I think it would be a good start to post the log of Master Ultrion VII. I guess not every one has read it yet. As far as I know, at least Daeron and Ayla have a copy so everyone there can borrow it and browse through.
To those of legend and lore, to fully piece together the story of Dracan Morninglight has become an obsession in the arts. It is said that the story of this mighty warrior, to those who have been blessed by its entirety, have shed an enlightening perspective in their lives, so powerful, that they come to be known as great leaders of their time.
The pieces of such work tend to spring about every other decade, turning the reader to such interest that they become enchanted by the legend. A life's quest to understand this person who is now known by very few, but whose story surely should be for all to know.
Yet lest the reminiscing rest for now, shall the idle mind be lost in trying to captivate the motives of a lost story and not attending duty by explaining what is known.
Very few things are known about Dracan Morninglight, yet the most amusing of unknown facts is the lack of gender to the mighty warrior.
At first the logical mind would affirm such a name to be a man. Current traditions would indicate that such a name is clear of a male heritage. Assumed intonations on the second syllable and the lack of an ending A, inmediately brings the reader upon the wrongful conclusion that Dracan was such. This deliberation however must be disregarded as false simply due to the fact of time and setting of this story.
To those interested, it is vital and important to understand that the Journals of Leremoth Vandelain were pinpointed to cataclysmic era. In this notations it was particulary clear that human namings were pieced together from either family traditions or intended training, most important however, the names managed to completely disregard sex at times. Thus in the annals recorded by Sir Vandelain, one of the most notorious sources of Morninglight's history, the hero's gender is always kept unknown.
It is however, not unheard of, or researchers to have tried to determine the truthfulness behind the man or woman in the story. Such basic fact some researchers value as important, yours truly understands that glory does not come from your ability to bear or not children, but rather the mettle of self determination. Yet for recording's sakeit is a duty to inscribe upon this pages the evidence presented for the argument of each side of the coin.
As proposed by one Richard Nolarium, fellow scholar and investigator of the Morninglight saga, evidence leading to a male heritage is firmly implanted on the connations of the story. Dracan was a mighty warrior and a leader. Pre-cataclysmic cultures were normally regarded to be patriarchal in nature, thus a leader of the time could only be realistic when considered as a male. Yet even without Morninglight's charismatic leader qualities, "his" might and fervor in battle is a clear indicator that it indeed was a he. Training and resistance for one whose claimed deeds challenge much of the physical realms are truly the province of men. Nolarium goes further to ascertain his writings, insisiting upon the fact that Morninglight's Cuirass, "Talon Breaker", was not designed to allow for any space of the female qualities.
Such arguments are normally accepted by the hystorical community as enough proof to veritably confirm Dracan's sexuality. Yet this humble servant of knowledge understands that such assumptions lead to shameful realities. Thus I took it upon myself to further assess the facts presented to counter the argument made by my dear friend Richard.
As Vandelain's journal presents us, naming was done by tradition and the intended training of the recipient. This statement implies one simple fact that yet to this day has been opposed. The fact that if gender was disregarded on naming, the "destiny", for a lack of better term, of the individual thus was not limited to the organs on their bodies. Truly, our records of the times before the earth breathed are extremely limited, this does not mean that the same priciples we hold today today need apply for them. Thus by this simple fact the gender of our hero cannot be set in stone. Furthermore, the patriarchal nature of these cultures are limited to the fact that the father unit in the family has been confirmed to be protrayed with more regularity on paintings found near the old Swordrust-Orlbar dwarven ruins. This by no means can be held as firm evidence seeing as in todays time we constantly portay women for aesthetic reasons. Even more so, to limit leadership qualities to the male figure borders on ignorance and complete disregard to the current figures of power, The Seven Sisters being one of the most notorious examples. Yet to conclude this analysis, which regards the design of The Talon Breaker, if such warrior indeed was a martially oriented as the legends tell, then normal physical knowledge takes place, that an active female body is less endowed in such aspects and a slimmer version of the standard Cuirass was completely possible.
Thus it falls upon my duty for our hero to remain genderless until conclusive evidence is presented, or the missing pages of the "Battle on Three Peaks" are found.
Now to further the confusion upon Dracan Morninglight's legend, it is imperative that the place of origin of such a mighty hero is evaluated.
According to Vandelain's notes one thing is consistent in all of the finds made regarding the legend. That which is the fact that Morninglight fought to protect and safe what he or she called Homeland.
What we do know, or can easily conclude, is that the hero's "home" was located in what now is the continent of Mistone. The precataclysmic geographical composition of the continent has been proven to not have changed much, at least in comparison to the great catastrophe that was The Roughlands. Hence we "narrow" our search of the history of such a glorious warrior to a rather peaceful environment.
Much to the ironic sense history happens to constantly strive for, the lack of violence experienced in Mistone when compared to other continents has actually server to dig the secrets Morninglight held even deeper. Other continent's folklore has flourished tremendously by the constant fights performed in the land, fights which more than often spring ancient fountains of historical treasure. To emphasize this fact furthermore, the last time a major development was made in fully compiling the Morninglight's Journeys was when the tunnels used by the Dark Elves in the 834 invasion of Port Hampshire were cleared of threats.
The body of our esteemed Lady Francine Diamoniar, was found with Sir Leremoth Vandelain's lost journals, a find attributed to her uncanny skills at ancient archeology.
The journal was found in the rather well-known underdark entrance residing deep within the Sielwood Forest. Vandelain and his party had been falsely led to believe that ruins pertaining the Morninglight mystery had been uncovered, this all unfortunately led to the demise of the entire party and Vandelain's journal falling unto drow hands. How Lady Francine Diamoniar managed to recover it, is to this day a mystery.
Thereupon we come to the conclusion of Morninglight's origin by linking Vandelain's journals to the one firm thread that verifies the hero's existence. This of course which I refer now is the Ancient Derobarrad Plaque of Inscription. To quote the ancient runes we have been able to translate that refer to Dracan Morninglight I inscribe upon these pages their contents:
"Thus by mightest on light and shine, thy Morninglight, fiercest of all in quality and perseverance, thy Morninglight.
Upon rusting mountains, leading henceforth legions against Winged terror, Dracan Morninglight, name not forgotten shall ever be, for in might of hero led the Winged to ground.
King and Queen much obliged such eternal plaques will forever mention stalwart deeds of eternal light."
Yet even with such defining documents, evidence of passage made by Morninglight has spread far and wide and definite pinpointing to the more precise whereabouts of such magnificent hero's birthplace has proven to be extremely difficult. Such difficulty is increased by the lack of reliability some of the sources have proven to be. The glory of uncovering a new piece in the Morninglight saga is one that not only is viewed as a lifetime achievement, but it also accounts for a substatial monetary reward by those who wish the knowledge.
Many have been the great deeds accounted to Morninglight. Some records have shown of amazing acts of heroism that to this day seem unmatched, yet the clearest and most renowned deed is what set this hero apart from all else, The Battle of The Clawed Heavens.
This once famous, now obscure battle, is where this mind boggling saga began, where the Morninglight name became known. Set upon warlike times a few years before the cataclysm when the mountain around the world began to give telltales signs of the menace to come those beasts who lived within them seeked refuge in safer places.
Indeed the lizard kind had been reduced in great numbers, yet not to the degree that we live to this day. Dragonkin were still known and many both terrified and helped those who listened. It was rare, but it was not unheard of.
Knowing of the change the world was going to have in a few years, the kings of old began moving from their cavernous lairs seeking places that at times were occupied by other kingdoms or even others of their owen kind. Such was the land where Morninglight grew up in.
Yet unlike other stages around Layonara, in which small conflicts occured for such spaces and were quickly ended, either a good or bad outcome, the lands in which our hero lived were victim to the assault of a dire creature. A mighty chromatic that was held in both fear and respect, the remnants of an old king of an advanced society in which he ruled. However, his kingdom reduced simply meant his temper was shorter, his strength just awaiting on healthy prey.
And such it was that upon a dark night, a dark angel setting talons upon readid armies chaos and death was to conquer the battlefield. Hundreds upon hundreds of legions of terrified soldiers fell to spell, claws and elements, the great King of the skies conguered. There was nothing stopping him far from a miracle of a merciful god. Then perhaps that is what happened when the tides turned.
It is said that as the sun rose from a hill that eventually became the Sword Rust Mountains. A mighty hero stood against the shimmering light that spill forth like rivers of divine flame. A figure strapped in magical scales that protected the hero from the weapons of their enemy.
A mighty lance readied against that which befouled the land and a broad curved blade that extended half the length of Dracan's body was strapped behind strong shoulders.
The Dragon saw his mark and was drawn to it as a fell hyena to the seemingly weak prey. This was no gazelle, although agile as one, the figure that stood before the terror of the skies was a creature fueled by purpose.
Having been misled by the enemies of the kingdom, Dracan had missed the initial onslaught and was now bent on vengeance and retribution. There was nothing that would stand before this hero, not even Winged Death. And so it came that upon the blood of brothers and sister, Morninglight was to fight for the kingdom which had given the hero so much.
It was a slaughter. There was no doubt of that. The battle between the two was so fierce that its history survived the cataclysm. Yet the slaughter was not one that destroyed our hero, that day 1 dragon came and 1 dragon fell.
The details of such battle were lost to elven sages who witnessed the massacre. Sworn by strange dictums which forbade them to speak of what they witnessed, the knowledge kept in hidden lore of the graceful race.
Nevertheless telltale signs of their reality remained. The fallen corpse became the foundation of the environs that surrounded the battlefield. Barren hot deserts surrounded by rusting mountains. Forever reminding that on that day humankind stood fast and endured.
Such accounting of course leaves much to the imagination. Is the myth just a compilation of folklore that conveniently tells the story of the land? Or is it more fact than glory and was there really a powerful hero whose deeds and marvelous stories to this day inspire the mighty?
- Log of Nathaniel Franciscus Ultrion VII, Retired Scholar -
