Kin

In hush voices the group discussed what to do while the dragon woke and sniffed the air. Flesh Ripper seemed strangely unperplexed at the sight of the giant white dragon but this went unnoticed as the group planned what they would do. Eventually it was decided that Argus being dragonborn and able to speak draconic would venture into the dragons' chamber with Rayla and Morthos. Rayla could also speak draconic and talk to the dragon while Morthos would keep his hypnotic pattern spell ready in case the negotiations did not go well.

The dragon was surprisingly friendly and had talked readily with Argus. The dragon in fact wanted the group to assist her. The dragon had been tricked into the cave and trapped by the oni. The oni were in search of items the dragon kept in her lair as well as any dragon eggs she had. The oni would take and enslave any dragon younglings they could find or hatch from eggs. While the dragon claimed to have no eggs she did have a daughter that was still in her lair and she wanted the group to do two things, first ensure her daughter was safe, and second kill the oni that had trapped her so that she could be set free from its magical trap. If the group agreed to the bargain the dragon would give them extremely powerful magical items in return. The three members present agreed to the bargain and the dragon cast a spell that bound them in their bargain.

The magical bond would ensure that the group did not just go to the lair and harm the dragon's youngling and steal treasure, while it also bound the dragon to giving what it promised (dragons are loathe to part with their treasures). The dragon also asked the group to care for a nearly frozen to death and starving dwarf woman that had found her way into the cave after being chased by oni. The women was in ill health so Morthos used his magic to heal her. Before leaving Argus asked what her daughter would look like, and the dragon revealed that she was actually a silver dragon and that the treasure the group saw and the white scales were all a powerful oni's illusion.

The three returned to the entrance of the cave and told the others of the bargain. They decided to rest and then search out the dragon's lair. Leomarvis gave the dwarf woman food which she gladly ate. The woman introduced herself as Vorgabela Smashhammer. She was travelling to Irongate when the oni attacked and chased her. She finally found refuge in the cave but was badly wounded, cold, and starving when she found the dragon. She had thought the dragon would kill but instead the dragon did its best to aid her. The group rested while Leomarvis kept watch and Flesh Ripper went out to hunt.

Flesh Ripper returned a short while later seemingly afraid of something, and it was then the oni started trying to intimidate Leomarvis. leomarvis stood his ground and when the oni came into view he fired an arrow into the giants shoulder. The group awoke to the sounds of screams of battle. The fight was fast and ferocious as oni fiends joined their oni master and attacked the group. The oni attacked Leomarvis wounding the elven ranger as the fiends closed in. Bob strood forward and attacked the oni cutting the beast with his flame blade. Morthos conjured a cloud of daggers where the oni stood and the small knives tore away at the evil giant creature.

Norbert, knowing of the oni demanded to know the name of the oni attacking the group, the oni identified themselves as Okog of the Irug clan. The norbert blasted the oni and one of the oni fiends with a massive fireball. The oni seeing the wizard Norbert as a threat shape-changed into a lion, leapt over Leomarvis and attacked Norbert. Rayla blasted the oni with a lightning bolt but still the creature fought hardly seeming fazed by the groups attacks. Bob seeing his friend Norbert badly injured spun and attacked the oni. Using his zephyr strike spell Bob quickly moved in and attacked with his flame blade and finished the oni. Argus struck one of the oni fiends and then Morthos hit the creatures with dissonant whispers and melted the evil creatures brain. As the final fiend tried to flee Rayla let loose with a fireball that obliterated the creature.

The group collected items from the oni and in the morning set off towards the dragon's lair.