Embers of the Mountain — Spoils from the Red Wyrm

After a desperate, costly confrontation beneath the blistered arches of an ancient volcano, the party stands among the smoldering remains of the lair of an ancient red dragon. Much of the hoard was fused together by the dragon's breath: coin plates welded into glassy sheets, gems cracked and heat-shocked, and metal warped by incredible heat. The dragon nonetheless hoarded items of great value and peculiar utility: a few intact gems and art objects hidden in cooled pockets, a cache of coin that escaped vitrification, a single enormous dragon scale and vials of congealed dragon blood salvaged from the carcass. Also found among the dragon's private hoard are a couple of magical items the wyrm kept as trophies. The haul is significant for a single party of fifth level — not the limitless fortune of a fully intact ancient's hoard, but a dangerous, desirable slice of it. Some items may be unstable or require expert handling (alchemical reagents and dragon-blood components), and the fused coin plates will need a smith's work to recover the mint. A healer or artificer might find uses for the dragon materials; a ranger or blacksmith might covet the scale; the more cautious party members will be comforted by potions of fire resistance in a hoard forged by flame.