Dragonkin



The Dragonkin are a race of powerful and intelligent dragon-like creatures created by Jas sometime before the First Age. The Dragonkin were powerful and malevolent creatures that spread destruction wherever they went; however, heroes such as Robert the Strong eventually drove them back to their stronghold, where they are currently plotting their return, ending the Dragonkin Conflicts of the Fourth Age. Nevertheless, there are currently about a dozen active Dragonkin. Three of them are protecting the Stone of Jas, with another being known to reside on Fossil Island. In battle, the Dragonkin have been seen to use melee, magic and exceptionally powerful dragonbreath.

At some point, they were enslaved by Jas and given the task of guarding the Stone of Jas, as referenced by the post-quest While Guthix Sleeps journal. The Balance Elemental, one of the primary guardians of the Stone, was killed during While Guthix Sleeps. In Postbag from the Hedge issue 10 the King Black Dragon said "balance must have a counter balance, lest he forgot." Movario believes that the Dragonkin are "Creatures brought here by gods to support them during the god wars." As revealed in the Ritual of the Mahjarrat, the Dragonkin not only guard the Stone, but also derive their power from it. When the Stone of Jas is touched by a "False User" (i.e.: anyone besides Jas) the Dragonkin feel pain and, eventually, become enraged, causing them to seek out and destroy the individuals that used it, as Lucien and the Kethsians learned, to their sorrow. Their purpose is to defend the Stone of Jas and for that reason they hate it. However, they can't act without it, and for that reason, they love it. The power given to them is what makes them strong; they are nothing without it. Furthermore, the dragonkin are getting more powerful each time the Stone is abused by false users.

The Dragonkin are separated into two factions: The most well known of which are the Necrosyrtes, which consists of the more aggressive dragonkin who kill false-users and created dragon equipment. However, the other more obscure faction is known as the Dactyl, who wish to rid themselves of the pain of the false user. In order to do this, and to carry on their lineage, as they cannot reproduce, they created the Dragon race.

Abilities
Not much of dragonkin combat has been seen, but what has been witnessed is evidence of tremendous power. During a battle against Robert, a Dragonkin used powerful magic, almost killing him, after having defeated his loyal sidekick Odysseus. However, Robert managed to retaliate and slay the dragonkin. Strisath, Sakirth and Sithaph, three dragonkin active in modern times, have been shown to be even more powerful. After the primary guardian of the Stone was defeated, Jas's curse released the three from their prison. Lucien, an evil Mahjarrat with aspirations to become a god, stole the Stone and abused it. This angered the three kin hurting them each time it was used, while also strengthening them. They released some of their rage by burning parts of Mos Le'Harmless, a pirate town, but they still desired to destroy the False User. Lucien used the Stone yet again after the eighteenth ritual, and the Dragonkin arrived to the scene, immediately incinerating Idria in a display of power. They then demanded that Lucien give in, but he refused and attacked them. He easily knocked down two dragonkin, but Sakirth snuck up from behind, first hitting then impaling Lucien with the staff of Armadyl, killing him. Later, they were seen completely ravaging Edgeville with their dragonfire, which is considerably more potent than regular dragonfire. Humans are turned to ash upon contact with it. Players are also shown a vision of the dragonkin decimating Draynor Village after the completion of Ritual of the Mahjarrat. The three are still planning to wreak havoc. In "Runescape 3: The Story So Far", a video uploaded on the Runescape Youtube Channel, Mod Osborne reads that that after Guthix's death, they are awaiting the gods to use the Stone of Jas so they can kill them. Indeed, their power currently rivals that of tier 5 gods.

"The Sleeper" states that the Dragonkin have the ability to travel through planes/dimensions without the aid of forces such as the Fairy Rings. This ability allows them to travel wherever the Stone of Jas might be, especially when abused by a False User, allowing them to go to places such as Kethsi.

Language
The dragonkin have a language, of which little is known, as they speak in the common tongue most of the time. The only humans known to understand the language are the Kethsians and Robert the Strong, who wrote a book on the subject, an excerpt of which can be found below.

Translated

 * Arakken = Dungeon
 * Draekeun = Dragon
 * Drakkerkin = Dragonkin
 * Gres = East
 * Kath = Failure/Weakling/Runt
 * Kletter = Green
 * Kreath = Dark/Shadow/Black
 * Lokur = Steel
 * Ortha = First
 * Tho = South
 * Verak = King/Emperor

Place names

 * Ullergrax = Forinthry/Wilderness
 * Sketherin = Brimhaven
 * aV'rok = Varrock
 * Herethen = Taverley
 * Istruthen = Lumbridge

Untranslated

 * Askanth
 * Carratas
 * Castil
 * Crasortius! - Probably means "Die!" or "Surrender", as Robert the Strong simply replies "Never!"
 * Dosk
 * Falkar
 * Hesente!
 * Hok
 * Kalgat
 * Kel
 * Kren
 * Kuln
 * Lith
 * Pthen
 * Reageth
 * Roake
 * Skethhzzzz! - Suspected to be a Dragonkin equivalent of "hahaha".
 * Sokun
 * Traken
 * Ven
 * Volat
 * Vosk... - Likely to mean False User.
 * Tescan
 * Tesska

Dragon equipment
The Necrosyrtes are the original creators of dragon equipment. Mr. Mordaut in a Postbag from the Hedge states, "As for dragon, I'm afraid that my knowledge of this unique metal is limited – the Dragonkin never divulged the secret of how it is made...". Movario also believes that the Dragonkin created dragon metal, in his notes writing:

It's also suggested that the dragonkin are connected to dragon items in some other unknown way, for example: a green dragon says, "If you have trouble with us lowly dragons, you have BIG trouble with Kin. They return soon; we feel power growing, calling to us, calling to them... The very weapons that make you strong bring Kin's return ever closer." Additionally a dragon impling claims: "Dragon stuff? We found it in secret places. Many different worlds, many different places. All hidden. Deep down, in the darkness. Huge piles of things. Left for a long time, though their masters begin to stir."

Dragonkin Castle
In A Tail of Two Cats, Robert the Strong is shown fighting a Dragonkin in an unidentified castle. If you stand in the north-western corner of the first plunder room in the Pyramid Plunder mini-game and activate your Orb of Oculus, you can actually see the castle and what looks like the same floor as in the cut scene. An imp stated in a Postbag from the Hedge, "Regardin’ Morytania, we steer away from it. Dat place whiffs of dragon poop...which is weird-like, since there ain't been a dragon down dat way for a millemelum.". Movario's notes obtained in While Guthix Sleeps mention Morytania, the Fist of Guthix arena and the Lunar Isles as having similar energies to each other, implying that the Stone of Jas once resided in all three locations. Given that the Dragonkin were tasked with protecting it, this supports the idea of them having lived in Morytania at some time.

The Ancient Cavern
The dragonkin are known to have created the Ancient Cavern underneath Baxtorian Falls. Movario's research strongly supports this notion: "Underground ruins of peculiar origin, reported to exist near the Baxtorian Falls. Upon researching the area, I was immediately struck by the precision of some elements within the caverns. [...] I returned and after only twelve days I found interesting, almost invisible arcane symbols - type 12, Possibly of the Second Age. Also, interesting markings near to rough-looking steps, the constructions within that cavern must be of Dragonkin origin." In addition, the key required to unlock the mithril door is called the Dragonkin key. As the Ancient Cavern contains a forge used to smith a dragon platebody, this further supports the idea that the dragonkin created dragon equipment.



The Dragonkin's Symbol
The Dragonkin are associated with a symbol with visual similarities to the Stone of Jas. It consists of a circle with a compass rose in the right half, and on the left half, a pattern identical to the one found on the Stone of Jas. There is also another Dragonkin symbol, which is only the compass rose without the Stone. This is because the Dragonkin symbol is actually a full compass rose, the half-stone-half-rose symbolises the Dragonkin's bonding to the curse of Jas. The symbol is seen on the floor in the cut-scene from While Guthix Sleeps, where three Dragonkin are shown congregating. The compass symbols are shown around the main symbol. The compass symbol is also seen on the floor of their castle from A Tail of Two Cats.

The symbol can also be found in the Spirit Realm, on the other side of the weak portal found in the ruins by the coast in level 47 Wilderness, where the symbol can be seen on the walls of the Spirit Realm's version of the ruins. It's unknown how the symbol came to be in the Spirit Realm, but it's possible that the symbols once existed in the real world, but were torn down and thus appeared in the Spirit Realm, similar to the Cursed magic tree's interaction with its real-world counterpart.

Multiple dragonkin symbols are seen during Song from the Depths, and also feature in the Grotworm Lair which is unlocked after the quests completion.

Experience
The Dragonkin seem to have a relation to experience and skill, since Ancient Effigies (which appear to be an ornament of the Dragonkin holding the Stone of Jas) give experience, and the Dragonkin cutscene in While Guthix Sleeps can only be unlocked after unleashing the remaining residual energy from the Stone of Jas by putting XP into a skill. Also several dismantled Ancient Effigies can be seen in Kerapac's quarters in Daemonheim.

While Guthix Sleeps
While Guthix Sleeps contains a teaser indicating that the Dragonkin will soon become more involved in the affairs of RuneScape. The cut-scene at the very end of the quest shows three Dragonkin meeting in an unknown location, plotting to "Bring terror and pain to the small races". Another more hidden connection is in the quest journal for While Guthix Sleeps. The entry added after the Stone of Jas is first touched reads "I've seen a vision by touching the strange orb. It has communicated to me that it is the 'Stone of Jas', owned by Jas, and protected by the creatures he has enslaved for the purpose - the Dragonkin."

Wilderness Volcano
The possible bones of a Dragonkin can be seen in the south central area of the Wilderness Volcano, which say "Could this have been one of the ancient Dragonkin?" upon examination. However their skull and neck bones look unlike that of Dragonkin. A skeleton with the same appearance can be found in the soldier room of the kalphite hive. It has no examine info.

Relation to Daemonheim
The Dungeoneering skill includes the Chronicles of Bilrach, which strongly suggest that Daemonheim was previously inhabited by the Dragonkin, whom Bilrach calls "Protectors of the artefact, enders of the Great Wars". Additionally, the skill makes strong use of an item known as the Ring of kinship. There is also a statue outside Daemonheim which strongly resembles a Dragonkin. Combined with previous references to the 'Kin', there is solid evidence that the Dragonkin were involved in the creation of the castle above Daemonheim, but for mysterious reasons had abandoned it by the year 1241 of the Fourth Age, perhaps due to their retreat from Robert the Strong or possibly because of The Rift that lies underneath their castle.

Destruction of Kethsi
At an unspecified time, a noted mage brought the Stone of Jas to Kethsi where it was used to bring prosperity to the plane. However, due to the continued use of the Stone by those deemed "false users", the Dragonkin experienced a buildup of rage that would only be reduced by violence. The Dragonkin repeatedly attacked the plane of Kethsi, gradually destroying the entire plane of existence.

The citizens of Kethsi did eventually find a means to harm and kill some of the Dragonkin with Bane-metal weapons tuned to the Dragonkin. Unfortunately, there was a limited supply of the metal and the citizens were eventually over-run. All that is left of their plane are the remains of a structure, several artifacts, and a diary detailing their eventual fall.

Queen Black Dragon
The Queen Black Dragon is an attempt by Kerapac to break the dragonkin free of Jas' curse. He had difficulty in manipulating her due to her colossal size, but created vessels in an attempt to control her. Other dragonkin seemed to have taken note of Kerapac's project, and one had created the King Black Dragon, who was released into the wild after failed breeding with the Queen Black Dragon. Kerapac decided to store the Queen Black Dragon deep underground, to be restrained and protected by several artefacts. He abandoned the dragon, leaving her in the cave where she currently resides.

Known Dragonkin
Currently, the names of only five Dragonkin are known. Three of them can be seen during the end of While Guthix Sleeps and near the start/end of Ritual of the Mahjarrat. The fourth can be read about in the First dragonkin journal. The fifth can be learned from Mr. Mordaut. There are "probably about a dozen hanging around... RuneScape, or near to RuneScape," with more characters going to be introduced to players "in the short or medium term"


 * Sakirth
 * Sithaph
 * Strisath
 * Kerapac
 * Taraket

Trivia

 * Before their graphical update on September 14, 2011, they were very similar in appearance to the Skeksis from the 1982 fantasy film The Dark Crystal. They were also similar in that both fear the Prospect of Death. It was confirmed by Mod Mark during the London RuneFest get-together (28 January 2011) that the Dragonkin were actually based on Skeksis, due to his love of the movie The Dark Crystal.
 * According to the fifth RuneScape's livestream the Dragonkin were created by Jas to protect her stone from being used for other purposes than Jas'.
 * Movario, in his notes, recalls the Dragonkin-made symbols in Dragonkin-made Ancient Cavern may be of the Second Age.
 * In the 5th postbag, to the King Black Dragon, he states "New challenges only bring them [the humans] closer to the end, to the precipice of the unknown, to the Kin, and they will show no mercy."