|
The Pragamore Chronicles
Author House
Category:
Fantasy
Publisher: Author House
ISBN-10: 1434390640
Type: Fiction
Pages: 369
Copyright: October 25, 2007
ISBN-13: 978434331045
Faerie tales and dragon scales were scarce yet still could be found back in the days past the Lionheart's ways long after Excalibur was laid down.A story was told of a young man so bold as to face a dragon in his own cave. Yet the beast that beheld him did naught to dispell him and let the young man go his own way.A waxing spell had been spun through the dragon's own tongue and the odor of the beast was pine and moss. It beckoned and pleaded until the raven's call was heeded. The young man then journeyed into a world nearly lost... *** Richard now continues his journey as he seeks the fourth promise made to his grandfather. The 'way' to Krypendorf's castle was not shown to him by map or even by given word. When asked about Maidenhead, the gnome Yenwolk simply pointed to the old dragon Pandahar - a creature that had outlived most everyone there. Richard and Skylar's 'ride' castle starts a journey that will create friends, make enemies, and cultivate an increased interest in Richard's quest. Book II will take you on a ride through mysterious castles, the isles of Wermod, and introduce you to a green wizard from another land. In mastering his fear of dragons and the teachings of Krypendorf, Richard searches for the killer of his grandfather, but in doing so, he only learns of the return of an old nemesis - Laphidius Monks. Stay with Richard and Skylar learn of this new world as well as of each other. Be there when they discover the Wingmasters and the Legend of Paethraile. Hold to the adventure, and look on toward Book III - The Portal Stone - Reture of Laphidius Monks. Read - Learn - Discover M. R. Williamson
Confident of who he is and what he must do, Richard sets his eyes toward Maidenhead, the castle of the white wizard, Krypendorf. The old gnomish wizard, Yenwolk, has shown him the one who knows the 'way' to the old wizard's castle. It lies in the mind of Pandahar, an old dragon who has secretely watched and protected him as he grew up.
Now, Richard has a companion, Skylar Brooks. In rescuing his friend from the trolls of the Red Grass, he realizes he has now fallen in love with her. Together, they must ride the Pan to Maidenhead in order to continue Richard's studies. Richard agrees to take her, though he worries just how the White Wizard will react to an uninvited guest...
Excerpt
SYNOPSIS...
Pragamore
A New Beginning
Eighteen years have passed since RICHARD ALVIS’ birth and the death of his grandfather, Wizard WILLIAM. Knowing of Richard’s coming, the old wizard made special provisions for his grandson’s education and introduction into a world where few men are welcome. Richard’s father, SIR RUSSELL, had always resisted learning the arts of white magic and wizardry; even as a young boy, the world of men had a strong hold on him. His craft, weak from the start, made him distrustful of all magic, and he certainly didn’t trust the dragons. Because William knew this, his hopes and prayers centered on a grandson who could bridge the gap in the Alvis line.
“My days are numbered,” William told the gnome YENWOLK STONESMITH, “and I fear I won’t be here for Richard. What better way to teach the lad, than by sending him lessons from the forest beings themselves? The White Wizard KRYPENDORF and I have already contacted my promise keepers, who will teach Richard what he needs to know until Krypendorf becomes his tutor. You, Yenwolk, will guide him in this direction.”
Wizard William’s untimely death becomes an unsolved mystery.
Richard grows up in the world of men, but his love for the forests and animals set him apart from other boys. His grandmother, LADY MARY, constantly encourages him to follow his heart. He has no idea what lies in the shadows, watching, and hoping.
Krypendorf never abandoned William’s plan. After Richard’s eighteenth birthday, he adds one of his own by calling the dragon PANDAHAR to the lad in his dreams. For five nights in a row Richard awakens to the dragon’s mournful cry. Each time Richard opens his eyes to the sound, a waxing spell of urgency and responsibility grows stronger. Finally, in the early morning hours after the fifth night, Richard sits beside his window at Whitestone Castle and stares into the dark woods, seeking answers.
His attention focuses on a huge black bird flying straight toward him. SOOT the
2
raven, called by Yenwolk, brings tidings that will change Richard’s life.
With encouragement from his grandmother, and propelled by a strange need to know, Richard investigates a cavern below the castle where he finds The Book of Benjamin. Written by his great grandfather BENJAMIN ALVIS, this book gives Richard his first hint of his true identity – a young wizard.
Constantly troubled by the thought of leaving his family and SKYLAR BROOKS, the girl he loves, Richard soon decides to leave home on foot, setting out on a great adventure. Following Soot’s calls from the woods, he enters a strange, magical world. On the first evening of his travels, the aroma of musk and fresh wood fill the air and a gentle voice speaks from the shadows of a great oak.
“Be not afraid, Richard. Though art beloved here.” The OAK WOMAN appears, and her sweet voice and gentle words quickly dispel his fear. This encounter introduces the first of William’s promise keepers, a faerie queen sent by Krypendorf to watch over Richard. Awakened by the sun’s light the next morning, Richard sees a black troll’s arrow imbedded in a tree limb. While pondering this, he meets a sprite queen named KUNDRUN, guardian of Phaelamaun, one of the magical swords of England. She teaches and demonstrates the sword’s power, and then presents it to Richard. From Kundrun, Richard learns of dragons and hears more about Soot, the raven who’s always ahead of him, calling from the trees. He also receives the Wand of Profusion; an instrument crafted by his great, great grandfather, BASIL ALVIS. Before departing, Kundrun tells Richard the sword is a bridge to other worlds.
Richard continues the journey, entering a forbidden part of the forest and moving toward a place called Gray Rock. He meets an elf named NIMSFORK, a student of KRAIGAMORE, who was a wizard and the brother of Richard’s great grandfather. During this encounter Richard learns of Kraigamore’s untimely death. Nimbsfork blames Richard’s great grandfather and hates the house of Alvis. Nimbsfork eventually attacks Richard, leaving him seriously injured. The dwarves of Leachenwood come to his aide and take him to their home, Leachenwood. There Richard meets his first unicorn – a creature that will ultimately save his life and become a friend forever.
After recovering from his injuries, Richard continues his journey to Gray Rock.
3
Once there, he comes face to face with the Yenwolk the gnome – the third promise keeper. Yenwolk tells him of Wizard William’s mysterious death of his grandfather, and of Williams’s symbiotic dragon, KRAITON. Here, Richard also meets ROSEBUD and LILLY ANN, two woodland faeries who will stay with him for the rest of his life. The faeries offer another gift in form of a small corgwn named TOB. Having been raised by the dragon Pandahar, Tob lends new meaning to the term “man’s best friend.”
Yenwolk learns that Richard received a dangerous talisman from his grandmother to ensure his first meeting with the dragon Pandahar will be peaceful. The gnome fears the talisman, because its red stone contains the dragon, Ravenclaw. This dangerous creature was imprisoned there by the Wizard Benjamin.
While spending time with Yenwolk at Gray Rock, Richard also learns Skylar had been kidnapped by trolls. Along with Yenwolk and several dwarves, he rushes to the troll village in the Valley of the Red Grass. After being rescued by Richard and his friends, Skylar refuses to go home – choosing to stay with Richard. Accompanied by Skylar, Yenwolk, Tob, and the faeries, Richard approaches an evil part of the Black Forest called Gossimer Swamp. Yenwolk now brings a mysterious young man into their lives – Night Wing. With help from Night Wing and Rosebud’s woodland friends, the travelers survive an encounter with evil beings inside the swamp, only to come face to face with Richard’s first witch, a hag called LAPHIDIUS MUNKS. This person soon proves to be a dangerous adversary as Nimbsfork.
After narrowly escaping the hag, they enter the Oxbow area, the land of the gnomes and home to a greatly revered and feared dragon named BEAU TRAUX. Yenwolk, now completely convinced the dragon Pandahar has been guarding them all along, decides the creature already knows of Richard. He convinces Richard to let him take the talisman back to Whitestone’s keep, where it will be safe.
In the land of the gnomes, Richard encounters the watchers of the forests, creatures known as phookas who are longtime friends of his late grandfather. With the help of the magical sword Phaelamaun, and the spirit there within, Richard manages to
same NIVRAM, son of the phooka chief TOLAND. Already Richard’s reputation is
4
spreading through the realm once cared for by his grandfather William.
Once more they move on, and wizard dreams again haunt Richard. In his dreams, Richard sees Yenwolk battling against forest trolls. Working through the spiritual realm, Richard orchestrates the defeat of the trolls and saves Yenwolk. But the trolls manage to steal the talisman.
Richard’s powers grow as he and his companions near the Hollow Mountains. Thanks to Krypendorf’s dreams, his knowledge also increases and he no longer fears the darkness, the dragons, or his nemesis, Nimbsfork.
After visiting Cutoff, Yenwolk’s home, the little group travels to a place where legend says the trees literally touch the clouds. This is the land of the elves of Dragon’s Oak and their beautiful leader, QUEEN CREEN HAMADRY. Impressed by Richard, the queen sends him with a group of her elves to reclaim the talisman – now held by Nimbsfork on a mountain called Table Rock. During this encounter, Richard meets a race of beings more dangerous than anything he’s met – the hobuerich. He uncovers a plot against himself and the entire realm of the White Wizard Krypendorf.
In this encounter, the hobuerich send a bird with poison on its claws to capture Richard. The bird mistakenly attacks Yenwolk. With the intervention of the hobuerich, the outnumbered warriors are forced to return to the elfin village without the talisman.
By now, Richard knows who killed his grandfather and Kraiton. He also understands the clever plot to turn the phookas against Whitestone. He learns the meaning of true friendship and that the power of life and death is most often wielded by those who least deserve it.
As they leave Dragon’s Oak and near the Hollow Mountains, he learns that Krypendorf is his fourth promise keeper. For this part of the journey he will need no map, nor will he travel by horse or on foot. Yenwolk will teach him the secret of his path. In a magical place called the Cave of Mirrors, Richard receives full knowledge of his powers and is united with PRAGAMORE, a young dragon who will follow Richard for the rest of his life.
Unraveling the secret of the ‘way’ to Maidenhead, Krypendorf’s castle, the gnome Yenwolk unwraps a mysterious package. It contains a double riding harness for
5
a dragon – Pandahar. Through his dreams, Richard has already experienced flying with the Pan. Now he must convince Skylar the ‘way’ is more pleasurable than she would normally think. In doing this, Richard not only completes what was expected of him, but also he starts on a completely different adventure, one that will always put Skylar at his side…
|
