Session 6 - The Dragon in the Cave

The party finishes up their combat with the roper and the grey ooze, before finding themself at a dead end and backtracking to go down the second passageway. As they begin to backtrack, they hear that the echoing in the tunnels has changed from Reese's Deep Speech to a girl singing in draconic. The second tunnel is very empty, some collapsed tunnel areas that seem to be blocking off other ways through, and at the end of it, a puzzle with 10 squares, set up like hopscotch in front of a stone door with light coming through.
The party decides to either run very quickly across or to fly over it, and Cora and Buxton who ran across do get shot with various types of arrows. As they trigger these pressure plates, a shadow passes by the door and it slams shut. However, the party has arrived at the door and Buxton simply breaks the door down.
They enter into a large cavernous area not unlike the one where they fought the ooze and the roper. The ceiling is so tall, the room the smoothest stone you’ve been able to see in this entire mine. It seems to have melted and fused together into a very smooth surface of pure rock. In this room, behind that door, is piles upon piles of gemstones and gold that glimmer in the low firelight of the candles that are placed all throughout this room. There’s a lot of other trinkets here as well, some furniture and piles upon piles of books. There’s solitary games, a partially completed version of solitaire and tarrok cards thrown haphazardly on the table, and a spinning game table that has a partially completed game of chess on it. Tucked away into the corner they see a large queen sized bed, lavish and piled with pillows in jewel tones, ruby reds, sapphire blues, emerald greens, and more. On said bed lay a girl thumbing through a book and humming a little tune.
The girl appears to be in her late teens, with tanned skin, dark hair, and dark eyes. Weaved throughout her hair, tucked into many braids, are golden strands. Upon speaking to her, her eyes appear to be slitted, with flecks of gold throughout. She seems startled to have company, and for a moment, patches of red scales begin to appear across her skin before fading back in which Reese notices and feels very on edge about.
She offers the group the following information:

• She is a dragon named Rowan.
• The Presch Family knows about her whereabouts and pays her off in hopes that she doesn’t storm down to Glimmerbrook and cause mass casualties and destruction. She quite likes it here in the cave where no one can bother her and she can do as she likes. They pay her off in gems and gold which she actually enjoys eating.
• If asked about the town of Leeside, she explains that it was a childish temper tantrum from her younger years and she’s quite content here now.
• If asked about family, she gives a neither here nor there answer about them. She doesn’t want to go back to her family, she wants to be independent at least for now and won’t budge on this.
• When asked about Azriel Presch, she both recognizes the Presch name (see above) and remembers the boy that came to see her. She tells them that she found him delightful, and they shared in their family troubles. She didn’t harm him in the least and sent him on his way west away from Glimmerbrook and Leeside, advising him against staying around here because “someone will always be looking for you and they’re more likely to find you here.” If the party makes moves or gives indication that they plan to track Azriel down, this will anger the dragon and she will warn them again of the dangers they face in her presence.

The party knows that even if they don't actively bring Azriel Presch back to the Presch estate, but they bring information, they will be rewarded. They decide to take that chance, and after some chatting with Rowan, including Enna fixing the door to this room and Buxton arm-wrestling the dragon and winning, they party heads off back to the Presch estate, where they receive the rest of their earnings and continue on with their lives. Notably, they all receive letters at some point in the future from Rowan, who has decided that they're all pen pals now.