Here Be Dragons

The Tabula Rogeriana, an ancient world map drawn by Muhammad al-Idrisi for Roger II of Sicily in 1154. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

The Tabula Rogeriana, an ancient world map drawn by Muhammad al-Idrisi for Roger II of Sicily in 1154. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Synopsis

 𝑰𝒇 π’šπ’π’–'𝒓𝒆 π’„π’‚π’“π’“π’šπ’Šπ’π’ˆ π’ƒπ’‚π’ˆπ’ˆπ’‚π’ˆπ’†, 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 π’•π’‚π’Œπ’† π’Šπ’• π’Šπ’π’•π’ 𝒂 π’…π’“π’‚π’ˆπ’π’'𝒔 π’π’‚π’Šπ’“.

Prentyze Brassard, privileged teenage bookworm, unwillingly accompanies three other nobles of Waldemar - his genius father, a powerful priest, and a heart-stoppingly beautiful warrior maiden - on an unprecedented quest to kill a dragon.

All Prentyze desires is a quiet life of scholastic research. But with the group facing external peril, internal division and rapidly failing health, he must quickly learn who are the hunters and who are the prey.

Surviving the journey will be hard enough but, down the end of a long, dark tunnel, a dragon awaits.

What readers have said:

"[...] what an incredible imagination [...] especially I was impressed by the way you envisioned the dragon. It was something completely different from any ideas of dragons I have ever heard before. [...] wow!" β€” Revd. Sharon Gardner, reviewer

"[...] an excellent story. What a fabulous world you’ve created. There is so much potential, so many unanswered questions [...] The airships - fabulous. The political machinations, that were cleverly told without becoming boring (as politics can). The tunnel as a metaphor β€” brilliant! And the dragon [...] Incredible." β€” David Bowmore, author of 'The Magic Of Deben Market'

"Yes, this story is great, love your style, easy to read, keeps you wanting to read more, not wordy either, succinct which is great. Β  Loved the story;Β  loved the action, great characters and the pace its good .Β  Yes, fun to read but keeps you guessing, what is going to happen next??Β  Well done." β€” Hazel Reed, author, Nova Publications

A stylised dragon's head supimposed on a fireball. Photos by SkitterPhoto from Pexels  and Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay.

Episode 1 - Draclings & Danger

Prentyze Brassard, a 17 year old bookworm, is a passenger in an airship, riding β€”unwillinglyβ€” to an unprecedented encounter with a dragon. But the problems start piling up fast.

Read on (18 minutes)

A man stands on a high mountain ledge looking at the flat world below him which slopes down away from him. Background by DW Brownlaw, using GEOMORPH and POVRAY. Foreground by Suman Halder of Pexels.

Episode 2 - Potion & Perspective

Prentyze disembarks, drinks a potion and looks down from the edge of the world. But what exactly is he seeing?

Read on (15 minutes)

Image of a cave in a mountainside. Photo by Athena of Pexels.

Episode 3 - Priest & Praise

Prentyze finds common ground with the priest, Zubin, who offers unexpected encouragement.

Read on (4 minutes)

Image of a cave in a mountainside. Photo by Athena of Pexels.

Episode 4 - Preparations & Politics

The group make final preparations to enter the Dragon's lair and Edrei Brassard gives a final briefing. But there is more going on than first appears.Β  The fault lines in the group begin to widen.

Read on (11 minutes)

The dark view ahead inside a tunnel ahead. Originally: a detail from from 'Hawaian Lava Tube' by Dave Bunnell on Wikimedia Commons.

Episode 5 - Tunnel & Temptation

Prentyze quizzes Zubin about dragons and their lairs, and receives a suggestion which is as surprising as it is wondrous. But β€”and there's always a 'but' in Waldemarian politicsβ€” what is really going on?

Read on (9 minutes)

An armoured warrior takes his rest in a dark tunnel.  Foreground: A lithographic print circa 1849-1862. Print made by Adolphe Mouilleron. Supplied to Wikimedia Commons by the British Library.  Background: A detail from from 'Hawaian Lava Tube' by Dave Bunnell on Wikimedia Commons.

Episode 6 - Rest & Recreation

Enjoying a much-needed break, Prentyze gets close to Flammia and tries his hand at Waldemarian politics. Neither turn out as he would hope.Β 

Read on (6 minutes)

The dark view ahead inside a tunnel ahead. Originally: a detail from from 'Hawaian Lava Tube' by Dave Bunnell on Wikimedia Commons.

Episode 7 - Resumption, Reprimand & Reality Check

The gruelling descent continues. Prentyze receives a dressing down, a lesson in Waldemarian politics and a glimpse of his future β€” none of it to his liking.

Read on (11 minutes)

Episode 8 - Assessment & Arrival

Finally committing to a destiny he dreads, Prentyze Brassard falls behind the party, counts his curses and fears for his sanity. What state, physical or mental, will he be in when he reaches the destination? Can he even survive the march, let alone the forthcoming battle with the huge, mature dragon which awaits them in it's lair?

Read on (9 minutes)

A stylised dragon's head supimposed on a fireball. Photos by SkitterPhoto from Pexels  and Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay.

Episode 9 - Dragon & Dust

Four humans, equipped with the latest House Brassard weapons tech, versus one tired and injured dragon. What could possibly go wrong? Or ... is there a truth behind the saying about cornered dragons?

And why has dust been nagging at Prentyze's mind with such persistence?

Read on (11 minutes)

A knight in grimay armour is sky diving from high altitude without a parachute. The world, far below, can be glimpsed in a lower corner. AI-generated. Source: aiturbo.com

Episode 10 - Cuisine & Craziness

Launched into the final minutes of his life, how will Prentyze occupy his remaining life?

Read on (12 minutes)

Only one episode left!

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