Prep 2024: Plot - Premise

1.) Setting: The setting is heavily influenced by Ancient China, but it actually takes place in a fictional world where continents and countries are very different from Earth. I’ll need to find a good balance between influence and creativity to make the culture separate from the Southeast Asia we recognize.

2.)Protagonists
         a.) Xiang (good luck/omen and river/stream) - Xiang is the son of the frog dragon and the ruler of the land. He has seven younger sisters through his father’s concubines. He loves all of his siblings, and will do anything to make sure they are well.
                   i.) Xiang is very trusting. A few of his family members among others take advantage of this to manipulate Xiang. For example, some of his dragon uncles trick him into going off course during his mission.
                   ii.) Xiang wants to cure his younger sisters’ illness by finding ingredients listed by the Heavenly Counsel. If he fails to find the cure, his sisters would continually suffer or die.
         b.) He (lotus, water lily) - She is Xiang’s twin sister, and is a dragon made of sentient water.
                   i.) He has difficulties communicating with strangers. Other people believe she is intimidating because of this and her beastly appearance. Her form is determined by how much water she obtains. This can evaporate until she reaches a weakened state, although she wouldn’t disappear altogether.
                   ii.) He wants to protect Xiang and support him in his journey to save their half sisters. She knows if they fail the sisters will suffer or die, which will devastate Xiang.
3.) Conflict: The illness Xiang and He’s half sisters suffer from was caused by the will of the Elder Dragon Long. Other dragons and their allies will impede Xiang and He’s journey to uphold Long’s will. This could be by misdirecting them or confronting them in combat.
4.) Antagonists:
         a.) Elder Dragon Long Da (intelligent dragon): Long Da is one of the Elder Dragons that helped in the creation of the current world. He believed the ruler of the land slighted him by dividing the frog dragon into three parts: the human Xiang, the water dragon He, and the frog. He theorizes that if they were to be combined, then the frog dragon would be restored.
         b.) Long Gang (strong dragon): Long Gang is one of the frog dragon’s adoptive older brothers. He upholds Long Da’s will to the letter and is the most confrontational of Xiang and He’s obstacles. He opposes them because he misses the frog dragon and wishes to reunite her fractured form.
         c.) Long Ju (large dragon): Long Ju is another adoptive brother of the frog dragon. He is crafty compared to Long Gang’s direct assaults. He allies himself with Long Da for the same reason Long Gang does.

Summary: A human/dragon hybrid boy opposes the will of dragons by journeying to find the cure for his sisters’ illness.