Insdroc and Orthoc

## The Story of the Dragon Gods

(*Paraphrased version of the story told by Tranquilisaint)*

In time immemorial when the world was new, all dragons were immortal gods. Insdroc and Orthoc had draconic children who were the first primal dragons, metallic and chromatic. They were so proud of their children, they released them to the material plane to lead the mortals. These primal dragons ruled over the mortal races with absolute domination due to their great power and immortality. They subjugated mortals who had no choice but to obey or hide, hoping they were beneath the notice of their overlords. Eventually, all mortals were slaves of the dragons.

One day, a human woman climbed to the peak of the highest mountain to beg Orthoc for mercy and relief of mortal suffering. Orthoc laughed at her, musing how a mere mortal could know any better than the supreme wisdom of dragons. The human challenged him saying, "Rest your talon upon my shoulder, great dragon, and feel my pain." Orthoc decided to humor her and obliged her request. They then felt the great burden of unrelenting pain of the mortal. The recollection of this pain haunted Orthoc even long after the human had died and they understood the fear and despair created by the sight of dragons soaring overhead, villages burning to the ground, and the subjugation of mortals.

With this new understanding and empathy, Orthoc made their children mortal as well. so that they too might understand the mortal races. They were then subjugated to the same slavery by Insdroc's children and felt the very same pain as the mortal races. They suffered and were humbled.

The children of Orthoc and Insdroc then fought, as did their respective parents, and the battles were large and bloody and rocked the heavens to their very core. As the two gods struggled, their blood fell to the ground, and became the first eggs of the dragonborn. Whereas their scales that were scattered became the first mortal dragons as wymlings, hatchlings, and wyverns. Insdroc was shattered into pieces for gods do not die, but they break. The pieces were scattered amongst dragonkind.

### God of

Concept of draconic supremacy and their right to rule

### Symbol

Five-headed dragon with a splash of blood across it

### Prominent Followers

Brimfang
Dragon Cult

### First Mentioned

Episode 6 / Podcast 0: Unexpected Rewards

## Insdroc

Insdroc is the god of Dragon Lords and represents the very worst of dragonkind. They are a many-headed dragon with each head the color of a different chromatic dragon. They are worshiped by the Dragon Cult whose goal is to somehow revive the god by having all chromatic dragons and related races such as kobolds reform into Insdroc.

When Task touched an idol of Insdroc he had a vision of the god being attacked by a massive single-headed dragon and Insdroc was broken into its component colors and fell to earth.

### Insdroc Worshipers

* Darkus - Leader of the Dragon Cult, destroyer of the Oath-Iron Kobolds.
* Brimfang

## Orthoc

### God of

concept of draconic humility and responsibility to mortal races

### Symbol

a mirror, used for medication and self-reflection

### Prominent Followers

Tranquilisaint
Athena
The Silver King

### First Mentioned

Episode 6 / Podcast 0: Unexpected Rewards

Orthoc is the god of dragon oracles and the best aspects of Dragonkind. Orthoc's temples are known to house a mirror with a dragon-inspired frame used for introspection and presumably fortune-telling. There is supposedly a powerful mirror guarded by an ancient gold dragon, one of the first children of Orthoc, somewhere beneath Alivast.

Followers of Orthoc have been subject to some scrutiny following the attack by the Dragon Cult. Orthoc followers are largely dragonborn, but include members of many other races. Worshippers of Orthoc refer to themselves as "humble" or "humbled", in reference to the tale of Orthoc's humbling by a mere mortal, and the event that set about bringing mortality to the dragons.

Orthoc has a temple in the Lower District.

### Orthoc Worshipers

* Athena - Gold dragonborn paladin hired by the Unexpectables to purify the necrotic energy remaining in The Sweet Dragon that appeared around the beginning of winter.
* Tranquilisaint - Elderly gold dragonborn with intense scars, a missing horn and missing fingernails. Father of Athena.
* The Silver King - Silver Dragon and ruler of Eltmur. Considered "The first Silver Dragon"
* At least one Ancient Gold Dragon that lives under Alivast.

## Trivia

* The nature and conflict of Insdroc and Orthoc have some similarities to the classic D&D lore of Tiamat and Bahamut respectively.
* Suggested cleric domains are Light, Life, War, Tempest, and Arcana