D& D - Mystara 02 Dragonking of Mystara

by Thorarinn Gunnarsson

  Thelvyn's problem was that he detested politics, which was what his life had mostly turned out to be concerned with. His titles of captain and advisor were hollow; he was the captain of no part of the Highland Army, and to be perfectly honest, he didn't have the experience to advise the king on much of anything. His present duty as Dragonlord was to keep the peace by subduing renegade dragons, but the renegades had been unusually well behaved these last five years.

  Through all that time, Kharendaen had been his constant companion, as well as his teacher and advisor. She had helped him to better understand his duties and abilities as a cleric as well as to persevere at his studies in magic. Dragon clerics were also magic-users, the result of their dual nature as both mortal and magical beings, although the situation was almost unprecedented among other races. Kharendaen had lived uncomplainingly in the city of Braejr for five years, confined to her refurbished warehouse and the enclosed yard beyond, yet she was always willing to fly for hours at a time on such errands as this.

  Kharendaen bent her long neck around so that she could watch Thelvyn out of one huge eye. "What are you thinking so hard about?"

  "What makes you believe I'm thinking about anything?" he asked in return.

  "When you are thinking, you stop wiggling in your saddle."

  Thelvyn had to concede the point. "I was wondering how much trouble we might be in. If Thyatis and Alphatia finally declare open war, I'll have to try to keep both the dragons and the Flaem out of it."

  "I do not necessarily believe that Alphatia and Thyatis are about to go to war," the dragon said. "Unless Alphatia has suddenly prepared for a massive invasion, this all seems very unexpected. I suspect that the Alphatians have other enemies to concern themselves with."

  "Who else is powerful enough to give Alphatia a serious fight?"

  Kharendaen looked back over her shoulder at him. "Ask yourself why the emperor considers this to be a matter for the Dragonlord."

  Thelvyn looked surprised. "You mean the dragons might be making war with the Alphatians? Do you know something I should know?"

  "Perhaps there is something you should know before you speak with the emperor," she said, looking uncomfortable. "The Alphatians have been making extensive settlements and fortifications in lands the dragons guard jealously as their own. If there is conflict between them, the dragons were not the aggressors."

  "Then you believe that I should not interfere?"

  "I am only warning you that this might be a difficult situation," she answered, choosing her words cautiously. "The dragons have the same right as anyone to protect their own lands, and the Alphatians may have committed other dire acts to provoke the dragons, things that I cannot speak of to you even yet. But if others believe the dragons to be the aggressors, especially after the events of five years ago, they may also fear that the dragons will attack their own lands and the war could spread. That is what you must guard against."

  "I'm not overly concerned," Thelvyn assured her. "If the dragons are successful against the Alphatians, it would probably earn them the goodwill of everyone in this part of the world."

  Kharendaen found a secluded valley, and they rested for a short time near the eastern edge of the mountains of the Allan Tepes. The next leg of their journey led them across the desert lands of the Ylaruam, and the gold dragon flew high above the harsh, dry expanse of dunes and barren hills. Kharendaen had come from the cold mountains of the north, and Thelvyn knew she often suffered when their duties took them into hot southern lands during the summer. Soon their course brought them back into the long southeastern arm of the Altan Tepes as it looped down below the desert.

  Beyond that lay the flat, green lands of Thyatis. Thelvyn had been raised in the northern mountain forests of the Highland frontier, and even now he found flat, featureless lands of fields and pastures to be as dreary and desolate as any desert. At least he didn't have to endure the sight of it for long, for the City of Thyatis lay hardly twenty-five miles from the southern edge of t he mountains. The sky had turned heavily overcast even before they came down from the mountains, and Kharendaen flew high to stay above the clouds and avoid the rain below. If it were also raining over the city, they would have a wet time of it.

  Kharendaen found their destination with uncanny accuracy, considering that she could not have seen it through the clouds. Seemingly without cause, she suddenly let her speed fall off and banked her broad wings as she began to descend in a wide, slow spiral. They dropped down into the clouds almost at once. They were so dense and dark that Thelvyn was barely able to make out Kharendaen's head and crest just ahead of him. The air grew wet and heavy as the cloud began to condense like dew on his clothing, and he braced himself for the rain that would be falling at lower altitudes.

  They descended blindly through the gray clouds for what seemed like a very long time before the thick mist parted grudgingly and they emerged just above the roofs of the city. Thelvyn could imagine the effect on the citizenry at the sudden appearance of a gold dragon, the largest of breeds, although this time the event went largely unnoticed. Most of the shops had been closed because of the heavy morning rains, and the streets were nearly deserted. Kharendaen took her bearings quickly and looped tightly back to the northwest, toward the center of the city and the great mansions and palaces of white stone and colorful slate roofs.

  Thyatis was the largest city Thelvyn had ever seen, larger even than the capital of Darokin, sprawling across the low hills on the west bank of the Mesonian River. The simple, solid buildings of Braejr seemed crude and impoverished compared to the delicate palaces of Thyatis, and the entire walled expanse of the Highland capital was no larger than a market center of this teeming city. Thelvyn couldn't help but think that King Jherridan had never journeyed to such places as this, or else he would realize that he was the ruler of only a simple, rustic land.

  Kharendaen found the emperor's palace quickly, using powerful backward thrusts of her wings to lower herself into the paved courtyard in the center of the garden. Thelvyn began to release the buckles on the straps that held him in the saddle. The rain had stopped momentarily, and the air was cool but felt heavy and very damp. A brisk wind was shaking the tall, slender trees that bordered the garden. The clouds were dark and heavy, threatening a resumption of the rain at any moment. Out of the corner of his eye, Thelvyn spotted one of the emperor's captains, Darius Glantri, descending the wide steps in the center of the long, covered patio that looked out over the courtyard.

  Darius was a young man, only a few years older than Thelvyn. He was also one of the few people Thelvyn had met who was taller than he, powerfully built and dashingly handsome. Darius was the hero of the day in Thyatis, a unowned commander in several encounters with Alphatia. Rumors were rife in Thyatian political circles that Darius was being groomed for far greater duties, for his almost carefree, amiable nature did not hide the fact that he was also a capable natural leader, easily trusted and beloved, as well as a brilliant strategist.

  "How were you able to sneak in between the storms?" Darius asked as he approached. "The rains have been nearly continuous since last night."

  "We must have been lucky," Thelvyn replied. "We came straight in."

  "Good afternoon to you, Lady." Darius bowed to Kharendaen, then reached up to rub her nose as she brought her head close. He knew the great dragon well and did not fear her, although the two bodyguards who accompanied him were obviously less certain.

  "You seem to be having a bit of nasty weather, Darius."

  "And there is more of it to come, to be sure," he said. "We should get you under the shelter of the roof before the rains return."

  Kharendaen folded her wings tightly and climbed the broad steps leading up to the patio. The open area was easily large enough to accommodate her, although she had to be careful not to hit her head against the ceiling, and that made her fretful. She was in a better mood as soon as Thelvyn, with Darius's assistance, finished removing her saddle. The rain had resumed by that time, a
great downpour driven by tierce winds that often carried a cold spray deep within the shelter of the patio.

  "Is this what you call a hurricane?" Thelvyn asked. He had always associated violent weather with the northern mountains he called home; he did not easily associate these warm southern lands with storms.

  "Indeed it is," Darius agreed. "Of course, this storm is strangely out of season, and as such it should be relatively mild. Most hurricanes come later in the year, at or just after the end of summer. At any rate, we never take the pounding they are likely to get on the east coast."

  "The wind seems to blow the rain in beneath the roof,"

  Kharendaen observed.

  Darius smiled. "I've already ordered bedding to be laid out in the hall behind the patio Don't be concerned. You will not have to spend the night in the wet and cold."

  Thelvyn followed Darius through the darkened passages of the imperial palace. The rains had brought on the gloom of evening early, and the lamps hadn't yet been lit for the night. Of course, Thelvyn could see well in the dark, and such matters didn't greatly concern him. What he did notice was that the palace seemed strangely empty and silent. The heavy boots of the captain and his two bodyguards echoed endlessly through the stone chambers and passages, not unlike the rumble of thunder from the storm.

  "Because of the storm, we have only a basic staff and guard on duty at the palace," Darius explained, as if anticipating his thoughts. "Most of the advisors and aides have gone home for the duration of the storm. I fear that we cannot treat you to any great diplomatic pomp."

  Thelvyn said nothing, but Darius's words reminded him that, because of his armor, he could never dare to dress in the finery that would have befitted someone of his station. The enchanted armor of the Dragonlord possessed one serious liability that he hadn't yet been able to overcome. He couldn't teleport into the armor as long as he was wearing any weapon or article of clothing such as shoes that would not easily fit within the magical suit. He would have had to remove such items first, and he couldn't expect to be allowed that much time if he was threatened by an assassin. For the sake of his safety, he had remained weaponless and barefoot since he had first taken up the armor, wearing nothing more than a shirt and trousers.

  At least, everyone he dealt with regularly was aware of this problem, and he wasn't expected to present himself at court in traditional attire. He did the best he could, wearing fine silk shirts with deep, full sleeves and a vest of rich leather.

  They came presently to a chamber Thelvyn recalled with wonder from previous visits. In most ways, it was only a

  circular courtyard enclosed within the palace, large enough to contain small trees and other lush plants, which grew about a fountain and pool in the center of the courtyard. Overhead, above the second-floor balcony with its railing of carved white stone, rose a great dome of glass set within

  a framework of some bright metal. Thelvyn paused a moment to watch the torrent of rain pouring over the room, curious that the glass didn't break during the violent weather this city apparently experienced from time to time. Darius led him to a group of seats set on the lawn beneath the largest of the trees, where Emperor Cornelius rose to greet him.

  Cornelius was a tall, mature man with chiseled features and a great lion's mane of hair as white as snow. He was wise and dignified, but also very patient and kindly with Thelvyn, who looked upon this regal man as everything he could have wished his own father to have been. Cornelius had never sought to betray his trust by prying into secrets or attempting to influence Thelvyn's judgment. Cornelius was the kind of ruler that Jherridan might have been if he had been less obsessed with ancient hatreds or less anxious of the authority he had fought so hard to win.

  "Welcome, Dragonlord," the emperor said, clasping Thelvyn's wrist in the Thyatian manner. "It was good of you to come so quickly."

  "It sounded important," Thelvyn replied. His travels in the last five years had taught him to speak the languages of both Thyatis and Darokin; his association with Kharendaen had taught him the language of the dragons.

  "It is important," Cornelius agreed as they took seats on the benches. "But young Darius witnessed the start of this, and he should tell the story."

  "I was leading a fleet of six galleys on a patrol into the Alphatian Sea northeast of Dunadale, on the upper tip of the Isle of Dawn, due east of southern Norwold," Darius began. "We saw smoke on the northern horizon, well away from land, and it was well over a hour before we could get there. As we came nearer, we could see a small band of dragons attacking a fleet of Alphatian supply vessels escorted by a couple of warships. The dragons were very cautious in their attacks, crippling the ships and then disabling the defenses of each in turn before searching the ship and sinking it. They looked us over when they left, but when they saw that we weren't Alphatians, they departed toward the west.

  "I moved my ships into the area of the wreckage, and we picked up over a hundred survivors. We questioned them all, and in the process, we learned that the dragons have been attacking the Alphatians for most of this year. The Alphatians don't seem to know why, but I learned that they've been up to something in the area about Nor-wold."

  "The Alphatians have established some large holdings and fortifications in the area around the Great Bay," Thelvyn said. "They've been seeking some large holdings on the continent, and they must have decided that they could escape Thyatian notice by settling so far to the north. It seems that the dragons claim that region as their own, and they're prepared to defend it. There are also indications that the Alphatians have done something else to make themselves especially unpopular with the dragons."

  "Then you already know about this?" the emperor asked.

  "Only what I've told you," Thelvyn said. "And I did not know about it until very recently. Kharendaen thought I should be aware of the situation. The dragons apparently believe they have the right to defend their lands and avenge some unidentified crimes against them, and I'm inclined to agree with them. But I also want to learn more before I decide anything, which I imagine is why you sent for me."

  "I'm glad now that I did," Cornelius said. "You have just helped to put the pieces of the puzzle together for us, and I admit that I feel better about the whole situation. I wanted to be pleased with the dragons for kicking around the Alphatians, but I was fearful of the extent of their involvement. Under any circumstances, I knew you'd want to be aware of this."

  Thelvyn nodded. "Even if I stay out of the situation and let the dragons have their way—within reason, of course—I still have my own problems to deal with. My first concern is that, like yourself, the leaders of other lands cannot help but be alarmed by the thought of dragons going to war again. I don't want anyone doing anything stupid that might cause the conflict to expand into places were it doesn't need to be. Unfortunately, I can imagine Jherridan drawing his sword and rushing off to invade Alphatia with every fool in the Highlands behind him. It's a good thing I'm in a position to keep a close eye on the Flaem."

  "Then you expect this to be a relatively brief conflict?" Darius asked.

  "I suspect that the dragons are in a very difficult position," Thelvyn explained. "You see, dragons are not territorial. Their hidden kingdoms are more like associations of dragons under a leader. The boundaries of their kingdoms are never fixed. Not only do their kingdoms exist within our own lands, often without our even being aware of it, but they may even overlap each other's kingdoms. Now, I've always suspected that they do indeed have a homeland somewhere in the northeast, but that's one of their secrets, and they're happier if I mind my own business."

  "Except that the Alphatians have now invaded their lands," Darius said. "Perhaps not even intentionally, at first."

  "Exactly . . . and that has created a dilemma for them. They want to keep their secrets by not calling attention to the region, but they also want the Alphatians to leave. I believe that they will fight only until they get what they want, and then they'll back off. I don't believe they have any real i
nterest in the destruction of Alphatia, although I suspect that Jherridan might want to take advantage of the disruption to mount an allied invasion of Alphatia."

  "And he may well be right," Cornelius remarked. "That depends upon whether the conflict with the dragons will leave Alphatia vulnerable to an invasion, and whether we can work out an alliance and assemble an invasion in time

  to take advantage of the disruption."

  He paused, sitting back in his chair with his arms crossed as he considered the matter carefully. Thelvyn couldn't anticipate what he was thinking. He might actually be considering the merits of attacking the Alphatians if he found support for an alliance against them. Thelvyn waited in silence, taking advantage of the moment to watch the torrents of rain as the winds hurled it in sheets against the glass dome. The sound was distracting.

  "I must confess to wishing we could put an end to the threat of Alphatia," Cornelius said at last. "I have tried to interest other nations into becoming our allies in such a war, but the inland nations do not anticipate that they could ever be in danger from Alphatia, Darokin, or even Traladara, would be valuable allies, but they are far to the west and removed from Alphatian aggressions. The emirates of the deserts to the north and the folk of the Heldan-nic lands and the Northern Reaches are too preoccupied with quarrelling among themselves to be of any use in foreign wars."

  "That was the same problem Jherridan himself faced in seeking allies when the rogue dragons were attacking five years ago," Thelvyn said.

  "I wonder what influence the Dragonlord might have in gathering support for an alliance, especially considering that the dragons are already involved."

  Thelvyn seemed rather surprised by that question. "If Thyatis is willing to commit itself to an allied effort against the Alphatians, then I suspect that Darokin would take the matter more seriously and offer their support. I'm respected enough in Rockhome that King Daroban would commit at least a part of the strength of the dwarves if I were to ask."