Completely unrelated to crystals and such because Rhagar already exists in that setting, this is the actual coppernight hold story.

The team, having responded to a bulletin quest, arrived at the mayor's office. The mayor explains, "Kavalar Coppernight, a dwarf prospector, led a couple of dozen volunteers in a quest for rich veins of ore. Several months ago, they began underground mining operations, as well as a surface excavation for a small keep. Hearing of this development, I sent two veteran militia members to investigate. They should have returned two days ago, but they haven't. I was hoping you bunch of capable adventurers could find out what happened."

Sora asks, "So... third time's a charm?"

The mayor says, "Sorry?"

Sora says, "First, Kavalar. Then the militia guys. Now us."

The mayor says, "Oh... well... yes. I hope. Don't risk your lives if you don't have to. I just want to know the situation."

Ideal says, "Do not worry, mayor. The situation will be handled professionally."

Ideal had met the group of dragonborn just the other day, actually. They had been through a fight that nearly cost them their lives. And would have if not for Ideal showing up and healing them before the fight was through. She helped out without being asked and the group won as a result. But to a proud dragonborn, it may have seen like she just made the fight end quicker and the group would have done fine without her. Still, she helped and that made her an ally.

Sora, of course, had grown up in the same town as Pyrus. So she is much like a little cousin who looked up to him.

Pyrus nods.

"We will only charge 50 gold for the information you seek.  If it turns out there is a bandit clan killing your people, an appropriately larger sum will be required to rout them.  To be negotiated upon the delivery of the report you ask.  Map."

He holds out his hand, expecting to be given a map to the destination.

  Rhagar may have Darkthorne Metagenetics do to his increasingly nebulous timeline.

  He is also thankful his draconian bloodline is thinned just enough that he was not risking exploding into a geyser of acid next to Sora and Pyrus, but has opted not to mention that detail.  He's still fully forming opinions about the others, but Sora stands out as what he suspects many would thing a white dragonborn should be.

  "Is there anyone else who would know of this location already? Competitors?  Territorial locals?" What IS it about Dwarven facilities that attract so much trouble?  Probably because they keep putting them where valuables are, instead of a bunch of boring trees nobody cares about like so many Elves.

The mayor hands Pyrus a map. It is extremely generic with a marker showing where the town is, a marker showing where Coppernight Hold is and a dotted line with an "approximation" of two miles' walk.

He decides not to argue about the price. He can afford 50 gp to at least find out what happened.

Sora looks over to Pyrus and then to the mayor. "Actually, I'm adding that if we see fit, we will charge in and rescue people. If we do so, we will be charging more. Do you still accept our terms?"

The mayor says, "That's fine. The money isn't coming out of my pocket. But be warned that the money is finite, and 50 gold is a decent sized chunk of that finite resource. However, if there are no dwarves left, you stand to gain treasure there. If there are dwarves and you rescue them, you stand to gain treasure from gratitude. So really, chances of you getting cut short are slim."

Ideal asks, "And Rhagar's question?"

The mayor says, "No competition that I'm aware of."

"Then we go."

Pyrus motions with his hand for the others to follow and begins following the map.

  Well, at least Pyrus has the same armor class as he does when bloodied.  So the sorcerer leading could work out.  More so when one considers the practical flaws of standing in front of said sorcerer.

  "If things go as the often do for such places, there will be less we must rescue than to rescue than there are to kill."

Pyrus has the map. So for now, he's leading. In combat, Sora leads. In social situations, well... Ideal and Pyrus haven't gotten that far just yet.

On the way there, Sora says, "I added what I did so we didn't have to waste time traveling 4 extra miles just for a simple "Yes, please rescue them" that I was relatively sure the mayor would have said. And then we would return to find we are too late, the prisoners dead. And to top it off, we would be short the money we would have had for rescuing people."

Ideal watches Sora talk, then looks at Pyrus, listening.

"Shrewd.  I'll do the negotiating for the group.  You may feel free to offer good ideas like that in the future."

To the others Pyrus adds.  "You also were not incorrect.  We likely will meet resistance.  Be prepared."

  "I do find it preferable for us to be alive, so some preparation is to be expected."

  It will be quite a few levels before Rhagar can handle diplomacy checks himself.  Who knew 'Diplomacy by pretending to be polite' was a level 10 unlock?

  "I was under the impression stopping to ask permission to rescue people meant you did not care that much about the victims?"

Ideal says, "You are correct, Rhagar."

Sora nods. "Yeah. And I know we care. And we would jump in to rescue someone if they need it. But I don't know how much the mayor or his town would care if we rescued people without first agreeing to certain terms."

Ideal says, "For a small town like this, a verbal agreement should be enough. But when we work in a city, be sure you get things in writing or else you will likely be cheated."

"I do not care much about dwarves beyond what they can do to advance our goals," Pyrus clarifies, "Victims or otherwise.  But I won't object much if Sora makes a habit of rescuing the weak without promise of reward so long as it doesn't set us back overmuch.  Powerful as she is, she's earned the right to use her strength to crush the oppressors of the helpless.  And she's already proven to be shrewd enough to not throw away possible reward.  Just know that slowing your progress toward gaining more wealth and power means slowing the means you'll need to get what you want done done.

'Sorry, sir.  I would have been able take out the enemy general.  But because I gave away all my wealth to the poor, I no longer have the stealth armor that would have enabled me to bypass his 10,000 troops.'"

  "You would have to bypass them quite swiftly if you expect magical armor do to the job for you."  That and become proficient in either leather or hide armor.

  "Not all are comfortable in putting their tasks down in official writing, I have found.  You may need to pass up those lucrative jobs you hope for if you hold to that."

Ideal adds, "That and some jobs only open up after doing certain other jobs. It could be the best payed jobs require us to do an unpaid job some day. But as Pyrus pointed out, we can survive the occasional setback."

Sora looks confused and asks, "What makes you convinced magical armor specifically designed for sneaking would not be helpful in sneaking? I get the whole 'rely on yourself', but your statement seems to indicate that gear is near pointless."

Pyrus will let Rhagar answer Sora's question for himself.

"So what are your goals, Ideal?"