From the journal of Marria Dei Quat, copied. Of him much not known is. In the following, seen, strategies. Recommendation, to choose to suit drake carefully, is. Utility, loss of power points, valuable, of certainty, is. Study, Plan, Test, Execute. Note: archaic categorization by stone precious used. Refer Zemalius.

The Greater Drakes are of inestimable power and are invariably crafty in the matter of magical lore and spell-casting. I thus resolved that my talents would be best used not in directly combating the mystic beasts, but instead by seducing them into weakening themselves by arrogant display. Initially Grum and Thrutar were less than impressed by my suggestion, but after our first victory over a Young Emerald, in which the drake was lowered in magical power by almost half, they proved more amenable. It is also possible that my status as obvious first target pleased them as much as my deleterious effects on the energies of the drakes. So:

Staggruak the Opal: As an opal, this Beast was capable of many airy creations and I inveigled him into displaying several illusions and the creation of elemental servants. I pretended to be curious in the matter of difference of Djinns and, when I sensed his patience to be diminishing, I asked whether his breath were capable of erasing his own creations. Immediately after the opalic breath was disgorged, I alerted G & T who rushed the beast. With several hasted rounds of combat before the breath could be rekindled, we were able to dispatch the beast with only minor injuries and an arm bitten off.

Aphasa Hematite: Sadly, although I thought this Beast had fallen for my patter on the power of dark to overcome light, it seemed he expended only the weaker forms of spell on my suggestions, and he had clearly detected G. The Dark Beast had cast a waiting ball spell amongst his other prestidigitations and as soon as G appeared he was enveloped in an enhanced ball of darkness. T engaged Aphasa sufficiently long for me to make my escape on the carpet I had laid outside. On the positive side, Aphasa should now be willing to speak to me again when I come back with a new team, an his treasure will have increased by at least two holy items and TÌs rather pleasant wall shield.

Erik the Cruel, Conversation with, personally, recorded.

ðððððððððððððððððððððððððððððð

Them big bastards are a real scaffa-choker. Bad prep and youÌll find yourself fried, filleted and fugged over good. HereÌs what I tell my lads.

First, if its not mithril, holy or slaying, forget it. No exceptions.

Second, Big fugging shields. And keep spares. They melt

Third, get yourself hasted. Stuff yourself full of anything that helps you do your stuff. If it kills you next year, thatÌs a year moreÌnÌyouÌd had otherwise

Fourth, anything you can do to get surprise, do it.

Fifth, sort out what happens when everything goes arse-up.

Seventh, oh yeah, sixth, decide who gets to rearguard when you havta hoof it. Pay in advance and make sure heÌs got family.

Finally. If yer new to the game, youÌre likely dead first fight. Get yor affairs in order and get a singer for yer wake.

Barbarian northern epic poem fragment. Note: shield and breastplate burned through once in breath. Necessity for enchantments clear. Noted, to be, also, cause of death for hero. Namely, blood. Necessity for counter-poison (opposite element theory?)

ðððððððððððððððððððððððððððððð

At the words the worm came once again,
murderous monster mad with rage,
with fire-billows flaming, its foes to seek,
the hated men. In heat-waves burned
that board to the boss, and the breastplate failed
to shelter at all the spear-thane young.
Yet quickly under his kinsman's shield
went eager the earl, since his own was now
all burned by the blaze. The bold king again
had mind of his glory: with might his glaive
was driven into the dragon's head, --
blow nerved by hate. But Naegling was shivered,
broken in battle was Beowulf's sword,
old and gray. 'Twas granted him not
that ever the edge of iron at all
could help him at strife: too strong was his hand,
so the tale is told, and he tried too far
with strength of stroke all swords he wielded,
though sturdy their steel: they steaded him nought.
Then for the third time thought on its feud
that folk-destroyer, fire-dread dragon,
and rushed on the hero, where room allowed,
battle-grim, burning; its bitter teeth
closed on his neck, and covered him
with waves of blood from his breast that welled.

From Quellius, unknown

Aside a pretty market-towne, called Horsam, neare unto it a forrest, called Ariatta Forrest, and there, in a vast and unfrequented place, heathie, vaultie, full of unwholesome shades, and over-growne hollowes, where this serpent is thought to be bred; but, wheresoever bred, certaine and too true it is, that there it yet lives. There is always in his tracke or path left a glutinous and slimie matter which is very corrupt and offensive to the scent; insomuch that they perceive the air to be putrified withall, which must needes be very dangerous, as one thus saith :

"Noxia serpentum est admixto sanguine pestis. - LUCAN"

This serpent (or dragon, as some call it) is reputed to be nineten feete, or rather more, in length, and shaped almost in the forme of an axeltree of a cart; a quantitie of thickness in the middest, and somewhat smaller at both endes. The former part, which he shootes forth as a necke, is supposed to be an elle long; with a white ring, as it were, of scales about it. The scales along hist backe seem to be blackish, and so much as is discovered under his bellie, appeareth to be red; for I speak of no nearer description than of a reasonable ocular distance. For coming too neare it, hath already beene too dearly payd for, as you shall heare hereafter.

He will cast his venome about ten rodde from him, as by woefull experience it was proved on the bodies of a man and a woman comming that way, who afterwards were found dead, being poysoned and very much swelled, but not prayed upon. Likewise a man going to chase it, and as he imagined, to destroy it with two mastive dogs, as yet not knowing the great danger of it, his dogs were both killed, and he himselfe glad to returne with hast to preserve his own life. Yet this is to be noted, that the dogs were not prayed upon, but slaine and left whole : for his is thought to be, for the most part, in a conie-warren, which he much frequents; and it is found much scanted and impaired in the encrease it had woont to afford.ð

From Quellius, southern barbarian, hedge-trimmer, him recounted

They do say, that a dunnamany years ago there was a gert dragon lived in that big pond there, Knucker his name was, and Knucker Hole we calls it to-day. And thisyer ole dragon, you know, he uster goo spannelling about the Brooks by night to see what he could pick up for supper, like few horses, or cows maybe, he'd snap 'em up soon as look at 'em. So the Mayor offered a reward for anyone as ud put an end to en. I misremember how much t'was, but something pretty big, I reckon. Jim Puttock he goos to Mayor, and tells him his plan. And Mayor he says everybody must give en what he asks, and never mind the expense.

So he goos to the smith and horders a gert iron pot 'bout so big. And he goos to the miller and asks en for so much flour. And he goos to the woodmen and tells 'em to build a gert stack-fire in the middle o' the Square. And when t'was done he set to and made the biggest pudden' that was ever seen. And when t'was done they heaved en on to a timber-tug, and somebody lent en a team to draw it, and off he goos, bold as a lion. All the people followed en as far as the bridge, but they dursn't goo no furder, for there was ole Knucker.ð And he sees thisyer tug a-coming, and he sings out, affable-like: :

"How do, Man?" says Dragon.

"How do, Dragon?" says Jim.

"What you got there?" says Dragon, sniffing.

"Pudden" says Jim.

"Pudden?" says Knucker. "What be that?"

"Just you try" says Jim.

And he didn't want no more telling-pudden, horses, tug, they was gone in a blink. Fore long they hears en rowling about, and roaring and bellering fit to bust hissel. And as he rowls, he chucks up gert clods, big as houses, and trees and stones and all manner, he did lash about so with his tail. Jim Puttock took his dinner, and goos off to have a look at en. When he sees en coming, ole Knucker roars out :

"Don't you dare bring me no more o' that 'ere pudden, young marn!"

"Why?" says Jim. "What's matter?" "Colly wobbles" says the Dragon. "Shudn't bolt it so" says Jim, "but never mind, I got a pill here, soon cure that" "Where?" says Knucker.

"Here" says Jim. And he ups with an axe he'd held behind his back and cuts off his head.

List of Shopping, ownership of Miyamoto Tokeihara, destruction of Bale Drake of Semmet, Drake of Cold, unsuccessful, not due to preparadness, lack, of, is.

Scroll: Frost/Burn Relief II	20 bu each
Scroll: Lifekeeping III	300 bu
Potion: Cold Resistance	20 bu each
Potion: Prayer I	10 bu each
Scroll: Teleport V	500 bu
Potion: Haste II	100 bu each (get 8)
Scroll: Fireball	35 bu each
Stun berries	Ju-harama owes us
Concussion restoration
Magic enhancement (Yevathalion?)
Pick up slaying arrows from smith
smith get us scrolls of targeting?

Eletharion Paramenthius Elendurildur, conversation with

Know that the greater drakes are the most dangerous foe in the world, and that an incautious approach will lead to utter destruction. The great rangers of my people had advised me thusly: Spend several weeks scouting the drakesÌ territory and find several drakes of the species you desire to hunt. Also prepare a place of safety, well concealed and defensible. If, during this scouting period, you encounter any drake, lesser or greater, then be sure that you parlay with them or flee if necessary. Be especially careful to discover anything you can of the relationships between the drakes. Some species are enemies and can be prevailed on for aid against their foes. Others, although apparently separate, may be mates or allies. Caution, in all.

Once prepared, choose the absolute weakest drake you can find as a first target. A young lesser drake of the correct species would be the best. Form a plan and ambush and kill it. Withdraw to your retreat and consider how well your plan worked. Remember to conceal your trail so you are not tracked back to your lair. If you are, you will certainly die.

If the combat was satisfactory, pick a mature lesser drake, or, if it went very well, a young greater drake. Repeat until a combat goes poorly. In each case be sure to take each challenge very seriously. Even a mature lesser drake resists nearly all critical strikes and is cunning and perspicacious. Spend all your money on dragon-killing equipment and resistance against breath and spells (for the greater drakes). The drakeÌs treaure will replenish your supplies and anything unused can be used in your next venture.

Know this: The thrill of killing a great drake is incomparable. Do not become clouded in your judgement. Think Ò were you really in command, or was it simply luck? Consider Ò could you have done something differently? Under no circumstances try a new strategy against a more dangerous foe than you have previously fought. If anything leads you to believe drakes will ally against you or have found your lair, leave. Leave at a run.

ÏOn the Differences Between Lesser and GreaterÓ copied, accuracy with

There are some who believe that the greater drakes are naturally more intelligent. I do not. Their spell-casting ability, unshared by the lesser, is, in my opinion, not a consequence of a better mind, but is a natural condition associated with their increased contact with elemental force. Consider the breath ability of the greater Ò also a proof of their greater affinity with their element. I would also consider the somewhat slower physical agility of the greater drakes as proof of their closer affinity to their element and lesser affinity with our world. So the matter of their equal intelligence is proved.

Physically, there is little to distinguish them. Lithe and well-fed specimens of both lesser and greater appear within species, and on first sight a mature lesser may easily be mistaken for a young greater. An old greater is undeniable, of course, but sufficient overlap does not allow us simply to distinguish between them. Some differences in wingedness appear in some species between lesser and greater, but there is neither uniformity within a species or sufficient tendancy between species to judge accurately. Hence, except for the very weak and the very powerful, their equal physicality is proved.

Of morals, there is little to be said. Both are immoral and should be exterminated whenever possible. This is well know and incontrovertible.

With respect to spell-casting, Psamildus states that a rare lesser may cast spells. Psamildus, however, has far less experience in such matters than his betters and his opinions may be ignored. Spell-casting is an infallible mark of the greater. A further infallible mark is the so-called Ïbreath weaponÓ of the drake. Such nomenclature is patently absurd. Although the elemental material emits from the throat area, it is clearly a summoned material of pure elemental essence and should be considered a spell, instead of a ÏbreathÓ. Consider that only the greater may use ÏbreathÓ, as indeed only the greater use spells. Consider also that no drake has ever been recorded as both casting spells and breathing within the same sixth of a minute period, which is the usual magical limitation on spell-casting. From this I deduce that breath depletes the casterÌs magical momentum in the same way as spell-casting does and thus it is clear that ÏbreathÓ is indeed a spell. Indeed it is a mighty spell, as dragon-hunters state that the mature and elder greater drakes may use it but once a minute, while the younger greater drakes may use it half as often, or less.

ÏBoyÓ TakkanÌs tale, recalled, years later, The honorable and just seer of the great temple of Nirvana, by. Drug unknown. Yevathalion? Witch candle lore, information, not finding, me by.

Azar scouted the area and found the wyrmÌs cave. It was hot and ashy, as you might expect. He turned himself into a rat and snuck in. He hid there three days casting no spells but making sure he could recall the place very exactly. Then he came back. He was nearly et by a fox, but got by it. We let a couple of bullocks loose near the entrance and the wyrm et them. We thought it might make him sleepier or slower. We got our stuff on and snuck up within a mile to the blind we had made. Zay lit the candle and we breathed deep till we felt the drug work. Azar read the teleport scroll and we were in. I was point and drank the fire resistance drink and hit it on the head. It breathed on me, but I skipped the blast. No-one else was hit. The twins were working the left side. One took a nasty hit to the leg. He was able to overcome the effects by his mental arts. Zay summoned a pair of ice elemental servants. The dragon stopped a round to cast a spell. We were all in a firestorm. It burned us pretty good, but the spells kept us going and we hacked away. I yelled it was casting spells so everyone went full attack. I landed a neat blow on the head and stunned it. Azar ripped its side with an ice-bolt and I got my spear right into its neck. Blood spurted over my arm. It caught fire and burned away in a few seconds and I fell over. Azar cast a cold ball on my arm to counter the fire and it went out. I lost the arm though. The twins had knocked the wyrm about a lot. Them and the servants got it at the end. I got double share for being at the head and I bought this nice steel arm. Needs regular polishing and only works 4 hours a day. Made enough else to retire with though. Azar and Zay bought into the guild and the twins died three years later stopping an invasion. Funy world, isnÌt it?Q