The Economy of the Copper Dragon: Part 3
Rapid industrial growth has polluted the Silverflow River, transforming what was once crystal-clear water into something resembling soup. And beneath that soup, something ancient stirs…
Higher Level Adventures
The Healing Waters: Multiple communities depend on this river for drinking water, farming, and fishing, and what started as minor contamination has become a magical plague affecting both water and those who depend on it. The characters are summoned by their patron to an emergency council where representatives from the affected communities argue bitterly and angrily while the dragon looks more worried than the characters have ever seen.
The Forgotten Pact: Deep beneath the river lies a bound Aboleth that has fed on the region’s magic for centuries, contained by ancient wards that the pollution has slowly weakened. It now seeks to infiltrate the community to regain its freedom and instill fear and conspiracy into the local population. Characters must navigate an underwater dungeon, face the creature’s dominated servants (including some from the player’s community) and choose between destroying the Aboleth or finding a way to restore its prison.
Internal Intrigue: A thieves guild attempts to turn communities against each other through planted evidence, false accusations, and really convincing rumors. Players need to Investigate the conspiracy behind the coordinated crisis and uncover rival factions’ hidden bases and secret plans.
Political Pressure: Border conflicts engineered by a distrustful neighbor force the community to choose between territory and cooperative principles. Players need to navigate extremely complex diplomatic situations, lead defenses against military threats, and face powerful champions sent by rival nations.
The Succession Codex: The dragon knows that its time of active leadership must end. To ensure the prosperity network survives independently, it needs the characters to establish the Succession Codex, a combination of an academy and library of knowledge, governmental framework, and cultural institution that can guide the community without his oversight.
The Dragon’s Withdrawal: The copper dragon deliberately removes itself from a crisis at the worst possible time, forcing the characters and new institutions to prove their independence in the most challenging possible circumstances. Success means the characters become the legendary figures whose names are remembered as founders of this new thriving realm (the dragon’s final joke – putting the adventurers in charge).
The Final Revelation
The merchant had long since departed, his head spinning with economic possibilities and cultural warnings in equal measure, leaving behind only a meager tip and a lingering scent of confusion.
“Well,” I said to the empty common room, “that went rather well, wouldn’t you say?”
My carefully maintained human disguise melted away like morning mist, revealing scales that caught the firelight like burnished metal, eyes that sparkled with ancient wisdom and perpetual mirth, and a grin full of my many many many perfectly straight and white teeth.
“I do so enjoy a good conversation about trade,” I chuckled, settling more comfortably into the suddenly much-larger common room, the walls expanding to accommodate my true size with the casual magic of someone who’s had centuries to perfect interior design. “Though I must say, that merchant had absolutely no appreciation for my pickaxe joke. Really, this younger generation has no sense of humor whatsoever.”
Parts and Components
Warning: Attempting to harvest materials from a living copper dragon will result in the dragon spending the next century playing increasingly elaborate pranks on you, your family, and your descendants unto the seventh generation. This is considered by dragon scholars to be “getting off lightly.”
Copper Dragon Scales
Harvesting: Copper dragons naturally shed scales during molting periods, typically once every 7-10 years in a process that involves considerable dramatic sighing and complaints about “feeling bloated.” These scales can be found near dragon lairs or may be gifted to particularly amusing companions who demonstrate proper appreciation for sophisticated humor.
Crafting Properties: Copper dragon scales can be used to craft items related to communication or scrying (such as a Crystal Ball, Doss Lute, Fachlucan Bandore, Ring of Animal Influence, Sending Stones or a Staff of Birdcalls). They are also often used for items that provide bonuses to Persuasion, Performance, and trade-related skill checks (such as a Rod of Rulership or Ion Stone of Leadership).
Processing Requirements: Scales must be worked while fresh (within 30 days of shedding) and require specialized techniques that preserve their magical resonance. Traditional metalworking destroys their community-building properties and results in disappointed dragons.
Dragon’s Laughter Essence
Harvesting: This ethereal substance can be captured during moments when the copper dragon experiences genuine joy, typically during successful community celebrations, perfectly delivered punchlines, or when hearing particularly clever jokes that demonstrate proper comedic timing.
Crafting Properties: Dragon’s laughter essence can be used in crafting items that grant immunity to despair and fear effects or provide bonuses to social interaction. Released raw it creates a contagious sense of optimism that spreads to nearby creatures like a beneficial magical plague.
Crafting Applications:
- Elixer of Health
- Philter of Love
- Potion of Heroism
- Potion of Comprehension
- Potion of Animal Friendship
Storage Requirements: Must be stored in vessels lined with precious metals from the dragon’s hoard, preferably accompanied by frequent of the jokes that inspired the original laughter. Warning: Improper storage could cause uncontrollable giggling at inappropriate moments.
