Drax Adereth
- "... he had served his master, Quove Lentis, loyally — luring unsuspecting academics who had displeased the High Professor of Flight down into his lair in the depths of the hull, and disposing of them."
- —How Quove Lentis used Drax to kill his enemies.[1]
Drax Adereth was a crimelord employed by the High Professor of Flight, Quove Lentis in the Third Age of Flight. He and his gang lived on the Xanth Filatine, robbing rich passengers and killing Lentis' enemies. After a run-in with Cade Quarter, his operation was uncovered, he was imprisoned, and he became vengeful. He stalked Cade across the Edge, eventually catching up with him in his home in the Farrow Ridges. Drax was killed in the ensuing shootout.
Biography
Early life and career
Drax was born in c. 590 ᴇ.ʏ., shortly before his twin sister Felicia. He was raised in an Ambristown slum.[1] His parents were fourthlings with notable waif and cloddertrog heritage.[2] Eventually, he came to be employed by Quove Lentis as a gangmaster aboard the Xanth Filatine, where his job was to deal with any of Lentis' enemies who were on board. He and his gang made some extra money by robbing wealthy passengers. The skytavern owners let him get away with it because they knew he was working for Lentis.
Whenever he caught Forlorn Hopers trying to get a free ride on the skytavern, he would force them to 'pay' for their ride by making them steal valuables from rich passengers on the upper decks. If they hadn't produced the good after 1 week, he would cut off one of their fingers, which he would keep in a glass bowl in his quarters.
Encounter with Cade Quarter
In c. 617 ᴇ.ʏ., his henchmen, Teggtut and Mank caught Cade Quarter trying to get a free ride aboard the skytavern, so Drax gave Cade a week to steal something valuable. Cade tried to hide from him, and lasted a total of nine days before being caught. Drax managed to get him out of his cabin by having an accomplice plant stolen mire-pearls in Cade's bag. He was then reported to, and arrested by, the skymarshals. After this, Drax brought Cade back down to the Depths and prepared to cut off one of his fingers, however Cade bargained for his safety by revealing the location of two professors of the School of Flight.
Drax was lead by Cade to the maintenance cabin the professors were hiding in, and he confronted them. The professors, Hengruel Paxis and Lemtrius Korn, threatened Drax with phraxpistols but he shot them both dead with his blowpipe. This murder of Paxis and Korn was soon discovered, and was the last straw for the authorities. Drax was reported by Tillman Spoke, a passenger, and imprisoned in Hive for three months. Quove Lentis cut ties with him, and waited three months before bribing the guards to free Drax.
Search for Cade
After reporting back to Lentis in c. 619 ᴇ.ʏ., Drax began his search for Cade Quarter, the person who had lead to him being jailed. He first travelled to the Farrow Ridges, Cade's home, where he tortured a webfoot goblin into revealing that Cade had flown to the New Sanctaphrax. On his way there, Drax came across a woodtroll in the Midwood Decks who informed him that Cade had instead moved on to Gorgetown. Here, he questioned Lemulis Lope, who revealed that Cade had travelled to New Sanctaphrax.
After killing Lope, Drax followed Cade to New Sanctaphrax, which proved difficult, due to the blockade. By the time he reached the floating city, he discovered that Cade had gone descending. After a few weeks, Cade resurfaced and was imprisoned by Danton Clore. Drax was unable to get past the prison guards, but eventually Cade escaped and returned home to the Farrow Ridges. Drax travelled there by skycarrier, and asked around for details about Cade.
Ambush and death
On the evening of Cade's return to the Farrow Ridges, Drax went to Cade's cabin and shot Rumblix, his prowlgrin, in the head. After this, he left a single severed finger on the veranda outside the door of the cabin. When Cade returned home and discovered the finger, Drax ambushed him and pointed two phraxpistols at him. He ordered Cade to drop his pistol, but was tackled from behind by Tug. Drax fired both his pistols but missed, but wounded Tug. Cade grabbed his own pistol from the floor and shot Drax three times, killing him.
Personality and traits
Personality
- "Drax Adereth never forgets a debt."
- —Drax's vindictive nature[3]
Drax was loyal to Quove Lentis and cruel in the way he punished his enemies. He was incredibly vengeful, never forgetting those who crossed him. He was controlling during his time aboard the Xanth Filatine, ruling over his subordinates using fear. His twin sister, Felicia, was similarly ruthless, but even she felt that his practice of mutilating his victims and keeping their fingers as trophies was wrong.
Physical appearance
Drax was probably albino. His skin was unusually pale, with blue veins showing through.[4] His eyes were large, pale and sensitive to light, forcing him to wear tinted goggles most of the time.[1] He greased his white hair into spikes similar to those favoured by slaughterers and had small, even teeth.[5] His fingers were long and spindly, with the nails being filed to points.[6]
Small and slender, Drax appeared much younger than he actually was, being mistaken for a teenager in his late twenties. This could be a sign that he was born prematurely, as twins are often premature. He usually wore a smoke-grey topcoat and breeches, along with his goggles. The goggles were tinted green and had bone rims, and were mainly to protect his sensitive eyes from bright lights, although they may have had lenses to aid his vision.[5]
When on the Xanth Filatine, he kept his collection of severed fingers in a large glass bowl, but after leaving the skytavern, he kept them on a string around his neck.
References
- 1 2 3
- ↑ The Descenders, Chapter 11
- ↑ The Descenders, Chapter 34
- ↑ The Nameless One, Chapter 13
- 1 2
- ↑ The Nameless One, Chapter 4