Dragon's Keep

"Be careful and walk quietly," Silvanon tells you. "This is Dragon's Keep, where the dragons of Alonnia make their homes."

"Is it safe?" you ask her. "So many stories say that dragons are evil."

"Some of them are," she replies. "Some are also very good creatures. Others are nuetral, and answer only to themselves. I've found most of them to be like humans, with both noble and evil tendancies."

She continues, "I have some friends among the dragons, and all of them respect me, so it is safe for us to enter the keep. It is, however, best if we don't draw any unnecessary attention."

---

You follow the girl into the keep. It is dimly lit inside, and you find you must watch your step carefully for the floor is uneven. After awhile you feel the hall begin to get warmer. In fact, it soon becomes almost uncomfortably hot. You are about to say something to the maid, when you suddenly come to the end of the hall. It opens up into a large room. The lighting is very poor, and you can't see the far wall or the ceiling.

"Manthanti," Silvanon calls out. Before the echos die, you hear the sound of claws scaping on stone from the far end of the room. Whatever it is, it is coming closer to you. Now you can tell that it must be very close. You squint out into the darkness, and after awhile you are able to make out the giant shape of Manthanti's head.

Manthanti thrusts his nose towards you and sniffs at your clothing. The force of it almost pulls you off your feet. Suddenly he swings his head towards your guide. "You know I don't like strangers," he growles.

"I'm just bringing him through to see the collection you're guarding for me," the girl tells him calmly. "If you'll move out of the way, we'll continue on."

The dragon tosses his head and a small bit of flame shoots out of his nostrils. Then he turns and moves off into the darkness. Confidently Silvanon strides out into the room, and you follow nervously. After a bit you come to the other side of the room. You see a rough circular door which opens into another, smaller room. Carefully scratched into the wall above the doorway are the words "Trophy Hall." You wonder what kind of collection Mathanti is guarding . . .

---

Upon exiting the trophy hall, you continue on through the Dragon's Keep. Suddenly you notice that there is daylight at the end of the hall. You follow the girl out into a great bowled room, which is open to the sky at the top. Hot sand covers the floor. In the middle of the sand a large golden dragon curls protectively around several eggs. Silvanon turns to you and says, "Would you like to meet Shandith?"

---

From Dragon's Keep you can see a single large tree, also situated in the gem fields. On the horizon is the deep blue of an ocean.