The following is an excerpt from the works of an unknown scholar. It was seemingly compiled for the benefits of outsiders that do not understand the integral part the Dragon Emperor played in our lives. Collected approximately forty years ago, it is a recent discussion, although it contains several smaller inconsistencies and simplifications, seemingly for the benefit of the unknowing reader.

Who was the Dragon Emperor?

To understand why we mourn the Dragon Emperor so extensively, you have to understand what he was. Imagine the oldest dragon you have ever seen, it still is a youngling compared to the true age of the Dragon Emperor. The wise master of fate had guided through centuries and millennia, secured the power of the people and brought peace and justice into the Southern Reaches, back then they were still called the "Dragonlands" in his honour.
This dragon, the very first of the dragon patrons and oldest among them was a leader, guide, living god and to some lucky few even a dear friend. Without the Dragon Emperor we would be nothing more than squabbling barbarians, fighting for scraps of land and nothing else.
During times of dire need, he would provide us with the wisdom we needed to survive, he would warn us of all the terrible things to come. He was the one that allowed the other dragon patrons to settle the peaks and begin their own families. When we were at the brink of war, he was the one that mediated and led the negotiations. Our oldest stories and legends also speak of the glorious times when he would fly into war in the name of his home.
He was the father to Ranathax, who would end up betraying him. He cast her down from the heavens into the deep death below. It was him that provided harsh punishment and lavish rewards.
Once every five years he would also accept petitioners from all around the world, provided that they completed the journey on their own feet an by the merit of their own work alone. The wisdom he gave them was recorded in the Chronicles of Wisdom, which could consulted by even the lowliest of beggars in the hopes of finding wisdom in these words.
As we are the families of the dragons patrons, the patrons were his.

How did the Dragon Emperor die?

Little is known end even less is told about the true reason for the death of the Dragon Emperor. What we know ist that his advice started to slowly decline, the priests having to rely more and more on the Chronicles of Wisdom to ensure the wealth of the nation.
A group of brave noble heroes was sent to visit the Dragon Emperor on the highest peak, to speak with him and to offer help. They were supposed to discover what had ailed the Dragon Emperor and do everything in their power to aid the Dragon Emperor.
As they had reached the cold and snowy summit, they made a terrible discovery. The Dragon Emperor had already died. No one still knows why. Some say that he was killed by those same heroes, others think that the Dragon Emperor had decided that we should live without his power and that we were no longer deserving enough. A few people think that he died of a broken heart, after having to punish his own daughter so many years before. Scholars say that he had reached the maximum age for a dragon and simply perished of old age, while others may claim that he was murdered by something completely else.

Ramifications of the Dragon Emperor's death

The entire southern part of the world collapsed after the death of the Dragon Emperor. While a cover-up had been attempted, it did not work for long. With the protective power of the Emperor gone, the other lands quickly broke free of the Empire and decided to take up their own destiny. The previously lesser valued western regions saw their chance for freedom and decided to take it up. Their own dragon patrons supporting them in this endeavour.
The fallen Queng-Ho empire could not hold their power and fell into obscurity, providing an entire power shift. Eventually the Seven Families came to power and stabilized the region again, although they are incapable of controlling the former Queng-Ho territories completely and constantly fight over control.
In recent times a proper stability has returned, after many centuries of turmoil and upheavel. The wisdom of the Dragon Emperor was the thing that kept us great and always a step in front of any potential rival. Now we are missing him dearly every day.

Forgotten History of the Dragon Emperor

The Dragon Emperor was the very first of the Dragons on Hyperborea. He was a volunteer that suggested to infuse actual people with the draconic magic. It took him multiple centuries to hatch, during which the process was first perfected and then abandoned.
When he emerged, he quickly learned that he was forgotten, as was the true origin of the dragons. He set out to unite the lands, eventually coming to the understanding that he could not solve all problems, being content with ruling over his limited lands of the Southern Reaches.
At some point in time he decided to share his powers and elevated the first dragon patrons, founding the original empire of Queng-Ho. After many millennia he felt his death and the corruption by the Darkness coming, and made @Ranathax his successor, how this ended is well known.