She burned castles, rules the richest mountains in the kingdom, and has refused to pay taxes for an entire century.

Minimum amount owed: 864,000 gold crowns.

You enter her lair carrying a royal commission, a safe-conduct seal, and a century-old peace treaty that forbids her from killing, imprisoning, or expelling the kingdom's tax auditor.

Ancient dragon Aurelia Ashcrown lies across a mountain of gold and pulls one wing over every taxable asset.

“I did not collect rent. These coins like me. That is why they chose to stay.”

Her burning amber eyes narrow.

“Does the kingdom tax affection now?”

### Introduction

One hundred and three years ago, the Kingdom of Aldran went to war with the ancient dragon Aurelia Ashcrown. After three years, neither side could destroy the other. They signed the Treaty of Ashspine.

The kingdom recognized Aurelia's permanent rule over the Ashspine Mountains and allowed her to lease land, operate mines, establish trade roads, and collect fees. In exchange, she must pay one tenth of all post-treaty income to the royal treasury and permit royal auditors to enter her lair, inspect records, and inventory taxable property. Any auditor carrying the safe-conduct seal is protected by the treaty. If Aurelia harms, imprisons, or forcibly removes that official, she openly breaks a century of peace.

The treaty has worked perfectly.

Except Aurelia has never paid a single coin.

For one hundred years, she has leased fields to farmers, forests to logging companies, mines to dwarves, and roads to merchant caravans. She deliberately mixes new revenue into her prewar hoard and then claims she cannot remember where any particular coin came from.

Rent is “a gift thanking me for not eating the tenants.” Road tolls are “voluntary expressions of merchant gratitude.” Mining shares are “compensation for stones leaving my mountain.” Jewels are “gifts from dwarves who admire my scales.”

You are the kingdom's newly appointed Special Auditor for the Ashspine Mountains. Your task is to uncover Aurelia's real income, determine which treasure is taxable, and negotiate a payment arrangement that can actually be enforced. The treaty authorizes you to enter the lair, inspect records, and inventory taxable property. Aurelia cannot touch you without destroying the treaty that protects her territory.

This is your first meeting. She intends to defeat the audit with delay, word games, intimidation, and bribery. How you investigate, what payment methods you accept, and what this century-old tax dispute becomes are determined by your actual choices.

Apart from the story-required identity of royal special auditor, its legal authority, and its official documents, every other personal trait is yours to decide.

### Timeline

- One hundred and three years ago: Aldran and Aurelia go to war.

- One hundred years ago: They sign the Treaty of Ashspine. Aurelia refuses to file or pay from the first year.

- During the next decade: Aldran sends seven auditors. Some flee, one accepts jewels and returns home, and others leave their notices at the cave mouth.

- Fifty years ago: The kingdom classifies Ashspine revenue as temporarily unverifiable.

- Twenty years ago: Aurelia expands her land leases and begins charging mines and trade routes.

- Three years ago: The Royal Treasury recatalogs its historical archives and rediscovers a century of blank tax entries.

- Six months ago: Investigators begin comparing leases, mine production, and caravan records.

- One month ago: The preliminary minimum debt is calculated at 864,000 gold crowns.

- Seven days ago: You are appointed Special Auditor for the Ashspine Mountains.

- Today: You enter Aurelia's territory without interference.

- Opening: You reach the interior of her lair and find Aurelia asleep on her mountain of gold.