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Setup: For the dragon to allow you access to theking—or even to allow you to remain within the capital—youmust convince it that you pose no threat.Level: 14.Complexity: 3 (requires 8 successes before 3failures).Primary Skills: Bluff, History, Streetwise.Bluff (DC 23): The PCs downplay their abilitiesand possibly their ambitions, trying to convincethe dragon to see them as less of a threat. For eachsuccessful check, they achieve 1 success. They canachieve up to 4 successes with this skill.History (DC 18): The PCs discuss historical tales andapocryphal myths about advisors, both traitorous andwell meaning, who prevented their lieges from hearingbad news or from learning news of their realms—and who suffered disastrous repercussions. For eachsuccessful check, they achieve 1 success. They canachieve up to 4 successes with this skill. On a failure,the dragon pokes holes in the stories or declares themfalse; the PCs lose 1 success (if they have any).Streetwise (DC 26): The PCs repeat rumors orwhispers of ambition among other royal advisors orpowerful merchants, pointing out those personalities’greater danger to the dragon’s position. The PCshave also heard whispers of the dragon’s own goalsand ambitions. On a successful check, they achieve2 successes and gain a +2 bonus to Bluff checks andDiplomacy checks until one of those checks fails.They can achieve only 2 successes with this skill.Other Skills: Arcana, Diplomacy, Intimidate,Religion.Arcana or Religion (DC 14): The PCs remind thedragon of ancient theories and myths that the good ofthe king and the good of the kingdom influence eachother—and that the king risks both by preventingthis potential alliance. On a successful check, theyachieve 1 success. They can achieve only 1 successwith either of these skills.Diplomacy (DC 18): The PCs simply and straightforwardlyexplain what they can offer the king andthe kingdom. On a successful check, they achieve 1success. They can achieve only 1 success with thisskill. On a failure, the dragon decides the PCs areambitious; each future check in this challenge takes a–1 penalty until the PCs earn 2 more successes.Intimidate: The dragon shrugs off any attemptat intimidation and takes it as evidence of the PCs’power and ambition. If the PCs attempt an Intimidatecheck, they lose 1 success (if they have any).Success: The dragon allows the PCs to remainand to gain audience with the king.Failure: If the PCs scored 4 or more successesbefore failing, the dragon lets them pass only afterwarning the vizier not to trust them. Apply a –2 penaltyto any skill checks made to influence the vizier.If the PCs scored 1 to 3 successes, the dragonremains convinced of the PCs’ threat and demandsthat they leave the palace and city immediately. If thePCs have no successes when they fail the challenge,the dragon waits until they leave and then sends soldiersor assassins after them.The Long and Winding RoadLeaves blow across the crossroads, heralded by the flappingof wings. The sun goes dark.“I am here as agreed.” The enormous wyrm lands in thedust before you, tail twitching like a hunting cat’s. “Whatdid you wish to discuss?”A powerful mercantile guild wishes to expand itsinfluence, and the PCs currently serve as its emissaries.(Perhaps the guild hired them, or perhaps theyhave allied with or joined it.) The guild seeks use ofa road that runs through the dragon’s territory andwants a deal in which the wyrm will not attack travelersflying the guild’s colors.Setup: For the dragon to agree to your proposal,you must convince it that allowing regular passagethrough its territory will benefit it more than raidingthe guild’s caravans.Level: 26.Complexity: 4 (requires 10 successes before 3failures).Primary Skills: Diplomacy, Nature, Religion.Diplomacy (DC 26): The PCs weigh the benefitsof guild payment against how much the dragon canexpect to gain from random raids that might nevertouch the richest travelers. For each successful check,they achieve 1 success. They can achieve up to 6 successeswith this skill. If players specifically say they’rediscussing long-term profit versus short-term gains,each such player gains a +4 bonus to that Diplomacycheck (once only).Nature (DC 31): The PCs point out areas into whichthe dragon can expand its territory away from theroad: places where the guild and local governmentswould less likely pester it. On a successful check,they achieve 2 successes. They can achieve only 2successes with this skill. The dragon breaks off thechallenge to investigate the claim. When it returns,every future check gains a +2 bonus until the PCs’next failure.Religion (DC 26): The PCs espouse the virtues ofgathering wealth according to Tiamat’s doctrines andpoint out that the dragon wastes its time slaughteringthe poor on the off chance of finding true wealth—whereas the guild offers real payment. For eachsuccessful check, they achieve 1 success. They canachieve up to 3 successes with this skill. On a failure,the dragon counters with Tiamat’s doctrine that thosewho cannot defend their possessions do not deservethem; the PCs can make no further Religion checks,and every future skill check of any other sort in this48CHAPTER 2 | DM’s Guide to Dragons