Dragons of Ymph

[Bearic]

(Copies of this can be found around the curios shop and the Wyrm Watcher Hold)

On the Dragons of Ymph, or the ones said to be:

The Island of Ymph seems to revolve around the larger flying magical beasts often known as dragons. Many markers seem to denote their previous abodes, or their presence on the isle, and influence. In this short tome, I'll discuss some of those I've learned of, or met myself.
 
 
 

The Rot "Dragon": Not necessarily a real dragon, but rather the bones and remains of a dragon made to fight against those who sought to stop the cult of Rot from doing further evil against those on the isle of Ymph. The defeat of the beast is often contributed to the Stygian Dragon Slayer Hagrim, and those who fought along side him.

Towards the final days of the Maiden's imprisonment, the cult of the Rot, an enemy that trailed the early settlement of the Duchy, attempted to unlease a visage of their god. Their methods required vile acts, and as such they lead a swarm of Trolls to attack the conclave's Smash region, a set of ruins near the temple district. However, this attack was only a diversion, the real effort was to steal the inhabitants of the Dreamer's Ophrange. Once spirited away through the sewers, the children and care takers were taken to the bogs to be sacrificed in dark ritual. Most adventures at the time marched to the Bogs in order to free the captives, however Shambling Hulks, Trolls, Assassin vines, and other monsters of the swamps swarmed from the very grounds, and pressed the adventures back, even with the appearance of the Grand Master of the Numinous Order.
 
The Numinous Order would do battle with this ancient enemy once more, and thus called together the forces of Ymph to fight against the blighted cult. Heroes such as Veteran, and then First Honours Saircrost; Dame, but then new member of the Order Emma Snow, Thane Durgrim and Chancellor Rumplestiltskonin of the Golden Alliance, and the man who ventured his name from the fight, Hagrim the dragon slayer all met together on the battle field to end the threat of the Rot. House Smythe, members of the Stewards, and others were there as well, and all together the army amassed a few dozen versus the multitude that the swamps released. Catapults were manned by dwarven engineers as the front lines were held by the Duchy forces - the ground shook and shifted into terrifying mounds, as trolls worked dark magics and hurled stones at the brave souls. The fighting went on for what seemed hours, bolts, magics, and weapons cleaving the dark enemies as some fell to the over whelming odds.
 
 

However, the Duchy forces stood victorious, at least for a calmed moment - abominable rot mana cooked lizard bones up from the ground, and in a twister of black magics a terrible form appeared: The Rot Dragon. Dripping with acid and mucks of the bogs, bones crept forward as it unleased breaths of disintigrating vapors. Its form was hard as diamond with the bindings transmutted upon it, and so most weapons simply dashed against its hind. As more and more fell to the beast's horrible breath, things looked to be turning from the heroes favour. From twenty to fifteen, from fifteen to ten; the Thane and his men fell, many adventurer fell, Stygian and Ordermen fell, but others pressed on. Hagrim's blade, worked wtih magics from an outstanding mage that day, managed to cleave the dragon in the nick of time, as only a handfull of men encircled it. The others were thankfully risen by an Ordermen priest, and the battle marched on, towards the den of the Rot Cult.

 

Although the forces and dragon were defeated, a shade of the Maiden was still released; perhaps another path she may have used to free her self failing the stones - as it stands now, though, there is only history.

 
 

The Blue Dragon, Shevroth: An evil dragon that tempted many with offers of power in hopes of freeing the maiden to change himself into a dracolich. He was defeated by the combined efforts of ordermen, docksfolk, and the stewards of ymph.

Tales of the nightmarish dragon used to ring in the hushed mouths of lorekeepers, and certain adventures. They spoke of his ultimate design, and of his tempory methods. The Dragon's want of white stag horns, and other items of purity; his want for blood offerings, and those to bow down to him, and perhaps most importantly - the twelve stones. These stones held the power, the ritual to release the Maiden in full, and though many sought them, the dragon's want was even more ominous. Some said his desire was to be rewarded with becoming undead himself, however as a lich in his dragon form, a dracolich it's been named. Conclave renegades, villains and others with want of power attempted to see the dragon's desires come true, however a man of the Numinous Order sought the exact oppisite in a high regard. This Templar banded together a party of fellows after the same end, many from the docks, and aqquired a dragon hunter's shield and lance for the deed. However, the party never returned to Ymph, and so a Group of Stewards and members of a docks' shipping gang under captain Harrison went to the isle and dealt the final blow, putting asunder any of the vile dragon's plans to empower himself beyond life. The details the battle are lost to time, however, the fact that the Blue Dragon was slain is a constant boon.

[Bearic]

The Small White Dragon: A friend to the Hero Adrian, the small white dragon helped defeat a group of vile monsters that sought to bring a lich back to life. By freeing Jubari, Adrian, Gorm and another, he avenged his mother's death, and allowed Jubari to sacrifice himself to defeat the lich. The dragon later was followed by Hagar and his small following, though I'm not sure what exactly became of them.

 

The Small White dragon of the Prophet's Peaks and the Mist mountains is not all well known beyond tales. It was a very young during the days of the Duchy, and can't be much older now, however tales of it speak of the good deed it did, even if it followed self interest. Dreamer Milton, a Sear of the Dreamers, or followers of the mist that predicted the great shroudings, just before the release of the Maiden foresaw great matters that required able adventures to right them, or catastropic events may have came of them. The Hero Adrian saw to gathering parties and met every challenge, including culling a nest of Larvals to prevent their assend to the surface. However, the event relevant to the dragon took part in deep in the Mist Mountains, as Giants sought to release an Ancient Lich of some power. Adrian, along with Gorm, Jubari, and another made their way to the percieved area, and made battle with the frost empowered enemies. Though they did as they could, the four were soon imprisoned, and found themselves soon to serve as sacrifice after the Lich was released.

A young dragon, however, bent on revenge for its mother's death at the hand of the Giants, promised to free the four should they fight once more; all agreed, and the dragon and four made battle against the jailors, and forced their way back to the chamber of the lich. The giant's numbers and strength were still too much, however, and only one sure plan was ready. One of the four heroes had to rush into the room, and smash out a pillar, taking the frozen hall down with them. Before much debate could be discussed of it, Jubari, guardian of the Bloodmage LaRue, rushed into the room - braving the stings and blows of the giants- to reach the pillar and take the ceiling with him. In such, the three left returned to the Duchy and told those who knew the great man Jubari of his fate, and the new safety affored all of the island.

 

The Bronze Dragon, Axelmaria: I don't know much of this dragon, though books in the curios store can inform the reader much more than I.

 

The Fey Dragon: Not too much is known here either, but there was some mention of a Fey dragon's eggs being stolen and corrupted by vampires or some such; much of the real answers of this are lost to time.

 
 

Small refrences that may include dragonic behaviors:

• A day of cold and snow once visited the Ziggurat; it was mentioned that it may have to do with a wizard, ice elemental or some sort of dragon.
• Wyrms and Wyverns are some times seen, and were said to frequent the isle many years ago; while their occurrences are much rarer now, undead Wyverns have been spotted.
• Worshipers of Tchazzar and other such dragon like deities have been mentioned, including Adrastos Praxes, a Stygian renowned for his strength and force of arms against the Stargazers years ago

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