The Draconus

The first set of volumes address the Draconus and its involvement in our pre-history. Iolius.

Introduction

The ancient and now mythical history of Knighthood has long been intertwined by three things which lack clarity. These are the Draconus and its split into Dracons, Serpantol and dae’Tok.

The following three works will examine each one independently, then explain how they all relate to one another like a nest of writhing serpents. It covers Creation, the early Eclipsian Wars, the Yinnae Conquest, the Temple of the Serpents Eye and many other tangents, all which have important bearing on our ancient history.

Footnote:For more information see "The Pre-history of Gareth".

The Draconus

The Draconus was made at the dawn of time to control dragons. Part of the essence of dragons was given up towards its creation. The extended and revised version of the "History of Algoron" suggests that at its creation, the metallics agreed to give their essense, and they were blessed. The chromatics would not give up their essense and were punished. The history that is relevant to Knighthood is as follows.

When Eclipse stole the Draconus from the Conclave of Serpantol, they called the evil dragons to aid them in their war. Knighthood joined Conclave, and in an unlikely alliance with Malice fought Eclipse, Ogres, Minotaurs and the Chromatic Dragons. The Draconus independently called the Metallic Dragons to assist Serpantol's part of the alliance. The Conclave was able to steal back the Draconus from Eclipse, at which point the Chromatics turned upon Eclipse. The war was resolved after this turn of events. The wisdom of Conclave recommended that the Draconus be divided into five parts, so that no one power of Algoron was easily able to harness the control and lives of dragons again.

Although it was the Gods themselves who created the Draconus, it was the Conclave, recently split from Serpantol, who used their magic to break the Draconus up into the five Dracons. A work in the Dragon Vale has the best explanation I have seen for it. It is written by dragons, "The Draconus was our life. It was part of our license to live. We would be kept as slaves of the gods if not for our willingness to sacrifice a part of our essence to the Draconus. For we are the Children of the Wing and Scale, and we are more powerful, more intelligent, and of a higher universal being than the mere mortals of the land, the flightless ones. Who can blame them for their jealousy? Who can blame them for their hatred?"

A dwarven tome from the Dragon Vale speaks of the "Great Betrayal". This is an important work for two reasons:

This is the only work which has been found which implies that the Draconus was remade from the five dracons. It speaks of the "creation and subsequent unification of the five Dracons..." This is an interested proposal, as it suggests that perhaps the dragons were successful in reclaiming all five parts of the Draconus and returning it to its original form. At the same time this appears contradictory in that the book ends with the contemporary wisdom that the five dracons were separated, and in other works the dragons claim that there they have no further knowledge of what became of them after they were lost. This might suggest that the Dracons can be easily reformed into the Draconus, or that a reunification might have already happened.

Secondly, there is no mention of metallic dragons throughout the work. This implies that the chromatics were responsible for the destruction caused in reclaiming the Dracons, and that perhaps, they alone might have any knowledge of an eventual resting place or places and reunified the Draconus and it is the metallics who have been kept in the dark by their evil kin.

The Dracon of Justice

The Dracon of Justice was presented to Gareth Keep who swore to protect it upon their honour at the end of the Dragon Wars.

Our hold upon the Dracon was alas, far too fleeting. As the yinn pressed further south, destroying Shinalstin, they took our fair Keep of Gareth. When the Knights of Gareth returned to the Keep after it had been abandoned, the Dracon of Justice was not present.

It is possible that the Dracon of Justice was lost before the yinn conquest in the Eclipse's second attempt to bring the Draconus together. The Dragons intervened and Eclipse fell, though would later regroup. The knowledge from the Dragon Vale backs up this assertion that it was the Yinn who claimed it. It was around this time that the all Dracons were supposedly lost.

Unfortunately it is not clear if it was in the Keep prior to the Yinn conquest, or if it was somehow removed in Eclipse's second dragon war. Or if it was carried away by Knights as they fled Gareth's Keep.

Weakened by the wars of Serpantol and Gareth, Knighthood was weakened further still by a civil war which saw a significant part of their number leave their Keep for a newly formed Valour.

So the fate of Knighthood’s Dracon, the Dracon of Justice is unknown. It is assumed that either it was carried back to dae’Tok, where unless it was made secure, it may be lost to us. Or was it lost in the sacking of the Gareth's Keep, lost in its rubble? Did the fleeing knights carry it away as they fled that place? Or was it in Serpantol at the time? Was somehow seized during the second Eclipsian War by either Eclipse or the Dragons and subject to those events.

There have also been legends that said it had been taken to a place which was very cold where it may have been buried but does not say when or by whom. If I was to speculate, then the cold place might be that of the dae'Tok and carried by the Yinn. The current location of any of the Dracons is not common knowledge, but all have suffered a similar fate insofar as each have their own legends associated with them that are described in other chapters.

The font which held the Dracon of Justice resides unused in our museum. Curiously there is an alcove in the sanctum of the adjoining octagonal room which is around the same size as the space of the font which may date from the same time.

The Dracon would sit atop the font, supported by a curious red and black woolen cord which was wound around the lower half. Unfortunately, the cord vanished at the same time as the Dracon, but there are whispered secrets about what might have become of it which are too secret to mention here.

The Dracon of Might

The Dracon of Might was entrusted to Wargar and we know that the Thane of Wargar was slain by Targetter of Eclipse in Eclipse's short-lived second attempt to regain all the Dracons after their initial failure of world domination. "The Sunset Dawn" claims that Targetter lost his lover to the Thane of Wargar in the second dragonwar, but there is no evidence to support this. This is most likely fictional. Most likely he was more bent on the recapture of the dracons than revenge, though to attempt it when Eclipse had been all but destroyed shows a marked degree of desperation.

The dwarvern tome "Great Betrayal" goes into the wars the dragons undertook to attempt to reclaim the dracons, and how those dwarves destined to stay on the hills after those in the mountain shut them out were turned away from Shalonesti which may highlight another part reason for the racial hatred between the two.

The Dracon of Truth

The Dracon of Truth was sent to Shalonesti where it resided till the dark elves fled after murdering the Speaker of the Moons. This occurred three score years after the defeat of the Shalonost/Thaxanos army to the Yinn. Legend has it that the Ka'tath carried Shalonesti's Dracon with them as they fled, and it has never been found. "The Sunset Dawn" claims that Targetter's lover was a Ka'tath, and her slaying during the Dragon Wars with the complicity of the Speaker assisting the Thane of Wargar compelled her relatives to get their revenge over him. It also alludes to 'recent controvesial actions' but does not elaborate. This is most likely fiction. There is no supporting evidence to suggest that this occurred.

The Dracon of Magic

The Dracon of Magic stayed with the Conclave and there is little other mythology which I can find associated with it. After the first cataclysm, the golden tower was unable to resolve its ethical differences and split into three. If it remained in the golden Citadel of the Conclave, then it is unclear to which tower it would have gone. It is also possible that it was the dracon lost when Shinalstin and Serpantol were destroyed as the golden Citadel of the Conclave was in Shinalstin, and still may reside in its ruin.

The Dracon of Souls

The Dracon of Souls was left to what remained of Eclipse. We know that the Dragons, sensing the weakness of Eclipse at the time went to war with them to regain the Dracon of Souls. Probably also the Dracon of Might if Targetter had indeed been successful in taking it from the Mountain. Moderate of Eclipse was slain at this time, and his clan was all but destroyed, its members fled into hiding. This is the point which is the most murky. We know that no one knows what happened to the Dracons at this point, or even which ones were definitely there. According to the lore in the Dragon Vale, the dragons claimed that the Eclipsian Dracons were not in the possession of Eclipse or Moderate when they slew him, nor know where they lie now.

The Mysteries of the Lost Dracons

It is recorded that two of the Dracons had been 'lost' at the conclusion of the Dragon Wars, and it is assumed that these were of Souls and Might as this is recorded directly after the fall of Eclipse when it was decimated by the Dragons in the second, and much shorter, dragon war. According to the lore in the Dragon Vale, the dragons claimed that the Dracons which the Eclipsians possessed were not found in what remained of Eclipse or with Moderate when they slew him, nor where they lie now.

Another record suggested that another later suffered the same fate in the destruction of Serpantol and Shinalstin. I speculate is most likely our Dracon of Justice, but could indeed be the Dracon of Magic which would have dwelt in the golden Citadel of the Conclave in Shinalstin.

The nature of the term used, 'lost' is open to question. Were they destroyed, or lost to the enemy, misplaced, lost in the destruction of a city or castle? Again, speculation.

An inscription on the tail end of the Monument of the Dragon reads of the end of the Dragon War, "It was then that the Dark Alliance was destroyed, and the freedom of soul was returned to our brethern and our order. The times of darkness have passed, and to prevent such an unholy pact of happening once more, the Dracons were forced to be seperated into 5 parts, called by the youth as the 'Parting of the Dracons.' Where the Dracons are placed remains a mystery, even unto us, the constructors of our Birthright."

The Temple of the Dracon

Near to the Dragon Vale lies the mysterious "Temple of the Dracon". The building itself offers little information apart from bizarre architecture which suggests that the Dracons are meant to rest there. It looks like the marble has grown out of the ground and is uncomfortably cold.

Upon entering the temple, the altar large and made of black stone. There are five semi-circular depressions in the altar which are arranged in a circle. This suggests that the dracons are orbs, but we can deduce that at least the half of each Dracon is spherical when they stand alone. The depressions are two feet in diameter, so the dracons themselves are quite substantial. Each of the five points creates an undrawn line in the shape of a five-pointed star.

In the middle of the altar in the centre of the circle is an unlit white candle which cannot be lit. I cannot determine its nature or material, but it seems to have a will, if not a soul, of its own.

There are four tapestries in the room, each with an unfamiliar symbol. A fifth symbol is on the altar itself.

A mural shows three dragons, one platinum, one of darkness and another of a strange translucent mist which eerily seems to track your movement about the sanctum.

Below are crypts, of whom is covered in the later chapter "Shinalstin". Apart from the curious nature of the torches in the temple there is nothing else which would betray its purpose.

Conclusion

Both the Dracon and the knowledge of the Temple of the Serpent’s Eye have passed into near mythical historical status to Knighthood. Gareth Keep would certainly lay claim to the knowledge of the Temple of the Serpent’s Eye if it was able to be found. Knighthood has two broken oaths that it is compelled to fulfil to its ancient history and to her ancestors.

Firstly, to restore the ancient motherlands of Serpantol to under the protection of Knighthood.

Secondly, to restore the Dracon of Justice to the protection of Knighthood.

Alas, these have not been able to be attributed to my lifetime. I am now too old to see these ancient wrongs righted and come to fruition. These travesties upon our honor must be righted if we are to return to our former ancient glory.

Sehvelarious Iolius, the Loremaster

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Datai: Draconus, Shinalstins, and Mages, Oh My!

Wed Jul 4 14:37:35 2012

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Major events of our world's creation and history have been passed down from

bards and historians. Much of the details are lost, but a rough time line exists from

which an order of major world events can be formed.

The first sentient creatures the gods placed to inhabit our world were the

dragons. The primeval dragons were even more powerful than the mighty winged

races that we know today. So much so, that they were viewed as a threat to

creation, so the gods created the Draconus into which the dragons had to forfeit

a part of their essence. This Draconus could then be used to call the dragons

to and fro if needed.

The next thing in recorded history we hear about the Draconus is the Dark

Alliance, led by the Eclipse, sacking the Citadel of the Conclave and stealing

it. They then use it to harness the Cromatic Dragons, and nearly took over the

world.

There is a huge gap in Draconus history here. Consider the following question:

How did the Conclave end up with the Draconus?

Many have simply assumed that since the Draconus is magical, and the Conclave a

neutral organization centered upon magical knowledge, they were the logical

wardens of the Draconus. The only problem is that the Conclave, and even mortal

use of magic from the moons, was just a twinkle in Kantilles' eye when the

Draconus was first made. There is a space of time in which the modern races

sort themselves into civilizations before this task could be considered

appropriate for the Conclave.

I am unsure why the gods kept the Draconus on our realm after making it.

I can only guess that it was viewed as a safe neutral zone where no god was

willing to risk their life walking upon the lands of Algoron as a mortal to

steal and abuse. Therefore some mortals would have to keep an eye on it, should

any being, god or dragon, try any funny business. As the creation of the three

mortal races: goodly elves, neutral humans, and evilish ogres occurred right

after the creation of the Draconus, I have sometimes wondered if its keeping was

to be the duty of these peoples. The "Fall from Grace" could represent some

failure upon the primeval humans, elves, and ogres to their duty.

The human civilization of Serpantol was founded after the Fall, and with

civilization came the discovery and formal study of magic. The Conclave was

formed in Serpantol at that time, by a Cathas Daroconus. The similarity of the

last name may or may not be of some coincidence. This may be in part why it is

assumed the Conclave was gifted with the Draconus.

Cathas Daroconus was assassinated by an elf, Spellath the Dark, of Shalonesti.

In the aftermath that followed, the Conclave moved away from Serpantol and joins

forces with a people previously unmentioned in the history of the world,

Shinalstin.

Reasoning from the history texts would place Shinalstin further south than

Serpantol. It was conquered and destroyed by the yinn after the fall of

Serpantol. Early in the Conclave-Shinalstin alliance they did war with the ogres

of the world. While we think of the ogre homelands of being far to the north in

Icewall, this is only a recent migration that occurred after the Cataclysm.

Previously, a small ogre enclave could yet be found somewhat southeast of

Althainia, this could mark the remains of a greater ogre presence in Shinalstin's

time.

I have also heard tell some tales that Althainia itself was built upon the ruins

of Shinalstin. I have never seen any evidence to prove this. In early modern

times, the Tower of the Conclave was in Althainia, however.

The only archeological evidence of the Shinalstin exists within the Dragonvale.

Underneath the Temple of the Dracon are catacombs in which members of the race

known as Shinalstin are interred. The Dragonvale would have been more east than

south of Serpantol in the time of Shinalstin. It is this evidence that I point to

as how I theorize the Conclave came to be the keepers of the Draconus.

The Shinalstin remains show a humanoid type race, with bones stretching from their

shoulders that suggest wings. As they were interred below the Temple of the

Dracon itself, I suspect they were a people charged with the keeping of the

Draconus. I expect some sort of draconian like creature, similar enough to

Dragonkind that they were considered kindred enough to be allowed access to the

Vale. Also, if these little people dragons were considered an offshoot of

dragonkind, it may somewhat account for the lack of notice of their creation: they

were just dragons of a different shape.

It could be that the creation of Shinalstins happened with the creation of the

Draconus, and the forfeiting of the dragons' powers. Less powerful, or different

shaped dragons and dragon-like creatures could have occurred as a side effect.

This could account for the monstrous, yet stupid creatures: wyverns, drakes, and

guiveres. As well as the serpant-shaped dragons of Shokono. Perhaps even the

other reptilian races of the world like the Bakali.

When the Conclave and Shinalstin joined forces, this would have granted the

Conclave access to the Draconus. It is clear that the Shinalstin found the

Draconus to be an important, possibly holy, object that it would be kept so

carefully in a Temple. It is impossible to say if the Conclave became inducted as

joint protectors, or took over the duty through political guile. However I see

this point in history as the likely event leading to how the Conclave could have

obtained the Draconus that would be later stolen from their Citadel.

More time and careful study is needed for this topic. Some sort of archeological

find around the Dragonvale, Serpantol, and Althainian areas would be helpful.

Yet, due to the Cataclysm, if any evidence existed it could be tossed anywhere in

the world. I would also like to speak with the scholars of the Conclave, surely

they would have some story to explain how they got the Draconus, or interest in

learning the truth if they are unsure of their own history in these tumultuous

times.

- Dame Datai d'Aggravaine, Knight of the Shield