Sable Dragonkeeper
Contents
Sable Dragonkeeper, of Gryphon's Perch, Rising Winds
The Beginning
Sable was yet a young child when his father died in war. His mother then left to find work in a larger city, and Sable was given over to the care of his uncle. Once he was old enough, he worked in his uncle’s fields, and later became an apprentice to the local blacksmith.
Then came the day of the dragon attack. Sable was returning from delivering weapons to a nearby military fort. As he got closer to the village, he could see the forest on fire. He could hear the screams of the people, and the roar of the dragon. He tried to get closer, but the fires were too big. He took refuge in a ruin he had played around as a child, but the heat pushed him deeper in than he had been before. Here, he found an altar, still inhabited by an old god, so long forgotten they didn’t even remember their own name. The old god provided comfort for Sable, while he waited for the fires to burn out.
When Sable returned to the village, there was nothing left standing. The fields were burned, the buildings smashed, and death was everywhere. He and other survivors spent the next few days searching for bodies and recovering useful supplies. The bodies were gathered for a mass pyre. His uncle was never found.
Many of the village survivors left for other places. Some wanted to find help to rebuild, others simply wanted to move on. But Sable remained at the ruins. He moved as many supplies and surviving tools as he could. He constructed a crude forge and repaired what he could of the weapons and armor he found in town.
The old god, Sable’s only companion, recalled more of themselves as the two connected. They only had minor powers, but were loved by surrounding people. The god returned the love with bountiful harvests and clean rivers. But, after a monster attack centuries earlier destroyed the temple and surrounding villages, the people abandoned the god.
Now, the god was fading from existence. They had spent too long forgotten by the people for their spirit to remain. The god taught Sable all they could about monsters, magic and the world. They then asked Sable to not remain at the ruins, but carry out a duty the god could not. Protect the people from those that would do harm.
Sable gathered the loose papers he’d written, chose the best sword, shield, and pieces of armor, and made ready to leave. He also carved a crude sign on an old plank, which he mounted beside the trail that led to the ruins. It read “Temple of The One Forgotten.”
Becoming the Dragonkeeper
Sable spent years on the road, learning about monsters. Some through trapping and study. Some through hunting and killing.
As his reputation grew, he was requested for more unique situations. One such would change everything about the hunt.
A group of town elders needed Sable's help. An infant dragon was wondering the wilderness outside of town. They did not want the mother to come looking, and needed Sable to take the dragon alive, and return it somewhere the mother could find it.
It only took a simple trap, but the dragon was weak. It had many injuries from sharp talons and teeth. Sable had seen these types of marks before. Harpies. The dragon would not survive much longer.
He kept the infant in a camp outside of town, nursing it back to health. Once it was well enough, Sable led the dragon up into the mountains. If the mother had a hoard nearby, it would be there.
After days of searching and caring for the infant, Sable found the hoard. But it was abandoned. It took, showed signs of an attack by harpies.
But, why would harpies attack a dragon? Sable had to find out. So, the hunt began.
He kept the dragon with him, continuing to nurse it to full strength. The trail was long and complicated, but the harpies brood was found. And at its center, a harpy twice the size of any Sable had seen, standing atop a barely alive adult dragon.
Sable had to plan his attack carefully. A head-on fight would mean certain death. Over the next few days, Sable culled the flock by picking off harpies that left for food.
Once the flock was thinned, he made his move. The fight was long, and it wasn't hopeful. The harpy had Sable pinned, until the mother dragon shifted. It startled the harpy just enough for Sable's sword to find it's home in the Harpy's neck.
Sable cut off the pinion feathers, as well as the head. He presented the head to the mother dragon. The mother breathed across Sable. A breath of gratitude and satisfaction. A surge of power kept through his body. The dragon shook her head, and several blue-green scales fell out. When Sable picked them up, he felt their power. Their reverence. Their Command. He turned to one of the lower harpies, who was cowering in fear, and beckoned it forward. The fear melted away, and all of its attention was in Sable. The scuffle was quick, another dead harpies at Sable's feet.
Sable turned back to the dragon, but the breath over Sable was the last it had. The infant curled next to the mother, and stayed.
Sable returned to the town and told the story. The elders were amazed that he had kept and healed a dragon. The townsfolk started calling him "The Dragonkeeper". And as they often do, the legend spread, and Sable Dragonkeeper was born.
Finding and Protecting Home
In time, his journey brought him to Gryphon’s Perch, near the time when a group of monsters were staging a takeover of the monarchy. As a scholar, Sable had interest. As a hunter, he was wary. But mostly, he needed a place where he could learn about this new "conduit" to magic he had been given. Did other monsters give him different abilities? Did he need a totem to use them? But most of all, was it good? What would The One Forgotten say to Sable harnessing the power of monsters to hunt them?
It was during the Clash of the Eikons that Sable started to call this realm home. He set up more permanently, and joined the fighting company of Cu Morrigan. The mercenary company had a similar mindset, going wherever they are needed.
This feeling of home continued to the War of the Phoenix. Much of Cu Morrigan fought for the Sun Army. But, the death of their commander Ashurbanipal was a blow everyone felt, especially those in the capital of the kingdom, where the commander had lived. The Tyrant Asche Palandir took advantage of the situation and saw to squash the monsters that were living there. While Sable's feelings about monsters were largely unchanged, he was intrigued by some trying to lead. He agreed to serve as their general during the attack. The defense of the capital failed, and it was left in shambles.
In the weeks that followed, raiders stole from trade routes, which kept the capital from receiving what they needed. Another monster, the lich Druuzal (Sicarius the Black) was taking over the kingdom. Hope came in the form of General Paint Taylor, but when he decided to settle for peace with the monsters instead of their annihilation, Sable became more disheartened. Every step of leadership monsters had tried so far had failed.
Sable returned to the Temple of the One Forgotten. He collected his previously left trophies, and renewed his vow at the now empty altar. Not all monsters were bad. Some wanted peace. And that was Sable's sacred duty. He decided that, for now, he would protect the capital. If someone wanted to do anything to a citizen of Gryphon's Perch, human or not, they would have to go through Sable first.
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