Dragons in Oerth

There is no clear answer as to where the dragons came from, though everyone thinks they know it.

## On the Origin of Serpents

### Dragons

The dragons themselves assert that their kind predates Oerth itself, the oldest of them existing in a state of perpetual sleep within the void, awakening when the elemental lords began to create it, and beginning a mighty war between the two forces wherein the primordial dragons took the elements into their natures to better combat their foes.

### Elves

The elves say that dragons already inhabited Oerth when their great ancestors arrived, fleeing a war in another realm, and they do not counter the dragons' assertions, but say they cannot verify them.

### Dwarves

Dwarves claim that dragons were either the inadvertent creation of Moradin, who unintentionally blew life into sparks that flew from his anvil as he created the world and fell upon a pile of gold he had set aside to create sunsets from, filling these nascent serpentine spirits with a hunger for gold, or that they were created by the dwarven god of avarice Abbathor, either as a reward or punishment, sources differ, for a group of dwarves who sought to steal from his hoard.

### Humans

Humans, being less monolithic than other races, have a variety of origin myths for dragons.

#### The Suloise

The Suloise believe that dragons were created by their chief god, Lendor, who occasionally took the form of a silver dragon, and the evil subterranean goddess and mother of monster Beltar, who often takes the form of a red dragon, and is said to have created the evil chromatic dragons to war with Lendor. However, a newer syncretic Suloise myth exists, which says Lendor created the original dragons, including Bahamut and Tiamat, to be his steeds, and cast out Tiamat after she claimed too great a share of his treasures. In this version, Beltar nursed the wounded Tiamat and spoke words of malice and hatred to her so that she would be corrupted.

#### The Baklunish

The Baklunish believe that the first dragon, Asgoroth, was created by Istus to battle demon and other dark forces and clear the way for the creation of world. Once the war was won, Asgoroth went into the world to sleep beneath while the great djinn races created it. Once the Baklunish people were created, Istus roused Asgoroth from their sleep of ages to deliver the Four Precepts unto them. Known as the Four Feet of the Dragon, these precepts--piety, honor, generosity, and devotion--are said to have been carved into stone by Asgoroth with their four feet.

The Baklunish broadly, then, see dragons as mentors and protectors, but recognize that even the progeny of the great dragon can be corrupted, giving rise to the evil dragons through Tiamat, who spawned the five races of chromatic dragons, before being banished to Hell by her brother Bahamut.

#### The Olmans

Dragons are largely unknown to the southern jungles, aside from black and green dragons, which colors their beliefs somewhat, and largely the people of the jungles believe dragons to be malicious and imperious creatures to be treated with great caution. Instead, the rainbow-feathered couatls take the niche in Olman myths that would otherwise be held by dragons.

#### The Flan

The Flan have always known dragons and their works, the Flanaess being home to many dragons who claim or guard areas of it and demanding tribute from the "lesser races" that dwelt there. Many early Flan worshipped dragons and dragon gods before the great migrations, and some in fact still do. The most well known such dragon cult is the Earth Dragon Cult, which reveres an ancient draconic nature spirit.

#### The Vasharans

The Vashar belief about the origins of dragons is colored by their cultural obsession with suffering and the crimes of the gods. They believe that the gods created dragons to hunt the vasharans and take from them all they hold dear, to scourge them with every form of suffering. They believe that the metallic dragons came first, but, through their own suffering, rose from the blindness inflicted upon them by the gods, and found they did not need to be the gods' pets, giving rise to the chromatic dragons.

There is a variation of this myth, however, in which chromatic dragons existed first, as primal beings, perhaps the ones who fought the ur elementals. Then, the gods leashed them and brought them to heel, trapping them in metallic bindings, to serve as their hounds in hunting First One and Vasha throughout existence, but, as the first human and their children, and their demon wife and her siblings fought back, they damaged the bindings, and over time, destroyed the magic that held many dragons in sway, releasing them from their bondage to the gods and allowing them to reclaim their terrible might and natures.

Oeridians who learn of these stories find they have certain similarities to their own beliefs, if colored by the philosophy of the Vashar.

## Dragon Religion

Like (most) all sapient beings, dragons have their own religion, and their own gods. Their pantheon consists of 11 gods, along with a twelfth figure who is said to be the child of Io, but has little involvement in the dragon pantheon.

### Io

Io is the chief deity of the draconic pantheon, whose domain is dragonkind, balance, and peace. They are believed to be the creator of all things, containing within themselves all things, creating the entirety of existence through their constant expansion. Io is frequently represented as dragon, larger than any dragon of Oerth, with scales of blue, gold, brass and red, edged in silver and dark purple.

Io is a Greater True Neutral Deity, though contains all alignments within themselves, and offers their worshippers the domains of Creation, Dragon, Knowledge, Magic, Strength and Travel. Their symbol is a metallic, multicolored disc.

### Chronepsis

Chronepsis is Io's mirror and sibling, whose purview is fate, death and judgment. As Io expands to create existence, Chronepsis draws back all things to himself. Together, Io and Chronepsis are represented as a dragon whose nine heads each consume one their nine tails, an image of infinity. Chronepsis on his own is envisioned as a colorless dragon with dull, decaying scales, through which yellowed bones can be seen, an eternal outsider to the war between chromatic and metallic dragons, in mirror of Io's encompassing of both sides.

Chronepsis is a Greater Lawful Neutral Deity, who offers his worshippers the domains of Destiny, Dragon, Knowledge and Repose. His symbol is a dispassionate draconic eye amidst a grey swirl.

### Aasterinian

Aasterinian is the messenger of the draconic pantheon. She appears as a perpetually grinning brass dragon, and is said to be exceptionally quick-witted and possess a sharp tongue. She is worshipped as the goddess of invention and pleasure.

Aasterinian is a Lesser Chaotic Neutral Deity, who offers her worshippers the domains of Chaos, Charm, Dragon, Illusion, Luck, Travel, and Trickery. Her symbol is a brass dragon's head, from which a scroll unfurls.

### Astilabor

Astilabor is the draconic deity of hoards and acquisitiveness. She is seen as a younger sibling of Io and Chronepsis, and envisioned as an immense dragon who shimmers with all the colors of dragonkind. Astilabor represents the draconic desire to amass wealth and other forms of temporal power, but abhors greed and thievery, only dispassionately condoning such when done in the name of building one's hoard (the fact that this is a meaningless distinction is not lost on non-dragons, but many pious dragons insist there is a difference there. They refuse to acknowledge that difference amounts to "except when we do it").

Astialbor is a Lesser Chaotic Neutral Deity and offers her worshippers the domains of Cavern, Dragon, Metal, Protection and Wealth. Her symbol is a large dodecahedron gem of many colors.

### Bahamut

Bahamut is called the God of Good Dragons, and this is generally seen as his primary purview, but his portfolio also contains the north wind, wisdom and enlightened justice. He is envisioned as an immense dragon with platinum scales, and believed by dragons to be the child of Io and brother of Tiamat, with whom he eternally vies.

Bahamut is a Lesser Lawful Good Deity, who offers his worshippers the domains of Air, Cold, Dragon, Good, Law, Luck, Nobility, Protection and Storm. His symbol is a gleaming star above a milky nebula.

### Faluzure

Falazure is the draconic deity of death, undeath, decay, and exhaustion. He is believed to have created the first shadow dragons from a tribe of red dragons who sought his aid in a war against the Suel Empire. Falazure is envisioned as gravely handsome dragon of terrible might who has lost his ability to fly and been forced to dwell upon and within the earth. He is one of Io's children, but hates his siblings Bahamut and Tiamat with equal fury.

Falazure is a Lesser Neutral Evil Deity, and offers his worshippers the domains of Darkness, Death, Dragon, Evil, and Undeath. His symbol is a draconic skull.

### Garyx

Garyx is the draconic deity of fire, and holds within himself both its destructive and cleansing aspects. One notable legend speaks of Garyx sought, for unknown or unspoken reasons, to destroy the Summer Tree, guarded by Obad Hai. Over thirteen assaults, Garyx finally managed to get through the god's defenses and set the tree alight, burning it to ash. Obad Hai, at first, despaired, but upon closer inspection found three seeds that had survived the bonfire, their shells cracking from the heat, but fresh green shoots beginning to emerge, and realized that the tree had been on the verge of death, and Garyx's fire was needed to allow it to grow anew. Afterwards, Obad Hai welcomed Garyx back yearly, at the close of summer, to burn the tree's growth of the past year, that new seeds might grow. This practice is celebrated yearly by druids who worship Obad Hai and revere Garyx, recognizing the place of destruction in life.

Garyx is a Lesser Chaotic Neutral Deity who offers his worshippers the domains of Chaos, Destruction, Dragon, Fire and Renewal. His symbol is a draconic eye engulfed in flame.

### Ghidan

Ghidan is the draconic god of theft, trickery, and subversion. They are envisioned as not one dragon, but a trio of dragons, with scales of darkness. Where Astilabor represents what dragons consider a healthy acquisitiveness, Ghidan represents naked theft. Where Tiamat desires to make the whole of existence a part of her hoard as a measure of her own power, Ghidan desires to deprive others. If Astilabor is "take everything you can get," and Tiamat is "I want what is yours," Ghidan is "I want you to have *nothing."* Ghidan cares little for what they take, merely that their victim no longer has it. Some believe the individual dragons that comprise the trio to be respectively male, female, and neither, but there is little in the way of corroboration in the myths told of them. The three dragons are given no particular individuality in myths of Ghidan, they are simply Ghidan over three bodies. One myth says that Ghidan was a single dragon in their egg, who stole two of their siblings before birth, adding their bodies to their own, not to increase their personal size, but so their siblings would have no physical forms at all.

Ghidan is a Lesser Chaotic Evil Deity from whom worshippers can glean the domains of Chaos, Darkness, Evil, Madness and Trickery. Their symbol is a three-finger claw of darkness, stealing and destroying various items representative of wealth, such as coins, gems, and art objects.

### Hlal

Hlal is the draconic goddess of humor, storytelling and inspiration, who is also worshipped by elves as the masculine deity Avachel. Her form varies, depending on her whims, but commonly, she is envisioned as a copper or faerie dragon, though as Avachel, she occasionally takes the form of a great mercury wyrm.

Hlal is a Lesser Chaotic Good Deity, who offers her worshippers the Chaos, Charm, Good and Trickery domains. Her symbol is a flaming scroll, unconsumed by the fire.

### Tamara

Tamara is the draconic goddess of mercy, compassion and light. She is envisioned as an immense, wingless dragon with scales of golden light, and believed to be the child of Chronepsis, whose dispassionate judgement she seeks to temper with kindness and love.

Tamara is a Lesser Neutral Good Deity, who offers her worshippers the Community, Dragon, Good, Healing, Strength, and Sun domains. Her symbol is a seven-pointed star on a field of blackness.

### Tiamat

Tiamat is the mother of chromatic dragons, daughter of Io, and mistress of cruelty and conquest. She is envisioned as a dragon with red body and five heads, one for each of the tribes of chromatic dragons, and a cruel barbed stinger on the end of her tail. Tiamat strives to add the whole of Io's creation to her hoard, with each dragon as a vassal below her who can lay only a token claim to a portion of her greater hoard.

Tiamat is a Lesser Lawful Evil Deity who deigns to provide her worshippers with the Conquest, Destruction, Dragon, Evil, Greed, Hatred, Law, Scalykind, and Tyranny domains. Her symbol is five chromatic dragon heads, with a red dragon centered between the other four arrayed beside it.