Chapter 2: Meslamtaeda

The Balaur-worshipping tradition among the Sapiens, as mentioned in Chapter 1, dates back to ancient times and is thought to have been firmly rooted in Atreia long before the arrival of Humans and Daevas.

Of all the Sapiens, the Krall have worshipped the Balaur the most faithfully.

The Altar of the Crimson Dragon is currently governed by Chieftain Kraka who believes the power of Meslamtaeda, one of the five Balaur Lords, will be divided among his obedient Krall priests.

Since their rituals are performed in strict secrecy, we only have the most unreliable accounts.

However, all agree that the Krall offer up a sacrifice on the gigantic stone platform as part of the ritual.

Meslamtaeda is the second highest Dragon Lord after Fregion, and has the nickname "Crimson Dragon". His domain is that of death and fear.

The Balaur are born with a burning desire for power, and it is not difficult to imagine a time when the ruled Atreia.

The Fierce Balaur we have encountered may help us to imagine the Balaur Lords trapped within the Balaur World who strive to conquer the Aetheric Field.

The Krall who worship Meslamtaeda subjugated the Kobolds but did not force them to obey Meslamtaeda.

This religious tolerance fostered a sense of community, and made their subjugation of the other Sapiens easier.

There are differing opinions among the Sapiens about Meslamtaeda's power. Sapienism stresses the power of the Krall while Balaur Authoritarianism emphasizes the authority of the Crimson Dragon.

The Kobolds, while officially subject to the rule of the Krall, do not seem to participate in rituals at the Altar.

Now we will explore the question of how the ritual for Meslamtaeda is performed.

The Krall are thought to have performed rituals on the Altar of the Crimson Dragon since ancient times, when the Balaur still lived within the Aetheric Field.

Recently some traces Krall activity have been found around the Altar of the Crimson Dragon in Verteron, but we do not know for sure whether the rituals have begun again.

The last grand ritual that we know of took place right before the Balaur Lords were pushed out of the Aetheric Field. The Altar of the Crimson Dragon is still held sacred by the Krall, but has fallen into disuse.

Now that the five Balaur Lords are no longer seen in Atreia and the Krall are being pushed back by the Humans, many wonder what the Altar means to the Balaur.

Has it been reduced to a mere symbol that helps the Krall to justify their subjugation of the Kobolds and strengthen their tribal unity?

The next chapter will explore how the natural environment around the Altar of the Crimson Dragon has changed.