Dragonborn
Forged for War, Searching for Purpose
The Dragonborn of Erenel are a proud people, born not of natural lineage but through arcane experimentation. Forged by the Mad Sorcerer Morthos Dray as instruments of war, they have since cast off their chains and now seek purpose beyond their origins. Carrying the blood of dragons and the ambition of mortals, Dragonborn are defined by resilience, honor, and the burning fires of discovery. Whether they embrace their draconic heritage or rebel against it, every Dragonborn walks a path of personal legacy, shaped by choice rather than creation.
To understand the Dragonborn is to understand a people searching for purpose. Created not by divine whim or natural evolution but by design, the Dragonborn are a species born of ambition and blood. Theirs is a story of rebellion and resilience. A people forged as soldiers of a tyrant, now free and scattered across Erenel, seeking meaning beyond war.
Dragonborn are strong, resilient, and proud, a fusion of draconic power and Human drive. Bred in the crucible of arcane alchemy by the Mad Sorcerer Morthos Dray, they were once enslaved to conquer in his name. Yet the chains of their creation could not hold. A rebellion, led by the brave commander Razmarn and the famed Storm Phalanx, shattered Morthos Dray’s grip, ending his rule and giving rise to a new era for their kind. Since then, the Dragonborn have carved out new lives across Erenel, slowly shedding the shadows of their past.
Now, they are a young and tenacious race, driven not by a shared tradition but by a hunger to define their place in the world. Some seek honor, others vengeance. All are marked by the draconic might that courses through their blood and the lingering question: Who will we become now that we are free?
Basic Information
Anatomy
Dragonborn are humanoid in shape but unmistakably draconic in appearance. They stand between 5 and 7 feet tall and weigh around 200 to 300 pounds, possessing a muscular, upright posture covered in thick, scaled hide. Their scales shimmer with the colors of their draconic ancestry: metallic, chromatic, or rarer hues depending on the ancestry used during their creation.
They do not have wings and rarely possess tails, though some ancient lineages exhibit signs of both. Their heads are angular and pronounced, featuring blunt snouts, sharp ridges, and crested, horn-like scales that resemble a dragon’s regal crown. Their eyes glow faintly with the magic of their blood, often in colors associated with their draconic type.
Civilization and Culture
Major Language Groups and Dialects
Notable Dragonborn Sayings
Ash Memory
A poetic name used by storytellers and historians. Conjures imagery of a past burned away by rebellion, but whose embers still glow beneath the surface.“We carry the Ash Memory, but we do not let it define us.”
Chainbirth
A visceral term referring to the unnatural creation and enslaved birth of the first Dragonborn generations. Often invoked in ritual or curses.“No child of Chainbirth shall ever kneel again.”
The Forging
A more neutral or even empowering term, acknowledging their origin as forged beings but reclaiming the word to signify strength, not weakness.“We are children of the Forging. Tempered, not broken.”
Culture and Cultural Heritage
Dragonborn society is a work in progress, a patchwork of ideas pulled from countless clans attempting to define who they are. Most live in tight-knit, structured clans, remnants of their old military units or new collectives formed in freedom. These clans vary wildly as some strive for honor and legacy, while others lean into vengeance or self-sufficiency.
What unites them is a shared belief in personal mastery. Every Dragonborn seeks to excel, whether in swordplay, strategy, craft, or song. Failure is not shameful but stagnation is. They are a species of strivers and survivors, always pushing forward. When a Dragonborn needs help, they turn first to their clan. When a clan needs help, they look to other Dragonborn before asking outsiders. Loyalty runs deep, even when philosophies diverge.
Searching for Meaning
Dragonborn have no ancient myths or inherited divinity. They have no cultural memory beyond their liberation. What they do have is freedom, and that freedom is both exhilarating and terrifying. Lacking centuries of tradition, Dragonborn explore many paths to meaning. Some form tight warrior guilds. Others create new customs, writing epic poems of freedom or engaging in ritual duels to settle disputes.
This has led to wild diversity in leadership styles, agriculture, fashion, and religion across Dragonborn settlements. One village may worship a nearby ancient dragon. Another may follow a mortal philosopher. A third may turn inward, believing the soul of a dragon sleeps within every Dragonborn and can be awakened.
Clans record their decisions in stone tablets, engraved armor, or tattooed oaths, passing new traditions down to future generations. What was once a species of soldiers has become a people of thinkers, smiths, scholars, and seekers.
History
Morthos Dray, the Mad Sorcerer
To some, he was a visionary. To most, a tyrant. In truth, Morthos Dray was both. An arcane prodigy whose obsession with transformation and control led to one of the most defining tragedies of the Era of Inner Flame. His ambition birthed the Dragonborn and scorched a path across Erenel that still smolders with consequence.
The Rise of Madness
Born into a lineage of high tetherers, Morthos Dray was once celebrated as a revolutionary scholar. His theories on the manipulation of magical bloodlines, soul fusion, and forced evolution quickly outpaced his mentors, and just as quickly drew concern. He was expelled from the Aetherreach Arcanum in Grenchester when it became clear he had begun human experimentation.
Unshaken, Morthos disappeared into the Whitehorn Marshes, where he built Ezkarthar, a towering obsidian fortress of war and research. It was here that Morthos began his life’s work, to combine the greatest Human ambition with the power of dragons. From his arcane laboratory came the Dragonborn, a new species of warriors forged with the blood of dragons and the structure of humans. Created to serve, they were engineered for strength, obedience, and loyalty to their maker.
The Scaled Legion
Morthos Dray’s war engine surged to life with terrifying speed. Armed with the first generations of Dragonborn and a small force of loyal mages, Morthos unveiled his army, The Scaled Legion.
Once thought impossible, Morthos did the unthinkable and bound living dragons into magical servitude. Chief among them was the ancient red dragon Volestrasz, forced into servitude through a soul seal. Volestrasz became his sky born executioner, laying waste to cities with a scream of fire and fury.
The Scaled Legion carved through the Thalorian Wilds, pressing toward the heart of the Illuminated Empire. At the Legion’s head marched Commander Adrex Scalesear, a loyal Dragonborn general created in the first clutch, personally shaped by Morthos’s arcane hand. Scalesear was a ruthless tactician who viewed Morthos as both father and god. A loyalty that would remain unbroken until his final breath.
The Uprising and Fall
While Morthos claimed city after city, a different fire was kindling in the hearts of his creations. Disillusionment took root. A second generation of Dragonborn, born not in laboratories but in brooding dens, began questioning their destiny. Among them rose Razmarn, leader of the elite Storm Phalanx.
In the year 492 of the Era of Inner Flame, the Dragonborn uprising began as whispers before erupting into full-scale civil war at the Battle of Highlands Stand. Adrex Scalesear died facing Razmarn in combat, unwilling to believe his people could live free. Volestrasz, severely wounded, vanished into the clouds above and has not been seen since.
As Ezkarthar fell and Dragonborn turned on their master, Morthos Dray vanished. No body was recovered. Only a crater, scorched glass, and warped relics of his would-be empire remained. Some believe Morthos Dray’s essence lives on, fractured and clinging to the ruins, hidden in a phylactery, or echoed in the souls of certain Dragonborn. Cultists of Dray still exist, whispering promises of power and a return to purpose. Others search for remnants of his soul seals, hoping to reclaim control of Volestrasz.
Lifespan
About 80 years
Average Height
Medium (about 5-7 feet tall)
Srovis
Character played by Ziemidian
Draconic Echo
Every Dragonborn ancestry was born of arcane design, infused with the blood of a dragon, or, more precisely, a fragment of a dragon’s soul. Whether from a chromatic tyrant or a metallic guardian, this bond lingers deep within. The result is what many Dragonborn call the Draconic Echo. The Echo is not a voice, nor a clear memory, but a reverberation of something ancient, often manifesting as dreams, compulsions, strange moods, or visions. Sometimes, the Echo whispers during moments of intense emotion, rage in battle, awe before treasures, or deep introspection. At other times, it calls in dreams, pulling the Dragonborn into long-forgotten memories or sensations that are not their own.Echo Influence
Dragonborn clans treat the Draconic Echo with mixed reverence. Some believe the Echo is the soul of a dead dragon calling from the Trance, Plane of Dreams. Others believe it is merely residual tethering, an arcane side effect. Whatever the truth, those touched most deeply often display emotional volatility, arcane sensitivity, or uncanny insight into dragon lore. Some even seek to awaken the Draconic Echo, believing that a Dragonborn can become more than mortal. Others fear what lies at the end of that path.Roleplaying the Echo
As a player, you could use the Draconic Echo to:- Flavor backstory with prophetic dreams or inherited guilt.
- Justify subclass choices like Draconic Sorcerer, Oath of the Dragon Knight Paladin, or Path of the Dragon Fury Barbarian.
- Develop a unique quirk or flaw tied to the Draconic Echo's influence.
- Add tension to clan relationships.
- A magical guide or occasional story hook.
- A mystery for the player to solve. Who was the original dragon? What was it trying to accomplish?
- Let players pursue "Draconic Echo Deepening" during downtime or as part of a long-term story arc.
by Vagelio Kaliva
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