Kappel

Kappel Expendable Kappel isn't supposed to be alive. She's technically one of the enemy, one of the Serthis Allies that spawned the War of Swords. The only reason she's still around is that for some reason, on the day she was supposed to be executed, Zukyem the engineer Ridgeback intervened and dragged her off to her workshop instead. Kappel still doesn't understand her former adversary's motives but hey! Woo! She's alive! Zukyem's workshop is the only place Kappel is allowed to be, on strict orders of her saviour. Kappel doesn't mind too much. She knows there are some very dangerous dragons out there who would love to see her sentence carried out in full, and the workshop is full of Zukyem's fascinating projects which the engineer is slowly sharing more information about. Zukyem seems to treat her like some kind of assistant; making her do all the lowly jobs like fetch coal and scrape rust, but if it keeps her alive it's work Kappel does gladly. Her own technical expertise is itching to try out some of Zukyem's more intricate equipment- especially the section of the workshop she's forbidden from, with all the chemicals- but her Fire Ridgeback keeper has made it very, very clear that tinkering with things uninvited will get her into trouble she won't get out of again.

History: At a young age Kappel got very excited by the possibility of associating with Serthis, and went running off the moment she got wind of an alliance between Plague dragons and a sect on the warpath. She met several of the other young Serthis Allies along the way, and eventually fought under Rennic's command during the War. The deeper motives of the War were of little interest to her, and she spent the majority of her time leading the effort to break into Zukyem's spike-lined den and deactivate her traps. When the War reached its climax Kappel was taken capture, and subsequently sentenced to execution before Zukyem intervened.

Physical: Kappel is a big, hyperactive Mirror who is not especially strong for her size. It takes tremendous flapping for her to get off the ground but she can manage to fly decently once in the air, if a little wobbly coming back down. Her swimming ability is largely untested, but she's unafraid of the Sea. Kappel's head grows an illuminated bulb lure as some dragons are wont to do, something her mother used to have at the time of Kappel's hatching. Kappel can dim and flare this bulb at will, and it glows with a sickly cold green light. Kappel is overall a rather musty, swamp-smelling Plague dragon whose wings tend to shed flakes of skin, and her soft belly is constantly slightly damp. She doesn't require glasses to see correctly; the lenses are magnifying lenses and are usually shoved up her forehead out of the way.

During the War Kappel fought mainly via use of her venomous armour, flailing about defensively. Without it she is a terrible fighter. Her twitchy nature and alert awareness of the world however give her a certain quick agility when dodging surprises, usually sparks of hot metal or a carelessly swung Ridgeback tail.

Familiar: Kappel had a buttersnake familiar during the War of Swords which she was somewhat attached to, but it went missing and now Kappel finds that she hadn't bonded with it closely enough to have any idea where it went, or even if it's still alive. Not the chiefest of her worries right now, however.

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Zukyem: She still isn't sure what to make of the huge grey engineer, who on the one hand is keeping her captive, but on the other is keeping her among the living. Kappel is quite aware of her own involvement in the loss of Zukyem's mate, indirect or otherwise, and the Ridgeback sometimes briefly glances at her with such cold fire in her eyes that it's genuinely terrifying. On the other hand she keeps Kappel well fed, and gives her polite instructions which are neither bitter nor in any way cruel. Kappel once tried asking why she'd been saved: A flat look and a "You owe me." was all the reply she received, so she decided it was best to leave it there for now.

Former Associates: Kappel's time as a Serthis Ally was mainly as a technician, repairing armour and weapons, though she'd like to think otherwise. She was one of the lesser Plague dragons, along with the slain Bazzah- who she was most familiar with, the rotting Tundra Iur, and Moorl, who despised her for being large and clever. Additionally there was Lyrrkril, who considered herself above the other 'lesser' Plague dragons. Kappel has no idea where any of them are, save Bazzah and Moorl, who she knows were killed. Then of course there was Rennic, with his four savage war children and their mad Mirror mother. Kappel tries not to think too hard about Rennic. It might get her in trouble.

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