There was once magic and mystical creatures that lived mostly in harmony with humans. Everyone had some magic in them, the weakest could start a simple fire while the strongest could burn entire armies to ashes. The Genheim empire to the north was the top of the three nations in terms of size and power. They were the most advanced but also the greediest of the three. While the kingdoms of Yule, to the south-west, and Rhine, to the south-east, strove to live in peace and share with the Neighbors, Genheim wanted to take from them and be on the top.
So they waged war against the Neighbors to prove they were better and take their resources. Both Yule and Rhine sent forces to help the Neighbors but against Genheim's much stronger mages, they were of little help. The war dragged on and on and the scars left on the land awakened the six guardians. Above the race of elves, who were the strongest of all the Neighbors, were the dragons. Before the empires were even communities, six dragons ruled the lands. They each had their own powers and they granted humans something related to them which allowed humans to advance. When they woke they ended the war and reduced Genheim to ashes for the crimes they commited. With the ruling power destroyed, the people had no one to lead them and they started forming small factions to survive. Once everything had settled the six disappeared once again from sight, but some travelers claimed they had seen either one of the five during their travels. With the sixth being the most secluded and feared.
The dragon of life Heiko
The dragon of fire Zven
The dragon of water Vandens
The dragon of knowledge Arivu
The dragon of air Zrak
And Irrsinn
Irrsinn was the only one of the six that had no element assigned since it was said the dragon was able to use different elements and even earth. One element none of the other dragons wielded. Stories passed down told of the mad dragon razing everything in its way, even injuring its fellow dragons. It wasn't until the dragon of knowledge, Arivu, talked him out of his rage that Irrsinn disappeared to the north. Where the cold froze his anger and madness, keeping it mellow and calm.
Two thousand years after the kingdom of Genheim was destroyed only one survived and rose to power. Albeit still much smaller and weaker than the kingdoms of Yule and Rhine. The small villages towards the northernmost border of the kingdom had a tradition of sending a young maiden to the cave where Irrsinn was said to reside. Each village hoped the offering of a young maiden would placate the mad one and in turn their villages would be safe from its wrath. After they had left the maiden for two days, the villages would send a scout to check if their offering was accepted. Each time the scout came back with horror stories of guts and blood dripping from the stone of the cave walls. Of course over time the tradition was given up due to villages discovering nothing happened even if they did not sacrifice a maiden due to the fact they had none or had the balls to not sacrifice.
Except for the village closest to the forest.
They feared the dragon more than the rumors that the dragon may not even be living in the cave and the tales of other villages surviving even if they did not sacrifice. Two thousand years pass and they remain the only village to give a maiden every winter solstice; even if others see them as barbaric.
