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Scrollreader wrote:I'd throw in something ancient and Evil, and unexpected by the 'back door' and the treasure hoard. Something like the Lurker in the Narrow Canyon (Ruins of the North), the Watcher in the Water, or The Thing in the Well. Something older than men, or maybe even elves.

Borrowing a page out of Lovecraft, perhaps something like this dhole:

Conan stories almost all follow a pattern: the conflict begins as one of men vs. men, bickering over gold or women or authority or whatever, but then something dark and ancient and evil comes into the picture and raises the stakes.

You could even have them in a particularly tight spot with a bunch of orcs, until this thing emerges and "saves" them by devouring a bunch of the orcs. From there it could be a matter of fleeing, or collapsing a tunnel, or something other than combat.

Glorelendil wrote:From there it could be a matter of fleeing, or collapsing a tunnel, or something other than combat.

... or giving up on the Greydelve, because something too powerful for them has been awakened. Frár would go mad and die trying to kill the creature, while the heroes run from the scene with tears in their eyes, that washes away the blood and dust from their faces. Empy handed, they return to their homes and gain some Shadow points...
Probably too pesimistic for what you're after!

You could profit from the new rules for Dragons in the Erebor supplement, or use the Forest Dragon stats.
Also, it could be about direct combat against the dragon or they could try to lure it into some deep dwarven hall that can be sealed on all exits. The dragon would starve to death, but how long can a dragon survive without eating? And who would brave to live in the Greydelve, knowing that there's a living mosnter inside, even if it's trapped?
And after a hundred or more years, who will open the gates to know if the dragon was already dead?

Lots of great, wonderful ideas here. Thanks again, folks!