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The Dragonwake was a period of time that lasted from the year 470 - 500 after the Day of Ashen Skies in which dragons reappeared in across Halann, primarily in Cannor, causing widespread havoc, destruction of various cities and consequently the widespread migration of peoples from Escann and the Alenic Frontier into the lands of the Damerian Republic.

History

Cause

Very little is known on the motivations of the Dragonwake, though modern scholars believe that the gold dragon Balris wished to wake up his sleeping brethren to bring together dragonkind once more. To what ends is unknown, though some theories included Balris wishing to recreate a more benevolent draconic empire of old, or to unify dragonkind as a species, or perhaps against a greater threat, or simply because he was lonely.

Regardless of this, it is said that Balris had spent aeons, since antiquity, some say, trying to find other dragons to no avail, so he cast a powerful spell to expose and awaken them in hopes of forcing contact. To his dismay the spell caused the Waking Sickness, which caused his kin to become feral and cause chaos across Halann. Along with his spell he entreated that his kin could all converge upon his demesne, but none came. So after years of waiting in hope, the ascendant gold dragon eventually off to find those he awoke.

Balris would spend the next few hundred years living amongst the denizens of the world to seek out his lost brethren. On those he met, he was largely rebuffed as they did not see eye to eye with the gold dragon's intentions. Eventually, Balris returned back to his home in Haless to wait out his kin, hoping that perhaps the next time he visited them, they would be more amicable, and if not, the next, and the next.

Effects on Dragonkind

Across Halann all dragonkin became more feral and mad during the initial Dragonwake in 470s, in an initial effect called the Waking Sickness. For lesser dragons this meant heightened aggression leading to more incursions in settled parts of the world, but the most substantial consequence of this was on the intelligent true dragons that had been hiding or hibernating across the world. Any and all true dragons were woken up, forced into their draconic form, and go feral - the period of time was dependant on the dragon. Some, like Iothoral the Green, quickly regained their senses.

Alenic Migrations

The Dragonwake caused largescale migrations of the Alenic barbarian peoples from the Alenic Frontier mostly into the lands of the Damerian Republic and Lencenor.

Date Event
Teysuren (7), 470
  • The Gawedi tribes living further east and north in the Alenic Frontier, hearing the destruction caused in Khugdihr by Nimrith the Red and Zaamalot the Black in Castonath, decide to flee west and south.
  • This pushes back many weaker Alenic tribes, causing some to flee into the western moors to become Moormen, but most flee south into the Damerian Republic together with their Rohibonic neighbours. These Alenics and Rohibonics are known as the Three Tribes (the Wexonards, Marrodic (Alenics) and Morbani (Rohibonics)).
Tearfall (10), 470
  • Founding of the Korbarid Kingdom: seeing the Dragonwake as an omen, dragon-worshipping Korbarid peoples who lived in the Deepwoods and the south forest lands of what would become Daravan's Folly, conquer the rest of modern-day Corvuria and settle in the recently abandoned Bal Dostan. They displace the Dostanorian Dominion that once ruled there on Castanor's behalf with ease, as most of the Castanorians had fled after hearing the news of the Dragonwake.
Esmarment (2), 471
  • The Gawedi conquer Vertesk, which was owned by the Damerian Republic at this point, founding the earliest incarnation of the Gawedi Kingdom.
Tearfall (10), 471
  • Three Tribes Occupation of Damescrown: after being rejected shelter at Vertesk, and now Damescrown, they sack and occupy the city to seek shelter for the winter, dragons and against Gawed following behind them
Silversight (4), 472
  • The Gawedi attempt to besiege Damescrown but are repelled by the Three Tribes
Suren (6), 472
  • Start of the Three Tribes Invasion of the Damerian Republic: fearing the Gawedi are chasing them, the Three Tribes invade the Damerian Republic, looting, raiding and creating settlements all over the eastern lands of the Dameshead
  • During this time the largest host of Alenics settle in and around the western lands of The Borders, hoping to gain safety via the citadel of Bal Hyl
Yshdament (8), 472
  • Gawedi Conquest of Damescrown: after the Three Tribes leave, the Gawedi are able to conquer Damescrown easily
  • After this period the Gawedi also make frequent incursions to raid and settle the southern lands of the Damerian Republic such as Esmaria
Suren (6), 473
  • Gawedi Attack of Bal Hyl: the Gawedi tribes, hearing of the safety of Bal Hyl, try to conquer the citadel. The Damerian occupiers let the Three Tribes and Gawedi fight, and the Gawedi are repulsed.
  • The Damerian Republic offers the Three Tribes vasalan status, allowing them to settle the lands in exchange for defense against further Alenic invasions and service in their armies
474
  • Fall of the Damerian Republic: Zaamlot the Black, together with Nimrith the Red, razes Damenath
  • Various sucessor states rise from the ashes of the republic, like the Lencori Empire in the west and the Tef Republic in the south.
  • Founding of the Kingdom of the Wexonards: the Wexonard peoples try to gain shelter in Bal Hyl but are rejected, so they end up capturing it and establishing their own kingdom
  • The Crodamic peoples, a part of the greater Morbani tribe decide to flee into Busilar via what would later become Verne (then Businor, overrun with gnolls). The rest of the Morbani stay with the Wexonards.
  • The Marrodic people decide to flee east, believing that since the Dragonwake started east, that the dragons would have moved on
475
  • Hearing about the fall of Damenath, and despite hearing about the burning of Redfort, the Gawedi are forced to flee into Lencenor as Nimrith the Red decides to burn and settle in Damescrown (which had been occupied by the Gawedi since 472). When they finally conquer certain territories there in 480, they start the Lencori Warlord Period
Yshdament (8), 477
  • Crodamic Kingdom of Akasik founded: after fighting through gnoll-infested Busilar, the Crodamic peoples are ferried across to Akasik by the Tef Republic, and end the Akasi War of Secession. They form a loose alliance with the Tef Republic.
Bloomsend (9), 488
  • Crodamic rule in Kheterata: with the end of the Kheteratan Dragon Wars where the dragon that conquered Kheterata, Aakhet the Bronze died, the Khetarch Benukhet invites the Crodamic tribes in nearby Akasik to rule, fearing reprisals from the victorious anti-Aakhet factions.
Teysuren (7), 492
  • Founding of the Marrodic Kingdom: after being called madmen by the Korbarids, they were granted passage to head east into Escann. The tribal king's son Ulric tamed a griffon on their journey, and settled down in Marrvale where the griffons lived.
Silversight (4), 498
  • Wexonard Conquest of the Heartlands: the Wexonard Kingdom, after fighting against Damerian remnants and rump states to their west, gain control of the Damerian Heartlands, locking the Damerian Republic's successors from their ancestral lands

List of Dragons

Wake Origin Name Significance / Description
Khugdihr

Nimrith the Red

  • A greedy and wrothful chromatic red dragon, who sought to collected the world's greatest gold hoard and amassed it in Khugdihr.
  • Responsible for the Burning of Khugdihr, in addition to burning the Redfort (old Lorentainé), Damescrown and Damenath.
  • Status: Dead (slain during the Reclaiming of Khugdihr in 1103)
Dragon Coast

Tayekan the Blue

  • A scheming chromatic blue dragon who disappeared as quickly as he arrived.
  • His awakening was marked with a great storm and is said to have started the Kobold Rising, leading to the downfall of the Gnomish Hierarchy.
  • Theories: It is said that Tayekan has since shapeshifted into everyday society and lives amongst us, possibly as an individual leading a powerful organization. One theory was that he became one of the famous gnomes that led the gnomish people to safety during the Rising.
  • Status: Presumed Alive
Deepwoods

Iothoral the Green

  • A relatively unknown chromatic green dragon, Iothoral did not cause much destruction during the Dragonwake, other than a small burnt grove where she awoke.
  • Status: Alive (known to awaken and appear in the Deepwoods)
Castonath Zaamalot the Black
  • A cruel and malevolent chromatic black dragon, possibly the most infamous member of the Dragonwake.
  • The cause of many significant events in Cannor, such as the Razing of Balmire, the Tragedy at the West Gate, razing the citadels of Castanor and Castonath itself, as well as Damenath alongside Nimrith the Red.
  • Is said to have maimed the dragon Alos the Copper.
  • Eventually slain by the Avatar of Castellos during the Dragonfall over Castonath, marking the end of the Dragonwake.
  • Status: Dead
Salahadesi Desert

Sand Demon of the Salahad

  • An elusive chromatic brown dragon that spent much of its time buried under the desert sands rather than the skies.
  • The tales of his waking was passed through oral traditions from the Salahadesi that fled to the safety of Bulwar.
  • Eventually kills Aakhet the Bronze.
  • Status: Alive
Gerudia Elkaesal the White
  • An enchanting chromatic white dragon that actually caused little direct destruction in her wake.
  • Responsible for the Era of Frost, in which she turned Gerudia into a land of eternal winter.
  • Lulled to sleep by the One-armed Skald of Skaldhyrric Faith fame.
  • Status: Alive, deep within the Titan's Rest Mountains
Serpentspine Mountains

Hunter of the Deep

  • A subterranean chromatic purple dragon that never terrorized the surface world.
  • Theories: It is said that she is the origin of the Deep Hunter creatures that some orcs and goblins tame deep within the Serpentspine, though this is unconfirmed.
  • Status: Presumed Alive
Escann Avatar of Castellos
  • Also known as the Siver Dragon of Castanor, this dragon was a noble silver dragon that helped found Castan's Empire.
  • Awoke very late in the Dragonwake, only to sacrifice his life to defeat Zaamalot the Black.
  • Status: Dead
Sarhal Jyntas the Brass
  • A relatively unknown metallic brass dragon that was seen fleeing east to Haless during the early Dragonwake.
  • Theories: Conspiracy theorists suggest Jyntas joined a nomadic group of Halessi peoples that later led to the liberation of Haless against their harimari overlords.
  • Status: Alive?
Kheterat Aakhet the Bronze
  • A powerful and fierce metallic bronze dragon, Aakhet was the only dragon to frequently commune and even basked in the prolonged presence of his human followers.
  • Responsible for the Burning of Mother's Sorrow, and sparked the Kheteratan Dragon Wars which saw a civil war in the ancient kingdom, and the military expansion of Aakhet into Bulwar.
  • Believed to be slain by the Sand Demon of the Salahad.
  • Returned in 1439 in Aramoole
  • Theories: Many throughout history have since attributed the true guise of famous military generals as Aakhet the Bronze in human form, explaining where he may have been between his believed death and his return.
  • Status: Alive
Unknown Alos the Copper
  • A very active metallic copper dragon, Alos was seen flying all over Cannor during the Dragonwake, but signs of his destructive path were rare. This was known as the Copper Dragonflight. He was slain in the Battle of a Thousand Arrows in which Elecast Dragonsbane slew him with Calindal, the Gleaming Blade, later forming the Blademarches.
  • Theories: Sources say that Alos' leg was bitten off by Zaamalot in their battle, and that Alos has since appeared throughout history as a one-armed figure, more notably the One-armed Skald who stopped Elkaesal's Era of Frost. Gerudians, of course, deny this as heresy.
  • Status: Dead
Haless Balris the Gold
  • An ancient well-meaning metallic gold dragon briefly seen in Haless but never seen again.
  • Theories: Many recent scholars suggest that the Dragonwake was Balris' fault, as he attempted to find and root out his draconic brethren for reasons unknown.
  • Status: Alive
Madriamilak Zenidir Zentirizar "The Shadowslayer"
  • A dragon warped by elemental energy, awakening in 471 Zenidir would go on to burn Yezel Mora and then unite the Mengi under the empire of Melakmengi.
  • Theories: Archaeological expeditions have uncovered evidence that Zenidir was experimented on and created by the combined efforts of all four types of Genie underneath a Djinn city
  • Status: Dead. Sacrificed themself to kill Eztarthul the Astral Terror in 936.
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