High Peak
From northern masters to Shadow's servants
High Peak is an autonomous region in western Rian. The region of High Peak makes up a mountain chain that stretches from west-central Rian to the shore of the Ice Floes further west.
A knight-errant gazes upon High Peak; likely reconsidering his career choice
High Peak is best known as one of two of the homelands of the dragons of Arda, with the other bring the far western nation of the Dragon Kingdom. Were one to ask a dragon from either High Peak or the Dragon Kingdom, both would confidently respond that their land was the original gift from the Primordials who had created them. Scholars of Arda continue debate the subject, as the creation of many of the peoples of Arda occurred on the Eastern Continent, but does not necessary disprove that the creation of dragons occurred only in High Peak. Regardless, from their mountain home in High Peak did the proud dragons make their home and lair since as early as the First Primordial War, and perhaps earlier. The might of the dragons of the early days of the Primordial Wars made a significant difference in their wars, where often the Children of the Primordials were a minority compared to their distant Heavens kin.
During the time of the Primordial Wars, the dragons of High Peak controlled much of Rian and its nearby environs. Realistically, however, the dragons flew and hunted greatly across the region, but largely continued to make their nests in High Peak, and true expansion was rare. Such would lead scholars to believe even the proud dragons still prefer the nearby company of their kin or even their rivals despite the fierce competition it creates. As a result, other peoples such as the Romanoran elves or the dwarves of Khazad-Mor were able to settle in the land in relative peace, as long as they did not mind the loss of a herd or six as "tribute". After the Last of the Primordial Wars, the domination of the land began to shift, and so too did the hearts and minds of the dragons there. While the tribes of men were building and expanding, High Peak was deeply embattled in a moral crises. The dragons of High Peak were struggling with their identity after centuries of warfare as intelligent apex predators. While most accepted that the Primordial Wars were over, few believed that any of the Children of the Primordials or the Children of the Heavens were even remotely their equals. Yet, despite this, the Primordials ended their onslaught on the mortals of Arda. Ultimately, the dragons questioned why these people were worth sparing. Thus did two factions rise in High Peak - a faction who wanted to continue draconic supremacy, and the other wanted to join the mortal peoples of Arda to learn why the Primordials valued them. After lengthy debates and terrible battle, the two factions split. The pro-mortal faction lost and fled south to the Al-Andalus Mountain Range, and would form the town of Tyre. The pro-dragon faction continued in High Peak, largely content to exert their power over the local tribes.
Time would pass since the schism, and following the annexation of Khazad-Mor into Rian, there was only one threat that remained to the first Rianni khan's sovereignty - the dragons of High Peak. By this point, the first khan was an aged man, and left this new frontier to his son. Much like his father, he knew a frontal assault against the powerful and entrenched dragons would be suicide. Yet, the second khan knew that the same strategy would not likely work on the dragons as it had the dwarves.
In a strange turn of events, the second khan challenged the dragon leader of High Peak to a wrestling match, the stakes being their respective lands and peoples. Amused by the boldness of this human, and over-confident in his ability to win, the dragon king used their innate ability to take the form of a human to face the khan, saying he did not even need to bring his full draconic might to defeat such a man. However, in human form, it gave the khan enough leverage to pin even the king of dragons to his mighty choke-hold, and won the lands of High Peak. Knowing the dragon held back, the second Khan instead offered to make High Peak a second autonomous state, much like Khazad-Mor, and has remained that way to this day. The story of the second Khan and the dragon king are now a cautionary tale for men and dragon, teaching each other to never become too complacent in one's strength.
The life of the dragons of High Peak did not change greatly after their annexation. They still had free roam of the lands of Rian, and the increasing fruitfulness of the land allowed the dragons to slowly rebuild their dwindled numbers following their schism.
See Also: The Story So Far
Near to the present day, a strange twist of events came to High Peak. An aasimar was adopted among the dragons of High Peak, and raised among them. Known simply as Drake, miraculously did this aasimar rise to the role of dragon king. Now in command, the aasimar again began to question dragonkind's place in Arda amidst the meteoric rise of peoples in Rian, and set off to learn more about the land and peoples of Rian. As he set off, he and his draconic mate Shyalla left behind his half-brother, Ra'Kor in command of High Peak in his absence, and left their young son, Fayell, in his care.
It is of little surprise that this new outlook and philosophy enraged many of the older dragons of High Peak, seeing these events play out once more. Little to Drake's knowledge, Ra'Kor was behind the plans to dispose of him and assume control of High Peak for himself. Knowing he would need allies, Ra'Kor called upon the ancient and terrible former ally of the Primordials, the Shadow. The Shadow demanded sacrifices to cement their relationship and power, and fortunately for Ra'Kor, he still had Drake's son, Fayell in his grasp. Ra'Kor sent off one of his trusted followers to capture Fayell, and take him to the site of his sacrifice, handing him over to a band of local Shadow cultists.
In another twist of fate, Drake and Shyalla, still on their journey, were completely unaware of the events unfolding back home in High Peak. To better learn about the peoples of Rian, they offered to help a small village whose occupants had been kidnapped by a local cult. Much to their surprise, it was the very same cult which Fayell had been brought, and where he laid languishing in the cult's cells. Fayell, young and naive, did know he was kidnapped by one of Ra'Kor's followers, but did not believe his uncle was behind the plot. Drake and Shyalla met a wandering orcish monk, Rotund, who would help him defeat Ra'Kor's lieutenant. After more travels in Rian, they met the dwarven exile Ea Graveltongue, who joined the party to confront Ra'Kor.
Unfortunately, even with his follower defeated, Ra'Kor was still able to secure the Shadow's aid, and had began to corrupt his brother and sister dragons with the "black blood" of the fetchlings, converting them into a new and terrible form of dragon. Many of the dragons who wouldn't submit to Ra'Kor's madness fled, and the four would spend many years trying to defeat Ra'Kor, to no avail. After years of struggle, Drake would call upon the Torches to secure their aid, knowing their long and storied history of dealing with the fetchlings. Even with their help, Drake nor the Torches can land a decisive blow while the dragons of High Peak act as a powerful forward base for a fetchling invasion of Rian.
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History
High Peak is best known as one of two of the homelands of the dragons of Arda, with the other bring the far western nation of the Dragon Kingdom. Were one to ask a dragon from either High Peak or the Dragon Kingdom, both would confidently respond that their land was the original gift from the Primordials who had created them. Scholars of Arda continue debate the subject, as the creation of many of the peoples of Arda occurred on the Eastern Continent, but does not necessary disprove that the creation of dragons occurred only in High Peak. Regardless, from their mountain home in High Peak did the proud dragons make their home and lair since as early as the First Primordial War, and perhaps earlier. The might of the dragons of the early days of the Primordial Wars made a significant difference in their wars, where often the Children of the Primordials were a minority compared to their distant Heavens kin.
During the time of the Primordial Wars, the dragons of High Peak controlled much of Rian and its nearby environs. Realistically, however, the dragons flew and hunted greatly across the region, but largely continued to make their nests in High Peak, and true expansion was rare. Such would lead scholars to believe even the proud dragons still prefer the nearby company of their kin or even their rivals despite the fierce competition it creates. As a result, other peoples such as the Romanoran elves or the dwarves of Khazad-Mor were able to settle in the land in relative peace, as long as they did not mind the loss of a herd or six as "tribute". After the Last of the Primordial Wars, the domination of the land began to shift, and so too did the hearts and minds of the dragons there. While the tribes of men were building and expanding, High Peak was deeply embattled in a moral crises. The dragons of High Peak were struggling with their identity after centuries of warfare as intelligent apex predators. While most accepted that the Primordial Wars were over, few believed that any of the Children of the Primordials or the Children of the Heavens were even remotely their equals. Yet, despite this, the Primordials ended their onslaught on the mortals of Arda. Ultimately, the dragons questioned why these people were worth sparing. Thus did two factions rise in High Peak - a faction who wanted to continue draconic supremacy, and the other wanted to join the mortal peoples of Arda to learn why the Primordials valued them. After lengthy debates and terrible battle, the two factions split. The pro-mortal faction lost and fled south to the Al-Andalus Mountain Range, and would form the town of Tyre. The pro-dragon faction continued in High Peak, largely content to exert their power over the local tribes.
Time would pass since the schism, and following the annexation of Khazad-Mor into Rian, there was only one threat that remained to the first Rianni khan's sovereignty - the dragons of High Peak. By this point, the first khan was an aged man, and left this new frontier to his son. Much like his father, he knew a frontal assault against the powerful and entrenched dragons would be suicide. Yet, the second khan knew that the same strategy would not likely work on the dragons as it had the dwarves.
In a strange turn of events, the second khan challenged the dragon leader of High Peak to a wrestling match, the stakes being their respective lands and peoples. Amused by the boldness of this human, and over-confident in his ability to win, the dragon king used their innate ability to take the form of a human to face the khan, saying he did not even need to bring his full draconic might to defeat such a man. However, in human form, it gave the khan enough leverage to pin even the king of dragons to his mighty choke-hold, and won the lands of High Peak. Knowing the dragon held back, the second Khan instead offered to make High Peak a second autonomous state, much like Khazad-Mor, and has remained that way to this day. The story of the second Khan and the dragon king are now a cautionary tale for men and dragon, teaching each other to never become too complacent in one's strength.
The life of the dragons of High Peak did not change greatly after their annexation. They still had free roam of the lands of Rian, and the increasing fruitfulness of the land allowed the dragons to slowly rebuild their dwindled numbers following their schism.
Shadows over Arda
See Also: The Story So Far
Near to the present day, a strange twist of events came to High Peak. An aasimar was adopted among the dragons of High Peak, and raised among them. Known simply as Drake, miraculously did this aasimar rise to the role of dragon king. Now in command, the aasimar again began to question dragonkind's place in Arda amidst the meteoric rise of peoples in Rian, and set off to learn more about the land and peoples of Rian. As he set off, he and his draconic mate Shyalla left behind his half-brother, Ra'Kor in command of High Peak in his absence, and left their young son, Fayell, in his care.
It is of little surprise that this new outlook and philosophy enraged many of the older dragons of High Peak, seeing these events play out once more. Little to Drake's knowledge, Ra'Kor was behind the plans to dispose of him and assume control of High Peak for himself. Knowing he would need allies, Ra'Kor called upon the ancient and terrible former ally of the Primordials, the Shadow. The Shadow demanded sacrifices to cement their relationship and power, and fortunately for Ra'Kor, he still had Drake's son, Fayell in his grasp. Ra'Kor sent off one of his trusted followers to capture Fayell, and take him to the site of his sacrifice, handing him over to a band of local Shadow cultists.
In another twist of fate, Drake and Shyalla, still on their journey, were completely unaware of the events unfolding back home in High Peak. To better learn about the peoples of Rian, they offered to help a small village whose occupants had been kidnapped by a local cult. Much to their surprise, it was the very same cult which Fayell had been brought, and where he laid languishing in the cult's cells. Fayell, young and naive, did know he was kidnapped by one of Ra'Kor's followers, but did not believe his uncle was behind the plot. Drake and Shyalla met a wandering orcish monk, Rotund, who would help him defeat Ra'Kor's lieutenant. After more travels in Rian, they met the dwarven exile Ea Graveltongue, who joined the party to confront Ra'Kor.
Unfortunately, even with his follower defeated, Ra'Kor was still able to secure the Shadow's aid, and had began to corrupt his brother and sister dragons with the "black blood" of the fetchlings, converting them into a new and terrible form of dragon. Many of the dragons who wouldn't submit to Ra'Kor's madness fled, and the four would spend many years trying to defeat Ra'Kor, to no avail. After years of struggle, Drake would call upon the Torches to secure their aid, knowing their long and storied history of dealing with the fetchlings. Even with their help, Drake nor the Torches can land a decisive blow while the dragons of High Peak act as a powerful forward base for a fetchling invasion of Rian.
See Also
A part of
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Type
National Territory
Region: Eastern Continent
Nation: Rian
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