duly researched and set forth
by J.S. Elias Methustos esq.
author, traveler, raconteur, historian, geographer, sage, and
individual of many personal heroic virtues and handsome aspect.
compiled and edited by ET Daniels from the original manuscripts
[Editor's Introduction: This volume of J.S. Elias Methustos serves as a cautionary tale more than most of the rest. It shows what happens when a scholar gets too close to his subject to remain objective. The adulation he pours upon the Dragon is both queer and laughable, in some respects. The disdain he holds for his own race is almost a sort of self-loathing.
The strength of this volume lies not in its historical accuracy (cf. Tersia's seminal work of the same subject matter) but in the author's apparent painstaking study of the system of governance of the Dragons. In fact, he knows the material almost too well, for he assumes that the reader follows too easily. Nevertheless, it serves to give us some glimpse into the organizational methods.]
We simple humans are a new and younger race, compared to the great age and lineage of the awesome Dracones. We are scarcely capable of passing judgement upon those older, wiser creatures, but honesty compels the good scholar to admit certain things that are unavoidably concluded. First, that we humans are of limited competence and are wholly inadequate. Especially when we are measured by our governing tasks, artistic expression, military might, technological advancement, practice of Llor, moral philosophy, and personal achievement. In short, we are nothing like our noble betters who...
[Editor Note: The orig. mss showed multiple pages of illegible writing that were stained by watermarks and decomposition. The actual historical narrative picked up some 27 pages later.]
So the elder races all lived in perfect harmony with the noble Vyrum at their head. The Vyrum were kind and gentle governors of great power, who had love and respect for all of the lesser and trivial beings around them. In their boundless wisdom, they saw the Halflings, Gnomes, Elves and Dwarves as tiny tutors from whom they could learn, as well as being precious charges that they could protect. It is well known that even the detestable Urok were not spared the loving goodness of the kindly Vyrum Princes and the Vyrum people in general.
The Vyrum people were zealous about genealogies and kept great records of their lineages and descendants. For each of them identified with a great house and a lord, proudly wearing their banners. There were several of these houses, but more on that must be left to another chapter entirely. It will be enough to speak to the wonderful organizational methods that first led to the founding of the republic of princes and the Pax Vyruma.
So harmonious and peaceful did Erenth find itself, that the Directorial Select of the Grand Benevolent Governing Council carried a unanimous decree that all the world of Erenth could only be improved by dividing it into four administrative appendages called Runs, as we know them today: Northrun, Southrun, Eastrun and Westrun. Each of the Runs being ruled by Governor appointed by the vote of the governing council.
It then established four score administrative Reaches in each of those Runs, and appointed a substratum of ruling Dictatures. Now the Substratum Dictatures each acted as an autonomous executive officer for their Reach in internal affairs, but also as a part of a binding and ratifying subcouncil with respect to each other Reach for those affairs that were judged external. This subcouncil was empowered by a two-thirds majority balloting process to invalidate the rulings of each other Dictature in matters appropriately deemed within its bailiwick. However, the real genius of the system was felt fullest at the next level -- that of the administrative Range.
Each of the Reaches was comprised of four to five hundred autonomous Ranges with a Primum and Alternum in charge of each and who shared diversified authority. The Primum being charged with executive and legislative affairs while the Alternum was granted judicial and economic affairs. Beside the Primum and Alternum, the Ranges were host to two constituent members of the Ternum, who were assigned to sit on either the Qualified Council of Local Constraint or the Plenary Committee of Revenue and Aggregation, but not both.
[Editors Note: The author again digresses too deeply into the minutiae of his subject matter. I have left out nearly 150 pages of text on the way that an edict was proposed and became final law. It adds nothing to our understanding of the Dragon.]
Alas, the genius of this arrangement was apparently lost on the other races, who wanted to keep their own petty fiefdoms and rivalries alive. Resistance to the plan of the council was the beginning of great trouble, but it wasn't the only impetus. There were other more nefarious forces at work.
It is not widely remembered that in those days the Vyrum went about on two legs and adopted the most appealing forms of all the elder races. They had skin of the most wonderful and lustrous colors. They were taller than then others and broader across the shoulders, which spoke of their magnificent strength. They had regal chins and noble visages, in which were set piercing eyes, which spoke of their keen intellect. They were masters of song and philosophy. They were artisans of rare ability and craftsmen of the highest order. It would seem that having so much proved to be their downfall. For in time, the other races grew to be envious of the Vyrum and grumbled constantly against them and used their envy as an excuse to rebel against the superior system of governance.
So great did the discontent grow, that finally, many of the Primum and Alternum, with the concurrence of the Qualified Council, grew tired of the backbiting and carping of the little ones and chose to spare themselves any further indignity. Such that the entire matter was referred to the Substratum of Dictatures. When the Substratum was in deliberation, the other races created still more trouble, including sabotage and theft. The entire noise of which reached the ears of the mighty governors and was eventually carried with great impropriety to the Grand Benevolent Council itself. It naturally found itself considered by the Directorial Select Committee.
When the ancient and fearsome beasts erupted with vengeance from the waves, the War of the Deep was joined. Many believed it was a form of judgement against the little people. Nevertheless, many noblemen and cavaliers were slain protecting them from the Old Ones. So many were slain that the autonomous Ranges did not have enough princes thereafter to serve. It was into this milieu that we humans entered the scene. Many of our kind were entrusted as stewards to the various noble seats that were vacant. This system of stewards reported directly to the few Vyrum who remained.
From this time of conflict and because of the paucity of ruling nobles, the matriarchy arose. Eventually the Old Ones were defeated and for seven years the three noble ladies established themselves as a triumvirate of queens. The most ambitious was Tiamet, who became the Queen Mother of All Erenth.
Compared to the Vyrum we are a much younger race. We are brash and rude and spiteful. We have fallen far from our Creator's intent, and far more quickly than anyone of the elder races might have imagined. To this day our race's sole redeeming feature is our females, who are exceedingly charming and smell better than baked apple wine sprinkled with cinnamon.
While we humans rose to power, the Dracones kept quietly to themselves, as good neighbors are wont to do. Meanwhile, the other elder races squabbled back and forth and imagined some vengeance that their consciences alone demanded. But in as much as anyone can tell, the Dracones felt only pity in return. By in large, they abandoned the great cities of old and took to lonely places, the better to leave peaceable and quiet lives. Some of the more foolish Dracones learned to change their shapes back to their older lesser form and these still dwell humbly among us men undetected, hoping to change our opinions of them as a people.
[Editor Note: The orig. mss showed multiple pages of illegible writing that were stained by watermarks and decomposition. The rest of the narrative is lost.]
