| An old withered parchment sits on a sturdy wooden table before you. You lift it to read the Lore of Dragonscale... When at last the mighty blade was finished, Thurin picked it up in his bare left hand and wandered far in the deeps, the hot steel shining like a torch. Finally he came near to that cave where the Dragon lay, wounded, bleeding from its eye. Thurin found a stream of the Dragon's blood and dipped the blade in to quench it. The touch of the white hot steel had not caused the Shaper the slightest harm, but the blood of the Dragon was too much even for Thurin's fortitude to withstand. The foul blood burned Thurin's hand unto the bone as he held the metal in, but never did the Shaper wince or flinch. As so was Thurin's left hand scarred, and he did go forth after with that hand gloved. Thus quenched in Dragon's blood Thurin drew out the great blade, and the metal was charred, black as the deepest shadow. Thus Reads the Legend of Shadowbane. Though it is not the entire story to be told! For you see, more happened in that cave when Thurin made his journey to dip the Mighty Blade, and that is a story that shaped a Nation, and that story is the story of Dragonscale. Thurin raised the blade from the blood, watching it flow across the flat and gather at the sharp. He stared in awe at the sight, watching the blade turn from flawless silver, to shadow. So transfixed was he with this sight, that when the Dragon let forth a grunt in his slumber, Thurin jumped in shock, nearly dropping the blade in the deep pool of blood, and loosing it forever! Thus an idea crossed Thurin's mind. He turned.... making his way closer to the sound, closer to the Mighty Dragon. Upon reaching the almighty beast, he was stunned at its sheer size. The Dragon lay in a deep healing sleep, oblivious to Thurin's presence. Being a master sword smith, not only did he know how to craft a fine blade, he also knew where to plunge that blade for the strike to be deadly. Thus he moved his way around the sleeping giant until he pinpointed that area of his body. Thrilled that he actually had access, he stepped close; grasping the hilt of the sword as best he could with the disadvantage of his now disfigured hand, he slid the blade under one of the great scales covering the area and began to pry, cut, and loosen it. For several days Thurin worked at freeing the scale from the dragon's body. Drinking little, eating none, and sleeping light, until finally the scale was freed. When Thurin emerged from the lair of the Dragon, he not only held the mighty Shadowbane, but also a Scale from the beast, thus a delicate area on the Dragon was now exposed to his enemies. We all know of Thurin's journey to then give the Shadowbane to its rightful owners, but little is said about the journey of the Dragons Scale. Thurin searched the lands for a name of utmost honor and good. And when a King was found who fit this description, Thurin brought him the scale of the dragon, an event that changed the life of the King, and his entire bloodline. For you see, a plan was devised, a plan that would someday help destroy the dragon, once and for all. First, the King renounced his crown, for he lived in the lands of green grass and trees, yet the Dragon slumbered under the hot harsh desert sands. So this is where he would have to relocate, to await the Dragons return. Second, after months of debate and discussion, he was able to convince a Noble of the Elves, Half-Giants, and Centaurs to join him as well, with the promise to someday again build a Grand Noble Kingdom for their races. For even though their differences were extreme, they knew they must band together for the greater good, and the mission for the ultimate destruction of the Dragon. When they settled on the hot unforgiving sands of the desert they placed the scale of the Dragon in a pit dug deep, and on top of the scale they placed a mighty Tree Of Life Seed, to hold and protect the scale from ever being recovered by the Dragons followers and returned to the vile creature to once again shield his now vulnerable area. A great military was needed to protect the Tree from being destroyed and the Scale from being taken, yet the desert was harsh and few men that followed their respective Kings survived long in these ruthless desert conditions, dying off in great numbers and leaving the Tree ill protected. In order to protect the tree from the increasing raids of the followers of the Dragon, they decided to do the only thing they could. Knowing full well that this decision wouldn't be a popular one with many of their friends and allies, they knew it had to be done, for the eventual slaying of the Dragon was their most important goal. Hence they began to recruit anyone and everyone into the military that they could. Swarms of Irekei who have turned their back on the Dragon and survive in the desert just fine were joined. Minnos who were outcast and sent from the cold lands of Morloch to the Desert to die were given a new start. Dwarfs were invited down from the mountains for they could fare well in the desert as well. Every able body that was willing to make a stand against the Dragon was recruited into this military. And thus is the lore of the Protectors Of The Scale, the imminent Sayers Of The Dragon, and the once King who's given name was never recorded in the history of the lands, for he was only remembered for his new name he took, the name of his future desert Nation, the name of... Dragonscale. And now friends, his ancestors continue the fight... |