A Violent Past
The GustWing tribe began its existence far away from the Blessed Isles, alongside the SilkWings, LeafWings and HiveWings on Pantala. They were viewed as aggressive and dangerous, conquerors who ate their enemies as well as their own dead. Pantalan myth even claims that they killed off the other tribes that once lived on Pantala, and they were only stopped by a united force of LeafWings, SilkWings, and HiveWings.
As all this happened long, long ago, no one is really sure what the truth was. The GustWings don't comment on it, only saying that the first Tempest - then known as a Queen - led them away from defeat in Pantala, guiding them through a tempest without losing a single member of the tribe. It might be possible that the tales of GustWing cannibalism were simply invented to justify driving an entire tribe off of Pantala.
Only one thing is certain; the GustWings arrived on the Blessed Isles, took over Gust Island, and have been very quiet ever since.
As all this happened long, long ago, no one is really sure what the truth was. The GustWings don't comment on it, only saying that the first Tempest - then known as a Queen - led them away from defeat in Pantala, guiding them through a tempest without losing a single member of the tribe. It might be possible that the tales of GustWing cannibalism were simply invented to justify driving an entire tribe off of Pantala.
Only one thing is certain; the GustWings arrived on the Blessed Isles, took over Gust Island, and have been very quiet ever since.
Era of the Three Kingdoms
The Era of the Three Kingdoms occurred not long after the GustWings arrived on Gust Island. Not all dragons agreed with the idea of worshiping their queen - now known only as the Tempest - as a living god. After a few years, two large groups of GustWings left the Tempest's city - in the heart of what is now Bitterpeak Barony - and moved to two different areas of the Island. The Kingdom of the Crater and the Kingdom of Roseglade were born.
The Tempest was furious, but unable to muster enough forces to do anything about it. The Era of the Three Kingdoms was characterized by petty squabbles and border disputes between Bitterpeak, Roseglade, and the Crater. This lasted until her granddaughter, the fourth Tempest, was finally able to gain enough soldiers and influence to make a decisive victory. She summoned her army and flew towards the Kingdom of the Crater, beginning a five-year-long war where she conquered city after city.
When she finally reached Spark, the Queen of the Crater surrendered. In exchange for an oath of loyalty, the Tempest named her 'Baroness of the Crater'.
Roseglade, however, presented a very different challenge. While the Tempest had been away, the King of Roseglade had taken advantage of her absence, and invaded Bitterpeak. The GustWings who had been mocked as 'soft' proved to be fierce warriors, and were getting dangerously close to the capital, Peak. The Tempest returned from the Crater just in time - with some of the new Baroness' forces - to rescue Peak from siege.
So did the Battle of Peak begin. The Tempest and the Baroness' forces slightly outnumbered the soldiers of Roseglade, but the outcome of the fight was by no means certain. After four hours of fighting, the King was captured, but refused to surrender, and called for his forces to keep fighting. After two more hours had passed, the Tempest killed the King, and yet still the soldiers of Roseglade kept fighting. It took another few hours for true 'battle' to end, but for days afterwards small groups of Roseglade soldiers used ambush tactics to harry the Tempest's forces. It was a dirty, messy victory - not quite the brilliant win against soft farmers that had been expected.
Even so, Roseglade had lost almost all of its army, and while the King had preferred death to surrender, his heir - a five-year-old dragonet - felt differently. A week after the Battle of Peak, the Queen of Roseglade arrived and surrendered. As she had done with the Queen of the Crater, the Tempest named her the Baroness of Roseglade.
The Tempest was furious, but unable to muster enough forces to do anything about it. The Era of the Three Kingdoms was characterized by petty squabbles and border disputes between Bitterpeak, Roseglade, and the Crater. This lasted until her granddaughter, the fourth Tempest, was finally able to gain enough soldiers and influence to make a decisive victory. She summoned her army and flew towards the Kingdom of the Crater, beginning a five-year-long war where she conquered city after city.
When she finally reached Spark, the Queen of the Crater surrendered. In exchange for an oath of loyalty, the Tempest named her 'Baroness of the Crater'.
Roseglade, however, presented a very different challenge. While the Tempest had been away, the King of Roseglade had taken advantage of her absence, and invaded Bitterpeak. The GustWings who had been mocked as 'soft' proved to be fierce warriors, and were getting dangerously close to the capital, Peak. The Tempest returned from the Crater just in time - with some of the new Baroness' forces - to rescue Peak from siege.
So did the Battle of Peak begin. The Tempest and the Baroness' forces slightly outnumbered the soldiers of Roseglade, but the outcome of the fight was by no means certain. After four hours of fighting, the King was captured, but refused to surrender, and called for his forces to keep fighting. After two more hours had passed, the Tempest killed the King, and yet still the soldiers of Roseglade kept fighting. It took another few hours for true 'battle' to end, but for days afterwards small groups of Roseglade soldiers used ambush tactics to harry the Tempest's forces. It was a dirty, messy victory - not quite the brilliant win against soft farmers that had been expected.
Even so, Roseglade had lost almost all of its army, and while the King had preferred death to surrender, his heir - a five-year-old dragonet - felt differently. A week after the Battle of Peak, the Queen of Roseglade arrived and surrendered. As she had done with the Queen of the Crater, the Tempest named her the Baroness of Roseglade.
Tempest Eagle and Queen Ice
Offer of Asylum
The GlassWing revolution was halfway through its course when the GustWings shocked the entirety of the Isles by offering to shelter the GlassWing royal family; King Tigerlilly and his wife, Queen Helia, along with whatever family members they wished to bring. Remembering the rumours about the GustWings, the GlassWing monarchs politely declined the offer.
However, when the revolution was ending and the Palace invaded by a mob of angry peasants, intent on removing all traces of the royal family, Queen Helia fled with her egg, flying towards the ocean and the discreet location along the shore where, five years ago, the GustWings had said to go if they needed help. Luck was on Helia's side, for when she arrived there, a small group of GustWings were waiting for her. After a month-long journey, they arrived in Gust Island and entered the safety of the Tempest's Mountain Hold.
The Tempest has done everything in her power to keep Helia comfortable and the egg safe, though many dragons are concerned about just how much attention she seems to be giving the egg... especially since the Tempest has no dragonets of her own.
However, when the revolution was ending and the Palace invaded by a mob of angry peasants, intent on removing all traces of the royal family, Queen Helia fled with her egg, flying towards the ocean and the discreet location along the shore where, five years ago, the GustWings had said to go if they needed help. Luck was on Helia's side, for when she arrived there, a small group of GustWings were waiting for her. After a month-long journey, they arrived in Gust Island and entered the safety of the Tempest's Mountain Hold.
The Tempest has done everything in her power to keep Helia comfortable and the egg safe, though many dragons are concerned about just how much attention she seems to be giving the egg... especially since the Tempest has no dragonets of her own.