With things having settled down in Axeholm, the people safe and their basic needs seen to, the group turned their attentions to focusing on expanding their haven from mere survival to something more substantial.
Idris, Zenari, and Pine took themselves to exploring the lower reaches of Axeholm, as only the top four levels had been searched and made safe. With all the undead having been cleared out of the entire city, they felt confident delving deeper to see whether they could find more resources for the people of Phandalin. Unfortunately they soon found that while the undead had been taken care of, the innate defences of Axeholm had not been. Stone Guardians soon noticed the group, and it became swiftly clear they were outmatched. The group swiftly retreated while they still could, the stone golems forming a barrier at the bottom of the stairs behind them.
Upon reaching the populated levels and up to the top, the group found, not the peace they had left, but terror and chaos. Siax, Koraliki, and Factoré had been attempting to build some lookout points and camouflage the area outside of Axeholm where the townsfolk liked to gather, despite the danger, rather than be constantly trapped inside, but it had not gone unnoticed. The white dragon had spotted them and had swooped down and attacked. Axeholm, hidden for centuries, had been found within days of occupation once more.
Everyone fled back into Axeholm, with Siax, Koraliki, and Factoré taking the rear. Although they were fast, it was not fast enough to outrun the dragon's breath, which took out several townsfolk, as well as Koraliki and Factoré on the very cusp of Axeholm's doors. Siax, although barely clinging to life, managed to get them through the doors, just as the rest of the group ran up to them, even as the dragon clawed at the portcullis and stonework.
Pine immediately used his magic in order to heal the two, but while his spell worked on Koraliki, it was clear to him that Factoré was far beyond the help of such a spell. In a moment, Pine made the decision, and drew out an exquisite diamond and started to concentrate through it with his magic, drawing her back, and after a moment a gasping breath is heard even as the diamond disintegrates from his hand. Factoré lives once more.
What had been a few days of respite, of hope, swiftly turned back to one of fear, but a fear that was held back by the walls of the once mighty dwarven city. The white dragon could not get past the thick dwarven stonework or defences, and while the townsfolk were shaken, they were safe but for a few who had been caught in the initial blast of freezing air. Siax went to try and scout and see what the dragon was doing, but no matter his skill, the dragon once more showed its superior senses, and snapped at him through a window, before calling him a coward for backing away instead of fighting.
Idris, ever hopeful of a peaceful resolution, also went upstairs to attempt to talk to the dragon, trying to find out what it was looking for, only to find out that it believed that the green dragon who had attacked it in Phandalin was being harbored in Axeholm. However the conversation went downhill from there, with Idris not only fumbling his words and ending up giving the dragon information that he carried a dragon-slaying sword, but also incurring the dragon's particular brand of dislike and gaining a promise that he would get eaten first. Despondent, he and Siax went back downstairs in order to rejoin the rest of the group.
Unfortunately the dragon, having now started to use its words, decided to continue to do so, and although everyone tried to settle down to rest, its taunts and insults, as well as the detailed descriptions of its various kills, went on sporadically throughout the night, giving poor rest to those inside, the voice loud enough to echo through the stone halls below. With the walls of Axeholm having proven their worth in safety, the group decided that they should head beyond them, in order to learn more about how to stop the dragon, and the situation with the half-orcs. Factoré decided to stay behind with Nundro, while Falcon joined the group, eager to do some hunting of his own.
While their own retreat out of Axeholm by way of the secret passage was well planned and executed, the Eyes of Neverwinter had not been so thorough in their planning, the dragon's taunting having got to them during the night. They had set off up the mountain to try and kill it, despite evidence of the foolhardy nature of their preparedness. Their chances of success were not high, but no one attempted to stop them this time, as they had done before. Out of the long tunnel, Siax, Idris, Koraliki, Zenari, Pine, and Falcon emerged into the morning light, ready to go forth and find some answers, and perhaps a way to give them an edge against the dragon.