The Dragons

The dragons were the first voices of the world—creatures not born, but shaped by the raw elements that forged the Ashen Lands. Their hearts burned with the pulse of creation, and through them, flame, wind, and stone found harmony. They were neither gods nor tyrants, but stewards of balance, each bound to the realm they guarded.

In their presence, storms quieted, rivers found their paths, and life itself seemed to breathe with purpose. Though immense in power, they walked among mortals in mortal guise, believing understanding to be the truest form of strength. Yet their wisdom made them distant, and their restraint, mistaken for weakness.

Over centuries, they watched the rise of envy in mortal hearts, knowing that the balance they protected could not endure forever. For all their might, they could not defend against what they had nurtured—the will of man to rule without them.