Red Dragonborn
Red Dragonborn are a subspecies of Dragonborn, known for their red scales and usage of fire breath. Red Dragonborn descend from the fiery and fearsome Red Dragons, known for their insatiable greed and violent ambition. This heritage carries through in their nature, with Red Dragonborn often being fiercely competitive, driven by a desire for dominance and control over others. Their scales range from deep crimson to fiery orange, often gleaming with an inner heat that reflects their passionate nature.
These dragonborn inherit not only the fearsome breath of fire, but a burning desire for wealth; to collect, to display, and to never relinquish what they have claimed. Their flame breath is both a symbol of their power and a practical tool to scorch their enemies into submission or burn away any obstacles in the pursuit of their goals. Red Dragonborn see wealth as more than just currency, it’s a symbol of status, success, and strength. They often measure themselves and others based on their accumulated treasures, and their entire culture revolves around the acquisition and display of those treasures.
Red Dragonborn are not content with merely existing, as they want to be remembered. They often seek to conquer, not through open war, but through economic dominance, market control, or financial warfare. As a result, they are often found in positions where they can accumulate wealth or wield influence; whether in noble courts, trading companies, or pirate fleets. They often serve as wealthy merchants or noble lords, using gold to manipulate or dominate, pirates or raiders who steal and hoard vast treasures, treasure hunters and adventurers, seeking ancient relics or magical items to add to their ever-growing hoards, power-brokers, manipulating economies from behind the scenes, slowly cornering entire industries or warlords who conquer with gold and influence, sometimes through subterfuge or backdoor deals rather than bloodshed. Red Dragonborn can be charismatic rulers, capable of leading vast organizations, or they can be cutthroat businessmen willing to sacrifice anyone for the sake of a better deal. Regardless of their specific role, their desire for wealth is undeniable, and their willingness to fight for it is absolute.
Culture
Culture and cultural heritage
Red Dragonborn live in societies where competition and wealth are the central tenets of their culture. Ambition and greed are not only tolerated but celebrated, as long as it leads to the amassing of riches. Honour, in the Red Dragonborn view, is earned by success and power, with wealth being the ultimate indicator of both. Although Red Dragonborn will cross any boundary to get an edge over their kin, they do share a loose set of values, such as command through wealth, displaying power through grandeur, a focus on the importance of inheritance, and striving for a self-interested personality.
Common Etiquette rules
Red Dragonborn often use their breath weapon in negotiations, not for destruction, but to intimidate or to secure advantageous deals. A single roar of flame in the middle of a market can secure a deal, or burn down the competition.
Art & Architecture
For Red Dragonborn, daily life revolves around acquiring more, showing off more, and expanding their influence. Their cities are often opulent, with palaces adorned with gold and ruby inlays, bustling marketplaces, and structures built to showcase the wealth of their leaders. Red Dragonborn often build vast treasure halls or temples, where their wealth is stored and displayed with pride. Jewelry, rare metals, magic items, and trophies from conquests fill their halls, acting as both proof of their success and a tool for intimidating others.
The average Red Dragonborn home is filled with treasure vaults, private hoards, and grand rooms of wealth. Each day, they may add a new piece to their collection; whether it’s a rare artifact, an impressive gemstone, or even a notable item from an enemy defeated in battle.
Foods & Cuisine
Lavish banquets and social gatherings are frequent in Red Dragonborn society. The wealthy Red Dragonborn host feasts that last for days, with entertainment, rare foods, and endless displays of power and influence.
Common Customs, traditions and rituals
Trade is often an extravagant affair. Red Dragonborn host grand auctions where individuals can buy and sell rare goods, magical items, or rare beasts. These auctions also serve as a way to gauge one’s wealth, as the most successful bidders are viewed as the most powerful. The wealthiest Red Dragonborn wear extravagant jewelry, clothing, and armor. They don’t just carry gold, they wear it. Their weapons may be crafted from the finest metals, and their personal guards often flaunt rare or magical weapons. Instead of open warfare, Red Dragonborn may engage in trade wars, where they use wealth, connections, and influence to bankrupt their enemies or force them into submission. Business is as brutal as battle, and outbidding your opponents is a form of conquest.
While often not religious, some Red Dragonborn do practice rituals and rites, usually to achieve new and powerful forms of magic. The Heartfire Rituals, for example, conducted by the Crimson Rage dragon cult, has successfully ascended other mortal races into Red Dragonborn by consuming the heart of a Red Dragon.
Historical figures
There are several historically relevant Red Dragonborn throughout the history of Apa Axas, such as:
- Vezrix the Infernal Baron. Founder of The Crimson Rage cult, and helped to create Redbrand Citadel. He was a merchant lord who controls several key trade routes from the Citadel. His personal hoard is said to be worth kingdoms, and his palace of gold is so vast that it has entire wings dedicated solely to displaying priceless art and jewels. His competitors fear him, and his name is a whisper on every merchant’s lips.
- Arvalas Emberfury. A notorious pirate lord whose fleet, the Golden Sails Trading Company, was built on looted treasures and stolen riches. His ships are adorned with golden sails, and his personal flag is said to have been sewn from the finest silks and laced with diamonds. His motto: “Burn the ships of those who can’t pay.”
- Rhazgar Flamecrest. The leader, and founder, of a small but fiercely competitive tribal clan of Red Dragonborn known as Emberpeak, which would grow into the largest settlement of Red Dragonborn on Apa Axas. His hoard includes the skulls of enemies, great magical artifacts, and a series of elaborate ruby-encrusted thrones that serve as symbols of his leadership. His clan is known for conquering cities and leaving behind only empty vaults.
- Kaliethra, the Flame Queen. A queen of the city-state of Emberpeak, whose reign over the kingdom is marked by extravagant rituals and displays of power. Under her rule, her people constructed colossal statues in her likeness, with gems the size of a fist embedded in her crown. It is rumored that she has extended her life through the acquisition of magical treasures, hoarding immortality as one would hoard gold.
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