Protogenoi Dragon

Protogenoi Dragons were the oldest species of dragon and an extinct type of God-Beast. In their prime, they were the apex predator of Erudite in the years long before the Shattering. They were known for being enormous in size and highly intelligent . To other mortals, there were often revered as gods. Ever since the Shattering and the mass depletion of ekati from Erudite, Protogenoi Dragons could not sustain their immense magical powers from the planet. As such, they evolved over time to become much smaller into the more common types of dragons seen today. However, even after the Shattering, a handful of specimens did survive though in the single digits.

Although Protogenoi Dragons have long since gone extinct, their fossilized remains have shaped the terrain of Erudite, infusing it with powerful magical materials. The bone matter of Protgenoi Dragons are considered one of the most valuable resources in the world as a result.

Known Protogenoi Dragons

• Ouroboros - According to legend, Ouroboros was the first Protogenoi Dragon and one of the first life forms ever created by Ouros. The single largest specimen and most likely the largest life form to ever exist in Erudite, it is said that Ouroboros was large enough to wrap his entire body around the world where he would then loop around and eat his own tail. Though once believed to be little more than folklore, deep sea expeditions have revealed large deposits of fossilized, ekati-infused bone matter along the abyssal plains encircling the equator.
• Piasa - Piasa was a gold-colored dragon that grew over three kilometers in length, considered on the smaller end compared to other ancient specimens. Piasa was a guardian deity to the Taulan Tribe but eventually sacrificed himself to protect them from a volcano. Piasa is thought to be the last Protogenoi Dragon, his death causing the extinction of the species. His remains, however, fossilized into a valuable ekati-infused mineral known as Piasa.
• Zomok - An enormous Protogenoi Dragon that lived in Bhari'Adavi. His skeleton formed the terrain where Zomok Ridge can be found where today, it is inhabited by the primate-like Emuka.
• Shenlong - A Protogenoi Dragon that died shortly after the Shattering via ekati starvation. Shenlong was heavily worshipped and wanted to remain close with his followers so he split himself into multiple Spirit Dragons which still exist to day in the region of Shuang. There's also a legend that Shenlong had once survived being swallowed by a giant Godfish named Namazu.