Dragon Hunt

"I wish the opportunity to hunt this dragon with you, of course. My castle of Blackstone is about a day and half's ride north, and it is my people whom this beast has been terrorizing. Besides, we do not often get a chance kill dragons here in Dorne, and it is something each and every one of us dreams of an opportunity to do," the minor lord replied, flashing a predatory smile. "I can offer a score of men to join us, and some equipment besides. We shall need weighted nets to entangle the beast on the ground, and hooked pikes and spears to slay it."

"I know that three years ago Princess Sarella threw a spear into the eye of Meraxes, singlehandedly felling the great beast. Its skull still decorates the throne room as a testament to her prowess on the field, and as a reminder that despite the awesome might of our enemies, the Principality of Dorne remains Unbowed, Unbent, and Unbroken," Lord Martyne said with pride. "She almost killed that whoreson Inquisitor that rode Meraxes as well, but he managed to escape with his life, if not his pride."

"I know that they are far more dangerous in the sky than they are on the ground, and I know that the dragon rumored to be terrorizing my land is said to be striped red and black, and massive, though not quite the size that Meraxes was."

The Dornishman shrugged. "There are rumors on the streets of Sunspear of a Targaryen princess staying in the Palace, perhaps the beast belongs to her. Either way, the Princess's orders were to put it down, and I think it will take more than the men you've got with you."

He watched the other Dornish lords with curiosity, wondering what they had seen in this lad to make them follow him as they did. He knew each of them by reputation only, but he doubted they would have arrived in Sunspear with the Targaryen princeling if he hadn't had some kind of quality of leadership or persuasion.

"It will be as you say, Prince Rhaegar," Lord Osmund replied.

Lord Osmund led the party northeast, the six riders and small baggage train that had been a few hundred yards off moving to join the party. Two men rode off on a more eastern tack, and they returned at about sundown when the party was just about to make camp, with six times their number. They brought extra horses, to several of which were strapped various polearms; hooked Bills, pikes, halberds, and spears, as well as barbed and weighted nets and several coils of stout chain.

When the party made camp, in addition to the Marcher Lords and their retinues that Rhaegar had brought from the west, there were about a score of Mertyne men that had joined them. Ser Osmund came to Rhaegar when camp was being laid out, and he unfurled a map showing the lands between Ghost Hill and Sunspear.

He pointed to one spot, about half a day's ride from their current position, and another about a day's ride beyond that. "These are the two villages which have sighted the dragon flying over them; my smallfolk have been complaining of the beast seizing their livestock, though the second village claims that a child was taken as well. The reason I went to Sunspear was to petition the Princess to send men to aid us in ridding ourselves of this menace."

Rhaegar scanned the map.

"Dragons like to seclude themselves in caves which are usually to be found in and around hills or mountains. You know the area better than I, Lord Osmund. Where in this area would we find terrain of this type?"

"Being adjacent to the sea makes it more difficult to trap and slay the dragon." replied Rhaegar. "We will have to locate it and then lure it to a place of our choosing."

He wondered again whether the dragon had a rider. Osmund's mention of a Targaryen princess rumored to be staying at Sunspear concerned him. If it were true, he wondered which of his cousins it was.

"We need to move quickly Lord Osmund." he said, moving towards his horse. "Let us go."

Ser Elyas frowned at this unnatural state as they approached but made no comment. His eyes warily examined the empty sky, looking for any sign of a dragon that was likely not present.

Ser Elyas turned his gaze back to the earth, blinking his eyes several times after staring for slightly too long into the harsh rays of the sun. He doubted what he had seen in the distance was the dragon, but resolved to remain vigilant. It seemed to him the logical thing to do would be to approach the villagers for word of why the setting was so strange, although he expected he already knew the answer. That said, he had no wish to see the presumptuous foreigner questioning Dornish subjects, so he spurred his horse ahead of the group toward the village, hoping to beat Rhaegar there and prove a point about Dornish sovereignty.

"The more jealously you guard your authority, Prince Rhaegar, instead of exercising, the faster it will slip away from you," Lord Mertyne replied solemnly. "Ser Elyas is a free Dornishman and may do as he pleases to the extent of the law; if I feel he is treating my small folk unjustly he will pay for it, but you do not have authority to order him to any action."

The rest of them reached the village after Elyas, and the village headman came out to speak to Lord Osmund. The Dornishman dismounted from his horse and spoke to the man for a few minutes. The rest of them could see the man point to the sky with a trembling finger, and his expression implied that he was imploring his liege lord for protection. After a few moments Lord Osmund led the man over to where Rhaegar and the other Lords remained on their horses. "He'll answer your questions, Prince Rhaegar, the dragon has been seen in the area repeatedly within the last fortnight."

[OOC: We have to leave it to Marie to decide where and what exactly the dragon has been doing, so this is my last NPC tag for now]

Rhaegar dismounted and led the headman to one side.

"We have come to rid your village of this beast." he said kindly. "I understand your terror. To be plagued by a dragon is no small thing. For us to rid of this beast it is important we know as much as possible about it. Lord Osmund said you have seen this dragon on a regular basis recently. Can you describe to me its size, its' markings and most importantly what direction it has most often come from?"