Jagun Wingmate

Jagun Wingmate
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Details
Race	Orc
Birthplace	Mardu territory, Tarkir
Lifetime	Before and after the Khanfall
Colors
Sources

Jagun Wingmate was a Mardu warrior before the Khanfall of Tarkir, who received his name by Alesha for aiding others in battle. After the fall of the clans, he joined Alesha in following the dragon Kolaghan.

History

As the Mardu were fighting dragons, Alesha wounded one by letting her blade bite deep into its flank, and she ducked as its wing lashed out in response to the pain. It tried to wheel around and face her, but a mighty swing from Jagun's blade knocked its head back and sent a spray of sharp-smelling blood in its wake. Alesha nodded, watching Jagun, his battle name yet unearned, despite fighting in many battles. This was his moment, and she wanted to witness it.

A true warrior would have leaped into the opening his mighty blow had created, driving his sword into the creature's neck. An orc as strong as Jagun might even have been able to sever the head with a well-placed strike. There was the briefest pause as the others watched, anticipating the moment of glory - but it didn't come. Instead of going for the kill, the orc turned and slashed at the dragon's foreclaw, an instant before it would have cut across another fighter's belly. It was Gedruk Wingbreaker who ran forward and hacked at the creature's neck before it could regain its balance.

Alesha commanded Jagun to step forth, asking him why he held back. Jagun angrily retorted that she was a human boy who thought he was a woman. Before Alesha could answer the nameless orc, though, another dragon was upon them. Alesha shouted and the Mardu, including Jagun, rushed forward to meet it. Alesha was smiling when the dragon hit the ground behind her, smiling as she whirled to face it, smiling as her sword bit deep into its neck while it lunged at Jagun. It bellowed and thrashed as death came to claim it, but one more swing of her heavy blade cut its head clean off.

Jagun stared at her stared dumbly, no trace of anger remaining on his face. Alesha told him that she knew who she was, and it was up to him to show her who he was. She nodded toward the last two dragons that still snapped and snarled at the surrounding Mardu. He hesitated, still slack-jawed, but then collected himself and ran back into battle.

She followed him, watching as he threw himself into the frenzied melee around the largest of the dragons. He was strong and fast despite his bulk. and he fought with no lack of skill, but his techniques were unorthodox. He used his strength to batter the beast's head and limbs, to knock it off balance and shift its position. He ensured that its deadly teeth and claws never made contact with the other fighters, and he made openings for his allies to strike. He wasn't looking for the killing blow, but he made it possible for others.

After the battle, Alesha returned to Jagun and asked him how many battles he had fought. He had fought in nine but had not claimed any glories in any of them. She named him a fool, then, to not know himself. He bristled again, but this time didn't dare to speak.

Alesha then turned to the warriors around them, asking them what they had seen when they fought alongside Jagun. Kuru Vashar said she had fallen underneath one of the dragons, and Jugan had helped her get out from underneath it. Margan Backbreaker said Jagun had put himself between him and a deadly claw, and Jalasha Impaler said Jagun had saved her life, throwing himself onto a dragon's head when it was about to take her in its jaws.

Alesha nodded and stepped close to Jagun, grabbing the edge of his collar and pulling his head down to her level, forcing his eyes to meet hers. She told him she knew who she was - Alesha, like her grandmother before her. And she knew who he was. He thought his deeds were not as glorious as others, but he was wrong. As a hero of many battles, she gave him the right to choose once he realized his worth.

Stunned, Jagun stopped Alesha as she was about to move away. She wanted to share one more story of the battle - hers. That day, he had seen a warrior strike down a dragon with a single blow, and on her face, she had worn the joy of battle. He knew her, he followed her, and he named her Alesha, Who Smiles at Death. And once again, the warriors of the Mardu shouted her name.

At some later point, Jagun named himself Wingmate, for his propensity to assist others in battle rather than claiming glory for himself, and Alesha named him as one of her bodyguards.

As they rode across the steppe with the Mardu banner, Alesha asked Jagun if the Mardu could ever kneel to a dragon. He replied that Mardu did not know, but would follow Alesha, wherever she went. And the Kolaghan appeared behind them, skimming above the steppe so low a warrior could probably hit it with a thrown spear. Lightning rippled in its wake, scorching the earth. It was Kolaghan, the fastest thing that lived, the shadow of death itself, and she was going to pass right by them. Jagun hefted his spear.

Kolaghan rolled as she approached, peering down at them. Her mouth hung open, ready to loose bolts of lightning that would fry them before the dragon ever touched them. Alesha raised her bow, ready to give the mark. Their eyes met. For a very brief instant, time seemed to stand still.

Then the dragon's mouth closed. Alesha lowered her bow. And then Kolaghan was passed, whipping past them in a cloud of charged dust. Alesha wheeled her horse and watched Kolaghan swiftly recede into the distance.

Alesha reached behind her, pulled her banner out of its mounting on her saddle, and tossed it on the ground. She told her two bodyguards that Kolaghan did not want to lead and that her people did not have to kneel. They simply had to keep up. When Jagun expressed doubt, Alesha stated that this was where she led. They could follow, or not. Then, she kicked her horse and rode away. After a moment's hesitation, both bodyguards followed.

Three warriors on horseback chased the impossible bolt of darkness that was Kolaghan, leaving the banner of the Mardu Khan lying in the dust behind them.

Story appearances

Title	Author	Publishing date	Set	Setting (plane)	Featuring
The Truth of Names	James Wyatt	2015-01-28	Fate Reforged	Tarkir	Alesha, Kolaghan, Jagun Wingmate, Gedruk Wingbreaker, Headsmasher, Skullcleaver, Fangbreaker, Cliffleaper, Barzeel, Tailrider, Turuk, Vallash, Kuru Vashar, Magran Backbreaker, Jalasha Impaler
Khanfall	Kelly Digges	2015-02-18	Fate Reforged	Tarkir	Shu Yun, Quan, Alesha, Reyhan, Atarka, Daghatar, Yasova Dragonclaw, Tasigur, Ugin, Sarkhan Vol, Silumgar, Ojutai, Ikra Shidiqi, Beril, Jagun Wingmate, Doshiyn Eye-Piercer, Kolaghan, Anchin, Atarka, Yeran

In-game references

Represented in:

• Battle Brawler