As the group travels it was easy enough for them to keep their general direction toward the large clearing and giant tree stump that was their goal. Alden keeps them moving without incident, and Eochaidh walks just off his right shoulder to watch for any potential mistake.
The forest is loud with the sounds of animals, many not wary of the group at all. At one point a fawn scampers from the brush and turns to regard the paladin curiously. It begins to amble toward Alden, only for it's mother to emerge a moment later and guide her child away. Looking back with what seemed a condescending glance before the pair departed.
After marching until the sun was moderately high in the sky and glimmering down through the canopy the trees started to grown thicker. Their heavy trunks grown closer together and forcing the party to walk in a serpentine path. Rabbit identifies these thick trees as oaks, and Alden remembers them from his vision of the shard from before. The thick layer that bordered the trunk. Eochaidh noted they were odd things, treated to some kind of magical growth that made them sprout up with uniform bark and sculpted boughs.
As the group steps into the clearing beyond, they are treated to an amazing sight. A carpet of wildflowers a good ten feet thick ringed the clearing. Blues and purples and blushing reddish hued flowers. Again, the two party members of a natural inclination identified them as common and harmless variety.
While from the sky Alden had seen glyph like patterns of intertwined moss and grass the group now saw that it was more than that. Dozens of different exotic grasses and varying shades of moss littered the ground, carefully manicured and growing as verdantly as the great oaks.
Eochaidh looked over the moss and grass calmly, until he noted that several of the moss variety were wildly toxic and would waft a plume of acrid gas if stepped on. If the group approached they would have to stay to the grass. He also noted that there was peppermint sprouting in places near the grass, likely to ward off animals from stepping over the moss.
Looking into the open sky beyond Jaxom and Kevan spot no threat from the sky. Other than the layer of gray clouds that covered the sky. A reminder that the weather of the shard was winter, the cooler air from the day before showing that the newest shard was succumbing to the new climate.
The opening in the stump lay hundreds of feet away, but Alden was able to spot a carved wooden table there. Sitting at it a feminine form in a pale white dress and auburn hair. Eochaidh, getting a keener glance, noted several pieces of flatwear on the table, perhaps cups and what he thought might be a teapot.
Rabbit looks around with undisguised happiness at the beauty of the locale. A lifetime spent in Mistress Morus's tower, and then a short time outside of it, in the forests of Andoran and their own village, has ill-prepared him for such scenery.
Mr. Whisper is mightily tempted by the pristine grass, but Rabbit clutches him close to keep him twisting out of his satchel. "No, Mr. Whisper."
The lady is beautiful too. More so than the swan lady? Rabbit's not sure. They are like moonlight and sunlight, maybe, or... various poetic comparisons flit through Rabbit's mind before he manages to speak-- albeit shyly.
"Hello, great and noble lady. I'm very sorry if we're intruding. May we please approach you, and speak to you?"
Kevan is surprised Rabbit spoke up so he waits to see what response the lady may have. He's impressed by the surrounding flora and notes it is likely magically inspired. He wants very much to speak with the dragon which he suspects is masquerading as this woman but he is willing to wait.
Alden continues to move forward towards the woman seated at the table Once within a reasonable speaking distance, he looks to the woman in white, and gives a respectful bow of his head.
"Good Day, M'Lady. I am Alden Cooperson, disciple of Erastil and resident of the shard of land that just recently joined with yours. Would you be the great Talschornvox?"
The opening in the stump lay hundreds of feet away, but Alden was able to spot a carved wooden table there. Sitting at it a feminine form in a pale white dress and auburn hair. Eochaidh, getting a keener glance, noted several pieces of flatwear on the table, perhaps cups and what he thought might be a teapot.
The opening in the stump lay hundreds of feet away, but Alden was able to spot a carved wooden table there. Sitting at it a feminine form in a pale white dress and auburn hair. Eochaidh, getting a keener glance, noted several pieces of flatwear on the table, perhaps cups and what he thought might be a teapot.
Eochaidh, sensing the power of and that shaped this place, decides to extend his senses to determine if the 'lady' is truly alone.
"This is what I imagine when the elder druids spoke of how the Arthfell Forest looked before the coming of the invaders. Such magnificence and beauty and it's clear Talschornvox has spared no time nor magic to shape this place to her liking. I have no doubt she will kill to keep things just the way she wants them. But can we learn to coexist with her?"
Entering the clearing Jaxom slows and allows the party to get 20-30 feet ahead of him. The place practically tingles with magic and he grits his teeth with annoyance. The trees, the flowers, and probably even the grass had been adjusted with magic! Then they spot a woman, waiting for them. Since Alden and the others want to speak with the creature Jaxom just strolls slowly behind them and observes.
The woman turns to look at the group as they approach, her features a picture of serenity. Around her temples, her collar, and the nape of her neck were small emerald scales. Her eyes were a deep and almost unnaturally green. As the party draws near she stands from her chair and smooths her dress.
"One moment please." she says softly. Only the utter quiet of the space keeping her voice clearly audible. As if she were speaking no louder than absolutely necessary to be heard. She then turns and walks into the opening under the tree.
Around the table are four chairs outside her own. Atop it is a set of teacups on saucers, a stack of tea plates near a tray with cookies and biscuits, and a tea kettle with thin wisps of steam coming from the spout.
"As you wish, m'Lady," Alden says, giving a respectful bow. As she leaves and enters the cave below the stump, he waits a second or two, then turns his head and whispers to the others, "Those were green scales on her neck, weren't they?"
"As you wish, m'Lady," Alden says, giving a respectful bow. As she leaves and enters the cave below the stump, he waits a second or two, then turns his head and whispers to the others, "Those were green scales on her neck, weren't they?"
Eochaidh nods in response.
A few minutes later the woman returns carrying a fifth chair for her guests with a pair of high pillows atop it. She sets it down around the table and splits the pillows between two different chairs, pausing to give a meaningful look to Rabbit and Kevan before she returns to her seat.
"I am indeed Talschornvox." she says in the same quiet voice, "Please, have a seat and join me for tea and snacks." She extends an arm out, the lace adorned sleeve of her dress loose around the forearm.
Along her wrist were a few more delicate green scales. The placement seemed consistent with what the group knew of Norian. Though it was uncertain what it might mean. She patiently sits and waits for everyone to be seated, if indeed they choose to do so.
"I would ask you what your intentions are in coming to my home." she began again before giving a thin smile in Rabbit's direction, "...and what did you bring along with you that squirms so little one?"
"Thank you for your hospitality, m'Lady." Alden replies, moving to take a seat at the table. "As you are doubtless already aware, our fragment of the world is now joined with yours. It's our aim to eventually put it all back together again. We have no designs on your forest, and we will be happy to leave you in peace, but we need the gem that recently landed here in order to finish our work. Are you willing to negotiate its return to us?"
Eochaidh takes a seat at the table and waits for either Talschornvox to serve the items or for her to gesture of the group to serve her - he wasn't raised with etiquette but he also wasn't going to deny a dragon's requests particularly something so trivial.
"Greetings Talschornvox my name is Eochadih Roidal and I am originally from the Arthfell Forest in the nation of Andoran."
He says the last word with more than a little disgust in his voice.
"Please forgive my companion's directness; apparently they didn't teach etiquette in Paladin School. I can't help but marvel at the wondrous woodland that you have...enhanced...with your magic? It looks like what the old stories passed down among my people say the Arthfell Forest looked like ages ago. How long did it take you to shape this land?"
Rabbit blinks at the thoughtful gesture of the cushion-laden chairs, and beams even bigger up at the lady. "Thank you, Lady! Oh-- oh, this is Mr. Whisper."
The catch of the satchel is undone and Rabbit (firmly) grasps Mr. whisper in hand before pulling the rather cross-looking white rabbit out to display it. "Don't worry, ma'am, I won't let him eat any of your grass unless you say it's okay!"
There's a little pause, and then Rabbit remembers that despite her current appearance, a dragon is a truly apex predator, and he is... holding out a rabbit... to one. And the thinness of her smile might not be entirely friendly.
"--Um-- anyway he is going back in his bag!" Stuff, stuff, stuff the rabbit, which kicks at his hands several times in the process.
"And I'm Rabbit. Uh, yes, not him, me. I'm sorry. I know it's confusing. It's very nice to meet you. I've never met a dragon before. I mean-- there is this one here on my other shoulder, but-- I don't think he counts, and I can't introduce you because he doesn't have a name. Or she. I'm not really sure. Um-- we brought you a gift, great lady."
He retrieves the parcel from his pack and tentatively offers it over, before he climbs up into the chair. Hey! Not looking at everyone's mid-chest while at a table! That's awesome.
Talschornvox's head remains fixed in Rabbit's direction as Alden speaks, but she glances sidelong at the paladin. Listening quietly to him, and then to Eochaidh while waiting on Rabbit to produce his passenger.
"What an adorably ill-tempered rabbit." she says with the same thin smile. Then her features still and she looks among the assembled group. Seeming to evaluate them more closely while Rabbit gets out the gift for her.
"I thank you for your kind words." she says to Eochaidh, " It is more to my taste than is natural, but even the Fey are known to shape nature to suit their whims. To be honest I have used little magic here.
Each of these plants is local to this area, with the exception of the plant that is the source of my namesake. The land is still being shaped, and I have worked on it ever since coming here."
Then she slowly turns to look at Alden again, and she meets his gaze with a intense stare. "What makes you think I desire this shard combined with others?" the lady asks in a stern tone. Her expression remains cool, and her eyes carry that intensity until Rabbit produces the parcel.
She carefully plucks the twine from the tan paper wrapping of the parcel and opens it delicately. As she notes the contents her head tilts slightly to the side. Her expression turning quizzical at the rich fur within.
It was a rich purple color with spirals of blue that seemed natural. Tugging the garment out she noted it to be a half cloak, and after a cursory glance she rose from her seat to try it on. The half cloak had the claw of a large cat hook across the front of the collar to serve as a clasp, and the fur seemed to puff around the dragon's shoulder to make it look all the more plumed and exotic.
"I have never known someone to make a cloak from a dweomercat." she mused softly. She then removed it and set it back to it's open packaging. Softly petting it into place a few times and considering it as a shop owner might consider how to present their newest fashions.
Settling back into her chair she looks the group over and turns her attention back to Alden.
As the others sit and talk with the 'Lady', Jaxom stops about 20' away. He watches and listens, but when she brings the fifth chair he shrugs and moves to sit. Once seated he waits quietly.
"What makes you think I desire this shard combined with others?" the lady asks in a stern tone.
[....]
"I have never known someone to make a cloak from a dweomercat." she mused softly. She then removed it and set it back to it's open packaging. Softly petting it into place a few times...
Rabbit looks around to the others with a bit of a swallow, then back to the grand lady.
"Ma'am, may I ask what, um-- what you DO desire? Maybe you don't desire anything. Maybe you have everything just how you want it right now with the shard as it is. You can shape your forest just how you want it with nobody to interrupt it. I understand that, a little bit. I didn't really want our shard joined with anyone else's, because even if our little bit of the world is very small, there was-- for a little bit-- nobody in it I considered an enemy, and maybe... maybe that's not true, or won't be true, if we join the shards again. But it's a little bit like, um, like being in a tower that you never leave. Wouldn't you get bored, eventually? Maybe you wouldn't. I don't know."
Rabbit swallows slightly nervously after what is an awful lot of words from him in a row. "But, um, it seems that you like beautiful things, beautiful craftsmanship. If our shards hadn't joined, then we couldn't have brought you that cloak. Mr. Abronze made it! He's teaching me. Maybe... maybe joining with other shards will mean that there will be other beautiful things? I guess it depends on what you want. What you desire."
The halfing takes a deep breath, his fingers slipping into his pack to pet Mr. Whisper for comfort. (A mistake, as the rabbit is, indeed, ill-tempered, and nips sharply at his fingers as punishment for being stuffed back in the satchel.) "oW!!-- uhm, sorry."
Rabbit sucks his nipped fingers a moment to soothe the sting, then adds, "Also, um, just because you may be happy with how it is doesn't mean that other shards won't eventually join up, just how we did. I think they ... they want to. They want to be whole again. Maybe another shard would have some people who just want to fight, not talk. Wouldn't it be better to have friends, if that happened, ma'am?"
The lady listens intently to Rabbit, and as he speaks he can see her thinking. Going over his words even as he stumbles through speaking them.
That thin little smile returns. "Do you know how long I could experiment on the curious metal you brought into my shard?" she asks with a hint of playfulness in her tone.
Eochaidh nods and smiles at Rabbit while trying to get a read on Talschornvox.
"The magic of the shards will eventually be discovered by others, if it hasn't already, and possibly by individuals not content to leave you in peace, m'Lady," Alden replies. "I am being forthright with you, as per my oath and calling. If you wish to be left alone, I can speak on behalf of this party and the people in our own shard when I say we will leave you in peace, as long as you reciprocate and no violence or subjugation is brought upon us. I cannot however speak for some wizard on the level of power who broke the world to begin with who might seek to shackle you to the front door of his tower. Nor can I speak for a greedy tyrant with an army at his command who decides that where there is a dragon, there is a mountain of treasure to fund his ongoing campaign of conquest. I also cannot speak for the mad alchemist who might find use for your various parts and entrails. I have not met these people, but we both know that they exist, and that they will eventually find their way here. Is it not better that the first to find you have none of those intentions, only mutual peace and prosperity?"
Kevan remains uncharacteristically quiet and shuffles up to the table taking a seat. He grabs some bite sized snack and nibbles on it before pouring a small cup of tea. Then he listens and watches. Not picking up any cues from the dragon he looks for a good place to add a story.
Rabbit does his best to inject earnestness into his tone-- not hard, since he isn't trying to dissemble, at all. He looks up at the dragon-lady with a hopeful smile, and then bobs his head along with Alden's words as well.
The reappearance of the thin smile makes his own ebb slightly. "No ma'am. I don't know. Do you?"
The dragon looks at Alden as he speaks, and her eyes narrow very slightly at one point. "Should I be afraid of an army?" Talschornvox reasons, "That they might starve themselves in their barracks with no source of food? Or fear a wizard anymore than another dragon? I can assure you there are more dragons that pose a threat to me than trifling wizards." Despite her distaste over Alden's point the lady does seem to consider his words.
As she does consider his reasoning Kevan and Eochaidh read her carefully.
Kevan feels something is off about her words and actions, but can't place it. Eochaidh on the other hand...
The dragon's actions thus far have seemed very deliberate. Too much so to just be reacting to the situation. You get the distinct feeling this is all somewhat rehearsed, with the great lady Talschornvox having already decided her course. The idle conversation was more likely a reflection of her honest heart.
She again takes the lull in conversation to regard Rabbit, and there is no harshness to her features when she speaks to the halfling. "It is a wonderful thing." she speaks of the etherium, "I have only just witnessed it, but already I see a shorter lived race could spend a lifetime merely seeing what they could craft with it through mundane means."
With that exchange and a moment to sort out her feelings she again regards Alden. "I can certainly think of less troublesome creatures to have running about than a paladin of Erastil." she concedes, "So long as they give their word that my domain would be left alone. I would think that we could discuss terms."
"I'd like to formalize this agreement in writing, and in the presence of other representatives of our community, m'Lady," Alden says. "If you do not wish them to come to your home, will you accompany us back to ours? I will offer my own home, a farmhouse outside of the town proper, as a place to meet where you will not have to interact with any but the representatives and ourselves, if it would make this matter easier for you."
The woman gave a very unladylike huff, almost a snort at Alden's suggestion. Then calmed. "I can draft a document myself." she stated flatly, "I do not need some village chief or whatever peasant you call a leader to witness it's signing. If you are trying to stall me, I may just find it more efficient to eat the lot of you."
The woman gave a very unladylike huff, almost a snort at Alden's suggestion. Then calmed. "I can draft a document myself." she stated flatly, "I do not need some village chief or whatever peasant you call a leader to witness it's signing. If you are trying to stall me, I may just find it more efficient to eat the lot of you."
"We are not trying to stall you. We are trying to make sure you are happy with an agreement and we didn't want to bring more outsiders to your home. Alden is trying to be helpful in suggesting you might like to visit where we live so you can see how we are trying to live in harmony with the land. Speaking for myself I very much wish to prove myself a 'friend of the forest' as Sarana said we need to do. In fact, if it weren't for the work of trying to mend the world, I could see myself spending the rest of my days in your forest."
Trying to smooth over a perspective issue, Eochaidh tries something he's had little learning in - diplomacy.
Jaxom stares at the woman as she makes her statement. "If you find it more efficient to just eat the lot of us, what good would any document do?"
He pushes his chair back from the table but does not stand yet. That would be pointless. "Have you examined the gem yet? It would speak to you and you would know that it cannot be used for six months to join with another shard. I don't know if the reverse is true, if another shard could connect with us in less time than that. But that should tell you that we aren't trying to stall you."
"We seek peaceful co-existence. The shard where I was trapped after the sundering had a group of goblins on it. They found the gem, a red gem, but somehow they thought that they had to kill everybody other than themselves before they could use the power of the gem. We didn't want to fight them but were forced to defend ourselves. Even when we tried to stop the fighting they wouldn't. Once they were all dead the gem showed us how to use it and we joined with another shard." He points to the members of the group from the second shard. "They lived there and were peaceful so we had six months of peace. The gem that we had was destroyed as the shards joined, but there was another gem there, a green gem which you now have."
"I'm just a fighter. I have no use of magic and I don't trust it. I'm obviously not a diplomat. Magic broke the world. You are obviously magical which makes it hard for me to trust you. I'm telling you all of this, and you can confirm it by communicating with the gem, because that gem won't work for us. It will only work for the dominant group in the shard. If we had the gem and tried to use it, but you didn't want this shard to join with another it wouldn't work. We all have to want the joining. That doesn't stop an outside shard from joining with this one, obviously, or we wouldn't be here. So if you want to control the joining, not just have a random shard joining here, you have to use it. Choices are given when the gem is used, and you can try to pick a peaceful shard."
”Why would I be stalling, m’Lady?” Alden asked, genuinely perplexed by the accusation. ”I assure you, I’m being straightforward. Old Dead-Eye would string me up for target practice if I dealt in a deceitful manner, which I’m sure you very well know. My intention was to demonstrate that we weren’t dealing with you in bad faith. If you do not want to come to our village and meet the town elders, then I won’t belabor it, or make any demands on that matter. Let’s get down to the business at hand. If we agree on a mutual peace and respect of each other’s territory, then what do you desire for the return of the gemstone you recently acquired when our shards of land joined?”
"You assume you would be welcome in MY forest." the dragon tells Eochaidh. Going off his earlier read of her, he can tell she is being purposefully antagonistic.
She listens to Jaxom explain the group's history to her with an impassive look. "An interesting story." she answers cagily. It isn't entirely certain what effect his story had. The lady had not given the group much information herself this conversation.
"I may be amenable to you taking the gems. As well as mutual respect for our borders." she tells Alden after a moment as she gets to the point, "In return for proper tribute. To begin with, I would see a fifth of all valuables and this new material the merging of shards create."
She lets her demand register before she continues. "In return, I would prove benevolent and would allow your group to consult with me on how you should act going forward. I would also promise to remain neutral to any conflict you encounter. Though I would never favor such pitiful creatures as goblins regardless." she reasoned, and gave Jaxom a meaningful look.
"If those terms are suitable, I would be content to give you the gems to do with as you please." she relates, "Though depending on your actions I may wish to renegotiate such a contract in the future. To both parties satisfaction, of course."
Kevan finally decides to pipe up, ”My lady, your terms give me pause. A fifth of all valuables? Whose valuables? Admittedly only three shards have been combined but there are no valuables other than those owned by the residents of the shards. As to the stuff on the gems I have no need of it and the other residents have survived without it so it is of no issue so far as I can see.
"If you are in charge of the shard, or making peace with those who would wish to be, certainly you will come across treasure and items of worth." the lady responds, "Or would you rather I ask a yearly tax?
If twenty percent is too much for you to tolerate, I suppose I could make a counter offer in good faith. Fifteen percent, and a piece of art or knowledge of my choosing." A thin smile comes to her lips, and her eyes show her naked amusement.
Responding to Talschornvox on the topic of the forest Eochaidh says, "Hopefully I would be welcome in the forest at some point. I can sense the 'essence' of nature flowing through it."
"I would like it known and understood that whatever tribute we might agree upon would come from us, here now present only," Alden amends. "If we happen to die, be imprisoned, or are in any other way indefinitely detained, the other residents of our community are not obliged to fulfill that tribute in any fashion. We will, however, hold them to the agreed treaty of respected boundaries and mutual nonaggression for the duration of their lives."
Eochaidh senses that what Talschornvox finds so pleasing is the prospect of haggling. A strange practice of city merchants and their customers where both give a listed price or trade and slowly argue their way to a middle ground. Often with both leaving with the idea they had gotten the better end of the trade. Even stranger is considering why a dragon of all things might have any experience with the practice.
"We will see." the woman who was a dragon replied to the druid, but her focus was on Alden as he spoke.
"If you die or am imprisoned I will need to renegotiate." she began, "With the new powers in control, or those left. We can include such a clause, but I will not hold to boundaries and nonaggression if such a drastic change occurs."
Jaxom stands and looks around at the group. "Perhaps we should return to our shards, to tell the others the details of this discussion."
He turns to the 'lady'. "Perhaps there might be a way to find an artist in the next shard. An artist looking for a patron maybe?"
Eochaidh senses that what Talschornvox finds so pleasing is the prospect of haggling. A strange practice of city merchants and their customers where both give a listed price or trade and slowly argue their way to a middle ground. Often with both leaving with the idea they had gotten the better end of the trade. Even stranger is considering why a dragon of all things might have any experience with the practice.
"We will see." the woman who was a dragon replied to the druid, but her focus was on Alden as he spoke.
The woman stands up from her chair and narrows her eyes at Eochaidh, seemingly more insulted than threatened. Very insulted. As he completed the spell she glowered at everyone present. "There will be no more spells cast in my home." she said in a low voice that grew deeper as she spoke, "Or you will see my true form, and then you will not feel... wonderful I assure you."
"Of course. I apologize."
This a beast that needs to be tamed. We'll need quite a bit more training but train her we will. In the meantime let's see if we can continue to negotiate. "My lady, we were negotiating terms were we not? What about 5% of any loot we find and 20% of the gem metal each time we use it?" He says trying to distract from the offending spell.
”Our friend overstepped, but his apology is sincere,” Alden says in a placating tone. ”You are the first true dragon any of us has ever met, m’Lady, but we are well aware of your power and the indulgence you have given us with this meeting. You also see an opportunity to benefit from striking a deal with us, or else you’d’ve killed us or driven us away by now. Please, let us resume our negotiations, and see where prosperous ground can be sown between us.”
Jaxom looks at Eochaidh, and Talschornvox, and nods. "Your home. Your rules. Of course. But you don't need to disguise your form for us. We know that this isn't your true form. We accept that. We also know that you are very powerful, enough so that Sarana said you just ignored those werewolves. We accept that as well. We would have left them alone as well if they had let us."
He glances around at the others. "Now if it's acceptable to you, I think we should go home to tell the rest of our people about this. And we all can think on this. And, if you will accept, we will return tomorrow, to continue the discussion and hopefully to reach an agreement that we can all accept. You of course can be in whatever form you find comfortable. We want peaceful co-existence, which is the primary reason we want to use the gem when the time comes that it can be used again."
Talschornvox looks between the group, noting the placating words and also the disparate directions each speaker tries to take the conversation.
"I think it would be best if you return to your shard and consider your course." she notes solemnly, "You may return two days hence. I will forgive your rude behavior this time. Know that, in the future, using magic in the domain of another without their leave can be considered a great insult... if not an open act of aggression."
She then gives a nod and turns to return to her lair.
Rabbit clutches Mr. Whisper close as things momentarily veer towards seeming disaster. This dragon, he thinks, is awfully quick to take offense... a bad combination if they don't have a sense of what may offend her. Fortunately, the others are able to talk her back down from her ire, and the little halfling exhales a stuttering sigh of relief.
"Thank you, Lady Talschornvox," he says meekly as she starts to walk away. "I hope you enjoy the cloak. I will tell Master Abronze that you received our gift, and perhaps someday I may be able to craft you something you might also find beautiful."
That said, Rabbit slips off of his stool with some relief that the audience is seemingly at an end-- he finds he's sweating profusely-- and will follow the others out of the meadow, clutching Mr. Whisper's satchel tightly since the last thing they need is her to decide an 'adorably ill-tempered rabbit' might make an amusing snack.
"That didn't go as badly as it could have," he whispers to the others once they have a little distance between themselves and the dragon's lair.
"Norian and Bartholemeu were right," Alden says. "Green dragons are dangerous, but can be dealt with diplomatically...at least so far. Let's hope that she doesn't ultimately decide to kill us, eat us, and be done with it. If we're going to maintain a truce with her, we're going to have to give her enough of what she wants so that she continues to see the agreement as being in her self-interest."
He pauses long enough to take a deep breath. "If we don't, there's a fair likelihood that she'll come to see Passbog as a conveniently placed sheep pen."
"I don't know much other than kid's stories about dragons. I think we just need to be clear about any deal that gets made with.... her."
"Keep in mind though that us having possession of the gem doesn't mean that we'll be able to use it. The goblins couldn't use it because the gem would only work for the dominant group in the area. If they had come to us and worked with us would would have all agreed and it would have worked. I'm pretty sure that if we have the gem but she refuses for it to work, it won't work for us. That's why I kept trying to suggest that she communicate with it and learn, then she can activate it next time. She's concerned about keeping enemies away from her forest so I don't think she'll pick any place with large groups of people."
"I think we need to head back to town and let her cool down for a bit. Then come back and try to reinstate a bargain that reduces our tribute and gets us some of the gem metal. Can't say as I have ever run into a dragon like this before. A vampire yes, but not a dragon. Dr McCaskill took care of the vampire when it started getting uppity. Too bad he's not here to do something about this dragon." Kevan chimes in as they walk back.
"Is there any benefit in making another attempt at befriending the swan-woman? Maybe she would add a bit of weight to our side of the scales in the next negotiation," Alden offers speculatively.