The woman standing in front of Nadariel is a stout dwarven lady with bushy gray eyebrows and a slight hunch. Her hand rests on a mottled pink cane, but anyone with perceptive eyes can tell that she doesn't really require the cane to stand. Her gray eyes flit quickly to the group as they enter, and a kind smile winds across her face. "Hello, dears," she starts, "I was wondering when you all would come along. I've already introduced myself to your musical friend," she gives a knowing look to Nadariel, "but my name is Bethesda."

"I just wanted to meet the people that my grandson was talking about. You seemed like quite the capable bunch when he ran into you, and I simply wanted to thank you for assisting him."

Kyrian looks confused "Sorry lady, I think you have the wrong people. I haven't seen a kid around here, unless you count Tessa." 

After a few moments, he seems to realize and his mouth opens in a silent "O" 

"You're that Aiden chap's granny. Was it Aiden? Or Aram? I can't remember. You two decided to take a family trip to a dragon's lair or something? Seems a little odd if you ask me, but who am I to tell, my family is dead."

"Adam, darling. His name is Adam." Bethesda gives a hearty dwarven laugh when you mention a family trip and waves her hand nonchalantly as she corrects you, "Not a family trip, a training exercise. You see beyond just his grandmother, I am also his mentor." Her eyes sweep over the rest of the group one more time before she turns to Kierro and gives the aasimar a slight bow. "Speaking of training, I really must be going. It was wonderful to meet you all and I do appreciate what you did for Adam."

With that, she will turn back around and move to teleport her way back to the main island (in a series of jumps if necessary). Before she does so, she turns and gives a wave to the group. The moment before she disappears, her irises flash red and a strange voice emanates from her mouth. Every word has a different inflection and voice entirely, but somehow it forms a pair of coherent sentences.

The first word is sinister and creepy, almost like a cold hand. "Well"

The second word is soothing, almost relaxing in its sound. "then"

The third word is deathly quiet, with the emphasis on the wrong part of the word. "my"

The fourth word is simply disturbing, almost probing in nature it seems to ask more than tell. "friends."

The fifth word is uncomfortably quiet as well, and the sound of it seems to suck at the very air around the woman's mouth. "Until"

The sixth word is completely monotonous, with no inflection whatsoever. "we"

The seventh word is tentative, as if unsure in nature but as deep in pitch as if it was spoken by a giant. "meet"

The eighth and final word is excited, bubbly, and filled with energy. "again!"

“Of all the weird thinks in here, they was the weirdest …” Nadariel carefully walks forward to the entrance and take a look outside.

sneak 22

As they all approach the entrance, Leto is sure to have detect magic running ((and generally will always have it going as it's at will, unless he's concentrating on something else)). With it, he's able to get a quick catalogue of everyone (including Ing's current form)'s magical items ((no need to list what they all are here, it's only important that Leto knows everyone by their items, sort of like a fingerprint)). He then says to the group, as the woman disappears, "If we'll meet again, it seems certain we've met before as well." He then pauses for a short bit, and anyone paying enough attention might be able to read that he seems to be concentrating on something, before quickly come back to focus and adding, "Shall we to town? To celebrate our 'victory' as it were of the dragon's dungeon? Word will likely get to it quickly, and though curious, I'm not sure I want to face it quite yet."

No great read dragon waits for you as you leave the grotto where the strange dwarven female had been waiting for you.

Making your way back to the port city, you find that not much has changed in your absence. No one seems too-impressed with your victory over the dungeon though, they are clearly surprised you made it out, but there is no great celebration or anything of the sort. Several drunks ask for you to buy them a drink, as you should be nicely plush after the dungeon, but that is the extent of it.

The next morning, even as you feel the pull of your next items far, very far, ,to the South and East, a messenger comes to you as a group. She hands over a scroll, then turns and heads off again.

The scroll, when opened, is from the dragon. In it they express their enjoyment of watching you in their dungeon, and order you to remove the dragons with you from this place. The message does go on to tell you to return in a few more years, when a few more modifications can be made to the dungeon, and to feel free to bring back the baby dragons with you when you do so.

Kyrian snorts "Like I would ever go back in there. It was easy enough already. After we find a few more of our items we could probably just blow it to bits, and what fun would that be? Come to think of it, is there somewhere I could leave a review? Something like 'not enough booze, not enough demons, too much walking.'"

Kierro, though rightly a bit suspicious of the woman, bows in return and watches as she teleports off.

"Yes, to town. There's some things I need to do, anyway."

As the group makes their way back, Kierro will head further into the city, using most of his remaining spell slots on create food and water for those he encounters that might need it. His good deed finished, he makes his way back to the tavern.

The next morning, he frowns as the messenger leaves. "Easy enough for us, maybe, but likely a death sentence for others that might be lured here. That dungeon and the purpose it serves sickens me..."

Closing his eyes and setting his fork down, he says to the group, Naivara and Palvin in particular: "I mentioned it briefly in the dungeon, but we should tell the crew of the Ice Floe to head out without us. I fear that should another storm be sent our way by whoever wishes to stop us, they'll be put in danger as well through no fault of their own. Perhaps we should stick to the flying castle."

Honor keeps looking at where the dwarven woman was for several moments after she disappears, before turning to look back at the others. "Yes -- we need to see if we can't find some better replacement armor for Emmy. Which, uh, hon, you should probably change back before we get too close to town."

Emmy pouts at this. "People frighten so easily." She sighs, which rattles the branches of nearby trees. "Fine. Once we're closer."

Once they are back in town and at the tavern, Honor will buy Higgul a drink and check in with him to see how he's handling everything.

The next morning: Honor thinks on Kierro's words. "I'm sure the red dragon doesn't know who we are -- or how fast we may grow in power. We may be in a good position to deal with him well before a year from now."

"The flying castle is so slow, though. What options do we have for improving our defenses or the ship itself? I suppose this island is probably a bit small for finding a mage able to control the weather.'

"Slow, yes, but the sailors of the Ice Floe being in danger is a risk that we are able to avoid if we travel by the castle. It's for their own safety, and there's no pressing urgency that's forcing us to travel fast either. Besides, methinks that the gods can easily negate the efforts of a weather control spell if they so desire."

"Why don't we just buy a boat? We have the funds, I am sure. The dragons can take it in turns to propel the boat using their wings, and rest in human form when they get tired."

The previous night, when Kierro and Honor (and any other Dragon Lords that may be there) are at the tavern, a tall female green Dragonborn steps up to the pair/group and extends a scaly arm. Upon closer appearance, it is clear that her scales are not pure green but instead are mottled with sparkly emerald scales. The speckled pattern seems to concentrate around her snout, where the scales are, in fact, more emerald than green. She appears to be wearing a set of scale armor with sharp protrusions extending out of it clearly depicting draconic teeth and claws. She has two long horns that curl around her head like a black dragon's horns that come to a tip near her mouth. Both horns are entirely emerald green and they also match her vibrant eyes. To offset all the green on her body, a coiled whip hangs at her hip shining a vibrant pink. The whip is made entirely out of interlocking chains and the end is marked with a wicked purple spike that matches a purple handle on the other end.

As she approaches the group, she walks proudly and when she extends her arm, she speaks in a raspy voice. "Well met. I am sure many of you have begun to catch on to my deception, but for those of you that have not, here is a little hint." Her eyes quickly shift to the green with gold flecks of Esmerelda, the soft brown of Raskal, the baby blue of Adam, and the light gray of Bethesda before returning to their original emerald. "My deception was only to ensure my safety, but being that we are all seeking similar goals, for now, I believe it would be prudent for us all to travel together going forward. For that reason, I would like to travel alongside you in this form, which you may call Caradran." She pauses for a second to catch her breath and give a quick glance at the other dragon lords present, "If you will have me until we retrieve our items."

Honor
Higgul has an ale in front of him as you move to speak with him. He nods to you, and looks to where the other dragonlords, and dragons-in-human-form, sit around the tavern. "Been quite the trip." He says when his eyes return to Honor. "Feels a bit like getting tossed into what you think is a puddle, only to find out that it is a bottomless well." he sighs as he takes another swig. "Morgan seems to enjoy this, and I have no real complaints either, but I feel I am well in over my head here, and that I don't really know where, and what, this will all lead to."

"Buy a boat? Perhaps... though taking the castle feels like a safer bet. The Ice Floe was a very nice ship, and it still almost got smashed to pieces."

Kierro sits with Chysen, sipping a glass of water quietly as he recovers from the experience of the dungeon. "Everything... going alright so far? With all this? I wanted to ask, make sure it's not too much."

The cleric looks up, bowing his head slightly to the dragonborn as they introduce themselves. "Well met. If you do wish to travel with us, help us as we assist each other, you're welcome to come with." 

He stands, looking into Ing's eyes with a warm yet careful gaze, and returns the handshake.

(OOC: Note that no Dragon Lord would know of the changeling's 'true' form or identity (and they have taken drastic measures to ensure that this remains the case)... I know it's probably just out of convenience OOC, but I just wanted to be clear!👍)

Caradran gives a nod back to Kierro, before letting her eyes sweep over the rest of the group (that is present) to see how they might be taking the reveal of their deception and request to join the party.

Insight: 26
(Psionic Dice added for convenience's sake (if necessary))

Quote from The_Mathemagician >>

before letting her eyes sweep over the rest of the group (that is present) to see how they might be taking the reveal of their deception and request to join the party

 In Leto's case, he makes, and holds eye contact with the Dragonborn for a solid few seconds, almost as if communicating with her. But otherwise stays towards the rear of the group simply watching.

For how he feels: Not very surprised, and not at all trusting that this is her 'true' form, but he doesn't really care what that would be either.

Kierro
Chysen considers his answer before responding. "I will be honest." he finally says. "You, and many you travel with, seem honorable and good. Some of them," His eyes stray to the new dragonborn figure, to Leto, and on to Tessa. He includes the Chaos dragon, the Stone Dragon, Tessa's Yellow Dragon, and even Emmy in his glance around the chamber. "Seem less so." He shrugs. "There is little I can do against these if they turn against you, but I will spend my life to protect you if need be."

"I dont think buying another boat would be much better," Naivara says. "And I dont want to put additional people in danger." She eyes the dragonborn with great suspicion.

palvin nods at the line of discussion from the Lords. "I will inform Castisha." He tells Naivara. "It will be sad to be parted from her, but she will be much safer if we go our own way for now. My place is by your side." He frowns though as he asks his next question. "Where should she take the ship? I worry that any travel might be dangerous, on the open sea, as that storm did not appear to be too caring who it caught."

"Perhaps in the opposite direction of where we're headed?" Naivara thinks outloud. "That way they don't appear to be working with us."