The Story of the Dragonfire

"This story is true. It may not have been recored on the Dwarven myth-runes, or retold by Elven bards. But, we Dragonborn remember glimpses of it; and if We remember it, the Dragons do, as well..." Ker-Karadok The Walker, Chieftain of the Silver Claw.

Summary

In the days before even the Elves, the Dwarves, and even Giants roamed the land as we know it, the world was a dark and brooding place, ruled by aquatic creatures known only as The Elders in The Dark. Names such as Lagon, Mother Syndra, and others sent their squamous servants from the Deep to enslave the surface dwellers, and shaped them into different races, so that they would work on different aspects that their masters wished. The forced themselves on them, and created monstrous half-breeds that were sent to the depths of the oceans, and serve their masters.
Then, The Dragons Came; Ten mighty creatures discovered the world, and saw that the surface dwellers suffered. The Dragons then waged war on the Elders in The Dark, and drove them back into the darkest depths of the ocean, never to be seen again.
But, The Dragons saw the world was still much polluted by the Elder's influence, that they decided to wipe the slate clean, and would devastate everything. They warned the creatures, and told them to seek shelter in the depths of the mountains... And, after they made sure they were safe, they burned everything.
Then came a cold winter, that lasted centuries, then, with lighting, a spark of Light was ignited, and signaled to the creatures taken refuge to return to the surface world, and finally live in peace. Some never returned to the surface, such as the Dwarves; others were angered that their former world was reshaped into something unfamiliar, and bowed revenge, but all were free from the Elder's influence.
The Dragons then slumbered in the deep, dark places of the world, and dreamed of having eyes and ears in the world as they slept, the dreamed into existence a race of their wardens and protectors, whom they named Dragonborn.
But, other things came to be as a result of the Dragonfire: The Fire they used to burn the old world kept burning, and coalesced into what is now known as the Embers of Magic: The Nature of Arcane Magic itself, and it is these Embers that guided the gods into Karash, and began to spread faith into the world.
And to this day, The Dragons still dream, and they still watch.

Historical Basis

While many seem to dispute the accuracy of the story, it is difficult to ascertain which parts are true, and which parts are not. Even the Dragonborn do not have clear memory of these ancient dream-memories they believe to be of The Dragons.
But, there is some physical evidence in the most ancient mountains that, maybe, there was a conflagration of sorts.

Spread

The story is well-known throught Axtalan, The Unconquered Grasslands and the River Kingdoms, with both Dragonborn bards singing its epic, or Tabaxi retelling it to pass the time with strangers.
Other than that, slight bits may have been taken up north, and added to other legends.

Variations & Mutation

Most Dragonborn that know the story (or at leas the epic retelling) know the myth at verbatim, with some slight variations, maybe in the name, titles of the dragons, but the structure remains consistent.
Humans and Lizardfolk in Axatalan and the Unconquered Grasslands simply describe The Dragons as "Massive Serpents that came from The Stars", and that these gods stayed to help guide the Axtalani people; but, eventually left before the arrival of The Serpent that will Devour the Sun and Days.
Tabaxi in the Unconquered Grasslands sometimes say there was an eleventh dragon, a Cat-faced Dragon called Lung, which took all cats and hid them in his stomach, and when he laid eggs, most of the cats reappeared, by a few came changed, and that is how the Tabaxi came to be.

Cultural Reception

Most people outside the Unconquered Grassland and Axtalan think the tale is simply that, a tale, told over and over in several centuries.
But, the The Tetrarchy of Faith considers the story a blasphemy, a heretical tale that spreads doubt in the power of the gods, and instead gives it to "ridiculous monsters of lizard men".

In Art

The tale is mostly oral, recited as the lyrics to a song, as the structure of the tale has a rhythm and cadence. But, it has been recorded by members of The Academy in "Tales and Records of the Peoples of Axtalan", by researcher Alveas Mattmercer.