Dragons
in People of Netherdyn"When I embarked upon the creation of this unwieldy vessel of a Compendium, I soon discovered that reality refused, with its usual obstinacy, to abide by the genteel boxes my colleagues so cherish. No sooner had I arranged my categories than the world itself began to leak from their edges, smirking at my presumption.
Thus, you will find dragons not in the bestiary, as tradition decrees, but among the peoples and cultures of our realms. For this, the academicians hurled their predictable scoldings: "They are not kin, Arvandus! They are beasts!"
But the deeper I plunged into draconic lore, into their dreams, their wars, their incandescent grief, the more unmistakable the truth became: they are mirrors of us, wrought on a vaster scale. They burn with our same humors: pride and fury, gentleness and cunning, cruelty and compassion. How, then, could I consign them to the cold pages reserved for monsters?
So I inscribe here my heretical conviction: dragons are people. Should you brave these pages, you may find that the fire which burns in them, also burns in you."
Signed
Arvandus Quillborne
Art & Text by Jan-Nikolay Jäckel
All characters and character names, and the distinct likeness thereof, are property of the author. This work may not be reproduced in any form without permission. All images are made by the author, unless otherwise stated.
All characters and character names, and the distinct likeness thereof, are property of the author. This work may not be reproduced in any form without permission. All images are made by the author, unless otherwise stated.