www.dragontide.com
Created by Mark Sinclair
(C)opyright Red Axe Games 2005-2024
www.dragontide.com
Created by Mark Sinclair
(C)opyright Red Axe Games 2005-2024
Dragon Tide is a classic browser-based role playing game where characters explore lands, fight monsters, complete special missions and duel each other in real time combat.
Players are ranked on how efficiently they can fight their way through the game and defeat the ultimate end boss and save the lands from the Dragon Tide. How many fights will you need to win?
*Language considered to be offensive includes common swearing, regardless of whether the sender adds asterisks or other keyboard characters in an attempt to disguise it.
The Executioner will be automatically sent by the game when an offensive word is detected in the chat text.
We hope you enjoy playing Dragon Tide.
The proud race of dwarves have very refined melee combat skills.
| Ability Modifiers | +2 Vitality |
| Skill Modifiers | +1 Attack with an Axe or Hammer |
| Classes | Fighter, Rogue, Cleric |
Elves are a very nimble and fast race. They also have a good magical quality.
| Ability Modifiers | +1 Dexterity, +1 Mana |
| Skill Modifiers | +1 Attack with a Shortbow or Longbow |
| Classes | Fighter, Archer, Mage, Rogue |
Halflings are smaller than most and are especially quick on their feet.
| Ability Modifiers | +1 Dexterity |
| Skill Modifiers | +1 Attack with a Shortbow or Dagger |
| Classes | Archer, Rogue, Warlock |
A standard, well-balanced race.
| Ability Modifiers | +1 Strength |
| Skill Modifiers | +1 Attack |
| Classes | Fighter, Archer, Mage, Rogue, Warlock, Cleric |
Dark Elves are an underground elvish race. Strongly associated with dark magic.
| Ability Modifiers | +1 Mana |
| Skill Modifiers | +1 Magic Attack, +1 on all attacks when underground |
| Classes | Archer, Mage, Rogue, Warlock, Cleric |
A mischevous subterranean race, excelling in stealth and ranged attacks.
| Ability Modifiers | +2 Dexterity |
| Skill Modifiers | - |
| Classes | Archer, Rogue |
An underground race with strong warlike tendencies.
| Ability Modifiers | +1 Strength |
| Skill Modifiers | +1 Attack with Axe, Sword and Crossbow |
| Classes | Fighter, Archer, Cleric |
A powerful, undead race with excellent attack and magical abilities.
| Ability Modifiers | +2 Vitality |
| Skill Modifiers | +1 Defense, +1 Magic Defense |
| Classes | Fighter, Mage, Warlock |
Melee combat style class. Fighters have the toughest armor and the highest health pool in the game which allows them to take a lot of damage.
| Weapons | Staves, Axes, Swords, Hammers |
| Armor | Cloth, Leather, Chain, Plate |
| Races | Human, Dwarf, Elf, Orc, Vampire |
| Hammers | Each point placed into the Hammers skill gives an additional +1 to attack when using a hammer. |
| Swords | Each point placed into the Swords skill gives an additional +1 to attack when using a sword. |
| Axes | Each point placed into the Axes skill gives an additional +1 to attack when using a axe. |
| Critical | Each point placed into the Critical skill gives an additional 1% chance of scoring a critical hit on a foe. |
| Bravery | Each point placed into the Bravery skill increases your magic defense to Scare attempts by 2. |
| Powerblow | Powerblow is an attack option that increases damage but reduces your defense by 5. Each point placed into the Powerblow skill increases the damage done by 1. |
| Whirlwind | Each point in whirlwind increases the chance of having a second attack in any round by 1%. |
| Intensity | Each point placed into the Intensity skill increases the strength bonus to damage by 2.5%. |
| Cleave | Cleave allows you to attack multiple enemies simultaneously. Each point placed into the Cleave skill increases proportion of your regular damage done simultaneously to all enemies by 8%. For example, Cleave skill of 5 would see 40% of your regular damage applied across all enemies. |
| Fortitude | Fortitude boosts your health pool so you can last longer in combat. Each point increases your maximum health by 7. |
Proficient with projectile weapons. Archers typically have higher attack values which allows them to make short work of their opponents.
| Weapons | Shortbows, Longbows, Crossbows |
| Armor | Cloth, Leather, Chain |
| Races | Human, Halfling, Elf, Goblin, Orc, Dark Elf |
| Shortbows | Each point placed into the Shortbows skill gives an additional +1 to attack when using a Shortbow. |
| Longbows | Each point placed into the Longbows skill gives an additional +1 to attack when using a Longbow. |
| Crossbows | Each point placed into the Crossbows skill gives an additional +1 to attack when using a Crossbow. |
| Critical | Each point placed into the Critical skill gives an additional 1% chance of scoring a critical hit on a foe. |
| Dodge | Each point placed into the Dodge skill increases your Reflex ability by 0.35. |
| Heartshot | Heartshot is an attack option that increases damage but reduces your attack. The attack penalty is -4. Each point placed into the skill increases the damage done by 1. The damage bonus starts at +3. |
| Double | Each point in the Double skill increases the chance of having a second attack in any round by 2%. |
| Accuracy | Each point placed into the Accuracy skill increases the dexterity bonus to damage by 2.5%. |
| True Shot | True Shot provides a damage bonus equal to 8 for each point. It takes 4 rounds to recharge. |
| Penetration | Penetration increases critical hit damage by 4% per point. |
A skilled spellcaster. Mages can deliver high damage with potent spells. They receive a +5 attack bonus with wands. They have lower health but they get the job done faster.
| Weapons | Staves, Wands |
| Armor | Cloth only |
| Races | Human, Elf, Dark Elf, Vampire |
| Missile | The Missile spell is the bread and butter spell for Mages. It sends an arcane bolt of magic towards a single victim. The spell can be resisted with magic defense. Each point placed into Missiles increases the average damage by 6.5 points. It also increases the magic consumed by 3 points. |
| Mage Armor | Mage Armor provides extra protection against melee attacks. Each point placed into Mage Armor increases Melee Defense by 3 points for 50 rounds. It also increases the magic consumed by 4 points. Mage Armor will show as an "A+" effect on the wilderness screen. |
| Shockwave | The Shockwave spell sends a wave of magic energy towards a group of victims. The spell can be resisted with magic defense. Each point placed into Shockwave increases the average damage by 5 points. It also increases the magic consumed by 5 points. |
| Penetration | Each point placed into Penetration increases your Magic Attack by 0.5. |
| Boulder | The Boulder spell sends a conjured slab of rock towards a single victim. The boulder can be dodged with reflex but can't be resisted - very useful against foes with a high magic defense. Each point placed into Boulder increases the average damage by 8 points. It also increases the magic consumed by 5 points. |
| Silence | Silence is a potent spell when fighting other spell casters in that it prevents them from casting. Every two points placed in the Silence skill increases the duration of silence by a round. |
| Blink | Blink is a powerful spell that helps the mage escape battles. Each point placed in the Blink skill increases the flee chance by 1. It also increases the magic consumed by 2 points. |
| Magic Shield | Magic Shield provides extra protection against magic attacks. Each point placed into Magic Shield increases Magic Defense by 0.5 points for 40 rounds. It also increases the magic consumed by 4 points. Mage Shield will show as an "S+" effect on the wilderness screen. |
| Arcane Surge | Arcane Surge is a random ability that increases spell damage by 50%. Each point placed into Arcane Surge increases probability of it occurring by 3%. |
| Empowered Surge | Increases surge damage. |
Rogue, thief, scoundrel. Rogues, with their Evade ability, can be the most difficult class to hit in the game. They also have exceptional burst damage with their Death Blow.
| Weapons | Daggers |
| Armor | Cloth, Leather |
| Races | Human, Dwarf, Elf, Halfling, Dark Elf, Goblin |
| Finesse | Each point placed in the Finesse skill increases the Melee Attack by 1 when using daggers. |
| Backstab | Backstab permits the rogue to inflict more damage on the first strike of combat. Each point placed into the Backstab skill increases the damage bonus by 33% |
| Traps | Each point placed into the Traps skill allows the rogue to detect and disarm more sophisticated trapped chests. |
| Stealth | Each point placed into Stealth provides an increase in the Flee ability by 1. |
| Dodge | Each point placed into the Dodge skill increases your Reflex ability by 0.35. |
| Death Blow | Deathblow allows the rogue to study an enemy for 1 or more rounds and then inflict greater damage. Each point placed in the Deathblow skill increases the damage bonus per round by 15%. The damage is capped at 800% of normal. |
| Evade | Evade provides an uncanny knack for avoiding blows during combat. Each point placed into the Evade skill increases the Melee Defense by 1.5. |
| Poison | Adding poison to your attacks increases damage inflicted each round. Each point placed into the Poison skill increases the maximum random damage by 1 point. |
| Detect Secrets | Higher level dungeons feature secret passages, often with hidden treasure. Each point placed in the Detect Secrets skill increases the chance to discover a secret passage automatically by 3 points. |
| Stun | Increases change to auto-stun your enemy. Does not work against other players. |
Healers in mail armor, particularly deadly against undead foes. They have high armor and can heal in combat. They use a combination of Smite and physical attacks to down their foes.
| Weapons | Staves, Hammers |
| Armor | Cloth, Leather, Mail |
| Races | Dwarf, Human, Orc, Dark Elf |
| Hammers | Each point placed into the Hammer skill gives an additional +1 to melee attack when using a Hammer. |
| Smite | Smite sends a column of divine fire down on a single victim. The spell can be resisted with magic defense. Each point placed into Smite increases the average damage by 5.5 points. It also increases the magic consumed by 3 points. |
| Heal | The Heal spell heals the Cleric out of combat. Each point placed into Heal increases the average healing by 20 points. It also increases the magic consumed by 5 points. |
| Stoneskin | Stoneskin provides extra protection against melee attacks. Each point placed into Stoneskin increases Melee Defense by 0.5 points and lasts for 20 hits. It also increases the magic consumed by 4 points. Stoneskin will show as an "A+" armor buff effect on the wilderness screen. |
| Cure | Cure removes poison and curses from the Cleric both in and out of combat. Each point placed in Cure will improve the efficacy of the spell. It also increases the magic consumed by 4 points. |
| Turn Undead | The Turn Undead spell channels damaging energy towards a group of undead, including vampires. A turned creature will take damage and will cower. A cleric has a chance to destroy lower level creatures with a single turn. The spell can be resisted with magic defense. Each point placed into Turn increases the average damage by 8 points. It also increases the magic consumed by 6 points. |
| Mend | The Mend spell heals the Cleric during combat. Each point placed into Mend increases the average healing by 9 points. It also increases the magic consumed by 20 points. |
| Penetration | Each point placed into Penetration increases your Magic Attack by 0.5. |
| Sacrifice | Sacrifice is a finishing move that does great damage to a single foe. However, if the enemy is not killed by the Sacrifice spell then the Cleric also takes the damage. Note that Sacrifice only works on the final foe in a multi-foe group. Each point placed into Sacrifice increases the average damage by 10 points. It also increases the magic consumed by 3 points. |
| Combat Regeneration | Auto-heals a small amount each combat round. |
Masters of dark, demonic magic. Specialists in curses, afflictions, fire and shadow. Warlocks are made for battle, with more base vitality and dexterity than most other spellcasters.
| Weapons | Staves, Daggers |
| Armor | Cloth only |
| Races | Human, Halfling, Dark Elf, Vampire |
| Shadowblast | The Shadowblast spell sends an orb of shadow magic towards a single victim and is considered the standard spell for Warlocks. The spell can be avoided with reflex. Each point placed into Shadowblast increases the average damage by 5 points. It also increases the magic consumed by 2 points. |
| Affliction | Affliction is a powerful hex that does damage to a single enemy each round while it is in effect. Damage equals 20% of your character level per round. The spell can be resisted with magic defense. Each point placed into Affliction increases the mana cost by 7 and the length of time by an additional round. |
| Hellfire | Hellfire sends a wave of magical flame towards a group of victims. The spell can be resisted with magic defense. Each point placed into Hellfire increases the average damage by 4 points. It also increases the magic consumed by 4 points. |
| Shadow Focus | Each point placed into Shadow Focus increases your Magic Attack by 0.5 and your Magic Defense by 0.4. |
| Vampiric Touch | Vampiric touch drains the life force from an enemy and heals the attacker. The spell can be resisted with magic defense. Each point placed into Vampiric Touch increases the average damage and healing by 3 points. It also increases the magic consumed by 5 points. |
| Curse | Curse places a standard curse on your enemy that reduces their melee attack by 3, ranged attack by 3, magic attack by 4 and melee defense by 3. A single curse affects all enemies. Each point placed in the Curse skill increases the duration of the curse by a round and increases the mana cost by 8. |
| Dark Armor | Dark Armor provides extra protection against melee attacks. Each point placed into Dark Armor increases Melee Defense by 3 points for 50 rounds. It also increases the magic consumed by 4 points. Dark Armor will show as an "A+" effect on the wilderness screen. |
| Shadow Power | Each point placed in Shadow Power increases the Warlock’s Shadowblast, Vampiric Touch, Hellfire and Doom damage by 1%. |
| Doom | The Warlock becomes attuned to the cyclical energies of the shadow plane and harnesses these energies to cast Doom on an enemy. Doom is a special curse that builds up and becomes available every 6 attack rounds. It allows the Warlock to unleash great energy when it is fully charged. Each point placed into Doom increases the damage of Doom by 9 and mana cost by 4. |
| Dread | Does a small amount of damage to all enemies each round. Cannot be resisted. Each point placed in dread delivers 1 point per round of damage. |
You will begin the game located outside a city. Use the arrow buttons to move into the city. The Hunt option is to search around the immediate area for enemies. The Rest option will replenish health and magic points at 4x the normal rate and is used to recover health and magic after battle.
Once in the city you should assign your Stat Point by clicking on Stats. A stat point is earned each time you go up a level and should be assigned to improve your class skills. Your stat point ability limit will increase as you progress through the realms.
Next visit the Store to purchase a weapon. If you have any gold left you may wish to purchase some armor. It is important to equip your weapon and armor. You do this by clicking on Inventory and then selecting the "Equip" option for your item.
Now, you are ready to collect your missions. Click Missions and special missions will be displayed where you are eligible. Some missions may not appear until you reach a certain level so check back with the mission officer regularly. Your first mission is to post a letter. Click on "Claim Reward" to complete that mission. A new mission will be available at the bottom of the mission screen. Click on "Accept" to accept the new mission.
Once you have a new mission select Enter Wilderness and fight.
Other useful tips:
You may duel another player in the Arena. The Arena is located in most major cities. To begin a duel, click on a player that is within 3 levels of your own. They need to be in the city to be available for a duel. The opponent must accept your duel invitation before the duel will commence. Players that win a duel will receive 1 clan point and duel points equal to the sum of the levels of the players that have battled + 50% bonus. Those that lose the duel will receive duel points equal to the sum of the levels. There is no penalty for death in the Arena! Special items can be purchased by high ranking duelists by visiting the Barracks at Fort Brax (Axbury) or The Armory (The Undercore).
Clans may be formed and joined throughout the game. There is a maximum limit of 30 characters per clan. As a member of a clan you are entitled to 30% discount off the price when purchasing healing potions.
Clan Points are awarded as follows:
| Action | Clan Points |
|---|---|
| Defeat a monster or opponent greater than 2 levels below your own | +1 |
| Increase level | +4 |
| Open a large treasure chest | +2 |
| Claim a bounty | +7 |
| Win a duel against an opponent | +1 |
| Death against a monster | -4 |
| Death by The Executioner | -10 |
Clans with zero active clan members will be automatically deleted from the game.
There are 4 membership levels - applicant, standard member, approver and leader. Approvers may approve new clan member applications. Leaders can also promote, demote and remove clan members.
Players apply to join clans via the "Join Clan" option in the Tavern. Clan leaders approve clan member applications and manage clan membership via their specific Clan ranking page in the Tavern/Rankings and then select your clan via the drop-down. Scroll to the far right for admin functions.
Warning: Clan leaders can demote other clan leaders and remove clan members. It is highly recommended to have only a small number of clan leaders in any clan and to ensure that all clan leaders are fully trusted.
Special rewards are available to the entire clan as the clan’s total active clan points increase.
| Clan Qualifier | Reward for all clan members |
|---|---|
| 1,000 clan points | Clan Cleric (Automatically cured and healed to full after every successful duel) |
| 5,000 clan points | Stamina Shrine (+4 carrying capacity) |
| 15,000 clan points | Fountain of Vitality (+2 Vitality) |
| 30,000 clan points | Academy (+1 Melee, Ranged and Magic Attack) |
| 60,000 clan points | Sanctuary (+1 Melee Defense, +5% poison and fire resistance) |
| 200,000 clan points | Evasion (+1 Reflex) |
You can whisper to others in chat (so that it cannot be seen by others) by entering the following chat text:
$targetname:Message
For example, to whisper Hello to a character named Cedric, you would type:
$cedric:Hello
You can move into a private channel by typing:
$move:xxxx (where xxxx is a four digit number greater than 0010)
You can ignore players for the remainder of your session by typing:
$ignore:playername
You can cancel all ignores by typing:
$ignore:off
You can add links to items in chat by typing:
[itemname]
In game mail is deleted after 30 days. Items attached to mail will be lost after this period.
Some missions are repeatable and these will reset each day at midnight UTC.
The game features portals to allow for fast travel. Portals can be found in selected cities. You will need a portal rune to access a specific portal and these can be purchased from the Store from various cities in the game.
Mounts expand your bag space and reduce the outdoor encounter rate allowing you to move much more freely. Mounts can be purchased from Stanton or Zuramar depending on your faction.
Powerful dragonsteel items can be purchased in most stores. These special items, shown as golden in color, can be mailed to other characters on your account via the notice system.
Inactive level 1 characters will be auto-deleted after 2 years of inactivity. If you have a level 1 bank character then be sure to play them reguarly or get them to a higher level.
Game Masters patrol the game to maintain order and fair play within the game. Game Masters may send The Executioner (Level 99 assassin) to slay players that breach rules of the game. Game Masters may also permanently silence or lock players that are being disruptive of offensive.
Strength determines your ability to hit in melee (hand-to-hand) combat. Each point in Strength increases your Melee Attack by 0.25. It is a particularly valuable stats for Fighters.
Dexterity contributes to your Reflex which helps to avoid missile attacks such as thrown boulders. Each point of Dexterity adds 0.11 points to your Reflex score. Dexterity determines the ability to hit for Archers and Rogues, with each point in Dexterity adding 0.25 to Attack for these classes.
Vitality is a measure of your physical constitution and determines your maximum Health. Each point of Vitality adds 5 points to your maximum health. Vitality is critical for all players since it allows characters to last longer in fights, reducing the frequency of death and allowing higher level enemies to be fought and hence, faster advancement! Your health regenerates at 3.3% of your maximum health per normal move. This is further increased with the Regeneration skill.
Mana is a reflection of your magical ability. Each point of mana increases magical attack by 0.25 and magic defense by 0.33. It also increases your magic point pool by 5. Your magic points regenerate at 3.3% of your mana pool per normal move.
Armor Factor reduces the chance of you being hit in combat from physical attacks. Every 11 points in Armor Factor adds 1 to your defense.
The game uses simple attack Vs defense type calculations to determine whether an attack is successful and uses a random 1-20 roll. For example, an attacker has an attack score of 10 and the defender has a defense score of 20. When an attack is made, the game chooses a random number for the attack between 1-20. In this example, if the attack roll is 9 or less then the attack will miss, if it is 10 or greater, then the attack will hit. This applies equally to melee attacks, ranged attacks and spells. Note that spells use Magic Attack values for attacking and either Magic Defense or Reflex values for the defender depending on the type of spell. Melee attacks also have some extra rules. An attack roll of 20 is a guaranteed hit. An attack roll of 1 is a guaranteed miss. This does not apply to magical spells.
Afraid (Feared) - Some enemies cause fear which will temporarily reduce your Melee & Ranged Attack by 5 and reduce your Melee Defense by 3. Fear will subside during a battle.
Blinded - Some enemies can blind you which will temporarily reduce your Melee Attack by 3, Ranged Attack by 6 and reduce your Melee Defense and Reflex by 4. Blindness also reduces your ability to flee from battle. Blindness will subside during a battle.
Cursed - A curse will reduce your Melee and Ranged Attack by 3, your Magical Attack by 4 and reduce your Melee Defense by 3. It can be removed by a "Remove Curse" spell or may dispel after some time. It is shown by a "C" next to your health score.
Encumbered – Players that have collected items in excess of their bag space will become encumbered. It is shown by an "ENC" on the wilderness screen. Encumbered players will move more slowly in the game, attractive far more encounters along the way. It is best to sell items to increase your bag space if you become encumbered. Buying a mount at the Stables in your starting city will increase your bag space. Note that potions don't consume any bag space so you can safely stock up on them.'
Poisoned - Poison will remain in your system for several rounds and inflict damage each round. Poison will gradually subside over time. Poison can be removed with a "Cure Poison" spell. It is shown by a "P" next to your health score.
Silenced - A silenced character cannot cast any spells. Silence will subside during a battle.
Stunned or Turned - A stunned or turned character cannot act for 1 round.
Webbed - A webbed player cannot flee from combat and takes a -4 penalty to reflex.
Barton City is the home to the workshop where you may learn a profession. You need to produce items to increase your profession skill. Higher skills will unlock more powerful item recipes. Available professions:
Weaponsmith - Can produce a variety of swords, hammers, daggers and axes.
Tailor - Can produce cloaks and cloth armor.
Leatherworker – Can produce leather armor.
Armorsmith – Can produce mail and plate armor.
In a way, it was the dragons that created the Twelve Kingdoms.
Before the dragons came these lands had no name. There were no kingdoms, only tribal lands, dominions and territories by the score. It was an uneasy balance - a balance borne from conflict. For hundreds of years, borders advanced and retreated; borders carved by armies and marked with the blood of the vanquished. Smaller territories were swallowed by larger ones, which grew into empires, which collapsed soon enough into fragments, only to be swallowed once again.
Before the dragons came the people of these lands – whether halfling or human, man or beast; tall, stooped, wicked or fair – knew only their own kin. They did not see this great continent as we do today: a vast continent surrounded on all sides with endless ocean, a continent of many people and many climates, wheeling around the Cynosan mountains and the two opposing islands that today we call Axbury and Castel. They saw no continent at all, no lands beyond the ones conquered by their own people.
It was balance borne from conflict, yes, but it was balance that harbored life. Between these cracks of cruelty, life was good. It was a world in which the strong and the fortunate could always have thrived.
But the dragons came, and the world was changed forever.
Whether they came from across the oceans or from up in the skies nobody knows; few of us had even seen an ocean, and we cared little to look up. Nevertheless it was the skies – the only thing our divided continent did share - that announced their arrival. In it we saw the approaching formations of massive shapes with snaking heads and gleaming scales. From it we heard the chorused beating of air torn across serrated wings. And on the ground we saw the fire; we heard the screams - screams of men, women and children as everything beneath the dread flock was consumed in molten breath.
They arrived without warning, destroyed without reason, and in a divided land no army was large enough to stand against them. Within months of their arrival, the dragons held these lands in the grip of one claw, and the terrified hearts of its people in another. Faced with this slaughter, many leaders sought audience with the dragons to seek a truce or to surrender – anything to save their people from extinction. In doing so, the leaders discovered that the deadliest aspect of a dragon is not its claws or breath, but its mind.
To see a dragon was terror. To stand in a dragon’s path was death. But to listen to a dragon was to be corrupted by its dark heart forever. Too ancient, powerful and proud to be lead, even by another dragon, these beings worked only for their own benefit. They saw the world in a way we never had – from above – and from here they exerted their power. They had learned the patterns, cycles and tides of life, and could with words alone gently twist one soul, one belonging to a creature of influence – a leader. That soul could influence another, and another until the resulting cascade from the dragon above had changed an entire region.
The leaders pleaded for peace and the dragons agreed, but in exchange each dragon established itself as the lord of a territory, with its people as the dragon’s subjects. With this truce – this slavery – the dragons had readied their great game: for they had come to fight a war among one another, and this land and its people were the board and the pieces on which they had chosen to fight.
For two generations, the people knew nothing but endless war as able-bodied men were forced to fight battles they cared little about. Halflings, kobolds, elves, trolls – all were flung cruelly onto the spears of another unwilling army, again and again until not one survivor remained. In the great game of their cold-hearted lords anything less than complete destruction was a failure. We died by the thousands, by our own hands, as the dragons played their cruel and unexplainable game.
But from our slavery came hope. As we served the dragons, we learned their secrets. We saw how they controlled us, learning how to look into the souls of others and find the words that move them to action. We learned how they saw the world from above, as a whole continent with many people, land and riches. With this knowledge we saw that a peaceful future was possible. It was a future of trade and cooperation, and a future without dragons.
Twelve were bold enough to risk fiery wrath and unite their people. With the knowledge stolen from the dragons, they started with an idea, which grew and traveled through the hearts of the people and became a movement, until it had traveled the entire continent, swelled and became an army. Twelve leaders and twelve armies gathered and marched upon the lava fields of the southern lands, now known as the Draconic Rift, which were under the rule of the great wyrm Neostraaza. They pushed aside any resistance, laid siege to Neostraaza’s lair and slew her.
With the death of one dragon, the others came, and they brought with them any armies still loyal to them. The dragon armies were mostly bestial races: kobolds, orcs and trolls, either too lost to bloodlust or too wretched to resist their slavery. On the lava plains of the Draconic Rift the endgame of dragon rule was fought. Man, beast and dragon fell to earth, but eventually the twelve armies – pawns no more – were victorious.
Defeated and disgraced, the remaining dragons were called to stand before the twelve leaders and ordered to leave the continent. Which they did, but not before Aralusael, who had ruled the island we call Castel, offered his grim curse: "Hear my words, creatures, your victory will come at a price. We may depart, but the arms you have taken to banish us can never be cast away. And for this reason your lands will quake with our memory, your souls will bear the wounds of our existence, and whenever you search for an answer to all that is terrible in this world we will still be here."
With the people victorious and the dragons cast out, the Twelve Kingdoms were born. With no more stomach for war, nobody wanted to battle for control of the entire continent. Instead the twelve leaders were true to their word, becoming sovereign over the lands they had gathered their armies from. Soon enough cities, towns and villages were rebuilt with the aid of goods traded from all ends of the continent. Borders were drawn and kept. There was trade and there was peace.
The monstrous races resumed their feudal habits, scattered across the lands in the same unstable territories as they had before. We will never forget that although they suffered as much as us under dragon rule, they fought against us on the plains of the Ancient Battlefield. Enlightened as we now are, this is something we can never bring ourselves to forgive.
It was a hundred years ago that we cast away the dragons and since then the lands have never seen so much peace. Their memory remains in the words of Aralusael’s curse; perhaps he was wrong, for we have found much prosperity with the words of a dragon. But perhaps he was right, because still we are watchful for their return. We glance at the sky with their memory, and we watch the oceans for a day they bear another great dragon tide.
Benjamin G. Smyth
Chief Historian
Hall of Records, Barton City