Chapter 4. Cutter and Burple's Backstory
We see a baby Burple and cute little Cutter. They are looking round a boulder, following a conversation.
"Are you sure no-one else can take them?"
"These are the last two to find places. Everyone else took babies of their own species. We've been lucky to find someone who would care for them."
"It's just that… he's never shown the slightest interest in raising children! And he's so grumpy. And rude. And…"
"Never mind. We can always come back and check how they are doing. But it's not like we have any alternatives. My nest is too full, and so is yours."
"Oh, the babies, they've been listening."
"I'm sure they didn't understand. Come on, let's take them to their new home."
A dark volcanic lair, sulphurous clouds drift lazily upwards towards the distant light. Cutter, several years older now, scoots quickly round a corner, running from an angry roar, heading into the narrow spaces between spiky rock formations.
"Why you ornery, good fer nothin' whelp. How about you come back here and I'll sit on you till ya get some manners, huh?" The complainer comes into sight, a big, bulbous, bumpy and lumpy dragon, buzzing along on bumblebee wings.
Cutter yells back, worried and defensive. "It was an accident! I didn't mean to do it!"
"Oh sure, sure, it's ALWAYS an accident. I should accidentally forget to feed ya. At least Burple is too stupid to cause trouble, though he's about as useful as those rocks he eats. Why couldn't I have got a gronckle to adopt?" He settles down, a sour look on his face. "You're not worth chasing down these tiny tunnels. You come back when you're ready to do something useful. Always breaking things and knocking stuff over." Turning, he whirrs away, bouncing off a stalactite and stalagmite.
Cutter mutters. "You're too big to follow me, that's why. And it was an accident."
Despite his defiant tone, a year wells up in his eye.
"Hey, Cutter?" Burple flies down the tunnel, peering into the shadows. "I brought you some fish, buddy."
"Thanks, Burps" Cutter emerges from behind a boulder.
Burple burps up a couple of fish. Cutter sniffs them and reluctantly eats.
"He fell asleep, so I guess it's not too bad." Burple sniffs sadly. "Are you going to sleep down here again? I could join you."
"No, it's ok. I'll come back up. Maybe I can do some tidying before he wakes up."
Cutter goes back, tidies a bit, spikes Jaggex by mistake. Runs out of the cave. Meets Winger, Leyla and Dak. Boasts. Burple sneaks out too, very shy and self effacing.
Winger and Cutter get in a race. Leyla falls off when Cutter swoops around them too close. She drops in the water, Dak and Winger don't notice, living the race. Burple worries, but Layla comes back up after a little while - with Summer. Winger and Cutter return, Dak boasting. They swap stories. Hang out on a beach.
Jaggex roars up. More babies? And humans? I don't think so. Cutter retorts. Jaggex: so maybe you're big enough to take care of yourselves then. See how you do. Good bye!
Winger and Dak point out it's not so hard - they can join with them until they get used to the world. Burple wonders, but what do we do? Dak and Winger explain they have been trying to help various people. It seems there's lots of dragons around who feel out of place.
The team is complete!
Chapter 5. Mama Dragon Retires.
She's going away to spend time with her sister, lazing on an island in the south.
The team formalise their agreement to help those they find while having adventures and supporting each other.
Chapter 6. Duggard Decides To Leave, Maybe.
On a human island, hefty vikings everywhere.
Duggard habitually making bad choices with little information. Sees indecision as weakness. Hears about the smashing of the Hammerer's fortress, wants to strike out and take advantage of the power shift. Dislikes his chief's decision to wait and see, strikes out on his own.
Hannahr is from his village, dislikes patriarchal smithy so joins the expedition. Might as well, since no-one would ever give her a chance here.
A few others join, including Jorgen Redboot and Ottil the fainting guy. The old chief expresses sadness and wishes them luck, but privately mocks the misfits and oddities, noting none of them are even good at fishing, farming or fighting. How will they survive?
The Gods are arguing. Odin and Loki, discussing humans. Observing the new settlers, Loki points out they will probably succeed. Against all sense! Loki feels their success is all down to luck, stubbornness and being too dumb to know when to quit. Skillful or clever individuals folk can manipulate, cheat and beat everyone else.
Odin says no, the humans have good hearts, by and large. It is their shared experience, the coming together of many, which makes them strong. They will overcome many odds, because they can work together.
Loki suggests a wager. A new village, will it flourish or fail?
They set sail. Arguing and tripping over each other, they eventually get out of the harbour. Odin looks grim, Loki is guffawing.
Meet Elbone - rescues him from drifting shipwreck. Worried about another hungry mouth to feed, they are impressed by his ability to pull anything from the ocean with just a bit of string.
Loki and Odin both surprised and accuse each other of planting him. Njord (god of the sea) butts in and says he wanted a piece of the action. This is his stake. He's a distant relative, thinks he's human, little bit strange in the brain. This is proved by observing him awkwardly interact with a few of the settlers.
Duggard's ship pulls in at a woebegone settlement. The haunted lighthouse/dragon den. The Slinkwing raids. Problems are solved by Hannahr's engineering, Elbone's fishing and Duggard's leadership. He gets his nickname and they invent the game of horns to be Chief. All is happy and calm for a few years. Hoogenboo is invented when food goes missing at harvest. Coincidentally, Marena arrives. Odin and Loki make snide remarks to each other about interference. Njord brags about Elbone's skill in feeding the village.
Magnus Arrives:
Exiled and wandering, bitter and grandiose. A pureblood type.
Flung off a ship as troublemaker. Makes useful inventions, but demands excessive remuneration. Plays the populist card. Loki (disguised as an itinerant tinker) allows Magnus to trick him out of a power source- the heart of his inventions. A perpetual motion machine with the unfortunate side effect of adding a disruptive "personality" to the machines it powers. Odin folds arms and says fine. I will bring some pieces into play, too.
Duggard sets sail:
Magnus demands certain standards of living - the hoogenboo disruptions are getting worse, wolves are stealing more and more sheep, pirates were seen sailing around the island… They need warriors to protect them!
Magnus builds support from the villagers, lots of grumbling. Something must be done. Duggard impulsively decides to go and get everything they ask for from the old chief. Magnus is in charge until he gets back.
Immediately starts throwing his weight around.
On a vital mission to get aid for the village, shipwrecked and despairing, blacks out while clinging to the crows nest, slipping under the waves. Resolves to think twice, three times before making rash decisions. "All, for Valhallah…"