Qinglong

Racial Magic
First Ability
Lothvem's Aura or Touch

Can generate emotions or states related to Lothvem in those around them. Those with Aura can emanate or summon these emotions in an area around themself or within a certain distance while those with Touch do so via contact, their effects usually more intense. These emotions include love, affection, admiration, harmony, calmness, tranquility, detachment and patience. It generally deals with the emotions that bring people together or stills the spirit. Touch can inflict a state of infatuation, lust, detachment or tranquility.

Second Ability
Ithisda's Sleep or Step

Sleep: Can induce sleep onto a target while they float in water and a healing effect is generated in this regenerative state. They can do this for themselves, awakening only when they are finished healing or they are removed from the water. Those they put to sleep cannot wake without the caster releasing the effect or until the same conditions are met. Pulls energy from the water rather than the caster or target.
or
Step: Can enter and exit Ithisda's Plane via portals and travel the plane freely, without injury. These portals are any freshwater large enough for them to fit through, the larger the body of water the faster they can enter and exit. They can bring another with them while maintaining contact. They can only extend their own protection while inside the plane to this guest while maintaining contact.

or
Iska's Touch or Skin

Skin: Can produce layers of ice from their scales or convert their scales into ice and expand this around themselves into various shapes. This can be spikes, armor, wings, etc., anything they want. They are also immune to extremely cold conditions and can cool their skin at will, potentially freezing those who touch them.
or
Touch: Can rapidly cool the temperature of whatever they touch. The longer the duration, the more extreme the temperature and the further it permeates. Can essentially rapidly freeze materials via touch.

or
Vapri's Push or Slip

Slip: Able to allow their body to transform into water vapor when touched, most solid matter passing right through them before their flesh reforms. This happens very rapidly and automatically, only changing what is being interacted with. These materials also behave as if interacting with vapor such as becoming wet or scalding.
or
Push:Can generate a pulse of water vapors with their body as the epicenter in various temperatures and intensities. This can mean a sudden burst of fog or it can mean a dangerous and explosive burst of hot steam, the latter taking up far more energy to produce.

or
Siryl's Touch or Push

Touch: Can afflict implosive pressure via touch. The longer contact is maintained, the more intense the pressure and pervasive the area of effect. This pressure is akin to the bottom of the deep ocean, crushing and unforgiving.
or
Push:Can summon a wave of sea water with themselves as the epicenter of varying sizes, crashing into everything around them. They can also apply implosive pressure like that at the bottom of the sea but this can exhaust them quickly.

Also known as an azure dragon, these are a revered and mystical beast spread thinly throughout Yaxiya, living in various bodies of water. They are considered the ultimate beastial expression of Wylrith, the element of water, different variants expressing different aspects. Those of the Azure Clan, a member if the Sì Xiàng : Four Dynasties, possess a Racial Magic granting them features of this mythic beast and use the dragon as a symbol for their clan. Most qinglong are wild, rarely interacting with humans, and those rare interactions that do occur go on to become legend and myth. There is one unique nest of qinglong which possesses Vapri magic and live within the heated lake surrounding Penglai Shan. The capital of Zhongguo, Yánjīng, is built around this mountain and lake, the lake called Longhu, Dragon Lake.

There are a handful of variants among the qinglong, one for each of Wylrith's physical Aspects which are Ithisda, Iska, Vapri and Siryl. These each have their own names including Panlong for those blessed by Ithisda, Bailong for Iksa, Feilong for Vapri and Heilong for those blessed by Siryl. There are more dragons within their mythology and lore but the rest possess racial magic from other elements. However, those guarding Penglai Shan also have their own moniker, often called Tianlong.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Because they have so many vairants, their appearances can vary considerably. What all of these creatures share are azure blue scales across their body while their belly scales, horns and eyes tend to reflect their aspect. Palong have alternate shades of blue, Bailong are arctic blue or white, Feilong are slate blue or grayish silver and Heilong are royal blue or black. Peculiarly, Tianlong tend to have bright yellow coloration. No one is sure why but the Si Xiang claim it is a sign that these guardians of Penglai Shan are favored by Huangdi and Xi Wangmu, their deities. Otherwise, their bodies are long and scaled like that of a snake with a strip of usually white hair running down their spine before ending in a puff at the end of their lengthy tail. Hair also surrounds the crown of their heads and both males and females possess a beard, bushy eyebrows and two long whiskers. Qinglong have large, squared heads with a long muzzle, deer antlers and large, curled fangs. Despite their legs being short, they are quite mobile and each claw has five white talons. Looking into their eyes can be intense, a wide eyed gaze with large round eyes. They often move with rippling motions, resembling a flowing river or a ribbon adrift in the wind.

Biological Traits

Like all dragons, Qinglong have inherited many innate abilities not related to their racial magic. These beasts are divine, possessing elemental magic believed to originate from their bones and scales. This includes total immunity to energy magic like light, fire and electricity and these scales are also very hardy and difficult to damage. As a water dragon, they are immune to water magic especially that of their aspect. They are able to step or swim through any water in their environment whether this is water, ice or vapor, seeming to possess a Movement Physical Manifestations for all watery aspects! This can take the form of thick fog, rain and even snow, capable of even briefly transforming into these aspects to travel as water does and reform elsewhere. These beasts are considered the ultimate beastial expression of elemental water, capable of living comfortably within any body of water, breathing air or water as they choose. However, the trait they are most famous for is their ability to summon rain. So long as they possess a special orb, passed down from parent to child when they come of age, they can summon forth rains and wind. Legend claims they earned these orbs from Vekaltor long ago.

Genetics and Reproduction

While they are long lived, living up to 5,000 years, they are not immortal. They have a slow reproductive cycle and it takes at least a decade for their single egg to hatch, even under ideal conditions. Their eggs must remain in water in order to incubate, drying out quickly and going sterile if not kept submerged. Water quality is also important, their mothers understandably fickle when choosing a nest, each variant needing different conditions for their nest. Panlong need pure springwater with a constant flow and lukewarm temperature. Bailong need frigid environment where temperatures never exceed 0 degrees and must freeze the egg in ice. Feilong lay their egg a top fogbound and jagged peaks of Xizhulin Shan or Zhongxin Pingyuan, constant humidity essential. Finally, Heilong lay their egg only in seawater with strong currents and warm water. They prefer the coasts of Donghuo Shan, Zhongxin Pingyuan and Joseon.

Their mother will tend to her egg very carefully, fastidiously meeting their needs and defending their nest for a decade or longer. However, once her child hatches it becomes the duty of the father to care for the young dragon, their mother's long task complete. He will teach them all they need to know and when they come of age, the child will battle either their mother or their father in order to claim their sacred orb. It isn't uncommon for them to fail and try many times again and again. While calamitous to humans, these battles rarely result in death and there have even been accounts of these dragons "battling" in alternate forms such as games, poetry or riddles, challenges and the like. They are considered fully mature when they can claim this treasure honorably, stealing or using deception considered the ultimate taboo among their kind!

Ecology and Habitats

These dragons prefer moist environments, many claiming a large body of water, fogbound mountain ranges or vast frozen landscapes as their territory. There is a very specific nest of azure dragons called Tianlong living within Longhu below Penglai Shan. This lake separates the volcano from the capital city of Zhongguo, Yánjīng. These are elegant but territorial and vain beasts, not suffering trespassers who fail to make a proper offering to them or who are unwelcome. They are regarded as the guardians of Penglai Shan for good reason, pampered and spoiled by the Huaren in return. Wild qinglong are far more arrogant and unforgiving, some even revered as local deities. This is especially prevalent in remote farming villages, venerated by townsfolk in exchange for their protection and ability to summon rain in times of drought.

Behaviour

These dragons have a complex personality, unsurprising as beastial representations of water. Most of the time they are calm, contemplative, tranquil and mysterious. They value wisdom and patience over the course of their long life. They appreciate and recognize intelligence and cleverness, enjoying games or challenges which test the mind and adaptability. However, they are also sill vain and arrogant, placing themselves clearly above humanity and expecting to be treated as such. They won't tolerate disrespect. Despite usually keeping this insulative distance between themselves and others, usually solitary by nature, they are easily swayed by gifts, complements and pampering. They cannot be tamed by any means but they can coexist with humans and tend to develop favorites easily. When treated with respect and so long as they are never betrayed, they may even become affectionate and protective of a given group of humans or even one individual. In these instances, they may even take a human as a familiar. However, if they perceive they have been used or betrayed, they will abruptly sever these bonds and take their revenge in an act of raw divine wrath! In some cases, they may even call on the aid of other qinglong to raze down any who dared to take advantage of a divine creature.

Additional Information

Domestication

One particular variant of Qinglong take up residence below the royal palace of Zhongguo in Longhu which are called Tianlong. Longu is the ideal habitat to these azure dragons, entering an aggreement with Ralgotar to become divine guardians of Longhu and Penglai Shan. They protect his Divine Descendant and are pampered in return, revered and provided for. After centuries of guarding Penglai Shan, one particular clan had become their attendants and guardians, the Zhou clan. They were responsible for tending to their needs whether this was pampering them, taking care of their grounds or acting to protect them from lesser threats. Yet this relationship developped into something more when a rebellion threatened the Si Xiang : Four Dynasties, even attempting a coup. In this time of great need, one Tianlong chose a man among the Zhou who had remained loyal to the royalty above. This dragon forged a sacred bond with this man and took him as its familiar. Sharing their powers and fighting alongside each other, this pair was able to overcome the invaders and defend the palace. From that point forward, every Tianlong would choose a male member of the Zhou as it came of age and make this man their familiar. Zhou woman continued their duties as attendants while the Si Xiang officially recognized the Zhou men as guardians of the royal palace.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Like other dragons, they possess draconic eyes which enable them to see in and despite all kinds of water. Whether this is a thick fog, murky water or thick layers of ice and snow, their vision remains unhindered and unperturbed. They can also see water in their environment, despite obstructions or distance, and decipher the quality or purity of these waters.

Civilization and Culture

Major Organizations

Si Xiang : Four Dynasties Zhongguo