II.
Information on Dragons, Fae, Bonds, and Hierarchies
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About Dragons
Note: The most important thing to take away from this section is that, while dragons may display multiple abilities from the various species they have in their bloodline, they will only be strong in one dominant class’s abilities (the species from which most of their lineage comes). Only pureblooded dragons will have the full power of their given species, and they will carry no abilities from any of the other types.
Dragons are mythical beasts that vary greatly in appearance. While the smallest, when on all fours, may only reach about four feet, the largest may hit a towering 10-15 feet at the shoulder. While many may fit the varied “reptilian” descriptions, there is no end to what features they carry. All dragons are capable of crossbreeding, and they have been for thousands of years; however, there are five ancient, founding species, and they are classified as follows:
Pyrads are fire and storm dragons. Pure dragons of this species are metallic in coloration and are generally grayscale or warm colors. Pyrads are capable of weather and/or fire manipulation, are impermeable to flame or electricity, and will breathe fire or shoot out sparks. They generally have more volatile, unpredictable personalities, and there are very few dragons that can rival a Pyrad’s fierceness in battle or protectiveness over what they see as theirs. They make excellent warriors, sentinels, and generals.
Struids are ice, water, and air dragons. Pureblood Struids are always a shade of blue, some coming close to white or black.They have dominion over the water element in all its forms and are impervious to cold. Some don’t even need to breathe and can survive in low oxygen spaces, though this is mainly the dragons that make their homes in deep water or high atmosphere. They are calmer than most others, more go-with-the-flow, but they are not to be underestimated. Their reserved and aloof nature can hide an amicable dragon or a vicious one. Despite being hard to read themselves, they are very intuitive and cunning, making them prime candidates for leadership, diplomat, or merchant positions.
Rattlers are those classified as shifters and poison or venomous dragons. They seem to change color, appear camouflaged, or have the sheen of oil on water. Some may change size or shape, mimicking other species of dragon, though they cannot take on extra abilities. Rattlers can change the effects of their poisons or venoms. They are immune to being poisoned themselves. These dragons generally prefer solitude and are not the most social creatures, but they excel at deception and can easily adopt personality traits that are not natural to them. These dragons are often chosen for guards, assassins, and information scouts.
Celeiars are dragons who have a grasp of the celestial: light and dark, dream and psyche. Black, white, and purples are their main colors, though golden or silver tones are also normal. These dragons manipulate shadows, thoughts, emotions, and dreams. Pure Celeiars are extremely rare and, for a time, were thought to be extinct. Their personalities are complex and dangerous, and, if someone has wronged them, are extremely vindictive. They are charismatic and adept at speaking. These dragons have snagged many a leadership position and are often the main heroes and villains in history books.
The Worens are forest and earth dragons, and those of the deep places beneath the world. They are earthy tones, but they may also carry markings of any color. Those who live aboveground or right beneath it can manipulate flora and fauna, while those who live in the darkest, hardest places have impeccable seismic senses and command the strongest stone. They all have some level of command over the earthy things, willing the dirt and minerals themselves to bend to their will. Worens, especially those who live among solid stone, are unrivaled in toughness and brute force. Even a weak Woren can walk through the thickest wall as though it were a sandcastle. These dragons are frank, blunt, honest, and mature; they have slow tempers and can analyze both the big picture and the littlest detail. Worens are the crafters, traders, architects, builders, and judiciaries of the world.
Now, pureblooded dragons of any species are few and far between, as the vast majority of dragons have mated outside any given class for generations. While the typical dragon will have a high percentage of one species in its bloodline, there are usually strains of each within them. The species that makes up the majority of their line is the one whose abilities they will be most in tune with, though they may display abilities from any class within their lineage.
Dragons hatch small, only a foot or two tall. However, they grow quickly, and their growth will begin to slow once they hit 160-200 years of age. A fully mature dragon will no longer grow after 250.
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About Hatching, Fae, and Bonds
All dragons come from eggs. Eggs are placed in a communal cave, well protected with perfect incubation conditions and no threats. The hatchery is a vast network of caves, capable of hosting thousands of egglings at any given time. They incubate for a year – eggs are always layed on the first day of the year and always hatch on the first day of the next year. If they do not hatch by midnight, the egglings die.
Fae are humans, but they are bonded to a dragon. They are also always born on the first day of the year, and they do not need to meet their hatchling dragon to form the bond. It is formed at midnight regardless of anyone’s attempts at intervention. These children age with their dragons; each year of development for a regular human takes 10 for these children. For example, a fifty-year-old Fae looks and acts like a five-year-old unbonded human. They are often given to special homes or go to live with older Fae, as their parents usually die by the time they are toddlers.
Dragons and their Fae find each other when they are anywhere from 150-300 years old, though it is rare to still have not found each other after 200. One may die before the other, but each generally lives to be 10,000 years old, give or take a few.
Bonds allow telepathic communication between dragon and Fae, and the Fae basically becomes their dragon in terms of abilities (though Fae will not be able to breathe fire/ice/etc.). If one dies, the other will not have decreased abilities, but they often become shells of their former selves.
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About Hierarchy and Loyalties
The Pendraegon is the oldest bonded pair, and they are automatically the leaders of the other bonded. When they die, the second oldest pair succeeds them. This second pair is the Sudraegon, and until the death of the Pendraegon, they are simply advisors, watching and learning from the oldest pair.
Bonded live throughout the kingdoms of the world but are under the jurisdiction of the Pendraegon rather than any human ruler. While individuals may form alliances with kingdoms, the Bonded clan as a whole does not. Battles between bonded are unusual outside of these kingdom alliances; the last major war between dragons and their bonds nearly decimated both populations, almost eradicated the Celeiars, and caused the erasure of several kingdoms and principalities from the world maps.
(You can make up any kingdom if you want your Bonded to have an alliance. I'll add people's kingdoms as they come up.)
List of Kingdoms will go here