Dragons
Children of Kur and Beast of the Gods
A race of mortal creatures capable of utilizing high levels of aether and can transform between a humanoid and a huge reptilian like creature. The race itself according to their lore was created when the first true dragon Kur died and his fragmented soul and remains were used to artificially create the first four dragon gods. The four beast would later spawn descendants who would have access to the power of Kur and would inadvertently create the race we now know of today. Nowadays they developed into their own civilization within the undergrounds networks of the planet and domains at the bottom of the ocean.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Dragons are normally described to be capable of possessing a reptilian form that varies in full scope as it changes to fit certain needs or requirements need to thrive in a particular location, or utilize certain abilities. Explaining why they can be depicted either like lizard or snake depending on the source material.
Meanwhile they also do posses a humanoid form usually utilize as a nice and easy way to conserve energy and blending with the human populous. However, the forms are far from perfect as their are slight difference that are easy to detect if one pays attention. Such as, eyes with pupils resembling diamond shape, sharper than average knines, slightly pointy ears, and there hair actually resembling the color of their scales.
Biological Traits
In their draconic form they always resemble a large reptilian beast with minor appearance differences depending on genetics and occasional elemental affinity. The physical genetics that are the most interchangeable would be horns, claws, color, and sometimes extra limbs.
Genetics and Reproduction
Due to their unique and unstable genes and their ability to evolve they're fully capable of mating with other races. However, due to said unstable genes conception even between their own kind isn't even guarantee. Not to mention whether or not the active draconic traits will be passed on the half breed children. Note that the child is more likely to inherit the abilities if the Dragon was the mother, especially if produced as an egg.
This has been speculated that it has something to do with how they were created by Deities, who hated them for the potential danger they represent and so they purposely tried to make sure that they couldn't reproduce. Thankfully, due to their constantly mutating genetics they were able to somewhat counter this problem to still be able to reproduce. Though according to said reports, it is still not as effective as other living animals.
Growth Rate & Stages
0-5 years are considered young infants by their standards. However, it is worth noting that thanks to their special brains allowing them to soak up information like sponges effectively puts their mental intelligence on the level of an average 8 to 10 year olds. Their draconic forms may resemble something akin to a wyrm.
6-12 years, by now they would be able to think like a young human adults (doesn't equal maturity) and in their draconic form they've grown to be as large as crocodiles with even being capable utilizing limb creation in said form.
13-22 years, their draconic form now has reached the size of a small car to even that of a bus. At this age range they're already considered a Juvenile in their twenties by their own societal standards given that their mental capacities are on par with a human adult.
20-99 years, by then they could potentially reach around the height of a small house or in some cases a three-story building. At this point they are considered a young adult by other dragons and tend to act a little prideful given their 'youth'. Their intellect also is noticeably higher than most humans moving forward.
100-250 years, by then they can be considered an adult who still prides themselves when it comes to their power but are humble enough to avoid causing trouble and make sound decisions.
260-350 years, mature adults with a third of the alphas within the many Dragon nests being around this age group.
360-500 years are considered old for an average modern day Dragon. Most of the alphas are in this age range and are considered veterans in combat and politics.
500-1000 years, it's rare for Dragons to live past this age with the ones who do being closely related to the direct children of Kur or are close to being ascended aethereal spirits.
Ecology and Habitats
According to reports and files 'acquired' about Dragons, it is stated they actually own private land, mountains, and islands that lead to an underground network of caves that open up into palaces and cities deep underground and in some case the ocean. Exact locations though is purposely kept vague as the reports don't give the corndinates regarding where these capitals are.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Though mostly carnivorous in nature they can eat plants and other forms of vegetables if they have little access to meat. In the modern era they've mange to create a farm like reservations located close by or in Dragon's nest that contains an assortment of large livestock, fish and other kinds animals to ensure they don't need to go out and hunt for food. On occasions they also have patches of land for agriculture, though most of it is usual consumed by non-dragon residents of the nest.
Whenever they can't obtain enough food to sustain themselves, they can put themselves in a short coma or utilize their humanoid forms in order to preserve energy, or for those closer to their more god like predecessors slowly absorb aether in order to regain their strength.
Additional Information
Social Structure
Nest and settlements are generally looked after by particular bloodlines of dragons that were descendants of the original four Dragon Gods. These families normally headed b or ruled by their eldest or strongest members who have the final say regarding the local infrastructure in matters of development and deals with the nearby human government.
The core hubs or 'palaces' themselves are ruled by the modern Dragon Kings, who actively hold meetings with each other to determine international relations with the rest of the globe, operations relating to DFIA, and supersede commands of the clan heads.
The social totem pole of the race usually comes down to the Dragon Kings, clan heads, the oldest members of their society, DFIA operatives, and then the rest of the regular citizens. Members can also leave their respective nest so long as they move to a different one via the unground network established way back in order to avoid interaction with the outside world or become affiliated with Vigilant. However almost no one takes that last option as those who do tend to be ostracize by the rest of dragon society.
The lowest part of their society are the nest residents that aren't Dragons or at the least pure blooded that didn't inherit the gift of Kur. See not all Dragons mate within their own kind and whenever they breed with other races there isn't always a guarantee that the child inherits the dragon side over the other parents. So these half breeds are viewed as false Dragons or those who lost their pride as Dragons. The only ones who are lower than them would be the non-dragon residents mentioned earlier.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Typically, would be found on isolated islands or territories that are far away from human settlements, and would build their own homes in the cave networks down below.
Average Intelligence
Given that their ancestor was created to learn, adapt, and evolve at a fast rate they too inherited this ability and by the age of six would have a decent understanding of life and common sense that most human children wouldn't understand.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Usually individual dragons with no family ties tend to not use last names and it seems each name given tends to be on the nose or relates back to their heritage/roles.
Major Organizations
The Draconic Federation Intelligence Agency or DFAI, is their race's equivalent of the CIA as they tend to handle situations or problems that seem to affect the nest network safety or even assassin those who wronged the clan heads.
Courtship Ideals
They don't put too much importance in developing a strong or even a romantic relationship. So long as a strong child capable of living long lives is born, they don't care if the participants are married or not. Besides marriage to them more or less is just used to ensure alliances between important bloodlines and to ensure that their line continues to grow in strength.
If one wants to pursuit a relationship out of love than usually they just do it and don't bother withthe formalities of marriage. The only time this could be frowned upon is usually when they are of the noble blood as the tend to be selective about who they mate with as they need to ensure that their offspring are strong.
Something else of note regarding the courtship is that since their global population isn't that large and their genes already make it hard to reproduce it isn't that uncommon for Dragons to be mutually inclusive in the relationships and pursue multiple partners. Though usually this is seen with people just pursuing for casual purposes or even politics with families wanting to strengthen their alliance with each other.
Average Technological Level
Something akin to Renaissance or at latest Victorian era, many dragons don't really see much point in using technology when their traditional method mixed with magic have been efficient over the years. Though many of their non dragon residents do use modern technology most of the time and are currently trying to integrate it into their 'home'.
Major Language Groups and Dialects
Given their ability to learn at a ridiculously fast rate, many of their high-ranking members can speak an assortment of languages.
Common Etiquette Rules
Given that their kind is known to be incredibly prideful they demand absolute respect when being addressed. Though this doesn't mean they themselves don't try to give the same respect to their guest. This is also why during conversations most of their kind tend to speak rather bluntly as to beat around the bush is a sign of disrespect and appears as though you are not brave enough to speak like an adult.
History
According to the recovered files from the Arcane Institute, during the lost age many Deities around the Mesopotamia area created a being named Kur for the intended purpose of having a weapon against a foreign entity that came from the stars. Years later however, the beast would live on for a short period under the gods watch before being slain by the god Enki for trying to rebel against his creators. Though its creators thought it was better to let the walking disaster die and that's that, others took it's remains cultivate it in order to create a new race based on him with reasoning not agreed upon by researchers. Though this race resembled him greatly they were also quite different from him when it came down to sheer power and size, but they still had his main qualities of adaptation and evolution. The first four dragons born from his body would carry these traits with them as they traveled the world and thanks to their unstable biology were able to mate with other creatures and birth new members of their kind.
When they first spread all throughout the planet many acted out as solo intelligent predators that went from location to location consuming whatever and taking whatever they wanted. This naturally caused panic across the nations as this new race seemed to spread like wildfire and were almost nearly unkillable by many mortals means. To beat back this new threat the rest of humanity had to use up the weapons gifted to them by the gods, resulting in many crusades that ended in the deaths on both sides of the conflict. By 1000 B.C. Dragons would adapt and learn from this experience and would later counter this by choosing to thrive in isolated areas, hibernating to avoid hunting, or even strike deals with local communities for food in exchange for protection. This resulted in many countries having different interpretations and viewpoints on this new race. Like how many western cultures viewed them as violent and malevolent creatures and many eastern cultures view them as wiser and more benevolent guardians.
Around 100 B.C. many Dragons began to develop as individuals in a sense that many began to act very similarly to the many other mortal races, in that they began thinking long term in regards to their place in the world. When the world began to reach the dark ages, their kind began to into the decline when the Cult of Lost began hunting, many Dragons began to group up in numbers. By 800 A.D. Dragons slowly begin to create small cultural settlements hidden in cave networks within certain mountain ranges, islands, and over the next century create a hidden cave network to connect them all. When humanity began to take control of most of the planet and started to lose belief in the paranormal, like many other races they decided to avoid humanity in order to maintain a sense of peace and the drama that seems to follow their kind. Though whenever they do go out to interact with said species they utilize their ability to shift into a humanoid form, which also helps whenever in a small environment.
Nowadays there lies several nests that operate like small communities that are ruled by a line of Dragons that initially ruled over the land at one point or were the direct descendants of Kur’s 'children'. They rarely go out into the world seeing it to be pointless to go out and communicate with other races, especially if they stand to gain nothing from it.
Historical Figures
- Kur, the first true Dragon designed by Sumerian Deities to battle the Forsaken.
- Tiamat, some view her as the honorary mother of their race and in some legends have her depicted as a Dragon herself.
- The four precursers whose names have been lost to history according to Vigil files. It was stated that these four traveled the four cardinal directions where they fathered their race. With the north spawning the Dragons of Europe and northern parts of Asia, the south spawning African and middle east, west with the aermicas, and the east with east, south east Asia, and Oceanic Dragons.
- Huanglong, a Dragon who ascended to godhood and who fathered the Dragon Kings Supposedly also worked closely with the four holy beast in East Asia culture.
- Nidhogg, a mighty Dragon God who fought the norse pantheon dozens of times but was eventually sealed away somewhere in the Other-world by the goddess Yggdrasil (apparently theirs a goddess with this name that is worshiped by the Elves).
- The feathered serpent or Quetzalcoatl, a fellow ascended Dragon who garnered much respect among the many pantheon's of Mesoamerica for his power and ingenuity.
- Apophis, a legendary beast who is locked an eternal battle with the Deity Ra in Other-world.
Common Myths and Legends
The Legend of Kur
The race began with the creation of the first true Dragon’s existence Kur the beast that dwells in the Underworld. According to accounts and legends passed down by his descendants and a few scholars, Kur was a beast created around the Mesopotamian area by the local deities to create monsters capable of fending off against the Forsaken’s onslaught. It was designed to be able to possess and manipulate aether on the level of most Deities, enough physical strength to topple mountains, and quickly adapt to a given situation. After the Lost Age Kur was taken to the Sumerian Underworld portion of the Other-world to ensure that it couldn’t cause any trouble for the realm of mortals. However, it was designed to study and adapt upon its creation, and as a result it spent it’s days studying and observing those who could pop in and out of this realm learning all it could to the point of developing its own identity. When the goddess Inanna or Ishtar last left the Underworld, it thought right then and there. Reasoning for why it left varies from person to person, some saying he grew bored of his home or grew tired of the isolation it was left in day and day out by the inhabitants of the afterlife. When he first visited the 3rd dimensional planet of Earth he thought the sights were a little dull compared to the plane of the Other-world, but still thought some of what things designed by mortals were somewhat fascinating to look at. Though that quickly came to an end when he interacted with the lifeforms that resided on the planet he was met with screams of terror. Anywhere he went he met with a frightened reaction of the locals and would be assaulted by their strongest warriors. However, since Kur was the design to fight gods it went as well as one would expect. As time went on the residents contacted their Deities in an attempt to rid themselves of the beast, but since they actually knew what the beast was that they held a council debating the best course of action to deal with the issue. Meanwhile Kur continues to roam unimpeded until running into the Sumerian Goddess of the salt sea, creation, and primordial chaos. She stated to him that though she has n personal issue against him wandering free across the wild of the planet, many including her husband however have been angered by the fact that everywhere he went resulted in chaos and anguish for the inhabitants. These pleas though didn’t change his mind as he ignores her and tries to head off on his own only to be grabbed by Tiamat and defeated by the Sumerian Deity. When the fight ends, he begrudgingly goes back to the domain of Underworld but before he could go Tiamat stops him and makes him an offer. If he remains in the mountainous area untouched by anyone that connects to the Other-world and so long as he stays as far away from all the mortals, she will occasionally come by to keep him company which perks him up a little. Kur and Tiamat began to develop a friendship over time as Kur slowly developed into a truly unique individual that even began to ponder his own existence. This however, led to him to return to a sense of loneliness since there was no other like him that existed, and he only had one companion. Though said companion would later be preoccupied with her own struggles involving her children and husband, so desperate to avoid going back to isolation he ran back to his home plane of the Other-world to find a new companion. His frantic search was so chaotic that it even spooked the wayward souls that have yet to be claimed by third parties. The Sumerian Goddess Ereshkigal who ruled over the domain that he used to live in tries to stop him from wrecking her realm but gets grabbed by the beast; who at this point figured being a death goddess would understand him and become his friend. This part gets lost in translation over the years with several variations stating that this is how she became an Underworld Deity though little was found agreeing to this. In other variations she actually agrees to be his companion out of sympathy or was held prisoner and prayed for assistance from her fellow Deities. Either way it has always ended the same, for the Deity Enki would follow them into the chaotic realm with an assortment of weapons designed by dwarves and other gods to fatally wound the mighty beast. Kur would die moments later as he tries to crawl away to his home preferring to die in peace. After his death, some sources state that either Ereshkigal or Tiamat came and stumbled upon his fresh corpse and faint soul. Out of what sympathy they’ve had for him, one last act of kindness fulfilled what he always wanted, and with that used his remains to create four beings that resemble him. Four new dragons. These ‘children’ weren’t perfect or exactly like him, but they were enough to go out and later produce their own offspring thanks to the Goddess that made them. Now the descendants of Kur now cover every other corner of the planet, passing down the legend of the first and how their kind were brought into the world.Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
Many Dragons tend to pride themselves as a much stronger race compared to other mortal races, leading to them viewing these creatures as more or less insects trying to grab their attention or be a nuisance. Which is why they prefer to avoid as much as possible nowadays. When it comes to mating with them it can be considered a social suicide among their kind since you polluted your family blood line with a weaker being. However, if that being proves that they themselves are strong then they can potentially earn their respect and can live among them so long as they prove their use.
When it comes to aether based races such as Celestial, Deity, and Daemon they interact with them on rare occasions and try to give as much respect as possible avoid their wrath, knowing what they were capable of. Though they do admit that the Celestials can be a little stuck up, and Daemons are a little too wild for their own good.
Genetic Ancestor(s)
Genetic Descendants
Scientific Name
Draconus Pteroni
Lifespan
500 to 1000 years, depending on how 'pure' their draconic genetics are.
Conservation Status
According to the reports made on this species, the xact estimates regarding the total population is unknown but it is believed it shouldn't be too high given their rather long life span and nearly unkillable nature there isn't a huge need of reproduce as often.
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