Dragon's Dream

Hello again RMN!

I had a lot of ideas for what I wanted my second blog post to be about. Would it be a blog strictly about the main characters, a blog about some of the gameplay mechanics or just a blog about things happening in the game development? In the end, I decided that the history between Ruce and Askook deserved a little more attention than it was being given. So, let's start from the beginning.

Askook, Champion of the Skies
Askook was born long before Ruce was even a kingdom. Historians and scholarly experts on dragons predict that he is over three-thousand years old, predating recorded history. Some even believe Askook to be an all-knowing and powerful god who has finally come to destroy Uchorth, the world in which Ruce and other kingdoms exist, beginning with Ruce. Others believe he was sent by the Old Gods to destroy only Ruce for betraying them for the New Gods. Who truly knows the reasons for why a dragon does what a dragon goes, especially one as powerful as Askook.

History books describe Askook as being the largest creature to ever live. He's described as being as tall as the mountains, and that the entire world is covered by his shadow when he takes flight. Askook is solid red, with a light-brown color that stretches from his neck to his tail. His eyes are said to be as dark as night, and that those who dare look upon him fall under his spell. Of course, much has been left to speculation since so few who see Askook coming survive to tell of him.

Askook first arrived around one-thousand years ago, in the unnamed highlands to the west. He wasn't welcomed, of course, for who would welcome such a beast? So, Askook destroyed those who he found living there and took the highlands for his own. He named them the Askbaal Highlands. The mountains there were Askook's throne for centuries, and those who later came to live there worshiped him as a god. As Askook's followers grew, many began to leave Askbaal to spread the word of his dominance over them, and eventually, over all others. At first, the rulers of Uchorth weren't threatened by Askook. More than likely, they didn't even believe that the dragon existed. After some time of being ignored, Askook's followers became a massive cult that caused problems within all of the kingdoms. It remained this way for four-hundred years.

Around the time of the Second Era (1000 1E - 2000 2E), for many unknown reasons, other dragons began to populate Askbaal. Askbaal's followers had disbanded and were now known as Askbaalians. Rumors began spreading east to the other kingdoms of several dragon sightings, even beyond of Askbaal. It seemed at first that the dragons were friendly toward the other kingdoms, and that they were looking for something. Later, it became clear that the dragons were searching for weak spots in our castle's defenses. No one knows for sure how the beasts became so intelligent, but most just assume that Askbaal taught them. The rulers of Uchorth eventually became concerned with the growing population of dragons, but it was too late...

Sixty years ago, Askbaal and his horde-lings invaded the closest kingdom to Askbaal, Ruce. Coincidentally, Ruce at that time, was also the most powerful and highly populated kingdom in Uchorth. It seemed the most likely target of any dragon invasion, if there ever was to be one. When news spread to the other kingdoms about the invasion of Ruce, kings and farmers alike fled like cowards. Thousands upon thousands fled across the Ianope Sea to far away shores. The few that did remain locked themselves away and didn't come to the aid of Ruce. Instead, they improved their own defenses, as if any of them stood a chance against the might of Askook and his horde-lings. Present day Ruce - Askook sleeps and dreams of a world that'll bend the knee before him. His horde-lings, at least what remain of them, are ever watchful.