Dragons are known throughout the mythologies of many cultures by many names: amphipteres, serpents, würms, guivres, nicors, wyverns, ormes, drakes, etc. The dragons call their won race the Draconis. The draconis are the gigantic, magical reptilian creatures of legend... but far, far more. Long before the Reign of Man, the draconis ruled the earth as the progenitors of Nature, born themselves of some cosmic proto-deity. Over millenia the draconis mastered the very elements from which they themselves were made, and with the refinement and evolution of their own powers, the draconis became the creators of other life forms - from simple amoebas to intricate rain forests - and the overseers of evolution. Eventually the draconis created the Dinosaurs: creatures made in their own image, but these creatures were eventually destroyed by a comet that hit the Yucatan peninsula. Much later on, lesser creatures called primates proved most like the draconis in essence, if not in form. It was the more advanced primates who became the favored adoptees of the draconis. The draconis used selective breeding and magick on these hominids, mutating them into an early human race called the Adapans.

The draconis loved the adapans and rewarded them with many gifts, the greatest of which were the Dragon Cities which were the backbone of antediluvian civilization. From the adapans arose the Merodachs, the first human immortals, and the draconis granted them rule over their cities. The vain draconis loved their adopted merodachian children, but they loved the power of eternal worship as gods even more. Some draconis became harsh rulers who demanded sacrifice or religious worship.

Eventually a secret society arose among the merodachs, calling themselves the Sons of Belial, named after the Leviathan (draconis-demon) which aided them. The conspirators led an uprising of all the merodachs and overthrew their dragon-masters. The draconis, never expected such betrayal, were slow to react and disorganized, but despite this, still managed to destroy many of the merodachs. The draconis destroyed their cities curing the event known as the Cataclysm, killing almost all the merodachs and adapans. Those who survived fled to the secret corners of the world.

During the uprising, most draconis either succumbed to the human rebels or escaped the earthly dimension, vowing they would return one day for vengeance. Many draconis hid on earth, most likely by falling into the Dragonsleep after expending their energies fighting the merodachs. These sleeping draconis were later tracked down and slaughtered by dragonslayers. Some of the Sons of Belial used leviathan magicks to steal and consume the souls of the draconis they slew, transforming themselves into dread monsters known as Azhi Dehaka.

Few waking draconis remain on earth today, perhaps less than a dozen. Long ago the draconis learned to mask themselves as adapans, so they could walk among their mortal worshippers. Earthly draconis now maintain human forms, rarely showing their true draconic nature, due to the magickal strain and eminent danger in doing so. About half the earthly dragons have acquired massive temporal power, while the rest live in simple, reclusive moderation within their lairs.

Draconis are not very impressive to the eye in adapan form, yet they are super-strong, near-invulnerable, resistant to magick, and possess the most developed sense of all earthly creatures. In draconic form, they are mighty to behold - even the most ancient eldritch tremble at the sight of them.