Dorisma frowned as the partially zombified dragon landed and immediately demanded their aid. The dragon must've been really stupid if he landed on the gray patch, even an idiot would know to avoid it. The dragon wasn't even making much sense, first it wanted them to find a cure then it wanted them to get a sample. Didn't it realize that to get a sample one of them would have to get infected as well? She certainly wasn't going to touch it with anything other than a very long stick. She snorted disdainfully at the dragon then said to the rest of the party, "No use talking. Start walking." and proceeded to do just that, walking to the gate and then turning to make sure the rest of the team was following her. One of them could figure out the whole sample situation.

It seemed like a wasted effort to try to talk my way out of doing this, as Dorisma put it "No use talking, start walking," I nodded, and headed to where they might sell weapons, or, at least, where they might have weapons. Wandering around eventually had me finding an armory... which was weird, mainly due to the fact that dragons were quadrupedal, and had almost no use for weapons or armor... then again, considering this part was made of marble, it was more than likely that they just never removed the sign. Either way, I headed inside, and looked around the place. There wasn't really much to see, save for a dragon somehow working at a forge. He seemed to be making some sort of giant chain with the giant forge, and I could only guess that it's for a door, or to replace a door, or something. The dragon noticed me as soon as I entered and stopped his work for a moment to growl at me. I responded with "Didn't you see the fight? If you did, then keep in mind, the same thing could happen to you," that seemed to get the dragon to calm down for some reason, and... I still didn't know why they all thought that I could do that at will, maybe they just didn't see the potion, itself? That thought aside, I asked "Do you think you could forge some weapons for me and my team? We're doing a dragon from here some sort of favor, one that's incredibly dangerous, and as good as our current weapons are, they won't be enough," the dragon then finally spoke, saying "Hmph... making flimsy human weapons with dragon steel just seems like an insult... but, fine, I suppose I'll do it for one silver coin per weapon," I checked my coin bag and found out that I only had 3 silver... usually, that would be more than enough for anything I needed, but it wasn't enough for everyone to get a weapon.

Dorisma immediately accepted this supposed quest, much to my annoyance. Whilst we probably would've went anyway, her haste indicated that she'd rather die than to continue listening to some bothersome dragon. Actually, I shouldn't be annoyed then. Anyway, we were still in the arena, having not moved anywhere during our conversation. We were echoing even at our quietest, because no one else was around to listen as empty leather bags flopped in the wind. Robert made the decision to leave for their nearest armoury or something, intent on getting better equipment than this fodder. "We better move then. No one likes standing around, right?" I joked, not really laughing or anything as I followed Robert at a slow pace.

While walking, I caught some rather good sights of the place. These buildings were presumably huge and grand before the dragons arrived, leaving behind large foundations and obvious markings of obliterated buildings. All the marble around seemed to have been overgrown or merged with the ground, giving a sense as to how old this place was, even after the dragons settled here. I didn't really like to imagine dragons suddenly taking a supposedly grand city at the time for themselves, however. All the chaos that must've followed... I don't applaud humans, and in fact I'm rather pleased they were chased out of one of their strongholds. Problem is, this was a rather pretty stronghold based on the remaining buildings and structures. Such a shame all that destruction was required to take the place.

As we continued through dispersed crowds and leering dragons, broken structures that formed new paths, and old vandalised statues commemorating the success of humans, we finally came across a rather... new structure. There weren't many new buildings around in this stronghold, so to see a new one built was quite surprising. Heck, the details of the building could NOT have been made by the clumsiness of dragons. They probably got some labourers (or should I dare slaves) to build some structures for themselves. Evidently, it was a little rustic and overreaching in a few places, but it was still a building. In fact, it was the place we were going to get new equipment.

Evidently not for free though. The raspy dragon first glared at us then asked for payment should we still continued. Robert (listening intently) dug out a small bag and peered down it. He looked pretty worried, something I... well, I already had some equipment on me, but the others probably didn't; which was still equally worrying.

Dorisma watched in confusion as Robert headed further into the city, apparently looking for something. Reluctantly and slightly annoyed, she followed him rather than heading towards the gray area. After several minutes of what seemed to be aimless wandering Robert seemed to find some sort of smithy. She couldn't imagine why dragons would use a smithy, but eh, each to their own. It seemed he wanted new equipment from the grumpy dragon. Another confusing point as the dragon seemed to want silver for some reason. Why would it want money, or if it did want money why not at least gold? It seemed Robert was a bit short on coinage for what he wanted guessing from the look at his face. Dorisma grabbed her own coin purse and tapped on his shoulder. "You take, I no need." she said gruffly, as she emptied out the three silver coins inside and handed them to the kobold. Initially they were for food more than anything else but that seemed to come with the job and the kobold would likely be a better bargainer than her anyway. She hoped he wasn't considering buying a weapon for her, perhaps a better shield or just another would be handy but certainly not needed. Dorisma hoped this dragon worked fast, if he didn't the poor gray dragon outside would be rather disappointed.

Deravam fallowed Robert after Dorisma accepted to go and help out the dragon. Seriously though, helping out dragons when they usually didn't help them and some actually eated trolls and goblins? They were lucky they were going to help shelter the kobolds, cause he would never have accepted a job like that. He then listened to what the dragon smith said when Robert arrived in the forge. He listened to what was being said, and looked forwards.
"Maybe a new dagger could be good. Or maybe get some armor for people here that seem to get hit hard most of the time." he says softly to Robert. With how Robert got hit a lot and Deravan himself didn't.... maybe he should start and going in front of people to take hits a bit. Trolls were naturally more resistant to physical attacks, but then again.... it would be stupid to go and get in front of a attack that could be dodged by the other guy. He sighed softly. He just did not know. Maybe just continuing on with his path as a ninja would make him see another way, or make him accept who he was becoming. Or...
"Or maybe a katana..." he let out silently, not saying that part too loud.

Trey followed the rest of the group to the armory. There was a dragon working at the forge, who agreed to sell them weapons or armor for 1 silver each. Trey had no use for metal armor. It would do nothing but weigh him down and limit his flight. A new wand could be useful, though. That is, if they had enough silver to afford it.
"I could use a better wand." Trey said. "Only if we can afford it, though."

With the money Dorisma gave me, I had enough for one weapon for each of us. Obviously, I was going to get a new rapier, Miles was probably going to get a new knife, however... I also noticed a few strange things on the shelf behind the dragon... a blue orb, and some sort of long, curved sword in a scabbard that was far too impractically fancy to be made by a dragon. "What exactly are those, sir?" I ask the dragon who looks behind him, and seems to take a second or two to think before finally remembering "Those things...? Well, the sharp one's supposedly a 'katana' or something that we took off of a human who spoke a funny-sounding language while we were establishing the stronghold... it's enchanted with some sort of unidentifiable magic, and the round one's an orb containing some sort of power... we took it off of a monk... apparently, it's just supposed to make someone stronger, but we've had no success using it, as of yet... I'll let you have both for two silver," I then thought about what else I'd need. I imagined that Deravan would want the katana, and I know Dorisma is going to use the orb, given where the dragon got it... that left Miles, myself, and Trey, and if each weapon was going to be one silver apiece, then I'd have enough to buy at least one weapon for everyone.

"Alright... I'll take those two things, as well as a better wand for my mage friend, a better throwing knife, both of those are probably going to be enchanted..." the dragon interrupted me with "What do you need them enchanted with?" I then answered "Well, the throwing knife will probably have the 'return' enchantment, and the wand... er, ethereal, if you can," the dragon chuckled, and said "That'll cost an extra five bronze, is that okay?" I nodded, and continued "And, finally, a new rapier... no enchantments will be necessary on that one," The dragon snorted, and said "Your total is five silver, and five bronze... if you think you can pay that much," before I could pay, Backstabs reminded us that she exists, and said "Hey... why don't I get anything? I've even got a silver coin to pay for it," I then held out my hand and she put her silver coin of... questionable origin in my hand, and I added "And one dagger, please," I then paid the full amount, with exact change, and the dragon said "Your weapons will be ready the next morning... come in the afternoon if you want the enchanted ones, though," I then took the two 'weapons' and gave the sword-like one to Deravan, and the orb to Dorisma, wondering if Dorisma could actually use it, and, if not, whether anyone else can use it. I then wondered exactly what this orb would do once she used it... would it make her stronger? Would it make her even more resilient against attacks? Would it let her breathe fire or something? No matter what the result was, the sick dragon was going to have to wait another day before we could do anything about getting that sample... or finding the cure, I was still unsure of what, exactly that dragon expected of us.

Deravan was surprised when Robert bought a katana for him. A katana... a weapon that usually means you need to hold it in 2 hands to use it. All this time he had been using 2 daggers instead, attacking rapidly... but this... this was different. He moved and then holded the sword, looking at the blade, feeling it a bit. It did seem like a very special blade to say the least. He had a strange sensation of the wind moving around him. He moved the blade a bit, feeling it.
"This is one finely made blade... Light.... but still able to get a good grip onto it..." he stares at it. But.. it was a katana... ninja's usually went and used daggers, but this was different. Maybe... it was a sign or something. He looked at Robert after hearing that the other weapons would be ready later on. He walked to Robert.
"Thanks Robert for the weapon... but... I don't know if that Dragon will last a whole day. Maybe it would be good to head there and get the weapons when we get back maybe? Not sure though." he says softly, holding the katana in 2 hands and then praticing it in the air a bit, before accidentally sending a large burst of wind to a wall, making a large marking onto it. He stares a bit.
"Oups..." Deravan says as he looks at the slash marking from the wind. That... blade sure was something else.

Dorisma looked at the orb she'd received curiously. This was supposed to do what exactly? She could just hold it in her hand and punch poeple with it but that seemed impractical. Perhaps it was supposed to be some sort of magic? Well then should she just put it in her pack and hope that whatever it did happened from there? Regardless it seemed they were stuck here for the day until the dragon finished forging the new weapons, a good time to understand whatever this orb was. It seemed Deravan was worried about the dragon not making it through another day, a reasonable assertion given its rate of decay. Rather than offering her own opinion, she simply sat down and closed her eyes, focusing on the orb. She raised an eyebrow's briefly at the troll's impressive swing with the sword leaving a heavy slash mark upon the wall. Perhaps her orb would give her similar strength, she closed her eyes once more and attempted to understand what exactly this orb did. If this didn't work maybe she'd try holding it and punching something, and if that did nothing... oh well.

They had enough money to buy gear for everyone. They were able to get Deravan's katana and Dorisma's orb right away, but the rest of the weapons wouldn't be ready until the next day. Deravan suggested that they leave now, since the dragon might not last that long.
"I agree with Deravan." Trey said. "We don't know how much time that dragon has left. Besides, all we're doing is going in, getting a sample, and coming back. It shouldn't be too difficult compared to some of the other things we've done."

On display were a large assortment of old weapons and forged tools. Even a few toys of metal for the more juvenile dragons. Apparently this guy hadn't been making weapons for a long time until he heard news of bad things on the horizon. Robert wasn't scared of the dragon after nearly killing one, bravely asking for new equipment for everyone in the party. Seemed a bit odd considering we had just found new ones, and I was almost convinced to sell/smelt our weapons to the dragon. Before I did that, I had a bad recollection of events when looking at that katana, moved from its position on the shelf to Deravan after a brief exchange of coins and small-talk. I shuddered somewhat, reminded at what had happened to myself.

Regardless, I remain poised and allowed for Robert to pay for everyone's equipment, forgetting about selling our things. How nice of him. (It would prove later that we'd get a better deal from others than dragons.) "Thanks, mate. Though, we'll probably have to wait for the blacksmith to make our items, so..." I looked around, scratching my chin and unsure what to do while waiting. More importantly, the infected dragon was probably causing a stir around the stronghold. "Look. We either get to the dust and get infected ourselves, or at least ensure we won't end up the same as the dragon." I said, shrugging at the last part. "I don't even want to go to that eldritch horror, but it seems as if we don't have much choice."

I watch as Deravan actually manages to cut into the marble with his new katana, and notice Dorisma doing... just about nothing. Oddly enough, she glowed a blue color the moment she closed her eyes, but, that seemed to be it. I decided that it was just some 'monk' thing, and that she'd think I'm stupid for asking her what that was all about, and I finally leave the area. "While I'm not sure the dragon can wait, the least we can do is make sure we're prepared for what he needs us to do, right?" I ask my team as I clumsily and aimlessly wander around a hallway as if it was a room. I end up literally bumping into what appears to be a white-scaled female dragon... and she seems sad, mad, or troubled by something. "Uh... hi, there, miss..." I say to her in the most careful tone of voice I could use, hoping that I didn't offend her, or somehow make things worse... apparently I did, as the next thing she did was shout "MY EGG! SOMEONE STOLE MY EGG!" it was... as if she didn't hear me, at all, however, through the shock and fear, I manage to ask "Where did you see your egg last? M...maybe I can help?" she then lowered her head for some reason, and, in a much calmer voice, said "I... think it might be at the local bar... the father was taking care of it... and, that's where he likes to go," I then asked a follow-up question with "Okay, and, WHEN was the last time you saw it?" she then answered oddly directly with "Just before all those kobolds moved in here... or, at least, just before that fight between the kobold and the dragon," I then tried to think of where it might be, and despite having seen a bar on my way to the arena, I head right back into the armory, even if my teammates have already left that place.

Dorisma felt a strange feeling as she held the orb. Slowly reacting to the strange impluse she felt she closed her hands around the orb. The orb spider webbed with cracks briefly and then shattered letting out a strange sort of ethereal roar. Oddly enough the orb left no physical residue behind, somehow it had vanished. Dorisma cautiously flexed her muscles at the sudden influx of power rushing through them. Fascinating. She stood up and threw a few experimental punches: most interesting. It seemed crushing the orb had forcibly increased her power somehow. Certainly worth the silver they'd spent on it. Robert walked in seconds after she'd confirmed this seemingly looking for something, "Problem?" she asked, somewhat worried, thought not enough to ruin her good mood after this new discovery..

I stood around, waiting quietly against the aged and cracked marble walls. There was a loud beat of hammered metal which sent sparks from the corner of the room, with several strange bottles and glowing books arranged on a workbench. Apparently that's where our enchantments were going to come from. I thought to myself why I didn't follow Robert, but that was mainly because everyone else was still standing or sitting idly by. Dorisma was still inspecting her mysterious glass orb, while I took out a pack of cards from the depths of my pocket and began shuffling them around. I thought I was going to prick myself on a knife or dart, or maybe get a paper cut from the cards I was holding. Instead, I picked up something else that cut through me like butter. My old heirloom card; it seemed a lot different from when I first got it. It some had a few dried speckles and drop of blood on the corner, superimposed over the pattern of the Kobold Ace of Spades. The card itself was somewhat munted, folded asymmetrically and the fold giving the bottom more side than the top. I frowned at it as my arm feel loose, still holding a pack of shuffled cards and sighing quietly.

One of my only links to the past, really. My dad gave it to me as not only a sign of luck but as a birthday gift. It wasn't bloodied and folded at that time, but it wasn't long that I ended up spurting my wound on there. Some good luck charm. It left my family broke and made me gambled away, receiving bugger all from almost everyone I met. First person I'm gambled to as a young kid, I end up getting socked in the cheek and forced into a wagon. I've since heard stories of how children like me would've been made into slaves or be forced into prostitution. Thank goodness life decided enough was enough and got me to Birchvale instead. Though since then, I've become a fraudster criminal and a Drake. Tough luck, eh? Wonder how my life would've been had I had more fortunate circumstances.

My thoughts were derailed by a sudden sound of... well, wailing mixed with the sounds a demon would make. I quickly raised my head and went by instinct to draw out my throwing knife, confronting nothing more than Dorisma throwing a few punches at the air. "You fighting ghosts or something, lady?" I asked, sheathing my knife and my cards. It could've been true, but she seemed quite elated. I was still rather jumpy in all honesty, turning to see Robert coming back from wherever he came from. "Hello, Robert. Glad to see we don't have anything else to do."

Deravan listened to what Robert was saying afterwards, fallowing him. He then heard what the dragon lady said. He looked at Robert, then at the dragon, and waited a bit more.
"I am guessing... we could go and try to find the egg... and go tomorrow try to find the source after getting our equipment, I just hope that other will not die from that dust thing..." he says, before thinking a bit.
"We might want to tell the dragons about maybe putting that guy into quarantine... anyway... we should go to the bar first I guess and try to find that egg." he then says, waiting for someone to lead the way right now. It seemed Dorisma did find what the orb do at least... He just waited for now.

Robert and Deravan left the armory, and Trey followed them. They ended up running into a dragon who lost her egg. She had a feeling it was at the bar, with the father. Both Robert and Deravan wanted to search for the egg, and help the infected dragon tomorrow.
"I think the infected dragon should be our top priority. It's two against one in this case, though, so unless Miles and Dorisma both agree with me, " Trey said. "If we aren't going out there today, we should at least make sure he doesn't attack anyone if he dies."

While I wanted to find the egg first, the others certainly had a point... that dragon didn't seem like he'd last much longer, and it would probably be best if we at least checked on him before we tried to find some other dragon's egg, or whatever. "You know... I think you're right... we should at least check on him to make sure that he's not going insane right now," I say to Trey, who, despite being the primary magic user in the party didn't ever really seem to actually come up with any ideas, that is, until now... sort of. I then try to head back to the arena, and, somehow, through my aimless wandering, manage to make it there. The dragon was still there, but he was somehow turned to stone by another dragon. I approached the unfamiliar, grey-scaled dragon and ask "Why in the world is he a statue right now?" The grey dragon responded with "He was going to die... so, we just did this, instead. He'll be a statue until we find a cure, strange as it might be to you lesser dragons, we actually try to preserve life instead of just throwing whoever we can at the human menace..." I decide against responding to that with any sort of retort, as that would probably just anger the dragon who was capable of turning things into stone statues... a power I really didn't want to be on the receiving end of, and looked back at my team with a confused look. I suppose this freed us up to find the egg... but... it just seemed weird to me, and it also didn't seem like something that I'd want to happen to me for any extended period of time. This also puts those seemingly random dragon statues that I kept seeing on the way into perspective... they were all sick with some sort of currently incurable disease. I didn't even want to think about whether or not they could still see and think while they were like that.

Deravan looked at the dragon's statue, understanding what was being said. To stop the spread, he was turn into stone, and this was probably done on other dragon's also. At least he would not end up as a kind of zombie dragon by this. They had time to go and find that egg now. He looked at the dragon as he commented, and sighed.
"Only idiots send whoever they can at the humans. That is being suicidal to say the least. Not really the case here with these people... anyway..." hes says before looking at Robert.
"Now that we know we can wait 1 day for this, we should head and find that egg now. Maybe one of those kobolds got greedy and needs to be though at lesson." he says to Robert. Seriously, who would go and take a egg of a freaken dragon. That is asking to be suicidal. Whoever it was needed to be stopped and brought to justice here. Just then Deravan just stood there. Justice... Says the ninja of the group that lurk in the shadows. The ironie of all this... He waited on the others to move, going to fallow

Dorisma looked at the stone dragon with interest. What a fascinating method of preservation, quite helpful since it was presumably reversible. Well that freed up their obligations and allowed them to prioritize much easier. "Plan for search?" She asked, though she doubted there was one. Probably the most effective method would simply be to split up, but if it turned out the egg had been stolen the odds would likely be against them. It would be most helpful if they had some means of long range communicatio but that was merely wistful thinking. She patiently waited to see if anybody had a good idea.

We left the blacksmith to tend to his own work, focusing on what was at hand for the remainder of our journey. Apparently we were going to check up on the dragon, something I was uneasy about since he was probably a zombie at this point (or at least had the mind of one). "Sure, whatever." I responded to... well, I didn't really notice our Aves mage for some time. Still barely knew their names, but not asking names would likely save time.

After walking for what seemed to be an eternity (mind you, our guide was hopeless at navigation), slipping through cracks and passing by the following eyes of dragons, we eventually made it back to the arena. Seemed as if nothing changed, except for the fact there was a statue in the middle of the arena, as well as some shady dragon who seemed to have an aura around him. I suspect that's just my perceptions though. Although I was curious, I stayed quiet as Robert and the other dragon began exchanging words, with Robert simply looking back at us all and possibly bewildered at our new predicament. "Bugger. You get frozen to stone now?" I didn't take the idea of being petrified too well, let alone how they managed to do so in the first place. Either way, perfect excuse to allow us to explore this mighty place.

"Wait, there's something about an egg now?"