Territory

A mere 100-foot radius surrounding the base of Terror Mountain, including the mountain itself, is considered to be his ‘active’ territory, from the standpoint that the Cabal of Terror Mountain can easily patrol it. The remaining one-hundred and forty kilometre radius, while still considered within his purview and Draconic territory, is unable to be directly watched over due to his stationary entombment within stone and metal.

Appearance

From the haphazard research journals written by one of the few of his remaining Draconians, Yharadraul Or, ZOG’s original appearance was that of a scaled Wyvern with a mane of sharpened, silvery feathers and a lion-like face. His entire body spanned 70 meters in length, with a massive wingspan of 105 meters, resplendent in rose-gold scales that seemed to always be pristine and polished. Each wing was feathered with the same shimmering adornments as his mane, and every metallic feather was sharpened like the finest sword. The feathers rattled like wind chimes as the Dragon moved, producing strange, otherworldly sounds and ethereal fractal patterns in the air within a 100-foot radius around him. From Yharadraul’s inscriptions, these phenomena were known simply as “The Equation,” which the Dragon would use to adjust the properties of inanimate objects. Such adjustments could range from altering the density of stone to be as light as a grain of sand, to transformations as transmutative as changing copper into wood. The extent to which he could perform such feats of transmutation has been lost to time, although Yharadraul stresses the awe-inspiring nature of its usage, as passed down to her by her elders.

These accounts fail to pinpoint the finer details of the Dragon’s Mortal Form, his true passions and temperaments, or even an account of his Breath Weapon. All that ZOG was died with his original butchered body. All that he is now is the crowning achievement of renegade and ethically questionable scientists.

Bearing nearly the same dimensions as Terror Mountain itself, the reborn ZOG stands 4,800 meters in height on compressed metallic supports. The over-5,900-meter-tall, eternally dormant volcano he is contained within serves as a natural defense, deterring direct assault and preventing wild Brood from digging inside via the mountain’s rocky exterior. The Gnomes, unaware or simply ignorant of the previous appearance of the Firstborn, constructed a massive interior housing for ZOG’s heart and brain. ZOG’s brain floats in an immense, viscous, fluid-filled jar with rivulets of Elemental Lightning crackling across copper-like pipes extending from it, while the irregularly beating heart of the Dragon hangs suspended by strange chains in mid-air halfway up the center of the mountain’s cavernous core. While the mechanical Dragon cannot currently leave the mountain in full, his vaguely Draconic-looking head can emerge from its peak via the aid of his technicians, known as the Architects of ZOG, by utilizing powerful mechanisms beneath the mountain’s base.

Passions

The hoard of the Transmuter, who could warp matter into any desired form, was supposedly hidden in plain sight. It was said he sought items of mathematical precision and complexity to such a dizzying degree. Objects were especially beloved if they successfully contained dozens of differing, if not opposite, materials in their construction. Additionally, any texts of mathematical theorems or scientific mysteries of Arthos as a whole were coveted by ZOG just as eagerly. As if to brazenly show off his treasures, he would transmute each part of his hoard into a single metallic feather to adorn his body, thus keeping the brunt of his Draconic power cloaked over his form at all times.

With the Dragon’s near-death, such passions now fall under the direction of the Cabal of Terror Mountain, who largely prefer the collection of parts needed to upgrade and augment the Transmuter’s giant machina.

Temperament

From the scattered accounts pieced together by Yharadraul Or, ZOG was a creature of an artisan’s pride. He used his learned mind to play at the framework of reality in what he deemed its “shredded form,” with little to no worry for the consequences. He thought his combination of a physique armoured by his transmuted metallic hoard and keen intellect made his transmutative experiments beyond reproach; an arrogance that ultimately spelled his demise.

In the modern era, those who seek the Favour of ZOG emulate the inventiveness and mad genius of the Cabal of Terror Mountain. Nothing should stop their scientific hunger for discovery; not even morality. To those within the mountain, the power of progress cannot be held back, as it was their refusal to quit that allowed them to restore ZOG and wield his Draconic power. To the Gnomes, ZOG’s reincarnation at the brink of his death is beyond reproach or scrutiny, and such surety of one’s work should be directly emulated by those who seek the Transmuter’s gifted Favour by the Talons of ZOG.

Affinities

While it is largely unknown what ZOG mastered in terms of his skillset, his use of The Equation allowed him an unprecedented level of control over most materials. He used this in tandem with powerful Enchantment magic to create boastful wonders of implausible design in his image. With his death, Ta-Ba-Ret instructed her Brood to tear down nearly every statue, structure, and work of calculated art that the Transmuter created in an attempt to remove him fully from the annals of history. In addition, all known drakes of the Transmuter’s colouration were butchered or assimilated by the Brood hives to further expunge the Dragon’s memory from Amaranthia.

Breath Weapon

The Dragon’s original Breath Weapon remains a mystery. The fabricated Breath Cannon of ZOG, however, utilizes a combination of chemical-grade Cindamite and whatever ammunition the Gnomes can find to form a potent substitute. The Dragon’s massive head, given the moniker of “Heateater” by the Salvo of ZOG, can force itself out of the rim of the volcano of Terror Mountain. Using great amounts of Cindamite stored within the chest of the machina, ZOG can cause a catastrophic combustion of flame from within his body. The noise, like a volcanic eruption, heralds the cannon’s blast, which fires a chunk of superheated detritus at anything unlucky enough to be near the mountain. Metal containers, spent Gnomish devices, iron furniture, chunks of raw ore, and even buckets of steel cutlery are all usable ammunition. This becomes not unlike a metallic meteor of Elemental energy, blazing across the sky until it impacts a solid surface. Its effective destructive potential is limited by the size of whatever was fired, but generally it is the shockwave and not the actual object that causes the most damage to the blast site. Despite the best efforts of his technicians, the cannon takes between three to five minutes to reload after a singular firing.

Style of Governance

All forms of assistance to what could be considered any wayward followers of ZOG come directly from the Cabal of Terror Mountain. ZOG himself governs no subjects, holds no authority over temple structures, and does not give forth word. He is as much a prisoner of the mountain dwellers as he is protected by them.

Since the death of Ta-Ba-Ret, the Gnomes within Terror Mountain have begun a process to further the reach of their Dragon, in gratitude to those who slew the Brood Matriarch during the Amaranthian War, known as the Trials of ZOG. Starting in 2267, once every year on June 1st, the Cabal of Terror Mountain will entertain the possibility of releasing a unique Chemistry utilizing preserved bone marrow from ZOG’s former body. Cities and towns across Arthos will choose a petitioner to convince the cabal why they deserve to become a Talon of ZOG. Should no one impress them or seek to further the will of their Firstborn, they will wait until the following year to accept new petitioners. Should a place be chosen, the Aspirant of ZOG in that area shall be instructed on how to build Signal Beacons in place of the regular Draconic Pillars needed to become a Dragon Knight. The first beacon will be marked by a Talon of ZOG and begin connecting to the potent psychic presence released by the Dragon’s brain. The Aspirant will have exactly six months from the day of the first Signal Beacon’s creation to perform their Passages, with a few changes:

• There is no Grand Vow needed to be sworn; the unique Chemistry, known as the Dragonblood Infusion, becomes a substitute should the Aspirant succeed.
• The Passage of Commitment is fulfilled by the Aspirant creating their first Signal Beacon, which is considered to possess a Mark of the Firstborn from ZOG upon creation.
• The Signal Beacons act as a means of two-way verbal relay to Terror Mountain for the cabal to weigh the worth of the Aspirant’s offerings on behalf of ZOG. By their nature, these beacons are unstable, they only last two months before losing functionality. Each new Signal Beacon reestablishes connection to Terror Mountain and allows the Aspirant to continue on their path.
• Completing a Passage successfully does not result in the Aspirant receiving a magical claw mark from ZOG. They will receive verbal confirmation via their Signal Beacon from the Cabal of Terror Mountain if the Passage in question is a success. The Aspirant is then expected to mark themselves in suitable fashion.
• The Passages of Adherence, Embodiment, and Ascension, are determined by the Cabal of Terror Mountain and are not the standard self-designed trials a regular Aspirant of Draconic Knighthood would be used to. These often involve missions of interest for one of the three divisions of the cabal who tend to the Transmuter’s machina. These could be anything from attaining large quantities of raw materials or blueprints for new inventions, elimination of high value targets, or even assembling devices of intense complexity under heavy time pressure.
• The Passage of Ascension will always include a mission delivered by the First or Second Talon of ZOG. It will involve obtaining a special component directly responsible for the Dragon’s continued upkeep. This will undoubtedly come with dangerous circumstances and high risk.

If these are all completed successfully within the timeframe allotted, a representative from Terror Mountain shall visit the Aspirant to disassemble and collect their now non-functional Signal Beacons, bestowing upon them the unique Chemistry which will transform them into a Dragon Knight. The Dragonblood Infusion Chemistry is highly volatile and, if imbibed or handled by anyone other than the Aspirant or a Dragon Knight of ZOG before they are properly prepared to receive the concoction, it will cause immediate death and an arcane severing of one’s spirit as the Dragon’s raw power overwhelms their body. Furthermore, it only retains its potency for a few days at maximum and is too unstable to be extended, making it useless as a stolen good. The Dragonblood Infusion must be imbibed once every year to continue to maintain its effects, which will be provided by the cabal for as long as the new Dragon Knight remains in contact with Terror Mountain.

Should at any time during this path the Aspirant be found to be lying about any of the offerings prepared or deeds done, they will be branded an enemy of ZOG and will never again be allowed to attempt to gain his Favour. The truly unlucky are hunted down, taken to Terror Mountain, and fed into the Heateater.

Furthermore, the Trials of ZOG are often more complex than the usual means of impressing a Firstborn, mainly due to the time constraints in which the tests must occur. The Cabal of Terror Mountain demands a certain level of mathematical precision from their Aspirants and gives no leeway for perceived tardiness. If the Aspirant did not offend the organization, but did not finish the trials on time, they will be given special consideration for the next year to reattempt the testing process. However, failure once again will result in them being passed over for at least another year.

Upon success, the new Dragon Knight requires only a complex device of their own construction to act as a spell focus should they seek to call upon ZOG’s Draconic Magic. Should a Gnomish Aspirant attain the Favour of ZOG, however, the chemical compounds altering their body and mind allow the unprecedented ability to call upon ZOG’s magic specifically, utilizing one of their Gnomish Devices as an effective spell focus, as well as craft Shrines, Covenants, Troves, and Signal Structure Temples in a similar manner.

Should the Dragon Knight ever wish to remove their Favour and leave ZOG’s service, doing so is not as simple as renouncing their Knighthood. The act of flushing the addictive Draconic energy suffused through them via the Chemistry can cause one of many chaotic side effects, manifesting much like a potent curse from abandoning one’s Deity or Dragon. These can range from debilitating decreases in physical strength, to susceptibility to transformative spells, to even an inability to benefit from alchemical concoctions. There is also a rumour that it is even possible to have the fallen knight transmogrify into a Draconian bearing ZOG’s original colouration, albeit with a terrible cost.

Finally, the most learned minds of Draconic study warn Aspirants—beyond any of the ethics involved—that ZOG’s continued existence is questionable at best. None can say whether he has attained a form of immortality or if the machina keeping him alive will fail. Aspirants of this “unique” form of Draconic Favour should keep in mind the potential impermanence of their powers should anything befall ZOG himself, and weigh that eventuality carefully before attempting the Trials of ZOG.

Temple Structure

The one true organized “Temple of ZOG” is the Firstborn’s mechanical form within Terror Mountain. The ranks of those tinkerers who live within it are as follows:

Talons of ZOG: What many Firstborn call Dragon Knights are referred to specifically as “Talons” by the organization in the mountain. Each is considered the direct arm of ZOG’s wrath as well as his ingenuity, and carry great weight within the community. Talons are numbered by order of creation, and once they die a Final Death the number is never reused. The First and Second Talons of ZOG act as diarchical rulers for Terror Mountain. While the First Talon is in charge of defense and directing the maintenance of the Heateater, the Second Talon is tasked with the upkeep of the Firstborn’s life-giving devices and interpretation of his psychic communication. Should either the First or Second Talon die, the Talon to take their place would not take on their number, but would add the title of “Successor to the First/Second” to the end of their name.

As of 2264, the First and Second Talons are still the original two Gnomes who survived creating the Dragon’s metallic shell and are rumoured to be immortal. Additionally, as of the same year, there exist only six Talons of ZOG total within the mountain.

Salvo of ZOG: Assistants to the First Talon. They process the organs of Cindamite Brood to power the Heateater of ZOG. They are also accomplished alchemists who focus on experimenting with Cindamite and other combustible materials to optimize the force and accuracy of the cannon. Each is also trained in the art of ranged combat, using both physical and alchemical projectiles to deadly effect.

Architects of ZOG: Assistants to the Second Talon. They keep the records of the ancestral blueprints utilized to create the original devices keeping ZOG alive. They train endlessly in tinkering, blacksmithing, and even thaumaturgical applications to maintain the mountain-sized machina. To the Architects, anything that can be done to refine, augment, or fortify ZOG’s vessel is their life’s work to investigate. One of the most well known architects is the Draconian of ZOG, Yharadraul Or. Most of her time is spent developing new gadgetry and learning to communicate with her former patron via his brain’s psionic reverberations. She is well respected by her fellow Architects, and frequently makes diplomatic missions to the Fortress City of Voynak since the culmination of the Amaranthian War. She was born without scales, which she replaced by intricate scale mail made of a shimmering silvery metal originating from Amaranthia across her entire form as a pinnacle of design. She enthusiastically displays her augmented appearance as accomplishments of scholarly and personal pride. Yharadraul is seen as the unofficial right hand to the Second Talon of ZOG and is one of the few of the cabal to regularly leave the mountain’s confines.

Instead of temples, any Talons of ZOG that exist away from the mountain construct what are known as Signal Structures. These areas are imbued by the Talon’s magic or Gnomish Devices, much like their former Signal Beacons, to act as a means of drawing ZOG’s psionic consciousness. This allows the structure and its vestments to receive the power of ZOG over great distance, and function properly without being in his vicinity. Many claim to hear barely audible, static-filled wails echoing from the structure at random intervals, but all Talons know this to simply be “regular signal disturbances”.

A major kind of these disturbances involve great events of magical interference such as violent shifts in Ley Line activity or the emergence of an extraordinarily powerful being. Such events can temporarily dampen this transmitted Draconic energy from reaching a Talon’s Signal Structure should they occur nearby. Thankfully, these effects are always temporary and typically do not last more than an hour.

The Last Equation

The other remaining Draconians of ZOG see Yharadraul Or as a vile scientist without conscience, claiming her public facing image to be a facade. This group, known as the Last Equation, formed at the end of the Amaranthian War to put a stop to the Cabal of Terror Mountain after learning via returning soldiers of ZOG’s fate. They believe ZOG has become an abomination of technology and alchemical perversions controlled by Yharadraul and her Gnomish conspirators. They claim the cabal has become obsessed and dependent on the elixirs made from the Dragon’s blood, bone, and flesh, like a horde of ghoulish inventors unable to break free from the allure of their own creations.

The group seeks to kill their former Firstborn to allow him the death they claim he has sought for years. While they have yet to find avenues to breach the mountain stronghold, the Last Equation have sworn an oath to destroy the machina within and have gathered some measure of other Firstborn adherents to their cause, as well as some of the Razor-Vine Clan despite the Amaranthine Legion official declaration of neutrality with Terror Mountain. While some Draconic followers see ZOG’s preservation as important to the overall cycle of reality, many others have voiced their support of the Last Equation’s mission, seeing his mechanical fate as an unforgivable sin against the Codex Dracona, his Firstborn brethren, and the very sanctity of life itself given ZOG’s unnatural state that they claim as being “worse than any Necromancy.”

Historical Highlights

Historical Entry #1 – Year ????: “.- .-. .. … .”

An excerpt from the “Lohikäärmeen Arkkitehti: The Manual of ZOG, Volume 2 of 128,” translated from the Gnomish language to Common.

The Sun rose, and the Dragon set.

Tireless hands over pallid bones. Inefficient. Ineffectual. The Dragon would die without drastic measures.

Tireless minds over broken scales. Impervious? No; imperiled. The armour did not save it from the sea of acids.

Tireless wills over fading spirit. Immortal. Inexorable. The Dragon’s essence must be preserved.

With every metal graft, each click and crack, we built. We healed a wound by molten steel. We saved a wing by iron splints. Each hum and whir. Every shock and spark. We broke a claw by miscalculation. We lost a lung by lack of speed.

The massive heart and immense brain. The sanguine succor and erudite mind-flesh; we felt it. We held it. The drainage of pure energy stained us; became us.

Two organs remaining. One chance remains.

Invigoration. Invulnerability. Invincibility. We soaked it in and let it take us. The designs, the directions, the destruction of death itself.

The machina was assembled; each piece was heeded. His roars of doom, no longer needed! We Talons two remain with the wyrm. Mere shreds of his marrow; we think that we earn.

With his saving, the endless war begins anew. To cut down each Brood that comes for us, and prepare to outlast the Matriarch who controls them. The terror that this mountain now brings shall become our name, our kingdom, our purpose. Let it fill the hearts of the Brood with fear, for their evolutionary chaos shall not rival our elevated genius.

And so it was. And by careful Equation shall it stay.

The Sun set, and ZOG rose.

Historical Entry #2 – Year 2261: “The Mountainous Machina of ZOG”

An excerpt by High Chronologer Esxen’Tenadall II of the Thalan on August 4th, 2261, from within Terror Mountain’s Inner Sanctum

Atop the mountain known only as Terror Mountain, other adventurers found a group of Gnomes that lived there. Contained within was a giant brain and heart, kept alive by Gnomish machina. It was revealed that a long time ago, the organs in question belonged to an unknown Dragon who was mortally wounded by Ta-Ba-Ret. The Gnomes could not save the Firstborn fully, but kept his consciousness alive with their ingenious devices. They named it ZOG. If the adventurers could help the Gnome known only as the First Talon of ZOG harvest Cindamite Brood organs to fuel the machina that kept ZOG empowered, they would agree to aid the forces. The organs were collected, and the First Talon of ZOG made good on his Gnomish brethren’s promise. He unleashed upon the forces of Arthos a fine blue dust that would greatly lessen the effect of Ta-Ba-Ret’s Draconic acid spray.

Historical Entry #3 – Year 2267: “The Proclamation of the Dragon-Liege”

Given globally across Arthos via the Skein Gates by the First and Second Talons of ZOG

Citizens of the Arthos,

We are the Rulers of Terror Mountain, the First and Second Talons of ZOG, and we bring proclamations to the masses on behalf of our Firstborn machina.

For your aid in destroying the Ruinous Ta-Ba-Ret, and reinvigorating the spirit, mind, and armoured body of the Transmuter with your efforts, we unleash to the world at large the Trials of ZOG. Commence rejoicing.

We were content to remain unconcerned with Maud’madir’s affairs, and have kept to our tireless work for many generations. However, a scant few of you have shown us the bravery and ingenuity worthy of thousands. It is for this reason alone we release a chance at a previously unfathomed gift: To become one of ZOG’s Talons abroad. Many of you refer to such a thing as Draconic Knighthood, and for sake of clarity alone we shall entertain such a generic title thus:

Once per year, leading up to the 1st day of June, we will accept petitions for the Trials of ZOG via your confounding Skein Gateways. We seek those who champion progress, discovery, and unrelenting achievement in the endlessness of science. A representative of our people will travel to the Omprizmus Dracona Temple just outside of Ered Armon, an institution of neutral ground to all Firstborn, to receive these letters of petition no later than one month before. Travel to meet this representative at your peril; in short, do not. Should you be the singular chosen, you have been deemed worthy to be under the scrutiny of the Cabal of Terror Mountain. Impress us.

You have six months from your appointment to prove you are worthy of the infusion that will connect you to ZOG’s power. Disappoint us and know ZOG’s wrath in intimate nature.

Aid our reach of the Equation of ZOG, and reconnect us with the world at large.

As relayed once, and transmitted hundredfold,

The First Talon of ZOG
The Second Talon of ZOG