Dragon Lore

Dragon Lore
by Havard
from the Mystara Mailing List posted 30 June 2004.


Dragon Lore: Ancient Draconic History

Creation of Dragons

At the beginning of Time, the Immortals were young, exploring the Multiverse that the Old Ones had left for them, like children exploring a garden maze. They created the Dragons to be their servants and friends, to aid them in this exploration. In the First Great War between the Immortals, when the Immortals were divided into Immortals of Creation and Entropy, the Dragons were also forced to chose sides.

[Source: PC1]

Dragon Draeden War

Draedens were Dragons who had found their way into the Dimension of the Nightmare Lands. There they had been twisted into terrible and powerful beings. Now they had made their way back and had brought their Nightmarish Power with them. A Great War arose between Dragons and Draedens. Many worlds were destroyed in that war. Although they had stayed out of the war between the Immortals, Oberon's Faerie gave their support to the Dragons. The same did the Rulers of the Elemental Worlds. Eventually, though at a terrible cost, the Draeden were driven back and banished forever to Nightmare.

[Sources: D&D Immortals Rules - Gold Box]

The Creation of the Drakes

The Dragons had not been able to win the Dragon Draeden War without the aid of the Elementals Lords and King Oberon's Fairies. The Dragons recognised this. In return for their generous aid, the rulers of Fire, Earth, Water, Air and Dream (as Faerie is often known) were given 10 dragon eggs each. From each hatched 1000 young creatures of a new Dragon race.

These became known as Drakes, and are forever since respected by dragons and remembered as the lost dragon children. The Elemental and Faerie Drakes developed differently, slowly becoming the Drake races we know today. They often live among lesser races, but always keep contact with Dragon Society.

[Sources: D&D Rules Cyclopedia and PC1]

Dragon Lore: Modern Draconic History

The Arrival on Mystara

Dragon history on Mystara begins when the Chromatic Dragons were called to Mystara by their master Hel.

Hel needed the Dragons to fight the humans of Thonia and Blackmoor. In response, the Champion of the humans, Odin, Hels sworn enemy called upon Metallic Dragons to help fight the servants of Hel. The Chromatic Dragons settled on Brun, driving away the dwarves who were living in the foot hills of the Known World and Norwold. The Metallic Dragons settled in the Brasol Mountains on Davania, allying themselves with the Enduks.

[Source: James Mishlers Epic Blackmoor Timeline]

The Great Rain of Fire

The Great Rain of Fire made an end of the conflict between Metallic and Chromatic Dragons. Although there had been no open war between the two races for centuries, the hatred between them still lingered. But with the human caused cataclysm, the Dragons themselves faced destruction. They were saved by the appearance of a Dragon who called himself the Great Dragon Ruler. He appeared from out of nowhere. The division between Metallic and Chromatic Dragons had existed since the end of the Draeden-Dragon wars in Mythic Times, but before that time there had been Dragon Rulers, including a Great Dragon Ruler, who had been leader of all Dragons. He had disappeared after the War and was presumed slain. The New Great Dragon reorganised the Dragons and taught them to stay together in order to survive. He gave them rules for how the two dragon kingdoms, Wyrmsteeth and Brasol should be governed, making both homes for Chromatic AND Metallic Dragons. Rulership should be controlled by one side at a time. The other side should respect the laws said down by the side in control, but the rulers should respect the side that had no influence.

Dragon Clerics of Hel, Odin and other Immortals was still allowed, but the Great Dragon and his Dragon Rulers were to be recognised as the Supreme Immortal Rulers of Dragonkind.

The Rogue Dragon Kingdoms

With the reorganisation of the Dragon Kingdoms, The Dragons were to have total power within the Dragon Kingdoms, but were to stay out of the lands beyond those borders, allowing the lesser races control of those lands. Although most obeyed these laws, a few did not and set up Rogue Kingdoms in the Known World and elsewhere. Over the centuries, there have been some wars between Wyrmsteeth and the Rogue Kingdoms, but mostly the Rogues have been left alone.

DRAGON HISTORY: MODERN TIMES

The Return of the Dragon Rulers

The last war between dragons happened around 500 years ago with the return of the Dragon Rulers. That war was between the Metallic and Chromatic Dragons on one side and the Gemstone Dragons on the other. They were lead by a powerful Draeden Lord, the last remaining Draeden in this part of the multiverse since the Dragon-Draeden wars in Mythic Times. The Gemstone Dragons had fallen under the control of the Draeden Lord, having been abducted from the Dragon Homeworld that the Metallic and Chromatic Dragons had left in the Age of Blackmoor. There had never been Gemstone Dragons on Mystara before. The Mystaran Dragons were saved when the Dragon Rulers returned under the leadership of Thelvyn the Diamond Dragon. Thelvyn defeated the Draeden Lord, thus freeing the Gemstone Dragons of his domination magic. Peace was again restored among Dragons. It now became clear that the Dragon Rulers again would be present in Dragon Society. The Gemstone Dragons were granted a separate Kingdom in the Tangor Mountains on Skothar, but were welcomed in the other two kingdoms also. Gemstone Dragons remain the least numerous race of Dragons as they suffered heavy losses in the War.

[Source: Based, partially on the Dragonlord Trilogy]

The Creation of the Night Dragons

Some Dragons defied the rulership of the Great One, and sought to renew their alliance with Entropy. Thus the Night Dragons were created. There had been Night Dragons in ancient times also. Back then, Night Dragon status could only be achieved by the highest ranking of Chromatic Dragons; those who had performed great services for the Entropic Lords could become transformed into Night Dragons as a reward. But the last Night Dragons were destroyed in the wars with Blackmoor. Now, any who would seek alignment with Entropy were granted this gift, and Night Dragons again appeared on Mystara.

[Source: VotPA]

The Age of Dracologists

Since the return of the Dragon Rulers, the Wizards of Glantri had begun studying Dragons, seeking to make use of their power. The most powerful of those wizards interested in Dragons gathered in the Secret Brotherhood of Dracology. The rising power of the Dracologists and their more and more frequent assuming of Dragon form worried the Dragons. Since Thelvyn had once lived in Glantri himself, it was decided that the Diamond Dragon should contact the Dracologists in order to persuade them to abandon this field of magic.

The Peal Dragon wanted to see the humans crushed, but was eventually persuaded by the other Rulers to give Diamond a chance to try diplomacy first. Thelvyn contacted the Grand Master of Dracology, Prince Jaggar von Drachenfels, a wizard who claimed to trace his lineage back to Blackmoor itself. After some discussion it was decided that the dispute would be settled through a duel between Prince Jaggar and Diamond. The other Dragon Rulers agreed on this. The battle would be one-on-one with Diamond not bringing his cohorts. Few believed this to be necessary. The Dragons were shocked when Jaggar at the beginning of the duel changed shape, assuming the form of a Diamond Dragon! In the duel, the wizard displayed such power that Thelvyn was forced to yield. By right, Prince Jaggar now could become the new Dragon Ruler. However, the Glantrian Prince had no intention to disrupt the Draconic Order and allowed Thelvyn to keep his position, assuming that the Brotherhood of Dracology would be left free to conduct its research. The duel weakened Thelvyn's position, and much of the prestige he had won in defeating the Draeden Lord was lost.

Still no one has dared to challenge his right to the position though. The Dragons have honoured the agreement with Jaggar, but are terrified of the power he displayed. They will probably not be so lenient with a new Grand Master, should Jaggar be replaced.

[Sources: Gaz 3, Dragonlord Trilogy, VotPA]

-Havard