White Dragonborn
White Dragonborn are a subspecies of Dragonborn, known for their white scales and usage of freezing breath. White Dragonborn are descendants of the White Dragons, who thrive in the most frigid regions of the world, polar ice caps, tundras, and, most notably, the frozen border of the Apa Axan oceans known as The Rimrime.
Unlike other dragonborn who have inherited the nobility, wisdom, or grandeur of their draconic ancestors, White Dragonborn tend to be more primal, reflecting the ferocity and survival instincts of their dragon progenitors. White Dragons themselves are solitary, predatory creatures, driven by hunger, survival, and territorial instincts, and these traits are passed down through their dragonborn kin. White Dragonborn have pale, ice-like scales, often ranging from near white to a light blue, and their physical strength and ferocity are their defining traits. They are known for their breath weapon; a cone of freezing cold, which freezes the air around them, leaving a chill that can cut through even the toughest of armor.
The culture of the White Dragonborn is shaped by the environment they come from; a brutal, unforgiving landscape, and only the strongest survive.
White Dragonborn are often seen as ferocious warriors or lonely wanderers, living far away from the comforts of civilization in the most inhospitable corners of the world. They are respected by other races for their resilience, but often feared for their savagery and wild nature. Many White Dragonborn prefer to remain isolated in their frozen realms, but some will wander into the world, seeking to test their strength or challenge others. When seen, White Dragonborn are often employed as solitary warriors or mercenaries, selling their strength for coin or purpose, tribal leaders who command fierce warriors, often engaging in brutal raids or territorial wars with neighboring tribes or settlements, hunters and survivalists, living off the land and seeking to prove their dominance over nature itself, exiles or outcasts, traveling far from their homes to escape the brutal challenges of their tribe or to prove themselves worthy of leadership or shamans or spiritual guides, interpreting the primal forces of nature and channeling the spirits of the wild.
White Dragonborn rarely seek peaceful solutions to conflicts. Their instincts often lead them to use force to settle disputes, and they tend to view the world as a harsh, unforgiving place where only the strong can survive. This can sometimes put them at odds with more civilized or honorable races who view their behavior as uncouth or savage.
Culture
Culture and cultural heritage
White Dragonborn societies are tribal and nomadic (with the exception of Frostfang), often existing in harsh, frozen wastelands or high mountain peaks. Their cultures emphasize the survival of the fittest, and their social structure is governed by the strongest and most ruthless individuals. Fierce competition for resources, dominance over one another, and tribal leadership through strength define their way of life.
The daily life of a White Dragonborn is centered around survival. In their frozen homes, food is difficult to come by, and shelter is often rudimentary at best. Their savage instincts guide them through the harshest of winters, and their ability to endure extreme cold and hunger is a testament to their resilience.
White Dragonborn often form tribes or clans that fiercely defend their territory from other groups. Conflict with other tribes is common, and battle for dominance is seen as a natural part of life. They live off the land, relying on their hunting skills, and respect the balance between predator and prey. Resources are scarce in their frozen world, so their way of life is based on efficiency and resourcefulness. White Dragonborn are expert Hunters, using their keen senses to track down game in the snowy wilderness. They are also capable of hunting large, dangerous creatures, such as Remorhaz and Frost Giants , which provides both food and prestige in their communities. In a White Dragonborn hunt, every part of a creature is used for survival; meat for food, fur and skin for warmth, and bones for tools or weapons. Nothing is wasted. They also have a keen understanding of ice and snow, using the cold environment to their advantage in building shelters or traps.
In these tribes, there are no complex hierarchies or councils of wisdom. Leadership is typically taken by the strongest, often a single alpha figure who leads through might, fear, and respect. Challenges for leadership are common and can occur at any time; whether through ritualistic combat or sudden, brutal confrontations. Their territory is constantly defended from other predators or rival tribes. Small hunting groups venture out daily to monitor for intruders, or to hunt for sustenance, ensuring that their clan’s needs are met. White Dragonborn are capable of enduring extreme conditions, and their ability to survive blizzards, avalanches, and hunger is a testament to their animalistic resilience.
Shared customary codes and values
While loose, White Dragonborn do follow a set of tenets, much like other Dragonborn. Their most important, and all-encompassing, is Survival Above All, with strength, both physical and mental, being the most important trait. White Dragonborn believe that only the strong are worthy of survival, and that weakness is to be discarded or eliminated. White Dragonborn connection to nature is deeply ingrained, focusing on their senses and survival skills. Their societies value self-reliance and adaptability, as only those who can adapt to the harshest conditions can thrive.
Common Customs, traditions and rituals
Physical strength and combat are paramount to the White Dragonborn tribes. Young White Dragonborn are raised to fight, to defend their tribe, and to prove their strength through physical feats. Ritualistic challenges, such as hand-to-hand combat or duels with primal beasts, are common.
Coming of Age Rites
A White Dragonborn’s maturity is marked by their ability to hunt and survive alone. The first successful hunt or duel is a crucial milestone in their society, often celebrated with a feast and the wearing of trophies or scars from the encounter.
Historical figures
There are several major historical White Dragonborn figures, such as:
- Kharok Frostfang. A fearsome warlord who united several warring tribes to form a mighty icebound horde in the frozen north of Gilunrik. Known for his legendary strength, Kharok is said to have felled a Frost Giant in single combat, and his Maul is said to be imbued with the power of winter itself. His tribe, known as the Frostfang, has grown into a feared force on the icy plains of The Frigid Steppe, and has become the only permanent White Dragonborn settlement.
- Thraxxar Coldclaw. Native to The Rimrime, Thraxxar was believed to communicate with the spirits of the frozen wilderness. Thraxxar is said to be able to summon blizzards and control snowstorms to defend his clan. His tribe follows a Druidic path, believing that the spirits of the ice and snow guide their actions and survival, although these actions usually involve violent and terrible crime.
- Skarha, The White Death. A Hunter Ranger known for slaying the Tyrant Beast, a giant Remorhaz that terrorized the steppes surrounding Frostfang. Her skills as a tracker and hunter have become the stuff of myth, and she was revered by her tribe and respected by others in the frozen lands as a symbol of unmatched endurance and ferocity.
- Gorthak the Wyrmcrusher. Gorthak once fought a young White Dragon in a contest of strength and survived, while he was only five years old. He wore the dragon’s skull as a helmet and was said to have lived for years off its bones. His tribe honored him as the one who had conquered a true dragon, a feat that only the most powerful could claim.
Encompassed species
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