Elder Dragons

The Elder Dragons are a mysterious race of draconic creatures more dangerous than any one threat Tyria has ever faced before. Older than the Six Gods, and possibly predating Giganticus Lupicus, these ancient creatures have been sleeping for thousands of years, forgotten by the races of Tyria, and have wreaked havoc as they awakened again.

Described as forces of nature, akin to a tsunami or earthquake, the Elder Dragons seem unstoppable as they cause widespread destruction across Tyria. The races of Tyria are unable to understand their intelligence, motivation or even gender, as the Elder Dragons are primordial forces. To Tyrians, they are no different from the natural disasters they are described as. However, each of the Elder Dragons have their own unique motivation and ways to act, be it in what they do or how they corrupt things.

In 1120 AE, Primordus was the first to awaken. It caused havoc beneath the surface of Tyria and forced the subterranean asura to the surface permanently. The dwarves traveled into the depths to suppress its forces but it is unknown how successful they were. Following Primordus came Jormag, who awoke in 1165 AE, emerging from the Northern Shiverpeak Mountains, cracking the Shiverpeak Mountains and in turn creating inland seas.

Other dragons began to stir. In 1219 AE, Zhaitan's awakening caused the entire Orrian peninsula to rise from the ocean, flooding the coastlines of Tyria and drowning thousands. Zhaitan conscripted those killed into an undead army, spanning the Strait of Malchor and blocking access to and from Cantha. Another dragon awoke at the bottom of the sea, creating tentacled horrors from rivers and lakes. In 1320 AE, Kralkatorrik rose from north of the Charr Homelands, flying south over Ascalon, corrupting everything in its path. It settled in the Crystal Desert effectively preventing communication with Elona.

The Elder Dragons maintain a stranglehold over Tyria to this day. Each of the races has tried to deal with the threat as best they can, but if they truly wish to survive and defeat the dragons they have to work together. Already there are several multi-racial orders who dedicate themselves to finding a solution to the dragons.

Primordus was the first of the Elder Dragons to awaken in Tyria. Primordus' original resting place was in a cavern, deep underground, where it was assumed by the asura to simply be a statue emitting a high amount of magical energy. For this reason, they built the Central Transfer Chamber near the dragon. Primordus was initially supposed to awaken in 1078 AE, but upon the defeat of its most powerful general, the Great Destroyer, its awakening was delayed by two generations, until 1120 AE. After its rise, the other Elder Dragons began to stir, one by one.
After its awakening, its minions, the destroyers, flooded the Depths of Tyria, crushing any hopes the asura had of returning to their natural home. Many of the remaining dwarves, now creatures of stone, stand watch at entrances to the Depths, ensuring that Primordus' minions never reach the surface. Others traveled into the caverns to do battle directly with Primordus and its servants.
Primordus has remained underneath the surface since its awakening, clearing huge tracks of the underground regions, which forced more races, such as the skritt, to flee from the Depths. As a result of his activities, the minions of Primordus can be found almost anywhere on the surface.

Jormag is the ice Elder Dragon and is sometimes called "Dragon" by the Sons of Svanir. As early as 1078 AE Jormag was actively influencing Tyria. He whispered promises of power to Svanir through his currently unnamed champion and turned him into the dragon's first known champion, a half-norn half-bear covered in ice known as the Nornbear. Jormag also robbed Svanir's sister, Jora, of her ability to "become the bear." Since Svanir, there has been a cult of norn known as the Sons of Svanir who worship Jormag as the strongest Spirit of the Wild. Over the years, Jormag drew on their powers and hastened his own awakening.

Jormag awoke in the Far Shiverpeaks in 1165 AE, causing the kodan to flee the icy seas and battling the norn inhabitants there. His rise caused earthquakes that cracked and shattered the northernmost lands, allowing the icy northern ocean to flood through and create new, inland seas. These new inland seas are now inhabited by some refugee kodan Sanctuaries. Jormag also caused a rise in the tide of the northern ocean which capsized and tore apart many other of the kodan's iceburg cities.

Although powerful fighters, the norn were no match for the dragon's creatures of snow and ice known as the icebrood and were driven south into the abandoned dwarven territories. The dragon's forces now occupy the area around Drakkar Lake and Gunnar's Hold, the latter having been torn apart by a glacier. However, a mighty norn warrior, Asgeir, was able to cut out a fang from Jormag's mouth before leading his people south with the aid of the Spirits of the Wild. The tooth is now kept in Hoelbrak where the norn test their heroes against it. It is believed that when a hero damages the tooth, that hero will be capable of defeating Jormag once and for all.

Jormag is often referred to as being a living blizzard. It and some of Jormag's champions have powerful mental capabilities that alters their enemies' way of thinking. Whenever a group of norn attack Jormag or its champions, the men always return as icebroods, attacking the source of the group of norn in revenge; however, female norn never return.

Zhaitan is the name given by dwarven legends to the Elder Dragon of Orr. For an unknown length of time it slept beneath the land of Orr. In 1219 AE it awakened from its slumber. The force of its return to life raised the sunken peninsula to the surface, killing corsairs that had come to the scattered islands in search of safe harbors or Orrian riches. The return of Orr also triggered earthquakes and tidal waves that would devastate many coastal regions, including the Battle Isles and Lion's Arch.
Zhaitan used its powers to take control of the wandering dead of Orr, forming a massive army. It then raised the sunken ships of the corsairs and manned them with their now undead crews, creating a formidable navy to match its army. The dragon's navy stretched from the newly risen Orr to the beaches of the Ring of Fire, across the Strait of Malchor, blocking off passage to Cantha. For the past century Zhaitan's undead navy has ensured that no one may enter or leave Tyria, anybody attempting to do so being added to the dragon's numbers. Zhaitan rules over his armies from his lair in the corrupted ruins of the holy city Arah.

The currently unnamed Elder Dragon from the depths of a sea has the power to create tentacled creatures from the water. Through its powers, it has been creating servants from every lake and river around its location. Its whereabouts and all other details are currently unknown. This particular elder dragon does not have a major influence on the world of Tyria, which accounts for the lack of information regarding the subject. This lack of information is meant to give a sense of foreboding for the open oceans. There has been mention of the krait, quaggan and other sea-creatures have been driven out of the sea by an "underwater dragon."

The invasion of the krait into quaggan lands 50 years ago coincide with the approximate awakening of this dragon. The aquatic slaver race had dwelt in the deepest trenches of the Unending Ocean until one day they suddenly erupted into quaggan territory and almost completely destroyed the quaggan's civilization.

Kralkatorrik is the Elder Crystal Dragon and is the most recent Elder Dragon to wake. It is a thousand feet tall and its wingspan easily blocks out the sun. It has the power to corrupt anything organic with its breath, including foliage. The dragon awoke in 1320 AE in Grothmar Wardowns within the Charr Homelands, where it was confused with a mountain; then flew south over the charr territory of Ascalon and the Blazeridge Steppes, creating the Dragonbrand in the process.

When Kralkatorrik flew, a terrible storm of black clouds and lightning was formed around its body. The lands under its flight path that were touched by its golden breath turned black and the plants and animals turned into the branded - crystalline life forms of their former self. Currently, it occupies the northern Crystal Desert, where it landed in the vicinity of Glint's lair and the Tomb of the Primeval Kings. It is also one of the forces preventing movement into Elona for all except the Order of Whispers.

Kralkatorrik is often referred to as both a hurricane and sandstorm. It has the ability to create and even become the latter.

In 1320 AE, it is revealed that Glint was Kralkatorrik's former champion. Shortly after Kralkatorrik's awakening, Destiny's Edge attempted to kill the elder dragon with Glint's aid and nearly succeeded. However, after Logan Thackeray decided to leave to save Queen Jennah, the others became unable to protect Snaff while he paralyzed Kralkatorrik. The dragon escaped before the finishing blow could be landed, and Glint and Snaff both lost their lives. Destiny's Edge disbanded as a result.

In order to reinforce their minions, the Elder Dragons created champions to act as their right hands in their armies. An Elder Dragon may have multiple champions at any given time. The difference between a champion and other minions of a dragon is that champions possess intellect of their own, and realize the will of the dragons and act according to them.

The champions also seem to play a role in the awakening of the dragons, Primordus' awakening being proceeded by the Great Destroyer and put off by the Great Destroyer's death. Some comments by the developers have suggested that the dragons use their champions to gather some sort of energy for their awakening by assimilating more beings into the dragon armies.