The hoard: always (Surraruthru, 84 days left)

[Iron Dragoon]

"I understand it fine. Mine are a little similar and if they were gemstones, they'd be magnificent. I'm just asking you to remember the last time you molted. What part of it did you enjoy *at all.* Get your gemstone scales if you want them, sure. But just remember molting."

[Anastasia]

"IT IS A SMALL PRICE TO PAY FOR WEALTH WORTHY OF ONE SUCH AS I!" Baleruk booms, "Go! Obtain what I need!"

[Iron Dragoon]

"I note that you've yet to tell me what that is or where it is. Or how much I'll be getting from this. Are we talking a lump sum or monthly installments?"

[Anastasia]

Baleruk glowers, "I need essence of the rainbow," Baleruk says, "Seek it at Limbo, by using powerful prismatic magic again and again."

[Iron Dragoon]

"Limbo. You want me to go to limbo. To get rainbows."

Surraruthru narrows his eyes at Baleruk.

"Does this have something to do with Renbuu's visit? I heard him bellowing across all of Aurora and calling for you."

[Anastasia]

Baleruk's eyes narrow. "I do not wish to comment on that," he says, rather shortly.

[Iron Dragoon]

 Surraruthru continues staring at Baleruk.

"... Then I suppose you don't mind if I get Afina to help me and we stop in to ask Renbuu to help us locate this rainbow for you. After all, he'd be the best and fastest way to find it."

[Anastasia]

"...very well," Baleruk says, "As long as you get it, I will permit it."

[Iron Dragoon]

Surraruthru chuckles.

"Oh, this is rich. I assume this has to do with whatever this color thing I've heard about is?" At this, Surraruthru gains a far-away and contemplating look...

"Though, hmm... I suppose if you take a color to be an implicit representation of a universal concept, and seeing as how knowledge of a thing gives the power of it... Could color be... assimilated the way Afina assimilates elements? But then... The slaads represent colors? Envoys a different understanding of the universe, based on interpreting colors... Hmm.. What would a color's truename be? Something that encompasses all the concepts that color rules and binds..."

Surraruthru's eyes refocus on Baleruk and sharpen. "What would the true name of a rainbow be? Or a prismatic representation of it. I wonder if the shorthand combination of that and dragon would be something related to a certain dragon in Aurora."

[Anastasia]

"Hmph, I already know the true name of rainbows," Baleruk preens, brushing a claw along his scales.

[Iron Dragoon]

"Then you have enough already. Instead of chasing things to appease others, you should be a dragon. Conquer and rule, Baleruk. Take ownership of the prismatic and create something new. Something more. Unless this.. gemling scale is in the pursuit of that, I've little interest beyond the gold, and it will have to be substantial to offset the idea of helping another dragon gain a better hoard than I."

Surraruthru begins looking disinterested. "Just as I wished to gain the power of a True Dragon, you should wish to gain the power of... whatever you wish to be affiliated with. I designed a ritual to do battle with the dragon the heart came from and I ripped his power from him and made it my own. Do you own the rainbows, Baleruk, or do you just know them? Or will create something new?"

[Anastasia]

"It is not sufficient for this, and my business is IN CREATING RAINBOWS," Baleruk bellows, "Let GEMSTONES BE CREATED FROM ME! GO! GO GATHER WHAT I NEED!"

Then Baleruk eyes you anew, "Or are you insufficient to the task?

[Iron Dragoon]

Surraruthru openly laughs.

"So taunts the one asking for help to avoid Renbuu. I won't agree to help you until you've offered payment. A vague promise of gemstone scales is neither a number nor enticing enough for me to expend effort to, potentially, expand your hoard exponentially. Until we settle on sufficient payment, all I'll offer is to help you make a spell based on the truename of rainbows, then make it a living spell. That should be a sufficiently amusing headache for everyone else."

[Anastasia]

"...25% of them, in value," Baleruk says, eye still looming over you.

[Iron Dragoon]

"40%. I'm the one who has to deal with Slaads while you sit your scaly butt comfortably on gold. And you get to avoid Renbuu. That's worth at least 10% on its own. I should ask for more considering I know I can't even imagine the migraine I'm going to have from how many slaad are going to be attracted to the prismatic magic. Considering I've never met Renbuu, a new dragon showing up and dumping prismatic magic might garner his interest. That's something that even you want to avoid. Apparently."