Axxitanis
Axxitanis, called “Stormtooth” is a blue dragon offspring of Zurokúl, called “Clawbolt” who holds the title The Baron of Borrowers, Lord of Lendings and is ultimately responsible for all money-lending that goes on in the city of Blackspire. He is also one of the three dragons who speaks for the Caéraco Clan (the Blue Dragon Flight) on the Concillium Magus (the Blackspirian ruling council) and have a vast stake in its banking interests.
Each dragon born in Blackspire is given their dragon-name by the Church of Tiamat when they pass out of Wyrmling age, and receive their first piece of treasure, a golden dragon coin inscribed with their name. Dragons have a very emotional, spiritual, and even physical relationship with their treasure hordes (and bond with them each time they hibernate to advance to the next dragon age category). Over the years treasure is added to each blue dragon’s horde in the catacombs beneath the Bank by their clan (though each dragon can certainly add to it themselves). Each blue dragon need only hold on to his gold dragon coin, as that is the key to access the rest of their horde stored in the Bank.
Zurokúl (a Great Wyrm Dragon) is known to be quite lascivious, even for a dragon, and as such has taken a number of mates and has sired countless bastards, both with dragons as well as females of other races. As such Axxitanis was born the third child of the second clutch of the fourth mate of Zurokúl. His mother Skeyshaar, caled “Skystorm” was actually Zurokúl’s daughter by way of his third mate’s first clutch (so legendary was her beauty) and on the rare instances where Axxitanis had occasion to address Zurokúl, he would use the title “Twice Father” (incest among dragons is not really a problem). Axxitanis’s two elder brothers (Young Dragons) of his clutch Kúlzuro, called “Boltclaw” and Zuro’Akul, called “Bluebolt” were both killed when they challenged the two sisters of their mother’s first clutch Shaaraxxis and Axxisshaar (called the “Stormsong Sisters” [Young Adults]) for favored position, making Axxistanis the last of his brothers, both the “only child” of his clutch as well as the “middle child” of his broodmates, though the five dragons born to his mother’s third clutch are still Wyrmlings, and have not yet even been given their dragon-names.
Zurokul’s Recognized Mates
- Xaxjar, called “Zapjaw” – Zurokúl’s first mate (an Ancient Dragon) previous to the founding of Blackspire – five clutches, many descendants – in charge of the Oversight of Zurokúl’s businesses.
- Drammaevyaar, called “Sparkhorn” – Zurokúl’s second mate (a Great Wyrm Dragon) and is the broodmate (sister) of Dramaxxis, called “Stormhorn” the Lord of the Treasury and arguably the most powerful blue dragon in Blackspire. Two clutches, many descendants, and rumored to have her own half-dragon bastards – in charge of the Collections duties of Zurokúl’s businesses.
- Zaaltolis, called “Quickthunder” – Zurokúl’s third mate (an Old Dragon) is the daughter of Akultonis, called “Blue Thunder” the Keeper of the Molds and responsible for all coins minted in Blackspire – four clutches, few descendants, and her eldest daughter Skeyshaar went on to become Zurokúl’s fourth mate – in charge of the Investments of Zurokúl’s businesses.
- Skeyshaar, called “Skysong” – Zurokúl’s fourth mate (a Mature Adult Dragon) of legendary beauty and daughter by Zaaltolis, three clutches, no descendants – in charge of Philanthropy on Zurokúl’s behalf.
- Oresthyh, called “Desert’s Thirst”– Zurokúl’s fifth mate (an Adult Dragon) is a foreigner to Blackspire, from a place called the Kaithan Basin (also known as the Golden Desert), and is believed to have seduced her way into Zurokúl’s harem. She already has a clutch of Juvenile dragons, and is rumored to be with egg once more. In charge of Foreign Business
- Zurokúl is rumored to have many more bastards and half-dragon children (requires Knowledge: Nobility checks)
Pressure was on Axxitanis to establish his usefulness to Zurokúl’s Brood, and recently it was arranged that he would start duty as an escort of valuable shipments across the city. Though the typical coin used in Blackspire is minted from steel or copper, most dragons still insist on doing business between themselves in actual gold coins, each which is worth 100x their worth in steel crowns.
One day, Axxitanis was tasked with escorting a chest of 2000 gold coins from the Caéraco Bank to a local red dragon (of Clan Rubérym) named Skeyskheer, called “Scortchsky” from the back of a cart pulled by kobold servants. During the trip he was overcome with the urge to stand perfectly still, appear fearsome, and to not move until the cart had reached its destination, which he did. When Axxitanis arrived at his destination Skeyskheer was furious to find the gold had been stolen right from under the Young Dragon’s nose. The kobolds were of course punished, but the embarrassment was too much for the Blues to suffer. They confiscated every scrap of treasure from Axxitanis’s horde that had not been bonded to him and then repaid the balance of the debt to Skeyskheer… a debt Axxitanis has now inherited. Worst of all, they took his dragon coin from him when they cast him out of the Blue Dragon stronghold and told him not to return until he could repay his debt.
Blue dragons sometimes become payroll masters of army forces, so Axxitanis thought he might try to gain work as a mercenary in the low city, believing a dragon mercenary would be able to land lucrative jobs he could use to buy his way back into the good graces of his Brood. So he went to Grumchucker’s Square (the region of the city known for its mercenaries and pit fighters) looking for work.
Now dragons are seldom seen in Grumchucker’s Square (outside of Tax Month when for 30 terrifying days the Black Dragons of Aterpensia go forth and collect the city’s taxes), and on those odd occasions it is usually the Red Dragons of Rubérym overseeing some high level mercenary agreement (or retribution for a failed one). Even rarer to see Blues of Caéraco or Greens or Viripentis, so needless to say it caused something of a stir when Axxitanis appeared in the neighborhood seeking work. But apparently his reputation with Rubérym followed him to Grumchucker’s, and most mercenary houses he approached wanted absolutely nothing to do with him.
Axxitanis was at a loss for what to do for work until he was approached by a bold medusa named Melaria who offered him a position in the group of mercenaries she headed up. She also had a troll named Marv, a vampire named Solina, a doppelganger named Maelik Kileam, but it was the Lolthian alchemist G’eldatar D’Vosh (from a powerful Lolthian House) who really intrigued him. G’eldatar was a talented student studying at the College of Necromancy, which is a subject that long intrigued Axxitanis, so the blue dragon now joins this party of mercenaries when they go drinking at a local mercenary bar called The Bloody Coin. Needless to say, having a blue dragon for a drinking companion now means Melaria and her crew always commands the seat of honor when they visit this establishment. Perhaps these mercenaries will be his key to help repaying Axxitanis’s crippling debt.