Dragonborn

Dragonborn

The dragonborn are a proud people born with a potent sense of willpower and conviction. The metallic and chromatic dragonborn were created during a battle between the gods Bahamut, Tiamat, and Varahosst. As the gods made battle upon the realm, their shed blood created the dragonborn. From these drops of godly blood, the dragonborn forged a number of powerful artifacts. They created 15 magical amulets, one for each type of Tiamatian, Varrahostian, and Bahamuti dragon, as well as a sword called the Dragonblood Blade. These items were wielded by the most powerful dragonborn warriors but have since been lost to time. As was discovered in Era 1, 1223 by the paladin Xorenath, the Dragonblood Amulets, and potentially the Dragonblood Blade, have been sequestered away to a secretive island curated by an immensely old and powerful dragonborn wizard. This island, called the Isle of Trial in common, is a testing ground of sorts for prospective dragonborn champions to prove their worth to claim their amulet.
In the year 1223 of the first era, it was discovered that the chromatic dragons of Varahosst along with their kobold and dragonborn minions had survived their mass culling by seeking refuge in the Lands Below. These purple, yellow, orange, gray, and brown dragonborn returned to the surface led by the great purple wyrm Gorlanthor under the counsel of a party of adventurers that would come to be known as Varahosst's Host. One of these adventurers, a dragonborn by the name of Xorenath, underwent a ritual to change his scales from white to gray as he forsook his old goddess Tiamat, and embraced Varahosst as his patron deity. Xorenath would come to be known as the greatest dragonborn in millennia. His deeds include recovering the five dragon masks of Varahosst to create the Mask of the Chromatic King, resurrecting the long-dead dragon god Varahosst, tracking down the Gray Dragonblood Amulet, and becoming the Chosen of Varahosst.
Unbeknownst to almost all who live elsewhere, the dragonborn originate from the secret land of Kradarmorket. On their home continent, their history is much richer. Numerous petty kingdoms of each ancestry vie for supremacy over their neighbors, with the returned Varrahost ancestry dragonborn causing chaos by overturning the established hierarchies with their new kingdoms. Many dragons and draconic ancestries that are rare or unheard of in other parts of the world are found in abundance on the continent. The cultural differences between every single dragonborn ancestry are also much more pronounced due to the fact that they are much less homogenized because of the lack of non-draconic races and are recognized not as a metallic dragonborn or a chromatic dragonborn, but instead as a bronze dragonborn or a green dragonborn.

Chromatic Dragonborn

The chromatic dragonborn are, as a whole, somewhat of an oddity in the eyes of the larger dragonborn community. The black, blue, green, red, and white dragonborn are the product of Tiamat's blood being spilled in an ancient conflict. As such, she is revered as a sort of 'mother goddess' by a vast majority of them. Due to recent developments, the brother god of Tiamat, named Varrahost, was resurrected and the dragonborn lines he spawned long ago rose up once more to claim their place in the sun. These dragonborn, the brown, gray, orange, purple, and yellow ancestries, worship Varrahost as their progenitor. This resurrection is the cause of the great schism of the chromatic dragonborn. Due to the fact that Tiamat slew Varrahost and ordered a grand culling of his spawn, the two halves of the chromatic community are constantly at each other's throats and waging bloody conflicts with one another. This isn't helped by the natural ferocity, cruelty, and rage that boils beneath the surface of the minds of most chromatic dragonborn. The difference between Tiamat's chaos and Varrahost's order also further drives a wedge between the two sects of chromatics.
A number of artifacts are tied to the history of the chromatic dragonborn. Ten of the original dragonblood amulets were created for and by the chromatic dragonborn. The weapon known as 'the Dragon Queen's Will' was also created by chromatic dragonborn cultists and wielded by one of Tiamat's chosen many millennia ago before it came to be in the hands of the kobold god Rocktooth Bearhide. Finally, a tome penned by the worshippers of Varrahost over the thousands of years after his death is the last artifact. The tome, titled 'Varrahost's Vengeance', holds many spells and rituals designed to pervert Tiamat's creations and specifically counter or undermine her and her spawn. The only rituals known to come from the tome are the ritual to resurrect Varrahost and the ritual to change a chromatic dragonborn who bears a color of Tiamat into a dragonborn of one of Varrahost's ancestries.

Gem Dragonborn

Generally reviled by the chromatics of Tiamat and respected by those who oppose her, the gem dragonborn are followers of Cathrax. The first gem dragonborn were created after the chromatic dragonborn of Tiamat who leaned into neutrality over evil rejected her for the newly ascended Cathrax. To prove their dedication to him, they petrified themselves and used his divine aid to absorb the stone into themselves, thus creating crystals from whites, emeralds from greens, onyxes from blacks, rubies from reds, and sapphires from blues. Soon enough, other dragonborn of both metallic ancestries and even some from the still-hidden Varrahost chromatic ancestries surfaced and sought out Cathrax and his gem dragons. Their transformations created the rest of the numerous gem dragonborn ancestries, leading the gem dragons to become the most diverse but least populous type of dragonborn.
In order to legitimize themselves in the eyes of other dragonborn, the high priests of Cathrax communed with their god and managed to acquire drops of his blood so as to forge a number of dragonblood amulets keyed to the numerous ancestries of the gem dragons. Due to the fact that these amulets were forged after the chromatic and metallic ones, they are not hidden away on the Isle of Trial. In fact, they are all currently worn and used by the rulers of the gem dragonborn kingdoms on Kradarmorket.

Metallic Dragonborn

The metallic dragonborn are generally seen as the defenders of honour, justice, and good. While this is not always true, especially as not all metallic dragons and dragonborn have Bahamut as their patron god, very few fall into the path of evil. The brass, bronze, copper, electrum, gold, silver, and tin dragonborn can sometimes be described as zealous due to their faith in Bahamut. The constant conflict between Bahamut and Tiamat breeds not only some animosity between the adherents of the two faiths, but also a degree of grit and toughness in the metallic dragonborn of Bahamut. As outlined above, not all dragonborn who bear metallic scales are tied to Bahamut in any capacity. The iron, steel, and titanium dragonborn are generally linked to Mygaron, while the adamantine, mithril, and mercury dragonborn are worshippers of Heidarog. There is no god of the cobalt dragons, and thus no god of the cobalt dragonborn.
The outliers in the metallic dragonborn group are the cobalt, iron, steel, and titanium dragonborn. The cobalt dragonborn are more inclined to evil and cruelty than goodness. The iron, steel, and titanium dragonborn are more inclined to neutrality than choosing an extreme.
The metallic dragonborn dedicated to Bahamut are the only ones whose people have a dragonblood amulet dedicated to them, and not even all have one. Specifically, all but the electrum dragonborn have one, which is a source of shame for their people. The metallic dragonborn dedicated to Mygaron forged a unique weapon called the Mace of Mygaron. A master smith created the heavy weapon before it was then etched and enchanted by a grand mage. Finally, the soul of a dying champion was interred into the mace. The faithful of Heidarog were gifted a set of powerful armour by their god that was said to be as tough as adamantine, light as mithril, and as overflowing as mercury.

Outlier Dragonborn Ancestries

There exist some dragonborn who do not fall under the categorization of 'chromatic, metallic, or gem' and as such are more unique in terms of their appearance, allegiances, and culture.

Cave Dragonborn

A relatively rare and unknown outlier dragonborn, the cave dragonborn live deep within the caverns and tunnels of the Lands Unkown. They generally live in smaller tribes and bands, though they sometimes congregate in larger groupings. Cave dragonborn, like the dragons whose blood they bear, are blind and as such don't often employ writing though they do carve inscriptions in draconic that they read through feel. Much like their draconic ancestors, cave dragonborn have an overwhelming and ravenous sense of hunger. To alleviate this, nearly every member of the cave dragonborn race takes up a trade that directly relates to food production, whether they are hunters, gatherers, farmers, ranchers, or chefs.

On Kradarmorket

The homeland of all of dragonkind bears a much more complex history and many more varied cultures for the dragonborn. For as long as even the eldest of wyrms remembers, the dragonborn have always been a divided people with their own kingdoms and cultures. Legends do tell, however, of a legendary figure remembered only as the Dragonborn Emperor who conquered all of the kingdoms and, with his mighty armies, led an excursion into the Eye of Kradarmorket to attempt to learn what it contained. Neither the Dragonborn Emperor nor his armies returned, and his hard-fought empire crumbled into the warring kingdoms that we know today. Most dragonborn disregard the idea of there ever having been a Dragonborn Emperor - or even the notion that one could arise today - for a variety of reasons, even ones as simple as due to the vast number of kingdoms that exist.
Beyond the legend of the Dragonborn Emperor, the histories and legends of various dragonborn subraces are what bind the dragonborn together as well as set them apart. Certain events and myths create bonds of brotherhood or fierce rivalries among the nations.

Chromatic Dragonborn

Black Dragonborn

The culture of the black dragonborn puts an emphasis on the cruelty and sadism prominent in the dragons whose colour they share. This leads to a high rate of crime and corruption. Many black dragonborn have tried their hand at banditry or have been employed in raiding parties for these reasons. The kingdom of the black dragonborn also contains a large number of historians as they share the general desire to hoard knowledge and relics of bygone eras and civilizations with their black dragon relatives as well.

Blue Dragonborn

The blue dragonborn have a strict sense of personal honour which is a driving force in their culture. They will not suffer insults or slights without retribution. In addition, patience is a strong virtue in their culture. Being fiercely territorial, the blue dragonborn will fight long, drawn-out wars and battles to preserve the integrity of their borders or their honour. The blue dragonborn also highly value gems and artworks that contain them, leading to a large number of prospectors and jewelers living in the kingdom of the blue dragonborn.

Brown Dragonborn

Brown dragonborn are somewhat similar to the black dragonborn in their culture and proclivities. They have an enjoyment of causing intense pain, leading them to be sadistic warriors who draw out their battles to bleed their foes a little while longer. Many nobles employ brown dragonborn torturers in their courts due to their extreme effectiveness and dedication to the craft. Another parallel that can be made between them and the black dragonborn is that they also have a scholarly culture. Their love for books and knowledge is much more broad, however. Many of the greatest scholars are brown dragonborn, and scribes and bookbinders find themselves in good employ in the brown dragonborn kingdom.

Gray Dragonborn

Known as gregarious and charismatic, the gray dragonborn seek to avoid conflict and as such make great diplomats and negotiators among the many kingdoms. Their avoidance of conflict only goes so far, however, and if pressed too far gray dragonborn can be some of the most volatile and ferocious fighters seen throughout the kingdoms. Their gregariousness is, most often, just a front used to lull others into a false sense of security and leave them be though. This isolationist policy extends to their kingdom as well, where outsiders are generally either not allowed or quickly pointed to their next destination.

Green Dragonborn

Manipulators, schemers, liars, and intimidators, the green dragonborn culture values the twisting of words and the strength of one's charisma to get ahead. Most green dragonborn hide their true feelings and thoughts behind various facades and well-crafted personalities that they use to gain favour, power, and status. The most highly-valued members of society are not only highly charismatic individuals who can lie and lie well, but also those who have the cunning and intellect required to weave vast and intricate plots. Like their true dragon contemporaries, the green dragonborn value others that they bend to their will as their greatest treasures. The green dragonborn kingdom has the greatest bureaucracy and legal system because of this, as well as their fair share of bards, swindlers, and wizards of the enchanting school.

Orange Dragonborn

Tyranny and border control are two of the most prominent aspects observed by outsiders in the culture of the orange dragonborn. Chief among their other traits are casual cruelty, sadism, and a willingness to play dirty to gain the upper hand. Like the red dragonborn, the orange dragonborn see themselves as conquerors. They expand and protect the integrity of their kingdom's borders while enslaving and pillaging those around them. Their breath weapons and ambush predator proclivities lend them to being siege experts and sneak attack masters. While they enjoy amassing wealth, orange dragonborn, much like orange dragons themselves, would rather have the glittering lights of gold and gems present wherever they look and thus seek out decadent clothes and jewelry to bedazzle themselves in the greatest splendor they can muster.

Purple Dragonborn

Purple dragonborn see themselves as natural overlords. The strict feudal hierarchy of their people is a staple of their culture and shows what they value most: land and political status. The gaining of noble titles and the accruing of land are top priorities for purple dragonborn. Their society is less hereditary, being more based on personal merit, in how power and land are passed on and awarded. It is not unheard of for lowborn peasants to fight or adventure their way into power and swiftly rise through the ranks. Their desire to dominate leads them to have an exceptionally well-disciplined standing army as well as a great degree of acumen in the areas of politics, economics, and statecraft.

Red Dragonborn

The red dragonborn are a complex group. They are proud and feel as though they are superior to all other dragonborn, believing themselves the rightful rulers of their species. This imperialism is present in their society, wherein a strict, authoritarian, and generally tyrannical rule is imposed. Red dragonborn present the most stereotypically draconic hoarding tendencies of all dragonborn, simply valuing wealth in all of its forms. Their eye for wares and knowledge of wealth leads to them being great accountants. They also value domination, with land owners and slave owners being those who rank highest in society. Their level of aggression is, of consequence, quite high in comparison to other dragonborn.

White Dragonborn

The white dragonborn are a relatively simple bunch. While not particularly intelligent - in fact, they are usually regarded as primal and savage by most others - they are excellent hunters and have remarkable memories. Living in a frigid and mostly barren landscape gives them little else to think about beyond survival and their next meal. White dragonborn value trophies taken from valiant and mighty foes as well as glittering diamonds that remind them of the ice of their home.

Yellow Dragonborn

Favouring stealth and speed over strength, the yellow dragonborn differ from many of their chromatic contemporaries. Greedy and selfish almost to a fault, the yellow dragonborn hone themselves so that they can best acquire and hold onto their treasures. Athletes are a group that receives much recognition in their society due to their desire to perfect themselves. Sprinters, runners, and others whose activities promote quickness and dexterity are especially favoured. The main treasure coveted by yellow dragonborn is silver and thusly silversmiths and miners are highly appreciated members of society.