Tarragan Court
He will rise from the Astral Sea, He will RISE.
Origin Summary
The Tarragan Court is a faction that resides in the Astral Sea. Their faction is primarily made up of blue Dragonborn that left Dren Konar hundreds of years ago in search of a new home for the Dragonborn as a whole. In the early years before the Third Elven Age (EAIII), the Tarragan Court served as gatherers and explorers for the whole of the Dragonborn civilization. They received their name decades before their disappearance for discovering an herb that could be used for medicinal and cooking purposes. Their discovery helped in the recovery of a number of soldiers and citizens after the Dragonborn's loss against the country of Elleryn in the recent war. Later in the year 48 EAIII, the Dren Konar senate of Takis had voted to send them out as an expeditionary force from their homeland and they were all thought to be dead after communications had ceased nearly a year after their departure. Some of their members have popped up in recent years in the material plane trying to steal magical artifacts.Turbulent Beginnings
When the Tarragan Court originally disappeared hundreds of years ago, they found themselves in the Astral Sea after their ship had been thrown off course from a devastating hurricane far southwest of Dren Konar. During the storm, their vessel was not only damaged, but they were pulled through magical rift in space. Whether it be by some twist of fate or some outside influence, they found themselves stranded on an island. This island was a gargantuan statue of a long dead dragon god, thousands of years old from what the Court had been able to deduce. They used what resources they had to repair their vessels from the damage sustained from the hurricane and how turbulent the Astral Sea was upon their arrival. The court studied the statue while they made repairs. Even after they had made proper repairs to their ships, many of the Dragonborn had agreed to stay for awhile and learn what they could from this long dead god in the Astral Sea. Originally they did it in hopes they could learn something from it and where if possible, to find other large islands like it. Little did the Tarragan Court know, as they began to use it as a home base in the Astral Sea, the long dead god began to influence their dreams and memories. When food and medicinal herbs began to run low, the Dragonborn dug away at the statue until they found soft soil. The plants surprisingly took root and grew. Giving the populace staying there a fighting chance at surviving in this alien plane of existance. Many of their number began to revere the statue as a living god and others believed it their divine purpose to take all artifacts they can and deliver them to the statue. Those that have been overwhelmingly influenced by the statue, believe that all dragons should be revered similarly to the dead god. Some of these Dragonborn have ventured back to the material plane and sought out dragons to serve who might be able to assist in reviving their god's corpse in the Astral Sea. When the Dragonborn are successful in finding artifacts or parts of dead gods, they bring them back to the island. Inside the gargantuan statue of their god, resides a cavern in the dragon's throat. Inside this cavern, half way down the throat, is a giant clear crystal sphere that glows in with an otherworldly green hue. The willing Court member holds their offering high and the crystal activates. In a brilliant display, tendrils of the crystal's green hue extend from the main body and wrap themselves around the offering. At the end of most offerings, all that is usually left is handful of dust in the palms of the Dragonborn's hands. Usually after witnessing such events, the blue Dragonborn are more driven to do such again.Making a Reputation in the Astral Sea
Of all the confrontations and threats of the Astral Sea, the Tarragan Court and the Dragonborn among it, fear of devils coming from the hells into the Astral Sea. Devils occasionally are able to find their way to the Dragonborn's home island. Due to the obvious dangers devils present, this makes the blue Dragonborn cautious about who they let visit their god's island domain. The Court believes that the devils are coming to try and take the last bit of divinity that lay within their god's corpse. They usually fight off low ranking devils and their lieutenants, but as the years have gone by, stronger and more frightening devils have made their way into the Astral Sea to attack their community. In the year of 264 EAIII, a Pit Lord, Mandrie, made their way to the Astral Sea and came to Dragonborn's island atop a Mind Flayer Nautiloid. What ensued was one of the bloodiest battles fought by the Tarragan Court in defense of their Dragon God. Of their total population at the time, 431 Blue Dragonborn, a total of 191 lost their lives to the contingent of devils that accompanied the Pit Lord. The Tarragan Court, due to the status of their god, had a single paladin in service of their god at the time. This paladin, Kyoro Rekanterion, gave his life defending the island. He summoned what divine power he could to smite Mandrie and Kyoro struck a nearly fatal blow against the devil. Unfortunately for Kyoro, he was bested by the overwhelming power of the devil. In the end, a group of Dragonborn fighters swarmed the weakened Pit Lord and desperately finished him before he could take another life. The defense of their home in following 30 years was very touch and go. As they repopulated, they had to retrain new soldiers to act as defenders of the island. The new soldiers still honor Kyoro, who is remembered till this day as a hero of the Tarragan Court and a mural of him was carved into their dead god's body as a reminder for what they are defending. Belief in the resurrection of their dead god has continued ever strong since that dark day. The elected leaders of the Dragonborn also kept the faith regardless of past events and the Court sent ships out for hundreds of years in hopes to one day find the last link to their Dragon God, walking among the living, once again. Over the years since Kyoro's sacrifice, the dreams and visions on their island home, have become stronger and more so vivid than they ever were before. Almost as if their hero's sacrifice brought them closer to realize their everlasting goal.Evolution of Belief
In the years following the deaths of nearly half the dead gods followers, the influence of the statue began to affect and alter the personalities of some of it's inhabitants more often. Yet, there were still some that weren't as adversely affected by the statue as their other brothers and sisters. Specifically, the ninth leader Tarragan Court leader, Makeni'rut, had her life come to an end in the year of 299 EAIII. Makeni'rut had not affected by the visions as others were. Historically, she had also led the Dragonborn less aggressively than her predecessors, in terms of collection of magical items and active engagements with outside factions. One day in the height of an argument with her advisors and colleagues of the court, she suggested leaving the island permanently and returning to the material plane. She wished to start a new life that was not one of servitude to a dead god. Most importantly, she wished to avoid confrontations like 30 years previous against the Pit Lord and suffering through the horrific loss of nearly half their population. Those around her were shocked and speechless at the thought of leaving their dragon god they had sacrificed so much for, for over 200 years. What happened next was not something found or recorded often in the Court's personal history. Almost uniformly, as if under the control of a singular being, her advisors and colleagues unsheathed their weapons. Silently they surrounded her, as she tried to escape terrified and confused at their behavior. She was stabbed to death in the council chamber by her closest friends and citizens. The only sounds that rang out in the council chamber that day were her terrified screams, in her final moments. She was both confused and terrified upon her death, but out of all those that came before her, a clarity into the dead god they had called home. Her body was tossed into the Astral Sea and now her name is used by the Tarragan Court as slur to identify traitors or outsiders that might act as interlopers in their ways of life. The Tarragan Court's current leader, Abizzinak, is the 15th and current leader of the Court. There have been a handful of times arguments have broken out after a leader has been elected to lead the court. Abizzinak, on the other hand is a devout follower of the dragon god and believes that the being's resurrection is imminent. He has increased scouting parties efforts for trolling through the waves of the Astral Sea looking for artifacts and hunting magical creatures for sacrifice to their deceased dragon deity. During these increased efforts, the Tarragan Court has encountered Mindflayers. These opposing factions have come to blows many times in the past few years.New Leadership Brings Ingenuity
The Tarragan Court under leadership of Abizzinak, has actually procured a handful of Mindflayer ships, Nautiloids, during their battles and use them as a more effective way to search the Astral Sea. Most of the Dragonborn find the design of these ships quite amusing and otherworldly. With the Nautiloids at their command, the crews searching the Astral Sea have not only become more successful over the past few years, but also much more dangerous, as the Nautiloid ships can also attack with long tentacles and are controlled with helmets that can be worn by a handful of Dragonborn crew members. Many of the boarding parties for the Tarragan Court are barbarians and fighters that can often be flung by the Nautiloid's Tentacles onto the other ship's deck to begin their assault as their ship closes distance on their target. Given how fervent of followers they are to their dead god and how driven their colony is to procure magical items, they usually make quick work of their enemies and scare the remaining victims into surrender. Many pirates who roam the waves of the Astral Sea will pray to whomever is listening, whenever they see a Tarragan Court Nautiloid. Under Abizzinak's leadership, the Dragonborn Nautiloids and their crews serve as their primary fighting force when invading other islands and established landmarks throughout the Astral Sea. Over the past several years, Abizzinak has collected five powerful artifacts and sacrificed them to the dead god. Their current leader has also expanded his search for magical artifacts as well, into the material plane. In the year 557, Abizzinak sent a blue Dragonborn cleric, Danaerizahd, to the material plane, to Dren Konar in an attempt to steal magical weapons and artifacts from heroes undergoing challenges in the Averonne Cave of Trials. The events that followed, cost the lives of three of Dren Konar's heroes and two magical items being destroyed. Due to these recent actions of the Tarragan Court, the Dren Konar Senate and Saint Rayne Daardendrian believe that their may soon come a day that they will clash with their long lost brothers and sisters from the Astral Sea. One group worshiping a goddess that lies at the center of their sun. The other having been influenced for nearly five centuries by the lingering will of a dragon god, long dead and clawing desperately at life anew.Structure
A singular elected leader that serves until their death, should they choose to accept the position.
'The Dragon God requires your offering'
Founding Date
12 EAIII
Type
Religious, Cult
Alternative Names
'Corpse Harvestors' when other Astral Sea groups refer to the Tarragan Court
Demonym
Tarragonian
Parent Organization
Location
Controlled Territories
Comments