Strangers in a Stranger Land
Deep within the shrouded days of the Age of Myth were the creatures we now know as dragons brought into existence. Once proud, noble, and believed to be incorruptible servants of creation, dragons are now something more...and something less than they once were. Where before there was unity, the dragons are now characterized by their many divisions and schisms. They can be found nearly anywhere in the lands of Cerebor but are at the same time known to be elusive in nature. To understand the nature of dragons is to understand the loss of purpose and the drive to rediscover or forge it anew.
Origins of Dragons
Who or what was responsible for the initial birth of the dragons is a secret seemingly lost to time. What is known is that dragons were not born on Cerebor, but instead migrated to it from some distant realm. Once they arrived, they acted in the interests of Creation: bolstering, teaching, guiding mortals and even greater beings to stave back the forces of darkness, evil, and corruption. These dragons of legend were said to always lead by example, their powerful might juxtaposed to their gentle attitudes to those they loved to protect. But at some point, near the end of the Age of Myth, widely believed to be when Nar'Mundi first appeared in the skies of Cerebor, the dragons suffered a blow that left none of them unscathed and has to this day infiltrated their very existence. The dragons were cut off from the land of their birth and some of their kind fell absolutely to ruinous powers. It is said that during this time, the skies were constantly lit by the war they waged amongst themselves, and the earth was scorched and torn by their ferocity. When the dust settled, the Age of Mortals was upon Cerebor and the dragons were few in number and their unity forever shattered. This is the fabled birth of the "chromatic", "metallic", and other divisions seen in modern dragons today. Regardless of these new divisions, all dragons suffered the loss of their noble purpose and now were both gifted and cursed with an agency that was quite alien to them.
Chromatic vs Metallic: What's the Difference?
The two major divisions of dragons are chromatic and metallic, the signifiers of this division being quite visible but the implications far deeper than what is seen on the surface. Chromatic dragons' scales take on the pigmentation of light broken up across a spectrum, with black, red, green, blue, and white being the most common manifestations of this. Metallic dragons' scales take on the pigmentation of precious metals, with brass, bronze, copper, gold, and silver being the most common manifestations. What truly makes them different is how chromatic and metallic dragons see the world, those around them, and their place in it. Most people believe that chromatic dragons are inherently evil and metallic dragons inherently are good, but this is a gross oversimplification if not an outright falsehood. While it is true that many chromatic dragons throughout history have been known to become tyrants, conquerors, or worse, this is a symptom of their true, more nuanced nature. Chromatic dragons are far more attuned to mortals in their perceptions and emotional totality. While this does mean they are more susceptible to greed, envy, wrath, and other negative emotions, they are also just as more likely to be empathetic to mortals, compassionate, and selfless. Chromatic dragons are known to embrace the concept of gender, taking on pronouns that can shift and change over the years as they grow and develop as an individual, because they are tied closer to mortal understandings of autonomy and self. Metallic dragons, on the other hand, are far more detached from mortal perceptions and understanding. This has often gained them the perception that they are wise and closer to their noble ancestors, when in fact is metallic dragons who often commit greater atrocities than their chromatic counterparts due to apathy or disinterest in the world around them. Metallic dragons are known to be unconcerned with notions of gender and have a more alien understanding of the self. What is certain is that while these two groups have their differences, they do not dictate with any certainty how any singular dragon will act over the course of their long lifespans.
Hoards, Territory, and Other Similarities
All dragons, no matter their lineage, have a natural drive to accumulate wealth and form massive repositories of that accumulation: more commonly referred to as a "hoard". What's interesting to note is how this wealth they're driven to find and keep has no singular definition. While most start out and build the foundation of their hoards with coins and other metal valuables, it is important to note that these objects’ real purpose is a social construct. This understanding can bring us to the heart of what a dragon considers wealth: power. Some dragons amass treasures that can buy and sell kingdoms seven times over, some amass magical artefacts, some books and tomes of history and sciences, some living creatures, and others still amass "wealth" no mortal may have even considered. Dragons are also territorial creatures, known to assert their influence or outright dominion over the area surrounding their lair more and more as they age, sometimes imperceptibly and other times unmistakably so. Dragons are also highly autonomous, flexing and testing the limits of their agency over the course of millennia in whatever that dragon finds purpose in. Even as a wyrmling, dragons are always potent individuals whose power only waxes with age and experience.
Their Beginning and Their End
Dragons do not reproduce like most mortals or other creatures; they lack any sexual characteristics or organs at all. New dragons brought into Cerebor are done in either two fashions, that we are aware of at least: magical crafting or grown from Edis Tree. While both methods are largely unknown in any real detail to mortals, it is the Edis Tree that is the most mysterious and elusive of these two origins. It is said this tree grows in a secret place in Cerebor, its fruit are dragon eggs themselves, and that it calls dragons to it, tests if they are worthy, and gives them an egg if they prove their worth to the Edis Tree. The natural end of dragons is just as enigmatic, for an ancient dragon that has lived well beyond two or three Eras is said to one day take to the sky, fly up far past the clouds and into the stars, and never be seen or heard from again. It is rumored that these ancient dragons may have come to a great epiphany through their long life that reconnects them with their long-lost home. Otherwise, it is unknown if dragons can die of old age or other natural causes.
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