THE
FOUNDER
OF STRATA
DRAFAS
TRISTIN |
(1663-1626 b.S.) Also known under the names "Longstep" and "Dragonheart". Young and talented soldier fighting within the Dragonstorm, part of the Royal Guard. Nephew of Amalthea from the house of Eithar. Left Voldar in the Year of Darkness (1649 b.S.) with a band of citizens to search for light and a new home in the south. Founder of the city of Strata.
|
|
|
As a young kid he became like many other youngsters with him impressed by the
legions of Voldar fighting for the cause of their country and as youth of
sixteen Drafas joined the Erpheronian
army. He quickly made promotion and became part of the elite guard garrisoned in
the very Castle of Maengolth himself, the famous Thyrrinth's
Hold.
When the Dragonstorm ravaged through the kingdom Drafas defended along with the
rest the castlewalls of the fortress and also witnessed how Katya
Ileri Dain defended and victored over the dragons beyond hope. But after her
glorious victory he heard of the bargain which would be made with the priests of
Foiros,the Burning One, and was saddened,
even angered. Though he protested at the adresse of his aunt, Amalthea, having a
major influence in the Ruling Council,
she would not listen. When the sun went down for the last time that year the
land darkened, and so did his heart.
Only two months could he resist his feelings, helping the city rebuild and
undoing the damage the Dragons had caused in their rage. But at one point he
couldn’t ignore them any longer and decided to leave, to search for a new home
with a new light.
He found many willing to join him, willing to leave the place where so many had
perished and so much was lost, but the people were persuaded by the authorities
to stay and help with all the repairing. Drafas left on foot, joined by a small
company of men and women. Their number is unknown as many recordings of that
departure speak of tens to tens of thousands. But the band left, on their
hard quest into the unknown and wild country south.
When the travellers after several months reached the most southern cape of the Sarvonian
Continent, diminished by the dangers that had crossed thier path, a new day
dawned for the first time again. Drafas and his band had lost count of the days
in their many adventures, but when they saw the sun dawning in the south they
agreed unanimously that this was the place they had sought for and founded a town
upon the ruins they encountered there. Drafas called it simply
"Strata". It was a styrásh name, meaning "south". The people following
Drafas from this time on were refered to as the Stratanians.
Thus Strata was found and while building up the new city Drafas ruled over the
cape and its surroundings. His rule was firm but wise and he formed the base of
what would become one of the most thriving trade cities of the south,
establishing contacts with nearby lying cities as well with those on weeks
sailing. But Drafas' happy days did not last for long.
Again his heart darkened and this time he did not know why. He traveled many a
time alone in the area of his own created city, seeking for what was wrong with
him. Healers and Shamans were summoned to search for a cure, but they didn’t
found him ill, indeed they found him even more stronger than he had ever been
before. It was in the year 1630 b.S. that it finally became clear what had
happened to him.
Once more he had set out for a lone trip, but when the curfew sounded through
Strata, and the freshmade gates of the town closed slowly the king hadn’t
arrived. A patrol was sent out, and this is exactly what was reported:
'We had only rode a few minutes when we heard a very familiar roaring sound and when we looked up it was indeed what we feared at the hearing of the sound. A dragon had pursued us and sure was going to ruin our newly founded city. But before our eyes the great creature landed softly before us and with a unhunman shriek he fell down upon the ground, changing form… to become our king! We were astonished and couldn’t speak a word, but instead he did: "Go back, go back and leave me be, you can’t help me, not now, not ever." That’s when he run away. It took us a few seconds to recover from what we had seen and we tried to pursue our leader and find him, but we lost him.' |
It is said that ultimately
Drafas took a dragon form to become the only Dragon south of the Anaios
Gap,
but his lair has never been found. After his disappearance his younger brother Gerwon
took command of the city as Drafas had left no other family. Drafas was given
the name "Longstep", because of the march south he had led and "Dragonheart"
because of his dragon shapeshifting.
Information provided by
Gean Firefeet
|