Azzarth's Deal
"The legends of Alfric are numerous, ne'er more was there a more prominent figure that gripped the imagination of the people." - Golorian Alpardrigal, Historian At Large
"That's crazy thing about Alfric, those stories aren't just tall tales, they happened. Those are the stories that made our nation what it is today." - Tarf Lo Provanna, Veteran Sargent (Retired), 9th Company 1st Army
"Alfric's a freaking hero, man" - Unknown Drunk Cleric from Midden
"That's crazy thing about Alfric, those stories aren't just tall tales, they happened. Those are the stories that made our nation what it is today." - Tarf Lo Provanna, Veteran Sargent (Retired), 9th Company 1st Army
"Alfric's a freaking hero, man" - Unknown Drunk Cleric from Midden
Summary
Bilgathur is a city in the Southwest corner of Alatria. It is mostly inhabited by dwarves from the nearby Dwarven clan but all walks of life where known to bless this town. Disguised as elf man, Azzarth was a greedy dragon, who liked to visit Bilgathur and steal all great trickets and gems that traveled to the city on its way to other parts of the world.
On one fateful day the Dwarves of the nearby mountain hit the motherlode, and struck a vein of gems and gold deep within the mountain. Unable to contain his excitement at such a beautiful treat, we changed into his great dragon form and flew into the mountain to find the sources of wealth for himself. The Dwarves, besieged, fought against the great beast himself but were ultimately unsuccessful and were forced to leave the mountain and take refuge in Bilganthur, which was currently unequipped for a population that big.
King Carrathor caught wind of a great dragon taking over a mountain, and while naturally displeased that a source of gems and gold has been taken, he was concerned for the Dwarven people and crisis in Bilgathur. So, King Carrathor sent his most trusted advisor and friend, Sir Alfric Breman to the west to deal with the crisis and if he could, deal with the Dragon.
After riding a few weeks there, Alfric arrived to Bilganthur only to see what sorry state it was in. Supplies and food were low because of the sudden influx of population. There some Dwarven families living in hovels after being displaced by the Dragon and some becoming very sick due to the suddenness of no longer having miles of stone over their head. Alfric ordered the Golden Company to immediately begin giving aid to whomever they could. Alfric then took two of his most trusted companions whom spoke Draconic, a tiefling couple, Halius and Orianna Vadu, who have stayed by his side for years at this point, and set into the mountain.
It wasn’t long before Alfric and the Vadu Tieflings came face to face with Azzarth who was consuming whatever he could find in the mines. Knowing full well they were no equppied to kill a dragon, alfric resorted to his clever instincts and had the tieflings who knew draconic speak to the dragon for him. After the initial conversation they learned that they were welcome in the mines, so as long as they did not take any of the precious metals or gems as they were Azzarth’s.
Alfric and his friends agreed, much to the tieflings dismay. Showing patience they followed the dragon around the mines as he plundered and ate to his heart’s content. Alfric learned the mines layout and all the sections it contained during this time, all the while earning the dragon’s trust, however little that meant. During this time he used the tieflings abilities to hve them slowly start stealing gems and gold and hiding them near an old abandon shaft that the far end of the mines.
Alfric told the dragon that there was a untampered vein of gems in that very cavern, the Dragon beside himself rushed there to eat as much as he could. Upon arriving he found tons of gems and gold and began to gorge himself on them. Alfric over the course of a week kept having the tieflings steal more precious metals, and have them watch begrudgedly scarfed down by this dragon.
Before long the gifts stopped coming and the Dragon began to bore of the cave he was in, so Alfric made a deal. If the Dragon could eat him, the tieflings would tell him where they hid the motherlode of jewels and metals. The dragon laughed in rage, how could they be hiding wealth from him the little thieves and of course he could eat the little Alfric, his fancy armor wasn’t going to save him.
The Dragon said that yes, he could eat Alfric and after he was done he was going to eat the tieflings too. Alfric sweetening the pot asked the dragon to give him a head start and before he died he would tell him of an even deeper mine with even more pristine reserves. The Dragon, aamused by the mortal’s gambling problem accepted and gave the knight and his friends a head start. Alfric turned to run out of the mouth of the cave and then stopped and said he was ready.
The Dragon pleases with the gall of the man charged at him only to find himself too fat to leave the cave. He went to blow his fire, but nothing came out of the mouth of the Dragon but some sparks. He went to turn himself into a elf to fit through to kill him with his bare hands, but nothing happened.
Alfric informed the Dragon that he had been feeding him Blackstone, a metal with anti-magic properties that rub off on anything it becomes a part of, and melting the metal in the belly of the dragon had taking all the magic from the dragon making him a fat beast stuck alone in a cave. With nothing to eat, he would sure starve within a few days and then the dwaves would be able to come bac to their cave and make armor and swords for mortal out of the dragons hide.
The dragon pleaded with Alfric to let him out and he will never come back. Alfric told him that the only thing worse than greed is the breaking of a promise, there Alfric made a deal. The dragon could stay, his fire would be given back to him, and to keep him alive the dwarves would feed him metals and gems and in return he would provide the dwarves dragons fire for their forge.
Azzarth knowing the alternative was death and accepted. As a show of faith that the dragon would honor his deal, he gave Alfric a tooth from his own mouth, one that would never grow back. Alfric gave the Dragon a lock of his hair, one that would never tarnish.
Imprisoned but happy, there he remains to this day feeding the fires of the forges and feasting on the spoils of the mountain unable to leave.
On one fateful day the Dwarves of the nearby mountain hit the motherlode, and struck a vein of gems and gold deep within the mountain. Unable to contain his excitement at such a beautiful treat, we changed into his great dragon form and flew into the mountain to find the sources of wealth for himself. The Dwarves, besieged, fought against the great beast himself but were ultimately unsuccessful and were forced to leave the mountain and take refuge in Bilganthur, which was currently unequipped for a population that big.
King Carrathor caught wind of a great dragon taking over a mountain, and while naturally displeased that a source of gems and gold has been taken, he was concerned for the Dwarven people and crisis in Bilgathur. So, King Carrathor sent his most trusted advisor and friend, Sir Alfric Breman to the west to deal with the crisis and if he could, deal with the Dragon.
After riding a few weeks there, Alfric arrived to Bilganthur only to see what sorry state it was in. Supplies and food were low because of the sudden influx of population. There some Dwarven families living in hovels after being displaced by the Dragon and some becoming very sick due to the suddenness of no longer having miles of stone over their head. Alfric ordered the Golden Company to immediately begin giving aid to whomever they could. Alfric then took two of his most trusted companions whom spoke Draconic, a tiefling couple, Halius and Orianna Vadu, who have stayed by his side for years at this point, and set into the mountain.
It wasn’t long before Alfric and the Vadu Tieflings came face to face with Azzarth who was consuming whatever he could find in the mines. Knowing full well they were no equppied to kill a dragon, alfric resorted to his clever instincts and had the tieflings who knew draconic speak to the dragon for him. After the initial conversation they learned that they were welcome in the mines, so as long as they did not take any of the precious metals or gems as they were Azzarth’s.
Alfric and his friends agreed, much to the tieflings dismay. Showing patience they followed the dragon around the mines as he plundered and ate to his heart’s content. Alfric learned the mines layout and all the sections it contained during this time, all the while earning the dragon’s trust, however little that meant. During this time he used the tieflings abilities to hve them slowly start stealing gems and gold and hiding them near an old abandon shaft that the far end of the mines.
Alfric told the dragon that there was a untampered vein of gems in that very cavern, the Dragon beside himself rushed there to eat as much as he could. Upon arriving he found tons of gems and gold and began to gorge himself on them. Alfric over the course of a week kept having the tieflings steal more precious metals, and have them watch begrudgedly scarfed down by this dragon.
Before long the gifts stopped coming and the Dragon began to bore of the cave he was in, so Alfric made a deal. If the Dragon could eat him, the tieflings would tell him where they hid the motherlode of jewels and metals. The dragon laughed in rage, how could they be hiding wealth from him the little thieves and of course he could eat the little Alfric, his fancy armor wasn’t going to save him.
The Dragon said that yes, he could eat Alfric and after he was done he was going to eat the tieflings too. Alfric sweetening the pot asked the dragon to give him a head start and before he died he would tell him of an even deeper mine with even more pristine reserves. The Dragon, aamused by the mortal’s gambling problem accepted and gave the knight and his friends a head start. Alfric turned to run out of the mouth of the cave and then stopped and said he was ready.
The Dragon pleases with the gall of the man charged at him only to find himself too fat to leave the cave. He went to blow his fire, but nothing came out of the mouth of the Dragon but some sparks. He went to turn himself into a elf to fit through to kill him with his bare hands, but nothing happened.
Alfric informed the Dragon that he had been feeding him Blackstone, a metal with anti-magic properties that rub off on anything it becomes a part of, and melting the metal in the belly of the dragon had taking all the magic from the dragon making him a fat beast stuck alone in a cave. With nothing to eat, he would sure starve within a few days and then the dwaves would be able to come bac to their cave and make armor and swords for mortal out of the dragons hide.
The dragon pleaded with Alfric to let him out and he will never come back. Alfric told him that the only thing worse than greed is the breaking of a promise, there Alfric made a deal. The dragon could stay, his fire would be given back to him, and to keep him alive the dwarves would feed him metals and gems and in return he would provide the dwarves dragons fire for their forge.
Azzarth knowing the alternative was death and accepted. As a show of faith that the dragon would honor his deal, he gave Alfric a tooth from his own mouth, one that would never grow back. Alfric gave the Dragon a lock of his hair, one that would never tarnish.
Imprisoned but happy, there he remains to this day feeding the fires of the forges and feasting on the spoils of the mountain unable to leave.
Historical Basis
This happened some time after the Midden Incursion when the Kingdom was a relative peace. Bilgathur has an interesting history in the fact it was founded by Dwarves wanting to trade, but eventually taken over by the Kingdom when it was clear that Dwarve were bad at city planning. The Golden Company was deployed after a messenger was sent informing them that the City's guard had in fact been killed by a Dragon and there was rumor it had taken up in the Dwarven mines.
King Carrathor was going to go himself, but Alfric insisted that he take his Golden Company and saly the Dragon before more harm could come to his people. The story from there is pretty much the same, Alfric arrived in Bilgathur and saw the state the Dwarves were in and chose to do something as any good Knight would do. The Golden Company hunted the nearby regions, much better than the clumsy and loud mountain dwelling Dwarves could do. They brewed strong ale from the grain and baked thick breads as well to keep the population feed for the time it would take Alfric to kill the Dragon. Alfric Brought with him Halius and Orianna Vadu. They were two tieflings that were married and served within the Golden Company, they both spoke fluid Draconic and were notable Dragon Hunters. Alfric chose to bring no one else with him as it having a large group within the tight corridors of the mines and halls would have made for a terrible assault, and it wasn't likely that he was going to kill this Dragon in straight combat as it had just killed an entire town militia, it was obviously well fed and larger. The Dragon size is up for debate, but from what people hear it is larger than average and must have become larger in the caves. While it is true that no one outside of Alfric and the Tieflings and the Dwarves that work the forges, the proof of the Dragon is in the steel and stories that came from that day. The Dwarves created a forge that is able to work with the hardest materials with ease, they call it a Dragonforge and to this day the mythos surrounding Dragonforged steel has made it highly sought after, but pieces are rare or highly coveted and guarded. Legend has it the couple came out of the mines with the tooth, some soldiers actually recall Alfric gifting it to them as a prize for their duty, but reports are unconfirmed.
King Carrathor was going to go himself, but Alfric insisted that he take his Golden Company and saly the Dragon before more harm could come to his people. The story from there is pretty much the same, Alfric arrived in Bilgathur and saw the state the Dwarves were in and chose to do something as any good Knight would do. The Golden Company hunted the nearby regions, much better than the clumsy and loud mountain dwelling Dwarves could do. They brewed strong ale from the grain and baked thick breads as well to keep the population feed for the time it would take Alfric to kill the Dragon. Alfric Brought with him Halius and Orianna Vadu. They were two tieflings that were married and served within the Golden Company, they both spoke fluid Draconic and were notable Dragon Hunters. Alfric chose to bring no one else with him as it having a large group within the tight corridors of the mines and halls would have made for a terrible assault, and it wasn't likely that he was going to kill this Dragon in straight combat as it had just killed an entire town militia, it was obviously well fed and larger. The Dragon size is up for debate, but from what people hear it is larger than average and must have become larger in the caves. While it is true that no one outside of Alfric and the Tieflings and the Dwarves that work the forges, the proof of the Dragon is in the steel and stories that came from that day. The Dwarves created a forge that is able to work with the hardest materials with ease, they call it a Dragonforge and to this day the mythos surrounding Dragonforged steel has made it highly sought after, but pieces are rare or highly coveted and guarded. Legend has it the couple came out of the mines with the tooth, some soldiers actually recall Alfric gifting it to them as a prize for their duty, but reports are unconfirmed.
Spread
It was a slow spread, once the Golden Company got back to Caer Arnum and regaled their stories over song and drink in the taverns and inns across the city. The tale was picked up by common folk and bards and eventually traveled all around. Thought it mostly been told in Alatria, there has been instances where bard tell the tale in foreign lands.
Variations & Mutation
There has been stories from this instance where the Alfric killed the Dragon and the Dwarves had the forge the whole time. As well as a version the story where Carrathor sent the Golden Company out of greed.
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