Stonebound

"It's only a dragon in essence, not all dragons are bad, in fact often the best ally in a fight against a dragon is a dragon of your own"

"Hrmph, as long as you can keep that thing in check we should be fine," Randrak replies. "Let's just hope it is like the one from the boat, not the one that killed my comrades."

Mercwri you can not quite fathom anything particular about the short sword, though you can tell it is not mundane. The crossbow however you recognise straight away as you already have one on loan from Alanis. It is a plus 1 light crossbow.

The dwarf looks up at you Alanis and offer a weak smile. “I am Trienne, a Cleric of Moradin. We came here to assess the site and found goblins here. They overwhelmed and captured us. The spoken common from time to time and when they did it was all threats and curses. They kept talking about feeding us to their dragon... a black dragon. Yes that is what they said, but I have not seen or heard any sign of it.”

Mercwri will give Alanis back her crossbow, "My thanks, it t'was very useful.  Mayhaps ye can fathom something about this sword?"  He shows shows her the short sword. 

"I also found these things,"

• Two coin pouches containing a total of 70gp
• Superior potion of healing
• A scroll of polymorph

I am sure we can use them>"

„I‘m glad.“ 

She smiles at Mercwri, taking her crossbow back. She looks at it and considers wether she should offer one of her comrades to channel her magic into a different item, given she favors her vials anyway. But that could wait until they could actually rest.

“Oh, and I found those - I think you have experience using them, yes?“

Rummaging through her bag for a surprising long time, she finally produces 3 of4 vials of acid and offers them to her fellow gnome.

Lastly she takes a look at the shortsword as prompted.

Arcana: 8

„I can’t, unfortunately. But I suppose I can take a look at it later, when I can whip something up to check it for magic.“ 

Quote from Bandorchu >>

„I‘m glad.“ 

She smiles at Mercwri, taking her crossbow back. She looks at it and considers wether she should offer one of her comrades to channel her magic into a different item, given she favors her vials anyway. But that could wait until they could actually rest.

“Oh, and I found those - I think you have experience using them, yes?“

Rummaging through her bag for a surprising long time, she finally produces 3 of4 vials of acid and offers them to her fellow gnome.

Lastly she takes a look at the shortsword as prompted.

Arcana: 8

„I can’t, unfortunately. But I suppose I can take a look at it later, when I can whip something up to check it for magic.“ 

 Mercwri smiles, "Maybe one of the others would discern something.  Thanks foe the acid, that might well come in very useful."

Trienne looks up at you Reggarn and her eyes widen,  "Brother Reggarn! what are you doing here?"

Then to the rest of you she says, "These goblins must be stopped, at the least we must know more about this dragon...I..." she tries to stand but does not yet have the strength.

"You must rest here, in any case. Pray to Moradin on our behalf, if you have the strength. We will continue our path deeper into this ruined monastery, and see what can be learned, and cleansed."

"A black dragon?" Randrak thinks for a moment trying to recall any information he might have on black dragons from his past.

(History: 14)

Randrak you recall that black dragons, also known as skull dragons, are known to be far and away the most vile tempered and cruel of all chromatic dragons. If these goblins have captured one somehow, and so close to Duragath, it will be very bad news.

"Trienne! Is that really you? I am so sorry for not recognizing you!" Reggarn begins to brush her off and pulls out his waterskin so she can have a drink. "I came to seek peace with the Goblins but that hasn't gone so well. These kind adventurers have been of great aid in getting me here and keeping my skin on my back. I will do what I can to stop this dragon threat but please, take it easy for the moment."

"Wouldn't mind the shiny shortsword if you trust me with it"

“Oh, me thinks yer trustworthy friend Hitticus,” Mercwri says as he hands the sword to him. “I am not too good at dancing up close.” He grins, “A bit too short, striking a fatal blow to something’s knee is rather a difficult challenge most of the time.”

Randrak turns to Trienne, "Are you sure it's a black dragon? They definitely said a black dragon? I need you to tell me everything you know."

Quote from Krivoi_Rog >>

“Oh, me thinks yer trustworthy friend Hitticus,” Mercwri says as he hands the sword to him. “I am not too good at dancing up close.” He grins, “A bit too short, striking a fatal blow to something’s knee is rather a difficult challenge most of the time.”

 "That's why you cut them down at the ankles, every throat is in reach when your enemy is on the ground" Hitticus drops one of the rudimentary swords on his belt from it's sheath and replaces it with the new one

Make an Arcana check for the sword Hitticus.

Trienne listens to you Randrak and nods. "Yes they definitely said black dragon. They spoke of feeding it to make it strong. As I have said though, I have seen nothing but the goblins and their wolves. They have two of them. Huge black things they are."

Arcana 19 "I'm not what I used to be with magics, but I think this is a..." He looks over it "Shortsword"

"Hmm. that is a concern then," Randrak replies. "We will have to report this news. We will not be able to handle that by ourselves."

"Agreed. I have some family connections on the north side of the island who might be able to rally the nobles of the island, but... unless we can provide definitive proof, I'd be shocked if they agreed to even have a meeting to hear of our claims, let alone to stop bickering long enough to stand shoulder to shoulder against a common foe."

„Though there is something about that wording… ‚make it strong‘…? One would think that a dragon is mighty strong without…  well…“

Alanis pointedly avoids bringing up the being fed to it part.

“Could it be weakened per chance? Or, I don’t know… young?“