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#Post#: 397--------------------------------------------------
The Creation of the Dragons
By: Dungeon Master Date: September 5, 2023, 5:11 pm
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[center]Dungeons & Dragons
DRAGONLANCE
The History of the Dragons of Krynn
The Creation of the Dragons
[/center]
The history of the dragons begins shortly after the creation of
the world, in the days before the Evil of the Queen of Darkness
was made manifest. In accordance with the plans, the dragons
were forged of the metals of the world. Reorx forged their
bodies, and the High God gifted them with souls and free wills.
They were meant to serve beneath Paladine and Takhisis, who were
in turn to share regency over the newly created and shaped realm
of Krynn.
The First Dragons were forged of five metals, to reflect the
five elements of the world. The iron dragon was bound to Fire, a
warrior serpent to protect against the minions of Chaos and the
Evil vaguely foretold in the first pages of the Tobril. The lead
dragon, master of Water, possessed great gifts of wisdom and was
the most contemplative and thoughtful among the dragons. To
Earth was linked the copper dragon, whose love was as fertile as
earth, and who was steadfast as stone in loyalty. Air was the
domain of the mighty tin dragon, regal and aloof as the skies at
times, and yet joyful as a spring breeze. The nickel dragon was
tied to elemental Nature, using her gifts of language to
communicate not only with her brethren but with the beasts and
plants.
It has been ordained by the High God that all souls must undergo
testing, choosing between Good and Evil. The dragons were not
only tested, but their creation was a test of Takhisis as well.
Though enamored of corruption and disorder, the Dragonqueen had
not yet made the final decision to break with the High God. When
the High God gave the dragons life, though, Takhisis felt pride
and lust burn deep within her heart, desiring to be supreme and
to have these mighty creatures give obeisance to her alone.
Turning from the High God, the Queen of Darkness, with the aid
of Morgion, who had followed her into darkness, whispered into
the ears of the Five Firstborn Dragons. Claiming that Paladine
wished to enslave them, Takhisis claimed that by turning on the
Platinum Dragon and the High God, they could assert true
freedom.
The iron, lead, tin, and nickel dragons harkened quickly to
their Queen’s words, believing her subtle lies and refusing to
suffer the ‘enslavement’ of Paladine. The copper dragon stood by
Paladine at first, but the wiles of the nickel dragon and her
cunning words led him to join his kindred in rebellion.
Seduced by the Five-Headed Dragon, these five dragons turned
their backs on light, embracing the darkness of Evil. In this,
the dragons sought freedom but found themselves enslaved to
their own passions and weaknesses, entrapped by the snares of
wickedness. The iron dragon became the red of devouring fires,
while the lead dragon turned black, stained by the acid of
fouled water. The nickel dragon turned the green of venomous
winds, while the tin dragon acquired a hide of icy white to
reflect the coldness of his heart. The copper dragon, last to
turn, became the blue of the lightning that leaps between the
earth below and the storm clouds above. They even passed this
corruption and enslavement to their children, robbing them of
the gifts of true freedom and luring them to follow in their
footsteps before the newborn dragons even hatched.
Paladine lamented the fall of his beloved dragons, both for the
ruin they had brought upon their souls and the harm they would
bring to the new world. He saw that the power of the dragons was
such that it would tip the Balance of the World, leaving all but
the bravest and hardiest mortals unable to truly choose the ways
of Good. Seeing Paladine’s sorrow and fear, Majere, with the aid
of Mishakal and Reorx, told Paladine that they would construct
five draconic statues out of precious metals. These monuments
were forged of gold, silver, bronze, brass, and copper; when
Paladine saw the beauty of these creations, he petitioned the
High God to give them life so that they might counter the Evil
brought by the five dragons. The High God responded, and so were
the metallic dragons born. The Queen of Darkness tried to bring
these new wyrms under her sway as well, but the love of Paladine
and the grace of the High God gave the metal dragons what they
needed to see through Takhisis’ wiles and resist her
temptations. In reward for their steadfastness, those gifts have
been passed on to the descendants of these dragons. Though not
faultless, the metallic dragons possess the strength and insight
to resist the lure of darkness.
The Ten Dragon Lineages
The Evil Dragons
Since the Age of Starbirth, when the Base Metal dragons sold
themselves to the Queen of Darkness and turned themselves into
the chromatic dragons, they have been the favored servants of
the Queen of Darkness, as well as reflections of the corruption
she would bring to the world and the souls of mortals.
Black Dragons
The contemplative and thoughtful nature of the lead dragon was
corrupted into a brooding, self-centered cruelty, haughty and
independent. Most black dragons dwell alone in dank and swampy
reasons, preferring to have nothing to do with other creatures.
Their breath weapon is a stream of foul and brackish liquid that
is lethally corrosive to anything it strikes, a weapon as rank
and cruel as their hearts.
Blue Dragons
The copper dragon’s heart and soul were hardened in his fall.
Blue dragons retain their sense of loyalty to those they
consider ‘worthy’, but utterly lack compassion and are driven by
greed and selfishness as much as fealty. They also possess
fierce passions, both fealty and anger, reflected in the
lighting that leaps from their jaws in battle, a blast that
strikes swiftly and accurately.
Green Dragons
The nickel dragons retained her cunning and linguistic talents
when she gave her loyalty to Takhisis, but were turned to dark
ends. Green dragons are cruel and subtle creatures, delighting
in tormenting the virtuous, their words as poisoned and rotten
as the choking vapors they use as a breath weapon.
Red Dragons
The iron dragon embraced the service of the Dragonqueen most
fervently, taking his martial temperament and turning it to the
ends of Evil. Red dragons are greedy, proud, and hateful,
destroying anything that stands in their way and seizing all
that catches their fancy. Their trademark cones of fire reflect
their destructive, all-consuming nature.
White Dragons
The tin dragon may have lost the most when he rebelled against
Goodness, losing his original might, glory, and intelligence.
Despite this, though, white dragons are among the haughtiest and
most self-important dragons, radiating a pride as cold as the
icy blasts they use in battle.
The Good Dragons
Forged as a balance against the dragons of Evil, these dragons
of precious metals reflect the natural gifts of the soul,
foundations on which Goodness may be built.
Brass Dragons
Loquacious in the extreme, brass dragons are symbols of the gift
of Language, that talent that allows intelligent beings to
communicate with each other. Indeed, the brass dragons take to
such communication with relish, delighting in song and story.
Though Good at heart, brass dragons often hold to a belief in
the survival of the fittest and the benign dictatorship of the
strong over the weak. The line of fire they breathe is as
brilliant, fiery, and fast-moving as their conversation.
Bronze Dragons
The sea-loving bronze dragons have a warlike streak that may be
part of their tendency to follow their hearts, for they reflect
Insight, an intuitive understanding of truth and goodness.
Though they acknowledge that all beings may be deceived by
passion or desire, they also know that the heart can illuminate
truth as swiftly and brilliantly as the lightning breath it
wields.
Copper Dragons
Cheerful pranksters, copper dragons can be indecisive and
greedy, but often serve as excellent exemplars of Humor, an
often-underrated quality of the spirit. Copper wyrms truly enjoy
subtle wit, difficult riddles, and outrageous pranks, and their
humor can be as devastatingly corrosive to the egos of the
pompous and self-important as the acid breath they use in
combat.
Gold Dragons
The gift of Reason is the province of the gold dragons, the
scholars and sages of dragonkind. Somewhat pompous and aloof,
gold dragons use their physical and intellectual gifts to
further the cause of Good, especially in preserving knowledge,
refining it, and proclaiming truth. It is gold dragons
themselves who declare that the golden fire they breathe
reflects the illumination brought by the intellect.
Silver Dragons
Most beloved of all the dragons of Krynn, silver dragons truly
love the company of mortals, for they embody the powerful gift
of Empathy. More concerned than any other dragon with the
well-being of other creatures, the silvers often dwell near or
among mortal communities. Silver dragons can sense the emotions
they inspire in mortals, and some are even fortunate–or
cursed–enough to find one mortal with whom that empathic bond is
so strong that it inspires true love. Huma’s mount Heart had
such a bond with the knight, as did Silvara with Gilthanas.
Silver dragons are unique among the metallic dragons in that
their breath weapon reflects not the presence of the spiritual
quality they manifest, but the lack of it. Their freezing breath
is a devastating weapon that reflects the state of a soul turned
in upon itself, refusing connection with all others.
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