"Right. If we can ground it, then even if we don't get answers when we first confront it, we might be able to get it to talk if we can beat it. And it sounds like it needs to go regardless, for the safety of the village. Which would also probably make them favorably disposed to us," says Aiko in agreement.
Vashta nods.
Vashta looks to Calder and Tallak, assuming one of them will be able to find someplace that suits their needs.
She makes sure she has her mesmeric mirror implanted, and -- assuming Akio wants it -- a false flanker trick in the Tian woman.
"Maybe I should have a sword," she suggests as she makes her preparations.
"Time to see if your lessons are paying off, dear," she adds to Sandru with a flirty smile.
She also spends some time in her wagon before they head out, coming out in a wig and looking like another woman.
"You never know. If it escapes, and we escape, it might not hurt to not look like myself," she observes.
Calder discusses the surrounding lands with Ulf. Trying to find a good place to both meet and battle a dragon. He plans to be one of the guards for those who are talking.
Tallak takes Nightfang and joins the scouting party for a suitable ambush site that could limit the dragons aerial opportunities. Nightfang, however, seems more interested in the scent of a snow fox’s trail to be of any assistance.
__________
Clara drinks some Sodapop of Heightened Awareness, and then attempts to aid the trackers with what she knows of wintery mountain ranges in general.
When conversation turns to parlaying, Clara chips in "I guess I don't really know how likely it is that we can bargain with this dragon, though if it likes fizzy drinks, I'm game to offer it some!"
Kolungs voice replies from her own mouth, warning
Clara humphs and then says, "Well, we can try anyway, can't we? Oh, and if we're really trying diplomacy first, perhaps I can make a fizzy brew of Focused Scrutiny for our lead negotiator. Vashta, I suspect that'd be you, yes? You've definitely got a way with words."
___________
"Oh, well, I guess I can," Vashta agrees, not realizing that she would be standing directly in front of the dragon's maw. "But, dear, I think I'm more worried about something to protect me from its breath."
Calder and Tallak consult with Ulf and Clara about local conditions before heading out into the mountains to find a place to ambush the dragon. Heading down the cliff on the opposite side of Iqaliat, they begin to search in the valley that's supposedly the dragon's hunting grounds.
It takes them the better part of a day, but they manage to find a wide-mouthed cave. This cave even has an ideal path climbing up the side of it and a weird platform on top of it that you could use to place offerings to the dragon. Unfortunately, it seems that someone might be inhabiting this cave already... There are a large number of tracks crisscrossing the area outside of the cave for one, but for two, there is a long-dead dwarven traveler tied to some rocks on the top of the cavern. He's been stripped of his clothes, and runes carved painfully into his flesh before his throat was slit.
"Ooooh, that's a pretty gruesome picture, Calder! The cave being inhabited complicates things...and based on their taste in decorations I doubt we'll find common cause with them.
"I suppose going to that cave is still our best chance to ambush the dragon...we just need to be aware we'll have to defeat some gruesome dwarf-murderers first.
"Oh, and hope we don't get discovered by the dragon on the way."
"Indeed, dear, as long as the dragon doesn't know we're here and what we're planning, we have time to clean out this cave first. Which it sounds like we might want to do regardless of the dragon," Vashta agrees.
Because of their particularly strong senses and great feelings of entitlement, dragons aren't really known for hunting at any particular time. Like great cats, they lounge for as long as they please, and they go out when they feel like it.
Calder looks around carefully, studying the many tracks and leaving the runes carved into the Dwarfs body for those who knew something of them.
Though not her main skills, Vashta tries to identify the tracks that Tallak points out.
Vashta and Tallak work together to identify the tracks. Its not a terrible exotic beast, but it is a threat: they are the tracks of a wikkawak. Or rather, a group of them. Wikkawaks are arctic bugbears that cannibalize other humanoids and raid for a living. They're dangerous, savage, and they are typically led by rangers, rogues, druids, clerics of demon lords or more powerful arctic monsters.
"Arctic bugbears?" says Aiko. "That's a threat we can end."
"Alright, lead on, Tallak. We'll give those wikkawaks a taste of fizzy drinks they'll never forget! Or remember, for that matter, assuming we hit fast enough."
”These should be dealt with,” Tallak says. ”They don’t pose the same threat as a dragon, but are still a hazard. And perhaps we could use their cave as our ambush site...”
"It's always a good time to kill Bugbears!" Calder agrees.
"Can anyone tell what those Runes carved on the body are for?" He asks, making sure his weapons are ready for the coming combat.
In fact, remembering this jogs your memory... that holy symbol that you found earlier, in Tunuak's tower. It was dedicated to Sithhud!
The tunnel entrance is 15' wide, and descends into a dark, frozen cave. Most of you will need light to see by.
Vashta shakes her head at Calder and nervously follows the others into the cave, making sure her own weapons are ready.
At her hip hangs the rapier she'd picked up for the fight with the dragon.
"Hmmmm. That rune reminds me of something but I can't quite remember what. This first part just looks weird, but that hook-shaped part on the left..."
"Come on, Sis," Clara says to Koya. "You too, Ameiko. There's a totally weird rune carved into some frozen corpse up there. It reminds me of something but I can't quite put my finger on it. Maybe you can help jog my memory. Aren't you curious too?
"Of course, when the fighting breaks out, you should hang behind me, sis."
Ameiko screws up her face, frowning. "I swear I've heard of that before..." she murmurs. "From back when I adventured last time..."
Koya huddles close to the group, clearly excited by the prospect of monsters out in the tundra. "So, you found a dwarf who had been... sacrificed. And a cave. Are we going into the cave? I wonder what kinds of monstrosities are inside..."
Ameiko and Ulf both concur on something, something which they agreed upon while the group was out scouting. "I'm uncomfortable leaving that shaman alone," she says. "I'd like to at least find him." Ulf agrees. "I like this village, but that shaman is gonna push me away just like everyone else. He's changed, I've never seen him this angry."
Shalelu nods. "Well, I am always ready to help slay goblins." she says.
Vashta nods.
"From what they were saying of wikkawaks, dears, we may need you. Though hopefully not."
With things decided, the group heads back out to the wikkawak caves, leaving Ulf and Ameiko behind to keep a lookout for the shaman. As an eightsome, the traversal out to the caves is nice and safe, although it's getting close to evening when the group reaches the caves. Stormclouds linger on the horizon, and the air is bitingly cold.
There is no new sign of activity from the cave. What do you do?
Tallak looks to Calder, nods as he readies his spear and shield, and begins leading the way into the cavern. He casts a light spell on his shield to help guide the way, with Nightfang following directly behind.
Vashta follows the others, her tricks implanted.
"I can search for thoughts as we go," she says, "though I can't move too quickly doing so."
Aiko pulls up the black mask of her shozoku and adjusts her fur-lined cloak to provide maximum camouflage in the snow and ice, before she approaches the cave entrance. She lingers near the wall; every time she stops moving she almost seems to disappear into the icy terrain.
"Perhaps a couple of us should sneak ahead to get a sense of the place?" She nods to Aiko.
Shalelu nods. "I could help, if necessary."
Calder leads the way with Tallak, keeping an eye and ear out for any ambush or guards.
"Calder, can you even see in the dark without a light? And I love ya, but you're not the quietest human on the block, if you know what I mean.
"I won't go too far ahead, and I'll holler if I get stuck somehow. But I won't. They won't even know I'm here!"
Sandru seems impatient and restless. He draws his scimitar. "We doing this or what? Don't we have a tribe of bugbears to eliminate?"
"Clara, do you have a fizzy drink that will let me see in the dark? Otherwise I may have to stay behind a bit."