So, during the last downtime, Elle sent an emmisary northward. She, while using much of the information she had in Orlean, needed assistance with finding out the proper way to raise a dragon. Refusing to give 'that wizard' any form of satisfaction from reaching out to her, she reached out to the most powerful person she knew of with experience in magical things: The Witch of the North.

She sent a letter of introduction by runner to Natalia written by Harry, who was one of the only party members who actually met the Witch. Harry's note was a simple one, explaining who he was and who Elle is. Runner came back with an affermative message. Natalia was willing to meet with Elle, but it would be on her lands, as she had no desire to come to Orlean. Elle was more than willing to comply. The following events will happen (all things considered) during the next downtime.

---

Elle met her one afternoon.

"Greetings, Elle Callinova. I appreciate your willingness to come all the way out here to meet with me. Things must be urgent if you will come this far for some questions."

"Greetings to you as well, Lady Faeril. I thank you for this option to even speak. I know of your reluctance to interact with the outside world, and appreciate you seeing me"

Nonsense, Elle. And please, let us speak freely. The rhetoric of nobility is one of the reasons I left the civilized world." Natalia smiled calmly. "Let us speak to each other like friends"

Elle visably relaxed. "Thank you." She reached into her bag. "I brought a wine from the south. I can only image it must be difficult to get some variety this far north, so I hope you will enjoy it."

Natalia laughted a heartfull laugh. "I will, and I hope you will as well." She grabbed a couple nearby glasses.

The two talked for a while about this and that, Orlean, Theater, Current Events, the like. Eventually, Natalia broke the conversation.

"While its lovely chatting with you Elle, and I do enjoy it, my curosity is getting the better of me. While enjoyable, I can't believe our small talk is what brought you so many miles from home. What can I help you with?"

"Well, Natalia, I have recently come into the posession of several White Dragon Eggs. I am trying to raise them, in a way that will influence their... tendencies... towards good. But I have only the basest of knowledge where to start."

Natalia paused for a moment, considering. "Honestly, Elle, I don't know if it is possible to change the tendencies of a White Dragon, even if from birth. I suppose it can't hurt to try... but I worry of the futility of it." She paused again, then met Elle's eyes. "Do you have a plan?"

"Yes" Elle said. "Well, sort of. I have a rough idea". She pulled out a map of the Ironspine Mountains. "I compiled as much research as I could from the libraries of Orlean, and found a spot in the mountains that is secluded enough I should be able to raise them in peace. I can leave retainers there on a full time basis, and using teleport I can be there often. My only worry is protection, both for the dragons and my people, from the dangers both magical and physical."

"Magical?" Natalia asked, arching an eyebrow.

"I have two concerns. People who believe that white dragons cannot be taught to be better, people who wish to take the dragons for themselves, and..." She paused, considering her words carefully "Protection from a man who I don't like looking over my shoulder."

Natalia gave her a inquiring look.

"He's.... one of the Darkstones. We angered him when we slew the eggs' parents. He had been studying them, and he wouldn't let us near the eggs. Then he changed his mind." She paused again. "I don't know what he wants, or what his game is, but I want him unable to find them. And..." she reached into her bag and produced a bag of gold "I am willing to pay as much as it takes for that protection." She blushed slightly. "Also, if you have a way to move a massive amount of stone over a long distance in a short peroid of time, that would be nice too. Again, willing to pay."

Natalia laughed. "Yes, it is possible, but only for a small area. As the dragons grow, they need more room. If you are willing to provide for them, they shouldn't need much room for the first few decades of their life." She looked at Elle again. "Why do you need so much stone?"

"Walls" Elle said, showing a small schematic she drew of what she envisioned of the mountain home of her dragons. "I need stone for these three walls, but I want it kept discreet. So far, you are the only person I have talked to about this, and I plan on taking the nessisary materials from an as obscure location as possible."

"Why stone?" Natalia asked, a mischievious grin on her face.

Elle frowned, not catching on. "Because of the wall. I need a material that is tough and durable, and able to support being 30 feet tall. I had considered wood, but I don't think a palasade wall will fill exactly what I need."

"What about ice?"

Elle paused, thinking. "I hadn't considered it. By normal means, I have no way of sculpting, preserving, or hardening that much ice."

Natalia gave Elle a look that reminded her of a patient teacher. "But you aren't working with normal means, are you?"

Elle paused. "If you are willing to work with me, I gues having a wall of ice would be pretty impressive, and fits the cimate well." Elle looked up from her schematic again. "Will it work? What will it cost?"

Natalia pulled out some materials. "Lets go over what we will need, and we can go from there."

---

Soon after, Elle and Natalia had come to a number they both could agree upon. The entirety of the outside would be walled in with the same ice Natalia used to build her tower. Tougher than stone and neigh impossible to scale, it would be a fanstastic physical defense. Coupled with a permenant Private Sanctum spell, cast before the creation of the wall, the site should be invisible to magic as well. Providing payment, Natalia immediatly went to work. Hours later, the mountain fortress was completed. Elle then began to make a small cottege inside the cave, and soon thereafter, had a functioning little fort in the mountains. The dragons were moved up shortly thereafter, and both Adelle and Doran spend part of their time up there. Several of Elle's followers spend their time up there full time, adepts, warriors, and experts alike. 

Mechanically, I am paying double the cost of a normal wall of that size for the Ice wall. I am also adding the cost of a gatehouse to the wall, just in addition. For the house, I will be paying double cost for anyting I have there (I havn't decided what I want there yet). I paid full cost of paying for someone to cast Permenancy Private Sanctum, and the entire enclosure (walls and cave alike) are included.

I posted this before it happened because I wanted to make sure this was ok with everyone. All said and done, this is simply another out of character spending that doesn't effect anything in character, but I still wanted everyone to know and be ok with it. 

Also, for questions about the dragons, see this link. I posted some about the raising of the dragons.