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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Graf" data-source="post: 1159901" data-attributes="member: 3087">Wondered if we were going to get an update.<img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" />Here's my kind of disorganized suggestion list.You have to credit the PCs though.... before it would have been slightly unreasonable (or at least a major coup) for them to manage to break into the Ziggurat. Another big blue dragon might shake things up enough for them to pull it off.My instinct is to say: "Why change things?". The same players are involved you have the Mind-witches, the forces of darkness, and the party. I would just add the dragon in and see how things would change. I might assume the following1. The FoD, assuming they know the dragon is there to stop them, will have to put significant defenses toward holding it off. 2. From the psions stand point if it looks like there is one foe they will probably be tempted to commit forces directly to stopping them. They focus the divinations on the keep, try to take control of people at a distance, mass their forces at the points the keep would have to attack to get access to the zigg, etc. If the dragon shows up and attacks them the psions have to spend less forces to hold off the keep, and it also encourages them to think more broadly. There are obviously some big things going on. At the very least they are likely to contact the dragon.This suggests there will be more psions who could wind up interfering with the party, and might be more alert (there are clearly a lot more variables here than a simple attack by an enemy force). There will also be less FoD or the FoD might switch to stealth mode sending in a group of non corporeal undead as  scouts before teleporting (or using Shadowdancers to shadow jump in and out) and get the needle.Basically I think you should be able to use what you have now without too much change. I assume the PCs will be ignoring most of the fighting so they should probably encounter more harried troops running to re-enforce etc.I would consider making the ziggurats's walls solid in the ethereal, or else placing dimensional guardians there. In particular the needle surrounded by some kind of dimensional anchor and force effect. Otherwise it would be long gone.I have some questions about the invisible keep. How is anyone going to know about the invisible keep? See invisibility only has medium range and True seeing (at least in 3.0) has a flat range of 120 feet. Having to get within 100-200 feet of an invisible object (I think it's 60 feet isn't it?) means your pretty darn close to the thing. Psions on the ground are going to have a devil of a time trying to figure out what's going on.I recall dragons having a tremendous ability to sense invisible but that might only be in their lairs....Last thought: It's probably my obsession with morality talking but dealing with evil should have repercussions, dealing with smart evil has serious repercussions.What keeps the following from occurring? (there may be in game reasons).The party comes to the dragon. The dragon sees their point and accedes to intervene if the FoD turn up at the Ziggurat. But it probably 1. Its pride is injured* 2. It wants to get rid of the insolent party 3. It wants more power magic, allies and/or to move its plan forward.*=In general I would see this as a desire to pervert the plan and ultimately show that it's smarter than the mortals who choose to manipulate it.So the dragon contacts the Witches. After all this obsidian thing has been sitting there for a long time, it wasn't bothering the dragon before so as long as it stays out of the hands of the FoD the dragon really doesn't care. The mind-witches are evil but probably can be bargained with and from what I gather aren't opposed to the dragon (or planning on destroying the world). The dragon and the witches share two common enemies (or at least irritants) the pcs and the FoD. Likewise the dragon can't be too thrilled with attacking a giant invisible keep filled with shadows, dark warriors and so forth. Acting in concert with the Mind-witches insures that the dragon can do so with a minimum of risk and guarantee the FoD are turned back.In exchange for a few powerful objects, the services of a few servants or a promise not to intervene in the dragon's plans later it seems likely some kind of bargain can be reached. Oh and there are a few pesky humans the dragon wants skewered...It's not really Piratecat level, but I think it's appropriately RBDM.</blockquote>

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