"Agreed" says Ryland as he unpacks his bedroll and settles in.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:35, Wed 08 Nov 2017.

The night passes uneventful, but there is a strange mixture of fear and peace in the camp.  Two dragons, a Dark Maia, and the Song of Wind represented so much power that it was difficult to conceive of anything attempting to attack the camp.  Yet that same power held so much unknown quality backed by legends that did not lend themselves to favor any but Gawelind.

Nonetheless, the morning came with biscuits, sausage, and eggs for those who ate such, and a more plant oriented variety of berries and tubers for anyone else.  The food was courtesy of Shock, who turned out to be something of an amateur spellcaster among other things.  She advised that she and Kairo had eaten their fill earlier and it was not a sight anyone here likely wanted to witness up close.

Sated, the group takes to the sky once more to finish their journey.

The Grey Mountains rise starkly into the sky, a gloomy, inhospitable range covered in snow almost half way down their slopes.  As the dragons fight for altitude in the biting air, the Ered Mithrin as Shock refers to them, curl around north and south, cradling the hidden vale beyond in a wall of solid rock and snow.  Clouds obscure any sight of the valley until just before the dragons reach the western edge of the mountains.

The clouds part like a veil removed from the eyes.  Shock and Kairo'uonar enter an angled glide.  A verdant land filled with grazing wildlife, beautiful fruit trees, and winding pristine rivers rises up.  Now and again, a dragon of varied color and size lays out in the sun or hunts among the herds.  There are no other predators present and no signs of humans.

Off in the distance, there is a dark stain at the westernmost portion of the Heath.

Shock lead the group down to the ground along the southern edge of the enormous valley.  There, a good-sized cave opens down into the ground with a gentle slope.

"Welcome to the Withered Heath and my home."  She sweeps her hand around at the cave in an inviting gesture.  "The Heath, up through the Third Age, was called the Withered Heath.  It was a blasted land where little grew and dragons bred as sometimes slaves and sometimes allies of the Dark Fang's minions.  Smaug rose up in the Third Age and ruled before the Lonely Mountain drew him to his doom.  When Sauron, the servant of the Dark Fang and master of Mordor - that which is now called Mordûn - was slain, the dragons regained something of their free will.  Many of us saw the ultimate end of evil and chose instead a different path."

Shock walked into the cave, expecting everyone to follow as she spoke.  Globes of light appeared in recesses as the cave descended into darkness, glowing a faint blue.  "We extended the valley another hundred and fifty miles making it an even five hundred.  The Ered Mithrin once was part of the Ered Engrin, what you would call the Iron Mountains.  During the War of Wrath, the Ered Engrin were all but destroyed.  We raised the Eastern edge to the Mithrin to seclude the Heath while we turned it into what you see now.  Then...then we left the world of men alone and allowed ourselves to fade into legend."

Shock arrives at the back of the cave, which has shrunk from nearly sixty feet in radius all about, to not quite twenty.  Here, the cave becomes a tunnel that still slopes downward.  About sixty feet in, the tunnel levels off and comes to a crossway.  The path to the left looks smaller, made for more human-sized creatures to move about in.  To the right is some sort of underground grotto complete with a small lake.  The glowing balls of light are sprinkled about and steam comes off the surface.  Ahead, the tunnel continues in dragon size until the light no longer reaches.

"The left branch will be for you while you stay here.  I'm sorry that it is not finished yet, but I had not expected to have smaller guests for some time, and then only dwarves.  There are four rooms and basic furniture, but not much else.  I will take Kairo'uonar to get settled in to his chamber then return to see how you are faring.  Any questions about your lodging before I depart?"

Toben speaks up. "As we arrived, I saw many other dragons in and about the land. What sort of precautions do we need to follow in order to avoid unpleasant confrontations? We can't assume all of them will be as hospitable as you, can we?"

Klale says Thank you for your kindnesses and hospitality. The darkness to the west...please tell us about it.

Shock turns to Klale first.  "That is where the dragons who kept to the old path live.  We do not venture there and they do not venture here and there is peace.  They are few, but older and vicious."

She turns to Toben then.  "The answer to your question is related.  The dragons in the east have chosen a better path.  You might not call it 'good', not quite, but it is not a path of evil, either.  They will find you curious, a novelty, and some might play a bit too rough, but they will not intentionally maim or kill you.  If you are unsure of yourself, remain in my lair and you will be safe."

"I could use a short walk to be honest. I'm a bit sore in the saddle from the ride here. I wont stray far".

"I'll go with you, Ryland. I won't stray from the beaten path, but the allure these other dragons have is too great to resist. The knowledge they must have..." His voice trails off.

Klale is restless and say. I'm a smith by trade. While we're here for a bit, maybe, is there anything like a smithy or even an anvil around here?

"The dwarves have a small town set up about ten miles west of here.  They have a small forge there among other things.  You might find information there that is more from your perspective.  They also have better fare than perhaps I can offer."  The dragon offers no means of travel and no other information.  Perhaps it is the mindset of one who can travel ten miles in as many minutes.  Without further ado, she disappears down into the main cavern and away from the humans.

Kairo'uonar looks at her, back at the humans, then back at Shock.  He shrugs and grins a toothy dragon grin and follows the blue down into the dark.

Thanks. After he drops unnecessary gear and doing any freshening up, he tells others where he is going (and/or leaves a note). Then he sets out—nothing like a ten-mile hike in plate armor to keep a fellow in trim.

Once outside the cave and back in fresh air, Ryland surveys his surroundings. He asks Toben "Where to, oh captain my captain?".

Ano followed along with the others wanting to see more of this place as well.

The group starts the long walk toward the dwarven town.  About two miles into their trip, though, they are approached by a strange wagon driven by a dwarf.  Two sleek looking lizards of a size with horses are hitched to the wagon.

The dwarf pulls alongside the group and reins in the lizards.  "Well I'll be an orc's uncle.  Men from th' looks o' you!  Finally found yer way t' th' dragon lands, ha' ye?  If yer headin' mah way, I'd be happy t' gi' ye a ride, lads."

Klale considers. He laughs. A generous offer Master Orc'sUncle! My legs tell me they's had enough workout today. I'm Klale Tsolo, a blacksmith by trade...and now a warrior formed by events. The big man hoists himself onto the cart.

The dwarf allows everyone to climb aboard.  "'old on back there, lads.  These si'gama ain't 'orses.  They really git up 'n go!"  At the word 'go', the dwarf cracks his reins and the lizards dart off.  Unlike horses, they take little time to reach maximum speed.  The lizards are long and slender, like a skink or anole.  However, their legs are far longer, almost bird-like and made for running.  The front legs are almost as bulky as the back indicating an almost constant four-legged existence.  Their green coloring is shot through with faint stripes of red and an irregular pattern of blue highlights.

The dwarf, who introduces himself as Gorn, is rather young in terms of dwarves.  His beard barely makes it below his shoulders.  It's dark chestnut with what might be plant stains of green streaking it.  His hair is a brighter auburn color, short and wild atop his head.  He doesn't say much beyond his name, though as the wind is thunderous at the si'gamas' pace.

A little more than ten minutes later, the wagon pulls into a small group of buildings.  It isn't even large enough to call a village or town.  There are maybe five buildings all told, two of them made of stone and built on to the northern side of the mountains.  The other three are sturdy, one story affairs made of some seriously dark - almost black - wood.

However, in the middle of the two stone buildings, there is a cave entrance.  Now and again, a dwarf will stride in or out, gear of all manner surrounding them.  Many of them are singing some kind of working song they all seem to know.

"Welcome t' th' Depot.  I'll be headin' back th' way I came in three hours if y' need a ride."

Klale gets himself down, goes up by the dwarf, and says Thank you Master Gorn.

He walks up to a dwarf who is checking out the big man and says Good day. I've heard there probably is a smithy here.

The dwarf eyes Klale up and down...more up than down.  "Aye, there's a forge.  It's inside."  He tosses his head back toward the large cave entrance.  "Why?  Need some work done on yer fancy armor?  It's dwarven work.  Cost ya a pretty coin."

Klale grins. Not exactly. Before I put on this fancy armor, I was a smith by trade. So I'd like a look at your forge and maybe seek permission to do some work there. And, of course, workers there doubtless could teach me something. As yo see, I've a hammer with me, but no other tools.

The dwarf's eyebrows disappear into his considerable hairline.  His tone and body language become a bit more respectful, especially at Klale's display of humility.  "A blacksmith?  Aye, I kin see it.  Ya 'ave th' build for it.  Head on in, take th' second tunnel t' th' righ'.  Head tha' way 'till ya feel th' heat an' follow th' sound o' hammers.  They never cease.  Best to ya, lad."

"Pardon, Master dwarf, but would there be a tavern or pub in the area?".

Thank you Klale returns. He follows directions and comes upon....

Toben thinks back to his youth when he was an apprentice smith and then chuckles at the notion. Not even twenty-one years of age and yet his "youth" and childhood seem so long ago. With his days sweating around a hot forge a distant memory, he asks about more arcane matters. "Aside from any first-hand knowledge from the dragons themselves, would you know of any arcane archives or libraries for magical teachings in the area?"

"Aye, the Copper Nugget is inside as well.  Third tunnel on th' left, first stairs down, to yer righ', then fifth left, two rights, a long hall, and th' copper adorned knocker on th' left."

The dwarf frowns at Toben.  "Magic?  Do ah look like an elf, boy?"  Shaking his head and grumbling, the dwarf wanders off.