[IC] Chapter 2-4: You Hear Them Whispering in the Crowns of the Trees

[Shanna Rendin]

Merri looks at Shanna.  "If you have something important to add to the discussion, speak.  Waiting for someone to ask you is a needless waste of time."

She turns to the group as a whole.  "Now, going back to the fairy and telling them we believe it to be a dragon would be fruitless.  Were they capable or willing to assist, they would.  We will have to face this beast, regardless.  It will not leave without a show of power from us or perhaps a bribe of some sort.  Since we lack the resources to buy off a dragon, we are left with the former.  We are a group of many talents.  I am certain that we can work together to defeat the dragon.  I have two thoughts on this.  We know it comes from the river.  Perhaps luring some of the animals in the area near it, we can draw out the dragon and ambush it while it is targeting them.  The other option is to investigate the water fall for a cave system that would comfortably hold it.  We would likely lose any surprise, but we would negate its flight advantage.  I would defer to our two dwarves in the possibility of caves."  She looks at Lugar and Torin.

Shanna turns to regard her fellow magic-user and narrows her eyes, not looking down on her for deciding to turn her considerable talents from pure learning to mundane martial combat.  "I have told you everything I know of dragons (use whatever OOC knowledge you need because Shanna knows it all and spelt it out to the group), as well as the specific subgroup that I believe we are currently facing.  Forewarned is forearmed, as they say.  I am also the 'new kid on the block' in this group, so I doubt highly anyone particularly cares what I think on this matter, as evidenced by several times when I could have been asked but instead had to speak up.  You believe in the possibility of fighting a dragon in its own lair.  I have rarely heard of such folly.  Magic, as you know, makes many things possible.  Among them is turning one's home into a giant deathtrap filled with a system of smaller deathtraps leading up to it.  The danger is limited only by the dragon's imagination, creativity, and intelligence, all of which are likely to be considerable.  Your first idea has some merit, though we should speak to our resident druid of the likelihood of these animals actually putting themselves in harm's way for a group of people who they do not know.  I believe we should speak to Cranberry, or whatever her name is, and let her know what she is up against.  Whether or not she helps us with actually slaying the dragon is immaterial as she may unknowingly provide us with the 'key.'"