Realms of the Dragons II/The Strength of the Jester

"The Strength of the Jester" is a short story by Murray J.D.Leeder published in the 2005 anthology Realms of the Dragons II.
==Summary==
At the Jovial Juggler Inn in Beregost, people are trading rumors about the goings of the Rage of Dragons. Some of these people include Khalt, a wild elf, and the disguised dragons Trinculo, a mercury dragon, and Chalintash, a copper dragon. Before leaving, the copper dragon points at Khalt, rage in his eyes. Khalt remembers that Trinculo warned them he'd be looking to help end the Rage of Dragons, and for that he needed to talk to a fellow of his', Chalintash.
Khalt asks what they were laughing over. Though Trinculo has difficulty remembering that they were laughing, he explains that the Talons of Justice have been rounding up wyrms that defied King Lareth's plan, and that Chalintash himself had to fly all around Anauroch to get away from two silver dragons that tried to round him up. Khalt asks why he was pointed at; Trinculo explains that they also learned that the Rage of Dragons was an act of elven high magic. Chalintash learned this from a fellow copper dragon who went under the Moonsea. Thus, Trinculo must head for Evermeet to gain the cooperation of the elven high mages; he in particular is the best option, because he was born there.
Overnight, however, Chalintash is overcome with the Rage and attacks Beregost. Trinculo sets off on his own to fight him, while Khalt prepares an ambush to slow the wyrm down. Though Trinculo is damaged, he prevails with Khalt's aid. Chalintash fights ferociously, but with little intelligence, strategy, magic, or even care; both the mercury wyrm and his rider are disturbed by his berserk strikes. Before he dies, he mumbles something about elves. Trinculo decides there's no more time, and they must ride towards Evermeet even before the sun comes up.
While on the wing over the ocean, with Khalt riding, Trinculo begins to wonder if Avachel is, too, kept in the dark as Erevan Ilesere's steed. His voice turns cold and hollow; Khalt grabs a knife, and as the wyrm wonders if he means to slay him with a strike on the back of the neck with it, just like he slew Chalintash, Khalt instead severs the straps that bind his saddle and falls into the ocean. He tries to fire an arrow to anchor himself to the dragon, but Trinculo dodges. The wyrm breaks from his trance a minute later, but he can't find Khalt in the ocean. Struck with grief, shame and regret, the dragon is consumed by the Rage, and heads for Evermeet.
==Index==
:;Characters
:Chalintash • Ferla • Khalt • Trinculo
::
::Chatulio • Lareth
:;Creatures
:dragon (copper dragon • mercury dragon) • elf • (wild elf • Trunalor) • giant eagle • gnome • human (calishite)
::
::Arkaiun • brass dragon • Crinti • pegasus • wyvern
:;Locations
:Beregost • Trackless Sea • Ulcaster School of Wizardry
::
::Amn • Amtar • Anauroch • Baldur's Gate • Dales • Dambrath • Erlkazar • Evermeet • Gate of Iron Fangs • Gnollwatch Mountains • Halruaa • Hillsfar • Lake of Dreams • Landrise • Leuthilspar • Luiren • Moonsea • Moonshae • Moonstone Palace • Saradash • Sea of Swords • Three Swords • Turmish
:;Deities
:Avachel • Erevan Ilesere • Rillifane Rallathil
::
::Lathander
:;Organizations
::
::Talons of Justice • windriders
:;Spells
:mirror image
::
::transmute rock to mud
:;Magical Items
:Arrow of attraction
:;Items
:dagger
:;Miscellaneous
:Elven high magic • Rage of Dragons
==Appendix==
===References===
Category:Works by Murray J.D. Leeder
Category:Published in 2005
Category:Short stories