Varmentus, The Dragonlord of Legend

A legend exists among the Dragonborn of a great dark dragon living beneath the mountains.

It is written that when the land was young, before there were men, long before the Landing, that beneath the southern mountain ranges and in the deep mines lived a powerful dragon lord, ancient and mighty, guarding great riches in his lair and his name was Varmentus, the Dark Worm. The scrolls tell that when men came to Zami Ramal, Varmentus spawned an army of dragonborn warriors, each grown from an egg laid in the mountain caves. The tale of the dragon queen is lost to the scholars, the scrolls having crumbled away.
Varmentus defended his caverns from those who would steal his horde of riches, and those who would mine out the jewels from the walls of his home. These were the Dwarven kind, who prized gold and jewels above all else and who came to battle the dragonborn for control of the mountains. While the invaders fought the guardians in the upper reaches of the caverns, deep below, Varmentus grew angry at this afront to his supremacy and with each cycle of the moons, his rage increased as his dragonborn children were slain and his riches plundered. Deeper and deeper came the dwarves, harvesting until all they could reach was gone. With only the Dragon Lords own lair remaining inviolate, and a few dozen dragonborn defending it, Varmentus decided to face down the enemy and destroy them for good.
And so it came to be that the dwarves broke into the lair of the Dragon Lord and met with his guardians and initiated the Final Struggle of Varmentus. With his great cunning and powerful magic, the Dragon Lord burned and struck the army of invading dwarves, sweeping them this way and that with his mighty tail, blasting them away with the hurricane of his wings. And then, too, the dragonborn fought valiantly, breathing the fire inherited from their father, wielding weapons forged in the fires in the belly of the mountain. But the dwarves were many and they too were cunning and resilient, and their mages and shamen overpowered the guardians and eventually cut down great Varmentus, who fought even unto his last breath, his final gasp a fiery blast, his last heartbeat a rumbling quake.

— The Draconic Scrolls

What became of the body of the dragon is unknown but artefacts claiming to be his relics - claws, scales, teeth - often come up in the shadier parts of the markets, selling for extraordinary amounts to those who are less resistant to the salesman's charm, but perhaps also to those who would know a real dragon from the many fakes.
Thus is the legend of Varmentus known and thus is he remembered. His people live on in the mountains, some venture out to the lowlands and deserts to trade or study in Hajdib. All dragonborn in Zami Ramal are thus red of hue and of heart, and long do they remember Varmentus, Dragon Lord.

Summary

Varmentus was an ancient red dragon that lived beneath the southern mountains over 1500 years ago.

Historical Basis

The only evidence of the dragon is that of his offspring and their descendants, the dragonborn.

Spread

The knowledge is known to scholars who have studied in Hajdibs Great Libraries. There is a constant search for evidence of the dragon queen.

Cultural Reception

Humans and elves regard this a the creation myth of the dragonborn. The dragonborn see themselves as the inheritors of the only rights to access and own the mountain caves and their treasures. Dwarves scowl upon the telling of the tale and though they do note openly dislike dragonborn, there is always a tension between the two peoples.

In Literature

The original scrolls written in Draconic are preserved in the Great Library in Hajdib, having been found by explorers in the high peaks about 400 years ago.

In Art

Dragonborn naturally have images and statuary dedicated to Varmentus, but as a heroic figure rather than a deity.

Date of First Recording

The scrolls date to before the Landing, perhaps 1600 years ago.

Date of Setting

It is written in the scrolls that Varmentus was slain after the first men came to Zami Ramal, which is estimated to be 1650 years ago, 150 years before the Landing.

Related Ethnicities

• The Southern Dragonborn