The Shining Wyrm

11.i

My Liege King Mathias of the honorable royal house Stein,

As in my last letter this missive has been read by the generals of Visnove’s army but they permit me to seal it again afterwards. Since my last letter, I can now say I have now both been able to witness the power of the Countess’ Wyrm on the battlefield and speak to it in person and learn of its intelligence.

I must beg of you to recall why you took me up in your court and council when you ascended the throne from your brother.

Your words were, “If I could take your eyes and acumen for my own I would in a heartbeat. But since it cannot be so, join me in my council Georgy. The Realm needs your wisdom”.

Know it is me in truth as such has never been shared outside of your confidence before.

Recognize my hand in these letters and my scribecraft and be assured it is a match.

I beg of you all these things my king because what I have learned is of vital importance. It can neither wait until I am once more secure in my holdings in Árva nor risk being lost if the Countess should prove treacherous in her mens’ promise to me.

The rumors and whispers passed down by our loyal and honorable watchers among the countess’ court and lands were woefully inadequate.

She is not merely in possession of a tamed Wyrm of the more familiar feral kind, as fantastic and potent that might be on the battlefield.

But of a creature wholly on par in potential as the legends still told of the Tyrant War.

On the battlefield it struck down the Fortress Weird and War Mage in a single blow of its flame. A blow which, though its target was the Wizard, slayed on the final tally at least eight hundred men in formation as collateral!

The army broke in two more such strikes which drove the remaining wizards in our forces to flee.

The entire army, lords, knights and two experienced war wizards broke and fled like fresh levies against this might!

And this is not the most dangerous aspect of the beast which the countess thinks she commands.

The old hag of a woman may yet look young and hale but her age most assuredly is well advanced to overlook this. For though I’ve yet to see her behave with the beast, I remember her from the unpleasant times she has attended your court.

She has no idea what she has welcomed into her house.

She cannot possibly understand.

The Wyrm is honorable, intelligent, observant and, most assuredly, will be as independent as any noble.

It is purely by youth alone she is not already commanding all of Viznove instead of accepting the yoke of subordination to a mere provincial baron.

A lord who, I can assure you, is loved and respected by this wyrm as strongly as any daughter would her father.

Our records are sparse on the workings of the Tyrant’s domain, spoken mostly in legend, but its age and longevity are not in question.

The Countess has welcomed and acknowledged an immortal into the peerage of the houses.

That role has been accepted by the wyrm.

And worst of all, it is already acquiring allies and backing beyond its ‘family’s’ ancestral ties past the borders of Viznove. As I have already reported to you, the army assailing us was reinforced with sorcery far in excess of any previous reports.

Just this evening I learned that the nascent tyrant is in good standing with the greater circles of wizardry.

Not just with foreigners but in a manner close enough to hold our own war mages in respect and honor them with funeral rights!

To put it plainly for my king, I must advise that no force of arms barring a total rallying of every asset and ally available to the realm in sorcery, military arms and warbeast can be assured to be able to gentle this beast.

And the impossibility of pulling such force from our other borders assures one truth.

We cannot wrest control of Viznove or her Allies from the Countess Bathory.

But there is yet hope my liege king, even if this should be my last missive, know that the Countess has almost assuredly laid out her own doom.

I speak this plainly and without fear even though her very generals will read and report this.

It is already too late for the hag.

Even if you have lied and ensorceled me to believe my daughter’s life yet has hope you have already taken your very doom and laid it to your bosom.

Though it may not be in either of our lifetimes, Viznove will pass from her family’s grasp. This is assured.

The Tyrant Wyrm will Rise again.

I must advise my king that he make arrangements to have The Realm of Cantor Reborn be allied to this new power and if possible even acting as a liege regent in its nascent era.

Your Ever Loyal Subject, friend and counselor,

György Thurzó of Arva

- A Letter from Count György Thurzó of Árva to High King Mathias Stein of The Realm Cantor Reborn