Dragon

“

Seemingly possessed with life everlasting, dragons are a truly magnificent race. Which makes it all the more unfortunate that Ishgard's age-old conflict with the beings, The Dragonsong War, has prevented scholars from gathering much in the knowledge on their ancient civilization. Indeed, it is said that even a dragon's age cannot be known for certain.. What follows here is information discovered but recently through the efforts brave indivuduals who would put the pursuit of truth before petty differences.

— Encyclopaedia Eorzea Volume 1

History

In the Creation Myths of Eorzea, Althyk and Nymeia, also referred to as Brother Time and Sister Fate respectively, created the water. When water came into being, so to did the great dragon Midgardsormr. The Deities bid him to watch over Silvertear Falls, the font from which magic flowed.

The dragons tell a different tale though. Their songs speak of a time before time when Midgardsormr came to a new-born star bearing seven eggs. He treated with Hydaelyn and arrived at a covenant: to protect Silvertear Falls in return for asylum.

Midgardsormr nurtured his eggs in the magic of those waters. The seven dragons hatched from these eggs are commonly known as the First Brood, or alternatively the Great Wyrms. After an age spent growing they set of to explore the planet, and bore young in every corner of the world, greatly increasing their number. It is believed that the Great Wyrms have never sought to form a unified nation. Nevertheless, they value their ties of blood, and seem to have often come together at the behest of their sire.

Dragons of Note

The Father of Dragons

Midgardsormr

Midgardsormr is said to have come to Hydaelyn at the beginning of time, though many doubt this legend due to lack of answers to fundamental questions. He appears to have been the guardian of Silvertear Falls and rose from the waters with a host of dragons to meet the Garlean invasion in 1562. He was widely thought to have perished after a furious bout with the Agrius, after which both fell down the sky. It was simply his vessel that died though. Without another vessel he created an apparition which he used to accompany the Warrior of Light

The First Brood/The Great Wyrms

Nidhogg

Evil Incarnate according to the Echiridion and the teachings of the Ishardian Orthodox Church, this supposed history doesn't mention that Nidhogg slew King Thordan I to avenge the murder of his brood-sister, Ratatoskr. Soon after, both of his eyes were taken by Haldrath, Thordan's son. One would become the eye that empowered the Azure Dragoon, while the other was kept under lock and key for nigh on a thousand years, to be used as an instrument in the Grand Bishop's plan. Nidhogg survived due to being given an eye by Hraesvelgr.

Over the past millennium he had awoken on eight occasions, making his wrath known. He was eventually slain in his home, The Aery by the Warrior of Light and the Azure Dragoon Estinien. In a lapse of judgement by Estinien after the fight with the Primal the archbishop summoned into his own flesh, King Thordan I, the Azure Dragoon, still bathed in the wyrm's blood and holding both of Nidhogg's eyes was overwhelmed by the revenant will of the Great Wyrm, becoming a vessel for the murderous shade.

Known dragons of his brood include Darkscale and Aiatar. It is unknown whether Vishap and Tioman are descended from him or one of the other great wyrms, but they have nevertheless allied themselves with his brood.

Hraesvelgr

Hraesvelgr claims command over ice and holy light. He's best known for his romance with a mortal woman by the name of Shiva, twelve centuries past. Hraesvelgr at one point began to despair that death would take her away. Shiva in return bid him to devour her so that their souls might be forever entwined. This sacrifice deepened the understanding between man and dragon, and ultimately led unto an age of peace.

Good things never seem to last though, and with a brood-sister taken away by the hands of men, and a brood-brother soon to follow without intervention, he gave his eye to Nidhogg, before retreating into solitude, only the soul of his beloved and the Moogles of the Churning Mists remaining by his side, until an odd mix of mortals came to his metaphorical doorstep. It is through him that this party learned more of the nature of primals.

After the fight the Warrior of Light and the Azure Dragoon had with Nidhogg, killing Hraesvelgr's brood-brother, his eye was returned to him. Hraesvelgr and Ysayle intervened when the Enterprise came under Garlean fire, resulting in the dead of the latter. Ysayle's earnestness, the Warrior of Light's plan to save Estinien instead of killing him and Midgardsormr's counselling eventually led to him joining the fight against the Shade of Nidhogg.

Known dragons of his brood include Vidofnir and Vedrfolnir.

Ratatoskr

Ratatoskr was a wanderer, and bearer of dragon's songs, acting as a messenger between her siblings. Of the First Brood she was quite possibly the most curious and worked passionately to establish a lasting peace with man. She did not foresee the depths of King Thordan I's greed though, and revealed the secret of the wyrm's power, eventually leading to the Great Wyrm being slain for her eyes, and the start of the Dragonsong War.

To this very day her remaining brood can still be seen soaring to the skies, having inherited Ratatoskr's wanderlust.

The only currently known dragon of her brood is Gullinbursti.

Tiamat

In times long past, Tiamat dwelled peacefully on the southern continent of Meracydia. That peace ended with the invasion of the Allagan Empire, who sought to lay claim to the landmass. In the resulting struggle her brood-brother Bahamut was slain. She was thereafter fooled by the Ascians, who gave her the means to summon her beloved Bahamut back as a primal. The great wyrm has spent the past five millennia imprisoned within Azys Lla, where she has come to lament calling forth the primal that would do naught but besmirch Bahamut's memory, intending to spend the rest of eternity in penance.

Bahamut

Upon their release into the world so many eons ago, Bahamut chose to venture south with his kin Tiamat. The people they found there venerated the dragons, and thus a bond of friendship grew between dragons and man. Scholars have reason to believe it was the great wyrm himself who led the mortals of Meracydia against the invading Allagan armies, securing many victories against the technologically advanced foes until he was ultimately slain.

A known member of his brood is Twintania.

Vrtra

The youngest of the First Brood, he ended up in Thavnair.

Azdaja

Nothing known.