briefly notice that Valanor seems momentarily distracted, and appears to be discussing something with the air. When asked about it, he informs you that he'll discuss it in the morning, after he's had some time to think.

Early into the third day, Valanor begins to discuss strategy as you soar through the air, "That was a Sending from Remallia last night. The Harpers have a very small handful of agents that have infiltrated the ranks of the Cult of the Dragon, though none are very highly placed. They relayed to me information on the defense structure of the Well of Dragons. I know the layout, but I do not know where the cult has concentrated their forces--but Remallia has done her best to provide us with that information."

"There are three entrances to the north, and this is where the largest concentration of cult forces is. You will probably want to avoid this area, though it would be a good location for me to provide my distraction. Apparently, the cult is regularly moving goods of some sort--perhaps treasure--through the hidden entrance to the northwest. It is heavily fortified. Other traffic passes through two connected entrances to the northeast. From those entrances it's basically a straight shot south to the caldera, and you won't have to travel far, but it is likely well-guarded, and given the two entrances are within sight of each other, guards from one entrance will be able to spot any commotion at the other entrance."

"Along the eastern side of the mountain, there are three more entrances. While these are not as heavily used, they are still guarded, though you will likely not encounter as much resistance here as in the northern tunnels. The one exception is the entrance furthest to the south and east, which is well-guarded and sees a lot of foot traffic. Mostly, prisoners are brought in from this area, and the eastern tunnel system is separate and disconnected from the system to the north. It is a much longer and more winding path into the caldera, and there are many chambers used by the cultists for various purposes here, but according to our information, the only guard patrols here are in the prisons. That's not to say we won't encounter stragglers that are in the tunnels for other reasons."

"There is one more tunnel to the southwest side of the mountain that appears abandoned. Our agents say it was collapsed and rendered useless almost sixty years ago, and the cultists have not used it in a long time. It may be worth investigating yourselves. At any rate, if you have any questions, suggestions, or plans, I am ready to discuss them," the gold dragon finishes.

>>77611
"Abandoned tunnel... Do you think there will be monsters? Maybe we should pick a route that best conserves our strength."

"I do not have extensive information on the abandoned tunnel. You may wish to scout it yourselves upon entering before deciding on a definite plan of attack," Valanor offers. "It may provide a direct, alternative route to the caldera. Or it may be a dead end. It is possibly worth investigating. The cult believes the entrance is useless, so they do not go there. If you are looking to minimize engagements, then the northern tunnel system is probably not a good bet. It is very well-guarded and sees a lot of traffic. Our sources speculate this is where they are hoarding their treasure. Within the eastern tunnel system, only the south-most entrance is heavily used, so you will likely encounter fewer patrols, though the tunnel system itself is larger and windier."

"I would prefer if we were to ignore the eastern, longer caverns. Get in fast, get out safely" Reiyasu reasons.
"On the other side, if we get inside through the abandoned tunnels, Sir Valanor might not need to create the distraction until we are getting closer to the caldera" the human continues.

Last edited at 15/09/14(Mon)15:40:23

>>77614
"But the long routes to the east seem to be the most reliable routes. The shorter paths to the north are heavily guarded, so I think quick and safe would be difficult there. The southwestern tunnel may be worth visiting, but... even if it isn't blocked, lacking information, we could easily become lost."

Last edited at 15/09/14(Mon)15:42:49

>>77611
"Fortified? How so?"

"A guard tower has been erected outside the northwest entrance," Valanor explains, the beating of his wings accenting his words. "Several cultists are on station at the entrance to the lava tube at all times, and I am given to understand they are assisted by guard drakes. Very perceptive beasts. Getting past them without a fight is very unlikely without an extremely well-crafted deception of some sort."

"Oh, my bad. I was merely saying that if we stay for a long time we might become trapped by their men" Reiyasu tries to explain.

"My second concern is the diversion Sir Valanor will have to provide us. Even though I have heard nothing but praise from my son, it might not be feasible to keep the chromatics occupied for long."

"The thefts mentioned before," Torinn asks slowly, "do you suppose that the things stolen might be found along the supply route or the treasure hoard?" And if it's not where the Golden Narwhal is, it may yet have a clue to its location.

"It is very likely, at least, what items have not already been given over to various dragons," Valanor confirms to Torinn. Addressing Reiyasu, he adds, "Once you are in the tunnels themselves, you're unlikely to encounter any chromatic dragons. The main danger from them will be on our approach. That is why we will need to decide which tunnel system to use in advance, because we're going to have one clear shot at getting you in, changing tunnels once we decide will be risky."

He hesitates a moment, then adds, "And one more thing. If the southwest tunnel is sealed off, and you use it to enter, the cult will no doubt discover that it has been cleared and is usable. I believe that we will eventually return to the Well of Dragons, and that tunnel could be an alternate point of entry for when the time comes. If we use it to sneak in now, we probably won't be able to do so later. I do not mean to discourage it as a viable point of entrance, as our mission now is one of stealth rather than an assault, so it may prove to be the best possible route. But it could also be valuable later if not used now."

>>77619
>>77620
"Mr. Tormine, treasure is good, but we should remember that we're here for Mr. Ragrim and to scout for intel. As Mr. Valanor said, we can expect to raid the Cult again, and we probably don't want to alarm them by stealing from them."

>>77621
"If we take back what they stole from the nobles and their cities, they will be far more willing to grant us supplies next time and cooperate with us. This also hurts the Cult of the Dragon, by making it harder to barter with the dragons, and weakening them more now rather than later. I must confess that my main motivation for doing so is personal, however."

Last edited at 15/09/14(Mon)17:01:01

>>77622
"Are you looking for something?" asks the shaman.

>>77623
"I am. A bracelet that was stolen from my homeland. It has no magic properties or magnificent legends attached to it. However, it was used to implicate my family and my clan in its theft, and they wrongly suffered in jail for it. Even if I won their pardon, the stigma surrounding the event will still kill any and all business and trade with them. At least, until the bracelet has been found and returned. That is what I set out to find from the very beginning, and that is part of why I'm here right now."

"A stolen bracelet?" Reiyasu questions, a little interested.
"And you have good reasons to believe this artifact might be in their treasure vault?"

>>77625
"I know they're the ones who took it. If it's not here, it's part of a dragon's hoard. Either way, I intend to return it to its rightful owners."

>>77624
>>77626
The shaman ponders. "I guess we can look while we're here? Should we try sneaking in as treasure delivery? Maybe we can find an inbound caravan and hijack it."

"That is..." the ranger mutters and then pauses for a moment "an interesting idea, lady Bernkastel. If we are to raid one of their caravans perhaps we should first analyze their commerce routes" he suggests, looking cheerful.

Last edited at 15/09/14(Mon)18:12:22

>>77627
Torinn nods. If that's what it takes, so be it.

Ramuh looks thoughtful. "For simple scouting, there may also be value in visiting the prisons. After all, the prisoners may know more they can tell us about."

"Well, well. Sir Ramuh brings a valid point as well. If we have to decide between looking for treasure, or rescuing prisoners, I believe I will vote for the later" he says.

>>77630
>>77631
"...Then is it better to pretend to be prisoners instead? I feel this could also involve some hijacking."

>>77631

"While visiting the prisoners may be worthwhile, if we intend to maintain a stealthy approach we may be forced to hold off on a rescue for the time being. We would surely need to clear the southeast entrance to provide an avenue for their escape. Might it be possible to infiltrate through one of the less-guarded entrances, and then backtrack to the prison or the vault from within?"

>>77633
"Less guarded or otherwise, Mr. N is right that we don't have to travel the same path again after we reach the caldera. If we want to please both Mr. Tormine and Mr. Ramuh, we can do something like... enter as a treasure caravan, reach the caldera to complete our mission, travel up to the prisoners, and escape from there. I can use the Linked Portal ritual, or we can fight or sneak our way out through a less well-guarded route."

Last edited at 15/09/15(Tue)00:33:57

>>77634
"This sounds doable."

"So in that case, I should head for the road leading to the northwest entrance? That is where the treasure generally enters from," Valanor replies after the group's deliberation. "We'll need to land quite far out to avoid any encounters with chromatic dragons."

>>77636
Before the plan is finalized, the shaman wonders if the drakes would be a big problem in the plan, asking her spirits for help. "Would the drakes attack us if we were disguised?" the shaman asks Valanor.

Nature for Drake lore with Speak with Spirits. (26) http://orokos.com/roll/325619
- Short resting as soon as possible to recover Speak with Spirits.

Last edited at 15/09/15(Tue)11:58:40

"Drakes? I believe I have read about them somewhere..."
Nature check on Drakes (26) http://orokos.com/roll/325623

Nature: Drakes come in many shapes ans sizes, but all of these reptilian beasts are known for their alien temperament and ferocity. In many ways they are similar to domesticated mammals, especially canines, but are known to be unpredictable and difficult to train. However, they are intelligent enough to be trained, and while wild drakes exist, they are most often seen as guard beasts. Goblins, orcs, lizardfolk, elves, and shifters are among those races often seen utilizing drakes as guard beasts.

Guard drakes are known to have keen senses, though they are not supernatural in any way. They can find and track creatures by sight, scent, and sound. Many different varieties of drakes are used as guard animals, but the most prolific are smaller drakes (roughly dog-sized) creatures.

Other common drakes include pseudodragons, tiny creatures kept as exotic pets by nobles or as familiars by mages. Bloodseeker drakes are trained as blood hounds, tracking and running down prey alongside hunters.

Drakes are very social creatures, and in the wild they hunt in packs. This is what makes them suitable as work animals. However, they are not nearly as loyal as most mammals, and a particularly hungry drake will most likely turn on its packmates or its master for food.

"Not unless they were to somehow suspect something was amiss," Valanor replies. "They're not that intelligent. Unless they're trained to find a specific item, race, or otherwise that might be on your person for whatever reason. I can't guarantee there will be no issues, but they have no special means to see through a disguise."

Ramuh considers. "A thoughtful plan. I merely thought of rescuing one prisoner to see if we can glean something from them, but if we are able to spring all of them, that may be the greater victory. More heads hold more knowledge."

>>77639
"Then I think we can proceed. We'll need to find a treasure caravan, attack and interrogate the cultists for all the information needed to pass as their allies, and put someone in charge of using this information to lie to the guards." The shaman looks at Myn for the last part.

Reiyasu nods and agrees with the plan, and addresses Ramuh "It might be doable with a teleporting ritual."

Last edited at 15/09/15(Tue)15:24:34

>>77641

"I suppose I should have to assume the latter role, albeit my ability to deceive is hardly one to inspire confidence."

Valanor nods in assent with the plan, and changes his course to slightly northward. A few hours later, he begins a steep climb downward--you can see the hazy form of a mountain range in the distance, with the closest mountain clearly being volcanic in shape.

The sky is mostly clear, and Reiyasu and the shaman can make out just the tiniest hint of shapes flying around your destination in the far distance--still many miles away. As Valanor descends, you can see that this area is largely flat, rolling grassland with sparse trees. The Chionthar River flows slightly to your south, and a smaller dirt road seems to run along its northern bank, towards the mountain. "There isn't much in the way of forest or other cover for miles along this path. Setting up an ambush won't be easy, unless we have some magic that can be used for that purpose. Any ideas?"

>>77644
The shaman would take out her Enshrouding Candle, but she's too busy holding on to Valanor. "I have a candle that can turn us invisible while the candle isn't moved, but it only lasts up to eight hours, so we would need a scout to alert us to the enemy's approach. Do you think the extent of Mr. N's imp's aerial range, while invisible, would be sufficient? Or should we resort to a more mundane method, like digging a trench?"

The shaman also looks around for an off chance that there's a visible caravan.

Perception to try and spot any caravans. Speak with Spirits added, since it's been a few hours, but you can subtract 5 from the check if you say I can't use it here. (37) http://orokos.com/roll/325805

Last edited at 15/09/15(Tue)23:39:10

>>77645

"Digging a trench and using the imp to scout should be the most reliable method, I feel. The visual range of our enemies remains unknown."

The shaman's scanning of the area spots no caravans on approach in the immediate vicinity. There appears to be no animal life present either aside from some birds. "Using a scout such as the imp familiar is a viable plan, as is digging a trench, though the trench may take quite a long time. We could also attempt to fly on until a caravan is spotted and swoop in from above, if that is preferable. Though we need to be certain the caravan is associated with the Cult of the Dragon before we make an attack."

"Perhaps it would be better not to leave much evidence of our assault. A trench would be hard to hide" Reiyasu debates. "Then, once we see a caravan we might stop it before attacking it."
Nature check on Valanor (16) http://orokos.com/roll/325937

Last edited at 15/09/16(Wed)12:54:45

>>77648
Copying anon. Nature for Valanor knowledge. (31) http://orokos.com/roll/325942

Nature: (Bernkastel) In addition to the general information that the shaman uncovered on gold dragons back in the Fell Keep, she is also aware that Valanor is a level 24 solo controller as an elder gold dragon. He likely has a different ability set than the standard gold dragon though, as a specialist in combating other dragons.

>>77648
"The trench could double as their graves, if we want to hide the bodies."

>>77647
"We don't know how long we would have to wait for a caravan to pass by, Mr. Valanor, and I feel we're intruding on you too much as is. Would flying the whole time really be okay?"

"I am willing to aid you in this matter. If the cultists are truly capable of bringing Tiamat into this world, I will do my part to stop it, and either way, this could be the first step to finding Daragoth the Desolator," Valanor replies, shaking his head slightly. "There are other matters which require my attention--Thelkra, for example. But this is as much for her as it is for me, if the Fell King is truly linked to this place in some way. I am confident you will find the answers to why he ended up here inside, and I need to know that, as does she."

>>77651
Reiyasu tries to hide his concern after he listens to the word 'graves', but he is only averagely successful. Then, once he regains his composure, he replies "Digging in advance could be useful, but an aerial assault will probably be more effective."

>>77653
"I agree with attacking from the air."

"I don't suppose we have any ritual magic that could aid in Master Valanor's work?"

>>77655
The shaman shakes her head. "I'm sorry, I can't think of anything."

"Ah," Valanor interjects. "I believe we have a target."

The gold dragon swoops forward suddenly, and the adventurers see it too--two wagons being pulled by red-scaled drakes. Two black-robed cultists with distinctive masks are riding each--all medium-sized humanoids, from the look of it. As you pull closer, you notice more details: the carts are loaded with bags and various valuable-looking objects, and the carts are coming to a stop--they've clearly spotted the incoming gold dragon, and know they can't possibly get away. However, there is a fifth humanoid wearing an elaborate purple mask in between the two carts.

As Valanor lands heavily on the ground, the adventurers disgorge themselves, weapons and implements at the ready--you get the impression it's not good to be mounted on him when he starts fighting. "Cult of the Dragon! Thieves and murderers! Surrender now, for either way, your vile actions end today!"

The four cultists riding the two wagons look at each other, then quickly hop off the carts. The one in the middle laughs and replies, "Heh heh heh... a chance to kill a gold dragon is rare indeed... fear the wrath of Eskanious, metallic!"

>>77658
Continued~