Jayson nods his thanks to the dwarves.

”This just went from bad to a whole lot worse.  Can we evade the wyrm by heading back to the dig site?”

The bard draws his rapier and looks anxiously at his comrades.

((OOC: No Inspiration Dice and no spells aside from cantrips.  Aside from playing a tune for it, I’ve got nothing to offer against a dragon.  Just FYI.))

Kosef will do his best to help the dwarves get Orson back to the dig site. “I think inside will be our best bet, we can deal with the Orcs another day surely”. 

d20 roll for any kind of check he may need to help the dwarves: 2

No check needed. Three of you dragging is plenty.

You had just left the doors leading to the ruins, which don't look big enough for a dragon to fit through. The dwarves believe that as long as you aren't right by the doors (which are massive, stone and can't be moved) you SHOULD be fine 

Jayson needs little encouragement to head for the doors and the relative safety of the altar chamber.

Once his fellows join him, Jayson tries to salvage a silver lining.

”On a positive note, we know the midwife is safe, because the dragon isn’t where she is!”

Death save 2: 13

If we’re not still in initiative I’ll cast Spare the Dying on Orson

Gor helps get his incapacitated friends into cover as the dragon flies by, and then peaks from cover to see what the scaled menace is up to.  

"I wonder how Lodis feels about dying in vain?"  He says, thinking out loud.  Somewhere, somehow, he has picked up a fist-sized rock and is squeezing it in one hand like he has been thinking about throwing it, but soon enough drops it and looks down at it like he can't believe he was really thinking about doing...well.  Whatever he was thinking about doing.   He reaches up and rubs his head, looking rather beat up himself, but nearly so bad as Biezdar and Orson.  "Have we offered up the blood of two of our own?  Well done brothers!  Well...oh, nevermind."  

Orsen is stabilised.

Gor, you see the dragon dive down, towards the end of the canyon. It flies up and away a short while later. The skies look clear again 

Biezdar comes back to consciousness thanks to one of the Dwarves.
-"Thank you mister dwarf"
He says short. His first instinct was to tell some excuse, but there was no excuse. He felt to sure of himself and orc bested him with one mighty blow. There is n excuse, there is only a lesson. Retreating with his team, he responds to Gor.
-"I am glad you are satisfied with my offering my friend, i hope Lodis would be too."
He says so, just to please Gor. Biezdar is sure that Gor would not analyze it enough to guess whether Biezdar means it or not. Biezdar had not yet time to think about Lodis and how he feels about that God.
-"Damn that orc bashed me hard." Biezdar says to himself once they are inside.
-"Was that a dragon?" He then asks aloud. He saw a dragon but he first dealt with shock from going down and then retreating to safety.

"Oah, dragon, mmhmm."  Gor says, nodding his head and studying what he'd just seen.   "Those Orcs, I recognize their tattoos.  They ran my tribe off their land years ago.  Oah.  But when they were leaving, one of them said, 'still too close.  we must find somewhere the dragon does not hunt or we'll lose more'.  I wonder, does that mean the dragon is hunting them?

You, Dwarves, have you had problems with those Orcs lately?"  

Jayson considers Gor’s question.

”Well, they say if your enemy is doing something useful, don’t hinder them.  When the dragon is messing with the orcs, it’s not attacking towns and villages.”

Kosef muses more to himself than with the others, although you hear him say, "On the other hand if we were able to team up with the Orcs we may find a powerful ally against the dragon."

'Orson' takes a few labored breaths.

Biezdars adrenaline lowers and he starts to feel some fatigue. That was intense. He could do better, he should do better and he was trained better. Good thing he got another chance.

"Ok Gents i vote to stay for about an hour here to make sure Dragon left, and to catch a breath. Then we proceed as we planned? To see Midwife? I think sighting of a dragon does not change anything for us since we already knew he roams these parts. 

Interesting idea mr. Kosef. I don't know how to feel about it."

/If we decide to stay for that hour, i ask the GM for permission to use it for Short Rest/

"Looks like the dragon was carrying something."  Gor adds as he listens and wonders what is to be done next.  "It swooped down into the ravine as it left, looked like it had something when it came up.  I couldn't tell what."  

You may short rest before moving on. The dwarves hadn't seen the dragon before, but are mostly inside.

After the hour is up, you leave making your way towards the midwife. Near the end of the canyon you come across 3 frozen orcs and one pool of blood next to them.

Kosef looks at the Orcs thoughtfully. "We certainly are no match for the dragon currently. The Orcs were likely to best us in battle. If the dragon could to this to them, then surely we would fare far worse". He quietly thanks Milel for sparing him and his companions the Orcs' fate.

"Come friends, let's get this woman to safety. We can rest when we arrive back in Phandalin." He hurries on, determined now that their goal is so clear.

Hit dice: 5

As the others get ready 'Orson' Wakes from his restorative slumber. 

Jayson smirks.

”Looks like the dragon took one orc to go, and put the others on ice for later.  Ashes to ashes, boys.  Go with Gruumsh.”

As they make their way to the midwife’s location, Jayson sings a song to pass the time.

”

Well, the wind it moans, and the rain it cries,

As I walk these empty streets under darkened skies.

But you're not here, no, you're not around,

And I'm left here singin' this lonesome sound.

I remember the days, when we danced 'neath the stars,

Our love was a flame that could never be charred.

But now I'm left standin', with a heart turned to stone,

Just a wanderin' fool, feelin' so alone.

But you're not here, no, you're not here,

And the absence of your love, it cuts me clear.

The nights grow colder, my dreams fade away,

Oh, why did you leave, my darlin', why couldn't you stay?

The city streets whisper, tales of what used to be,

In a world so uncertain, you were once my guarantee.

But now I'm lost, just a ship without a mast,

Navigating through these reflections of the past.

The pubs and taverns, they echo with our laughter,

But the sound has faded, like a whisper in the rafters.

I remember a tune, that we had called our own,

But it's just a hollow melody, now that you're gone.

But you're not here, no, you're not here,

And the absence of your love, it cuts me clear.

The nights grow colder, my dreams fade away,

Oh, why did you leave, my darlin', why couldn't you stay?

The moon hangs low, casting shadows on old stone walls,

As I stroll through this city, where our love had its falls.

The ghosts of our past, they walk these streets at night,

Searching for redemption, longing for what's right.

So I'll keep on wanderin', in search of something true,

But deep down inside, I know it's only you.

Though you're not here, memories of you still remain

Tangled in my heart, forever bound by chains.

But you're not here, no, you're not here,

And the absence of your love, it cuts me clear.

The nights grow colder, my dreams fade away,

Oh, why did you leave, my darlin', why couldn't you stay?

Yeah, the wind still moans, and the rain still cries,

As I walk these empty streets, under darkened skies.

But I'll keep on singin', 'neath the moon's silver glow,

A troubadour's ode to a love that had to go.