Natures Wrath

There weren't always dragons in the valley. Created by the four spirits of creation as a counter to man who broke from the natural order. Unlike most creatures like the golem who only lived in the mountains, humans could live in any environment and were meant by the creators to be protectors of the land. Given gifts in abundance by the creators to achieve this goal. But when the spirits woke from their rest after creating man they were not pleased because humans had not protected the natural order they had enslaved it.

Fairies were on the verge of extinction due to human's need to build homes and fishing vessels larger and larger, destroying most forests. Golems had become pack animals no longer playing in the lava flows underground. Unicorns had already been hunted to extinction to create wands for dark mages.

All manner and form of creature had been subjugated to humans. Humans were meant to be their protector, not their overlord. Angered by this abuse of power and control the spirits created dragons to restore order to the natural world. The spirit of earth gave dragons scales tougher than any shield made of iron and claws sharper than the best steel. Air gave it wings so it could soar through the sky in search of its prey. Fire gave it the ability to breathe flame and Water did not only give the great beast life but a drive to live free. Once a dragon was caught and a chain placed around its neck. When the dragon woke it pulled against the chain so hard it ripped its own head off. No dragon would ever be ruled by a human.

What became known as the day of nightmares Dragons laid waste to Shimmer City, the largest and closest human settlement to the valley of creation sitting just south of it.. Several dragons swarmed the city first circling the large mage towers dousing them in flames before moving to attack the Castle proper tearing at the rough with claws before breathing fire into the holes they created. Captain of the winged knights a stride his great griffin rallied his men outside the city to lead a charge against the dragons. Refugees fleeing the city paused in their escape to watch with great hope as the Pegasus cavalry charged toward the city. Following their leader as he launched his mount into the air heading for the nearest dragon.

The largest dragon still sitting on top of the castle let out a massive roar that vibrated the very foundation of the castle and unleashed a gout of flames towards the heavens. In that moment the refugees' hope sank as chaos overtook the winged knights. Every pegasus began to buck, kick and spin, tossing their riders from saddle to fall to their deaths; the unlucky ones were caught by fangs and claws. Those riders experienced enough to stay in the saddle quickly found themselves astride flying mounts that wouldn't even walk. They just stood there refusing to obey any command given by their riders. Riders who stayed on their mounts in the open trying to get the pegasus to obey any command were soon picked off by low flying dragons that just snatched them from the saddle.

When the captain of the winged riders griffin heard the great roar from the dragon on top of the castle it didn't try to buck its rider but returned to the ground and ran to a nearby copse of trees sitting atop a large hill. The captain tried to regain control of the griffin but the captain refused to pull the reins harder for fear of hurting his trusted mount. Once in the trees the griffon stopped its mad run and laid down breathing heavily. “Why have you stopped?” The captain yelled in anger as he dismounted and walked to stand in front of the beast. He saw something in the eyes of the griffon he had never seen before, fear. “I'm scared to but we must go and help those in danger. If you will not go with me I will go alone.” He said reassuringly as he petted the griffin's beak and stroked its thick feathered neck. The noble creature had never once disobeyed the captain. In this instance he understood why the griffin wanted nothing to do with those giant creatures tearing apart the city but his honor refused to allow him to run and hide. Turning from the griffin the captain started to run towards the road in the distance where he saw citizens fleeing the city he was sworn to protect with his life. As he approached the edge of the trees the griffin dove at him from behind. The captain, thinking all the world had gone mad and was being attacked by his mount, tried to pull away from the griffins huge eagle like talons and got a nasty cut between his right ear and eye from the top of his head to his shoulder. Bleeding, confused, with a large griffin laying on him licking at his wound holding him in place and all he could do was watch in disbelief.

Refugees composed mainly of women and children frozen in terror at the famed winged knights being so utterly defeated never saw there own deaths coming as a dragon flew overhead turning the road of refugees into a river of ash and flame. Few escaped the horrors of that day to tell the tale. And none were fast enough to warn the next city of impending doom.

Shimmer city was known as the birthplace of humans, a place of peace, study and prosperity. Each of the separate five kingdoms would send their second in line to the throne to the city once they become of age. Here they would rule as part of the high council beside their peers from other kingdoms. The city was the hub of the five kingdoms and the most well guarded place of its time. It fell in a day.

That night he watched as the city he loved burned to ruins. No structure was visible inside the giant fire that consumed the entire city. No sleep was found that night as he watched the fires burn swearing revenge on the beasts that destroyed his beloved city. The griffin didn't stand allowing his rider up until the sun was high in the sky and it was sure no dragons remained in the area.

Standing the knight approached his griffin menacingly and obviously angry. “Why?” He screamed at the griffon who sat back on its hind cat-like legs and nuzzled its eagle-like head and beak against the captain's chest apologetically. “We must warn others but who?” He said softly, leaning against his companion of many years and many battles. He had thought about this all night as the city burned. Who could he warn? He knew nothing of the politics outside of shimmer city. There was Ivanstead to the north of the valley of creation, a mountainous kingdom known for its craftsmanship with metals and special alloys golems dug out of the mountains. To the east sat the kingdom of sails, a land filled with lakes and streams with fields of mud as if an inch of water covered all their land spilling out from rivers and lakes. To the south east sat the kingdom of Winifred, the only kingdom that still had forests large enough to find the trees used to make the masts for ships and beams for castles. To the southwest was the kingdom known as the heartlands for their fields of wheat and grains ruled by wizards whose towers dotted the coastal farm lands. The fifth and final kingdom was wormwood sitting to the west. The smallest of the five kingdoms whose current rulers were said to be magic users trying to convince its citizens to free magical creatures and finding ways to replace their needs without the help of their magical friends.

Climbing back into his saddle he knew his only choice lay to the southwest in search of wizards who could send messages across the kingdoms in minutes. The question on his mind as the griffon busted out of the tree line in a great gallop before taking to the air was would anyone believe him.