Prologue
The Burden of the Accused
AZ 1434 - Early Summer
Hall of the Dragon King, Valley of Tiamat
There was a time when the rulership of Dragonkind rested in the hands of the noble White Dragon King. His name had been lost in the mists of time, blotted out by the taint of the Black Dragons who seized the throne after his death.
Corona the White Dragon wanted to revive the glory of the ancient days, but her kind was far too few and treason was not taken lightly. She stood before the throne of Xorgoth, the reigning King of Dragons, forced to take the shape of a human. Even in her true form, she was smaller than the loathsome Black Dragon, but now she was like a mere insect.
Xorgoth rightfully sneered at the puny figure before him. The ability to transform was a useful technique on the outside, but it was a great disgrace to assume any other shape in the Dragon homelands.
"The time of the White Dragons is long since past," the King of Dragons said. "Your pathetic attempt to defy me for the sake of that lost time was as foolish as it was futile."
He stretched out his long neck and brought his head close to where she stood. His tongue extended past his fangs and ran up the length of her body. She twisted her head away from the Dragon King but kept her eyes defiantly fixed on him.
"It would take no effort to snap you up in my jaws this instant," he whispered to her. "However, I have something better in mind for you." Raising both his head and his voice, Xorgoth spoke so that the entire court could hear. "You are hereby banished for all time. You will never again set foot in the hallowed lands of our people. My best sorcerers have sealed away your true form. None under my reign is permitted to take your miserable life. You will live out your long years in shame, trapped in the body of a hideous, feeble worm. Now begone!"
A Red Dragon of the Palace Guard grasped her vestments in his teeth and carried her out of the hall. For now, she had no choice but to bear the humiliation. However, the King was gravely mistaken if he thought she had been defeated completely. Her spirit remained unbroken and her resolve had never been stronger. She would return in glory and see his reign brought crashing down. This she vowed and would see it done no matter the cost.