With no time for a rebuttal you settle on a grimace, snatching the shot of coffee from of his hand as you whirl to face the excessively bitey problem that has just killed the mood in the room- and would no doubt move on to everyone in it.

Quick. A plan. Start thinking.

Fog’s no good; they can smell through it, and if you stank the place up you’d be no friend of the nobles- and you might need to be. Ice magic...once the place has cleared, but not now; too many people flailing about in the way for a shot at this range, and if you tried it when too close they might get the jump on you. Weapons...no-one has any on them from the looks of things and they wouldn’t stop to give you them if they had- well, most wouldn’t. Some are staying put. Altair, the host and a couple of others. Maybe you should see what...wait. There on the opposite wall, between the windows where they came through- a coat of arms and...a halberd. Great, just got to get past them for that. Teleport?

But wait...you’re getting ahead of yourself. First thing’s first; you can’t have them running after anyone who’s going to get torn apart, so what you needed more than anything was...

You down your shot and hurl the cup at the closest one you can see, shattering it on his head.

...Get their attention.

Leaping from a chair to a table you follow up your toss with a flurry of magic missile shots, the bolts arcing through the throng to pummel into the side of the giant wolf, the force of the energy cracking bones as the canine yelps, snarls and tries to dodge- before another volley blows it straight into a tangle of chairs- a sharp, short-cut whine telling you that some of the wood probably found its innards.

>>18587994

The others perk up, having held back from initial pursuit in order to size up their quarry...now all looking at you as you guide them from table to table, dodging and swerving just enough pounces and snapping jaws to corral them all into roughly one area- then throw up as large a wall an ice as you can manage to attempt to divide the hall- using the extra height from the rising monument of ice to boost up and grab the halberd from the wall on the way down.

Disappointingly the ice didn’t quite manage to spread wide enough to do much more than make a long barrier around upended tables- there was still some escape room- but what’s out of sight is out of mind; any more casualties beyond the broken glass and chased-out bite victims would just be people too dumb to have run, with any luck. And not including you.

And possibly not including the big, black, shaggy Worg who just stalked through the window a couple of shattered ones next to you; solemn yellow eyes giving way to a bare-toothed challenge; already clotted with the blood of whatever sentries he’d been killing on the way over. The Alpha, if you weren’t mistaken. And one who didn’t seem to like you.

Well, at least you got their attention.

>>18588011

“Ah. Him fir-”

You didn’t even have time to be impressed that the Word spoke decent common before Ta’Assuq stepped out of the ether- LITERALLY out of the ether, and smashed it clear across the room before grabbing another in a headlock; the Alpha cracking into the thickest chunk of your hastily erected icewall. She was laughing and her footwork was completely unsteady, but all the falling over seemed to be keeping her up somehow, and she hauled the worg around so she could gesture at an invisible chord connecting the two of you.

“Whad’I say, eh? You’n’me!” She smiled, then hiccupped, then squeezed a little more as the giant wolf thrashed and struggled in her grip, trying to bring her down, “We’kn clean the place!”

You smack your lips to digest the rest of that bitter coffee, swinging your halberd down into a guard position.

Provided that this isn’t some cheap ratty replica of a weapon...you find you rather agree with her.
****

(Don't forget to roll! D100, but decide what you're doing first)

Woooot!

So, what's the plan? Managed to cordon off most of the area, there's about seven of them or so? And maybe more coming through the windows that're currently to our sides.

Feels a little fishy though, doesn't it?

No fishies?

rolled 80 = 80

>>18588033

Go for the second biggest worg bay him into attacking first and impale him in the halberd. This are animals monstrous animals but animal non the less if their top dog and his second are taken out the rest by be less eager to fight.

>>18588649

Sounds good but how? I don't think name-calling will do it.

>>18588709

Provoke him a single ray of frost if that doesn't make him attack charge at him either way we have the advance with the reach the halberd give us. And remember to go for the neck no bones and lots of arteries there.

We should have made friends with them! Imagine our own pack of wargs!
Damn you, guys, why do you always insist on playing double-fireball-wielding envokers when charm magic is thousand times better?

>>18588798

I could prefer a single winter wolf to a pack of wargs.

rolled 10 = 10

>how to provoke
We have magic. We have halberd. Apply magic to halberd. Suddenly, halberd is the most delicious things those dogs have ever saw!
Or just shoot lightning until all dogs are fried. They dont want to come to us? They fry. They come? Get kebabed onto halberd and then fry.

Presdigitation can be used to create small effects, including smells. We could try to use that to, say, put some intense smells, (like say, pure mint,) out there to try to keep the wargs disoriented.

Shout for non-combatants to flee. Let's get them running, if the wolves weren't enough.

Did we take to long to respond to OP?

****

With the pillar to your backs, you, Tass (and her captive, slowly suffocating Worg friend) pull in a little tighter, letting the rest of the pack close in around you, focusing their attention on the ‘threat’ and not the innocents...as well as giving you a good opportunity to scope them out yourself.

Peripherally, you also notice other things- like the people who hadn’t left with the still-screaming throng. Some were just scared spectators. Then there was Welskin of course, head peeping out from under a tablecloth, puffing on his pipe thoughtfully, the waiter who served you still peeping through the way to the kitchen...but more interestingly, the hostess, Halla, seems to be bickering with Altair up on the raised platform she was to give her speech from.

Figuring you’ll get to the bottom of that little spat soon enough, you focus on the now, and those right infront of you. Smart beasts they were, but beasts they remained-and you’d done plenty enough reading on wolf packs to know how they function. Typically it’s the Beta, the second-hand, who is the one who keeps the group together and looks out for troublemaking, all you had to do was spot him and take him out before the Alpha recovered himself...

...Perhaps that slightly tufty one- it seemed like he’d been in more scraps that most, and fairly large too compared to those around him. You check to your left to make sure the one Tass has in her deathgrip isn’t larger (how much simpler life would be then) and then make your move, levelling the point at him...then letting go with one hand to fire off a beam of pure cold.

>>18588966
No worry, its DQ, its slow.
Besides, WG just responded in IRC.
If you dont know, server is IRCHighWay , room dragonquest . Its useful to argue over unrelated shit and get fast response from WG.

>>18589023

Your instincts prove sound- he’s combat-savvy enough to move just a shade fast enough to dodge it, the ray chunking a table behind him, now growling at you, knowing your game. It is, however, a game that he can’t win from where he is. You have range and priority.

Before giving him chance to mull it over you take advantage, firing off more salvos of magic, forcing wilder dodges and passive injuries from the less nimble Worgs who get in the way until suddenly, he does as he had to always do- lunge to stop you.

He does not, however, do it entirely in the manner you expect though- having grabbed a broken table-leg on the run up and winging it at you in what could only be payback for the coffe cup from earlier- you dodge, but in so doing the point doesn’t find the neck in the lunge, instead tearing into his side and jamming in a rib as he comes down on you hard- heavily wounded, but up for a wrestle and his kin not far-behind...though they needed to get through Tass first apparently, who seemed more than eager to let you two duke it out in single combat, swearing and demanding the concussed worg in her possession to cheer for his ‘boss’...

****

(So long as there are replies, there will always be WG!)

>>18589042

Even if it takes an hour and two minutes to get the first suggestion, it seems...

Wait, so. We are on pinned a back, with an injured worg on top and his 4+ buddies closing in.
Ok, time to reroll a new char! Next time instead of useless frost rays we will take several wrestling feats.

>>18589042

We most remember to always have a small dagger with us for this kind of situation. But for now lets do the best alternative roll with him and try to get on top of him and use your weigh to drive the halberd deeper into him. If we stay in the floor the others are going to swarm on us but if they see us getting on top of him they might hesitated for a moment and buy us time.

>>18589109

WE CAN TAKE HIM. But those others are a concern...

rolled 12 = 12

>>18589135
rolling for rolling and stabbing and poking and magika firing

>>18589194
So I guess we rolled right into other worgs.

rolled 78 = 78

>>18589194
>>18589213

If it's the same as the last DQ, then it's best of two rolls. So there's still a chance to salvage this.

>>18589194
>>18589242

High is good right?

We can polymorph at will into medium sized (or small) creatures.

If necessary, we could shift into a lizardfolk, and use natural weapons (and armor) to rip his shit. If we're really good, and have selective polymorphing down, we might just do the claws and/or jaws.

Try to twist the glaive, if we can. Blend his innards.


REALLY, though, let's try and get off the ground and not surrounded by closing-in-wargs.

>>18589242

Hopefully WG will use that 78.

Also we can use a combination of fog cloud and cloud walking to get into the air. Or just alternate form to get us a pair of wings. We really should take advantage of our air affinity more often. Superior mobility is great, we should abuse the fuck out of it with a bow of some kind.

>>18589302
>>18589273

Lets, hold on using polymorph unless we are in dire circumstances, We don't want more people knowing or suspecting that we are a dragon.

Next time we should really transform into some human sized half-giant with 22 strength.

****

You decide not to brute-force the worg and instead roll whim, kicking up with your legs and grabbing at his thick fur with your free hand, choicely coursing some electricity through him to stop the beast from biting you long enough to emerge on top- then, with a twist and another plunge...silence him.

“HA! Y’see that? Proper fucking combat, yeah?!” You hear Tass shout behind you, whirling on the rest of the hesitant, muted pack , “Anyone else wanna step up?”

There’s a long, notable pause as you get up...and you spy across the way that the Alpha has started to rouse too, looking blearily at the stage where the two nobles were immersed in their own heated discussion- daft and oblivious to the beast that, suddenly, decided to break off and away from your pair in favour of them.

The rest of the pack seemed to sense the intent and leapt in toward you, crowding you out so their leader could get in for a kill- the kill it made sense for them to get. Afterall, wasn’t it her party they crashed?

You couldn’t let them get it.

“TASS, get me a shot.” You ask , poiting your finger up toward where the leap you knew was coming would pass through, and with a squeeze and a heave Tass aquised, heaving her new furry weapon around and battering three of them out of the way, palming the forth out across and through the ice wall.

The path cleared just in time for the leap, but it was close enough to even hit to ones you were trying to save. No space for error; it was all down to skill now.

You aimed...

****

(Roll!)

Cripes!

We should think of a one-liner too.

rolled 92 = 92

>>18589380

"Get down!"

rolled 12 = 12

>>18589380
For the record, I never asked for this kind of responsibility.

>>18589441

Oh fuck yeah, that's just sweet.

>>18589441
Hope they can afford the property damage we're about to do.

****

“Get down!” You yell...

....As you blow the Alpha’s head apart into crystal chunks, its body thumping and tumbling just past the two nobles before crashing into the wall, very, very much dead. The nobles didn’t seem to hear you though; but the shot was impressive enough to give them momentary pause, admiring the shards embedded in the wall opposite and the body next to them before continuing in more low murmurs.

The remainder of the worg pack couldn’t even get up to run as, with the now-unconscious one heaved over her shoulders, Tass proceeded to teeter between them on the ground, pounding them down between insults. Belatedly, the two nobles finally noticed this, and came down to meet the pair of you, surveying all the damage done. You notice, on their approach, that there’s something of a resemblance between the two- not through their looks, but through the way they hold themselves, like their very presence in the room somehow elevates everything else in it.

Choosing to bypass the captain who was having a little too much fun (you note their sighing distaste as they pass by) they instead stop infront of you- giving you a subtle incline of the head.

>>18589814

“An impressive shot. I do believe I understand what that odious toad Welskin might see in you now. Don’t you agree, Altair?”

“Mmm. A moment- the whining of these pups is giving me a headache.” He mutters, seeming a little wary of the night’s events.

Flicking his wrist, he shoots and arc of lighting out toward the defeated pack, finishing them off...and you suspect really done to stop the captain’s fun.

“Ah, there. Now then...yes, very nice. And you were the one who he had take care of the Orcs, I hear? Even more impressive for a single...Sorceror, is it? Though the party is decidedly over, you must allow my lady here and myself the pleasure of your unexpected company.”

He looks over his shoulder at Tass, who is looking fairly satisfied with the still-alive one on her back.

“Unless you have...other business to attend?”

Under the tablecloth, you still see Welskin continues to puff his pipe, a satisfied smile on his face.

****

>>18589820
Take their invitation. Ignore Welskin. Let Tass take care of her self.

Azaladon?

>>18589820

I could not like to offend him but I most say I have taken a like to the captain. Lets take his invitation but make sure to visit Tass later.

Our purpose coming here was to find out about the whereabouts of our sister, I believe. The nobles could potentially have information.

Of course, Weelskin seems to have potentially set this up. What's the point of sending Wargs to attack the nobles when evidently they can hold their own? This was just a random, seemingly motiveless attack by mediumly weak creatures. So no, we could bro it up with Tass. The impulsive side of me says to screw the nobles and gnome.

>>18589820

"You most have acquaintances with a very particularly sense of humor my lord. I hope I did not err by putting an end to their joke."

>>18589864
Assuming you just randomly stumbled across this, this is a pseudo-continuation with a different character and different author, set in the same setting, about twenty years later.


I'm voting to hang out with these nobles. As politely as possible, let's tell Tass we'll catch up with her, but we do need some information from the nobles.

I suspect the gnome will end up hearing everything we discuss, though, so only hang out with the nobs if we're willing to guard our conversation.

So, thats a pair of blues, arent they?
Damn, there are more dragons than halflings. In fact, I havent seen a single halfling yet.

>>18589969
Certainly could be. Halflings are not much in the way of movers, shakers, or skirt, though. The circles we'd tend to move in would have more dragons...

Ah I see

>>18589974
>desert
>no man-eating psionic tribal halflings around
What the hell is going on?

Nobles are good and all, but whats the deal with those worgs?

>>18589969
And the gnome himself is probably a bronze or mercury dragon.

>>18590015
They're not good. It's quite simple really.

>>18590015
See
>>18589936

The worgs were never a threat to Altair and Halla. Their job as to crash the party and ruin the rest of the night or simply a message saying "fuck you".

>>18590024
Copper. The fucker.

>>18590057
Desert though, so maybe brass.

>>18590087
>>18590057
Durr. I'm sorry, that's what I meant.

I do hope grandsire isn't too upset over some Blooze wandering in.

>>18589969

Allandro, I recall, is a Halfling.

>>18590191

Its hard keeping track of them can we get another description of their appearances ?

****

You consider their offer. It is conceivable that, as nobility, they might recall your sister- you know she was always fond of moving in high circles and tended to make a lasting impression...but this was tempered by two decades and more of silence on the matter. They might be able to tell you where she was heading though.

Beyond that, it just seemed plain advantageous; a rare opportunity you can’t help but feel has been engineered- Welskin playing his games. He’ll either be listening in or want a debrief later, no doubt. You wonder if any amount of money would be worth such a conversation, even on the off-chance he was the one responsible for it taking place.

However...there was one thing to do.

“No business that I can’t put on hold for the time being- though you will have to excuse me for a moment to do so.” You nod, and so receiving your invite to go you head over to Tass.

“I heard. V’got good hearing.” She says, stroking the konked-out worg now plopped on her lap, “Tonight wuz’lot more fun that I thought it’d be, and I got a new pet for free too, so thanks for a good night.”

“Ah, so you don’t mind if I go?”

“Pffffft,” She waves it off, grabbing at a bottle of wine someone left, “I’got plenny of company. And that waiter over there can get me more. ‘Sides, we got this, haven’t we? We’re gonna get ‘em all.”

She leans back, tilting her head upside-down to look at Welskin.

“...He’s a little shit, isn’t he? I dun’ understand him. Guy’s supposed to be good but he just sits there puffing his damn fucking...naaah.”

She pats your leg a few times, petting her own anxieties down onto your shin.

“Off you go. Seeya soon.”

>>18590191
OH GOD
KILL HIM, KILL HIM BEFORE HE GETS HUNGRY!

>>18590207

Smiling, you return back to the nobles, gesturing to let them lead the way, Halla taking up lead as you move through the wreckage of the party. You feel that it stings at her a little, and wonder if that meant she had an idea as to why it happened. What was the reason for this party again...the Community department repurchasing some land for refurbishment? Something like that. Either way, an opener was needed.

“I have to say,| You remark looking around, “You must have acquaintances with a very particular sense of humor my lord and lady. I hope I did not err by putting an end to their joke."

“Ah, all of this...” Halla dismissed airily, “Probably wasn’t meant for us. Worgs mean Orcs around here, so I’m sure you know what sort of message such an attack would send to the wrong quarters of our little town....”

****

>>18590205

Allandro is a Halfling.
Jorm is a Half-Orc
Everyone else of note has so far appeared as-human.

...At least I think so. I believe I may have named a Lizardman at some point too, as working in the Internal department.

Hmm. What kind of message WOULD it send?

So... We got a n audience with nobles. And? What do we say to them? Sup, I am a dragon, whats going on?
Actually, maybe we should ask them whats going on in the city. Trade is under constant harassment from the catacombs, the nearby dwarf settlement was destroyed by some serious magic. We are new here, but even then its clear that the city is sick. As they are the heads of the city, shouldnt they do something about that, or are they already doing?

Admit that we are relatively new around here, and are not actually aware of the local implications.

Issues to discuss:

-Are orcs/wargs a routine problem?
-Heartfelt agreement that Welskin is a piece of fecal matter, and a heavily understated desire to associate with better individuals.
-As very subtle inquiry after our sister. Perhaps a throw-away line to the effect of "I'm sure you get the occasional bizarre individuals passing through here every few years.".
-Perhaps a few inquiries over other people we've met that they might be able to comment on.

>>18590483
Seconding all of this.

rolled 51 = 51

>>18590483
Do you want me to roll? Cause I can roll!

rolled 83 = 83

>>18590526
I'll try too. At least we can't fail horrifically.

>>18590541
And we can, in fact, do pretty damn well.

>>18590223

"Your little town is being afflicted by multiple issues lately my lady."

****

“I believe I can,” You reply, knowing an eye-for-an-eye when you see it, “I take it to mean the Orc are a constant problem, then? Forgive my ignorance, I’m not from around here.”

“No, I suppose you mustn’t be,” Hallamuses, glancing back at you, “Otherwise you’d know that the Orcs are just passing through.”

“Though you wouldn’t believe it for all the fuss it’s causing,” Altair chimes in, ever disdainful it seems, “Certainly, the usual tribes who roam the place have moved on...”

He pauses for a moment, and you feel what he says next is carefully calculated.

“...It is rumoured that the Orcs are gathering, from all across Urgash. Under which banner, however, is still under contention.”

The words ring with a level of weight to them unequal to what was actually said- the tone of a man is avidly involved with a topic feigning ignorance. And as such, nothing more comes forth on the subject to clarify it, and whether he was just sharing trivia or some sort of agenda.

It fits, though. There were no children and precious few women in the camp you attacked. Just warriors. A lot of them moving together. It is more than conceivable that they were moving toward a summit of some sort. A summit where things would be decided amongst the tribes- now one less tribe. And now, apparently, the nobles had seen reprisals. And so more military reprisals would commence. Even less tribes would reach the summit.

>>18591216

But of course...if the tribes who were here had already moved on, how would they know enough to get Worgs into the town? Or even care about land they were passing through? You might not know much about Umbaya, but you know it lives off the trade that is being choked- there is no farmland to pillage for food. The town is also, you found out first-hand, well protected. They would just move on past. So attacking them doesn’t make sense.

Unless, of course, the Orcs weren’t being attacked as a domestic threat. Unless some agenda beyond the scope of a little trade town was being carried out. Something continental. And something you helped to advance by killing two-hundred people who’d done nothing other than not be a part of that agenda.

You feel like you’ve just surfaced in a pond only to look out and see the ocean.

The seat offered to you in the back room is a comfort from the weight you can suddenly, finally see pressing down on you. You look up, and note the glass ceiling and the stars beyond. But you know better than to think it’s a clear night.

There is a curtain across the sky. You wonder how much it would be wise to pull back.

“Ah, there.” Halla interjects with a sigh as she lounges herself opposite, finally comfortable enough to talk, “So, Victor...I take it you, in your newness, have much more to ask over than simple Orc troubles, yes?”

****

-Polite inquiry as to their plan. We are a freelance mercenary, and given that this city is assailed from so very many sides, we would like to render assistance. If there are any things that are not already seen to, (we're confident in their competence, after all,) it is very possible we would like to assist, of fit into their plans somehow. Not to be overeager, obviously, but we are a mercenary interested in the common good and our own credit rating.


We also may be able to claim we are pursuing a shape-shifting female mage/sorcerer/wizard who passed through here a decade or two ago. Which would probably get us some kind of answer, in terms of Nehm's passage through the region, though we might have to spin some kind of tale as to why we are pursuing her.

****

“Ah, yes,” You gather yourself, “I can’t help but notice there’s a lot that is somewhat...awry with this town.”

Altair, you notice, is looking smug. Or knowing; like he’s discovered something. And that the longer he’s going to sit there and look at you, the more he’s going to discover. He’s a part of the community council, isn’t he? Something like that. He’s on the board for the magic school, at least...

“Oh? Such as?” Halla asks, breaking the flow of thought.

“Well...” You wonder where to begin... “As an example, the Kobolds under the city, or the destroyers of the religious temples and markets. I assume that you have some sort of plan to deal with these kind of things? Surely people as in-the-know as you have some methods of dealing with the problems in this town.”

Altair leans back and looks up at the ceiling, a strange smile playing on his face. Halla simply smiles toward you at the compliment.

“We do...and we’re already in the process of enacting them, infact. I take it from your demeanour that you’d like to take part? Ah but I’m sure your employer, Welskin, has his own plans doesn’t he? No doubt to poison more of this town with his own ego. But perhaps if we knew what he had planned we could take steps to push him down a peg or two. At LEAST get enough muscle together to get him demoted, and away from the frankly abysmal job he’s done of restructuring his department. He got rid of a lot of good people for some untested outsiders, you know.”

She sighed, throwing a hand out in dismissal.

“But I suppose he’s bought your silence like everyone else, hasn’t he? Such a wretch he's proven to be...”

****

>>18591775

I have no love for the little rat, and he doesnt pay me enoght for keep quite about anything. But he is no fool and he wasn't told me anything important and whatever he tells me is probably poison like everything that comes out of his mouth.

>>18591775
He hasn't bought my allegiance. I'd like him gone personally for a few things. Firstly, money. obvious but sometimes it has to be said. Number two, information. I'm looking for someone who left here a while ago and that scumbag is holding that information above me. Lastly, pleasure. I hate Welskin and would love to assist you.

>>18591895
>>18591886

Well, these sure are different. Which way are we going to go on this? You better hash it out, because it is important.

Time to make a subtle inquiry about or sister? After snubbing the gnome, of course, I mean.

>>18591775
Bought our silence? Our shiny metallic ass he has.

Simply put, he has failed to tell us anything, and as far as he seems to want us to know, nobody in the town knows anything at all about anything at all. Obviously that is not the case, but he has not told us anything, and what little he has let slip is almost certainly false.

Combine with >>18591895 's information idea. We need an explanation for why we are searching for her, though.

>>18591950
>>18591930
Go with the latter.

>>18591895
I agree with everything the on the second post go with it.(I was the one who posted the first one)

>>18591957

And why, exactly, ARE you going after her?

>>18592029
She's our sister, haven't heard from her in several years?

Oh, right, can't tell them that.

Uhm, she's a thief we're attempting to track down?

>>18592029

She is our sister, she is missing and we are a siscon.

>>18592109
Say it's a family matter. Imply that it's some kind of long standing feud.

>>18592167
Well, we could say that it's family business and not say anything aafter that.

>>18592176
Good idea. Seconded.

rolled 16 = 16

I do have a feeling that by perverted WG logic the gnome is the good guy and we will regret not siding with him, as he is somehow the only thing holding the town together, and without him everything will go to shit and blues will rape everyone .
But in character - he has done shit for us. He was friendly enough not to attack us when we failed from the sky, but aside from that he hasnt told us anything and kept treating us like nobody. He insulted the dragons honor! Screw that guy.

Besides, i dont

>>18592202
Most likely. But even so.

>>18592202
i dont think we actualy know much about gnome plans. We probably know less than the nobles.

>>18592242
Which is the crucial factor. We can't sell them what we don't know. And should we try, they will almost certainly be cognizant of the fact.

If we want to passive-agressively screw the gnome over, >>18591957 is probably the best bet.

****

“Hardly. If anything he hasn’t paid me nearly enough to even stay around him. To be frank; I know you’ve probably known him for longer, but the man is worse than even what you are saying. If there’s any plan of yours I can get involved, in to make this town decent, then all the better to jump ship on.”

Halla nods, visibly disappointed, but empathetic. Altair continues to look up at the ceiling, content just to listen. And think about everything you’re saying.

“Truth is,” You continue, wondering how to phrase this, “Aside from keeping me in total ignorance about exactly what it is that’s going on around here, I think there’s even more he’s not telling me. You see, one of the reasons I originally came to this place was to look for an old acquaintance of mine for...familial reasons. Of course she probably looks a lot different now, having been last here over thirty years, ago, but I’m thinking yours is the kind of circle she would have moved in, and he knows about it...and he’s just dangling the carrot over my head.”

You sit forward, getting into it now. Halla, for her part, seems riveted. Altai, from what you can see, has a massive grin on his face.

“Truth told, I wouldn’t mind him gone, and I’d be fine in helping you if that’s wht you intend to do. Providing for two things...first is money, that goes without saying. The second...is any informantion you might have about this person I’m looking for.”

There is a long, tremulous silence; the two nobles sat across from you sitting stoic. Belatedly, you realize they are having their own conversation telepathically. A strained one, but the tension on Halla’s face. Eventually, after several minutes, it’s Altair who speaks.

In draconic.

>>18592439

“So...you’re one of Nehmeska’s family. Brother, perhaps? My my my...this complicates things.”

He rubs his face, bringing it back down to look at you, an incredulous grin on his face, almost laughing.

“For one, I’m not even sure we can let you out of this building alive.”

****

>>18592472

Ah shit, they are the blue lovers of the east we are in a lot of trouble...

>>18592472
Before your second post, that was something of a cliffhanger. Oh how you hurt me.

So. Uh. Perhaps something along the lines of- "Hey now, let's not jump to conclusions" or, "Oh god oh god." Let's see what you other people suggest.

>>18592472

"I most assume my arrival and identity was know to you went I first came to town?"

Carry on in draconic. It's a language it would not be out of place to know. It's certainly a valuable one.

Excuse me? Nehmeska? We are acquainted with no one of that name.

If he presses, the answer is that we're the 'agent' of a distant prince who was... spited by a rather flirtatious sorceress. He was infuriated enough at being abandoned that he wished her demise. As his family's Agent, we are attempting to carry out his request, and rectify the slight against his honor.

If we want to bluff it out.

>>18592564
I'll second this notion. Best bluff or idea so far.

WG!!!!! YOU ASSHOLE!!!!!

>>18592564

Alternate option:

Haha. Hahaha. How terrifying.

Obviously an individual of Altair's stature would not have told us that unless he was interested in finding an alternative, or our cooperation in finding a compromise.

Since he obviously knows what he wants, we're willing to listen. He's already given us more than Welskin has. We're happy to find someone intelligent enough to be reasonable.

>>18592564
We just said that we were looking for an old acquaintance for familial reasons. Our story should involve family in some way so that it meshes with that previous statement.

You know, I'm not averse to cutting a deal. After all, we're a dragon first and a silver second. More money is always good.

>>18592610
We come from a distant land where nobles have an individual on staff devoted to their family. We're like a seneschal, except more assasin-ey. It's the family we serve, and we'll hear nothing against it.

So are you dealing, bluffing, or what?

Again, kinda important.

Not sure about bluff. The last time we bluffed with elf ranger we fucked up the whole plot.

>>18592648
Let's begin with a bluff. If he doesn't go for it, we can always fall back on dealing.

Will you be wanting a roll?

>>18592659
I hope the dragon will be less fractured.

>>18592663

No roll for this.

>>18592630
We are employed to take care of our patriarch's personal matters. Of which this is one.

It's not even a lie.

>>18592688
The best kind of true: technically true.

>>18592688
Yeah, last time we said "its not even a lie" elf ranger lost her shit and tried to claw our eyes our.

>>18592714

Yeah but the elf was insane and have trust "issues".

>>18592714
Again, here's hoping a fellow dragon will be less likely to come apart at the seems. And obviously we aren't going to say "it's not even a lie" to them.

And technically, the last time we lied was probably to Tess, which seemed to go over pretty well.

No. Dont bluff "to see if they buy it". If you bluff - you go all the way to bluff. If you negotiate - you negotiate from the start.

>>18592778
Sure. Full on. We are some distant Rogue Trader- I mean noble's seneschal, travelling to deal with a loose end on behalf of our elven patriarch. (elven to explain the gap in time.)

Theory from IRC:
This is the blue dragon in the northern part of the eastern continent desert on this map: http://dragonquest.netau.net/dragonquestmap.html

He was wounded, and Azaladon pulled something similar to what he did with Nehmeska (swooping in while the dragon is weak, slapping them around, and forcing them into servitude). He's working with the kobolds and the local priestesses of the Red Lord to give Azaladon a foothold in this particular area (potentially also a continuation of fighting the drow that were popping up back in DQ1?). Nehmeska is essentially one of his "co-workers" under Azaladon, which is how he knows of her and why he'd want to kill us to keep her current indentured status a secret.

Of course, our character wouldn't know any of this, so it's all just OOC speculation.

Also from IRC;

"Come if you dare, come but beware,
Come to the lair of Altair of Altair.
Offer a prayer to men foul and fair,
Caught in the snare of Altair of Altair."

>>18592863
>>18592873

Could you post the irc room and server? Its not cool for those who don't know it.

His name is appropriate. After all, it's a star that foretells "danger by way of lizards."

>>18592885
IRCHighway
#dragonquest

Use mibbit, if necessary. Go to http://cbe003.chat.mibbit.com/, select IRCHighway from the drop down, type in a user name, then type a #dragonquest in the channel box.

So are you going with the dragon family bluff or the elven bluff?

What dragon family?

A distant prince was flirting around with this chick, she up and vanished on him. He was offended. So he goes, "Hey, Victor, my right hand man. Follow her. Find her. Feed her to the fishes." and what can we, a humble working-sorcerer, do, other than obey?

>>18593030
Add that if we make some extra money along the way, who are we to argue?

After all, we've been pretty mercenary up until this point.

>>18593078
We are far from resupply, and expected to continue the hunt on our own, after all.

>>18593030
>>18593089
She was a charlatan and a gold-digger. Solemn oath.

Hm. Apparently we are fucked.
Ok, so what is going to be our next hero after this one gets eaten by two dragons?

Well, we're totally fucked. But on the off chance that we survive the next couple of minutes, who else is in favor of getting the fuck out of this damn town because we are clearly waaaaay in over our head.

I'm betting the reason they were having a rather heated telepathic conversation was because Halla is hot for us. Calling it now.

>>18593309
Or Halla IS Nehmeska.

It fits with >>18592863

>>18593318
Okay. That would be doubleplusungood.

****

Ah. Well. This is not exactly the reception you expected, for some reason. To admit that this is the case would seem to be folly...at least an attempt at bluffing seems mandatory. Especially if it leads to you now dying. So resolved, you sit back, also deciding to speak in your native tongue.

"I’m sorry, but I’m afraid I don’t quite understand. I am indeed looking for someone in regard to family matters, but this is not to say I am family. My employer is an elven patriarch, a prince, who was... spited by a rather flirtatious sorceress. He was infuriated enough at being abandoned that he wishes her demise. As his family's senechal, we are attempting to carry out his request, and rectify the slight against his honour. The trail, however, is a rather...long one, and it has taken me several decades of work to get even this far. Now I admit I am rather concerned over your desires toward whoever this person or family-line might be, but I can assure you, I am only here to follow an errant love for my employer.”

“What’s more, my payment for this task is largely ‘on completion only’, hence my willingness to collaborate with you in your efforts.”

During the tale, Altair had leaped back, mirroring your posture, steepling his hands in thought.

“...My friend. My apologies. Obviously I have greatly misjudged you.”

He offers his hand out to you.

“Here. Shake and we’ll speak no more on it.”

****

>>18593368
My paranoia is tingling.

>>18593368
"You will forgive me from being reluctant to shake hands with someone who seemed to find my death necessary a moment ago."

>>18593368
Don't shake his hand. Remind him that, as we are a sorcerer, we are very familiar with the stuff you can pull with a hand shake as a medium. Hell, we've probably pulled that trick a couple times ourselves.

>>18593399
Second. Now perhaps he can begin explaining why he thought we needed to die?

-A special mid-mini-update-

****

"You will forgive me from being reluctant to sh-”

/-VIC!!/

You freeze to keep from jumping- surprise keeping you from doing anything else. Was that...did that come from...inside...you?

/Dammit Vicki, what the hell are you doin’?! You’re makin’ your race look bad!/

What...but...you gave his idiotic telepathy, scrying stone thing back!

/Yeah, you did. That’s why I got a powdered version and put it in your coffee. Been listenin’ in on ya the whole time- was gonna spring a bit’a knowledge on you when I met up with ya tonight, rile you up summore- but the way you’re goin’ you’re not even gonna live to see that, let alone tomorrow!!/

He spiked- the sonofa- no wonder it tasted so granularly that-

/-Yeah I’m a shit, but at least I ain’t about to die. Shake his hand./

-But

/YOU WANNA DIE?! SHAKE HIS DAMN HAND!! You don’t and that’s all the excuse he’ll need!! We’ll sort this whole mess later, arright?/

...

/ALRIGHT?/

****

>>18593607
Fuckan' gnome. Shake the man's hand. As if we have a choice now.

>>18593625

Nawwww, we can totally not.

>>18593607
Oh noes, railroading!

>>18593629
Agreed. We are a traveler from a distant land, for all he knows, we are completely unfamiliar with the custom.

And we are a mage, who knows very well the kinds of shenanigans that can happen through bodily contact.

Option 1: We shake his hand. And as soon as we get the chance, we leave this miserable place.

Option 2: We tell the gnome to get bent, and don't shake his hand. If this involves us getting killed, then fine. Maybe next time we can avoid walking into everything blind.

>>18593656
Great in-character thinking there.

>>18593661
He meant "his next reincarnation". Our hero is Buddhist, you see.

>>18593661
I think that ship has sailed. This is pretty much the GM speaking to us via a character, after all.

>>18593670

Well I'll take issue with that. The coffee thing I set up in my head on saturday- I just didn't expect there to be a scenario in which Welskin would be compelled to say anything.

>>18593670
Hardly.

Or at least, it could be, but I am inclined to have slightly more faith than that. Let us ignore him and see what happens.

>If I am wrong, this is a game of chicken between the players and GM, which never ends well. If I am right, we might just wrangle this.

I really like the coffee thing, it's definitely something a sleazy asshole like welskin would do. Shake the mans goddamn hand, but be ready to revert and bite the fuckers head off.

Too much ass-puling.

>>18593691
Two votes for this, counting myself already. The gnome hasn't /tried/ to get us killed, from what I have seen. Shaking the man's hand might be airing on the side of caution. Even if it does possibly expose us to magical shenanigans.

"If you'll excuse me, Welskin is right now talking to me in my head. It seems he powdered his scrying stone and put it in my coffee. When you get him put a scrying stone up his ass."

Shake the hand.

>>18593688
Well, considering that the gnome has pretty much been the GM handing us one plot hook after another, which predictably enough we end up dutifully following every single time, I don't see much reason to think otherwise.

>>18593719
Since when does asking an NPC for work classify them as a GMPC? Not trying to bicker, just honestly curious.

>>18593735
When it's a) the only one that does, b) the only one that gets followed up on, and c) intervenes in order to speak for the GM to guide the player(s) from one preplanned scene to the next.

>>18593753
Perhaps that might be because we have only so far directly asked him for work? Or kept going back to him? That's more of our doing then WG's, a hundred percent.

And I wouldn't nearly call every bit of everything pre-planned. This is hardly a railroaded plot. Not every scene that has ever happened been written down and checked off as it happened. If anything, I'd hardly believe anyone could prepare for every little thing that's happened so far.

More importantly. If everything is a pre-planned scene, railroaded by WG (As you are implying), then why bother posting in here? Go read through something else you may enjoy more.

Saging for meta-whining.

>>18593781
>Perhaps that might be because we have only so far directly asked him for work? Or kept going back to him? That's more of our doing then WG's, a hundred percent.
Because there is noone else in the town who told the hero anything? Because he was the only lead to the sister?

>This is hardly a railroaded plot.
Most, if not every quest on /tg/ is railroaded. They are more a write-faggotry than real quests anyway. Its just that some feel more free than the others.

****

No.

You decide you’ve had more than enough of this shitty town. There are other leads to get to your sister, other places of interest, other places that would need, even WANT your skills where they could be appreciated. So the choice was either to toe the line here, follow the old Gnome’s ways to who-gives-a-shit-where, lick his boots for a few hours less abuse...or, take a chance on his ‘wisdom’ actually being fallible, tangle with these guys who obviously shouldn’t even –be- in your grandad’s town in the first place, and get the hell out of this place of bumfuck nowhere to a cooler clime.

You aren’t shaking the god-damn hand.

/Aww Vic, really? Well, I’ll be rootin’ for ya! Just think if you need anything./

For him to die, would be just fine. Infact, if there’s any possible way to do it...why not.

You laugh faintly and shake your head, looking back up at the pair of Blues across from you.

“Just had an interesting conversation with Welskin. Seems he put a powdered tacer in my coffee- knows about all of this. So if I can’t kill him, be sure that one of you does, alright?”

“Hmmmm.” Altair hums, stroking his chin with his other, non-extended hand, “So you won’t be accepting my apology?”

“I’m afraid not. Been a sorcerer for too long to know what kind of magic you can pull from a handshake. I just don’t trust you not to do it.”

Dont shake the hand. Fuck it.

>>18593822

He pauses, then retracts his hand, nodding solemnly. You’re surprised at how defeated he looks, considering the situation.

“True, very wise...however, without trust, no way forward can be obtained. You can’t trust me not to kill you. And I can’t trust you to not tell the one guarding this city of our presence in it. Very regrettable. Isn’t it Halla?”

“Mmm.”

He sighs long and low, sadly looking around the room. How muh it must have cost. How many months of labour were crafted into it.

“...I really liked this house...”

****

ROLL.
FOR.
COMBAT.

>>18593781
Look back at the jobs we've done. Remember the orc job? We looked at the board. Looked at some of the jobs. And then in the very same post, most of those jobs got dismissed off hand, automatically, by WG in one of his posts. Our going to the gnome for work again and again has also been largely automatic. As has the order in which we've the done the jobs. Going through the undercity? That was initially dismissed by WG, and only brought up again, also by WG, when the gnome started dropping hints that we should go do that.

This entire quest has pretty much been us following the gnome's orders on autopilot. And him getting to make us look like a dumbass the whole way, because we're stuck blundering around following his directions.

Next thread shall be the usual time on Friday- 11PM Brit-Time.

We're off any rails that might have existed, AND THERE AIN'T NO BRAKES ON THE CRAZY TRAIN!!! AHAHAHAHAHA!!!

rolled 31 = 31

>>18593835
No reversion. We are not giving them that.

Simply ask what they want, seeing as they seemed to have an interest in not killing us. (After all, a dragon of such methodical planning would not have told us he was planning to kill us if that was actually what he wanted.

Play it cool. There is still hope.

>>18593855
Someone get us a 100. Oh, lawdy, get us a 100.

rolled 55 = 55

>>18593835
Rollan for combat. Talk/accepting apology time is over. Hopefully someone else can come up with something colorful.

rolled 1 = 1

>>18593862

No.

Let's just get the fuck out of this town. Fuck combat against a blue, let alone two. Just run.

This is the sort of shit that we were supposed to report to our grandfather anyway. It's out of our league, but well within the capabilities of a silver wyrm.

>>18593870
I agree with the sentiment, if not the roll. Damn.

>>18593878
It's not like the roll matters. At this point we're just going to get "punished" for going against the gnome (meaning against WG) regardless of what we roll.

>>18593927
> It's not like the roll matters.

I find it interesting that in previous threads, a single bad roll would completely fuck us up, yet in this thread a chain of very good rolls accomplished essentially nothing. We're still totally fucked, just like if we had rolled terribly.

>>18593927

If we're getting "punished" for anything, I think it's being suspicious. WG doesn't want us questioning his plot so much, so he's trying to replicate the Harlem Quest scene where refusing to shake hands out of paranoia leads to terrible things. Only in this case the situation is actually rather different, so the copy/paste job doesn't work and ends up coming off as contrived.

Also, it seems like whoever was archiving the thread prematurely has finally stopped. So now someone needs to archive this.

>>18593972
Archived.

rolled 67 = 67

Alright-

Make no hostile action. Politely express our condolences over the house, and that if we're going to die, we'd like to know why they think we must? We are willing to concede we almost certainly not going to survive, should things turn violent, and given that, we would really prefer to search out for some possible alternative. Maybe it's just a big misunderstanding. As our life is on the line, our desire to find some sort of amicable solution should be quite understandable.

If we can do it casually, while talking, start casting a few defensive spells. They should be bright enough to determine whether a spell is defensive or offensive, so it probably won't instantly lead to violence. Likewise, a few minor defensive spells are probably not something they'll be concerned about. Particularly if we manage to keep them in human form with our talking.

Again, we are trying to find a peaceable solution. We are willing to risk our puny, mortal life in this pursuit, as risk trumps inherent loss.

>>18594002
Remember; We're from a distant land. Off the old map, and somewhere semi-plausible that the Blues probably have never been to or heard little. We've been following this shape-shifting sorceress hussy, as that was our master's command. He was humiliated and scorned, and in classic petty noble style, he ordered his seneschal to take care of the matter. (That is, of course, something we couldn't possibly comment on.) Yes, it has been a while, as our master was initially hopeful for her return, before the realization that she had simply turned her back on him dawned. We're out, about, and on the job, and out of devotion to duty, if nothing else, we are interested in surviving to see it through. That's why we are going to do our best to avoid striking the first blow, or escalating further. (Obviously, attempts to corral or imprison us will provoke armed response. We don't want to end up like Nehm.)

Combat wise (assuming talking truly fails, and we're going to do our best to keep talking as calmly as possible while the fight ensues,), we are not going to be attacking. We are going to be doing our best to befuddle them and keep 'us' safe with illusions. We want a flurry of confusing images, random sounds, fogs, invisibility, etc. It probably will not be effective, but we're throwing as many layers out there as possible. Next- Attempt something escape-y. Gaseous form ought to let us bypass their blindsense, and ethereal visage, if we have it, would help us stay alive a bit.

>>18594002
I don't think keeping up the act of being just a sorcerer is going to work. Those blues know literally EXACTLY who we are, what we are doing here, who we're looking for, who we're associated with and related to, what we're capable of, etc. And they apparently have no interest in leaving us alive because we refused to shake their hand. Talking isn't going to work, lying is pointless, fighting is suicide. Running is pretty much the only option left at this point.

I can't guarantee you will be awesome. Because if I did that, then that really would be railroading.

I can, however, guarantee that you're not going to get punished for going against the damn Gnome, and that your actions DO matter, both good and bad. And sometimes, even seemingly bad ones can turn out good. You've just gone against the 'Gnome' right now and I didn't auto-fail you, right?

Just...do what feels great to do. Not what you think I expect you to do. You probably should've eaten Welskin ages ago if you were disgusted by him that much and gone about solving things your own way.

And you're still able to.

>>18594055
If they manage to pin us, or hurt us severely, stay calm. We can still pull it off. Do not revert. That will, in fact, be the moment of truth. Assuming they think we're a dragon, we are attempting to convince them otherwise via game of chicken- How long will we face them down without reverting? And the answer is, damn near all the way. As it happens we still possess the amulet that will bring us 'home', if you will, back to our grandfather's lair. So if we determine that they actually are going to kill us (and I can't imagine us not getting some kind of warning, given that he told us "you can't leave this room alive". Dramatic sort, he is, probably strokes his vanity.) we can trigger our teleport and GTFO. That is tantamount to admitting defeat, though. (If we are forced to that, let's part with a "I do hope the next time we meet, it will be under more amicable circumstances.", or some similar flirtation. Style is important, after all, and something we've been lacking.)


Keep talking, whatever happens. It's like trying to talk down some guy with a gun, or possibly some guy on a ledge. Maybe both. Be as non-threatening as possible, but keep with the (slightly flattering) reasoning that they don't need to kill us, they shouldn't kill us, and we're really awful curious as to what possible reason they could have for killing us, a relatively new arrival in a town we already loathe.

>>18594085
I'm not contrary to escape here. In fact, while we're talking and doing our best to befuddle them with illusions, we are going to be making our escape. We've got plenty of options- we could probably simply shoulder-bash the door out of this lounge down, and there are windows, bolt holes, cellars, etc. We could change into a freakin' mouse if necessary, though I would prefer not doing so as they would still see us through blindsense, and we would be even more frail. On the other hand, if we need to escape through a literal mouse hole, it might work. Likewise, they might not realize that 'free' shapeshifting is an ability of Silvers.

Guys don't we have a teleport prepared? Why all this worry about getting out?

>>18594115
> I can't guarantee you will be awesome.
No one is asking for this. But being led around by the nose and humiliated constantly gets old fast. Especially when it all happens in the same post so that we have no opportunity for input. The beginning of the first thread is probably a good example of this, and it just kept on happening.

> And sometimes, even seemingly bad ones can turn out good.
So far, only the reverse seems to happen. After all, every single thing we've done has either not mattered, failed miserably, or outright blown up in our face. Arriving in town? Wards meant to autokill anything approaching the town cripple us, nearly kill us, and put us in the hands of that annoying gnome, who immediately sees through us and figures out what we are. All before we have a chance to do a single thing or even get in a single suggestion edgewise. That job cleaning out the orcs? The whole thing was a setup, the orcs weren't even remotely what we were lead to believe they were, and we get nothing but insults to boot. Plus we end up revealing to all of the powers that be that we're a dragon, further blowing our cover for essentially zero gain. The dwarf hold? We completely fail to stop a couple of bugbears from trashing the place, destroying evidence, etc. And, of course, once again end up revealing that we're a dragon for no gain. And now this. We start out doing well, only to get stuck up against two blue dragons and totally fucked.

Bad ones don't turn out good because nothing turns out good. Failure? We can deal with that. Constant, repeated, guaranteed failure? That just gets old.

> You've just gone against the 'Gnome' right now and I didn't auto-fail you, right?
It's pretty close to that at this point.

>>18594364
Because running away with our tail between our legs is not desirable. It's a fallback, but we'd like to achieve something other than just 'escape'.

>>18594364
WG has said that we don't have spells of that level.

>>18594396
We have an amulet with one stored. It will basically take us back to our grandsire, presumably as rescure or for reporting. I would prefer not to have to use it, though, as per >>18594394

>>18594394
You'd like to try. Not all of us are so delusional. It's obvious that these two have zero interest in talking or indeed anything that involves something other than our death. Because apparently not shaking hands is punishable by death, even when the person just talked about killing us the moment before and we have no good reason to trust them, something that WG conveniently left out of our response in order to make the MC look like even more of a moron for not doing what the gnome wanted.

Fighting is also an incredibly stupid idea. We have literally never actually had a victory in this entire quest. In every single fight we've been in, the opponent has always either gained enough to make it worth any losses, or succeeded in their objective, or just outright beaten the shit out of us. Honestly, if we lost against a half-dozen bugbears, what makes you think that we can beat two blue dragons? On top of that, they have every advantage here. This is their turf, they're the ones holding all the cards, and we no a grand total of nothing about them while they know exactly who we are and what we can do. Even if we were their physical match, which we are definitely not, they'd be able to mop the floor with us by virtue of being the ones running the show and thus having a massive resource advantage.

The only option that does not automatically end in our death is running. That's merely a high probability of death.

>>18594403
It got taken from us by Welskin and wasn't among the items given back. We only got our ring and gold back.

>>18594438
We did kick some orc and kobold ass. Two separate occasions.

And I was specifically calling to avoid fighting. And failing that, to make a talking retreat. Not fight. Acknowledge, even, that we have no real hope of fighting and beating them. Talk, and if talking fails, escape. Let's not use our precious one-shot magical items if we can avoid it though, okay?

>>18594453
You mean the magic item that we don't have, because the gnome took it from us and didn't give it back?

At this point, it is obvious that they have no interest in talking. We didn't shake their hand, we ignored the gnome, so they're going to try to kill us. There isn't going to be any talking our way out of this, especially considering the way WG has been writing the dialogue for the MC. What we need to do is run for it. Report back to our grandfather. There's a pair of blues in town, a cult that we think worships a red dragon, and a bunch of other shit going down that requires his attention. This is out of our league, it's time to get some help.

>>18594470
I agree that it is completely out of our league, but let's avoid giving up until we are forced to. We might get a break. Unlikely, I am aware, but possible.

Failing that, we shall have to agree to disagree.

>>18594453
> We did kick some orc and kobold ass. Two separate occasions.

> orc
Accomplished nothing but butchering a delegation, getting insulted by the people who hired us, and revealing that we were a dragon to the people we should actually be worried about. A complete failure.

> kobolds
Accomplished nothing. We didn't actually kick any kobold ass, they ran off before we could figure out a damn thing, which is what the job down in the undercity was supposed to do in the first place. Another failure.

>>18594481
Waiting around for a break will accomplish nothing beyond getting us either beaten yet again or outright killed. There is no good reason to think that we will get a break because we simply have never gotten one in this entire quest. For all intents and purposes, breaks outright do not exist, at least not for us. Waiting around for one is idiotic. It ignores facts, namely the fact that we don't get breaks.

>>18594514
If we don't get breaks, there's not much point in playing. Until I get convinced that we don't, I'm going to assume that we can.

Really we are badly out matched and some sort of retreat is advised.

If we have to fight may i suggest glitter dust or some other blinding effect. Although they can still sense us they will suffer a 50% miss chance.

Spell resistance may save our hide if they use fire based spells.

If WG allows a really abusive spells a dragon can use is wraith strike. 2nd level spell free action all your melee attacks are touch. Really nasty vs other dragons as you can power attack for full and always hit (Basically shred a blue in one full attack).

>>18595027
Forgot to add.

Arcane strike and wraith strike together is really nasty.

also well it won't kill a blue in one round it will horribly mess one up.