Dragon of Cantonova

The dragon of Cantonova is a mythical figure said to appear in the Free City of Cantonova's hour of need. They are usually depicted as a silver or platinum dragon

Summary

The first known appearance of the dragon was during the Virgoan Advance of 361, the final battle of the War of Great Sorrow. The war mages of Dreibach had breached the gates of the city and were approaching the barricades of the rebel forces at the city's northeastern edge. A brigade of enemy wizards had all but cornered rebellion leader João Cesar Almaviva when a silvery dragon appeared from the sea to come to his defense. The dragon devastated the Dreibach army, turning a sure defeat into a stalemate. The losses spurred King Sophus IV of the Kingdom of Dreibach to propose peace talks with both Cantonova and their allies in the Kingdom of Scalados, resulting in the war's end at the signing of the Treaty of Cantonova.

"To imagine oneself as João Cesar, utterly alone at the northeastern cape—to hold clear in your mind the impending agony of the war mages and the easy surrender offered by the waves below—and to know (somewhere beyond knowing) that a rain of royal fire will come—this is hope, sharpened to an infintesemal point."
—Xersei Calliópa, Iterations on the Phoenix

The dragon has since appeared, albeit extremely rarely, in times that threaten the city. They scare off monsters lurking in hagstorms and raze patches of the Gaeno Woods that grow malevolent. Some even claim to see the dragon on ordinary evenings, soaring far above the coast of the Aegirrán Sea.

Historical Basis

Draconologist Iona Darkvine first proposed the existence of a sixth metallic dragon, the steel dragon, in Y808 after their decades-long study of the diamond skeleton of Odéssios in the Hadesian wastes and the highly curated collection of artifacts that lay beneath it.
The most recent and most extensive sightings of the dragon were three instances in Y1111. The first was a brief appearance at the Royal Phoenix Showdown reported by a few of the survivors, though the chaos and intermittent darkness muddled details of these reports. The second and most widely seen instance was in early March, when it was spotted chasing a blue dragon through the skies of Cuarto Perso, assisted by the Dragonslayers of Cantonova. During the turmoil before and during the Triple Defense of Cantonova, the warlock Rusalka was often seen using a dragon-like form in battle that takes on aspects of the Dragon of Cantonova. The silver-toned true dragon most associated with the legend defended the Royal Institute of Cantonova during the battle; a second golden dragon accompanied the Dragonslayers directly and was seen emerging from the palace and flying through the city.

Variations & Mutation

The origin of the Dragon is unknown. One commonly accepted theory is that she is aspect of Bahamut and a guardian of the descendants of Bjalia in the High Elf Diaspora. In other tellings, she is a new manifestation of the Haderaa, the legendary firebird that escaped imprisonment in Avernus on the spot where Cantonova was founded. Still others think of the dragon as the guardian spirit of the city, called by great warriors who have the city's best interests at heart.

In Art

The Dragon of Cantonova is a popular decorative motif in Cantonovan architecture. It is often seen on doorways, hearths, and bannisters in Cantonovan mansions. The architect Arturo is particularly associated with popularizing the motif. There are said to be nearly a thousand dragons depicted in the Royal Institute of Cantonova, exhibits notwithstanding.

Date of First Recording

Y361