Not by a stroke of luck nor the stupidity of his enemies, he had become the Dragonslayer. The invocation of his name struck fear into the hearts of men, both those who had joined him, and the priests of that order of false gods. Those who witnessed his battles even saw the fear he instilled tinge the slitted eyes of Great Dragons, and before he met his end, he became Dragonslayer twice more.

— The King's Chronicles, Phileus Destrophy

Perir of Naderā, later known as the Anti-Keeper and more popularly as the Dragonslayer, was a legendary hero of the First Men who led several armies during the Dragon War in the Before, and his efforts are widely considered to have been instrumental in defeating the dragons. Perir is variously disputed to have either been an Elf or one of the First Men in many stories.

Early life

Perir was born in the settlement of Naderā in the Heart River Valley, and at an early age began training to become a priest of the Dragon Order at the behest of his father, who was also a priest.

By the time he was 17 years old, Perir was inducted fully into the order.

Heresy

For a time, Perir worked in the Dragon Temple in Yandasard as a priest. After three years of working in the Dragon Temple, Perir's father Saresh began to self-publish writings and preach ideas considered heretical, questioning the godliness of Inver and Areksa. Because of this, Saresh was disrobed then executed by Inver.

Saresh's execution radicalized Perir. Before other order members could seize them from circulation, Perir took copies of his father's writings and began to more openly and audaciously preach the ideas during mass and in public.

If these dragons high up in the sky, the ones down here with us, the Dragonlord and his goddess in the Temple, are so mighty, why have we not yet seen their might? If they can but fly and spew the elements from their cragged jaws, what kind of gods are they to us? Can they save us from evil? Can they mold the world to their whims? The answer to all of those questions is that they are not gods at all!

— excerpt from a speech by Perir in the market of Yandasard, as recorded in the King's Chronicles

As a result of this, Perir too was disrobed, but stayed his execution as he fled Yandasard.

Dragon War

Perir played a prominent part in the Dragon War, being instrumental to the victory of the Anti-Keepers.

Freezing of Naderā

After fleeing Yandasard, Perir returned to his childhood home in Naderā, hoping to hide for a few days and then leave for other lands. Perir's prior teachings in Yandasard had reached Naderā before he did, and the people of his home welcomed him back with open arms.

However, this hope would not last for too long. Less than a day after returning home, Perir observed several Dragon Order members in the village questioning his mother, after which he confronted them and unwillingly killed all but one that retreated.

Knowing that the surviving member would report his presence to the Dragon Order and that Inver would retaliate, Perir gathered the willing and fled from Naderā, leaving behind only the sick and elderly.

Two days after Perir and the villagers fled, Inver pursued him to Naderā and destroyed the village, believing Perir to have still been there. The attack left just over twenty dead. The dragonlord of the Naderā area, Yaren, was not present when the village was destroyed.

Battle at Yorsin's Pass

After leaving Naderā with a hundred or so of the villagers, Perir journeyed north with them, intending to make a temporary settlement in the mountains which would be inaccessible to dragons. After traveling for two days the group reached Yorsin's Pass, a mountain pass on the modern-day border between the Hadasen Knightship and Kingdom of Larendor.

While resting for a time, Perir was among the first to hear dragon roars in the distance. Unknowingly, Yaren was about to encounter the group. Instead of fleeing, Perir resolved to fight, partially out of curiosity, out of a suicidal bravery, and out of anger for the injustices committed against him and others in the dragons' names. He rallied the other villagers with what weapons they had to stand their ground.

When Yaren arrived at the pass, he at first intended to move on before spotting the group when an arrow was shot at him. Yaren possessed the ability to breathe fire and intended to make a run at the group but was brought crashing to the ground after Perir unwittingly casted Dragon's Bane. At one point, Yaren did use his fire breath on one group carrying shields, killing two. Perir was among this group, but suffered only singed hair.

When Perir saw an opening, he climbed onto the head of Yaren, sinking his axe into the dragon's eye. Yaren tried to shake Perir off, but he clung on, and desperately swung his axe into the dragon's head multiple times. When Perir regained his footing, he finally broke through the dragon's rough scales, and killed it. This marked the first time in Yaleakasardian history that a dragon had been killed, and word spread quickly of the victory, invigorating the movement that would later become the Anti-Keepers.

Dragon Conference

Not much is known about Perir's activities in the time immediately following the Battle at Yorsin's Pass before he re-emerged in the recollection of events at the Dragon Conference.

Perir was one of the last speakers at the Conference, and is well remembered for his speech, which, contrary to the previous speakers, called the attendees to action against the dragons.

I am Perir of Naderā. I refute the previous speakers today. I refute the entirety of their designs. We are long past diplomacy with the Order. We are long past diplomacy with those dragons in the Temple who call themselves gods and those dragons out here who call themselves messengers. I am a former dragon priest of Yandasard. I worked in the Temple, I have met Inver, and my father too met Inver at his end. The violence, the executions, the accusations of heresy for any indiscretion, the destructions of villages, towns, cities...the whole continent...will continue. This, I know. I will not hold conference with the dragon gods, I will not hold conference with the dragon priests, I will not hold conference with the Keeper, I will not hold conference with any Man or Elf who says we can and should do so! This will not end until we fight! We must create a new time without dragons, and we must do it now! I know they can be killed, because I have done it myself! At Yorsin's Pass, I slew the great dragon Yaren because it was the right thing to do. Him and his other dragonlord ilk killed my father for speaking up, they slaughtered my mother in Naderā, and I will not stand idly by while they slaughter other families too!

— Speech by Perir of Naderā at the Dragon Conference, as recorded in the King's Chronicles

His speech rallied all in attendance save for another former dragon priest, Elutar. By the end of the conference, the attendees reached a consensus to form the Coalition of Anti-Keepers.

Battle at Camp Alteau

The final battle shall come, and we shall be victorious. Do not despair. For when I pass on, my soul shall rest next to the Creator. And her Light, empowering me and you, will guide us all to victory.

— Perir, prior to the Battle of Camp Alteau, as recorded in the King's Chronicles

Perir was among the commanders present at the camp of Anti-Keepers in the Alteau Plains planning to besiege Yandasard. Ambushed by a Dragon Order host and then a force of Areksan Loyalists, Perir was killed by Elutar, a former Dragon Order priest with a sword through his heart.