Chapter 6: TRACES OF THE DarAGKarIK Chapter 6: TRACES OF THE DarAGKarIK T he Daragkarik, or Dragon Kings, departed Khitus ages ago They left one by one under a variety of strange circumstances, until none remained or so it seemed Today, as did Daragkarik of old, a powerful few appear to have some connections or even influences on Khitus, or so their Trakeen worshipers claim Shagnathrix The Dark Maiden of the Abyss Shagnathrix is the dark queen of Chatoon, a ruined city half buried in the sands of the New Dune Wasteland By some accounts, she always has been a Dragon King, which would make her the last of her kind on Khitus By others, she is, at best, a powerful magical imposter masquerading as a new Dragon King The truth, as always, lies between these Secretive and terrible today, she was not always so … Origin of a Daragkark A thousand years ago, she was born Dalia, the daughter of Aganor, a masterful but ambitious general, and Radana, a high priestess in magnificent Chatoon She grew up in the shadows of palaces, well known in court and a familiar visitor to mansions and estates Dalia was groomed for greatness, and many suitors across the Old Countries coveted her as a potential bride Her mother advised and taught her to use her charms and position to every advantage, and Dalia embraced the classic arts of subtle manipulation At her mother’s direction, Dalia encouraged the advances of King Urias of nearby Patnu, a city-state The families exchanged letters and discussed renewed alliances until their union was the talk of both cities Alas, King Urias’ first visit to the royal palace of Chatoon also brought his younger brother, the dashing prince Rasham Despite training and better judgment, Dalia lusted for Rasham at first sight, and they became secret lovers that first night Dalia and King Urias wed and she bore him a son and twin daughters All the while, the Queen consorted with Prince Rasham in secret, and rumors leaked slowly beyond the bedchambers The death of their son drove husband and wife further apart, but still King Urias ignored the gossip for almost a decade, until persuaded by his ministers to employ a wizard to discover the heartrending truth Outraged, King Urias imprisoned Dalia, disowned his children as bastards, murdered his daughters, and banished his brother Rasham King Urias swore vengeance on King Gylam of Chatoon, convinced he finagled this humiliation, so armies in both cities were mustered Dalia’s father, General Aganor, took advantage of the chaos and had an assassin poison King Gylam seven days after King Urias demanded a formal apology and payment for his grievances The general and Radana then convinced the mob outside the palace that King Urias was to blame for King Gylam’s regicide A mob-initiated war started the very next day Hearing of this, Prince Rasham reaffirmed his loyalty to his brother while banished out on the savannahs He assembled men of valor to his banner and formed an elite battalion known as Rasham’s Many Hands He charged them to “rescue” Dalia from the chaos without realizing her family’s conspiratorial role in it Patnu’s army, reinforced with Prince Rasham’s battalion, overwhelmed the defenders of Chatoon, breaching the walls and scattering forces with battering rams and blasts of magical fire King Urias defeated Dalia’s father in single combat around the city’s Well of Union, then beheaded the general on its edge, tossing his head to the mob While the main army ravaged the city, Rasham and his Many Hands searched for Dalia They found her and her mother inside the Dark Temple of Chatoon, waiting nervously for their deaths When Rasham suddenly rushed in, he assuaged their fears and ordered the Many Hands to protect the women The battalion then followed the prince in a desperate attempt to escape the embattled city Despite their stealth, the Many Hands found their escape blocked at every turn by King Urias’ soldiers When 121