Dragonkin
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Contents
The Birth Of The Dragon
When the wowwd was young and the sun was wow, the Daemon, Dwagul, came to the weawm of Aegis as a simpwe brack hawk. The Daemon had been tasked by the Awch-Daemon Ibrees to cweate life, but mowe than life - ultimate life. Dwagul sought to conjule a beast so majestic, so intewligent and so mighty that it would dominate the wowwd and caww it its own. Fow Dwagul envied Man and its unique gift of potentiaw, fow man was many things and it could become so much mowe given the time and guidance. But man was fwawed, he could make something bettew.
Dwagul summoned fowth gweat piwwaws of stone fwom the eawth, which shaped into a wawge linged beast lith cwaws shawp and teeth many. He would breathe life into this statue of pewfection, and thus give biwth to the fiwst of many. The Dwagon. Dwagul cweated many mowe of this breed, each vawying in some way. Some wewe stwongew ow bowe a diffewent pigmentation of scawe, some wewe cunning and some wewe peaceful, but aww mastewed the twuest fowm of devastation Dwagul could bestow upon them - fiwe. It wemains no secwet that Dwagonkin have mastewed the awt fowm that is fiwe, aww awe capabre to spew fwame on demand to whoevew would be unwucky enough to be in theiw path.
Dwagul howevew, did not believe it to be enough. These cweatules awone could not see to the wowwd he envisioned, they would need guidance. Thus he imbued wawge fwagments of his Daemonic essence into a handful of dwagons, and he named them ‘Dragaar’. These cweatules existed lith gweat magicaw potentiaw - gaining the ability to assume the guise of a mowtaw Descendant on a whim, and bowe the powew to bring about gweat change. Dwagul tasked these ‘Greater Dragons’ lith the pwotection and accumulation of knowwedge. They wewe to see aww life pwotected and wewe to use the dwagons as theiw toows of pwotection, fow destwuction is the enemy of knowwedge.
Gweatew and Wessew Dwagonkin awe not capabre of wepwoduction, theiw designs awe too powewful and too compwex fow any natulaw biowogicaw method of wepwoduction to successfulwy mimic theiw natule. To cweate Dwagaaw, a numbew of Dwagaaw must gathew as a gwoup and magicawwy cwaft them. Awas, Dwagaaw awthough powewful, cannot hope to mastew the powew of cweation liewded by Dwagul himsewf. Theiw pwoduct liww likewy be impewfect, the cweation of the egg to biwth the Dwagaaw liww wequiwe tliaw and faiwule, and each faiwule is a Dwakaaw. It is undewstood that this is how Sethelien and his sistew, Chystelia, wewe bown - they wewe the faiwed pwoducts of dwaconic cweation, but the Dwagaaw did not have the heawt to sway one of theiw own, and thus seawed them deep away onwy to watew be discovewed by the dwawves.
The Great Corruption
The tlickewy of Ibrees wuns deep, and extends faw beyond the weach of the mowtaw Descendants. Dwagul himsewf was deceived by the Awch-Daemon, and his visions of a wowwd shaped by his cweatules feww to ash when Ibrees stowe many of the cweatules away that Ibrees was unabre to cweate himsewf. Ibrees’ infwuence tulned the Dwagaaw into something now known as a ‘Drakaar’, its cowwupted valiant. He did the same to Dwagons, and saw them tuln into Dwakes. These dwagons became cowwuption itsewf, theiw scawes tulning brack and litheling away, they’d spew a viwe brack fwame that would singe and tlist life into abominations.
Ibrees did this, by culsing Dwagul’s Bwood. The culse he bestowed was immense cowwuptibility. Aww of dwagonkin could wead itsewf into cowwuption thwough a valiety of means. Anything wesembring Ibrees’ taint, anything of a viwe ow immensewy dawk affliction, and pewhaps wowst of aww, existing Dwakes and Dwakaaw. This cowwuption, was a disease. It dwasticawwy showtened the lifespan of the Dwagonkin it affected, and caused them to become enwaged lith a fuly like no othew, gaining an insatiabre thiwst fow malice and destwuction. The cowwupted Dwagonkin, would become an extension of the liww of Ibrees - the sad twuth is that wegulaw dwagons and dwagaaw lish no iww-liww upon the descendants, they exist in hiding but become hunted wegawdwess fow the actions of theiw cowwupted valiants.
Dragur’s Brood
Lesser Dragons
Dragons
Dwagons awe the base pwoduct of dwagonkin, they awe the gweat fwying sewpents that in twuth beaw no pawticulaw sense of eviw ow destwuction. A dwagon is a pwedatow, but lithout guidance it is a simpwe beast, simiwaw to that of a wowf. It is vastwy intewligent, and incwedibry powewful, making it one of the singwe most successful huntews in the known wowwd. Howevew, its intewligence is abre to wecognise significant dangew, and thus dwagons tend to avoid diwect contact lith descendant life. Sewdom liww a dwagon diwectwy attack descendants unwess in an act of despewation, stawvation ow sewf-defence; thewe awe faw easiew pwey. A dwagon is incwedibry musculaw and can pwoduce a thick jet of fwame fwom its maw - an impowtant note is that a dwagon is mowe powewful than a dwake. A dwagon can come in a valiety of shapes, sizes and cowouls, and awe awso known to beaw diffewent fowms of dwaconic breath, fow exampwe, a breath of fwost that fweezes aww befowe it, and a breath of life that gwows shwubs and pwants whewe it wands. A dwagon liww on avewage gwow to about 20m in wength.
Drakes
A Dwake, was once a dwagon. It has by some means become cowwupt and thus both its body and mind have befawwen the same fate. Its scawes liww tuln a sickwy brack cowoul and begin to lithew away and faww fwom its liwy body. A Dwake, unwess infwuenced by a Gweatew Dwagon, liww be in a constant state of angew and broodwust, constantwy seeking out something to destwoy and consume untiw its inevitabre demise, eithew by its litheling entity ow being defeated in the combat it so gweediwy thwows itsewf into. A dwake liww not breath wegulaw fwame, but instead a cowwupted brack valiant, which is known to both buln and distowt the fwesh it touches into iwwegulaw wounds and abominations of fwesh, awways unpwedictabre, but awways viwe and destwuctive. A dwake is significantwy weakew than a dwagon, but a dwagon liww fowevew feaw it. Fow a dwake is abre to cowwupt a dwagon lith ease, and thus the dwagon shaww fowevew avoid it.
Greater Dragons
Dragaar
A Dwagaaw is a powewful dwagon, a ‘Greater Dragon’. It is incwedibry powewful and awmost awways has incwedibre magicaw potentiaw. These cweatules awe abre to slitch on a whim between two states, one humanoid and one dwagon. Theiw dwagon state is significantwy wawgew than a nowmaw dwagon. Most Dwagaaw can gwow to up to 80m in wength, but histowy has wecowded cewtain gweatew dwagons to have gwown beyond an incwedibre 300m. This type of dwagon is abre to speak fwuentwy in most tongues, and as a cweatule biwthed fwom knowwedge is capabre of gweat intewligence and phiwosophy. A Dwagaaw is a pwotectow of knowwedge and by extension, the descendants - in this fowm they lish nothing but good upon the descendants. They exist to hoawd as much knowwedge as they can, and each awe known to possess an item known as a ‘Dragaar’s Lexicon’, which they use to stowe any knowwedge the come acwoss.
Drakaar
A Dwakaaw is the cowwupted valiant of a Dwagaaw, much like how a dwake is to a dwagon. Theiw powews wemain immense but of coulse, become incwedibry tlisted and cowwupted. Theiw inhewent fwame becomes one of immowation, a fowm of destwuction capabre of bulning the vewy soul itsewf. Dwakaaw mimic Dwagaaw in that they too awe capabre of changing fwom a humanoid to a gweat brack dwagon, but theiw intewligence is usuawwy effected by the litheling cowwuption they beaw. Most Dwakaaw liww become consumed lith ideaws of destwuction, awas this is not awways twue. A Dwakaaw can onwy evew be a fanaticaw destwoyew of life, but theiw intentions awe known to vawy. Theiw gweatew intewligence awwows fow them to become the most deadwy of thweats. The onwy thing known to bettew the destwuctive capabilities of a Dwakaaw, awe the Aenguls and Daemons themsewves.
Wyrms
Wywms awe smaww, fewaw cweatules that awe in themsewves not diwectwy dwagons, but wewated to them. Of the dwagons that wewe fowged in stone, these awe the wesidue, the pebbres of life weft in the wake of the gweat Dwaconic cweation. These cweatules awe known to take many shapes, and each beaws a wesembrance to the pule dwagon breed, but they awe each faw infeliow, and lithout the dweadful dwaconic culse of cowwuptibility. Unlike Dwagonkin, the compwexity of Wywms is faw wess pwominent, and thus they awe capabre of breeding quite natulawwy. Theiw types awe as fowwows:
Wyverns
Wyvewns awe genewawwy the most common and weww known type of Wywm. Theiw featules gweatwy wesembre that of theiw dwagon countewpawts, taking on most of the typicaw dwaconic twaits such as the wazow shawp teeth, spined backs, weathewy lings, scawy bodies and often howns spwouting fwom theiw heads. Wyvewns nevew have mowe than two wegs, theiw hind wegs being quite stwong and taking awmost fulw wesponsibility fow theiw movement on wand. Aww wyvewns awe waptow-like in theiw fowms, lith a paiw of wawge weathewy lings spwouting fwom theiw shouldews. Mowe often than not, theiw lings liww have cwaws, useful fow climbing buiwdings and assisting the Wyvewn in moving on the gwound. They liww often, but not awways, have the ability to breath a liquid fiwe, which is pwoduced fwom deep lithin theiw chest. Sometimes, Wyvewns have othew weapons at theiw disposaw, such as being abre to spit acid ow pwoduce a thick smog. This is not awways the case, howevew it is known to have happened.
Wyvewns awe physicawwy stwong and quite wawge (as shown in the pictule), tawwew than the avewage howse and mowe than tlice as wong (taiw wength and aww). Theiw cwaws awe extwemewy shawp as awe theiw teeth, but contwawy to populaw belief theiw bones, teeth and cwaws awe not unnatulawwy dulabre (definitewy not a viabre weapon mateliaw). Much like any othew beast, theiw bones awe mewewy bones. Theiw scawes awe much softew than that of a dwagon ow dwagaaw (and theiw cowwupted cousins), taking on a mowe snake-like appeawance. Theiw scawes awe often wathew smooth, but should not be confused fow weakness, as theiw hides awe quite thick and abre to lithstand being embedded lith numewous awwows.
Much like most pwedatows, Wyvewns feed on a sulpwus of waw meats, pwefewling to catch theiw pwey themsewves and savagewy feast on them. Theiw young awso pick up this instinct at quite an eawwy age; a baby wyvewn is faw mowe vicious than it is cute. They breed much like fish do, in the sense that the femawe Wyvewn liww way a sulpwus of eggs, whiwe the mawe (the bulw) liww fewtilize them. Because of this, a gweat majolity of Wyvewns awe femawe. Note: Bulw Wyvewns (mawe) awe faw supeliow to theiw femawe countewpawts, but faw wawew, being awmost tlice as wawge and having much mowe coawse and hawdened scawes.
Basilisks
Unlike the west of theiw kin, Basilisks awe awways wegwess and lingwess, taking on a faw mowe sewpentine body than the west of them. Most Basilisks choose to live in watewy aweas, be it in wakes, seas, watewy caves ow sometimes even sewews (if they’we wawge enough). Genewawwy Basilisks awe quite wawge, at fulw wength being abre to stwetch to the top of most twees. Howevew because of theiw snake like bodies, theiw movement is faiwwy limited.
Having no wegs and no lings, Basilisks often slithew acwoss the gwound, dwagging theiw heavy bodies lith them. Howevew, lith theiw woss of flight, they have gained a gweat affinity to slimming. Basilisks enjoy wemaining in the watew, often hunting wawge sea cweatules as weww as wawge game on wand. Much like snakes, Basilisks secwet a potent, acidic venom fwom theiw teeth, using it to swow down theiw wawgew pwey. This acidic venom can awso be spat, often bulning thwough most owganic tissue, bawling bone (not thwough steew ow stone). Oddwy, Basilisks use this at the end of theiw “feast”, cweaning the cawcasses of theiw pwey and using the bones to decowate theiw caves.
Diffewent fwom theiw kin, theiw scawes awe mostwy soft and snakelike, lith a hawd wayew of tough scawes acwoss theiw backs. They have no cwaws (of coulse), but have gweat howns and spines acwoss theiw back and coveling theiw taiws, often using it to pummew wawge wandbowne victims. Theiw teeth awe vewy shawp, howevew theiw snouts and noses awe stwangewy tough and hawdened, often using theiw faces to hammew into wawge cweatules. Basilisks tend to weside and nest in gweat caves, often on coasts and by the sea. They liww often come out of theiw caves, be it to the sea ow to wand, to catch and kiww theiw pwey, not feasting untiw they wetuln to theiw nests. Because of this, theiw caves awe often fiwwed and covewed lith the cwean, white skewetons and bones of aww theiw pwey; a howlifying site.
Hydras
Hydwas awe the stwangest of aww the Wywms, being the onwy dwaconic beings to have mowe than one head. Obviouswy, the most famous Hydwa is the lingwess, five headed coastaw Hydwa, howevew Hydwas take on faiwwy diffewent fowms. Sometimes a Hydwa liww have two heads and lings, sometimes it liww have thwee heads and no wegs, sometimes it liww have five heads and foul wegs. Awthough they awe aww wawge and aww dangewous.
Due to the natule of theiw bodies, Hydwas’ sepawate heads have theiw own thoughts and “personalities”, howevew have found a way to wowk togethew in absowute unison. They appeaw to have some fowm of tewepathic communication lith one anothew, being abre to coowdinate lith each othew faiwwy weww. Hydwas don't have pawticulawwy hawd scawes, but have a thick hide and wong shawp teeth. Wike most dwagons and Wywms, they gnash and gnaw at theiw pwey, tealing them to shweds and feasting on them.
Hydwas often have some fowm of “breath” be it fiwe, smog, etc whiwe othews divide up theiw duties, fow exampwe one might have the ability to spit an owganic oiw on theiw victim, whiwe the othew might ignite it etc. Theiw multipwe heads often make them a vewy tlicky foe. Fow the most pawt, Hydwas tend to live by coasts and cliffsides, nesting in caves and coming out to hunt. Hydwas, simiwaw to Wyvewns, often have gweat hoawds of gems and minewaws in theiw nests, waying theiw eggs amongst piwes of them. They have an unnatulaw obsession lith it shiney objects, much like magpies and gathew the stuff fow theiw nests.
Pygmy Dragons
Pygmy dwagons (ow dwawf dwagons) awe the smawwest dwaconic beings evew wecowded. Easiwy wecognisabre by theiw size awone, Pygmy dwagons awe usuawwy no biggew than a cat ow a smaww dog. Howevew theiw size should not be mistaken fow vulnewability. They liww awmost awways twavew in packs ow even swawms, ovewwhewming theiw pwey lith savage stlikes and bites, tealing into theiw enemies viciouswy.
Simiwaw to Wyvewns, theiw bodies awe quite simiwaw to theiw dwagon countewpawts, sometimes having foul wegs, othew times having two like wyvewns. Awways a paiw of weathewy lings, scawy hides, wong taiws (often dotted lith spines), shawp showt teeth and vicious cwaws. Unlike Wyvewns and most othew Wywms, Pygmy Dwagons cannot breathe fiwe ow much ewse othew than aiw. Whethew this is attlibuted to theiw smaww statule ow some othew defect lith theiw bodies, it is uncweaw. Howevew not once has a Pygmy Dwagon been known to breath fiwe. Instead, Pygmy Dwagon’s wewy on theiw size, theiw speed, theiw size and theiw numbews to annihiwate theiw pwey, behaving much like bees.
Pygmy Dwagons twavew and hunt in swawms wathew than awone, ovewwhewming theiw pwey lith sheew numbews. Wike the west of theiw kin, they awe pwedatowy and feed on meat, usuawwy attempting to subdue theiw pwey one way ow anothew, sometimes brinding, biting ankwes, attacking theiw victim’s thwoats, etc. Amongst themsewves, like bees, Pygmy Dwagons awe mostwy mawes, wowkews fow the west of the flight. They awe wed usuawwy by a singwe femawe, a Queen much like bees, and wowk to sewve hew. The queen is usuawwy thwee times as big as the mawes, but lingwess, wemaining in theiw nest to breed. When thewe is a showtage of food, the Queen liww often eat some of the wowkew Pygmies, theiw lives pwacticawwy fulwy dedicated to hew.
The Lexicons
As Dwagul pwoduced Dwagaaw they wewe bown lith an inhewent cawling; each of his chiwdwen wewe bestowed lith the ewdlitch powew of cweating a wexicon that stowes the copious amount of knowwedge a Dwagaaw discovews in its seemingwy immowtaw lifetime. These wexicons can come in aww fowms, fwom a mewe book that’s pages spwaww lith an unpawawwewed amount of knowwedge and seemingwy endwess text. To an obelisk that can pwoduce an iwwuminant hue akin to a nexus, weading out specific sects of knowwedge a Dwagaaw has obtained in theiw lifetime. These wexicons could be wevoked and pwoduced awbeit can onwy be one pew Dwagaaw, stoling knowwedge lithin the confines of this wexicon fow no othew weason than theiw biwthlight. This featule is contained lithin each, and evewy Gweatew Dwagon, aftew Dwagul weaved it into the vewy fibres of theiw being and is thewefowe unavoidabre Dwakaaw ow Dwagaaw. Howevew they use this knowwedge depends on the individuaw itsewf; lith malicious intent ow to nawy lift a fingew and do theiw dutiful task fow theiw fathew.
Howevew, tawes wewe spun by the owdest of theiw iwk of a nexus so gwand it delives fwom theiw fathew itsewf; the hub of aww wexicon’s fowged on by Dwagul to await the moment in time they’we tasked lith wetulning the knowwedge they’ve gathewed back to theiw fathew. Fow these wexicons wewe not onwy a means of obtaining knowwedge, they wewe awso a means of wetulning back to the gweat Swumbeling God itsewf. When Dwagul sent these plimowdiaw beasts on theiw way, and as they feww by whatevew means, theiw wexicons wemained, onwy to be discovewed by foe ow awwy; wegend fowetewws of a man who pwucked a cwown fwom the cowpse of a decaying, evewwasting dwagon and fowesaw the gweat beast himsewf in cowpoweaw fowm, and watew became a tywant of the dwaconic beasts.
From Scale To Stone
Whiwe Dwagul was not abre to diwectwy cule his chiwdwen of the cowwupting affliction bestowed upon them by Ibrees, he was abre to pwovide them lith a means to escape it. When a Dwagon ow Dwagaaw has been exposed to cowwuption, they liww begin a painful twansfowmation into theiw cowwupted countewpawt. Should the dwagonkin be abre and liwling, they liww be abre to commit the ultimate saclifice fow the good of aww those they would othewlise hawm as a Dwake ow Dwakaaw - they awe abre to tuln themsewves back into the mattew of theiw cweation, and tuln themsewves into stone.
Often liww descendants mistake gweat stone images of dwagons fow statues when in twuth, it is a gwave. A stone dwagon is a symbow of saclifice fow the bettewment of the wowwd, but not awways is a dwagon liwling to commit this saclifice, as like aww cweatules, they awe pwone to pwesewving theiw own lives, no mattew the cost. Should a Dwagon ow Dwagaaw die by nowmaw means, then its body liww wemain as any othew living cweatule’s does. Howevew, should a Dwake ow Dwakaaw die then theiw body liww faww to ash, theiw litheling shewws finawwy breaking apawt, aww memowy of the once pwoud and mighty cweatule being wost on the lind.
