Where would you take this from here?

[JimAde]

I freely admit to stealing inspiration for the following from The Terminator:

The PCs run into an insanse sorceress who is opposing them. After a couple of run-ins they gather that she is trying to save the world by killing/opposing them.

Naturally the sorceress is the daughter of the wizard and dragon, who has come from the future in a last-ditch attempt to stop the demon invastion that, in her future, has decimated the world. Something the PCs are planning to do will actually make the invasion possible (maybe they're being duped or something) and they are reviled as collaborators.

Another idea (you could use both): have the dragon saddle them with a "helper" (possibly one of her offspring) to keep an eye on them. The "helper" thinks they are relatively loyal to her but is, himself, seeking to oppose her either for his own purposes or just because it's the right thing to do.

 

[Hand of Evil]

A bit more...

Wizard and party goes off to fight the elfs, does it happen? Maybe, maybe not, what does come out of it is a possible artifact, which is described in the fluffy prophecy, bady red wizard dragon and device equals trouble for demon horde.

Do the players discover the connection? If they do, what does daddy do!

Woooo! Now, let us do a terminator! Baby Red Dragon Wizard comes back in time to now (or near future) and is leading the demon horde! Hates daddy, hates mom!

 

[Cergorach]

How about something really unexpected, the Red Dragon really comes to care for the wizard in question. She's still very evil, but that doesn't exclude things like love. She's going to be harsh to anyone that opposes her, except the wizard (atleast a whole lot less harsh). So when she goes to war against the peaceful elven nation and leads her troops her self the wizard is stuck between protecting the innocent and the woman who loves him and is carrying his unborn child...

Not to mention the fact that the already excisting offspring now have a new daddy, whom they might not like or tolerate. As an added twist, their new daddy is half their age. The children competing for mom's attention, not to mention possible assasinations to get mom's new boyfriend out of the picture. They might not be thrilled to get a new brother or sister either...

 

[Steel_Wind]

Uhm.... If the demonic invasion has been foiled, isn't it time to take out yonder dragon?

Not you - I mean the PCs.

No offence, I like the plot and all that, but at some point, the PCs need to be proactive and start deciding the fate of the world instead of sitting back and being ordered around like a bunch of sissies. I'd be getting stuffing quotes on "Great Wyrm, Ancient Red" from various taxidermists right about now...

Lead the fight against the elves...and report victory.

Make the elvish mages vanish into thin air. Provide bodies to find and booty for the dragon.

Wait for the moment to strike - then take the dragon out. She's out lived her usefulness - and sounds like she's getting too full herself. A red dragon's ego knows no bounds. Play upon it and destroy her.

The "loose end"? That's the fact that dragon is pregnant with the PCs child.

To wait or not to wait to slay the beeotch, that's the question

 

[Dakkareth]

The player just wrote plot hook (note the bold) on his character sheet



Have the dragon ask the wizard to provide inside knowledge about the party - in order to better act against the invasion of course. Then he should 'keep an eye' on them while away either inofficially or officially as 'dragon relations' man, maybe with special authority given to him ("She appointed me leader of this mission, we will do it my way.").

Doing so will split the loyalty between the group and the dragon - on the one hand great power, riches and fun, on the other hand his friends. And nobody knows, whether the wizard is an agent for the other side, a double agent, a double agent for both sides, etc.

Have the dragon contact him at some inopportune time: "Under attack, need your help now. You gave me your word. Teleport coordinated follow." Best would be, while the rest of the party is engaged in a fight or in some other activity, where no lifes depend on the wizard's presence, but his absence will hurt, too.

Finally, once the demonic invasion problem is solved: The wizard for his part is still allied with the dragon, while the rest of the party might think, that 'the dragon deal has outlived its usefulness'.

Random ideas:

-What about taking levels as dragon disciple as result of the union or getting some flavor-only draconic abilities like scaled skin, improved vision, fire resistance 3?

-Intrigue with many groups: There's the dragon, the wizard, the rest of the party, three factions among the dragon offspring, convoluted elvish politics, etc.

Man, this is a cool situation

 

[Saeviomagy]

1. Have the red dragon use the PC. She'd be a fool just to kill him or not otherwise make use of him.

2. Equally, she'd be a fool to trust him. So she should drop some hints about a powerful dragon-slaying artifact. Which, of course, isn't a powerful dragon slaying artifact, but has some other powers which she'd like to make use of. Ideally something which can't hurt her (like a sword with great scrying powers or something).

Which means either
a) She's got a loyal servant who will do what she wants, and she knows she can trust him either because he's sufficiently cowed, or sufficiently intelligent.

OR

b) Her loyal servant betrays her by bringing the artifact with the expectations that it will make the fight against her easier - which of course it won't do. Thus she slaughters the party and takes the artifact.

Ideally you want the PCs to somehow discover this plot, but at a time too late to back out of the final confrontation...