The pirates were having fun and the immediate threat of the paladins was gone. However, some bad feelings remained. I had to figure out a way to help the dragon. Not because I gave him my word or anything; that didn't mean squat. But because I actually felt pity for the poor thing. And certainly not because he had plenty of more uses.
Anyway, the bad taste in my mind lingered and so did the thought, this is getting worse.
I had a theory of what was going on.