Was Corellon Hiding Something?

The half-Song Dragon sorcerers made no attempt to hide who they were. The crystal window at the front of their box stood open, and every woman inside wore a grave expression.

Their eyes stayed fixed on every box that bid against them.

During last year's Dragonrage disaster, the members of the reclusive Song Dragon Sisterhood had rescued far more than Dragonborn. Their reputation across Faerûn was now formidable.

Even Metallic Dragons might not have had the same effect. The nobles wanted the dragon egg, but they did not dare push too far.

The powerful figures on the fifth floor fell silent as well. They had more to consider than the minor provincial nobles did.

In that strange atmosphere, the Song Dragon Sisterhood won the Chromatic Dragon egg.

Yet the oppressive mood in the auction hall did not lift. Anyone with a little sense understood how badly auctioning a dragon egg could damage relations between dragons and humans.

In the past, travelers could cross the territories of some lawful Chromatic Dragons by paying a toll. Now that was probably out of the question.

Even Metallic Dragons might stop allowing humans into their territories.

Human trade routes would have to be reconsidered.

After all, more than one dragon lived on the islands passed by ships sailing from the Sword Coast.

Those dragons had once been happy to maintain the trade route and earn tolls from it. Now they might turn right back into raiders.

The same was true on land. Mountains, forests, and ruins that travelers had once crossed with ease would all have to be reconsidered.

To the powerful, dragons might have grown weaker. To ordinary adventurers, they had only become more frightening.

Unfortunately, whenever something momentous happened, ordinary people were the last factor anyone considered—if anyone considered them at all.