Lyra is a desert capital surrounded by the Blue Sand Desert, where indigo dunes grow glowing mana crystals. It's ruled by a spoiled princess who sends her guards to capture beasts, who fight in a coliseum for her entertainment. Yesterday, they captured a mother dragon, and locked a mana-crystal-powered collar around her neck, which shocks her if she disobeys. Today is the dragon's debut fight.
Rescue the mother dragon from the coliseum and reunite her with her child before she is killed in the arena.
Young bronze dragon the size of a large dog, chattery and brave. Think Russel from the movie "Up".
Massive mother dragon bound by the mana-crystal collar. Loving mother, fiercely protective of her son, and furious at her captors. Think Shirley Bennett.
Spoiled teenager, never heard "no" in her life. "Loves animals" (and watching them fight).
Elderly sycophantic court wizard. Built the mana-crystal shock collar and can remotely trigger it with his staff from anywhere in the arena.
Elderly anthropomorphic camel who farms the mana crystals growing in the desert. Cranky, lonely, reluctant to help, unless the heroes can find a way to cure his "sand lung", help him with his chores, or soften his heart with the power of friendship.
Grizzled veteran who resents his new position as an animal catcher. Won't openly betray his oath, but can be convinced to help if it's for the good of the kingdom.
While traveling through a forest, the heroes hear sad roars coming from a clearing. In a cave behind the waterfall, they find Kimba, crying because "bad iron people took his mama". He begs the heroes to save her.
Follow the soldiers' trail into the Blue Sand Desert. Dust haze, sand tornadoes, and sand worms make it lethal without a guide. Finding Sundar's crystal farm and winning his help is the key to reaching Lyra alive.
Outside Lyra's gates, the heroes cross paths with Edgar's caravan transporting a captured yeti. The heroes see yeti smash his cage open and break free. If they help, Edgar will be willing to share what he knows - the location of the dragon, the collar, and the layout of the coliseum.
To infiltrate the coliseum, the heroes may impersonate visiting nobles, bribe a gate officer, or sign up as gladiators (taking them straight into the pits). Any guard who spots Kimba in the city will raise the alarm.
To reach Malinda, the heroes must navigate the guarded pits beneath the coliseum, past captured gladiators and caged monsters. Malinda is chained next to the entrance to the arena. To talk to her, they will have to prove to the raging dragon that they can be trusted.
The heroes may free the captured gladiators to spark an uprising in the pits. If they do, half the coliseum guards will rush down to contain the chaos, leaving the arena floor thinly guarded as Malinda is driven up the ramp.
The coliseum is packed. Malinda is driven onto the sand, surrounded by gladiators and monsters ready to attack. Cecilia tosses rose petals from the royal box, and claps with delight. Alatar is on the stands next to her, ready to activate Malinda's collar with his staff if anything goes awry.
To free Malinda, the heroes must shatter the mana crystals in her collar. Each broken crystal weakens the binding until the disabled iron band falls off. Once liberated, Malinda will want to lay waste to the city, unless the heroes convince her otherwise. If they befriend the dragon, they may hop on her back and fly away to freedom. The grateful dragon will grant each of her rescuers one treasure from her hoard.
