So, I have a new character! Dragonzoologist/Dragon Handler, Alphonse Zephyr. I'm itching to get some dragon plots together! The one that really sticks out ot me, is the idea of some sort of illness that is affecting dragons. I am thinking the illness would cause:

• Confusion in dragons, which could result in heightened aggression
• Not being able to produce flame
• Eventual death
• Defects in young if they lay eggs while having this illness
• Perhaps they ignore the healthy eggs because they're sick?

So I am thinking, a big illness that affects the population and the future population. We could bring in dragon experts and magizoologists to take care of it? Maybe some people need to focus on taking care of the eggs, and others are focusing on bringing the adults to health.

Not sure if we should focus on certain types of dragons, or if this affects dragons as a whole. Maybe some types are getting close to extinction?

Anyone and everyone who'd like to get involved is more than welcome. Please, spout off any more ideas you have here!

We already discussed this over IM but yes to just about everything. Of course I'm interested in this because of poor Balfour, not to mention it would be great plotting material for anyone in or near their Ministry department.

Another side-effects of the virus could be a shortage in certain potions supplies as a result of 'possibly contaminated sources': dragon blood, scales, etc.

• Perhaps a particular breed of dragon is immune to it.
• This may lead to complaints of the breed being overused for harvesting.[1]
• I imagine that there will be some messy transportation as the ill dragons are isolated from healthy dragons, perhaps causing some muggle sightings.
• You also mentioned maybe bringing an infected egg to observe in a CoMC lesson? 
• The extinction angle is both terrifying and intriguing. Fundraisers could be thrown by wizarding socialites, a sort of "Save the Hungarian Horntail!" campaign or something.

We should also think about a possible resolution. Is a cure or vaccination eventually produced? Does it mysteriously fade away over the long term, through isolation and nursing? A decision doesn't have to be made now but it's something to think about while plotting.

1.	I am working under the presumption that dragon blood and scales are collected through creature-kind harvesting, like blood donation.

I reckon Ezia would get very interested in this issue, seeing as she only accepts top-quality ingredients for both her own stock and the school Potions supplies. But, since I'm apparently in the Potions field, I'll focus mostly on dragons as parts, not wholes. >.> Ha ha. Ha. So tasteless...

• Perhaps there'd be general complaints and needs everywhere, and the Ministry would have to come up with some way of procuring uncontaminated ingredients. Kudos for International Cooperation?
• Whatever consensus is reached, Ezia will insist that one of the places the ingredients are needed most is Hogwarts, since education is important and all that. I'm sure everyone else will have a different opinion.
• I can also see ways for the criminal world to reap major benefits off of this. Contaminated ingredients being sold cheap, under the guise of being top quality? Actually uncontaminated parts being smuggled and sold for outrageous prices?
• I can sense general panic among potioneers and apothecary owners, having to ration out their dragon products. Unable to function and do their jobs properly, how about a protest?
• Perhaps the brightest minds of wizarding Britain, from all academical fields and work areas could come together to work towards identifying the disease, and after that, a cure or at least methods of relieving the worst symptoms. National/International Dragon Symposium, anyone?

As for Ezia at Hogwarts, I reckon she'd have to rearrange the syllabus, until the shortage is overcome. Perhaps it's the best moment to assign the students to put their minds to work and come up with alternatives or substitutes for dragon-originated ingredients?

Who knows, maybe she's got some blooming genius in her class that just happens to come up with a brilliant idea to be passed to the actual professionals and worked into a viable solution. She has zero expectations of it actually happening, but hey... More chances to assign zeros and take points off them for failing.

Vadim is in. Already we were discussing things for him and Al to touch base on in an upcoming thread.

The Sanctuary and Vadims services are at the disposal of this plot!

I'm in with Margo. 

There could also be the messy "is this dragon exclusive or will it infect humans?" angle to go on as well - which would create mass panic and crazy amounts of paperwork at her desk. 

If that route didn't work, I'd LOVE for a reason to have it be "all hands on deck" and give Margo a chance to go back out to whatever reserve it is and actually do something.  Or, all hands on deck, meaning being stuck back in the office doing really bad PR and trying to organize with well meaning, but annoying, society members to "save the dragons!"

Idk, I guess I don't have a ton to add, but I want in on whatever it is that happens

Ohmygod. Dragon epidemiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiic. You've got all my bbs at your service, Kelly, but-


CC is definitely throwing a fundraiser! It started as a run-of-the-mill publicity event thingy for her new, dragons-centric children's book, but when she hears things she will be enlisting the help of her good friend Charlotte St. James and donating all the proceeds to the cause! More details can be found here.

Meanwhile, Bai is totes up to help, too! Dragons may not be her passion (that would be mystic nature spirits and insidious, bloodcurdling, flesh-eating demons, thank you), but they are one of her specialties, and she is v invested in their general well-being. (Insert 3 essays and 20 different papers on the significance and impact of the world's dragon populations on ecosystems everywhere, here)  All she has keeping her busy atm is a seminar with the esteemed Vadim Vyrubov, so she'd definitely have time to lend assistance to the cause, I think. Whether it's reporting declining numbers, visible signs of illness, or egg neglect- we're up for it, should you want! 

You are welcome to use the Ferris Magizoology Ranch as a place to take sick Dragons. I would imagine that Sean would come back to England to help out during this crisis, so you are welcome to NPC him as one of the people helping out.

I also could offer Kia and Kale as backup. Kale would be great for helping with wounds received from the dragons and Kia has some experience with wrangling them. So If they can be of help, let me know Especially since Kia might be given some forced time off from work...

I've posted in the Dragon fundraiser thread for Iris, my Daily Prophet reporter.

But I'm going to have Iris take a gander at this. Both her paternal grandparents are herbologists and academics, and they probably have friends who are magizoologists and dragonzoologists, even if both disciplines barely touch together. I think Iris could have heard something from both her grandparents, perhaps, an unconfirmed rumor.

Also, in her capacity as a reporter she'll probably be writing short articles , which will be opportunities for threadage too (she'll be on it, because she doesn't want to just be assigned to covering social events and being a backup writer).

• An article informing readers how to recognize infected dragon parts, interviews with a dragonzoologist. (She'll probably hound a couple of dragonzoologist and magizoologists for a quote.)
• An article about the potion shortages  (Quotes from affected apothecaries and potioneers).
• Articles on fundraisers and other events created from the dragon epidemic.

Ghastly is all over this one! She'll likely be on the front lines handling damage control. Wrangling the infected dragons getting the noobs out of the way so they don't get themselves killed. Transporting dragons, eggs, healthy parts (from creature-safe reserves that harvest them legally and properly) helping maintain any initial panic or even being a 'guest speaker' should there be a reason to warn Hogwarts or the general wizarding populace about the infection/illness.

I can also use this for Lexus being a potioneer that is known to get any ingredient this is going to have a huge impact on her business if she's going to find it hard to get good dragon parts. She'd be very against selling any contaminated ingredients even if they'd be the easiest to find (she's in her current state due to tainted ingredients, so that'd be a big no-no) Might be a fun opportunity to get her in a travelling mood.

This all sounds super awesome!

If you want to do threads with Al regarding the epidemic, shoot me a PM to my Maiko account! Feel free to start threads as well. The tag we're using is "Dragon Epidemic".

These are fantastic ideas, and I am so happy that you all are interested!

The Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures would certainly have the backing of the Minister for doing whatever they can to support the efforts to preserve dragons in Britain!  She's a bit of a tree-hugger and all for the preservation of things that make wizarding culture magical.

I imagine part of the Minster's particular role would be coordinating the many departments involved. 
RCMC, Acc.&Cat., and very likely IMC. 

Also - I am ALWAYS up for meetings and briefings and all of that - so if anyone wants to come update the Minister we can get some good facts down on paper and you can bet she'll ask questions.  That's my favorite way to plot and get things happening.

(Widdle brother.)

I am imagining it starts in early March, and then progresses through April.

(lost it at 'widdle brother')

I'd also like to think that there's an increased rate of injury among the handlers-- perhaps hexes that they use to subdue dragons only exacerbate the illness-- so it's not recommended to use them?

Nuri and I are doing a thread where Balfour and Vadim visit Hebrides to inspect some of the infected dragons. If anyone's interested in perhaps joining....let us know. It's just a vision in my mind, but I imagine getting a group of badass wizards together to subdue a fully grown dragon or two is pretty epic.

Who's your dragon?

Haha, I can't exactly call Edwin 'badass' but considering he's got an eye on all of this dragon epidemic relating to catastrophes, shall I toss him into the party?