The Sword of Myr, again (Surraruthru)

[Iron Dragoon]

"I'm fully supportive of both avenues. I'd be happy to accompany either of you, though showing my face to Seira more often is of more benefit to me, personally. I may be able to find out more about Goldenfire, as well."

[Anastasia]

"More benefit...to you?" Kascha frowns a bit, "You really take after the Waukeenite section of Seira's faith, don't you?"

"Well, he is a dragon," Vivantha smiles slightly. "The treasures brave hero took from dragon hoads alone proves that."

"He is a dragon and somewhat akin to a teenager as well. That's quite the combination." Kascha looks at you and smiles warmly, "Oh, did your parents follow any particular faith? I know dragons are often not terribly religious, beyond lip service to a draconic deity close to their interests."

[Iron Dragoon]

Surraruthru gives Kascha a slightly surly look at being called a teenager.

"Well, they did follow Asgorath, but I think that was more of a function of keeping neutrality between Bahamut and Tiamat. As for the Waukeenite comment... I think most dragons would almost automatically qualify as being one of hers. Except the whole... charity thing. Well, I mean, if I give it to myself to improve my own standing, it could still count..."

Surraruthru considers this...

[Anastasia]

"Hmmm. A question then. You have ten gold coins. Is it better to add them to your hoard, or to give them to a hungry family so that they may eat?" Vivantha asks, "Even if no one would see you or praise you for it?"

[Iron Dragoon]

Surraruthru shudders at the concept of simply... giving... money away.

"I'd rather buy them the food and keep the change. I can ensure they get what they need, and if I know a good merchant, keep.. as much as I can... for myself. Most mortals tend to have poor priorities when it comes to money. Which is why they try to steal hoards from innocent dragons. For their own greed."

Surraruthru nods sagaciously.

[Anastasia]

"I think you're both wrong," Kascha says, "It would be wiser to resolve the underlying issue of poverty rather than simply give them gold. Why is the family starving? Is it something you can fix? A man that can stand on his own does not need as much charity. I can see it now," Kascha starts pacing, "The father worked as a scribe until he offended his boss and was fired. They live in a city so farming isn't an easy answer. Money grows tight, the children are hungry. His name has been befouled and none will hire him. The baby cries, his wife is dirty and stressed."

> roll 1d20+8
<Kobot> Koaway rolled 1d20+8 --> [ 1d20=10 ]{18}

Kascha's ion stones fly around her head as she talks in quick, swooping patterns. She almost stumbles on a small pile of gold, but nimbly hops over it. "Oh yes, so you go and clear the good man's name, get him a respectable position and the family is free of hunger."

Vivantha claps thrice, slowly. "A wise lesson, but you've rather taken my question and ran to the horizon with it."

This gets Kascha to stop and blush slowly, "Um, sorry! I did get carried away, didn't I? But I imagined that family all around the dinner table, the wife-" Kascha stops as Vivantha clears her throat. "Sorry."

"Very well. You buy one family food. His neighbor is just as hungry. The whole town suffers from a bad harvest and must buy food from surrounding villages and merchants. Tell me, do you spend that money and more from your hoard? Is glittering gold worth more in your hoard than food in bellies? What if they hear of your gold and storm your lair, so that they can take your treasure and ensure their children do not starve this winter?"

[Iron Dragoon]

Surraruthru eyes Kascha suspiciously.

"That sounds suspiciously like the basis of a play or novel... And your excitement for it... Is that from one of those romance novels I've heard whispering about from women in the library? Do you have a pen name that you've hidden from us?"

Shaking his head to dismiss the idea of Kascha the trashy romance novelist, he turns back to Vivanthia.

"Well, if they storm my lair, they'll likely die. Charity or not, Seira or Wakueen, a Dragon's lair is their castle, and trespass will cost dearly. But to answer the core of your question, if there's a situation such as that... There's opportunity there. Kascha's answer would be best suited; find a way to solve the underlying problem. Bad crops? Try to find a way to allow them to stand on their own. A service or merchant that can work a deal out. As poor of an answer as ignoring them is, simply throwing gold at a problem until it goes away is equally as bad. As an aside, 'if-ing' a factious situation to test someone's morals is both a deep hole, and a path that lead to insult. I may be a... teenager..." Surrauthru adopts a look of distaste, "... but I've proven my moral standing, I believe. I have my greed, yes, but I've also gone out of my way to assist others. I doubt Baleruk, Hope, or Arrel get questioned this way. Many people here seem to question me this way. Is it because I'm new, or simply too small to be viewed as a dragon?"

[Anastasia]

"What? No!" Kascha declares, blushing hotly and shaking her head in the background.

"If I've caused offense, I apologize. It is not to question your morals nor to cast shadows on your character. The most kind-hearted and righteous dragon still feels the lure of a treasure hoard; the morality of a dragon is a different thing than other creatures. The insight a dragon can provide to those questions is interesting. There are many approaches on how to be a good person, that is but one of many."

[Iron Dragoon]

Surraruthru shifts a bit, then nods.

"Very well. I may have been a touch sensitive. I've been getting questioned a lot like this since I've arrived. I dislike it. I am a dragon and unused to being questioned. As for your scenario, there's not going to be any singular sufficient answer. I'm not opposed to using a bit of my hoard to help, but simply giving money away is a poor answer indeed. Kascha's more on the right track, I think. Use power, influence, and money to assist with establishing self-sufficiency, but nothing in the world is free. Nothing. A return, a trade, must also be made, even if in simple gestures."

[Anastasia]

"Nothing in the mortal world, at least," Vivantha appends, "If only all the realms were like the Heavens, then we would not be at war."

"Well yes, but that's why we keep going." Kascha retorts, "If you gave paradise to the devils, it would soon become Hell. The realms reflect those that live there."

[Iron Dragoon]

"As we've seen with Lifasa. In any case, I believe we've deviated from our discussion. How should we split ourselves, and are there other resources we've overlooked?"

[Anastasia]

"There may be one. I heard a dragon recently joined us. He goes by Gold and you can guess the type of dragon he is," Vivantha says, "Maybe he'd be able to help you with the lore, Surraruthru?"

[Iron Dragoon]

"Mmm... We could make a stop, certainly. Golds are typically fairly friendly for dragons, and I'm assuming he's a gold because name, so I wouldn't mind so much."

[Anastasia]

"I was thinking we could split up, accomplish more with swiftness apart than alone. We all head to friendly territory, force of arms is not needed," Vivantha says. "Though I have no objection if speed is not a concern."

[Iron Dragoon]

"Very well. I'll find Gold. If Kascha hasn't finished by then, I'll join her, and we'll find you after we finish."