(2024-12-06) The Black Dragon Problem

Details

Author:	Alli
Summary:	Alysson, Kenelly, Lireen and Maisha head to Fuselight to assist the goblins there, only to find their work taking an unexpected draconic turn. ~4300 words.
Rating:	T for Teen

Arc: Badlands

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quest-usual violence, taking eggs from a mother

Maisha waves to her mother. "So we're ta work together today, aye?"

Lireen pulls herself out of her meditation. "Aye."
[Lireen]: I have every faith in ye.

Maisha smiles. "Thanks. Should be pretty straightforward, jus' helpin' out goblins."

[Lireen]: I take it ye've not worked much with goblins, lassie?
[Lireen]: Because 'straightforward' is nae the word I'd use.

Maisha blinks. "Well, no, not so much. Jus' that one murder case, but that was also fer the gnomes…"

Lireen laughs softly.

Maisha spots Alysson and waves. "Cobalt, aye?"

Lireen seems unbothered by the enormous raptor hovering over her.

Bael seems unbothered by the dwarf warrior he's hovering over.

[Alysson]: Ho there Cobaltians! Here to help today? With the… *Alysson is distracted by the raptor.*

[Maisha]: Oh, don't mind Bael. He's a good boy. And aye, we're helpin' the goblins! Dolph Blastus is the fellow we're meant to talk to. *Maisha points over at a goblin*

[Alysson]: Dolphin Blaster?!

Bael preens one of his decorative feathers.

[Maisha]: Aye, somethin' like that. Shall we?

Dolph Blastus says: You're the mercenaries, yeah?

[Lireen]: Aye.

Dolph Blastus says: Whew, am I glad Cobalt agreed to this contract. You don’t wanna know how hard it is, trying to carve out a safe place for goblins in these lands. Let’s get you started right away!

[Maisha]: Sure thing. What needs doin'?

Dolph Blastus says: The most immediate threat to Fuselight is, without argument, the colony of ogres to the northwest.
Dolph Blastus says: Most of our ogre neighbors used to be warrior-types, but it seems that more and more of them are practicing magic. We do not want an army of ogre-magi at our doorstep.

[Maisha]: No, fer sure, that does no' sound like a thing ye'd want.

Lireen dusts off Maisha's pauldron.

Dolph Blastus says: How about you go take out some of those Dustbelcher ogres? Hopefully they'll get the picture and avoid messing with the might of Fuselight.

[Maisha]: Or the might o' Cobalt Company, but aye.
Maisha doesn't seem to mind Lireen tidying her.

[Lireen]: We can take care of it, nae problem at all.

[Alysson]: Magic ogres? Think they'd teach a fellow a thing or two?

[Lireen]: Nae.

[Maisha]: I doubt they're the teachin' sort.

[Alysson]: Aw.

[Lireen]: I've met one or two friendly ogres, but they're few an' far between.

Maisha's raptor rushes an ogre that is right at the bottom of the ramp from Fuselight.
[Maisha]: They really are right on th' doorstep.

The ogre casts fire magic.

[Alysson]: He did it. He was castin' a fireball.

[Maisha]: They've not even got two heads.

[Lireen]: Tha's peculiar.

[Maisha]: I thought it was the two-headed with the double th' brains that did the magic.

[Lireen]: I thought the same.

Dustbelcher Initiate says: I'll crush you!

Someone is crushed, but it isn’t our team.

[Alysson]: Where d'you suppose they're learnin' it from?

A two-headed ogre swathed in purple robes ambles by.

Lireen points at Dustbelcher Instructor.

We kill him.

[Lireen]: From tha' one.
[Lireen]: Two heads.

[Maisha]: Ah, there it is.

Maisha peers at the ogre. "Wearin' purple. Which does no' have ta mean anything, but…"

[Alysson]: He's all… purple like those cult fellows.

Lireen examines the ogre's raiments.

Maisha nods at Alysson, pointing at him.
[Maisha]: Makes a person wonder.

[Lireen]: Might well be Twilight. Lots of ogres in the cult.

Dustbelcher Initiate says: Me smash! You die!

Again, someone is smashed and dead. It is not us.

[Lireen]: If we're dealin' with cultists, this is more important than the goblins realized.

[Maisha]: Aye, we'd best warn'em.
[Maisha]: If they're teachin' up their folk in magic, might be a dark reason.

[Lireen]: Aye, they dinna tend toward idle academic curiosity.

[Alysson]: An' Twilight's in the name!

[Maisha]: That's true. *Maisha peers at Alysson.* They're a dark group.

[Lireen]: I wonder how they came up wi' the name Twilight's Hammer in the first place…

[Maisha]: Hammer I get, it's a nice strong weapon.

[Lireen]: An odd combination o' words.

[Maisha]: Twilight, I do not know.

[Lireen]: I always thought o' Twilight as a gentle sort o' theng, not the sort o theng that hammers.

[Maisha]: Aye, no one says,'watch tha' lovely sunset comin' down like a hammer'.

Lireen laughs at Maisha.

We look around and see that Fuselight’s doorstep is now clear of living ogres.

[Maisha]: I think this whole area's clear now. Let's let'em know?

[Lireen]: Nice work.

[Maisha]: An' yerself, both o' ye. *Maisha smiles*

[Alysson]: Maybe they wanna hammer twilight permanently into the sky? So it stays there?

[Lireen]: Oh, mebbe.

Maisha looks thoughtful at that.

[Lireen]: I'm no good at poetics, but ye may be onta somethin'.

Maisha waves at Dolph Blastus.

[Maisha]: Dolph, we cleared off th' doorstep. An' it looks like they might be trained by Twilight's Hammer cultists.

Dolph Blastus says: Huh, really? That doesn't sound good.

[Lireen]: They were all draped in purple.
[Lireen]: An' mostly ogres in purple are Twilights.

[Alysson]: Or curtain wearers.
[Alysson]: But probably Twilights.

Dolph Blastus says: Hm… I'll have to put that in the report. I won't ask you to go further into the ogre camp, though. I think you've pushed them back enough for the moment.
Dolph Blastus says: But on to other matters. I have a package that I need delivered.

[Maisha]: A package?

Lireen eyes the goblin suspiciously.

Dolph Blastus says: A young lady came by our town not long ago, looking for compressed blasting powder, a tempered mithril bomb casing, and some safety goggles.
Dolph Blastus says: Naturally, we had plenty of blasting powder and bomb casings to sell her, but the safety goggles were a little harder to find.

Lireen lets out a long, drawn-out sigh.

Dolph Blastus says: Long story short, I've got the goggles, but she's already returned to her studies down in Lethlor Ravine. Will you bring these down to her?

[Lireen]: Oh aye, I had business there anyway.

[Maisha]: I suppose it's no trouble.

We head out in the direction of Lethlor Ravine.

[Maisha]: I hope they take the cult thing seriously.

Lireen smiles peacefully as she admires the arid, craggy landscape.

[Alysson]: What've you got in the ravine?

[Lireen]: Just checkin' in on a student.
Lireen fights with a relaxed economy of movement, seeming confident and calm.

[Maisha]: Wonder if this lady is a goblin lady. I reckon so?

[Lireen]: Most likely, aye.

[Alysson]: But if she wanted safety goggles…

[Maisha]: They are no' so big on safety, yer right.

[Lireen]: Hmmm… a gnome?

[Maisha]: Reckon we'll see soon enough.

[Lireen]: Explosive plus safety goggles spells gnome, ta me.

We find someone in the ravine… it is a small goblin woman.

[Maisha]: Ah…. goblin.

[Lireen]: A peculiarly safe one!

We approach.

[Maisha]: Are ye the lass waitin' on goggles?
[Maisha]: We've got'em fer ye!

Rhea says: Thank you, Cobalt Company. You may keep the goggles, as they have already served the purpose: they brought you to me.

[Alysson]: …Oh.

[Maisha]: Ah. *Maisha looks satisfied. The goblin did not want safety goggles. This tracks.*

[Lireen]: What did ye need?
Lireen peers at Rhea searchingly.

Rhea says: The truth is, Dolph put in the request for assistance at Fuselight on my behalf, just to keep my name off the records. I need your help for something considerably more momentous than killing ogres.

[Lireen]: Oh aye?

[Maisha]: Uh, we're here ta help, but we were hired fer a theng…

Rhea says: Don't worry - the pay will be commensurate, of course, but it’s nothing a highly reputable company like Cobalt can’t handle.

[Lireen]: Nothin' sayin' we canna improvise a bit if there's coin in it, aye?

Maisha nods cautiously.

Rhea says: I will explain more as we go, but the gist of it is that I am experimenting with black dragons. Specifically, I am interested in how they procreate.

[Lireen]: Er…

[Alysson]: Pro…create?

Maisha whispers at Alysson, "Make babies."

[Alysson]: We're makin' dragon babies?!

[Lireen]: I think we're wantin' less black dragons, nae more.

Rhea says: Well, yes, but I suppose what I ask now goes towards that end. My current experiments require plenty of black dragon eggs and the bodies of black dragon whelplings, which is why I am here in Lethlor Ravine.

[Lireen]: As long as ye dinna start breedin' black dragons, I'm fine with ye learnin' more about'em I suppose.
[Lireen]: But if we hear of ye makin' more o' that blighted lot, I'm afraid we'll have ta put a stop to it.
Lireen gives her a Stern Mom-glare.

Rhea nods her understanding. "I certainly have no intention of making corrupted dragon babies."

Note the distinction there.

[Lireen]: Good, good.

Rhea says: For now, I just need you to collect eggs and whelpling bodies. And to trust that my motives are not dark.

[Lireen]: We'll see.

Maisha nods to Rhea, still frowning a little, and heads back into the ravine.

We head out to kill whelplings and collect wild eggs in the ravine.

[Lireen]: Shame even the little baby ones are already evil to the bone.

[Maisha]: Aye, the corruption is really…. jus'… all of'em.

[Alysson]: Hmm…
Alysson frowns a little.

A larger drake swoops down, and we defend ourselves.

[Maisha]: Oh, tha's a big one!

[Alysson]: Just me or is anyone else gettin' the feelin' somethin's off 'bout that lady?

[Lireen]: The goblin?

[Alysson]: Yeah, her.

[Maisha]: She does seem a bit… less gobliny than I'd expect?

[Lireen]: I dinna know enough about goblins ta be sure.
[Lireen]: They just all seem off ta me.

[Alysson]: Exactly! She's less gobliny somehow.

[Maisha]: She offered us money withough us e'en askin',

[Lireen]: What makes someone gobliny?

[Maisha]: Liken'…. money? An' explosives?

[Alysson]: An' she doesn't seem to be gettin' paid herself.

[Lireen]: Oh that would be odd.

[Lireen]: I do know they like their coin. She wasna gettin' paid?

[Maisha]: There's no bombs involved in this venture so far.

[Lireen]: Aye, just research. Hmm.
[Lireen]: She must be a bit of a black sheep.

[Maisha]: Could explain why she's out here all alone, an' not in Fuselight.

[Lireen]: Mm.

[Alysson]: Now if she'd gone an' said she needed black dragon studyin' to make better explosives, I'd say, sure, okay, there's a goblin.

[Maisha]: Aye, but she jus' said studyin' how they procreate.

[Lireen]: Or if someone was buyin' parts for a lot o' coin.

[Maisha]: Aye, they like tha' kinda business.

[Lireen]: She must not fit in real well at all.

[Maisha]: It must be lonely, bein' a proper goblin scientist who just wants knowledge.

[Lireen]: Aye.

[Maisha]: Suppose we should be nice to her, aye?
[Maisha]: Since she might be lonely.

[Lireen]: Always good to err on the side o' kindness.

Maisha nods seriously.

As we go, Maisha has been skinning the drakes not needed for the research.

[Lireen]: Ye remove those scales with a nice steady hand. Yer da teach ye tha'?

Maisha grins. "Aye. He does love ta go on huntin' trips. An' I did, too, because it was… well… it was good ta share somethin'."

We take a pause.

[Lireen]: Let's see if these specimens are enough.

[Maisha]: It's a shame ta have ta kill'em, but… like you said, already corrupted.

[Lireen]: Yeah, the little wee ones, it's tragic.
[Lireen]: Hate ta see a thing tha's doomed by the time it's even born.

Maisha nods sadly.

We arrive back at the goblin, Rhea.

[Maisha]: Miss Rhea, we got some stuff. Is this enough?

Rhea says: Hmm… that is exactly what I need. The whelplings and the wild eggs.

[Lireen]: Good, good.

Rhea says: I may need a few more than that, though. You know how science is, you always need more than you think.

[Maisha]: Uh, do ye? I never heard a goblin say that before.

[Lireen]: Well, why don't ye see what ye can do wi' those ferst, an' then if ye need more we can go back out.

Rhea says: Well, I am no ordinary goblin. *Rhea shrugs*

[Lireen]: But ye havena even tried yet.

[Alysson]: Unless it's about explosives.

Lireen gives her a stern look.
[Lireen]: We'll wait here.
Lireen so bossy.

Rhea carries all the stuff over to the table. "Okay, okay. But to be honest, I'm going to need to enlist someone else in this research, and I'll send you to him later."

Lireen calmly has a seat, as though she owns the place.

[Maisha]: Can ye no' just tell us what this is all about?

Rhea says: I suppose there's no harm in telling you a little of it.

Lireen examines the diagrams on the table.

Rhea says: Let me explain. The black dragonflight was once noble. They were the earth warders, protecting the very land itself. How ironic that they would become the worst menace the land has known.

[Lireen]: Aye.

[Maisha]: Terribly ironic.

Alysson nods. "Iconic."

Rhea says: I believe that there remains a sliver of hope, however, and so does my mistress. The black dragonflight will live beyond Deathwing's treachery, and will soar as the noble earth warders once again.

[Lireen]: Wait, ye think ye can cure'em?

[Maisha]: Really? Ye think?

Rhea says: That is my goal here, yes. But I'm going to need a few more samples of this sort.

Kenelly rides up, out of breath, but smiling. "H-hello! Cobalt?"

[Lireen]: All right, if yer sure. Oh, look, more help arrived.

[Alysson]: Cobalt!

[Maisha]: Cobalt, aye, that's us!

[Lireen]: Hullo, I'm Lireen Cloudskimmer.
Lireen waves at Kenelly.

[Lireen]: Tha's me little girl, Maisha, an' this is— I dinna rightly know.

[Maisha]: Miss, ye arrived just in time. We're about ta go collect more dragon eggs and such.

Lireen peers at Alysson searchingly.

[Kenelly]: So sorry I'm late. There was a thing. With…nevermind, it's not important. I'm Lady Kenelly Ashewood.

[Alysson]: Alys *he clears his throat.* Hero.

[Lireen]: Alice Hero.

Kenelly grins at Alysson.

[Maisha]: Tha's a good strong name.

[Kenelly]: A pleasure to meet you all, Lireen and Mai Cloudskimmer, and Alice Hero.

[Maisha]: An' Lady Kenelly. Do we call ye lady?

[Lireen]: I like yer skirt.

[Kenelly]: Oh, no need for such formality. Please, call me Kenelly. Or Nelly, I suppose. My friends call me Nelly.

[Maisha]: Nelly, alrigh'.

[Lireen]: All righ' Nelly. Mostly they call me Ma, but Lireen is fine, heh.

[Kenelly]: Ma! How charming!

Maisha laughs.
[Maisha]: Well, she is my ma.

Alysson laughs.

[Lireen]: An' she has a great many siblings.

[Maisha]: That I do. *Maisha grins at Lireen.*

[Kenelly]: So, ah…what are we up to?

[Lireen]: We gotta kill baby dragons. An' get eggs.

[Kenelly]: Oh dear, how sad.

[Maisha]: We're tryin' ta heal the black dragonflight, she says?

[Lireen]: That goblin lass is tryin' ta cure the black dragons, an' she needs bits, I suppose.

Maisha nods.

[Kenelly]: Healing sounds wonderful!

[Lireen]: I have my doubts, but if it's at all possible we ought to try.

[Kenelly]: Oh, there is something I should probably mention before I shock anyone…

[Lireen]: Oh aye?

[Kenelly]: Yes…I'm Gilnean. A worgen. I hope that's alright.

[Lireen]: Oh, sure.
Lireen seems untroubled.

[Maisha]: Oh, aye? Tha's nae problem. One of my best pals is a worgen.

Kenelly beams.

[Lireen]: That so, Mai?
[Lireen]: Who's yer best worgen pal?

Maisha blinks. "Uh. I am no' sure if they're open about it."
[Maisha]: But no worries, I've no problem wi' worgen.

[Lireen]: Oh.

[Alysson]: Worgen… like in the North End?

[Kenelly]: Sorry…the North End?

[Alysson]: Yeah, the North End, up there where the Lick King was.

Kenelly blinks.
[Kenelly]: Ooooooh! NorthREND.

[Lireen]: Ye mean Northrend. Aye, there was worgen up there, but mean ones.

[Maisha]: All the worgen in Cobalt are th' nice ones.

[Lireen]: Aye.

[Kenelly]: No, I'm not like those ones. I'm from Gilneas.

[Maisha]: I do no' think I've ever known a person from Gilneas. Was it nice there?

Lireen studies Kenelly with calm interest.

[Kenelly]: It…used to be, yes.

[Lireen]: I feel fer ye lass. I got kicked out o' TWO homelands.

[Kenelly]: Oh that's terrible, Lireen.

[Maisha]: Oh, ma can tell th' most dreadful stories about Grim Batol.

[Alysson]: Did you leave 'cause it's not nice there anymore?

[Kenelly]: Ah…in a sense, Alice, yes.

[Lireen]: Ye didna year all the news about Gilneas, lad?

[Kenelly]: It's been overrun by the Forsaken now.

[Lireen]: They say Bronzebeards live under rocks, hehe.

[Alysson]: I uh. I was gone for the whole world destruction part.

[Lireen]: Gone from where? The world?

[Alysson]: Super secret mission!

[Lireen]: Aha.

[Maisha]: Fer Cobalt?

[Alysson]: Nah,'Randy said we had to — I mean yes.

[Lireen]: Super secret means, dinna ask questions.

Maisha blushes. She is not terribly good at secrets.

Alysson isn't either.

Kenelly peers curiously at Alysson.

[Maisha]: Well, uh, tha' ought ta be enough. *Maisha clears her throat.* Let's get back?

Kenelly nods at Lireen.

We head back to the goblin, Rhea.

[Maisha]: We got more, Miss Rhea. Is this enough?

Rhea says: Yes, I think this will be.
Rhea says: Now, I wish to show you something. Close your eyes, and I will reveal to you the final part of my studies.

Rhea says: I will now remove the fog from your eyes. Behold, our captive.

Alysson eagerly closes his eyes.

The mist clears. To the south, the large black dragon Nyxondra appears in a glowing red bubble.

[Lireen]: Hm.
[Lireen]: I definitely didna expect tha'.

[Alysson]: Wowww.

Lireen gazes calmly at the massive black dragon.

Kenelly cracks her eyes open…then they REALLY open.

[Alysson]: Can I pet her?

[Lireen]: Nae.
Lireen speaks with the immediate authority of a longtime parent.

Rhea says: Uh, please don't.

[Alysson]: Aw.

Rhea says: We will find a shred of good within these dragons, Cobalt. Whether it is in the wild eggs you found, the bodies of the whelplings you slew, or the eggs we have encouraged Nyxondra to lay… we will find an untainted black dragon.

[Lireen]: Why's it matter so much to ye, lass?

Rhea says: This is important work that my mistress has entrusted me with. And Azeroth needs the black dragonflight, as it was meant to be.
Rhea says: Let me explain this next step.
Rhea says: Nyxondra is being held against her will. She is hidden from her brood, right in the middle of their breeding grounds. She lays eggs, but they will be taken away before she can see them hatch.

[Maisha]: Oh… but tha's so sad.

Lireen frowns slightly.

Rhea says: It may be considered cruel… but she is a corrupted black dragon. And it is not nearly as cruel as the treatment that their dragonflight showed my mistress.

[Lireen]: Ye know she's gonna tear ye apart first chance she gets, aye?
[Lireen]: I know I would…

[Kenelly]: Your mistress?

Rhea nods at Kenelly. Her mistress, yes.
Rhea says: She's welcome to try, if she gets free. But for now, I need you to collect her eggs for me.

Bold goblin, to think she can take on a fully-grown black dragon.

Lireen considers.

Alysson eyes Rhea suspiciously.

[Lireen]: Cobalt Company didnae ask me to take away a mother's children. I cannae. Not fer any amount o' coin.

Rhea says: Remember… this is for the good of the black dragonflight. We are here to redeem them, not to hurt them. This is but a step in their recovery.

Lireen considers some more.

[Kenelly]: It does seem cruel…but…I suppose it would help her dragonflight.

[Lireen]: I suppose if it was the only thing tha' would save the Wildhammers…
Lireen sighs.

Rhea says: It would. I have no intention of corrupting or harming her eggs.

[Lireen]: All righ' then.

[Maisha]: I suppose. *Maisha still looks worried*
[Maisha]: Maybe if we can help th' baby hatch safe, it can help cleanse the ma.

[Lireen]: This is a difficult thing ta do. Heartbreakin'.

Nyxondra is not pleased to have someone take her eggs. She lashes out at the four of us.

[Lireen]: Well, now she's mad.

We fend her off, but don’t hurt her seriously.

Nyxondra slumps down in exhaustion.

[Lireen]: Canna say I blame her.

[Alysson]: Easy, dragon Ma…

[Maisha]: Oh, she's settled down.
[Maisha]: We'll take good care o' them, Nyxondra.

Kenelly gives the dragon a sympathetic frown. "I'm so sorry. I promise we're trying to help."

[Maisha]: If ye could understand.

[Lireen]: Aye, never mind all the dragon whelp blood on our armor.
Lireen is quiet and grave.

Grimly, we head back to the goblin, Rhea.

[Maisha]: We got th' eggs ye wanted.
Maisha doesn't look entirely happy about it.

Rhea says: Thank you for your trust. Our job here in Lethlor Ravine is done. It is now time that I revealed everything to you.
Rhea says: As I hinted earlier, I am no ordinary goblin. You may have already guessed my true identity.

[Lireen]: I try not ta pry.

Rhea says: Allow me to show you my true form. As I now find you trustworthy, I will also share with you all the details of my plan.

Lireen nods at Rhea.

Rhea enters her true form, that of a fully grown red dragon, Rheastrasza!

Rhea says: Deathwing's madness overcomes him, and we, the red dragons, must take this opportunity to steal his black dragons from beneath him. We will remake the black dragons as they were intended to be: the warders of the earth.

Kenelly gasps at Rheastrasza.

Lireen backs up from the enormous red dragon.
[Lireen]: Er, good ta meet ye.

[Alysson]: Oh! Another dragon.

Maisha takes a few hasty steps back, her eyes wide.
[Maisha]: Yer a red one. *Maisha says blankly*

Rhea says: My true name is Rheastrasza, and I am an envoy of Alexstrasza herself, the Aspect of the red dragonflight.

[Alysson]: I didn't think she was a goblin.

Maisha nods numbly.

[Alysson]: …Can I pet you?

[Kenelly]: Alice! No….

Rhea says: …I suppose that would be fine. Just behind my shoulder, maybe?
Rhea says: It's a hard to reach spot.

[Lireen]: It'd be hard fer me ta reach fer sure.
Lireen looks uuuuup at the dragon's shoulder.

Alysson brightens and gets closer, stroking Rhea's scales.

Rhea says: But back to the current situation. With Deathwing currently occupied with other matters, we are going to find a way to redeem the black dragonflight. And you are going to help us.

[Lireen]: Other matters, heh.

Alysson has to jump a little to reach the right spot.

Rhea says: I made a calculated decision in revealing my identity to you, Cobalt. I needed you to trust me, but I can no longer stay here in Lethlor Ravine, as my cover has quite clearly been blown.
Rhea says: You may be able to slip away unnoticed, however. Here, take the results of our research, and bring them west. At Agmond's End, you will find a gnome who knows what to do with these samples.

[Lireen]: Is it a gnome?

[Alysson]: Is it a real — yeah.

Kenelly nods, eyes wide in awe. "We'll see it done."

Rhea says: Yes, this one is a real gnome, not one of my kindred.
Rhea says: I value the cleverness of gnomes, as all the wise do.

[Kenelly]: I suppose that makes sense. Gnome are whip-smart.

[Alysson]: Whips are smart?

[Kenelly]: They can certainly smart if you're hit with one!
Kenelly grins.

Alysson laughs.

Maisha laughs.
[Maisha]: We'll do our best, Miss Rhea…strasza.

We head off towards Agmond’s End with our research materials.

[Maisha]: I sure hope this actually works. I'd feel bad if it's all fer nothin.

As we approach, we see what appears to be an empty camp, many of the tents torn and in disarray. There are standing guns, and trogg bodies around the perimeter. Some living troggs seem to be testing the defenses.

[Maisha]: Oh, this camp is a shambles!

[Lireen]: Ach, troggs.

[Alysson]: This place is a whole mess.

A white-haired gnome with a curled mustache and goatee comes into view, hurrying between the tents. He wears a jaunty eye patch over one eye.

[Maisha]: Oh no… and… oh, there's a gnome?

[Kenelly]: Dr. Blam?

Dr. Hieronymous Blam says: Ugh, yes troggs. And that's me! Dr. H. Blam, at your service. How can I be of assistance to you today?
[Kenelly]: We have some research you might find interesting.

Dr. Hieronymous Blam says: Ooh! Science stuff! Let's see what you've got here…

[Maisha]: We've come from Rhea with a collection o' dragon samples?
Maisha hands over her samples.

Dr. Hieronymous Blam says: Wild eggs? Blech. Useless. These are never any good.

[Lireen]: Would've been nice ta know before.

Dr. Hieronymous Blam says: Ooooh, what's this? Some sort of… pre-engineered egg? This looks promising, but I don't want to know what Rhea had to do to get it.

[Kenelly]: It is perhaps best not to ask.

Dr. Blam nods at Kenelly, who is clearly wise.

Dr. Hieronymous Blam says: And hmm… yes, some very nice corpses. Very nice indeed.

Dr. Hieronymous Blam says: Alright, I'll see what I can do. We seem to be in a little lull of the trogg-fighting, so I can get to work right away.
Dr. Hieronymous Blam says: Still, it'll take me some time to analyze all the samples. You're welcome to stay here and fight troggs, or come back later.

[Lireen]: I think I'll keep tabs on this whole thing.
Lireen settles in.

[Maisha]: Aye, I'll stick here an' help.

[Alysson]: Me too!

[Maisha]: I suppose there are some tents here. Let's see where we can settle down?

Alysson makes himself at home in a partially collapsed tent.

[Kenelly]: I suppose we're staying, then!

[Lireen]: Aye.

The four of them settle in to defend the camp, while Dr. Blam does his work.