Every Dragonraid adventure takes place in a Dick Wulf's world, in the land of Talania, and each game ref usually adds his own twists and turns to that basic setting. I've done extensive work on my world to improve the game where I see fit. (The original Dragonraid's "History of Talania" involved Dragons and their evil creatures coming to the planet on spaceships!) I wanted something more sensible and substantial for my world, but many of Dick's original ideas stand tall. This page is printable, if you want a copy for your gaming records. Here then, is the Cornerstone (grin!) of my game...
 
 
History Lesson

The Book of Beginnings

N THE BEGINNING, the Maker stood with the OverLord of Many Names and stared off into the darkness of Chaos. And the Maker spoke the Word, and out of the mists rose Order. The void burst into starfire, and when the Maker spoke again, the fires receded, and there stood the Glade. The new trees blossomed and bore fruit, and the gentle breeze blew life through the Glade. And the Maker smiled with the rightness of what He had done.

      And at the four corners of the Glade He placed four Guardians, to protect the growing things from the Flames, and they were called the Sons of Morning. The High One said to the Guardians, "I charge you with the protection of my work. I shall create many types of living things here, but the finest of my handiwork will be the races of Man." And when the mountains and streams, the fields and lakes, the soil and sky all were fashioned, the Overlord said: "The Glade is ready. We will give the land over to Man."

      And out of the rocks rose the races of Men, and they made their homes throughout the fresh green world; humans in the meadows, elves in the wood, dwarves deep in the earth, and the gnomes in the hills. They lived together in peace, and the Maker smiled for a time, for His creation was complete.

      But one of the Guardians, Shaitan by name, grew jealous of the Maker's special creation. "We existed before Men," the Guardian spoke to his followers, "the Glade should be ours! Who are these puny new creatures, that the fine green land should be theirs?" But knowing that the Maker loved these things called Men, Shaitan sought to discredit them. If he could tempt the new creatures, certainly the Maker would banish them to the Flames, and give the Glade to Shaitan and his legion as his to rule.

      The wicked spirit called to Man from beyond the edge of the Glade: "Is this all? Sea and stream, field and sky? How can you settle for this? See the fine gifts I will give you!" Shaitan laid his treasures at the edge of the Glade, and the curious races of Man foolishly opened each gift. To the elves, he gave Magic. To the Dwarves, he gave Gold. To the gnomes, he gave Folly. And to the humans, he gave Pride. And the Men fell among themselves arguing which was the greatest gift.

      And when the Maker found what Shaitan had done, He roared: "Foul creature! You who were charged with the protection of my creation have corrupted it!" And with a wave of the Maker's hand, Shaitan was transformed from a creature of Light to the vile, scaly form of the Great Red Dragon, Father of Lies, the Corruptor. His followers were also transformed into lesser Dragons.

      With a second wave, the Maker tore open the Glade where Men dwelt, pushing back the flames until all the Urth crawled with life, and Men were cut off from the Maker. (He placed the Flames of Chaos beyond Man's reach, so that His people would have nothing to do with them.) The weak Dragons were loosed to roam the world. But Shaitan, the Dark One, was banished from the new, green world.

      "You arose from the Flames; dwell there!" the High One said. "You would rule? Rule the land of Smoke and Fire! Be gone!" And the three loyal Guardians bound Shaitan in ropes of gold and cast him into the Flames of Chaos, where he dwells even to this day. 

      Shaitan's Brood knew they could never again set foot in the Eternal Lands of the Maker, and vowed to subdue the world until all would bow down to them. In this time many great battles were fought, and many a bard's tale recalls the valiant struggle. But again, the Dragons came with fine gifts, and those that fought for the Maker all but disappeared. And abroad on the world, Men, weary of the long war with the Dragons, began to listen to the fine lies of Shaitan's Brood, and toiled after even greater gifts. They forgot concern for others, and worked only for ever grander homes, finer clothes, more expensive food. When anyone noticed that they were not truly free, the Dragons declared a day of Feasting, or a Grand Concert, to distract the people. In time, long generations knew only the rule of the Dragons, and forgot the Maker, and His OverLord.

      When the appointed time came at last, the OverLord of Many Names--who some call Aslan, and others call Emmanuel--came to walk among Men. He spoke Words not heard since the Glade rose from the Mists, and across Talania, the largest continent, many thousands who still listened heard His voice. Without even packing clothing or gathering food, these Called-Out ones took to the road. To those who followed Him, the OverLord spoke five great Runes, and the enchantment that held those people was shattered, the scales fell from their eyes, and they saw the Dragons and their petty gifts for what they were. (This was the beginning of the Great Rescue, which continues even to this day among those who must live in the DragonLands, but who follow the OverLord.)

      As the Called-Out ones fled, the OverLord knew He must delay the Dragons to save His people, and that the cost was to be His life. With a flash of the brightest light, He changed into a living wall of turbulent water that engulfed the Dragons. Shaitan's Brood spent all their fire in vaporizing the water, and were left weak and powerless. Knowing their age-old enemy was dead, they laughed in glee. They would take their time, recuperate, and capture the escaped slaves at their leisure!

      Three days later, the Dragons, puffed up with pride at having defeated the Maker's plan, flew aloft to destroy the rebellious slaves. Suddenly, the continent erupted with a mighty roar into a mass of billowing, crumbling rock that rose higher and higher. In this the Dragons saw the hand of their enemy the OverLord whom they thought destroyed. They flew hard in a vain attempt to cross the mountains and capture the fleeing people, but the mountains were too tall and the thin air snuffed their fire and chilled their blood. Shaitan's Brood finally turned back, cursing the name of the OverLord, and vowing to make things all the worse for the Men who remained in the DragonLands.

      To this day, the ones Rescued from the Dragons are called TwiceBorn, and they await the Overlord's return. The refuge He created is known as the Liberated Lands, and many who follow the OverLord and work for His purpose live there. The Lands are protected on one side by the 26,000-foot-tall Peaks of the New Beginning, and on all other sides by the sea and the dense Mist Barrier that the Dragons cannot pass. From this haven, a few brave souls travel to the DragonLands to Rescue the OnceBorn and slay Evil; they are called LightRaiders. Even fewer go to live in the Dark Lands as Salt Warriors.

      And Shaitan, trapped in the Flames of Chaos, still sends his dark Brood out to claw the Urth. Vile magics and enchantments are cast upon Men to trick and mislead them. Evil dark creatures, created by magic and worse, are loosed to plague Men. Even the Talking Animals, the royal creatures made by High One's own hand, are rarely seen abroad in this day. In some distant lands, the OverLord, the True Ruler, is all but forgotten, and the "free" people cannot even see the shadowy chains that clink as they walk.

      At the Academy, those that choose to be LightRaiders study the Sacred Scrolls, listen to the Wise Ones that have gone before, and await the day that they will be called upon to set foot in the DragonLands, to fight the Good Fight.

Here Ends It.

Onward, for the OverLord!

If you want to see about buying the original Dragonraid game, visit the Official Dragonraid Site. To go back to the Inn's Homepage, then Return to the Inn. Click the Guild sign to go to the Player's Guild starter page, or go on ahead to the Next page and learn about the basic rules that make you a Lightraider! 
This site is bravely maintained by Andros, the Aged Elf! This page is © 2009, Andrew Bartmess. DoubleClick on the Mystic Book to the right and Email me!
I last forged the mighty electrons of this page on 1/20/09!