As I lay back and stared at the ceiling, I couldn't help but wonder what tomorrow would bring. The thought of the journey ahead, both in VERTEX and in the real world, filled me with a mix of anticipation and dread. With a deep breath, I picked up the book and started reading again, determined to learn as much as I could before sleep claimed me. Just as my eyelids grew heavy and sleep was about to take over, I read the most interesting thing about dragons.
The first peoples that dragons encountered were humans, and not all dragons wanted to go to war with them. I was so surprised to read that for most of their time in this universe, dragons had been divided into pro-war and pro-peace factions. I discovered that the first leaders of the two factions were Mirellia, the Whisperer, and Kragoth, the Fearmonger.
Mirellia, the Whisperer, was a White Drake. Her scales were as white as snow, and she possessed the unique ability to communicate mentally, not just with her kind but also with humans. This skill became crucial in their new world. Mirellia believed that coexistence with humans was key to their survival in their new realm. She was empathetic and wise and used her powers for subtle communication and understanding. Mirellia often ventured close to human settlements, observing and learning their ways. She gradually established contacts with certain open-minded human leaders, acting as a bridge between the two races.
Kragoth, the Fearmonger, was a menacing Black Wyrm, his outlook very different from Mirellia’s. His scales absorbed light, giving him an aura of darkness and fear. Kragoth was immediately resentful of their new circumstances and distrusted humans. He believed in establishing the supremacy of their kind at all costs. To this end, he sought to instill fear both in humans and his fellow dragons. Kragoth orchestrated events to portray dragons as fearsome, malevolent, and superior, hoping to discourage any form of integration or cooperation.
As I read about these two dragons, their conflicting ideologies and methods fascinated me. Mirellia chose diplomacy and Kragoth chose intimidation. They were the key to the internal struggles within dragon society. I found the history both interesting and saddening, like reading about a grand, tragic play.
The first stage of the inadvertent dragon invasion was marked by the Pact of Shadows. Initially meant to be a time of positive change, it evolved into a tragic chapter in the history of dragons in our universe. Spearheaded by Mirellia, it was intended to be a landmark achievement, a secret covenant promising peaceful coexistence between dragons and a select group of human leaders. However, her attempts eventually ended in disaster.
Despite Mirellia's efforts, distrust and fear simmered beneath the surface. Kragoth capitalized on these tensions. He was relentless in his campaign against the humans, portraying the pact as a betrayal of dragonkind. Kragoth's charisma and strategic prowess eventually swayed the majority of dragons, leading to an uprising against humanity. This marked the beginning of a dark era, with dragons and humans locked in a bitter conflict.
The dragons, with their formidable powers and size, quickly dominated the battlefield. Human kingdoms were on the brink of collapse under the relentless assaults of Kragoth's forces. In a desperate bid for survival, humans turned to other races of the universe for aid, forging alliances with Elves, Dwarves, Orcs, and various other sapient races of the universe. This coalition laid the foundation for what would become the Ladder System, a hierarchical structure of ranks and classes designed to organize and strengthen their united front against the dragons by encouraging fierce, cooperative competition.
With the invention of the Ladder System, each of the various peoples and races strove to gather as much essence—the force that powers classes and evolutions—as possible. Gains in power represented gains on the ladder. Each force aimed to gain as much essence, classes, and evolutions as possible in their war against the dragons.
The tide of the war shifted with this newfound alliance. The combined forces of the various races, each contributing their unique strengths and magic, began to turn the tables. The dragons, despite their power, found themselves outmaneuvered and outmatched by the strategic and numerical superiority of the allied races.
At this point, the history took an intriguing turn with the creation of the half-dragon race. Mirellia, in a final bid to foster peace and integration, conceived a being of dual heritage with a human ally. This half-dragon, endowed with the elemental prowess of dragons and the resilience of humans, was intended as a bridge between worlds, a living symbol of their intertwined destinies, but it failed miserably.
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The birth of the half-dragon led to the emergence of a new race entirely, the Wyrmblood Unfortunately the opposite of Mirellia’s hopes came true. Instead of being welcomed, the Wyrmblood were met with fear and hostility. Their existence, blurring the sacred lines between races, made them targets. Due to their initial hideousness they were viewed as aberrations rather than unifiers, and ignited deep-seated prejudices across the universe.
Mirellia, desperate to see her vision of unity fulfilled, used her influence to advocate for the acceptance and protection of the Wyrmbloods. She believed that through dialogue and understanding, the Wyrmblood could bridge the gap between dragons and other races.
Tragically, before her work could gain significant traction, Mirellia was assassinated by an unknown assailant. Her death sent shockwaves through both the dragon and human communities, quashing much of the progress she had made and plunging the Wyrmblood into even greater peril.
After the death of Mirellia the book gave a description of the Wyrmblood race:
Wyrmbloods are born as lowly, repulsive rat-like creatures and gradually evolve into more robust and capable beings. They begin with limited intelligence, are barely sapient, and reach a basic strategic thinking level at their second evolutionary tier.
Their transformation stages were particularly intriguing:
Starting Appearance:
* Size: Small
* Height: 3-4 feet tall
* Skin: Scaly, mottled, and dull in color (usually shades of brown, gray, or sickly green)
* Eyes: Small, beady, and often slightly mismatched
* Physical Traits: Hunched posture, elongated snouts, sharp claws, and ragged teeth
Evolutionary Stages:
1. Ratscale (Tier D):
* Appearance: Small, scrawny, rat-like features, patchy fur mixed with rough scales, and sharp, yellowed teeth
* Intelligence: Barely sapient, relying on instinct more than thought, capable of rudimentary communication and simple tasks.
* Abilities:
* Scavenger's Instinct: Increased ability to find hidden items and resources
* Pack Tactics: Gain advantage on attack rolls when allies are nearby
* Weak Draconic Ancestry: Resistance to one type of elemental damage (fire, ice, acid, etc.), depending on their draconic lineage
2. Dragonspawn (Tier C):
* Appearance: Larger and more robust, scales become shinier and start showing hints of vibrant colors
* Intelligence: Primitive but improving, capable of basic strategy and more complex communication
* Abilities:
* Draconic Vitality: Increased health regeneration and improved constitution
* Elemental Affinity: Enhanced resistance and minor control over their elemental type
* Climbing Claws: Ability to climb vertical surfaces with ease
Rumors circulated of Wyrmbloods evolving beyond Tier C, but such cases were exceedingly rare and often dismissed as legend or speculation. For practical purposes, the book stated, these advanced forms were not worth mentioning here.
Their evolutionary journey from Ratscale to Dragonspawn was a remarkable transformation, reflecting their struggle from obscurity to prominence. The idea of starting as a small, rat-like creature and evolving into a more capable being was both fascinating and poignant. The book ended its section on Wyrmbloods by saying that it is possible for them to evolve beyond the C tier, but it is so rare that the author did not deem it necessary to include it in such a low-level textbook.
Mirellia’s assassination further stoked the fires of a war that culminated in a series of devastating battles that led to the near extinction of dragons. Hunted and overwhelmed, their numbers dwindled, forcing them into hiding. The Ladder System, initially a war strategy, evolved into a societal structure, maintaining the balance of power among the various races and serving as a reminder of the war's consequences.
The Pact of Shadows, once a symbol of hope and unity, became a lesson in the perils of mistrust and the catastrophic consequences of war. Kragoth's name lived on as a symbol of fear and destruction, while Mirellia's vision of peace became a lost dream, a reminder of what might have been. This tumultuous period reshaped the world, setting the stage for a new era defined by the Ladder System and the hidden remnants of dragonkind, now a rare and endangered species.
I found myself thoroughly engrossed in the tale. The stories of Mirellia and Kragoth, the delicate balance of peace and war, and the eventual near-extinction of dragons were captivating. Each detail added layers to the complex history of this world, and I couldn't help but admire the depth and intricacy of it all.
As I read about the tragic end of the Pact of Shadows and the introduction of the Wyrmblood, my eyelids grew heavier. The weight of the day's discoveries and the richness of the history I'd just absorbed pressed down on me. Exhaustion finally claimed me, and I fell asleep, the book still open on my chest, the stories of dragons swirling in my dreams.