In the Faith of Dragons and Death

Origin

The creation of Drekanity can be directly traced back to the original Native Anagonian inhabitants some 10,000 to 5,000 years prior and settled into the empty, fruitful lands of the Anagonian Continent. There they encountered the first Drekamythian Dragon, and while most historical tales end in bloodshed and genocide, the inhabitants of Anagonia then began to worship them. During this time was also the first mention of the Patron God of Drekanity, Melkos Unchanos. Paintings on cave walls indicate that the worship of Melkos began as early as 6,500 years ago, which coincides with the images that seem to revere dragons that can be dated around the same time. Melkos Unchanos is always depicted as a tall humanoid figure, cloaked in fabric, and in some images shown to have a skeleton for a frame - similar to popular modern cultural references to Death.

Artists interpretation of Melkos Unchanos
Painted sometime in 1240 CE

The Drekan Dark Age

In drawings predating the display of reverence for Melkos and the Drekamythian Dragons, it is evident that human sacrifice was the key component of Ancient Drekanity. Modern Drekan Scholars label this time as the "Dark Age", a time where man did not value the sanctity of life and instead threw its gift away. It is clearly evident that Anagonian society during this time saw the sacrifice as a necessary evil, as further cave and pottery imagery depict a "great fear" of the dragons wrath. Communities would often be erected on or near the territorial claims of ancient Drekamythian Dragons, whereupon an alter was typically erected on the outskirts of the community where it is assumed the human sacrifices took place. No ancient community unearthed during this time shows any sign of straying from this practice.

The Age of Melkos; God of Death

Around 6,500 years ago a cave painting was drawn in the high mountains on the edge of the State of Arkansis, near Union Bay. Archeologists unearthed a plethora of preserved pottery and cave drawings that depict a cloaked individual with a scythe and a skeletal form, clearly gestating in various poses against the practice of human sacrifice; one such depiction shows Melkos standing in the way of a dragon and potential human sacrifice, for example. From this point on, carbon dating indicates that the majority of communities that had once partook in human sacrifice were abandoned, and newer communities were established farther from these locations.

During this time, written crude script on stone would arise sharing the histories of clans and tribes depicting an interest or reverence to Melkos Unchanos. Modern Drekan Scholars call this time the "Age of Melkos", as some of the Old Sacrament within the Drekan Testament can be established to have been written during this time - the majority of which are poems of sorts, singing praises to the creation beliefs of the Drekan Faith and Melkos himself. The first one-fourth of the Drekan Testament is filled with such praises, making up the entirety of the Books of Sacrament and founding the core beliefs of Drekanity; honor, duty, responsibility, value to life, love to kin and kith, faith to Melkos, reverence to Dragons.

The Disciples of Melkos

A Typical (and popular) painting of Melkos Unchanos commonly displayed in many Churches of Drekanity

Sometime around Gregorian Calendar Date 420 BC, the First Disciple of Melkos was born. The New Sacrament was established and written by one Josephus Alexandrius, a man who is admitted to have arrived by boat from a far off land to the north (where Scandivan now exists) and is written to have traveled far and wide across the Anagonian Continent. During one of his trips along the Sea of Liberty, he is stated as having met a man in a dark cloak who asked for his help. This cloaked man was later found out to be Melkos, who had sought Josephus because of his foreign birth, and tasked him with joining the communities through cataloging the travels of Melkos himself. According to Josephus, Melkos was, "like a man, but not like man. A skeleton, but with skin. Caring, though without expression". Drekan Scholars are still in dispute to this day whether or not during this time if Melkos was a flesh and blood human being.

Further evidence to the humanity of Melkos can be found in the writings of the Second Disciple of Melkos. Around Gregorian Calender Date 388 BC, Rikor Hak, a Native Anagonian, was sought by Melkos to unite the divide between the Anglo-Saxon Man and the Native Dragon Man (Native Anagonians). It was during this time that many in the Anglo tribes were beset by Drekamythian Dragons, and initiated raiding and hunting parties against the requests of their Native Anagonian brethren. According to the New Sacrament, to stop these attacks, Rikor Hak was given the blessing of Dragon Tongue. In the following chapters he is told as uniting the tribes of Anagonia and Dragonkind through his blessing of speech, and kindness of heart. He is shown fighting back the enemy hoards of the Seurian Empire, signifying the strength of Melkos and the resolve he provided. His lessons of acceptance and unity are considered to be a core tenant of the Drekan Faith, and his expressionisms of deep belief in Melkos Unchanos fuel and kindle many flames of faith in the Drekan Church and Community.

It wouldn't be until Gregorian Calendar Date 110 BC that the Third Disciple of Melkos was to arise. During a particularly savage time in Anagonian history, the many city-states that dotted the continent were at war with another. It is written in the New Sacrament that Melkos Unchanos came before a General Octavius Mavidenus and commanded his obedience. Octavius is written to have doubted, and demanded a fight to prove the truth of Melkos. In the ensuing fight, Melkos is said to have "stayed keenly away, yet close enough for the blade to slide through". The battle ended when, tired and spent, General Mavidenus is written to have sliced clean through Melkos and, "not one ounce of flesh was struck, for then a skull gazed upon the man to attempt to strike Death". After his pledge of obedience, the rest of the Sacrament to General Mavidenus depicts his unification efforts of the cities, whereupon the first nation on the Anagonian Continent was formed. Historically, there is clear evidence to prove the existence of a Commonwealth of Mel-Videnus, which is assumed to have lasted until Gregorian Calendar Date 20 AD. Many preachers of Drekanity use these verses to elaborate the importance of accepting foreigners and their values, a topic that is still hotly debated in the Confederacy during the modern era.

The lessons of General Octavius Mavidenus finish off the Holy Drekan Testament with the expressed values shared. General Mavidenus constantly preached about unity, the need for family and community, the trust of your fellow man. In total, twenty five versus comprise just the relaying of the Generals belief in the value of having just a single friend, maintaining that friendship against all odds, and protecting the things you hold dear. In his final versus, the General imposes the importance of faith to Melkos, but also faith to your state. That obedience to your cause of community is equal to your faith in Melkos and brings him honor as well as on yourself. As he is written as saying, "Charity, above all, to the community shares equally the spoils of Melkos. Never forget where you first came, to now where you share victory".

The Modern Era

Despite the advent of Christianity and Islam, and even existing around the same time as Judaism and earlier forms of polytheistic religions, Drekanity has endured. In the modern Drekan Church, family values are typically preached in the same or similar manner as one of the Three Disciples of Melkos. Many of the values of Drekanity are enshrined in the everyday life of every Anagonian, including the continued reverence to Dragons, though admittedly foregoing the human sacrifice. Drekamythian Dragons and Drekamythian Wyverns are themselves are a very healthy, lively race in modern times of flying reptiles that typically live throughout the Imperial Drekamythian Empire and some parts of the wider expanse of Anagonia. It is not uncommon for a Drekan faithful to pilgrimage to a dragon or wyverns territory and observe their lifestyle, to live as them for a week, and to experience the humility they offer. Many, if not all, Drekamythian Dragons and Wyverns are friendly to humans, if aloof and isolationist. When found, it makes for one life-changing experience for the faithful.