“Today, we sleep. Our time is yet to come. Soon, the Prince will return. Thus our reckoning shall ensue.”
- - White Seer
The Earth Drakes, also known as Dheghomkelodhros, are one of the True Kelodhros races of Koldenwelt, linked to Colossus Arddraigr.
History[]
The Earth Drakes are one of the eldest races that inhabit Koldenwelt, having come to existence along with the rest of the True Kelodhros 300,000 years ago in the land that was once called Korodis and is now Abyssus. The first and the greatest of them, supposedly birthed by Koldenwelt's soil itself, was Korddraigen, the Old Colossus of Earth - a wise, divine being with a connection to the land itself and life on it. Thanks to her guidance, the Earth Drakes did not see other, smaller races as enemies but instead as kin, unlike their more barbaric, violent cousins such as the Fire Drakes or the Sand Drakes, and aided them in their war against Caligaduro Provectus. They had a particular liking for those species that lived underground or had a great affinity with the earth, like the Ordnung or the Sohet.
After the denizens of the Void were defeated and Caligaduro sealed in the depths of Koldenwelt, most Earth Drakes returned to Korodis to hold vigil over the dark presence that still lingered there after Caligaduro's defeat - coming from the old fortresses of the demon god such as Osdaemonis - and to prevent it from spreading. They were also tasked by Korddraigen to watch over her other scions, the dimunitive Klaxxa, who at that point were a young, primitive species, a far cry from their modern glory. It is said that many citadels in Abyssus, currently under Shiarchon control, were in fact built by the Earth Drakes and their junior cousins, later repurposed and restructured by the Legion.
Not even Korddraigen herself, however, could protect the Earth Drakes when the might of the Legion of the Shiarchon descended upon Korodis, drawn by the same dark energies that they seeked to contain. In less than a month, thousands of Earth Drakes and countless Klaxxa were brutally slaughtered by the fallen elven warriors - including the Colossus of Earth herself. With her last dying breath, Korddraigen put all of her remaining essence and energy into an egg - an egg that would later become the new Colossus of Earth, Arddraigr - and told her children to flee Korodis and hide until her scion reaches maturity. Thus the surviving Earth Drakes spread all over the world, from the Northern Wastes to the Tropical Lands, from the highest peaks of the Everwinter Highlands to the deepest reaches of Ar-Klith.
Today, the legendary children of Korddraigen are rare, mythical creatures. Ancient, powerful and as indominable as stone itself, they do not bother themselves with the affairs of mortals, waiting until their day of reckoning when they would rise and banish Caligaduro once and for all.
Characteristics[]
Biology[]
To a man not well-versed in the anatomy of the dragons, an Earth Drake may appear to be nothing more than a golem, an animated statue or even a very odd-looking rock (when they are sleeping); their hide is craggy and hard, like stone in texture, and large gemstones, crystals and even chunks of ore grow on their bodies. In places where this earthy carapace is broken, bright glowing Source energy begins seeping from their bodies in some cases resembling lava. However, underneath that rocky exterior, the mighty wyrms are in fact made of flesh and blood like other Kelodhros. Unlike the other True Kelodhros, Earth Drakes vary greatly in terms of colour and appearance, and take on the characteristics of the land they live in; those of them that live in highlands usually have lighter hides, like mountain bedrock, whereas those living underground may be tougher and have dark, ashen carapaces with lava-like blood.
Without their natural armour, Dheghomkelodhros bear great resemblance to Klaxxa Matriarchs, albeit more massive. This leads many scholars to believe that Klaxxa are in fact a degenerate, dimunitive subspecies of the Earth Drakes, having lost their massive size and affinity with the earth through a series of mutations. This theory is endorsed by Ar-Klith's very own scientists, eager to relate themselves with such mighty and revered creatures. It should also be noted that Earth Drakes do not seem to possess sexual dimorphism, and have not been known to reproduce; it is believed by many that Korddraigen was in fact the only female member of the species, and without her, they are slowly dying out.
Behaviour[]
An average Earth Drake does not require much to survive. They do not need to eat or drink often, and possess no incentives to destroy like their fiery cousins or to hoard precious metals (why collect something you are composed of?) like the dragons of the Sea of Sand. Because of this, as well as because of their fierce reverence of their fallen matriarch whose last will commanded them to wait for her scion to fully mature, the Earth Drakes are fairly passive, calm creatures, who spend most of their time dormant or guarding powerful magical relics too dangerous for "younger races" - that is, almost everyone who isn't an Earth Drake - to control. While generally benevolent towards mortals (if unwilling to communicate to them in anything other than short, laconic sentences that are usually either threats or warning., an Earth Drake can be a terrible foe if aggravated. Although not possessing the burning rage of the Fire Drakes, they are quite stubborn, and those who have wronged them will probably be hunted for the rest of their lives.
Abilities[]
Earth Drakes are among the strongest and most resilient draconic races; their stony hide is impenetrable to most weapons and can only be broken by powerful magic, explosives, or creatures as large as themselves, while their strength is great enough to crush entire buildings with ease. However, it also means that they are extremely heavy, and thus do not possess the speed and agility of the other True Drakes. They also cannot fly, despite having wings. Much like the other dragons, Earth Drakes possess magical breath; in their case, it takes form of black, smoke-like mist that quickly crystallises and petrifies the flesh of those that come into contact with it, turning them into statues.
Individuals[]
“In principio temporis Coldenveltum pūrum pācāleque fuit, sed ipsum prōtegere non potuit. Suae fīlia et sui custos sum, prōtegēns sui pulchritūdinem. (At the beginning of time, Koldenwelt was pure, peaceful - yet, it could not protect itself. I am its daughter and guardian, here to protect its beauty.”
- Name - Korddraigen
- Affiliation - None
- Status - Destroyed
Korddraggren was the Old Colossus of Earth, representing the Koldenwelt soil's stability and fertility. Considered a mother of the Klaxxa race, Korddraggren was a benevolent and serene being, concerned with maintaining peace in what she percieved as her realm - which was, effectively, the entire Koldenwelt. Possessing tremendous power, she was arguably one of the most powerful Old Colossi, having control of all earth in Koldenwelt, even if she wasn't willing to use this control's full potential, as being connected to earth made her feel all its pain.
Korddraggren was destroyed in the ancient times by the evil of Caligaduro Provectus, but left a descendant, called Arddraigr, who now inherits her domain over Koldenwent's soil as the Prince of Earth. The matriarch of the Kelodhrosin general, she is worshipped by many draconic species, such as the Klaxxa and the Draonoggr.
“Thou hast scourged the world long enough, Mother-Slayer. Even in the world of dreams, I feel thy stench taint my cradle. Whence stone suffereth me to rise, thy reign shall end once and for all.”
- Name - Arddraigr
- Affiliation - None
- Status - Sleeping
Arddraigr, called the Prince of Earth, was created out of the pieces of Korddraigren's body preserved by the ancient Klaxxa and seeded in the volcanic caves of Ar-Klith, and as such inherits her power over the Koldenwelti soil - but not her stoic and serene nature. Representing the earth's fury and power, Arddraigr is far more quick to act, and controls more violent aspects of earth - as such, his body is formed from magma and molten metal and radiates a fiery aura. Still, Arddraigr is a being fighting on the side of good, and much like his mother he will go to great lengths to protect Koldenwelt and its denizen from all threats.
Arddraigr has been noted for its seeming omnipresence, having been seen all over Koldenwelt - from the arctic wastes of Gorthuron to the southern deserts of Abyssus - but always remains submerged into the ground. The reason for this is that he is still a young Colossus, and as such hasn't completed his growth yet. There are rumours that if Arddraigr will mature, he will become even more powerful than his mother - in fact, powerful enough to challenge the Colossus of Darkness itself - and, quite probable, banish it again.
“Humans. Stubborn. Elves. Decadent. Dragonlings. Petty. Desert snakes. Greedy.”
- Name - Gwyndewin
- Affiliation - None
- Status - Active
Just you wait.
Notes[]
Quotes[]
“Antiquated. They have no place in the Koldenwelt of our time.”
“Angelic creatures...”
“Huge... rocky... dragons... MIKKO HAS BROTHERS!”
“They are said to remember the times of the Colossi. If only they were willing to talk with us...”
“Stone is crude. Stone does not feel. Stone is dead.”
- - Serani
“Beneath the dead rock there is life to rot.”
“Sand and earth are more closely related than they wish to believe.”
- - Vixaatus
“A pitiful form of life. Only the sun prevails.”
- - Longinus
“The brothers of the Prince of Fire and Fury are lesser but still revered amongst our kind, for they are the mountains and the hills given the breath of life.”
“Oh fantastic, Dragons that can hide as hills. What next?”
