Ready for another story from the old man, you head in the direction of his lonely study. Despite the nearing end of winter, the sun remains low on the horizon at this early hour. You still find it difficult to finish your day before the glowing orb disappears into the forest on the Western hills, allowing darkness and cold to return to the monastery. Still, you have kept a promise to yourself, and your responsibilities for the day have been fulfilled.

A few more moments of distant pondering, and you find yourself at Issar Roon's door. After a knock and a gruff reply, you open the oak door and enter.

I'm happy to see that you waited until you completed your day's tasks before visiting me. Perhaps you can still be the impressive figure I imagined the first day you set foot in this study.

Taken aback at the old man's admittance of seeing you in a positive light, you find you have nothing to say.

But I imagine you are here for a tale rather than for my dreams of ascension, are you not? I shall put aside my studying for a short while, and continue where I left off on your last visit.

Darigaaz was born around the year of 3350, according to the Argive Reckoning calendar. He was a powerful dragon, forged by the harsh environments of his homeland, Shiv. As with many characters of importance in history, Darigaaz grew into a leader quickly. Even other Shivan dragons, infamous for their independent ways, listened when he spoke. Because of this, it was Darigaaz that Urza sought out when he needed the help of Shiv.

With his skills, Darigaaz had also gained a deep relationship with the Viashino in his homeland, and used that to aid Urza in bringing peace between the Viashino, dragon, and goblin clans. Together, the Viashino and goblin races were able to restart and operate an ancient Thran mana rig, creating valuable powerstones and Thran metal for the war against Phyrexia. But that was only the beginning of Darigaaz's involvement in the war.

After reviving the mana rig, Darigaaz joined Urza's cause fully, and became devoted to defending Dominaria. He traveled with Urza to Serra's plane, and helped to evacuate the remaining Serra Angels before Urza collapsed the artificial plane. Darigaaz then returned home to help unite all dragons into an army to fight the coming Phyrexian Invasion. It was not easy, getting dragons to agree to work together, and it took many years to complete. Eventually, their pride won through, and they gathered just before the dawn of the invasion.

You find the old man's story engaging, but still do not understand how it relates to his previous story of the Primeval Dragons. As if he is reading your thoughts, the old man suddenly changes the direction of his story.

Urza owed a great debt to the dragon leader for his part in the war preparations, but another planeswalker had a separate goal for Darigaaz. As the Phyrexia Invasion commenced, the draconic planeswalker Tevesh Szat came to him. With a veil of kinship supported by his dragonlike form, Szat convinced Darigaaz of the legend of the Primeval Dragons. Worried that the outcome of the war was in Phyrexia's favor, the red dragon lord took off in pursuit of awakening the Primeval Dragons to aid Dominaria.

The first to be awakened was Rith, the green Primeval Dragon. As Darigaaz arrived with the other dragon lords and a small protective force in Yavimaya, Rith called out to him from her Magnigoth Treefolk prison. She questioned his ability to lead the dragons in war, and called for him to release her so that she might direct them to victory. At the same time, a black dragon named Rokun began questioning Darigaaz and attempted to incite rebellion against the red dragon lord. Frustrated and angered by Rokun's actions and accusations, Darigaaz killed the young dragon and threw his limp form at Rith's Magnigoth tree.

Unknown to Darigaaz, a dragon sacrifice was the very requirement for Rith's release, and his actions melted the Magnigoth Treefolk that contained her. Rith immediately took control of the dragons with her power, and Darigaaz, confounded, did not resist. From Yavimaya, Rith and Darigaaz set out to release the rest of the Primeval Dragons.

Next was Treva, her remains still hanging in the catacombs below New Argive. Rith instructed the dragon lords that she required them to gather mana to power her spell of resurrection. Obeying, all but Darigaaz began summoning mana. Rith never cast the spell. Instead, she let the dragon lords incinerate themselves from mana burn, and their deaths were what fueled Treva's resurrection. Infuriated, Darigaaz demanded that no more dragons were to be sacrificed in restoring the remaining Primeval Dragons.

The third Primeval to be awakened was Dromar, imprisoned deep beneath the ocean. Rith, Treva, Darigaaz, and the lesser dragons fought through a horde of zombie merfolk, losing many along the way. When the remaining survivors broke into Dromar's cavern of riches, the blue Primeval Dragon could not be revived. Knowing her kin's lust for treasure, Rith incinerated gigantic swaths of gold, artifacts, and other rare objects from across the Multiverse. When enough had been destroyed, Dromar awakened, ready to conquer the greatest treasure of all, Dominaria.

With three of the Primevals already restored, Darigaaz found he could no longer think for himself. He joined the rest of his dragons in following the Primevals blindly. Trailing the three legendary dragons, Darigaaz headed toward Urborg.

The fourth and final Primeval Dragon to be awakened was Crosis, the Purger. Upon arriving, Rith demanded that the Primeval Dragons sacrifice themselves to revive Crosis. When Darigaaz did nothing, he was told a shocking truth: He was the first Primeval, Rhammidarigaaz, reborn.

No longer in control of his body or mind, Darigaaz was forced to join the other Primevals in plummeting into the very tar pit that held Crosis. Revived, Crosis immediately resurrected the other Primeval Dragons, and the five together became immortal gods once more. Seeing their prize, Dominaria, already being fought over by other beasts, the Primeval Dragons set about killing Phyrexians and Dominarians indiscriminately.

When Darigaaz latched onto The Weatherlight, Karn seized the chance to intervene. Touching the red dragon's mind, Karn showed Darigaaz who he had been before being manipulated by the Primevals' lust, and laid before him the pure violence that now consumed him. Overwrought with guilt, Darigaaz plunged himself into a nearby volcano, killing himself and breaking the enchantment that gave the Primeval Dragons immortality.

With their ultimate defense gone, the Primevals were slowly driven off. Captain Sisay crashed The Weatherlight into Crosis, and drove him back into the tar pit that had imprisoned him for millennia. A group of Magnigoth Treefolk, tailing Rith since Yavimaya, finally caught up to her, and dragged her from the skies. The remaining two, Treva and Dromar, fled before the might of the entire Dragon race turned against them. Enraged over their servitude to the Primeval Dragons, the dragons raced after the two. No one has been able to confirm what transpired, but it is considered fact that they were either slain or imprisoned once again.

And that, my student, is the conclusion of the Primeval Dragons' saga. I hope for the sake of Dominaria and the Multiverse that they do not reawaken once again.

I apologize for my lengthy tale today, but I suppose I can make up for it with a short one in the near future. I hope you don't mind.

The old man finishes with a tone that suggests he will do whatever he likes. For all of his praise about your future self, he certainly has no problem treating like you a peon. Still, his stories are filled with wonders of another world, and that is all you really desire from the old man. His idiosyncrasies be damned.