Not Letting Sleeping Dragons Lie (15 Aug 2002) Our heroes continue onward toward the Destroyer's Keep.

A set of rising stairs open out into an immense cave in which several campfires burn, casting light around them onto tents stitched together from badly tanned hides. Around those campfires are gathered easily a hundred goblins, led by a larger goblin dressed in a cloak of some scaly stuff who looks barbarically ferocious in his bull's skull headdress.

There is a long pause as the goblins prostrate themselves before their Great Lord, and then the chieftain rumbles something in their grumbling, guttural language. Rachel translates in a whisper, "After so many Years, you have returned! If we prove ourselves worthy, Dread Lord, will you take us away from this place and reward us with gold for our services, as was promised?"

Thomas blinks, wondering just who they think he is. "You question what I said all those years ago?" Thomas asks grimly, eyeing the creature. A moment later, he adds, "Or perhaps, have you hoped to trick me into getting more that I promised you all those years ago? Be warned I would not take such actions lightly. But, now is not the time for such discussion. I am here to inspect that which you have provided service in protecting. The time does indeed, draw near."

Agatha stands next to Thomas, and tries to look fierce, while inwardly worrying that the Great Explorer has no idea what he's doing.

Even before Rachel has begun to translate the Lord Explorer's words, the goblins grovel anew at the threatening tone of his voice. The chieftain wails, and heaps dirt onto his head by way of abasing himself before the Great Lord. The gist of it would be that they are indeed faithful, and that even in the deepest tunnels, they have heard that the hour of the Great Lord is coming. They are grateful that he has not forgotten even such lowly scum as they.

"Impressive," Redmane whispers aside to Thomas, "but let's not linger, okay?"

"I forget nothing," Thomas says dismissively. "Now, show me to the tunnels. Forces are on the move in Mirari and I must be absolutely sure that the tunnels remain safe -- and add a few more special 'touches' to them. Once all this has passed and Mirari falls, we will discuss your reward, rest assured."

Sir Lefallon looks tense, hand on sword, as he stands by the "Dread Lord" and tries to pretend that he is a lieutenant in the Lord's dire service as well.

Rachel relays what sounds like a sentence or two, then hesitates. She whispers, very softly, to Tom, "Ought we to be promising them a reward after Mirari falls? I ... didn't think anything was supposed to be left after the Destroyer ascended." She looks rather sheepish even as she speaks, a blush highlighting her cheeks.

Thomas whispers back to Rachel, "If it concerns you that may make them suspicious, say they will be spared Mirari's fate and rewarded soon."

With a quick nod, Rachel adds those words, her cheeks still pricked by red.

Behind the others, the white stallion's bulk rises impressively. Ahearn spares a cool, desultory glance for the assembly of goblins, then returns his gaze to the two particular goblins -- Fleez and Gnatz -- that led them there. They, too, are kept behind the other fey, away from their brethren.

The goblin chieftain listens to Rachel's translation, then stands and then bids his kinfolk to clear the way, bellowing commands. In no time at all, a path has been cleared straight through the goblin village, and the chieftain leads the way. He assures the Dread Lord, through Rachel, that when he returns, a great feast with all the best delicacies they can offer will have been prepared for their celebration. There will be giant cave morels! Venison stew, aged to perfection! And if they are lucky, there may even be spider egg pies!

Gnatz and Fleez, looking uncomfortable, start to stray toward separate sides of the procession, where they might get lost in the bustle of preparations.

"Remember to not come back this way," Thomas decides as he follows, standing tall and keeping his expression dour.

Glancing back over her shoulder, Redmane glares warningly at their two goblin guides and exposes a few inches of steel blade.

Amazingly, the goblins catch sight of the demonic knight's action and join ranks again. Soon, the back of the cave comes into range of their lantern's light, a natural rock wall with a hewn stone entryway big enough for a giant, which opens into darkness, and the smell of dust is thick in the air. The chieftain narrates, through Rachel, "At this place, Dread Lord, you told our people they would live here for many Years, and maintain the traps and defenses of this place, at the end of which time, they would be well rewarded with gold and taken to a better place where they might live out their years. It is said you spoke with a great roar, and flames leaped shoulder-high behind you..." He pauses, and then eyes Rachel, considering.

Rachel answers the goblin's look with a scowl of her own, translating his words to Thomas.

"Pay no mind to my companions!" Thomas barks, eyes narrowing. "I cannot expend such magicks to translate now for two reasons. One, to prevent being detected so near my time of triumph. Second, to allow my powers to build wipe all my enemies with one blow."

This explanation appears to satisfy the goblin chieftain for the moment. He leads the travelers before the doorway and says, through Rachel, that the chieftain can go no further, lest he violate the prohibition that the Great Lord himself set down so long ago.

"What about our fan-club?" Redmane whispers to Thomas, nodding back towards Gnatz and Fleez.

Gnatz and Fleez look at each other, worried.

Thomas looks pointedly at the footprints in the dust, then at the chieftain. Again, Thomas's eyes narrow and he says darkly, "You may go." He then looks toward Agatha, then the two goblins and adds, "These two will remain here until we return. They will make sure no one else comes this way. Consider it an honor. Do this job well and I assure you that you will get what is coming to you."

The two goblins bow and scrape with gusto, and the chieftain eyes the footprints, then them dourly, then bows to the Great Lord as well. As the Great Lord wishes.

"Easier than cutting out their tongues I suppose," Redmane whispers, and eyes the footprints as well. "Same formation as before?" she asks quietly.

Behind them, as the chieftain hurries to rejoin his tribe, the village is awash with the bustle of feast-preparation. Gnatz and Fleez settle down on opposite sides of the entryway, trying to look all alert and attentive to duty.

Thomas whispers to Redmane, "They're old. Been here for some time. I don't think there are any within at this time, fortunately." Thomas then makes a sweeping motion with his arm and declares, "Inside." With that, he moves onward, wanting to get away from the goblins where he can relax.

Beyond the entryway is a natural stone cave, old and stale-smelling. It is silent as well, save for a sourceless rumbling that occasionally vibrates through the floor. Tunnels lead away through the deep rocks, joining other caves into a complicated labyrinth.

Thomas noticeably relaxes and draws a breath. "Well done, all of you. You kept that up superbly. And Rachel, don't worry about questioning me, I appreciate your advice. You reminded me of something I forgot in the hurry to get out of there," Thomas says, then looks around.

Rachel still looks embarrassed. "Thank you, my lord. It's just ... I've never thought how the Destroyer could motivate his creatures. What does one promise, if one's intent is to destroy the world?" She shrugs a little.

"Who here thinks that rumbling is dragon snores?" Thomas adds with a smirk.

Sir Lefallon wipes imaginary sweat from his brow. "Battling all those goblins could have been rather hard work, milord," he admits. "Though we might only have had to kill a large number of them to show that we had swords to back up our words." He shivers. "Well, we expected a dragon in these mountains, did we not?"

"Hey, I was hopeful there wasn't one," Thomas replies with a grin. "Though, riding on the back of a dragon could be an incredible experience. Hmmm."

Redmane presses a hand to the floor to try and gauge the distance to the source of the rumbles. "Depends on if you're impaled on the back spines or not, I'd imagine, Thomas."

"You always know how to take the fun out of everything, Redmane," Thomas deadpans.

"Yup, that's me, life of the party," Redmane replies and stands up. "Can't tell anything from the rumbles. They feel like they're coming from everywhere. Should still get louder as we get closer though. Until they suddenly stop, of course."

Sir Lefallon mutters, "Then we really start worrying?"

Thomas grins and says, "Thank you, Knight of the Obvious. We'll just have to move slow and careful. I suggest we use the same travel order as before." He looks thoughtful, then turns toward Rachel. "Perhaps the Destroyer might have offered the goblins passage to another world? The mortal world? A world which would greatly fear them?"

"Yeah, fear them," Redmane says, shaking her head. "Right up until they tried to cross the street without looking both ways." The knight takes up her position near Ahearn.

"Lords and Ladies," exclaims Sir Lefallon. "Goblins alone might not faze the men of the mortal world that I remember, aye, Lady Redmane. But greater creatures might." He shakes his head.

The dark-haired girl looks wry and sad. "Mayhaps. When I thought it but a tale to frighten children, I never worried about such things as the motives and hopes of his minions."

"In any event, we have not the time to ponder a goblin's mind," Thomas says and heads off into the caverns. "Onward! Into the bowels of the great mountain!"

"I never liked that term," Redmane whispers to Rachel. "Bowels of the mountain. Disturbing image."

Despite herself, Rachel giggles, then hides her smile behind her hand.

Gauging by the strength of the rumbles as they change from place to place, Lord Explorer Thomas leads the others, with Sir Lefallon close to his side, and Lady Redmane and Ahearn behind them protecting Rachel in the middle, into the depths of the labyrinth. These caves appear to be free of traps; indeed, they are very much like one another.

At last some mysterious sense draws Thomas to pause in the middle of a looping tunnel that winds outward from the center of the caves, and would seem to wind back inward again. There are no footprints anywhere about except for their own. The rumbling seems, if imperceptibly to anyone but Thomas, strongest at this point.

Thomas raises a hand and says, "Hold your ground. This a the center of sorts." Thomas crouches down and listens, tilting his head to focus on the forward passage, then the backward one.

Both passages are plain hewn rock, with nothing to distinguish them from any of the other passages they have trodden this day.

"Shine your light upwards, Thomas," Redmane suggests."Dragons can climb, after all."

Thomas does so, shining the tight beam of light upward.

Nothing but rock lies overhead.

Thomas whistles loudly, then listens. After a long pause, Thomas says, "That's curious. Okay, I'm probably about to do something stupid. Be ready." He grins and gets up. He walks toward the right wall slowly and extends his hand.

At the word, "stupid," Rachel's body tenses. "I hope this goes better than setting off the trap did," she frets.

"Ready how?" Redmane hisses, and grips the pommel of her steel sword.

Thomas reaches out and tentatively tries to touch the wall now in front of him.

Sir Lefallon draws his sword partway, looking around. "Aye, careful, milord," he whispers.

As the Lord Explorer presses his hand to the wall, to the others, it looks as if Thomas's hand has actually penetrated the wall, to the depth of an inch.

"Hah! That explains why the sound echoed a bit differently from this side. This wall is an illusion. It masks a wooden door," Thomas explains. "I can feel the metal banding. For a moment I was worried I might end up pettinga dragon or some such."

Redmane relaxes not a bit. "So, are you going to knock, or look for the latch?" she asks.

Rachel exhales. "Let's ... not knock," she suggests.

"What-- an illusion?" Sir Lefallon smacks his forehead. "Of course. The perfect way to keep visitors out, for one who is a master of deception."

"How do we proceed then?" Redmane asks. "We want this dragon as our ally, so sneaking up on it probably isn't the best course."

"Oh yes, I'll just knock and ask to see the Master," Thomas comments toward Agatha with a smirk. "I'll going to look for the latch, of course. All of you stay back in case it explodes or something, eh? I expect traps on any doors down here." He then closes his eyes to block out distractions and starts slowly tracing his fingertips over the door's surface.

Sir Lefallon watches intently as Thomas explores, but after a minute or so, he comments, "If there's a trap, it must be inside the doorway."

"Or inside the dragon," Redmane predicts.

Thomas steps back. "Bad news, fellow travelers. No doorknob," Thomas says. "I wonder if it responds to some sort of verbal command. Or ... I wonder if the flute would open it."

"No doorknobs? How would they open it then?" The younger knight looks patently bemused.

"From the inside," Thomas replies.

Redmane takes a few steps further back at the mention of the flute. "I suppose the flute would work," she concedes.

Sir Lefallon slaps his forehead once again. "Of course-- if they'd meant it as their secret escape."

"Worried about your belt again?" Thomas asks with a smirk and starts digging through his pack. "I've got it in here somewh... aha."

The familiar silvery flute comes to sight again, decorated with a thorny rose.

Thomas pulls out the flute and the piece of paper he wrote the noting down on when Alice helped him decipher the notes. "Would someone come over here and hold this paper for me along with the light? I need my hands free," Thomas says.

Rachel steps forward without hesitation, taking the sheet music into one hand. She passes the torch she carries to Simon so that she can use the thief-light instead to illuminate the page. "With my luck, I'd hold it too close to the flame and burn it to cinders," she says, looking wry.

Sir Lefallon takes the torch and holds it aloft. "This illusion is amazingly realistic," he mutters.

"Now why didn't I think of that," Redmane mutters.

Thomas looks at Rachel and says, "Rachel, you've been invaluable on this trip. Remember, without you we wouldn't have been able to get by the goblins. We all have skills that are indispensable. Please, remember that." Thomas then raises the flute to his lips again and focuses on the page. Carefully, he starts to play...

Bright scarlet to her ears, Rachel starts to stammer out a reply, then abandons the effort, letting the simple music fill the silence instead.

A tingling feeling builds in the air as Thomas plays, and motes of light dance in the air around the thief-light and the torch, travelling from there to the doorway that he felt, outlining it ... and then as he finishes the last note, something goes click behind the door and it swings open on squealing tarnished hinges. The illusion is gone; beyond is a dark stairway of plain rock.

"Do you smell anything?" Redmane whispers to Ahearn once the door is open.

Thomas grins triumphantly. "And there you have it! I will be remembered as the greatest explorer who ever opened a door! Uh, yeah, right, anyway...." He puts the flute away, then adds with a grin, "Pity the illusion faded, though, I was going to ask Redmane to stick her head through and see what happened -- er, see what's in there."

A new smell pervades the corridor, sharp and metallic. Sir Lefallon whispers, "I think she might have pushed you through, milord," and grins wryly as he lowers the torch to try and see up the stairs. Alas for him, they go far enough up that it is impossible to see that far with mere torchlight.

A small grin appears on Thomas's face when Lefallon comments, but he doesn't reply. "Wasn't the dragon rumored to be iron?" Thomas asks as he sniffs at the air.

"Iron..." Sir Lefallon looks worried. "Do you think it is that dragon we encountered so long ago?"

"The stairs go up," Redmane says, sounding concerned. "If it is Monitor, then perhaps he's thrown his lot in with the Destroyer, and guards the back door to his keep now."

"Or perhaps he got tired of the Destroyer's minions coming into his lair and now blocks the doorway to keep them out," Thomas counters. "In any event, we can speculate all we like. We simply have to go and see to know. So, I'm going up."

"Let's get on with it then," Redmane says, setting her jaw.

Thomas makes sure his belongings are secure and retrieves his light from Rachel and says, "Thank you." Then onward he does go up the stairs. "Now, everyone keep a good eye out for handholds along the walls in case thestairs switch into some sort of slide or some such. Last thing we need is to slide into an acid pit or spikes, or something even worse," he says as he goes.

Sir Lefallon considers his sword, then leaves it sheathed as he follows close by Thomas's side and holds the torch close to the stairs to make doubly sure of each step. "Aye, milord," he says.

The stairs climb through the rock for what feels like a mile, turning left, then right, and at last enter a huge open cavern, illuminated by daylight that spills in through a vent high above. It is filled with a vast amount of gold, gleaming warmly in mounds, speckled with jewels and with all sorts of treasures -- from a harp strung with crystal to crowns and shields, to a sword sticking out of a block of some hard black stone, glowing with a blue light. And resting atop the treasure is a giant black iron dragon, wings folded against its sides. Twenty or more razor-sharp spines jut from his back, swaying back and forth slowly as he breathes.

Is he sleeping, or is he awake? His eyelids are closed, but it seems to them that they cannot remember the last time the rumbling came through the floor.

Thomas takes a step forward and surveys the area. He eyes the dragon warily, but then also searches the cavern with his eyes, looking for remains of other travelers.

There is treasure everywhere, but there are no signs of skeletons or other remains of mortal beings.

The glowing sword catches Redmane's eye for a moment, but she tears away her gaze to watch the dragon. "I'm pretty sure he knows we're here," she whispers to the others.

"Well, shall I announce our presence, then?" Thomas whispers back, his eyes now looking at the glowing sword.

"The rumbling stopped," Rachel notes, needlessly, in a likewise whispered tone, as she joins the others at the top. Ahearn makes surprisingly little sound, despite his hooves and size, as he brings up the rear.

Sir Lefallon looks amazed at the treasure as well. "So much... There seems more even than I recalled last time," he whispers. He blinks up at Thomas. "Er, isn't there a saying about sleeping dragons?..."

"Better you than me, Thomas," Redmane says. "I've got a poor reputation with dragons, remember."

"Yes, but we don't want to anger it either, you know," Thomas tells Sir Lefallon. "If we try and sneak through and it wakes up, it may think us robbers, eh?"

The younger knight swallows and nods. "As you will then, milord."

Rachel adds nothing more to the conversation, staring in fascination at the dragon. As impressive as the treasure hoard may be, the great beast dwarfs it in her imagination.

Thomas steps away from the others in case his pronouncement angers the beast. Better one get attacked than all, he supposes. "Greetings, great Dragon," he says strongly. "I am Thomas, late of House November and these are my companions. We do not mean to intrude, nor are we here seeking your treasure."

Dark metal eyelids flicker upward almost immediately, revealing lantern-bright yellow eyes that narrow as he scrutinizes the faces of Thomas, Redmane, Sir Lefallon, Rachel, and Ahearn. "Again, heroes come to Monitor as he dreams," the dragon hisses. "Again, stir the Jruuh in the halls of his lair. Knoweth not heroes that they must tread with care, lest they stir dragons from decades' sleep?"

"Please pardon us for waking you, Great One. I take responsibility for awakening you; do not blame the others. I did not wish you to think us lowly thieves, come for your hoard. We ask for passage and advice, if you would allow us both?" Thomas asks.

"A favor might Monitor grant, since many troublesome growlers did the heroes destroy long ago," the dragon says in a boneshakingly deep voice, still recumbent upon his hoard. "The Destroyer has rid Monitor of the growling nuisances that remained, and to Monitor paid much gold, and many treasures, beside, that he may watch over the back road so none may pass without the Destroyer's let. Should the heroes wish to escape unscathed, let them return the way they came, and Monitor may say nothing of it to the Destroyer."

Redmane grits her teeth, and whispers to Thomas, "You don't suppose the Destroyer promised this treasure to the goblins, do you?"

"But, Great One, do you not know that if the Destroyer wins, he shall destroy all? You too, would be taken down by his wrath. Surely you understand that?" Thomas says, then nods to Redmane. "The Destroyer uses everyone to get what he desires. When he is through with you and there is no needfor a guardian, he will destroy you as well and spread your wealth to his next victims."

The dragon rises to a sitting position, looking down at the travelers. His breath puffs in clouds that swirl above his many-spiked head. "Such courage, to stand and speak without fear of fae's nightmare made real, must Monitor admire, from ones so small as not to even make a meal," Monitor rumbles. "Perhaps bold adventurers have their uses, even to dragons, who fear none." He pauses, contemplating.

"I stand before you, willing to face any challenge to protect my world, Great One," Thomas says firmly.

"'Tis Monitor's creed that he leaves every deal richer, not poorer," the dragon hisses, a sibilant whisper. "A toll must pay the adventurers, should they wish to pass beneath Monitor's side-turned gaze. What priceless treasures have the Lord Explorer and the Lady Knight and the Lord of Horses, what great riches do the Knight and Explorer have to offer? Do they carry wagon-weights of gold to buy his blindness?"

"I only have my experiences to offer you, Great One. I am not wealthy and never have been. My life has been the pursuit of knowledge and discovery," Thomas says.

"I have something to offer," Redmane says. "Something you've probably never experienced before," the Knight claims.

As Tom converses with the dragon, Rachel watches, quiet but rapt. As the dragon speaks further, a curious look steals over her face, of concentration, or recollection. She doesn't answer his query, however.

Monitor's gaze, one that turns side from side to examine each person from each eye, now turns directly toward Lady Redmane. He makes a curious noise of inquiry, steam wisping from his nostrils.

Sir Lefallon looks at Redmane wonderingly.

Taking a deep breath, Redmane starts to approach the dragon's head. "Now, this isn't something you can add to your treasure, so if that's a requirement I'd appreciate knowing now."

As the knight moves forward, Rachel inhales, and holds her breath.

The dragon hisses, "'Tis things of power that Monitor craves, more even than gold warm as sunlight, crowns bedecked with jewels, gems larger than men's heads." He looks down toward Redmane intently, and his breath is fiery steam.

Thomas simply stands there, listening.

Redmane pauses in her approach to remove her sword belt, leaving it on the ground before continuing forward. "I don't know if what I can offer is powerful or not. But for you, it is the rarest of things, Lord Monitor."

Thomas tilts his head and remembers something. He may havesomething after all. He waits for Redmane to offer whatever she is thinking of first, however.

The dragon whispers conspiratorially as if sharing a lover's secret, "Rarity is not always a prize, Lady Knight. Death comes once in each being's lifetime, soon or late, yet none crave the rarity of such an experience. Monitor shall judge if what is offered is sufficient to buy his ignorance or not."

"If you will indulge me then, Milord, and lower your head?" Redmane asks. "I have no weapons that can harm you," she notes, holding out her arms and making a full turn to back up her claim.

The dragon bathes Redmane in the full light of both eyes' gaze, and then he stretches out low so that great heaps of gold are furrowed by his legs, stretching out his head next to her. A strange smile quirks upon his iron muzzle, that dares Redmane to make good on her presentation.

The Knight removes her gloves, and holds them in her mouth while reaching out to ... rub Monitor behind his right eye. She does bite down hard on the leather of the gloves while doing it, though.

Thomas winces.

Amazingly, the touch doesn't hurt Redmane, though it feels as if, were Monitor only a little hotter, she would be nursing burns. His lambent eye gazes sideways toward Redmane, taunting her. "Knew Monitor that the Lady Knight carried steel, for how could he not smell its nature, so like his own?" he whispers. "Dare the Knight do more than merely touch?"

Redmane blinks at the whisper, and quietly asks, "What more would you want, Lord Monitor? I would not try to presume too much upon your person."

The dragon's patience seems to be ebbing quickly as he waits and watches the lady knight, not answering.

Skin blushed to match her hair, Redmane leans in and kisses one of the scales of Monitor's cheek.

There is a faint chuckle, that deepens to deep draconian laughter as the dragon accepts it, then raises his neck to regard the others. As he patently looks over Redmane's head, his voice rumbles again. "Boldness has earned one passage, as Monitor remembers the kiss but not the kisser's path. How shall the others pay their way, wonders Monitor?"

Moving stiffly, Redmane retrieves her sword and tries to not make eye-contact with the others -- especially not Ahearn!

Thomas digs in his pack and draws forth the unusual book that they took from Faust's study. "I said I can offer knowledge. We obtained this book from the study of a water mage, Faust. He served the Destroyer, and this was the Destroyer's gift to him. It is supposedly a tome of knowledge, though I do not understand its full purpose. I offer it to you as an item of power, to pay for the passage of myself and the others, Great One," Thomas says.

The dragon fixes his gaze upon the tome, and his head comes closer and closer.

"Best you set it down and back away!" Sir Lefallon offers in an urgent if hushed tone.

Thomas sets the book on the ground and backs away. "The book is unusual in what it presents to each reader. It has a strange power that perhaps you can use," Thomas says as he does so.

Rachel, who had let out her breath after Redmane returned from the dragon intact, finds herself holding it again as the dragon's head approaches.

"Enrapt in study of such a tome, might indeed Monitor miss the passage of another mouse," murmurs the dragon as he noses the tome toward the side. "Yet three more there are who might wish to cross his lair."

Thomas moves over toward Redmane, expression concerned. He had hoped that would have bought all passage.

The dark-haired girl schools her face, hiding any emotion she might betray. "If I -- Allow me to approach, O dragon," she says, lifting her head. She starts walking toward him, without waiting for an answer.

Tom watches Rachel, worried. "Be careful," he thinks.

Redmane watches Rachel with concern. If ever there was a maiden to tempt a dragon's tongue, Rachel is it.

The dragon looks curiously down to the Explorer, and allows her to approach. "Twice within the same day, do mortals dare to come within range of a dragon's claws? Count Monitor most amazed," he murmurs.

Rachel walks to the dragon's head, and stands on tiptoes to whisper in his ear.

The great black dragon considers, and then a conspiratorial smile spreads across his muzzle as he courteously sits upright again, sparing Rachel further exposure to the magical heat of iron. "Speak no more of it, and another passage will have been bought," he murmurs down to her. "And for the last two, Monitor has a bargain to offer as well."

Sir Lefallon looks up, surprised. "I? Ahearn? But we have nothing of our own that holds power, no great wealth..."

"Trinkets of the future might answer for lack of the present," the dragon whispers suggestively. "A thing of power has Monitor sensed in the Destroyer's Keep. Should adventurers happen upon it, and ensure that it found its way to Monitor's lair, might he deem himself repaid well enough to be blind to the passage of all, and perhaps even rewards might he have to give for such a thing."

The young knight looks toward Thomas. "Should we, milord?"

Redmane looks to Thomas, and quietly asks, "What sort of artifacts do you suppose big D has tucked away in his hope chest?"

"It is a fair offer, Sir Lefallon, and we do need to continue onward," Thomas says and looks at Monitor. He then whispers to Redmane and says, "Many things, I am sure, I just hope he's not asking for the Lord Protector."

Ahearn snorts, the equine looking less convinced of the equitability of the bargain. Nonetheless, he walks to join Redmane, saying nothing to the dragon.

Monitor chuckles and then ostentatiously stretches out to arrange himself just so, as if he were studying the book, though it is easy to see that he has not even reached out a clawtip to open the first page. "A thing of power does Monitor wish, not a person of power. 'Tis a small, simple thing, yet many things does it unlock; great antiquity does it have, but what it may do signifies more." Speaking his riddle, the dragon finishes, "Pass the adventurers may, if Monitor sees them not. Return soon they must, if Monitor is not to tire of this bargain."

Thomas hmms softly, considering. "We will attempt to find this item, then. And Great One, may I ask you a question? It only holds meaning to me and something I must do," Thomas says.

Sir Lefallon shakes his head in disbelief. "Bargaining with dragons... I vow that whatever it may be, I shall strive to bring it to you if I can, Monitor, in exchange for our passage. May God have mercy upon my soul and light my path toward the right." He begins to walk across the cavern toward Lady Redmane, pausing as Thomas asks his question.

"A mouse may speak, and perhaps Monitor will address the lonely silence," comes the deep earth-shaking whisper.

"Many Years ago, I left this world. A friend of mine took my place to await my return. Randall was his name. He fell in battle protecting others and his body lost. The Destroyer took him and made him a wraith. I ... I was told a story that described a place like this where his body may lie. I only seek to find his body for proper burial and to fulfill the promise I made to him to one day return. If you have heard or seen anything of this fallen man, once Captain of the Guard, I would be very grateful to learn of it," Thomas says quietly.

A deep chuckle shakes the room, and then comes the distant response, "Some answers are nearer to hand than others. Go forward, mouse, and turn not back, lest Monitor chooses to take notice."

Thomas nods quietly and turns. He walks onward and waves to the others to follow.

Sir Lefallon follows, face pale. "Milord ... do you think it was wise to bargain as we did?" he whispers.

Redmane falls into place in the line, and wonders what Monitor will ask for to let them pass on the return journey.

"Did we really have a choice? Time will tell," Thomas whispers in response.

"Monitor is a dragon, Sir Lefallon, not the Devil," Redmane notes. "He's not evil, just... shrewd."

Ahearn brushes his nose over Redmane's hair, his sole comment.

The young knight tries to look consoled. "Aye, and perhaps whatever it is he seeks, it will be better hid away from the world than in the hands of one who would certainly misuse it."

There is just room enough to walk the ledge around the cave, to the other end where a passage slopes upward. It wends upward through the rock, and there is thick dust on the floor, though here and there, Thomas sees tracks. Jruuh tracks.

The passage ends in a cylindrical stairwell that goes up foran unfathomable distance. Lying at the bottom of the stairs is a heap of bones and rags of some greenish-gray color; scattered broken stones, bits of broken wooden railing and pieces of rotted wooden steps suggest that they have not been maintained as well as they ought to have been.

Black leather-booted feet tramp down the stairs, entering the light ... or, rather, they should tramp, but they move soundlessly. The wraith of Randall descends to the ground, clad in black leather with a silvery chain mail vest, armed with a silvery long sword and an elaborately designed poignard. "Ah! Guests," he observes. "Come to pay your respects to my poor old bones?"

There is a growling noise from behind, and then another from higher in the shaft... Jruuh.

Preparing to draw her steel blade, Redmane first looks to Thomas for his reaction.

Sir Lefallon draws his sword, then turns about to keep watch with his torch and his gaze. "I've got your back," he whispers to Thomas.

Thomas steps forward and says firmly, "Everyone, this is my fight and something I must do. Please just stand guard to make sure that the fight is simply between him and I." Thomas draws his sword, the ringing of Mirari silver heard as it escapes its sheath. "It is your old friend, Randall. I have come and I will face you, one on one," Thomas says and raises his blade in a solemn salute, expression forced to be emotionless. "For the rest you deserve ... let it begin."

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This site serves as a chronicle of sessions in an online roleplaying campaign moderated by Conrad "Lynx" Wong and May "Rowan" Wasserman. The contents of this site are (c) 2001, 2002 by Conrad Wong and May Wasserman except where stated otherwise. Despite the "children's fantasy" theme of this campaign, this site is not intended for young readership, due to mild language and violence.