Taljurek

Fell and strange are the dragons who dwell within the Tangled Wood, and so also are the winds that push and pull the hapless into their clutches. Such was life for Taljurek, a pale spirit of the dark wood. Fond of riddling games and possessed of a vast collection of subtly altered liar's dice, he had a habit of waylaying travellers who entered the wood, his fair and gentle looks belying the capricious soul beneath.

However, for all he loved games of chance, it was in stories that Taljurek took the greatest joy. The price of his games were rarely precious goods or vital supplies, but rather the price of tales - of adventures, of histories, of lore and knowledge and - best of all - of hopes, dreams, goals and loves. These were his true fascination - and it was these, eventually, that led a dragon tired of games and backstabbing to seek a new home elsewhere.

After skimming the Sea of a Thousand Currents for many years, stopping off periodically in the bordering lands onto to sleep and eat, Taljurek found himself heartsick and aching for something he could not name. A particularly vicious storm battered him over the sea, and by the skin of his teeth he managed to haul himself ashore in the Windswept Plateau. A large Guardian, on a wandering mission of his own, rescued him from the shoreline and gave him shelter and protection - and stories. Stories of his own travels, of his ongoing Search, and of his pride and joy, the little foundling lair nestled in the Steppes where, he hoped, his family would begin.

Though the Guardian's course took him elsewhere, Taljurek followed his words back to the lair itself, where he found himself but one of a dozen strangers seeking home, health and happiness amidst the whistling trees. His gift for words, it transpired, was not limited to riddles and games, but also the the understanding and settlement of disagreements, his love for stories informing his understanding, and leading him to both a sympathetic and logical viewpoint in even the most complex of matters.

So Taljurek the trickster became Taljurek the mediator; advisor, mediator, companion, beloved mate and charge, and friend to all.