How I Steal From a Dragon

A sleeping dragon. A mountain of gold. One very bad idea. Sneak into the dragon’s hoard, fill your bag, and get back to the exit before it catches you. A fuller bag makes your escape heavier and noisier. Take another handful, or leave with what you have. Steal a little. Then a little more. Reach for coins, gems, crowns, and treasure from chests. Watch your load and decide when another piece is worth the risk—or when it's time to leave with what you have. Know when to stop. Know when to run. Listen to the dragon's breathing and watch its eyes. Freeze when it peeks, break its line of sight when it searches, or leave that next treasure behind and head for the exit. Get too close, and even a quiet thief can be caught. If it spots you and draws breath, keep moving: a rock won't stop its fire. Escape. Upgrade. Go back. Spend escaped gold on talents that improve your reach, speed, carrying capacity, and stealth. Your talents persist between runs within the campaign. Bring gear from your stash, but getting caught puts it at risk. The gnome always gets paid. Your rescuer keeps a ledger, and the bills keep coming. Balance upgrades against the next payment, risk another trip when gold runs short, and work toward a debt-free ending. Miss your final chance to pay and bankruptcy resets your campaign, including its gold, talents, and gear.