My flesh is battered, but my spirit is buoyed. We have met a dragon, a Copper named Selenia. Just seeing Selenia’s beauty and strength reminds me of home, and at the same time reminds me of why I left my home in the first place.

We were traveling south on an ancient roadbed, hoping to reach the Southern Village before nightfall, when we heard ground-shaking roars and saw huge shapes flying in the distance. A young copper dragon with fresh wounds landed on the road, saw us, and said “The Sea Wyvern,” before lapsing into unconsciousness. Before we could lend assistance, five armored dracha flew in from the jungle. I was so excited and surprised to see my own kind again, it took a moment for me to realize the unthinkable: they actually meant the dragon harm! And even more amazingly, these dracha knew us. They were Illthane’s minions, and wanted us dead.

Even outnumbered, it was soon clear that we would best these enemy dracha. These were worthy adversaries, but our trials on this island have toughened us. And Aramir wielded Blackrazor against them—after seeing what it did against the centipede, it was no surprise that these foes could not stand before its might.

These wretches resorted to devious tactics once they lost the advantage of numbers. One of them wrestled Urol to the ground, threatening to harm him if we did not stand down. Unfortunately for them, Aramir does not speak Draconic: he launched himself at the grappling pair and pulled the dracha off of Urol. The leader then attempted to slay the unconscious Copper, mouthing some self-serving lie about “duty”, but died himself with Galan’s axe in his back. The last dracha attempted to escape, and I was so incensed that I lost my head: despite rather grievous wounds, I flew after him, attacking him with one of my wands. But these dracha, despite their lack of honor, were better fliers than I, and better warriors besides. I very nearly died for my trouble, saved by Aramir’s arrow.

Galan had healed the Copper, who awoke and introduced herself as Selenia (at least, I believe it to be a female). She told us that her family, including her mother and older sisters, were patrolling Farshore because the sage Eligos had learned that Illthane was planning to attack. The patrolling Coppers had kept the Black away, but had not been able to prevent Illthane from attacking the Southern Village. Even now, more of her dracha minions hold the village—our only way to leave this cursed island. Selenia had come here against her mother’s instructions looking for us…and was almost killed by Illthane for her troubles. Now we have a wounded Copper, we are hunted by an angry Black, and a there is a village full of enemies between us and the dubious safety of the sea.

I know that the wisest course of action would be to find a way to leave here and find a measure of safety under the sheltering wings of Selenia’s family. But a deep part of me smolders with rage at these dracha. They have abandoned their heritage to serve Illthane the Black, and through her, Kyuss himself. What measure of greed or dishonor could cause them to shut their eyes to the evil they do in their master’s name? How could they have forgotten the purpose behind their very creation? Are they blind to the weight of shame they force upon all of us? I wish to confront them, to get them to abandon their present course. And failing that, my dragon’s heart wishes to see them broken and destroyed.

Selenia gives me hope, and these fallen dracha give me a thirst for justice. Together, these are enough to shred the despair in which this island has cloaked me.