Silent enim leges inter arma

The true native inhabitants of what they call Sho'drakar, the Dragons that inhabit the world beyond the Aegis are at once both terrible and beautiful creatures to behold. Less living creatures than forces of nature, each Dragon is capable of near infinite power, with a command of the arcane and the divine unlike anything ever witnessed before.

As wantonly powerful as they may be, they are also very enigmatic. Very little is known about them, though they know everything there is to know about everything else, it seems.

Legend states that these titanic rulers of the world were once put under lock and key by a cadre of powerful Mages, however, enslaved under magical binds and forces to wage petty wars against the enemies of those that held their leash. Much of what the world once was was laid to rest beneath their talons during that uprising of men; the result of attempting to controlling powers they did not understand laying waste to nearly all life upon the world of Palisade.

Mankind would ultimately redeem himself when a few from that original cadre sought to put an end to the wars by locking away each dragon in turn. Twelve in estimated total, it was deemed that if humanity was no mature enough to understand and accept their place in the world, then the means by which to dominate others would be locked away from others.

Yet the plan ultimately backfired, for no one bothered to ask the Dragons what their opinions were. Timeless and wrathful in equal measure, some eventually broke free of their bonds and launched the world into the ultimate apocalyptic conflict that would end with the event that is known today as the Cataclysm.

Custodians of the world, each Dragon seems to have been assigned a specific - though abstract - "area" of the operations of the natural flow of the world to oversee, though none are sure just what higher power the Dragons kneel to.

Dragons also command a form of innate magical ability known as "Draconic". Believed to sit between Light and Shadow, Draconic is a powerful, neutral, kind of magic that - as well as granting the innate powers that Dragons all seem to harbor - permits the Dragon in question to "dip" into aspects of both Light and Shadow. However, they usually seem to align more with one or the other.

Of the original twelve, the following three Dragons are known:

 

Val'sharax
A red (or crimson) dragon of immense size and power, Val'sharax (or "Red" as he is known to Fastheld) inhabits the Wildlands north of Fastheld. His sphere of influence appears to be the "Natural Order", and strives to maintain this order with a diligence and duty befitting of the creature that he is.

As old as the world itself, though showing no sign of age itself, Val'sharax is what one would call a "Neutral" Dragon, unwilling to align himself with either the agents of good or evil, but merely content to do what needs to be done to maintain the natural order.

Equally malevolent and benevolent, Val'sharax is quick to anger and even quicker to forgive, constantly keeping the lesser races off guard and unsure how to act while in his royal presence.

He is known as both the "Keeper of Names" (for his talent for knowing the names of everything and everyone) and the "Arbitrator" (for his assigned role as the Judge of that which maintains, or disrupts, order).

His alignment appears to be with the Shadow.

 

Kalath'aria
A blue (or sapphire) dragoness, Kalath'aria is generally considered to be a "Good" Dragon, and known by the Wildlinds as "She Who Protects".

As large as Val'sharax, Kalath'aria plays a more protective role, it seems. Her sphere of influence is the "Harmonium", with the Dragoness dedicated to maintaining the harmony of the world.

No one is quite sure what the "harmony" relates it, nor whether or not it's a tangible force, or something beyond human perception, binding the entire world together, yet it seems serious enough for a Dragon's life to be dedicated to preserving it.

Eternally tolerant unless slighted by one of the lesser races, Kalath'aria returned to this plane of existence after her avatar - an aspect known as Aisha'taria - was released from imprisonment from beneath the Citadel of Halo. Shortly after, this avatar did battle with the avatar of an Undead Dragon above the Shadow District, ultimately overcoming her counterpart and earning her right to return.

After banishing a demon back to the Plane of Shadows (by judgment of death), Kalath'aria purged the Black Wildlings from Ebonhold, before leaving the Wildlands.

Her alignment appears to be with the Shadow.

 

He-Who-Destroys
Known by the name of his avatar - Kas'arath - it is generally assumed that there is a third known Dragon. Though this Dragon has never been seen in reality, his avatar wrought destruction upon the city of Light's Reach in the year 624 ATA after somehow being released from bondage from beneath the city.

This avatar ultimately kidnapped Emperor Talus Kahar XIV, plunging the Empire into a decline it found difficult to recover from, before eventually coming into conflict with the avatar of Kalath'aria and, apparently, being destroyed.

It is assumed that this "Kas'arath" was but an aspect of this third Dragon's true form. Given the measure of evil and destruction that prevailed from this mere avatar, very few wish to think what carnage this dragon's TRUE form could unleash if he were to find his way back from whatever banishment he may currently be bound by.

This avatar was witnessed to exist as an undead dragon - or a DracoLich - who bore the image of a skeletal draconic frame with tattered leather strewn across charred bones and flash.

He was almost certainly aligned with the Shadow; yet Shadow far darker than ever witnessed before.