Crafted by Takhisis in the Age of Starbirth, Wyrmfather was the greatest Leviathan ever to step foot on Krynn. His story is tied up with the gods and their machinations. Buy Dragons of Krynn: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/29540/Dragons-of-Krynn-35?affiliate_id=50797
Transcript
Cold Open
He was the Frankenstein’s monster of dragons, with Takhisis and Sargonnas as his creators.
Intro
Welcome to another DragonLance Saga episode. My name is Adam and today we are going to talk about Wyrmfather. I would like to take a moment and thank the members of this channel, and invite you to consider becoming a member by visiting the link in the description below. You can even pick up Dragonlance gaming materials using my affiliate link. I am referencing The Legend of Huma and the Dragons of Krynn & Dragonlance Campaign Setting sourcebook for this information. If I leave anything out or misspeak, please leave a comment below!
Discussion
The genesis of Wyrmfather has its seed in Takhisis. The Queen of Darkness’ ambition has always overshadowed her skill, and we see this from the beginning of time. In the Age of Starbirth, after Reorx crafted the planet of Krynn, Paladine and Takhisis guided Reorx in creating the rulers of this new world, dragons. These first dragons were shaped from the raw elements of creation, and were contained in frames of metal. It was in the shaping of these wondrous beings that Takhisis found inspiration. She was so awed by Reorx’s skill, she stayed by his side, flattering him, and planting the seeds of corruption unbeknownst to Reorx or Paladine in his creation. Takhisis’ complete corruption of the five chromatic dragons, which infuriated Paladine, changed their very natures, connecting them to her, rather than Paladine or even Reorx their creator. This much is well known in the mythological foundation of time. However, unknown to the gods, Takhisis had stolen some of the essence of the five chromatic dragons and delivered them to her consort, Sargonnas.
Sargonnas is not the talented creator that Reorx is, I mean, none of the gods were, but this didn’t stop Takhisis from instructing him after carefully observing Reorx in the formation of a new beast. Sargonnas took the five essences Takhisis had stolen, and forged an imperfect creature. He was rushed by his Queen, as Paladine had returned to Reorx in mourning for the chromatic dragons, and beseeched Reorx to craft monuments to them. Paladine then breathed life into each, creating the five metallic dragons. Due to Sargonnas’ effort to finish his creation before Paladine finished his own, the essences did not blend as anticipated, so the great beast turned out gray with mottled spots predominantly of green and blue–as if diseased. His monstrous appearance did not stop there. He was far longer than any of his kind, and slimmer! His head and neck extended farther than any other dragons. This aberration continued to his nature, and his ferocity was unrivaled by any dragon, or god! Takhisis named him Wyrmfather for all others of his kind were tiny by comparison.
The Dark Queen’s corruption caused a rift among the gods, which finally and gloriously erupted into the All-Dragons War. This epic battle filled the skies with dragons of all kinds, the ground was soaked by dragon blood, raining from above. No victor was to be found, and as more and more of the gods’ creations were destroyed, Takhisis revealed Wyrmfather to her enemies. The dragons and gods were awestruck in horror at the very sight of this titan. Wyrmfather’s size was such that he could gauge riverbeds in the land with his claws, and swallow other dragons whole. His mastery of magic, taken from the essences of the five chromatic dragons, was unrivaled. Finally, Takhisis had the upper hand in the war, and victory was in her sights. That is, until Paladine called on his son, Kiri-Jolith to confront Wyrmfather.
The confrontation of Kiri-Jolith and Wyrmfather was one of mythic proportions. Krynn itself bears the scars of their battle. Mountains were churned up by their feet, vast valleys were dug by missed blows. The seas rose in concert with their combined fury, and it lasted longer than a human year. In a final feint, Kiri-Jolith turned the tide on Wyrmfather, beating the great beast down, and subduing it. Kiri-Jolith buried the leviathan beneath a mighty mountain and stripped him of much of his power. He declared that Wyrmfather would remain in this mountainous tomb, never to see or soar in the sky again! His prophecy was concluded by declaring that this was Wyrmfather’s fate, until one of Kiri-Jolith’s chosen champions grants Wyrmfather release in death. Reticent at abandoning his creation, Sargonnas would visit Wyrmfather and bestow upon him a mirror which would grant companionship to him, in addition to the ability to witness the world outside. After this titanic struggle, and the power and rage it unleashed in the dragons and gods themselves, Chaos and the All Father appeared and threatened to end the creation the gods had crafted. The gods, humbled and fearful, withdrew to the Dome of the Heavens, the Hidden Vale and the Abyss, ending the All-Dragons War.
This would lead to the aftermath of creation and the discovery of the sparks left behind from Reorx’s forge, which would become the mortals: Elves, Humans and Ogres. Eons would pass, and Wyrmfather would burrow a myriad of tunnels underneath his mountain in an attempt at escaping his prison, all to no avail. With time and isolation, inevitably madness took hold. He discovered ways to draw in treasure through the mirror, but these new riches only momentarily held his attention. As the centuries passed, time caught up to Wyrmfather, and as his eyesight failed, his madness grew. Now, even the mirror was useless to the titan.
With the coming of the Age of Dreams and the Time of the Knights, Takhisis would yet again attempt to overtake Krynn, this time in the Third Dragon War. A young Solamnic named Huma would travel to the Last Gaard Mountains with his old friend Magius and a new friend named Kaz. They would become separated and Huma would delve deep into the mountain in search of a weapon to defeat the Dark Queen. Ultimately after initially fleeing from Wyrmfather, Huma discovered the Sword of Tears which he used to defeat Wyrmfather, completing Kiri-Jolith’s prophecy, and finally granting Wyrmfather peace in death. Wyrmfather’s body would become the metal from which all future Dragonlances would be crafted from, initially by Duncan Ironweaver, and later by Theros Ironfeld.
I find a fair amount of irony in the fact that the very crafting of Wyrmfather by Takhisis would ultimately result in the crafting of the very weapon used to banish her, and kill her in the Age of Mortals. Takhisis’ corruption of others inevitably results in her own corruption and defeat. I suppose this is the very nature of evil according to the game designers, that it will always destroy itself.
Outro
And that is all I have to say about Wyrmfather. What do you think of the story? Would you like more details about his epic struggle with Kiri-Jolith? And finally is there any way for Takhisis to ever be successful? Leave a comment below.
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Dragons and humans have long been enemies, and the enemy of my enemy is my friend.
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