Dyrgilla
"A dragon must always see over the Beckhir Woods. It is her death that caused the death of our forest. May she be at peace flying in the hereafter." - Imris Blue Jay, elder of an Aarakocra tribe that fled the Beckhir Woods
Summary
Dyrgilla was the oldest known dragon in all of Auricaana. She was most well known to the people of the various tribes living within the Beckhir Woods, but mentions of her have been found in history from the Clash-era. This would mean she was at least 900 years old at the time of her death.
In contrast to the most common beliefs surrounding dragons, those of them being ego-centered creatures overwhelmed with greed, Dyrgilla has been known to be peaceful and caring. The bronze dragon laired in the center of the Beckhir Woods for most of known history, and protected the area. She was known for being quite chatty, and she frequently checked up on the intelligent tribes living in the area.
It is unknown whether Dyrgilla ever mated with another bronze dragon, but no definite accounts of her receiving or raising young are known to this day. She would however, always refer to all creatures living in the forest as her children.
During her lifetime, she protected the forest and her inhabitants to many different dangers. In times of extreme heat, she fought fires and brought the creatures of the forest to safety. In times of war, she made sure troops would wage their conflict away from the vulnerable flora and fauna of the forest. And when monsters invaded, she cut them down.
Despite being known for her power and protective maternal passion, she appeared to have died a violent death in the autumn of 902 P.C. After not having been seen around the forest for an elongated period of time, local scouts went to explore her lair. Dyrgilla's body was found there, slain. She seemed to bear some minor wounds, and her claws were caked in dry blood and ichor, all signs of a fight. It also seemed like her entire face was contorted in a painful snarl. The definite cause of her death remains unclear.
After Dyrgilla's passing, the waters and floor or the forest started acidizing, and the forest has ever since been dying slowly.
Cultural Reception
The intelligent tribes of the forest used to treat Dyrgilla as a divine creature, and refer to her as "the Protector" or "the Guardian of us all". These tribes would often have iconography of her in her tribes.
Despite these divine interpretations, Dyrgilla's friendship with these tribes was known for being informal. One that was born from a nearly maternal love, and not profession.
In Literature
The library of Ergon homes a few more objective tomes and records on the Beckhir Woods and Dyrgilla. When looking into these records, one will find that during her period of protection, the woods grew exponentially in size and biodiversity, as many species flourished in the area.
Date of Setting
0 P.C. (or maybe even earlier) - 902 P.C.
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