When usurpers are categorized by their devious actions and power, the name at the top of the list is never greater than Rok’Nhilthamos, the current Dragon King.  His dominion spans sea and sky and even earth.  His tale is legendary, being chronicled by races much older than the Sacred Six and their more recent neighbors.  The Tholen and Elvonnen Giants tell of the great war millenia ago between Dragons of Air called Rhy’Vulrene and Dragons of Sea, the Sol’Kromane.  The lords of the tribes were brothers, the elder being the first to reign over all Dragonkind, Rok’Tsolfyensire. In the heat of battle, Tsolfyensire slew his brother to retain his kingship over all of Nhystyrrok (now named Terminus).  This loss was followed by remorse and mourning from the Dragon King.  His offspring, Rok’Nhilthamos, had expected the roar of a conqueror followed by the exaltation of himself to prince of the Dragons of Sea. His father’s weakness infuriated him to the point of turning on his own kin and slaying his father, both brothers of ancient days past dead. Rok’Nhilthamos took his place as Dragon King, placing his loyalists as nobility over each part of his dominion and deemed them Reignborn.  His power was nearly limitless over the world.  But, a greater power interceded.

I get too far ahead of myself.  First, there must be a discussion about the runner-up of this parent-killing, paranoid, sociopathic ruler of dragons.  He is Avendyr, son of Amensol, King of Men. His acts to make it to his ultimate rule were far more in number and far more devious than an all-powerful dragon; certainly more sinister. And while Rok’Nhilthamos came to power out of fear and awe, Avendyr by deception and threats. This is not mere speculation, but by the words of the Keepers themselves, as trustworthy as some think them to be.

Avendyr also came to power by the death of his father, just as Nhilthamos.  The key difference is his father, Amensol, was not able to back up his foolish bravado in battle and, after being completely decimated by the armies of Ossari instead of fleeing to the Silent Sanctum with his people, Avendyr took up the mantle of his father with a chip on his shoulder and even greater hubris as he was able to gain victory during the Deicide Wars on the backs of other races and the WarWizards, and ironically, Rok’Nhilthamos himself, who killed the Ravaging Lord in one anti-climactic chomp as Avendyr led the helpless armies of the Sacred Six.  Avendyr also, like Rok’Nhilthamos, set up a group of weak-kneed men, kissing his ring and groveling at his feet for a share of the power he was amassing to himself.  Just as the Sect of Peryth worship the dragons in hopes of sharing in their glorious future reign, a sect of humans attached themselves to Avendyr like leeches surviving off the strength of the host.  These so-called nobles he named after himself, Avendyr’s Court, still used by the pompous aristocrats to this very day.

But we should return to the original purpose: what do dragons have to do with Avendyr.  A complicated answer follows this question.  It begins at a time prior to his ascension…

Narian Castigue was a human who vowed to never stop in his quest to uncover the mystery surrounding the Dragon Accord and the Sacred Six races’ translocation to this new world, no matter the cost. While praising his fellow researcher, Kaolyen Greyborne, for the “insight of his discernment”, he maddeningly went against his heeding in pursuing the depth of power and magic available to those who could harness both the language of the Dragon King and the insights of the Dragon Accord.  So great were the power and knowledge of these two that Narian had to escape Havensong years before the war after the murder of his fellow researchers.  He fled to the Dwarves of Khadassa to glean what insights he could from them but ultimately failed to gain any ground even after seeking answers directly from a dragon under protection from the High Mortal god of the Dwarves, Khazas. Narian found out that day that not all dragons are loyal to Rok’Nhilthamos and none would be willing to help the puny races pretending to rule the surface while the dragons were in an agreed truce with a higher power.

The war finally ended.  The peoples of Terminus were returning home.  But somehow Humans began to rise to power unnaturally with no real reason to point out. The following answer is proposed.

It is clear from Narian’s own letters that there were those in the city of Men, people in authority who “urged” him to not share any information with non-humans, even though he continued to send some correspondence to the Elven Councilmember Kaolyen. This resulted in his leaving Havensong after the strange deaths of the other researchers.  After the war, no other shared information of the research into the powerful magic of dragons ever leaked out to the public, only three letters that were in the safekeeping of his descendents hundreds of years after the Deicide War.  In the words of one of the letters in Narian’s hand,

“A critical few in authority over me would prefer all such information remain hidden within our halls. Still, I have chosen to neglect their approval. I am certain their agenda is not all selfish, but stems from a deeper, acquired concern. I know this document has attracted much interest... gravely so. We have lost some very astute men and women, more gifted than myself, to tragic events I’d prefer to see as chance.” 

The only reason no other information would be available is if it was hoarded.  The only ones able to command that much authority would be the newly crowned king of Men, Avendyr.  After seeing the ultimate power of the Dragon King on the field of battle, he was obsessed with embracing this power obviously “for the good of his people.”  The power of the Dragon Accord is that it is the speech specifically of Rok’Nhilthamos himself and is more powerful than any other dragon tongue, an authority over all dragons.  The only power seemingly greater would be the unknown Power on the other side of the contract.  An emissary from this Power was sent to keep Rok’Nhilthamos from breeching the contract by destroying the races under the supervision of this great Power.  Rhy’Kafiros, the Reignborn over the continent of Reignfall, thus named for her death, almost breeched the contract by attacking High Mortal Ittero, The Ravaging Lord, but he exploited a moment of weakness and killed Kafiros on the Pillar of Ka.  Rok’Nhilthamos retaliated by killing Ittero.  The emissary rightly pointed out to him there was a blood for blood consequence to the breech which left the contract in place.  Nhilthamos, ever the tyrant, refused to accept that and called his inaction against the rest of the races grace and that next time he won’t leave so calmly.

So Avendyr bribes, threatens, pleads with Narian to join him for the good of the world and hoards the rest of the research into the Dragon Accord. That is why it is never seen from again.  Even to this day, the research of Narian Castigue still is causing pain due to the corruption of those who sit in power in Thronefast.

The Keeper, responsible for releasing the contents of the letter outlines in great detail the treacherous acts of those in power in the capitol of Men.  “The Keeper” who published the Keepings of Castigue and history of Terminus refers to offers by “MEN” to pay for historical changes, and more than once.  And that these bribes and threats have come not by pilferers, but by “nobility.” He references “many” who have been paid to fudge histories, like Festus of High Brace.   Then there is the threats related to the Dragon Accord and its research specifically.  Two chests filled with research materials were stolen from him. He was imprisoned, whipped, excommunicated, and expelled in the past. He also has had threats and violence caused by a 3-volume set listing every known dragon on Terminus. Remember, this is by the nobility.

In his words, the worst trouble he had was caused by the letter of Castigue which are all about the Dragon Accord and its effects.

Even though his own records point out that the Keepers of Thronefast are not to be trusted, there would be no point in lying about the threats against his safety, even though he boastfully claims he is one of the only untainted Keepers.  The facts are that Avendyr was able to gather to himself treaties, workers of all other races, wealth, land that belonged to the native North Tusk Orcs, and power within one generation.  Tell me, if you can, how else would that be possible if not for leverage over the other races like the threat of dragon magic?  You are urged to band together to break free from the grip of the crown of Thronefast, Queen Amenthiel and her cohorts who seek to muddy the waters of history with their filthy gold.  Join the Resistance and free the people of Terminus!

Benonai, leader of the Resistance Against the House of Amensol

Viva RACHA