The First Dragon War
Characters with any of the following traits would know this information:
Race: Elf
Class: Cleric, Paladin, Wizard
Background: Acolyte, Noble, Sage, Soldier
Skill Proficiency: History, Religion -------------- The calamitous event referred to as "The First Dragon War" shaped much of the world as people know it today. In an old and nearly forgotten past, before time as the mortal races know it, dragons ruled the world. These creatures of raw power dominated the lands, ruling over the beginnings of the world with a power beyond contesting. Nothing existed to challenge their might, and so they ruled without question for millennia. The only conflicts that occurred were between the dragons themselves, as they fought over territory and power. After ages of their rule, however, some dragons began to grow tired of the monotony of their existence. After all, an immortal species such as dragons would, understandably, grow tired of the seemingly endless squabbling of their kin and the predictability of their world. While some dragons resigned to entering a prolonged slumber, others began to seek out more and more dangerous means of entertainment. While dragons by nature are arrogant, they possess inquisitive minds. Those dragons who wished to see an end the stagnation of the world came to the realization that too few of their kind would see that the world had grown dull and monotonous. They could not challenge every one of their species and hope to succeed, nor did they truly wish to see themselves usurped from the top of the food chain. Dragons are, after all, completely assured in their own self-importance. It was this self-assurance and innate arrogance that led them to devise what they believed would be a solution: To summon the God of Change, bend him to their will, and compel him make their boring world interesting. This would prove to be a decision far, far worse than any dragon could have anticipated. The God of Change had fewer names in those times. While the many titles he by which he is now known would have likely made the dragons hesitate in requesting his intervention, they could not have foreseen the extent of his capricious and mischievous nature. In these days, gods could still enter the Emergent Plane, but only at great risk by passing through the Void. Even if they did leave their realm and enter the world, their time there, and their power, would be severely limited. That is, unless they were brought there. Within moments of summoning the god, the dragons realized they'd made a grave mistake. The haunting laughter of the god filled the minds of the dragons as he stepped forth from his realm and into the world. Almost immediately, the dragons could feel their magic diminishing, their eternal lifespans dwindling. They felt the very fabric of their world twisting and warping, the power they held in exclusivity for so long being torn from them and scattering across the world. Innumerable lives sprang forth, strange and incomprehensible to the dragons who'd ruled the world for so long, as the first mortal races took form. The dragons hastily sought to banish the god from their realm, to stop the massive upset of power that he brought with him, but it was too late. They no longer possessed universal supremacy over the world. And then, in an instant, he silenced the group of ambitious dragons forever. ------------------------ The first of the beings brought into existence were the Elves that would come to be referred to as Eladrin, mortal reflections of the Fae creatures living in the God of Change's personal realm of the Faewylde. He followed their creation with the Gnomes, whose mischievous and inventive nature reflected his own. Amused with his new creations, he became curious as to what the other gods might conceive, and so he then extended an open invitation to the others of his kind, granting them the agency to form their own creations within the Emergent Plane. His sister Saeralla, the Goddess of Knowledge and Learning, opted to transform some of the Elves her brother had made, creating the High Elves so that they might learn to quell the chaotic powers of magic her brother had caused. Thaemenar first followed in Saeralla's decision and created the Wood Elves, then shortly after crafted the Humans , and Halflings, so that the three races might nurture, build upon, and appreciate the world, respectively. Malavach, the God of Wrath and Destruction, created all manner of Orc-kind and the rampant beings of destruction known as Demons, so that they might wreak havoc upon the world and revel in conflict for its own sake. His brother and eternal rival Torach, the God of Retribution, created the Dwarves, so that they might defend against his brother's wanton destruction and retaliate against his brother's creations. Alleniel, the Goddess of Law, and Daemaskorn, the God of Contracts, joined together in marriage to bring order to the world, and through their union four races were born, each bearing traits of one of the gods. Alleniel formed the celestial Aasimar, nearly divine beings that embody law and justice, as well as the Dragonborn, a proud and honorable race that would uphold rules and tradition. Daemaskorn created the Devils, a clever race that offers power to mortals through dark and dangerous contracts, and through them the first Tieflings, cursed mortals that serve as a living warning of what happens to those who do not honor agreements made with the god. Vyshareth, the Goddess of Decay, who presides over the moment of death, created nothing, instead bringing disease and death and all manner of evil so that she might torment these insulting new creations of her kin. With this, the mortal races were born, each bearing a likeness to their own god and each bringing with them some semblance of the realm from which they were formed. ------------------------ The bitter brother gods Malavach and Torach set upon each other immediately, their clashing forming the mountains and canyons of the world. The gods of Order, Aleniel and Daemaeskorn, created laws to govern the nature of the world and taught the mortals the importance of keeping one's word. Thaemenar created the forests and the seas and filled the world with all manner of simpler creatures, so that he might bring beauty to the world for his creations to enjoy. Many of Thaemenar's creations were corrupted by the influence of Malavach and Vyshareth, with Malavach making many beasts territorial predators that would devour those that wandered too close, and Vyshareth granting many plants and animals toxins so that they might cause pain and death among the humanoid races. The magic that had been drained from dragons writhed uncontrollably across the world, and the goddess Saeralla quickly set to work in creating a structure and containment to the tumultuous power so as to prevent the realm from tearing itself apart. And upon seeing this, the God of Change taught the mortal races how to bend the fabric his sister had made, to warp it to their own ends, so that they might enact their own change upon the world. ------------------------ It should come as no surprise that it was not long before The First Dragon War began. The mortal races realized quickly that the dragons, though weakened, were still the most powerful beings within the world. The dragons, fearful and vengeful, sought to exterminate these new usurpers to their realm. These new races had barely begun to grasp their own existence in this new world when the first dragon attacks began, bathing large swathes of the world in fire and frost, acid and lightning. The dragons tore across the world, exterminating the mortal races wherever they could be found, in a desperate attempt to regain their lost supremacy. With the first mortal death Vyshareth had a twisted epiphany, saw the vile splendor of this new world, and created the first Undead, so that it might bring others to their own end. Many of the races cowered and hid rather than attempt to compete the dragons, monstrous beings of raw power that surpassed mortal comprehension. And so, the God of Change performed his next trick, for which he would forevermore be known as the Lord of Games. He proposed a contest to the rest of the gods: Each would grant a portion of their power to a single individual, so that these individuals might have the power to challenge the dragons. In exchange, whichever god's champion brought low the most dragons by the end of their lifespan would be declared the victor, and their god would receive unlimited access to the Emergent Plane for a length of time unknown to mortals. The eight gods agreed to this contest, each selecting from their own creations to be blessed with divine power, strength enough to slay even a dragon. The names of these champions have been lost to time, but their deeds have not. Over the next two centuries, each champion rallied others of their race to their cause, leading massive armies in a war against the dragons that spanned the entire known world. Uncountable mortals died, but the proliferation of mortal races far exceeds that of the long-lived dragons, and though hundreds or even thousands died for each dragon slain, slowly, perhaps tragically, the ancient and powerful dragons began to dwindle in number, until finally the last of the champions met their end. Which god won the contest is known only to them, but regardless of the victor, the truth remains that the dragons were left but a mere fraction of their number. The violent and tumultuous conflict known as The First Dragon War had finally reached its end. ------------------------ Free from the tyranny of the dragons, the mortal races grew prosperous. They spread across the world, the influence of the gods diminished, and the mortal races became the new rulers of this realm that they'd been born into. Cities sprang up, populations grew, wars between races started and ended as societies and systems of rule emerged, and, at least compared to the Dragon War, an era of relative peace settled upon the world. What dragons still remained went into isolation and hiding, avoiding the mortal races so that they might survive. But the dragons would not forget the time before the mortal races were born. They would not forget a time when they ruled supreme over the world. The First Dragon War would not be the last.
Class: Cleric, Paladin, Wizard
Background: Acolyte, Noble, Sage, Soldier
Skill Proficiency: History, Religion -------------- The calamitous event referred to as "The First Dragon War" shaped much of the world as people know it today. In an old and nearly forgotten past, before time as the mortal races know it, dragons ruled the world. These creatures of raw power dominated the lands, ruling over the beginnings of the world with a power beyond contesting. Nothing existed to challenge their might, and so they ruled without question for millennia. The only conflicts that occurred were between the dragons themselves, as they fought over territory and power. After ages of their rule, however, some dragons began to grow tired of the monotony of their existence. After all, an immortal species such as dragons would, understandably, grow tired of the seemingly endless squabbling of their kin and the predictability of their world. While some dragons resigned to entering a prolonged slumber, others began to seek out more and more dangerous means of entertainment. While dragons by nature are arrogant, they possess inquisitive minds. Those dragons who wished to see an end the stagnation of the world came to the realization that too few of their kind would see that the world had grown dull and monotonous. They could not challenge every one of their species and hope to succeed, nor did they truly wish to see themselves usurped from the top of the food chain. Dragons are, after all, completely assured in their own self-importance. It was this self-assurance and innate arrogance that led them to devise what they believed would be a solution: To summon the God of Change, bend him to their will, and compel him make their boring world interesting. This would prove to be a decision far, far worse than any dragon could have anticipated. The God of Change had fewer names in those times. While the many titles he by which he is now known would have likely made the dragons hesitate in requesting his intervention, they could not have foreseen the extent of his capricious and mischievous nature. In these days, gods could still enter the Emergent Plane, but only at great risk by passing through the Void. Even if they did leave their realm and enter the world, their time there, and their power, would be severely limited. That is, unless they were brought there. Within moments of summoning the god, the dragons realized they'd made a grave mistake. The haunting laughter of the god filled the minds of the dragons as he stepped forth from his realm and into the world. Almost immediately, the dragons could feel their magic diminishing, their eternal lifespans dwindling. They felt the very fabric of their world twisting and warping, the power they held in exclusivity for so long being torn from them and scattering across the world. Innumerable lives sprang forth, strange and incomprehensible to the dragons who'd ruled the world for so long, as the first mortal races took form. The dragons hastily sought to banish the god from their realm, to stop the massive upset of power that he brought with him, but it was too late. They no longer possessed universal supremacy over the world. And then, in an instant, he silenced the group of ambitious dragons forever. ------------------------ The first of the beings brought into existence were the Elves that would come to be referred to as Eladrin, mortal reflections of the Fae creatures living in the God of Change's personal realm of the Faewylde. He followed their creation with the Gnomes, whose mischievous and inventive nature reflected his own. Amused with his new creations, he became curious as to what the other gods might conceive, and so he then extended an open invitation to the others of his kind, granting them the agency to form their own creations within the Emergent Plane. His sister Saeralla, the Goddess of Knowledge and Learning, opted to transform some of the Elves her brother had made, creating the High Elves so that they might learn to quell the chaotic powers of magic her brother had caused. Thaemenar first followed in Saeralla's decision and created the Wood Elves, then shortly after crafted the Humans , and Halflings, so that the three races might nurture, build upon, and appreciate the world, respectively. Malavach, the God of Wrath and Destruction, created all manner of Orc-kind and the rampant beings of destruction known as Demons, so that they might wreak havoc upon the world and revel in conflict for its own sake. His brother and eternal rival Torach, the God of Retribution, created the Dwarves, so that they might defend against his brother's wanton destruction and retaliate against his brother's creations. Alleniel, the Goddess of Law, and Daemaskorn, the God of Contracts, joined together in marriage to bring order to the world, and through their union four races were born, each bearing traits of one of the gods. Alleniel formed the celestial Aasimar, nearly divine beings that embody law and justice, as well as the Dragonborn, a proud and honorable race that would uphold rules and tradition. Daemaskorn created the Devils, a clever race that offers power to mortals through dark and dangerous contracts, and through them the first Tieflings, cursed mortals that serve as a living warning of what happens to those who do not honor agreements made with the god. Vyshareth, the Goddess of Decay, who presides over the moment of death, created nothing, instead bringing disease and death and all manner of evil so that she might torment these insulting new creations of her kin. With this, the mortal races were born, each bearing a likeness to their own god and each bringing with them some semblance of the realm from which they were formed. ------------------------ The bitter brother gods Malavach and Torach set upon each other immediately, their clashing forming the mountains and canyons of the world. The gods of Order, Aleniel and Daemaeskorn, created laws to govern the nature of the world and taught the mortals the importance of keeping one's word. Thaemenar created the forests and the seas and filled the world with all manner of simpler creatures, so that he might bring beauty to the world for his creations to enjoy. Many of Thaemenar's creations were corrupted by the influence of Malavach and Vyshareth, with Malavach making many beasts territorial predators that would devour those that wandered too close, and Vyshareth granting many plants and animals toxins so that they might cause pain and death among the humanoid races. The magic that had been drained from dragons writhed uncontrollably across the world, and the goddess Saeralla quickly set to work in creating a structure and containment to the tumultuous power so as to prevent the realm from tearing itself apart. And upon seeing this, the God of Change taught the mortal races how to bend the fabric his sister had made, to warp it to their own ends, so that they might enact their own change upon the world. ------------------------ It should come as no surprise that it was not long before The First Dragon War began. The mortal races realized quickly that the dragons, though weakened, were still the most powerful beings within the world. The dragons, fearful and vengeful, sought to exterminate these new usurpers to their realm. These new races had barely begun to grasp their own existence in this new world when the first dragon attacks began, bathing large swathes of the world in fire and frost, acid and lightning. The dragons tore across the world, exterminating the mortal races wherever they could be found, in a desperate attempt to regain their lost supremacy. With the first mortal death Vyshareth had a twisted epiphany, saw the vile splendor of this new world, and created the first Undead, so that it might bring others to their own end. Many of the races cowered and hid rather than attempt to compete the dragons, monstrous beings of raw power that surpassed mortal comprehension. And so, the God of Change performed his next trick, for which he would forevermore be known as the Lord of Games. He proposed a contest to the rest of the gods: Each would grant a portion of their power to a single individual, so that these individuals might have the power to challenge the dragons. In exchange, whichever god's champion brought low the most dragons by the end of their lifespan would be declared the victor, and their god would receive unlimited access to the Emergent Plane for a length of time unknown to mortals. The eight gods agreed to this contest, each selecting from their own creations to be blessed with divine power, strength enough to slay even a dragon. The names of these champions have been lost to time, but their deeds have not. Over the next two centuries, each champion rallied others of their race to their cause, leading massive armies in a war against the dragons that spanned the entire known world. Uncountable mortals died, but the proliferation of mortal races far exceeds that of the long-lived dragons, and though hundreds or even thousands died for each dragon slain, slowly, perhaps tragically, the ancient and powerful dragons began to dwindle in number, until finally the last of the champions met their end. Which god won the contest is known only to them, but regardless of the victor, the truth remains that the dragons were left but a mere fraction of their number. The violent and tumultuous conflict known as The First Dragon War had finally reached its end. ------------------------ Free from the tyranny of the dragons, the mortal races grew prosperous. They spread across the world, the influence of the gods diminished, and the mortal races became the new rulers of this realm that they'd been born into. Cities sprang up, populations grew, wars between races started and ended as societies and systems of rule emerged, and, at least compared to the Dragon War, an era of relative peace settled upon the world. What dragons still remained went into isolation and hiding, avoiding the mortal races so that they might survive. But the dragons would not forget the time before the mortal races were born. They would not forget a time when they ruled supreme over the world. The First Dragon War would not be the last.
Start Date
113 BDD
Ending Date
339 BDD