Damsels and Dragons
Summary
The players meet a child dragon, he's crying because an Evil Princess has kidnapped his mom. The players will need to set her free from the Coliseum where she is forced to fight monsters and gladiators for public's entertainment.
Stroll through the Forest
The players walk through the forest, and hear the sad roars in the distance.
You have been traveling together for awhile, passing the fields, rivers, and small villages. Now you're walking down a narrow road through the shady forest, it’s quite quiet and peaceful. Suddenly, you hear a roar in the distance, then again - a little louder this time. It seems to be coming from the direction you’re headed.
The roars are coming from some mysterious beast dwelling in a forest clearing ahead of the players.
Ahead of you, you see a few sun rays breaking through the trees - a clearing. The roars are coming from that direction. "Raaaawwwwrrrr!!!"
Meet Kimba
When the players approach, they'll see that the roars are coming from a crying child dragon.
You come to the edge of the clearing. In the middle of it - holy pony, is that a dragon? Certainly looks like one - bronze skin, scales, wings - all there. Not a large one though, about the size of an elephant, it seems to be very young. It has curled up in the middle of a clearing. It notices you, slowly lifts his head, and howls. Strangely sad, heart-wrenching sound. Is it crying?
The dragon's name is Kimba, and he's uncharacteristically low-spirited today.
Kimba
Young dragon, like an 8 year old kid (think Simba, or Russel from "Up").
Always curious, chattering away.
He's sad because the evil people took his mama:
Kimba's Story
"Are you here to take me, like they took my mama?"
"They took my mama! The bad people! They took her away! I'm all alone now."
"The warriors! In black armor, with big swords and spikes! She fought so hard to protect us, but they attacked her, and cast spells on her, and, and, and they captured her! And chained her, and put her in a cage, and took her away!"
If the players offer to help:
The dragon looks at your faces, clearly confused. "You're so nice! My name is Kimba. My mom's name is Malinda. She's really kind and brave and strong! She's the best dragon."
Finding the City of Lyra
Kimba doesn’t know where they took his mom, only the direction.
It's easy to find tracks left by the fight, and an army of warriors and wizards dragging the enchanted dragon into the city. Exploring around the forest will also reveal the road to the north, leading to the city.
In the distance you see the city with tall walls of yellow stone and beautiful white towers.
Yeti Hunters
On their way to the city, the players will see a group of warriors delivering a huge iron cage to the city, inside - a gigantic Big Foot.
Leading the warriors is Edgar - the Captain of the Guards.
Edgar (Guard Captain)
The Captain of the Guards. Sick of his job, his honor makes him follow Cecilia's orders, but his common sense tells him that it's a horrible idea most of the time.
The warriors can tell them that they're gathering creatures on Princess Cecilia's orders - the young princess likes watching monsters and gladiators fight her new dragon at the Coliseum in the center of the city.
Edgar
"We bring her monsters and eldritch creatures from far away lands. Many good men died on this quest. Once we're done with this Yeti, we are to bring our glorious Princess a Basilisk." "I hate my job" he mutters to himself.
Getting into Coliseum
There's a long queue of nobles on their way to watch the today's show (the spectacle is just for the rich). All entrances are guarded.
To get into the Coliseum, the players can fake being nobles, talk their way into the coliseum, bribe the guards, or try to sign up as Gladiators and go through The Pits (there's a scrawny teenager nearby giving away the "Join the Gladiators" fliers, nobody seems to want to take him up on that offer).
If the players come up with some other way in - that also works.
The Pits
If players choose to sign up as Gladiators - they'll see many captured people and monsters sitting in the cages in "The Pits" underneath the coliseum, forced to fight the dragon.
Cages are guarded by the City Guards, it's possible to steal the keys from them, liberate the gladiators/monsters, and incite the rebellion.
Coliseum Arena
At the arena they will see a gigantic dragon, she is exhausted and wounded from many fights, desperately battling the newly delivered Yeti. The dragon has a heavy enchanted chain around her neck, visibly glowing purple and preventing her from spewing fire onto the stands and the guards.
Malinda
Mama dragon. Fierce and badass, but fair, gentle and loving with Kimba (Shirley Bennett).
The stands around the arena are filled with noblemen. There's a rich tent where Princess Cecilia, her guards, the Guard Captain Edgar, and her court wizard Alatar are sitting.
Cecilia
The "Evil Princess". Really, she's just a spoiled teenager, 13-14 years old. She never heard the word "no" in her life, and grew up surrounded by servants pampering her and indulging her every whim.
She sent countless men to die capturing the dragon just to have a pet.
Think Jasmine from Twisted.
Alatar holds a powerful-looking magic staff, its tip glowing with purple magic (the same color as the collar Malinda is wearing).
Alatar
An ancient court wizard, sycophant, always flatters the princess (Professor Farnsworth.)
The princess is not irredeemably evil (just an incredibly spoiled kid), and can be convinced to let the dragon go with the right argument.
Edgar resents his position, he's tired of losing his friends and employees to the whims of this child, but sticks by Cecilia out of honor and loyalty. He can be convinced to take the player's side by appealing to reason and decency.
Alatar is a spineless wimp, he will follow whoever's in power at the moment.
Captain Edgar is a powerful warrior, Alatar is a powerful mage, but if it comes to combat they they can be defeated with great effort. If Alatar is distracted, the chain's magic weakens, and if he's defeated or the crystal in the magic staff is shattered, the chain breaks.
The King isn't present, he's currently conquering some far away kingdom, if something happens to the princess he will be furious.
Liberate Malinda
Malinda is enraged, confused, shooting fire breath in random directions. Wants to murder everyone on the stands (mention that there are kids there), doesn't realize that players are there to help.
It's difficult to persuade a raging dragon. The players will need to find some way to get her attention and make it clear that they're trying to help. If the players took Kimba along with them and Malinda sees him, it will be much easier.
If it becomes clear that the players are trying to liberate the dragon - the guards, Edgar, and Alatar will attack.
If the players have liberated the Gladiators and persuaded them to incite the rebellion - they will help.
Once the chains are broken, Malinda will want to attack the audience.
She can be persuaded not to slaughter the people. She will be more willing to see reason if she learns that Kimba hasn't been harmed.
Once she's liberated and persuaded, she will be willing to let the players ride on her back and fly them out of the city.
Dragon Cave
Kimba and Malinda are reunited and happy. Malinda will bestow valuable treasure onto the players from her hoard, and will be willing to help them out on future adventures.
See the playtest of this adventure here.
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