A Dragon’s Hoard

 

 

Today was a special day for the folk of Eagle in the Kingdom of the Crimson Moon. The town was about to have a branch of the Kingdoms National Bank opened, a significant event. Many townsfolk had gathered to witness the grand occasion. There were bakers and butchers, smiths and shoemakers, a witch from the local Witchery, mums and dads with children in tow. There were dwarves from some nearby mountains too. They were very happy to have a branch nearby as it would cut the cost of transporting the gold and silver they mined.

 

And the bank had spared no expense in making the day a memorable one. There were balloons and kites given out to the children, all marked with the bank’s logo of a spilled bag of gold coins behind thick iron bars. There were sweets and cakes and juices.

 

At the closed door of the bank stood a huge Rock Troll armed with a massive broadsword. They make very good guards and few branches are ever successfully robbed these days. Some have tried of course, but an eight foot Rock Troll standing in a doorway is as unmoveable as a very large… yes, rock.

 

And swords and axes are useless against them as their skin is very tough... like a rock! Would be thieves have been known to exhaust themselves hacking away at one. About the only damage they do is to chip off a bit of outer skin. Some give up and run away, whilst others are carried off to jail after the Rock Troll has flicked them on the back of the head with a finger.

 

So whilst the Kingdoms National Bank branches are quite safe from robbers and burglars, they do have a problem with certain dragons. This is because many of them love to hoard treasure and will do just about anything to get it. In the early days of the Kingdoms National Bank quite a few branches were burnt to the ground by dragons wanting the treasure inside. This was due to the buildings being made of wood.

 

These days all branches are built of solid stone and the huge bronze vaults inside are crafted by dwarves. They keep out most dragons... except for one species that is quite successful.

 

Several of them were waiting for the branch to open, carefully hidden so as to not attract attention. They watched the building with greedy, golden eyes, readying for an assault as soon as the door was opened.

 

The minutes ticked by and the crowd of townsfolk grew in number. Many were clutching bags of gold and silver coins and other treasure, ready to deposit. The air was filled with excited chatter, unaware of the waiting dragons.

 

Then the Rock Troll opened the door and waved the townsfolk inside. The chatter rose even louder as they began to file inside the door. And then the dragons launched their assault, springing from trees across the street and uttering sharp roars of triumph.

 

About the size of a pigeon, with broad black wings and yellow neck and tail, they darted toward the door. People ducked as they flew over their heads and inside the bank. In the far wall the vault door was open behind the counter and staff ducked as the dragons swept overhead.

 

But a single dragon had drawn ahead of the others and was the first to reach it. A goblin bank clerk inside jumped out of the way as it dragon pounced on the nearest bag of gold.

 

It then turned as the other dragons flapped about the door. It uttered a high pitched roar that sounded much like a hissing cat. It sent a tongue of yellow flame into the air as a challenge.

 

The other dragons roared and shrieked, spitting flame, but the first dragon stood its ground. Then they turned and flew out of the bank, recognising that the first had claimed its territory.

 

Then Dagger Nosh, the goblin bank manager appeared at the vault door and helped the other goblin to his feet. He shook his head in wonder.

 

'Trolls breath, they're quick!' he said. ‘Haven’t even served our first customer yet and we’ve got our mascot.’

 

The dragon gave another spitting hiss and sent a tongue of flame into the air. Dagger Nosh pointed up at the ceiling above some shelves.

 

‘Up there,’ he said.

 

The dragon looked up and saw what looked like a large bird box, complete with a perch below its round entrance hole. With another hiss it grasped a single gold coin in its talons. It then flew up to the dragon box as they were called and disappeared inside.

 

And that would be its home for as long as it lived. It would find a mate and raise a family before sending its young off to find homes of their own. Every branch of the Kingdoms National Bank had them nesting in their vaults where a small pile of coins and gems were hoarded.

 

And what were these dragons called you may ask? Why Vault Dragons of course.