Post by BetaWolf on Apr 10, 2015 19:03:48 GMT
Draconians of Eyrion.
Draconian History: A breed all its own, the Draconians evolved from the very dragons of Eyrion. They began their existence as tribal inhabitants of sea stacks in the middle of the ocean, living in the tunnels for the most part but also foraging in the tiny forests atop each massive rock pillar. They grew to revere the greatest of the Dragons on a god-like level, legendary figures of their mythology and history. As their technological levels advanced, so did their resources decrease to desperately low levels. Not only were they on using up all their natural resources, the subspecies of Draconians known as the Reavers were raiding the common Draconians in acts of desperation but did so with gratuitous violence. The common Draconians developed a trio of Zeppelins and started to venture to the continents with two of them, the third being used to slaughter the Reavers in recompense for their murderous ways.
The duo of resource gathering vessels raided primitive Human settlements along the coasts, slowly building up resources and revitalizing the common Draconian society. A peace was brokered with the Reavers in exchange for resource sharing, though the Reavers were few in number and could hardly refuse. As the unification had occurred, the common Draconians and Reavers turned their attention to a minority amongst their peoples, what are now referred to as the “Fallen”. The Fallen were Draconians born with the genetic defect of having useless or nonexistent wings, and were considered weak and revolting and at first were exterminated to try and purify the Draconians. They deemed them unholy as they viewed their wings as their tie to their Legendary Dragon ancestors, but eventually grew ethically and allowed them to live and mingle with the “pure”. Though the term pure was quite hypocritical as it was realized the Fallen were simply a part of Draconian blood and even the purest of bloodlines could have a Fallen born to them with no known cause or reason. Though, at some point a group of Fallen was cast out and settled into a subterranean life but in more recent years were pushed out onto the surface and into the swamps by a race of Insectiods.
The Fallen however were relegated as being lessers still and only allowed to breed amongst other Fallen and are used as peons in warfare. Draconian technology advanced to an astonishing level, utilizing advanced mechanical techniques to build advanced Zeppelins and to tame lesser Dragons as mounts. A terrible event befell the Draconians as their Sea Stack homes began to collapse one by one as their bases were strip-mined, entire cities destroyed and thousands killed. The Draconians had formed an Empire by this time, and their greatest Emperor began the arduous task of saving his people. Powerful Warlocks, Mages, and Shamans were trained to harness the elements of Earth in unison with the construction of gargantuan engines with powerful crystals aligned around them to channel the elemental powers of the Spell casters and Nature wielders. The mission was successful, the first mountainous rock that broke free with the new engines and magic floated aloft entirely independent of its former base. One by one the others broke free, hovering high above the ocean. Only seven of the colonized rocks were saved, six of which float in a ring around the seventh which was the capitol spire before the great collapse. The rest fell into ruin, resting at the bottom of the sea with many secrets in their long forgotten vaults.
With their seven cities floating several hundred feet above the water, the Draconians abandoned nearly all of their sea vessels in favor of their beloved Zeppelins which were far more applicable to their current situation. With the stabilization and preservation of their cities complete the Draconians once more turned their attention to the other races of Eyrion whom they had long since forgotten about, sacking coastal cities by the dozens. With their resources once more replenished from their furious raiding ventures they focused on the structuring of their military forces, fielding a mighty aerial Navy and the construction of miniature versions of their floating cities for mobile command centers. They have no friendships with the other peoples, finding them to be inferior and worthy of only subjugation to serve the great machine of the Draconian Empire.
Common Draconians:
The most common species of the Draconian Empire, they make up the bulk of the civilian population and the Military forces. They are commonly shades of orange or various shades of orange-browns, rarely ever being red or yellow. Common Draconians find their individuality uniqueness in the coloration of their throat, each one possessing a unique color. All known colors and shades of said colors have been exhibited in Draconians. They posses wings capable of flight and breath fire.
Average Male dimensions: 6' 2" to 7' 2" in height, 167lbs to 267lbs.
Average Female dimenstions: 6' to 7' in height, 160lbs to 250lbs.
Reaver Draconians:
A larger subspecies than the commons, the Reavers posses black scales and red eyes. Unlike the common Draconians the Reavers throats are always shades of red, they distinguish themselves with unique scarrification. They breath an incredibly intense fire, white hot and capable of melting standard enemy weaponry and armor. They posses wings are the most brutal and barbaric Draconians, they come from two of the pillars that float side by side in the ring.
Average Male dimensions: 6'6' to 7'5" in height, 175lbs to 277lbs.
Average Female dimensions: 6'4" to 7'3" in height, 165lbs to 270lbs.
The Fallen: While not an actual subspecies, they have a significant role in Draconian society, and are treated as second rate citizens. They are the product of birth defects, having no wings or useless one. Due to the cultural and practically religious importance of wings in Draconian society the Fallen are considered lesser to the winged Draconians and are treated marginally better than slaves. They posses the same neck coloration expression of individuality and fire breathing as the winged commons whom they technically are, just wingless. They are forced into required military service and if they preform well enough they will be rewarded with a pair of mechanical wings and from then on are referred to as “redeemed”. This however is greatly resented by the Fallen as they view themselves as perfectly fine without wings, though some aspire to achieve this position and title in the belief they will treated fairly(They are respected, but they are still considered lesser by those privileged and winged individuals.)
Noble Houses:
House Bek: One of the older Noble Houses, they were one of the founding groups of the Empire as it is known today and answer only to the Emperor himself(at least the House does as a whole, individuals are subject to their circumstances.) They were the ones whom first tamed wild dragons as mounts. Their throats are usually shades of blue.
House Jormungand: Another of the older Houses, they too took part in the current Imperium’s founding. They are known for their honor and stubbornness, which has proven to be deadly at times. They originally invented the mechanical wings for the redeemed Fallen. Their throats are generally shades of green.
Draconian Celebrations and Traditions:
Landing of the Hunters: A yearly event where the Draconians make landfall to hunt the sapient mammals of Eyrion, it is a highly respected sport amongst them and brings great honor to oneself and their family for participating. They primarily hunt Humans for this sport, since attempts to do so with the residents of the Eastern Plains ended with the Orcs and Ti’burren wearing Draconian skin boots and it is generally easier to find outlying Human villages. The Elves, Satyrs and Lycans are unaccessible in their overgrown forest and the Dwarves live too deep in the ground, while the Minotaurs semi-nomadic nature and affinity for warfare have made them more of a challenge.
Fire and Flight Festival: A festival held in winter, it is to honor the Legendary Dragons whom they hold in such high esteem. The Emperor leads the people in a communal flight, circling the ring of cities twice before landing in the Capitol pillar. The event officially starts when the Emperor unleashes a burst of flame igniting wooden hoop that had been soaked in purest available alcohol. Pit fighting, puppet shows, historical re-enactments and feasts can all be seen during the three day event. The Fallen are excluded from participation as it might be an affront to the great Dragons.
Month of hatching: The Draconians mate in the winter and lay eggs in the early spring, with the eggs hatching within a one month span of time from one another. This is considered a time to rejoice as a new generation enters the world, the eldest living member of a family giving a blessing and applying a paint symbol to the eggs of each clutch(between one to three eggs.) It is a time of silence as well, as noone wishes to cause a disturbance in the event of upsetting a newly hatched, which at first was simply common courtesy but quickly developed into a custom of the Draconian people.
Draconian History: A breed all its own, the Draconians evolved from the very dragons of Eyrion. They began their existence as tribal inhabitants of sea stacks in the middle of the ocean, living in the tunnels for the most part but also foraging in the tiny forests atop each massive rock pillar. They grew to revere the greatest of the Dragons on a god-like level, legendary figures of their mythology and history. As their technological levels advanced, so did their resources decrease to desperately low levels. Not only were they on using up all their natural resources, the subspecies of Draconians known as the Reavers were raiding the common Draconians in acts of desperation but did so with gratuitous violence. The common Draconians developed a trio of Zeppelins and started to venture to the continents with two of them, the third being used to slaughter the Reavers in recompense for their murderous ways.
The duo of resource gathering vessels raided primitive Human settlements along the coasts, slowly building up resources and revitalizing the common Draconian society. A peace was brokered with the Reavers in exchange for resource sharing, though the Reavers were few in number and could hardly refuse. As the unification had occurred, the common Draconians and Reavers turned their attention to a minority amongst their peoples, what are now referred to as the “Fallen”. The Fallen were Draconians born with the genetic defect of having useless or nonexistent wings, and were considered weak and revolting and at first were exterminated to try and purify the Draconians. They deemed them unholy as they viewed their wings as their tie to their Legendary Dragon ancestors, but eventually grew ethically and allowed them to live and mingle with the “pure”. Though the term pure was quite hypocritical as it was realized the Fallen were simply a part of Draconian blood and even the purest of bloodlines could have a Fallen born to them with no known cause or reason. Though, at some point a group of Fallen was cast out and settled into a subterranean life but in more recent years were pushed out onto the surface and into the swamps by a race of Insectiods.
The Fallen however were relegated as being lessers still and only allowed to breed amongst other Fallen and are used as peons in warfare. Draconian technology advanced to an astonishing level, utilizing advanced mechanical techniques to build advanced Zeppelins and to tame lesser Dragons as mounts. A terrible event befell the Draconians as their Sea Stack homes began to collapse one by one as their bases were strip-mined, entire cities destroyed and thousands killed. The Draconians had formed an Empire by this time, and their greatest Emperor began the arduous task of saving his people. Powerful Warlocks, Mages, and Shamans were trained to harness the elements of Earth in unison with the construction of gargantuan engines with powerful crystals aligned around them to channel the elemental powers of the Spell casters and Nature wielders. The mission was successful, the first mountainous rock that broke free with the new engines and magic floated aloft entirely independent of its former base. One by one the others broke free, hovering high above the ocean. Only seven of the colonized rocks were saved, six of which float in a ring around the seventh which was the capitol spire before the great collapse. The rest fell into ruin, resting at the bottom of the sea with many secrets in their long forgotten vaults.
With their seven cities floating several hundred feet above the water, the Draconians abandoned nearly all of their sea vessels in favor of their beloved Zeppelins which were far more applicable to their current situation. With the stabilization and preservation of their cities complete the Draconians once more turned their attention to the other races of Eyrion whom they had long since forgotten about, sacking coastal cities by the dozens. With their resources once more replenished from their furious raiding ventures they focused on the structuring of their military forces, fielding a mighty aerial Navy and the construction of miniature versions of their floating cities for mobile command centers. They have no friendships with the other peoples, finding them to be inferior and worthy of only subjugation to serve the great machine of the Draconian Empire.
Common Draconians:
The most common species of the Draconian Empire, they make up the bulk of the civilian population and the Military forces. They are commonly shades of orange or various shades of orange-browns, rarely ever being red or yellow. Common Draconians find their individuality uniqueness in the coloration of their throat, each one possessing a unique color. All known colors and shades of said colors have been exhibited in Draconians. They posses wings capable of flight and breath fire.
Average Male dimensions: 6' 2" to 7' 2" in height, 167lbs to 267lbs.
Average Female dimenstions: 6' to 7' in height, 160lbs to 250lbs.
Reaver Draconians:
A larger subspecies than the commons, the Reavers posses black scales and red eyes. Unlike the common Draconians the Reavers throats are always shades of red, they distinguish themselves with unique scarrification. They breath an incredibly intense fire, white hot and capable of melting standard enemy weaponry and armor. They posses wings are the most brutal and barbaric Draconians, they come from two of the pillars that float side by side in the ring.
Average Male dimensions: 6'6' to 7'5" in height, 175lbs to 277lbs.
Average Female dimensions: 6'4" to 7'3" in height, 165lbs to 270lbs.
The Fallen: While not an actual subspecies, they have a significant role in Draconian society, and are treated as second rate citizens. They are the product of birth defects, having no wings or useless one. Due to the cultural and practically religious importance of wings in Draconian society the Fallen are considered lesser to the winged Draconians and are treated marginally better than slaves. They posses the same neck coloration expression of individuality and fire breathing as the winged commons whom they technically are, just wingless. They are forced into required military service and if they preform well enough they will be rewarded with a pair of mechanical wings and from then on are referred to as “redeemed”. This however is greatly resented by the Fallen as they view themselves as perfectly fine without wings, though some aspire to achieve this position and title in the belief they will treated fairly(They are respected, but they are still considered lesser by those privileged and winged individuals.)
Noble Houses:
House Bek: One of the older Noble Houses, they were one of the founding groups of the Empire as it is known today and answer only to the Emperor himself(at least the House does as a whole, individuals are subject to their circumstances.) They were the ones whom first tamed wild dragons as mounts. Their throats are usually shades of blue.
House Jormungand: Another of the older Houses, they too took part in the current Imperium’s founding. They are known for their honor and stubbornness, which has proven to be deadly at times. They originally invented the mechanical wings for the redeemed Fallen. Their throats are generally shades of green.
Draconian Celebrations and Traditions:
Landing of the Hunters: A yearly event where the Draconians make landfall to hunt the sapient mammals of Eyrion, it is a highly respected sport amongst them and brings great honor to oneself and their family for participating. They primarily hunt Humans for this sport, since attempts to do so with the residents of the Eastern Plains ended with the Orcs and Ti’burren wearing Draconian skin boots and it is generally easier to find outlying Human villages. The Elves, Satyrs and Lycans are unaccessible in their overgrown forest and the Dwarves live too deep in the ground, while the Minotaurs semi-nomadic nature and affinity for warfare have made them more of a challenge.
Fire and Flight Festival: A festival held in winter, it is to honor the Legendary Dragons whom they hold in such high esteem. The Emperor leads the people in a communal flight, circling the ring of cities twice before landing in the Capitol pillar. The event officially starts when the Emperor unleashes a burst of flame igniting wooden hoop that had been soaked in purest available alcohol. Pit fighting, puppet shows, historical re-enactments and feasts can all be seen during the three day event. The Fallen are excluded from participation as it might be an affront to the great Dragons.
Month of hatching: The Draconians mate in the winter and lay eggs in the early spring, with the eggs hatching within a one month span of time from one another. This is considered a time to rejoice as a new generation enters the world, the eldest living member of a family giving a blessing and applying a paint symbol to the eggs of each clutch(between one to three eggs.) It is a time of silence as well, as noone wishes to cause a disturbance in the event of upsetting a newly hatched, which at first was simply common courtesy but quickly developed into a custom of the Draconian people.