Book written by an unnamed Galontrian many centuries before the events of book 1.
Excerpt #1, from the Introduction
“Not much is known about the history of this vast archipelago before the Great Sever hundreds of years ago. We know that in the humble beginnings of Quassa, the five countries remained separated. Their only interactions were over the occasional dispute of an island. The Galontrians hungrily expanded their territory of Dreolia; the Utemials humbly lived in Bruatho; the Aquas defended the waters of Opo; the Eagles fought for Runkuok, and the Severactals existed peacefully in their country of Laqus.
“This period of separation was abruptly ended by the event colloquially known as the Great Sever. Untold destruction rained from the heavens, volcanoes erupted, and tsunamis wiped out much of civilization from existence. By the time the survivors could land again and rebuild, much of the population was decimated.
“A tenuous pact of peace was created to allow for healing of the land and people. Some countries grew more accepting of other species than others during this time. Eventually, Dreolia and Bruatho became less defined by their original population. Galontrians still made up a majority of Dreolia (and still do, to this day), and Utemials still made up the majority of Bruatho. However, Bruatho became a hub for all types of dragons and accepted any as citizens. Dreolia similarly allowed all types of dragons, but the path to citizenship was difficult and often unattainable, especially for Utemials. This period of “increased migration” and healing lasted until Dreolia broke the treaty over the ownership of the large island between Bruatho and themselves – Matacord – a century ago, as of writing this book.
“Of course, if you ask any of our officials, they’d push the same lie: that Bruatho had broken the treaty. Any dragon with eyes can see this isn’t true. But who am I, a mere historian – and a Galontrian at that – to comment on his own country in such a manner? Hopefully, in the future, Dreoila will realize the error of their ways and stop this constant off-and-on war with Bruatho. I’ve been there countless times, and everyone seems happy. It’s a stark contrast to the dull streets of Flameshear. Maybe they have it right. Perhaps after the construction of the university, the situation here may change. A dragon can only dream.
“Either way, this isn’t meant to be a subjective history book. I suppose the first war in Quassa is the best place to start. The Isle War, as Utemials called it, began with..”
Excerpt #2
“While I am by no means a proponent of war, as a historian, I must sit back and analyze the root causes of them. I am not justifying them morally; I merely seek a reason for bloodshed, as any historian would. I must essentially ask the question: ‘What was so important to kill other dragons over?’
“Many of the wars discussed in this book have been over territory. There were a few strange reasons here and there, but territory is what Dreolia has – and still does – strive for. After all, we have the numbers, technology, and strength. This advantage, however, doesn’t take into account terrain or knowledge of battle. It’s one of the many things I admire about Bruatho: their tenacity. Despite all of these battles, they still thrive as the second biggest economic powerhouse in Quassa.
“Aside from territory, natural resources have occasionally been used as justification for these wars. Given the considerable developments we’ve made in terms of naval vessels, transporting materials from far away is no longer a setback. Wood has become increasingly scarce in Quassa, but thanks to these advancements in shipbuilding, we are able to gather wood from outside of the charted lands and bring it back here to use as we desire.
“Breaching the objectivity of this book for a moment, one resource that I think would be beneficial to receive in trade from Bruatho is the precious metal oide. It is found quite abundantly on the island north of Opo, but the Aquas do not desire – or know of – its value. Bruatho uses the metal as a luxurious commodity at a cheap price. Their weapons are significantly stronger because of it. This is especially obvious in their tailblades. Yet another reason Bruatho has not been conquered as of writing this book.
“I can only dream of the other uses of it. Could we reinforce our homes with it? Could it be used for medicinal tools? What about the tools required of blacksmiths, sailors, fisherdragons, and other tradesfolk? I may present this case to our leaders. The only thing stopping me is the fear of provoking more bloodshed because of it. I feel safe expressing my thoughts here, as I doubt anyone other than scholars will read this. For now, it seems territory is Dreolia’s only interest.
“In contrast, our southernmost lands offer not much in terms of raw materials. They do offer hundreds of folk legends and myths, however. The biggest one is a legend about..”
Chester Young 