Dead Dragons - Iteration 3

Rehl's Tale:
Before the events of the novel, Rehl is the leading dragon slayer, and is currently on a mission to wipe out the last of the dragons. This isn't an easy task because The Dragon Wilds is a hugely dangerous and inhospitable place. Swamps, ocean currents, volcanic mountains, unforgiving beaches, etc. He's got his expedition force, each with very specific roles. We should draw attention to the beacon towers he's lit. Need a name for the oppressive cloud, and for the towers this time around... Let's call it the Scalemurk and the Oracles. This is why the islands are slowly shaking themselves apart later... After the Dragon Crusades completed, the Oracles went out, and the Kindlespark simple got pent up.

I digress. Rehl is in battle with what is believed to be the last of the Dragons. It's a Fourth Flame, which is especially remarkable for the crew, as this isn't the kind of threat they've faced before. After the battle, there should be some dialog which should serve to:

• Introduce us to his crew
• Tell us that he's killed the last of the dragons
• I need some kind of hook here that indicates that dragons can shapeshift without coming out to say it. IE: How do we know there are still others out there?
• Introduce the ailment of Burned, but be intentionally vague about what the symptoms are.

Ultimately, Rehl will discover that Vasch has run off, and Rehl isn't sure whether this is chasing a new dragon, or just Vasch seeking a little bit of glory. Either way, Rehl follows Vasch's trail up into the Scalemurk and ultimately into a Warren. After working his way into the cave, he'll encounter Vasch, who has found an egg. They'll talk about what they've done, and Rehl will talk about what needs doing. Eventually, Vasch will break down and leave, and Rehl will stand over the egg. He'll choose not to break it.

They'll leave the area, and the story will resume properly.

Part 1 - Before the Expedition

This will follow much as it has in previous iterations. Rehl is his slow decline into insignificance. He's not interested in helping the army; nothing says the Disciples are coming into Saldragon Princedom, and he's not interested in being a window-piece. He wants to be useful, and do something productive; something that tries him, but also something that he believes in. Unfortunately, he also has to make ends meet, and to that end he's serving as a mascot for the Fesitval of the Burned, and hating every minute of it. He goes out, goes on parade, and then goes back to his life. He gets some cash that will allow him to sink into decline a little slower, but ultimately won't reverse his trajectory. During the current Festival, he's actually going to be encountered by Moneybags. Moneybags is going to tell Rehl he's wasted on this and should seek something more. He's going to say he's heard about a Dragon Egg in the Wilds and that he's going after it. Wants to take it West of the Wall and sell it. Rehl is going to turn cold at the thought, since he knows why there would be a dragon egg. This may actually be a good setup for my reader, where the guy acts like he knows Rehl left it, but that's not the case at all. Rehl just thinks it is. The guy wants Rehl to lead the expedition, and has offered an incredible sum of money (more than Rehl has made for the last 5 years), plus 30% of the commission on the sale. And any crew that come along with Rehl for the expedition will be all expenses paid. Rehl still says no.

Unfortunately, after pulling a little bit of Bad Santa, plus a huge melt-down, Rehl is fired from the Castle job and now destitute. His daughter thinks she's going to have to marry into some family, but she'll discover the egg retrieveal job and basically strong-arm her father into taking it. He'll grumble he needs a team, and will want to pull together his old crew. Unfortunately, they are all gone. Debra left when Rehl got married. It wasn't fair to her or him for her to pine after a married man. Todron locked himself in a tower and eventually killed himself as he uncovered truths about the fate of the dragons). Maggie started an orphanage, and we'll ultimately go find her, as Rehl has a pretty good idea where to look. He will find Cogs, who lost his brother during the prologue mission, but Cogs is still willing to be the Tech for their journey. After getting shot down by Maggs, Rehl will need to put together a new team. Natalie says she's going (like it or not), and Moneybags has already hired a small force to provide protection. Cogs is also going to force his niece into the journey (he's too old to go trekking overland like he used to). Cogs is going to ask about a Hound, but Rehl is going to state that there's no need. He already knows where the Egg is going to be found. They'll Depart.

Rehl's Tale 2 - Arrival

Rehls' track across the Dragon Wilds is not without incident. It's a grueling journey facing lots of dangers. We should learn a bit more, and Moneybags is going to want to go on the ground with Rehl. He'll push back on this, but relent. The initial foray therefore should consist of Moneybags and his private army making life more challenging, and Rehl having to protect them. I think I'll roll some random events to make up the first few little missions/situations. I also don't know how much of this segment is going to be from Rehl's POV vs Natalie's (or theoretically somebody else, but I haven't decided if anybody else will be a POV characater). They are going to be making their way for the first oracle, and some kind of threat of the swamp will surface. This should be a telling moment when we see that Rehl misjudges his own abilities and actually gets them into even more trouble, but that he still manages to pull out a win that to everybody else looks fairly premeditated. It's vaguely reminiscent of my return to starcraft. I played with all these kids who were good and had great reflexes, but I just had too much strategy to lose to them. Rehl is going to have the same. The younger crew isn't going to have the instincts necessary for survival, but they do have the skills to pull it off. This is a critical revelation for Rehl though.

They'll reach the first Oracle with no deaths, but I'd like some new conflict at the Oracle that will convince Rehl to go hard-ball on Moneybags and tell him he's now confined to the ship. This situation should result in the deaths of a few of the crew, and an extremely near-miss with Natalie. Moneybags will be shaken enough that he agrees. After Money is gone, I think Rehl is going to have it out with Natalie as well. She's just as responsible as Moneybags for this one, and it was her irresponsibility that resulted in them all almost dying. She missed the threat (whatever it was) and now they were nearly screwed. She asked if he's going to send her away, and he's going to say no. She got them in trouble, but they still need her skills if they are going to get through it. But she needs to know the rules. She does what he says; when he says it. No exceptions. This thing falls apart without a good crew leader. They'll get the Oracle lit, and when Cogs catches up, it won't be one airship... it will be two. The approaching airship will be flying the King's own colors.

We'll have a pow-wow with the King and company. This is going to be the scene where the Burned child is presented to Rehl, and Debra is going to volunteer to join up into his crew.