Realms of the Dragons

Realms of the Dragons, edited by Philip Athans, is the ninth anthology of stories from the Forgotten Realms. All the short stories relate in some way to the Year of Rogue Dragons.

"Raging dragons threaten to destroy civilization on Faerûn, but that hasn't always been the case. There have even been times when humans and dragons have worked together to preserve life and combat evil.

Of course, that doesn't happen very often. Most of the time, they just try to kill each other and steal as much treasure as they can in the process.

This collection of all new stories by Forgotten Realms creator Ed Greenwood; New York Times best-selling authors Elaine Cunningham, Richard Baker, Lisa Smedman, and R. A. Salvatore; The Year of Rogue Dragons author Richard Lee Byers; and many more, bring the myriad sides of the dragons of Faerûn to life.

The Year of Rogue Dragons has only just begun, but the history of that powerful race of enchanted creatures is long, frightening, and beautiful indeed."

Contents
Realms of the Dragons contains the following short stories:
 * "Soulbound" by Paul S. Kemp, in which Kesson Rel, Chosen of Mask, transports the Hall of Shadows to the Plane of Shadow.
 * "First Flight" by Edward Bolme, in which a Netherese arcanist discovers the unexpected benefits of polymorphing.
 * "Gorlist's Dragon" by Elaine Cunningham, in which Gorlist faces a dragon in the fighting pits of Ched Nasad.
 * "The Keeper of Secrets" by Ed Greenwood, in which Durnan and Mirt chance an encounter with a song dragon.
 * "The Topaz Dragon" by Jess Lebow, in which a band of adventurers are engaged by a topaz dragon to retrieve a stolen egg.
 * "Wickless in the Nether" by R.A. Salvatore
 * "Serpestrillvyth" by Richard Baker, in which the Company of the Argent Hawk take on a green dragon, but discover they have bitten off more than they can chew.
 * "Waylaid" by Thomas M. Reid, in which Lynaelle Dawnmantle, on her way to join the Lady's College of Silverymoon, is kidnapped by a white dragon.
 * "Standard Delving Procedure" by Lisa Smedman, in which two Delvers discover a legendary weapon in a lost dwarf-hold.
 * "An Icy Heart" by Voronica Whitney-Robinson, in which a dragon turtle of Lake Thaylambar succumbs to the Rage of Dragons.
 * "Penitential Rites" by Keith Francis Strohm, in which a half-dragon warlord-turned-Ilmatari-monk investigates a murder in his monastery.
 * "How Sharper than a Serpent's Tooth" by Dave Gross, in which the Wide Realms stage a play about a dragon, only to discover it is attending the premiere.
 * "Beer with a Fat Dragon" by Don Bassingthwaite, in which two travelers run afoul of an ornery chiang lung on the Golden Way.
 * "The Prisoner of Hulburg" by Richard Lee Byers, in which Pavel Shemov and Will Turnstone rescue an emerald dragon from the Zhentarim.

Wickless in the Nether
By R. A. Salvatore

Date: 1368 DR

In the short story, Salvatore describes the first encounter between Artemis Entreri and Jarlaxle and the famed dragon sisters Tazmikella and Ilnezhara of Heliogabalus, Damara in Year of the Banner, 1368 DR. This event is referred to in Road of the Patriarch, when Entreri reminds Jarlaxle that the dragons sisters played them for fools. In the story, Tazmikella, appearing as a plain shopkeeper, tells of how an item of great sentimental value is in the possession of Ilnezhara. Tazmikella hires Entreri and Jarlaxle to steal this item, but soon they find out their foe's power is beyond their comprehension when they find out she is an ancient and powerful copper dragon. Ilnezhara then commands the two to go and kill Tazmikella for her in return for allowing them to live. After this encounter, they journey to kill Tazmikella and find out not only is Tazmikella Ilnezhara's sister, but also a copper dragon of great power. Jarlaxle and Entreri agree to work for the two dragon sisters.