((OOC: This thread is for CodeAni, Chalky, and Petrichor. The posting order will be established by the first round of posts, but as thread master I reserve the right to interject at any time. There is no time limit on posts, but please keep in mind that the Timedeath event ends on December 31.))

The entrance to the chamber roared silently at them, the carved dragon's face daring the adventurers to enter. Low torch light seemed to make its stone eyes wink, the crackle of the flames percussing faintly alongside the low grind of compacted gravel beneath their feet. The air buzzed with the prospect of adventure, the faint stench of ash reminding them of the danger that lurked ahead. The room was quiet as the group paused near the threshold, gravely considering the task ahead.

A trio of dwarves would arrive soon after, armed and hopeful. A fourth was already standing between the threshold and the foreigners who presumed to cross it, having led the lot of them as far as he dared. "This is the quickest way to the dragon's hoard,” he announced without ceremony. “And these are Kofrec, Barildol, and Helgat," he pointed to each of the others, allowing them to nod their heads and hammers in acknowledgement. Kofrec wore heavy armor and carried a large warhammer, a slow but strong warrior. Barildol opted for leathers, his one-handed weapon leaving the other hand available for offensive spells. Helgat carried a similar weapon, as well as smaller throwing hammers tied to her belt; her darkly dyed leathers seemed best suited for shadows.

"They are young, but capable," the leader, Thoil, continued. "Should you choose, they will aid you in your mission to retrieve this great wheel. Other treasures are yours to take, but be warned: men have died for less valuable items than this."

Barildol stepped forward as soon as he was sure Thoil was done speaking. "There is another way in, all the way on the other side of the mountain. It is a long walk, but the beast will not be expecting us to come from the other side."

The others would say nothing until they were spoken to. This was as much an ambassadorial mission as a heroic one, and they were well aware that it was within these adventurers' rights to refuse help. While any fool could venture down into the depths of Zujiuchu, few could boast the expressed bidding of dwarven nobility. They had been granted special permission by the high council to brave the wrath of Cordath, but maybe, just maybe, it would not come to that.

A quest sent out to adventurers by a new goddess; a cataclysmic collapse of time: both events were sufficient enough on their own to move a great many mortals in the realm. Yet it was the latter that the Parvporan native, Natsumi, actually cared about. She had never met the Goddess Who Hoards Knowledge, nor did she care to change that situation. The others on the venture to recover the ratchet wheel had come by notes or communication with this looming power. The druid, however, was different. She came not due to a divine edict, but due to "inspiration." Knowledge had been dropped into her head while she was searching for a way to help: the goddess's way of recruiting those unwilling to flirt with Canelux's tree, no doubt.
 
That was a few days before the young woman found her way into a group on the edge of a dragon's lair. She had met the dwarven guides there, a group that, apparently, mistook her for some official agent.  It was a curious situation, considering that Natsumi looked like nothing more than a tourist instead of a warrior. She had no armor or weapons on her. Indeed, she only wore a collection of clothing articles, each with colors of black and silver: a tunic, a pair of pants, a pair of boots and a pair of gloves. Each appeared custom-tailored, especially since they were specifically designed to let her tail out through the back. Not a single person present – except for Cha'Kwe'Tza, obviously – knew that these seemingly mundane items were actually alive.
 
"Two entrances, seven of us," the out of place woman said after all the dwarves were finished speaking. She examined the many stimuli of the immediate area, especially measuring the snores her heightened hearing could faintly grasp from inside the horde. "And the dragon is currently sleeping. Perhaps a pincer attack is best, but that depends on who wants to go where." She faced her six companions and began juggling a single ball of arcane energy in her right hand. "If you show me on a map where the other entrance is, I can open a gate to get us there without walking. It all depends on what everyone decides, however, as I prefer to have a cohesive strategy before we go venturing into the lair of something that would treat us all as tasty, baked goods."
 
There was no chuckle after this statement; not even a grin. Natsumi was dead serious when she was talking about how the dragon would view them, especially considering that she was planning to do more than simply recover the ratchet wheel. Her coffers were getting a little light, after all.

The recent weeks were mostly a blur to Cha'Kwe'Tza. The current phenomenon with the way that time was seemingly bending was wreaking havoc with him, and this was part of what brought him to the north of Parvpora. The second reason was his ever present task of searching out the relics of the two continents. Although he doubted that he would be able to keep this ratchet wheel for himself, if it meant that he helped return time to its original state, then he was all for it. Looking around at the rest of the group through yellow eyes, the scaly figure contemplated on hos odd the individuals were. Cha'Kwe'Tza saw that Natsumi was part of the group, which was a surprise. He hadn't seen her since they'd departed Apoy island, although when that happened was hard to recall, what with time being messed around the way it currently was. It was nice to know that there was at least one other in the group that he could trust for sure.

Four of the others were the native Dwarves. Thoil, Kofrec, Barildol and Helgat respectively. The final member of the party was someone entirely new to Cha'Kwe'Tza, and the scaly figure presumed that they would be introduced on the fly during the adventure to follow. Quickly enough, one of the Dwarves spoke about another entrance, followed closely by Natsumi's own remark about getting them there magically. This he all agreed with, and voiced it so, "I agree. Sleeping dragon is safe dragon. Sneaky is good." As much as Cha'Kwe'Tza enjoyed the thrill of battle, considering he was essentially born for the purpose, fighting a dragon head on was surely suicide in his mind. Looking around, Cha'Kwe'Tza fidgeted slightly with the bow stave in his left hand before settling down and waiting for the rest of the group to have their say.

Barildol grinned at the caster’s proposition, indulging in the unintended humor in her words. His eyes followed the manifested magic as he lifted a hand to cast his own spell: from the air he drew a clean roll of paper and opened it in front of the two foreigners. Lines appeared on the page as they looked down on it, reflecting the native’s knowledge of the area. The other entrance was nearly half a mile away, and much larger in comparison to the corridor before them now—room enough for a pair of giant wings to fly through. “The beast has burned away the trees, but there are enough rocks to sneak behind,” he said.

Thoil’s eyes narrowed. “I will not be joining you in this endeavor,” he interrupted, and even the least perceptive of folk might notice how he held his tongue otherwise. It was no accident that only three had come to aid the adventurers, however sanctioned they were, when the dwarf kingdom certainly had a standing army to be summoned. Nonetheless he would not leave the spot where he stood, apparently prepared to send word should the task come to failure.

That left them with five. The female, a rogue with a penchant for silence, said nothing. “We should have a fighter on either side,” Kofrec proposed through a heavy dwarven brogue, glancing at the reptilian warrior. Whether or not they took his advice, Natsumi and Chalky would ultimately decide how to divide the group. 

The mountainside would be as Barildol described it, with giant boulders framing the massive entrance. A wide swathe was burned out of the tree line leading from the hole, and the old stench of ash still lingered on the air. The area was strangely quiet, encouraging the same from those who intruded on it. Approaching the lip of the pit could reveal a rather steep climb down, though the hoard and its guardian were masked in shadow.

The hall behind the proper entrance would prove an easier trek. Five short minutes’ walk over smooth stone would lead the group to an abrupt slope pressed by the weight of the dragon itself, illuminated faintly by the distant light from the opposite entrance. The smell of ash and blood was stronger there, the air filled with the low hum of the dragon’s steady breathing. Each piece of treasure and coin would seem connected to another, and each in turn connected to the dragon’s sleeping senses. A stray prize would be hard to find, for it was easiest to steal by a thief who came before.

((OOC: We will continue without Petrichor for now. Also, don’t feel obligated to continue on if you would still like to talk before taking action.))

[OOC: Permission granted to say that Natsumi opened up the gate for your guys' next posts. This post is kind of short, so that should help with more to work with.]
 
Information and agreements streamed in following Natsumi's suggestion to the artifact hunting team – a welcome change of pace from the arguments of the day. It was nice, for the druid, to be working with an amicable enough group once more, especially in a situation that demanded it. Thoil, however, did prove to be a downer, even if Yamauchi understood why he was choosing to remain behind.
 
"Alright, then we have 5 rather than 6," she said with indifference. Walking over to Barildol's paper with orb still in hand, she continued on with the plan. Her finger tracing along the drawn map to illustrate her points as clearly as possible, she enunciated the plan to the other four members. "Taking into account that we want balanced teams – meaning one warrior, one rogue, and one mage on either side – I'd suggest the following make-ups. Cha'Kwe'Tza, Barildol and Helgat will use the other entrance.  Kofrec and I will take this original path. This provides each team with at least one member who has knowledge of the area along with a balanced make-up, since I can fulfill the roles of a thief as well as a mage when required." Pausing, she looked up from the parchment at those gathered around. "If the dragon somehow wakes up and goes after one team, then this set-up allows the other to still have a chance at retrieving the ratchet wheel."
 
That was the plan, at least. Rarely did anything, however, go according to plan. Natsumi could already feel ethereal eyes watching her, the same eyes she had experienced in the past when being stalked by the infamous Handler. Was there something in the dragon horde that caught the strange outsider's interest? Who could say? One thing that was for certain was that her presence was making the druid very uncomfortable and uncertain. Dragon hordes never mixed well with enigmatic curse wielders.

Moving around so that he stood with Barildol and Helgat, Cha'Kwe'Tza sized them up in his mind. Although he towered over them in stature, they carried themselves well enough to give the appearance of knowing what they were about. The large warrior just hoped that what they lacked in height, they more than made up for in ability. Thinking silently for a few more moments, Cha'Kwe'Tza was unable to create a reason to disagree with the plan, despite how uneasy he was about sneaking up on a dragon with two people that he had known for less than a day. Or was it more than that? Lately anything concerning time was difficult to determine properly.

Voicing a reluctant agreement on the split teams, Cha'Kwe'Tza stood close with the two Dwarves as Natsumi made the gate for them. As the mysterious portal opened up in front of them, the Reptilian gave his friend a quick nod before stepping through. On the other side, the three figures moved away from the opening before it closed behind them. Crouching, Cha'Kwe'Tza took a moment to survey the surroundings. Trees were burned down to stumps in a large area, the smell of ash and smoke heavy in the air. Stepping cautiously, the Reptilian kept about ten feet away from the other two as they neared the boulder framed entrance. If the dragon woke and sprayed them with fire, Cha'Kwe'Tza at least wanted the faint hope of being able to jump clear. Standing shy of the entrance, Cha'Kwe'Tza looked at the Dwarves, "This wheel. How large is it?" It also came to mind that he didn't think about working out a signal for the raid, but he wasn't going to be the first to voice that oversight.

[OOC: Sorry for the wait]

And yet, once the groups were decided, the gaze seemed to vanish.  Something was brewing: that much was certain. But Natsumi couldn't distract herself enough to tend to the matter at the moment. Lingering on the edge of a dragon's den was just as dangerous as letting the Handler's machinations go unchecked, if not more so. The former was the more pressing danger, especially since Natsumi's intention was to get everyone out alive.
 
"Before you leave, Barildol and Helgat," Natsumi said before opening the portal she promised, "I'll need a single strand of hair from you." The request was an odd one, admittedly, and thus it was no surprise when even the silent stoic reacted with squinted gaze. There was, however, a specific reason for it. "I can track you if I have that, and that will make extraction easier. If possible, I'd like everyone to get out of this mission for drinks later." Barildol's characteristic grin shown at this comment, mostly due to the fact that he didn't know Natsumi's idea of a drink was cold milk. Helgat and he both provided a single strand, as requested, and those gifted hairs were seemingly absorbed by the druid's clothing as soon as she placed them against her sleeve. With this action, the two dwarves were registered in Kino's mapping function, their locations readily accessible on a whim. Assuming that Chalky would be nearby at least one of them at any given time, the exact area the other team members occupied would always be known to the young woman without her having to painfully extract a scale from her large, lizard friend.
 
The portal was soon to open once this facet was assured, and Natsumi gave one last warning before everyone stepped through. "Let's all agree to meet up here when the job is done. If one team gets there first, leave a note of some kind to let the others know that the deed is done. Make sure it's obvious so we can see from afar." Then, they were off with a nod. The gate closed behind them, and the remaining team of Kofrec and Natsumi ventured forth on their course. Thoil stayed behind, as he stated he would, but the quest to retrieve the Ratchet Wheel had begun in earnest.
 
The trek down into the main tunnel was eerie, to be certain. Natsumi's visor appeared shortly into the visit, invoking a very dim luminance to light the way in the absence of lanterns. Kofrec was leading the pair, though, as he knew the mountain better than the visiting druid. He seemed unperturbed by the strong smells assailing his nostrils, quite unlike his companion. In truth, his appearance was that of a stalwart warrior, at least until a reflection in a large, golden mirror caught him off guard.
 
"Who is that?" The warrior whispered. In the reflective surface of the mirror ahead, the group of two had suddenly become a group of three. Behind Natsumi's reflection, a raven haired woman had appeared. She wore all black and carried a tea cup in her hand. Of course, she also wasn't really there. When Kofrec turned around to confront the interloper, only a haggard Natsumi greeted him.

To the dwarf, it might have seemed that the mirror was simply cursed in order to make the user think someone was watching them. For Natsumi, on the other hand, the sight of the woman within marked the beginning of a cold sweat of uncertainty.
 
"Why are you here, Handler?" she asked as the uneasy gaze returned. The reflection only smiled, and, for a brief moment, opened its mouth to speak. The druid expected words to finally appear, but they did not come through the venue she anticipated. Instead, it was the dragon overhead who spoke in his sleep, not the Handler herself.

"To observe your strange journey." The terrible voice filled both Kofrec and Natsumi with dread, especially when the reflection disappeared from sight.  The sound was loud enough to just barely travel out to the other team, a testament to the size of the dragon it belonged to. This fact made it all the more frightening when one considered the truth of the matter. There was something in that cavern with the power to control such a beast in its sleep without it being the wiser, and there was no telling whether she was friend or foe in this situation.

“Wh- what?” Came the faint sound of a voice, in response to the dragon’s somnambulant murmurs. A glance at Kofrec would reveal that he had not been the one to speak, and in fact the voice was a little too high pitched and a little too distant to have been his at all. The nose of the scaled beast flared in the darkness, snorting bright embers and revealing its precise location atop a mountain of shimmering gold treasure. It did not awaken.

The sound was close enough to Natsumi to investigate, if she and Kofrec chose to take that direction around the hoard instead of the other. It was far from the dragon's nose and its brief illumination, in fact closer to the tail than anything else. To any with the ability to sense auras or see through darkness, the presence of two other people would be revealed: huddled at the mouth of a low cavity in the cavern’s interior hid a pair of young women, filthy and afraid. One retreated soundlessly into the grotto when the dragon spoke, while the other remained seated at the threshold.

Still the ratchet wheel could not be seen from the vantage of the two who had entered from the main entrance. The item itself was located on the opposite side of the dragon, near its folded forearms, only perceptible by chance by the trio who entered from above. Helgat nodded at the descent before them and immediately began to climb down, silently assuming her role as scout to find the least treacherous way down. Barildol's head bent almost despairingly in response to Cha'Kwe'Tza's question. "It is quite large. It would take at least two dwarves to carry." He paused to consider the ally before him. "Perhaps you could carry it."

As he spoke, Chalky might perceive the turning of gravel or the cracking of branches in their vicinity. Barildol's back was still turned to the charred forest when a crossbow bolt suddenly whistled between the trees and past his shoulder, and with an ominous twang struck the ground a few feet on the other side. The warrior's reptilian senses would certainly show him the nature of his attacker: the faintly familiar scent and beady draconic eyes of a little kobold bowman. It shrieked when it saw that its bolt has not met its mark, and the invisible scuttling of failed ambush rose up around them.