Bronze: Rilopenaril and Langudina

Rilopenaril was the twin brother of his twin sister Langudina. Together they ruled Apollo’s Plains during the draconic occupation of Cimmeria. Rilopenaril grew to regret his actions and worked with Shratalanda to end the dragon cousins’ tyranny. He fought on the side of the mortals during the Dragon War. While he insisted on being bound to the Bronze Orb of Dragonkind, he retained much of his own autonomy. Rilopenaril removed himself from politics after the war, but continues to visit his descendants in Sheerzen.

When Rilopenaril and Langudina first took over Apollo’s Plains they tried to work with their subjects to improve the land. Rilopenaril and Langudina’s taxes were minimal compared to their cousins. The only exceptions were mithral, adamantine, and lead, which were taxed at enormous percentages, all but denying those metals to the common inhabitant of Apollo’s Plains. The dragon twins used their power to provide patronage for adventurers that aided the bronze dragons’ subjects on a personal level. Most notable of these groups were the Bronze Chords who gained notice by eliminating a tribe of half-white dragon ogres.

Rilopenaril tasked the Bronze Chords with gathering all the people of Apollo’s Plains in one central location, the sacred Hill of Apollo where the draconic pair made their lair. He wished to make an announcement to his subjects. Langudina was oddly absent when Rilopenaril gave this task to the Bronze Chords. After many years they completed their task. The Bronze Chords traveled the length and breadth of Apollo’s Plains and slew many beasts and monsters to ensure safe travel for the weaker subjects of the bronze dragons. All the people of the Plains packed up their belongings as directed and migrated to Apollo’s Hill.

Rilopenaril announced that they would no longer live separately. They would live together in a new home of his design. Rilopenaril intoned a divine spell and a magnificent structure rose from the crown of Apollo’s Hill. The stone castle rose a thousand feet into the air reinforced by adamantine and lead. All those present were invited to inhabit the castle or return to their villages as they wished. Rilopenaril named the Bronze Chords the leaders of the new community.

Rilopenaril and Langudina temporarily took mortal forms to mate with the Bronze Chords and some of their existing children. Through this act, the Bronze Chords’ bloodlines were infused with draconic power. In time the Bronze Chords died as mortals do. Some of the deaths were natural, but others raised suspicions. First, Jeffery died of a minor illness in his old age. Second, Brelfagar was slain by a wild boar while hunting alone. Third, Sunrise died in a potion-making accident. After Sunrise’s death Rilopenaril accused Langudina of assassinating the mortals in their charge. The argument escalated and came to no resolution. To prevent the disagreement from turning to violence, Rilopenaril left Apollo’s Hill for a few years.

Langudina ruled in Rilopenaril’s absence. The very next year, Shoree died in childbirth. The last of the Bronze Chords had passed on. Langudina decreed that the group’s successors would be decided by an arcane gauntlet of duels. Each descendant of the Bronze Chords would duel each other until only two remained, a male and a female. The two would be wed and would rule as king and queen over the city. The people of Sheerzen protested in outrage, but one spout of dragon flame from Langudina’s snout quieted their dissent. The tournament took place in Rilopenaril’s absence without his consent. The winners, King Batard and Queen Challah, ascended to the thrones. Both were children of Rilopenaril.

Rilopenaril returned to Sheerzen. He was horrified at what his sister had done in his absence. They argued once more. Rilopenaril insisted that her actions were immoral. Langudina insisted that mortals existed only to be played with for the amusement of their draconic betters. Her actions were only the result of the age-old maxim, “Might makes right.” Frustrated with her actions, Rilopenaril retired to the cave beneath Apollo’s Hill to sulk. Shratalanda came to him in the cave and they secretly planned an end to the draconic rule of Cimmeria.

Rilopenarial and Shratalanda manipulated many of the Heroes of the Dragon War to put them on the path to rebellion. Rilopenaril was especially involved in Danar’s upbringing to give him the skills he would need to fight against the dragon overlords. When Danar was king Rilopenaril advised him. After a few years, Rilopenaril informed his descendant of the plan he had concocted with Shratalanda to end draconic tyranny over the land forever. Danar embraced the idea and began training the people of Sheerzen so that they would be ready for the coming war.

The bronze dragon flight largely sided with Langudina once the Dragon War broke out. Rilopenaril continued to assist the mortals as he could while evading the other dragons’ notice. The dragon pairs were bound by the Orbs of Dragonkind one by one until only Langudina and Rilopenaril remained. Langudina fled into the Western Terror Mountains, but the Heroes of the Dragon War chased her down. Rilopenaril restrained his own sister as the Heroes bound her within the last Orb of Dragonkind. With all of the dragon patriarchs defeated, the Dragon War was over.

Danar constructed a dungeon beneath Sheezern to house the Bronze Dragon Orb. The dungeon had no entrances, only being reachable by passing through hundreds of feet of solid rock. He achieved this with the help of earth elementals which were enlisted to help build and guard the dungeon. In addition to these protectors, the draconic king enchanted many of his full-blooded dragon cousins to guard the dungeon for all time. While Danar made the dungeon, Toffoun was the Dragon War Hero who entered stasis for when the Bronze Orb broke. That way no familial feeling would prevent what must be done.

Rilopenaril is the final defense of the Bronze Dragon Orb as the other dragon hegemons are for their Orbs. He lives beneath Apollo’s Hill in magical servitude the same as the other dragon tyrants. Rilopenaril insisted that he be treated the same as them with only a few exceptions. The conditions of Rilopenaril’s bondage allow him to visit Sheerzen for the coronations, funerals, and weddings of each successive monarch. His bloodline continues and he is happy to see his descendants, if only for brief moments every few years.