Powerful, legendary, awe-inspiring; these are only some of the words used to describe these mythical beasts. Since the Primeval Era, the dragons have played a part in not only the ecosystem but in the history of
Nostrina and the culture of its inhabitants.
Origins
The dragons originate from a realm known as the Scarlet Confluence, an ancient realm that none have been able to enter, not even the dragons. Within this strange realm, new dragons are created and eventually set loose in a realm that is randomly chosen. All dragons have what is known as Dracolyth energy in their blood, which gives them immortality and insight into the universe; this energy is theorized to be connected to the Omnicrea. Dragons are classified as Higher Beings by researchers for power and potentially being linked to the Omnicrea.
Arrival on Nostrina
Sometime during the Primeval Era, the dragons first entered Nostrina led by an Arch Dragon known as Asearring. Their kind wreaked havoc upon the unprepared world at first but soon faced heavy resistance from the Primeval Era's power beasts like
The Draugovenan and the ancient titans of Nostrina. A war between the dragons and nature itself was waged across the entire world for an untold amount of years that saw the verdant world thrown into chaos. Scores of species went extinct in the ensuring fighting as both the dragons and Nostrina's native fauna sustained heavy losses. This war culminated in a battle known as the Ostenland Scorching, where Asearring and the mighty titan Gratowa clashed somewhere within southwestern Ostenland. The two giants fought for days on end, charring the land around them as the dragons and the native fauna watched the duel that would dictate the fate of Nostrina forever. In the end, Gratowa landed a killing blow on Asearring, ending the Arch Dragon's tyranny over Nostrina. Soon after the dragon's death, Gratowa succumbed to their wounds and perished in modern-day Serbakan.
The dragons suffered tremendous losses, and almost half of Nostrina's wildlife was wiped out in the conflict, leaving the future uncertain for both sides. Some of the remaining Greater Dragons chose to leave Nostrina, while others decided to stay in this ruined world, believing they had a place in the world they once invaded. The Lesser Dragons were forced to adapt and become a part of the ecosystem, though many species died off to predation and competition from the local wildlife. In time, the world healed from this disaster, and life would continue as it once was, now with new inhabitants calling this place home.
Biology
Dragons are powerful reptilian creatures that come in many different shapes and sizes, though their common defining trait is the Dracolyth energy that runs through their blood. This energy allows them to be effectively immortal, resisting the effect of time and immunity to most diseases. Dragon blood and Dracolyth energy have been the interest of many throughout Nostrina's history, although experiments on both have proven quite unpredictable and dangerous.
Researchers have divided the body types of dragons into three groups: Wyvern, Quadrapedal, and Great Serpent. The Wyvern body type comprises of two legs and two wings and are sometimes wrongly classified as drakes or considered weaker than other dragons. Quadrupedal dragons, or traditional dragons as some call them, have four legs and two wings or four wings; dragons with this body type are the most common on Nostrina. The Great Serpent body type is a varied classification that includes dragons with long, serpentine bodies. Other extremities such as wings or legs are not considered with this classification, giving this body type the most diversity in the physical structure of dragons listed in this category.
A more important distinction to make for dragons involves their sentience and individuality. There are three types of dragons: Lesser, Greater, and Arch Dragons.
Lesser Dragons could be mistaken for any animal since they rely on instinct to survive, but more importantly, they reproduce and evolve just like other creatures. The amount of Dracolyth energy in their blood is low compared to Greater or Dragons, meaning they don't receive the same benefits as their stronger kin. As a result, Lesser Dragons must reproduce sexually or asexually to continue their species and lack the same knowledge of their kin. This necessity to reproduce also leads to the unique situation where Lesser Dragons adapt and evolve to survive as a species. An example of this is the Aranmorta, a species that at one point used to be able to fly but over time shifted into a wall-crawling ambush hunter whose wings have shifted into a third pair of legs.
Greater Dragons have far more Dracolyth energy in their bodies and have greater sentience over their lesser kin. Unlike Lesser Dragons, Greater Dragons are not a species but rather unique and powerful individuals. No two Greater Dragons are the same, each having unique properties and abilities that make them stand out among the broader population of dragons. Traditionally, Greater Dragons are far more intelligent than their lesser cousins, gifted vast swaths of knowledge from the Dracolyth energy flowing through their veins. It is believed that when a Greater Dragon dies, their soul will travel to the Scarlet Confluence and be reformed by the realm. This reformed soul will then be used to create a new Greater Dragon, who will eventually be set free to roam the Expanse as they wish.
Arch Dragons are the apex of dragon kind, standing at colossal sizes and having near god-like power. The only known Arch Dragon on Nostrina is Asearring, the harbinger of the dragons, whose remains lay exposed in the deserts Ostenland. The sheer amount of Dracolyth energy in his blood changed the landscape around his body, making it toxic to plant life and creating strange crystals within the sand. The true nature of the Arch Dragons is a mystery for researchers and for some, a potentially world-ending threat to fear.
Comments