The Thousand Flights
The Thousand Flights of Argonnessen—more commonly called the Thousand—is the heart of the dragon homeland. The great wyrms of the Thousand inhabit lairs hewn in the Age of Demons, and the cries of soaring dragons fill the air. Dragons have lived here for hundreds of thousands of years; the territory is replete with monuments to wise wyrms and legendary prophets, shrines to the deities of Thir, and wondrous locations created by the greatest flames of the forge. Crafted through pure magic by colossal artisans, these edifices tower over the landscape. Flying across the Thousand is a breathtaking experience, but one few nondragons ever experience; intruders find scant welcome in the land of the Thousand.
Industries
Some dragons of the Thousand trade with the dominion lords of the Vast, bartering for servants or treasures produced in that land. Flames of the forge wander the land, using their skills as architects, artificers, and engineers in exchange for treasures or useful information. Beyond this, the dragons are self-sufficient and self-involved; few real industries exist within the Thousand.
Life and Society
The dragons of the Thousand are organized into extended family groups known as flights. Each flight controls a large domain within the Thousand. Every adult dragon has her own lair, which she shares with her mate and children. Some flights spread out across their domain, with miles between lairs. Others prefer to live in close proximity. These flights use epic-level magic to draw vast pillars of volcanic rock up from the earth, and then carve tunnels into these massive monoliths; a single pillar can be over a mile in height, serving as a home for up to a dozen dragons.
The flights of the Thousand are segregated by color. Many flights are surrounded by neighbors of the same color, creating patchwork patterns across the land. Most dragons of the Thousand prefer the company of their own kind. A few flights still cling to the antichromatic philosophies of Ourenilach, and some tension arises between white dragons and other flights, largely based around the argument that the less intelligent whites are little better than wyverns. Although this can result in heated debate, violence between dragons is rare. Formal duels or staged battles are accepted by some flights as a way of settling disputes, but most insist that members go to the Vast if they intend to do battle. Crimes between dragons are handled by the servants of Lendys, the Dragon God of Justice.
Government and Politics
With a few exceptions, flights are ruled by the oldest dragon of the line. The clan might debate important issues, but the eldest has the final say. He decides who represents the flight in the Conclave of Argonnessen, and who guards the great treasures of the flight. He appoints the servant of Lendys, who investigates and punishes crimes committed by or against members of the flight; if necessary, a servant of Lendys can call upon the Eyes of Chronepsis for assistance. Beneath the elder, status within a flight is based on age and hoard.
The Conclave of Argonnessen is based in the Thousand. Dragons who speak in the Conclave are treated with great respect, regardless of their rank within a flight.
NonDragons in the Thousand
Most nondragons in the Thousand are retainers attached to a particular flight of dragons. Some have served theirfl ight for generations; others are recent acquisitions brought over from the Vast. Nondragon retainers perform tasks that are difficult or demeaning for dragons, and are often called upon to entertain their masters. As a result, most retainers are trained in some form of the Perform skill.Many dragons dislike the presence of nondragons. Some of these dragons use constructs as retainers, typically favoring iron golems. Others feel that nondragons have no place in Argonnessen, and any such creature who crosses the domain of such a dragon is killed on sight.
Nondragons have no rights in the Thousand. Killing a nondragon bearing the mark of a friendly flight is an insult to the owner, but many dragons consider the life of a single lesser creature to be trivial and pay this no mind.
Tourism
The Thousand is an enormous territory, filled with shrines, monuments, and magical locations. The land is studded with dragons’ lairs, and a dragon is almost always visible in the sky. Here are just a few of the important sites of the Thousand.
The Face of Eberron:
Near the southern shore of Argonnessen, a stone dragon’s head rises up from the ground. It is an unfamiliar shape, not quite conforming to any kind of dragon seen on Eberron. More shocking, however, is its size. The head stretches three miles from snout to horns. If it is the work of a sculptor, it would have had to be carved from a mountain range. Many priests of Thir say it is the face of Eberron, and that when she speaks it will be heard across the world. The children of Eberron consider it a holy site, and young initiates come here to learn the mysteries of nature magic from older children.
The Great Aerie:
An artificial mountain raised from the earth by dragon magic, this is the meeting place of the Conclave. Built to hold a thousand dragons, it towers over the landscape. Despite its imposing bulk, it is often empty of dragons, inhabited only by the stone giants and iron golems that maintain it as they wait for their masters to return.
The Valley of the Three:
This is the primary shrine of the draconic religion Thir. Statues of the Dragon Gods are arranged in a circle. Each is ten times the size of a colossal dragon, and each is inlaid with enough gemstones and precious metals to beggar a kingdom. Smaller statues of the fifteen Sovereigns stand at the feet of the greater deities. No images of the Progenitors are present. If questioned, a follower of Thir would be surprised. “Eberron is at your feet, Siberys above us, Khyber far below; what would be the point of trying to capture them in stone?”
Although dragons worship in their own way, dragon priests of the Thousand spend a great deal of time at the Valley of the Three. Some of the greatest priests of the past have actually merged with the landscape, becoming immortal guardians of this place. Young dragons who wish to learn the mysteries of the divine often come to the Valley to study with the elders.
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