Sacrifice

HISTORY:
Long ago, when magic was freely accessible to every dragon, when there was no Shade and no BeastClans, no enemies of dragons other than mere animals and each other, the strongest magic wielders could reincarnate into new bodies once one failed or fell. They were known as shamans, or Perpetuals, and took especial care to keep in contact with one another and any new souls that might emerge, for the betterment of all dragonkind.

It started slowly, but eventually they all became aware that something had changed about the essence of magic in Sornieth. By the time each had verified this change for themself, it had grown inexorably strong. This was what dragons today know as The Shade, and it haunts all who tap into their natural magic. These strongest, feeling most powerfully the danger, united against this emergent threat. As did the Gods come together to form the Pillar of Worlds as a defense, they combined all their Perpetual souls into one great Self, intended to protect dragonkind at any and all costs.

So was the Emperor of Light born. His true form is unknown to all save himself, though he commonly takes the form of a great golden Imperial, with or without multiple heads as he finds necessary. His eyes tend to glow golden as well, though as far as known he is not technically a Primal either. It may best be said that as he contains multitudes, he also embodies multitudes, and can therefore change his form as he sees fit. He guards his true name closely, for the Enemy is strong and should he ever speak it, it would seize him utterly. To all others, even those closest to him, he is only ever the Emperor.

He was hatched, physically, to a small Clan making their home in the Shattered Plains of Dragonhome, within the shadow of the great Pillar. His pale eyes were a novelty to his parents, but otherwise there was little, at first, to mark him as different from any other hatchling. All was well in this small group until the Emperor's father was slain in cold blood by his own brother, over a feud long forgotten to the annals of history but which stemmed, he alone remembers, from jealousy. The Emperor, not yet fully grown, could not control his fury or his burgeoning magic, and unleashed all he could summon on his murderous uncle. Thus did he discover the concentrated force of his magical abilities could blast the very soul of a dragon out of all existence.

He was half driven away and half exiled himself. He wandered across the length and breadth of Sornieth, studying under those who had once been trained by his previous Selves, the shamans, and took care to never again betray the depth of his powers. He strove to right wrongs without the use of such violence, and made endless attempts to lead dragonkind toward peace and equality, or to aid others who would do the same. He changed his shape and identity frequently, never staying in one form or place too long. All of dragonkind was his Charge, in a manner of speaking, and he learned the hard way to place that sentiment above attachments to individuals, and eventually to avoid feeling love in any way.

But the Shade only ever grew stronger, and after the numerous accidents, the turning of the Ages, the birth of the Arcanist, and the shattering of the Pillar, the Emperor decided that he could no longer hide himself, nor work any longer for peace with peace. The Shade did not hide itself and it did not fight nicely, and he must do the same. If he could not unite dragonkind in peace, he would unite them in war, not against themselves but against the greater Enemy. But first, he must conquer and quash the intraspecies wars that thrived in this newest, darkest of times. So he revealed himself to an Age of war as a great warlord, and made war upon other warlords.

His first followers were called the Thunder Warriors, and fought under a combined Light and Lightning banner. With them at his back, the Emperor defeated all who stood before him and his goals, his Charge, those who sought to make their own species even more vulnerable, merely for the temporary ascendancy of their own Flight or breed or Clan. All fell against him, save one: the Sigillites, led by what the Emperor recognized as a fellow Perpetual, one who had either abstained from the sacrifice leading to his own creation, or a "new soul" who had arisen after his own birth. In any case, this dragon, Malcador, and his allies were the final challenge standing between the Emperor and his (more or less) united Sornieth. In the end, he overcame them, at the cost of almost all of his Thunder Warriors. And he spared Malcador, who has followed him ever since, and could be viewed as the Emperor's only remaining friend.

The surviving Thunder Warriors now presented a problem. They had been crudely augmented with magical abilities to empower them in battle, but the Emperor saw now that his work had not been subtle enough. They would all, eventually, fall apart, their magic overpowering them, and there was a risk the Shade would claim them. While he possessed the raw power, he found he needed the aid of those more specialized.

He first overtook a minor Shadow holdout Clan, the Selenar Cult, known for their gene-alchemy, then turned his sights on the non-martial but decidedly isolationist Clan Mechanicum of the Ashfall Wastes, the acknowledged elite producers of war machines in all of Sornieth. The Mechanicum held closely to their religion, that a dragon would come who could defeat the monster at the heart of the Great Furnace, and who would understand technology as easily as he understood his own body. Whether this truly applied to him or not, the Emperor decided to take that mantle upon himself. His long history of experience under all kinds of tutors allowed him to pass their engineering tests, forging for himself a flaming sword, and, shielding himself magically from the flames, he dove down the throat of the volcano to confront the fabled monster.

It awoke at his approach, a hulking chrome thing in the vague shape of a dragon, with glowing green eyes, bladed wings, and a maw that opened into an endless void of darkness. It was an ancient construct, now taken over by the Shade. Now the Emperor had no doubt he was the one who had been prophesied, for was it not his entire purpose to fight the Shade wherever it reared its head? He had no other option but to free such a powerful Clan from its dark master. And, bringing his flaming sword and all his millennia of magical training to bear, so he did. He found he could not kill the Shade construct permanently, but he injured it so greatly that it was driven into a forced hibernation. It would be millennia more until he need face it again, and there was much more left to be done in the world.

With the knowledge gleaned from the Selenar and the Mechanicum, the Emperor was able to craft more finely tuned warriors, the Ten Thousand Companions. He directed these hybrid warriors to eradicate the Thunder Warriors that yet lived, sparing them their inevitable pain and denying them to the Enemy.

At the same time, however, he realized it might be within his grasp to create dragons solely of his own alchemy, needing to rely no more on volunteers to augment. He envisioned these unique dragons as his ultimate warriors, perhaps the only beings who could comprehend how he himself existed in the world and the true danger of the Enemy. But numerous, often expensive, failed attempts frustrated him, kept him from what he came increasingly to regard as his heirs, his children. In desperation he traveled to the Pillar of Worlds, intending to emulate the Arcanist and climb as high as he could to petition the Gods.

It may be that even he does not truly know what he encountered high above the clouds, weak and weary and afraid. A Dragon God? If so, which one he knows not. The Shade itself, or some aspect thereof? Also a possibility, there where the threads of defense were first severed. It both gave and took, in some intangible way. After all, it told him in words that were not words, in peals of thunder, in a sense of invasion and a calculating awakeness, does not every parent give of themself to their children? And as great a dragon as yourself, who wants so much from his progeny, must of course give greatly of himself.

Perhaps he does not know what precisely he gave, though he has some strong guesses, but he gave it. Out of fear? Desperation? Out of a desire to best this thing that thought itself stronger than him with the very gift it gave him? Driven instinctively to do anything which might give dragonkind a chance against the Shade? It is another question he cannot perfectly answer. But what is easier to understand is that when he returned from his odyssey, he created twenty eggs in succession with the ease and grace which had formerly eluded him.

And immediately afterward, agents of the Shade revealed themselves among his assistants, and made off with all the eggs right before his eyes. The Emperor's inability or refusal to fight back is little-known and almost impossible to comprehend, save that he knew this was part of the deal he had made. Even fewer whisper that he knew even that half of his children would grow to betray him, and that in light of this knowledge he made some seemingly callous and irresponsible decisions that are otherwise quite out of character for dragonkind's greatest leader.

--crafts his imperfect replicas and sends them to war
--travels to wage war and reclaim his sons
--Astronomican (Sun Tower or smth?)
--Ullanor/Warmaster Horus, and Nikaea
--Webway and MAGNUS
--Chaos->Erebus->Horus->Heresy->whoops
--Siege of Terra stuff, Horus and Sang and aftermath
--mAgIc PoWeRs
--oops am i a god now
--doin some stuff??? maybe??? we just dont know

PERSONALITY:
????????????????????????????????
-arrogant -smart (too smart) -magic/glamours -aloof/cold -domineering -not good at dadding -loves gold lol -angry cynic, used to love and want peace but now sees he can't forge a peaceful world without bloodshed. and he kinda likes that -ruthless -overwhelming -t i r e d -sad? maybe? he wouldnt admit it -inscrutable -honestly hes mean

ALLIES: Malcador, Lion, Ferrus, Sanguinius, Jaghatai, Leman, Rogal, Roboute, Vulkan, Corvus
ENEMIES: The Shade and its Shadeborn: Horus, Magnus, Lorgar, Fulgrim, Mortarion, Angron, Konrad, Perturabo, Alpharius

Source: bought for 15g from calabazitos
CV: 28g but actually priceless
Gene Plans: +keel? veined?

NEEDS:Primary Alchemist Tools, Autumnal Wreath

Sunspot Clouddancer

Familiar

These raptors are an aggressive variant of Clouddancer. Young hatchlings have fallen prey to their talons. (KS-sponsored by Vahilor.)

2700

Bogsneak Puppet

Familiar

A magicked Bogsneak doll that grows an elongated snout in the presence of liars and tricksters.

1500

Sparkling Stinger

Familiar

Also known as the poor dragon's Boolean.

2650

Golden Porpoise

Familiar

The golden porpoise is capable of leaping great distances over the water.

2600

Tigerblood Foo

Familiar

Known to sit as still as a statue when they lay in wait, these sentries are capable of leaping into sudden and violent motion.

2240

Wicker Dragon

Familiar

Legend seems to indicate that most dragons are resistant to fire. N-not... this one...

1500

Celestial Antelope

Familiar

Resembles a creature of draconic legend from a distance. Up close it merely looks delicious.

2500

Brilliant Psywurm

Familiar

Naturally gifted with a photographic memory and a phosphorescent mane. (KS-Sponsored by Mythka.)

2800

Kyorinrin

Familiar

Old knowledge has a way of taking on a life of its own.

1500

Golden Kitsune

Familiar

A shining gold fox that will only deign to accompany the wealthiest of dragons.

12500

Marble Lightweaver

Familiar

A brilliant statue, carved by the artisans of the Light Flight. (Brightshine Jubilee 2021 Holiday Item)

0

Golden Featherfin

Familiar

If you release this familiar, it will grant you a wish.

12500

Opposing Forces

Familiar

Fire! Water! Ice! What could these rival elements possibly come together to encapsulate?! Probably steam...

1500

Sumptuous Cape

Familiar

A cape that looks so good it doesn't even need a dragon.

0

Sparkle Nymph

Familiar

A creature of uncommon joy. It collects sparkles for its patron.

0