[ WP ] [ High Fantasy ] You are a dragon who failed to be a dragon

I like games. 
 
 I really do. Ever since I was a hatchling, my mother played games with all of her brood. Her games were mostly to teach us how to be better predators, but I enjoyed them nonetheless. From races, to scavenger hunts, and even a bit of sparring, I was enamored with it all. I was never interested in the lesson that was intended, I merely wanted to win. I wanted to play. 
 
 As the brood aged, we eventually went our separate ways. Drelkor went to the South to hunt. He ravaged the farmlands, but eventually was brought down by a band of knights. Resh'Shrak went to the East in search of jewels and gold, but found sand and death. Jinlo found a mountainside to call her own, but fell to the wizard of the mount. I was the last. Mother had long since left to start her brood anew, and I grew bored. I decided to head west, and seek an opponent. 
 
 As a dragon, I have immense physical power. Far greater than any man or beast. Mother always called us'the apex predator', and bragged about how she had felled entire armies of men, hordes of rampaging ogres, and bested a powerful lich in her long life. But such endeavors do not interest me. They are arbitrary actions, ungoverned and unfair. I prefer a challenge. To *be* challenged. 
 
 And so, I wandered the land in search of someone to satiate my desire. Most fled in terror, which is understandable. Dragons are not known for conversation. Some wished to attack me out of some notion of pride or some imagined duty to protect their kingdoms. Instead of killing the fools outright, I decided to take advantage of the'heroes' I defeated. I offered them a chance. A chance to play a game for their lives. 
 
 As long as the game was feasible, and did not favor either player too much, I allowed my captive to choose their game. At first, I thought about killing the challenger when they lost. But above all, I am fair. I would not deprive the challengers at a chance to claim victory from defeat. Instead, they were to serve me in some small way. Gathering food, valuables, guarding my lair and the like. But more importantly, I asked them to seek out new challengers. 
 
 Any who had previously'lost' their life to me was given ample opportunity to confront me once more for their freedom. They bartered with their time, mostly. Time that they swore to serve, even if they had won their freedom. Some with trinkets and baubles, coin and gems to add to my trophies. Not to build a horde, mind you. I care not for material things. Rather, to build a collection worthy of interest by others. Items that are worth competing for. 
 
 And so it went. Tales of the Drake of Games spread, and adventurers from far and wide came to seek fortune. Warriors seeking legendary weapons, scholars searching for tomes of forbidden knowledge, children desiring a trinket to impress their friends, kings that wish to increase their fortune. 
 
 All challengers are welcome.
