B.T.V. -- Epilogue Session 11: Dragons' Foe

A Swirl of Dragons



Asher Zi, Sana Xina nearby as always, stands on the deck of Assurbanipal’s great ship, watching the mist swirling around it. He imagines he sees the forms of dragons in that mist, chasing each other, catching each other, merging and then separating again. He is sure it is a pretense of his own mind. Well, fairly sure. He still does not understand the mystery of Sana Xina. She has claimed to be her master and he her slave, but had also asserted once that she belongs to him. He felt an odd relationship with her, as he had from first meeting her. He could press her for details, seek answers to questions, but instead he gave her her shroud of mystery for now.


On the ship with them are Axewing the Immortal, Millyan the Yendi, Cabillion the Assassin, Sreigorn the Ranger King, Handfist the Dwarfish King, Dagnyr the Delve and of course the unnamed girl he and Sana has rescued from the Heart of the Dragon. She is another mystery, but one Zi intends to unravel in time, albeit carefully, to avoid harm to her. She shows little in the way of trauma from her abduction and captivity. Perhaps she conceals her emotional wounds, or perhaps because of her unusual ancestry, a mix of Draegeran and human, she has become inured to such hurts. She is unique, as far as Zi knows. Halfbloods between Draegeran Houses are outcasts and shunned. Between human and Draegeran—he can’t begin to guess.


The ship carries, as well the corpse of Shuutak the Jhegalla, who had fallen to a bolt from a Jenoine’s crossbow.


Umm the Drake, also, is on the ship with them, ensconced like Defiant the Gryphon King in the rigging of the great ship. Zi’s draconic companion had somehow, with the liberation of the Heart of the Dragon from the grasp of Peloi and the Jenoine, transformed. His speech is now more sophisticated and more frequent, and he has lost his ability to take human form. Perhaps the retrieval of the Heart has strengthened that which is dragon within Umm.


Zi forms a list in his mind of tasks that lie before him in Adhrilanka. His first priority is to see to the revivification of Shuutak. She has been dead over two days now, and is approaching a literal deadline past which she cannot be returned to life. The Spirit Wardens of Adhrilanka will hopefully be able to restore her to life.









He also wants to check in with Elric, the Melnibonean prince, to report what they found in the Jenoine installation connected to the Vikka of Jhi in Banners, and to speak to Finndo of Amber along the same lines, and to introduce him to Axewing, Asher’s new companion.


The unnamed girl needs to be returned to the Playships in Adhrilanka, where she says she has been raised by bards and minstrels and actors and the like. Hopefully, they will know her name, for she had forgotten it, and can fill in details about her parents. He wishes he could leave it at that, but given the interest of the Jenoine in her, he is certain she will continue to play a part in his own future in some way.


The denizens of Playships might be able to connect him with the Black Orphan, the Bard of Axildusk that Death, the Bard of Humanity, recommended he find if he wishes to learn of his own song. Asher isn’t certain what such a song will mean to him, but he will never find out if he does not follow Death’s advice.


He hopes, too, to check in on Bamboo, his lyorn familiar, and Noxster the Jhereg. Noxster had briefly been Zi’s lover, but on a casual basis. Still, he is not so callous as to simply slough her off. She lost her Jhereg crew soon after meeting Asher, and he wants to determine how she is faring as a result. Perhaps she has found another and is content.


Zi means as well to talk to Dr. Doom and the Black Khakhan, but not until after he had heard the Orphan’s song. And he must have a conversation with Ghilong, to better define their new relationship.


A few hours later, the flotilla arrayed around Assurbanipal’s flagship arrives in the waters off Adhrilanka, and they, accompanied by Asurbanipal who expresses interest in the city, transfer to a smaller vessel to be ferried to a dock.


“So this is it, is it?” Handfist declares. “It stinks here.”


“It is a city,” Axewing replies.


“A city surrounded by a weird green light,” Handfist points out.


Millyan, explaining that he and Shuutak as warriors are both paid up on their weregild for revivification, sets off carrying her body toward the Knell Crematorium, to see if the spirit Wardens can revive her.


Asher leads the remainder of their party toward the Carriage Crashed Inn, where he hopes to find Finndo and begin to tick off his list of tasks.


“It’s good to be back,” the unnamed girl observes airily as they walked. “I can’t wait to be home.”








Asher assures her that returning her to Playships will come soon, after they deal with a few other chores. She offers to go on her own, but he is reluctant to let her out of his sight until he is assured of her safety.


Handfist asserts that he needs armour, so Asher modifies their route to go first to Maizak’s shop, adjacent to the foundry.


“I’m relying on you, Asher Zi,” Handfist warns. Zi notes that Maizak is someone he had previous dealings with, and is obliged to him.


Inside the shop, the group spreads out, looking at the many displays.


Maizak, greeting Asher, declares, “Oh, my. You have been shopping elsewhere. You cut a very fine figure. For an Easterner.”



Despite the conditional addition, Asher takes the comments for a compliment, and states that Handfist wishes armour and a weapon.


“And what can I do for you, young man?” Maizak asks Handfist, who grimaces but makes no reply beyond, “Armour for someone my size.”


“I will have to take some measurements,” Maizak says as he comes out from behind a counter. “You’re quite stout.”


Asher suggests that perhaps they should start with the selection of a weapon, and Handfist states firmly he wishes a hammer.


Stymied by the height of the display counters with their glass tops, Handfist unhappily climbs a short stepping stool supplied by Maizak.


“These knives are very nice, but your hammers leave a lot to be desired. I want a war hammer, not a hammer hammer.”


“Ah. A war hammer.” Maizak points Handfist toward upright races of polearms, and pulls out one.


“Here is one I made when I was a much younger man.”


“You’re not a man,” Handfist, feeling contrary, states. “You’re a, what do you call it, a Draegeran.”


Asher points out that on Axildusk, “man” applies more to gender than race, and Handfist relents.


“I’m going to let it slide with this elfy guy here.”


Asurbanipal advises Handfist against getting into arguments with the locals.


“What about this, then?” Maizak, under some strain, asks, holding out another polearm.


“It’s sort of your size,” Handfist counters.


“Ah. I see. What you want is like a mattock. They’re used down on the docks, to drive in pilings.”


Axewing throws another stick in the fire, asking, “Is there a shop that caters to Tribesmen?”


Maizak looks shocked. “Sir! This is Adhrilanka!”


“You said you made this as a younger man,” Handfist asks of Maisak. “Can you still make stuff, or are you past it?”


“I assure you, I am highly skilled in the making of weaponry,” the merchant defends himself.


Asher, concerned about keeping his friendly relationship intact with Maizak, appeals to Axewing for help.


“Perhaps I can act as an intermediary,” Sreigorn intervenes in the conversation between the merchant and Handfist.


“Would you?” Maizak implores.


“Perhaps you should leave us here,” Sreigorn says, offering to remain with Handfist. The allows the others to continue on to the Carriage Crashed Inn.








Just outside the entrance, they are met by Staffy, the Tarar Tribesman hired to keep order there. His sense of scent allows him to recognize Asher, despite the recent addition of the latter’s full beard.


Turning to Axewing and learning his name, Staffy comments, “That’s a different kind of name for an Easterner. Where are you from?”


“Elsewhere,” the Immortal answered, dodging the question. “I have always been a friend of Lored Dogg, your creator.”


The Tribesman seems discomfited by this statement. “The Gods created us.”


Axewing assures Staffy they are only at the inn to eat and drink, and he admits them. Stepping inside, Axewing stops at the sight in the entry way, dominated by an impressive looking carriage. He recognizes the signs of enchantment up it.


“You have a carriage?” he asks incredulously.


“It is the Carriage Crashed Inn,” Zi points out.


Axewing sees no damage to the carriage but, leaving it, proceeds to the high bar, where he is met by Javen, the fiery-haired Teckla server, from whom he orders an ale. Asher joins him, while Asurbanipal stands nearby, as does Sana Xina and Dagnyr.


The Special Tactics Group Major Annorize Itterari comes striding toward them from the inn’s entrance. She doesn’t seem to recognize Asher, but he’s uncertain. It might be an act.


“I was in the neighbourhood and I was told there were two rather well-dressed Easterners in the Inn,” she begins. “I see there are not rumours. You make quite the collection.”


“We are allies of the Lord Elric,” Axewing says before Asher can speak.


“You are Easterners of some travel, then?”


“We are,” Asurbanipal replies.


She considers them, then says, “We must not count eggs before they are used.” She then departs.


“That’s Itterari,” the unnamed girl says glowingly. “She is one of the greatest swordsmen in the city.”


Asurbanipal drily tells Axewing, “She is not human, and you have not married in the last week or so.”


Asher figures that a joke must be buried in that comment, but not knowing enough of Axewing’s background, could only deduce he is not a stranger to marriage.


“I have of course already chosen my next wife,” Axewing answers. “I consulted with Isis. Unfortunately, that was before what occurred.”


Zi supposes he meant coming to Axildusk from Outside, whatever Outside was. He understood in theory, but still had difficulty comprehending a universe beyond Axildusk. “I’ll see the colour of your money, please,” Javen interrupts. Asher is about to remind her that he is a part-owner of the inn, but then remembers that as a part-owner, he shares in the profits, and so maintains his silence.


Axewing puts down a strange gold coin, which Javen inspects closely, but accepts. They proceed to a table, where they order food and drinks. Asher, aware of Axewing’s vast appetite, orders the Desolation for him, a dish involving thick slices of beef, slices of spicy sausages, reliche and gammon, layered with fried eggs.


His is the first to arrive, the others having ordered moderately lighter fare, and the Immortal sets in immediately, focused entirely on the heavy platter before him. Asher takes the opportunity to reach out psychically to Elric, to see if he’s free to come to the Inn.


“Yes, what is it, Asher?” Elric demands, and Asher presumes he is not free. The prince confirms this, explaining curtly, “I am entertaining guests at the moment.”


Asher apologizes for his presumption and cuts the contact. He then tries very hard to understand the strains on Elric, and to recall that while he is technically a Draegeran and a Dragon, he is only a recent addition to the society that has oppressed humans on Axildusk for so very long.


The unnamed girl—Zi dismisses the notion of giving her a name that is not her own for convenience’s sake—is impatient to go to the Playships, and he again assures her it is his intent to return her after they leave.


Everyone then hears a distant rumbling, a sound like the earth shaking but without any movement. Staffy runs up the steps of the tavern to gaze at Asher’s party, before assuring himself that they are not the source of some mischief. The Tarar goes running out again. Soon after, Feddix, the Jhereg who is the owner of record for the inn, given that Easterners are not allowed to possess property within Adhrilanka, comes their way. Before he can reach them, Asher rises and calls to him by name.


‘You know my name,” Feddix, who Asher recalls if from Karrion, replies. “I’m afraid I do not know yours.”


Asher answers with his name, but the Jhereg appears skeptical.


“If you are Asher Zi, I would ask you to answer one question. Why?”


“I ran into a friendly dragon,” Asher answers. “And I allowed my beard to grow in.”


Feddix seems to know the rate at which humans grew their facial hair, for he still appears dubious.


Asher asks where Finndo is, having learned from Javen he had left the Inn the previous day due to some sort of family crisis.


“His brother, Julian, came for Finndo. A man who likes his dogs.”


Asked about the succession, he says that rumours indicated that Elric had sought alliances outside the House of the Dragon. A potential rival, Count Beynar e’Mondaar of Skaduan, had come down with an illness of some sort, but it is not believed to have been of sinister origin. Asher couldn’t help but recall, though, that Elric is a necromancer, and perhaps has access to ancient decanting of sorts different from what Axildusk was accustomed to.


Asher inquires about Noxster and, to his relief, Feddix replies that she had been in a few days earlier and left with a man. He supposes he should be jealous. He might be, he concedes, but he is relieved she is still among the living. The Jhereg then asks the nameless girl where she is from. She relates she is from Adhrilanka, and had been rescued from Jhi by Asher and Axewing and the others.


Feddix turns his attention to Sana Xina, who has been sitting quietly through the exchanges.


“You look Draegeran, but I do not know your house,” he states candidly, as a Jhereg would.


“I am of a House that doesn’t exist anymore,” she answers, which confounds him. She adds, “I meant a tribe.”


Zi recalled from some of his readings rumours that, at the formation of the Empire, more Houses existed than currently do, some having disappeared over the years, but that might not be true, so he did not add it to the conversation.


Feddix then makes his farewells.


Immediately after, and before the food for the others arrive—Asher isn’t sure how Axewing got a second platter of Desolation and demolished it—Staffy rushes in through the side door into the Windows section of the Tavern, and hurries to their table.


“There’s trouble at the Yarddocks,” he tells them hurriedly. “A Leviathan has attacked. It’s impossible. Not with the Curtain. The ghostlight is supposed to stop them.”


Asher wonders if the rumbling heard earlier was the arrival of the creature. He had only recently been charged by the Red Khakhan with protecting not just the humans of Axildusk, but the other races as well. She revealed she was a Vast, a race that is now the Leviathans, hunted by human and Draegeran alike for ghostlight.


Zi, concerned that one of the Vast he was tasked with protecting is attacking the city, leaps up to rush to the Dockyards. The others follow, including Sana Xina, Axewing, Asurbanipal, Cabillion and Dagnyr. Arriving sometime later, for the docks were far from the Inn, they see the ruins of what had been a grand clock tower stood. Shops and other buildings nearby were also destroyed or heavily damaged. The smell of smoke remains in the area, and they could see where fires had broken out.


A passing brawny Orca, carrying a trough of water, tells them, “It tore the tower down with its arm. When the guards attacked, it walked over them.”


He recommends staying hidden from the Leviathan.


Asher is thinking of attempting psychic contact with the creature. He cannot be certain of success, and probably it will come with some danger, but perhaps he can find out why it has attacked, and if it might return to the sea. It’s not like the Leviathans, constantly hunted, already have reason enough to feel they’ve been provoked beyond tolerance. But his plan is scotched by Axewing, who leaps out from the shelter of the building they are behind, and confronts what turns out to be a hundred-foot tall creature, bipedal but also boasting many tentacles with barbed ends. It’s huge mouth opens, and a weird hissing noise emerges.


Even more astonishing is the presence of a pair of great sharks, perhaps 25 or 30 feet long each, circling in the air around the Leviathan. All the monstrous creatures turn their gaze immediately toward the Immortal, and the two sharks begin lazily making their way to him as the Leviathan continues to knock down the already-ruined tower.


Asher, glancing more cautiously around the corner, has never seen something like this, but the encounter with the Three White Witch Wraiths still takes the victory as strangest to his mind, he decides.


Axewing, who has been carrying the Standard of the Imperium won from Peloi’s troops at Dulisse, raises the heavy shield, meaning to use it to protect himself and also to bash one of the sharks in its snout. The sharks suddenly zip toward him, and he places himself so only one can get at him first. The leader tears furiously at the shield, trying to rip it from Axewing’s grasp or alternatively, to send the Immortal flying. However, Axewing, despite having only one arm to hang onto the shield, retains it and holds the shark to a standstill.


Asher steps out from behind the corner, realizing that despite the frustration of his own plan he can’t leave Axewing’s flank undefended, swings his sword at the second shark, hurtling down toward the Immortal, even as a screaming woman runs by, holding the bloody remains of one arm. But his attack is cut short as the shark, missing Axewing, crashes into the street, sending cobblestones flying, including into Asher, causing him some minor cuts and bruises. A stone clangs off his sword, but fortunately it is undamaged.


Axewing shoves forward, pushing the shield further into the first shark’s maw, then releases the Standard and runs toward the Leviathan, who has taken a thudding step toward the Immortal.


Asher, still engaged with his own shark, slices his sword into it, but it barely penetrates its tough skin. The shark, in turn, almost but doesn’t quite catch the adroit Zi, who sidesteps the glittering rows of teeth within the maw.


Axewing, calling on a gift he had been granted by a friend, leaps up and flies through the air toward one of the Leviathan’s four eyes, his axe blade biting deeply into it. The giant creature swats at Axewing, screaming from the pain of its wound in the meantime, but the doughty Immortal shrugs off any hurt caused by it.


Asher is in more trouble. His sword penetrates deeply into the shark, below one eye, but the aquatic killer gets hold of his head in its maw, and rips backward, leaving deep furrows and freely flowing blood behind.


Axewing, as he falls to the top of one of the crumbled walls in the ruins of the tower, sees a group of Draegerans not far away, Elric among them. But he has only a moment before, calling on another Gift, he sends his blade slicing into one of the Leviathan’s arms as it attempted to reach him.


Asher, still defending himself though suffering from some shock at what had been done to his face, manages to score the shark’s side again as the creature swings by him. Axewing connects with another of the Leviathan’s tentacles, even as it hits him, trying to topple him from the wall. He somehow retains his footing, but falls to one knee even as his axe lashes out again, wounding another tentacle.


The Leviathan stumbles and starts to fall toward the ground. With a great leap, Axewing swings at the creature’s neck and severs it, finding in the process it is more viscous in nature than muscular. The head topples from the body.


Asher, failing to dodge at the appropriate moment while attempting to put an end to his shark, is struck by it, pushing him bodily away and causing him to fall. Both Axewing and Asher at that moment realize some sort of decanting is in progress, but they resist its effects on their minds, whatever those might be, even as the Leviathan shimmers and then vanishes. Asher grimaces. He had hoped at least to garner some ghostlight from the Leviathan. This had not been a good encounter for him.


He feels a strong hand on his shoulder, helping him to his feet, and sees Handfist. Somehow the Dwarf had found a helm with huge wings on either side of it, as well as a full set of armour and a formidable weapon he took as fitting Handfist’s definition of a war hammer.


“Right! Where is it? It’s gone! I summoned my stuff as it’s gone.”


Asher, despite the excruciating pain from the wounds to his face, still wonders why Handfist insisted he needed new armour and a weapon when he could summon his “stuff” all along. Then he decides it is an amusing joke, and would have chuckled, except, of course, for the pain.


Elric approaches and comes to Asher’s side. “Are you well?”


Asher refrains from asking, “Do I look fine?”, if for no other reason than the Prince’s attitude seems much more conciliatory than it had seemed earlier. He reminds himself of the great strains Elric must be under as he sought to become the next Draegeran Emperor.


“I wouldn’t want to look in a mirror right now,” he admits.


“It is quite bad,” Handfist offers. “Your beard is ruined.” The Dwarf seems more concerned with the damage to the human’s facial hair than to his face.


A Tsalmoth noblemen who is with Elric approaches Axewing.


“You handle your one arm well, Easterner.”


“It is a curiousity that such a creature could attack the city,” Axewing replies, leaving the compliment unacknowledged.


“How did you come to be trained so well?” the Tsalmoth inquires, but Axewing turns and walks over to Asher.


Seeing the ruin of Asher’s face, he reaches over with his hand and performs first one healing, then another. The wounds close and the pain eases, but Asher can still feel scars across his face. He knows they can be removed through sorcery, but resolves to leave them in place for now, to remind himself of his humanity. He might keep one or two after that, he thinks, to complement Sana Xina.


“I’ve been often told scars are the mark of accomplishment,” Axewing attempts to console Asher, who will have none of it.


“You did not run,” Axewing insists, as if that is accomplishment enough. “The humans did not run.”


“You will note there are few enough Draegerans in the neighbourhood,” Elric adds, equally kindly.


Asher is less than content. He failed to even deal with one shark, while the Immortal dealt almost contemptuously easily with the giant Leviathan. He is the Zi, not a warrior, he reminds himself, though he is still far from certain what that might mean. Axewing has turned to his friend Handfist. “Now, you’re looking at least like a proper Dwarf.”


Elric introduces the Tsalmoth as Duke Daz tre’Beltram.

“I am pleased to make your acquaintance,” Beltram tells them, adding he and Elric had been summoned to the scene after the “Monstrous” Leviathan’s attack.


Asher wondered at that description. Perhaps that meant the Noble Thought of the Monstrous might be the reason behind the current condition of the Vast.


“I’m glad I could help in your dispersement,” Beltram continues. “I am something of a monster hunter in my lands.”


“The Duke here is from Greenaere,” Elric says.


“It is an island,” Beltram adds.


“Honoured, Your Grace,” Axewing offers.


“And who is this?” the Tsalmoth asks.


Asher Zi introduces himself, and Handfist adds, “And I am the Dwarf that holds your Tome of Armour.”


He carries a book with a runic “A” on the front of its cover, perhaps standing for armour. Beltram stares for a moment, then puts a hand on Elric’s wrist.


“Where did you obtain this?” the Duke demands.


“In a shop.”


“What shop? This man should not have it. It should not be in a shop.”


“Don’t worry. It’s safe with me.” Handfist then strides off toward the flopping form of one of the sharks, swinging again and again at it with his Warhammer, to little effect. He seems perturbed. Asher feels sympathy for him.


Then they all spot at the same time a dark figure of a man nearby, a low red mist around his legs, gazing sternly at Handfist’s efforts, his left hand covering his right wrist. Handfist remains oblivious to the man’s stare.

The figure moves over and places a hand on Handfist’s shoulder. Revealing a gold bracelet around his left wrist that Axewing recognizes as relical in nature, having an inner life of its own. He believes the bracelet to be made from Relix, a material of another, past Realm of Existence.


Axewing strides over and greets the newcomer, who nods in return.


“You do not look Draegeran to me,” the Immortal observes. “You are a caster of some kind?”


Asher is momentarily confused, then recalls Axewing and the other outsiders have different words for decanting.


“I am,” the dark figure replies. “Ah. You are a Dwarf.”


“I am,” Handfist confirmed, while Asher thinks, “Another Outsider.”


“I was wondering what he was,” the stranger tells Axewing. “I have never seen the like of him before.”


“Yet he knows the name of his race,” Asher thinks.


“Is he a homunculus?” the stranger then asks.


“Don’t even think about it, Asher,” Handfist warns.


“Too late,” Zi admits.


“You are from the Eastern Kingdoms, are you not?” Elric inquires, having approached along with Beltram.


“I have travelled much. The Eastern Kingdoms are my home.”


Asher notes the stranger hasn’t confirmed he is from the Eastern Kingdoms, only that they are now his home.


The man bows and departs at that moment, leaving the red mist lingering behind. Handfist attempts to wave away the mist, but it catches upon his hands and won’t come off.

“It’s kind of a friendly mist. That’s really weird.”


“It is a form of decanting,” Elric cautions. “You should be careful of such things.”


“I will investigate,” Beltram announces about the stranger. “I will take my leave of you then, Prince.”








Elric, telling the others that meant his meetings for the day were done, takes them into the nearby ruins to talk further, decanting as he does so to ensure their privacy. After introductions, Asher reports on their recent doings on Banners, and asks why the Jenoine might have been so interested in Dagnyr, and threatened by him, to abduct him.


“He is Delvish,” Elric answers. “They are aware of his importance, as you are not. He is a great rarity.”


Asher suggests that an Imperial raid might be justified on Jhi, given the presence of the Jenoine mine there, and to embarrass Peloi and possibly reveal beyond that he is an agent of the creatures. Zi also regrets failing to bring back a sample of the rock they were mining.


Elric says the Jenoine undoubtedly have a purpose in what they are doing. Asher agrees to investigate again on their return to Banners, if no Imperial investigation is forthcoming.


An extended conversation follows, in which Axewing makes clear his position that Asher must be willing to sacrifice anything to stop the Jenoine and their efforts, along with Darkness and others. He speaks with great passion and fervor.


Asher is reluctant to give blanket agreement to this, not knowing what he might have to sacrifice. He supposes that this is a demonstration of how Immortals, being far removed from humanity, no longer comprehend the value of individual mortal lives, viewing them as disposable and acceptable if it should mean to a greater result. Zi is not certain he is so willing to take such a view. He is determined to remain human, no matter what powers he might acquire, and part of being human was to be uncertain and insecure at times, and brashly overconfident at others. He will not accept immortality. Humans live and die. He will be content to live and die, as mortals must, and to pass on if needed the role Zi to another.


He knows he will have to make sacrifices, some of them unpleasant, but determines to do so after careful deliberations, if time allows.


He recalls something he read in a book, he can’t recall which, in which one character told his leader that the hardest part of any quest was accepting that others would die to make it successful.


He falls silent near the end. He will not change the minds of either Axewing or Elric this day. They have determined their courses and, given their greater experience, they might well be right. But he is Dusken and they are not.


After a round of toasts, at which Handfist proves surprisingly eloquent, Elric goes on his way. The others return to the Inn while Asher and Axewing visit a bank in Charterhall, confirming that a 250,000-Imperial ransom for five items from the skyship Defiant downed at the Battle of Dulisse had been deposited in Zi’s name. He withdraws1,100 in total, 100 in Imperials and 200 in Orbs, in case he encounters expenses beyond his current trove of 105, and they make their way to the Inn.


From there, Asher expects to take the unnamed girl to the Playships, and see what happened from that.

Transcribed by R.Perry