The Dragons call this valley "the Heavens," where the peaks of the Spine of Kallex reach far beyond most mortals can travel, only reached on the wings of the great ones that have been welcomed into the Council of Metallic Dragons. Once a generation, this valley is filled with the brilliant whites and pinks of heaven's flower blooms and marks the ascension of an Astral Dragon to their place upon the council that makes their home in the northern fork of the Spine.
Few have ever seen the valley of the heaven's flower, but it is said that the blossoms have not bloomed in centuries, not since the ascension of Wenso the Wise to the council. Even so, those of short-lived lives in the eyes of the Dragons' share stories of the Edenbloom, the rarest flower to be found in the wilds of Isekai, something so unique and graced with magic, that even the scholars of the Unending Scroll cannot reproduce it in their halls as they have with dozens of other rare flora.
The magic of the heavenly Astral Dragons graces the fields of the Edenbloom, granting the rare flora the gift of foresight much like the Dragons themselves. As the Mithril Dragon destined for the council comes of age, the blooms slowly unfurl, until their velvet petals are on full display the day that the ascension happens. Rituals surround this flower of destiny, but only the Dragons know of those secrets.
— Appendix A of the Yllvalion Codex, Flora & Fauna of the Metallic Council
The Edenbloom, also know as heaven's flower to many of the
Elder Races, is the sacred flower of the
Mithril Dragons. Holding a small amount of the magical might of the Astral Dragons, the Edenbloom rarely blooms, only on the rare occasion that one of the
Dragons is ascending to their new place on the
Council of Metallic Dragons. The blooming of the flower and the ascension of the
Dragon is seen as a sacred rite of the
Mithril Dragons due to the long lives of
Metallic Dragons and that many on the
Council do not step down until their twilight years.
Basic Information
It is unknown how long an Edenbloom lives, but it is believed that the delicate flowers have lifespans similar to
Mithril Dragons, but few have ever witnessed the death or the birth of one of these rare flowers. Early writings about the
"Metallic Council" have noted that an Edenbloom sprouts when there is an egg and one dies when a
Mithril Dragon reaches the end of their twilight years, but both of these occurrences are extremely sacred and private to the
Mithril Dragons.
The
"Metallic Council" is a secluded valley, ringed by the tall mountains of the
Spine of Kallex. While the center of the valley surrounded by the
Eye of Kallex serves as the home for the
Council of Metallic Dragons, the edges of the valley beneath the caves and cliffs that house the hoards of the
Dragons are vibrant with lush blooms, thousands of flowers making a soft moving carpet across the floor of the valley. Some of these flower fields are tucked within the alcoves of the valley, hidden from view from those not worthy of the magical sight.
Many of the flower fields found here are said to represent the various colors of
Metallic Dragons, but rarely are the fields so dedicated to a specific color of
Dragon or influenced so heavily by the magic from these creatures as one particular alcove and one particular flower.
Tucked in one of these alcoves are the Edenbloom Fields, a rolling meadow of blooms that only show their true colors in the presence of a
Mithril Dragon. Only
once in the last millennia have the fields bloomed, exploding in whites and soft pinks as
Wenso took his place on the
Council of Metallic Dragons. All
Metallic Dragons serve their terms as protectors of this sacred place. This hidden alcove protects the blooms as much as the
Dragons that stand watch at the entrance to the idyllic location.
Edenblooms do not seem to follow the biological cycle that most flowers do as they do not seem to be either an annual or perennial. The creation of a blossom is not integral to the life cycle of the flowers, but serves as more of a marker of the flower's age, if and when it is given the chance to bloom. When the Edenbloom does finally blossom, the shades of pink and white of each individual petal give an indication of the age of the flower, but that information is well-kept by the
Council of Metallic Dragons.
Throughout a normal year, the Edenbloom moves through a few growth stages. Stories have told that Edenblooms do not sprout from seeds, but appear fully grown upon the presence of a
Mithril Dragon egg somewhere in the world. Often, the plants are brighter green with a soft velvet along their leaves. As the flowers move throughout their yearly cycle, these traits will change.
In the summer months when it is warmest, the Edenbloom plant is a brilliant emerald green with a soft velvety feel. As the days grow shorter and the year progresses towards the cold winter months, the plant slowly shifts toward a mint green color and loses its soft velvet texture. This transition in the plant does not seem to be affected by whether or not the flower blooms during that year.
Additional Information
Steeped in the ancient magics of
Metallic Dragons, the Edenbloom is one of the few species in Isekai that can truly harness the power of the
Dragons and utilize many of the same abilities that
Mithril Dragons can. To say that the Edenbloom is not sentient nor has the capacity to use such power is as far from the truth as the heavens from the
Káto. These magical flowers have an uncanny insight and the ability to often tell the future if only one wishes to listen.
For the few of us that remain, the Edenbloom is our connection to the past and the future, speaking the words of the ancient of my kind and the possibilities of the hatchlings that will come.— Wenso the Wise
It is said that the Edenbloom is the
Mithril Dragons tie to the astral plane, a place that transcends flesh and blood. These
Dragons are given the gift of seeing snippets of the future from
Kallex, although these snippets are far from the whole truth of the future. The Edenblooms have similar abilities, able to show the
Mithril Dragons snippets of the future, often tied to events surrounding the
Council of Metallic Dragons or the future hatchlings that will eventually come to live in the
"Metallic Council".
Civilization and Culture
With lifespans millennia long,
Metallic Dragons keep much about their quiet valley hidden from the eyes of those outside of their kind. Little is known about the Edenbloom and its history, except what the
Elves were able to gather and record in the
Yllvalion Codex. This account is lacking a great deal of information, but it is by far the most comprehensive entry ever written on the flower.
The Dragons speak little of the blessings they received from the Dragon God Kallex, but the delicate Edenblooms, so heavily blessed with the magic of Dragons, are one such blessing that the Dragons of the Council speak greatly of. Their whispered stories in the presence of non-Dragonkind tell of the valley that was once lush and fertile, but barren of color, something foreign to Kallex. He graced the valley with colors as he placed eggs upon the earth.
Each of the eggs of his children brought forth flowers that shined as brightly as their scales, dancing petals that filled the valley with a rainbow. The final flowers that came forth were the Edenblooms, white as the scales of the Mithril Dragons. The children who brought forth these flowers were special and so Kallex made the blossoms special as well.
As the Metallic Dragons grew, so did their fields, covering the once colorless valley with shimmering hues. Soon the Dragons learned of Kallex's blessing the Edenblooms, feeling the magic of the world tucked in the innocent petals of the flowers. With their knowledge, they tucked the Edenblooms away, hidden from prying eyes and those who wished harm upon the Metallic Dragons.
— Appendix A of the Yllvalion Codex, Flora & Fauna of the Metallic Council
Scientific Name
Draconus Edenie
Lifespan
The average lifespan of the Edenbloom is predicted to be as long as that of a Mithril Dragons, lasting for several centuries or millennia.
Conservation Status
Scholars of the
Elder Races have determined that the Edenbloom is the rarest flora in all of Isekai, with only an estimated 300 plants in existence. It is impossible to gather a completely accurate number due to the nearly savage way that the valley of Edenblooms is protected, not only by the
Mithril Dragons, but all
Metallic Dragons.
Other Names
Heaven's Flower, Edenblossom, Mithrilbloom, Dragon's Flower
"Metallic Council"
Near the northern end of the
Spine of Kallex, the mountains split to form a sheltered valley where the
Eye of Kallex runs, creating a lush valley. Since the
Dragons have been in the world of Isekai, the
Metallic Dragons have called this valley home, using the tall peaks and rugged terrain surrounding them to protect the
Council of Metallic Dragons and the secrets they harbor.
The flowers of this valley are often rare, unable to be found elsewhere in the world. It is said that these shimmering blooms are the gift of the god
Kallex, meant to bring color to a place that was once colorless. The Edenblooms hold a special place in the valley, serving a central role in the raising and training of the younger
Dragons.
Council of Metallic Dragons
From deep within their valley tucked in the
Spine of Kallex, the
Council of Metallic Dragons makes their decisions, some that change the path of
Dragonkind while others alter the path of the world around them. These
Metallic Dragons are often the oldest of their colors, their centuries of wisdom marking them each as defined scholars. The twelve
Dragons that govern from high find many things worth preserving, but very few pique their interest as much as the Edenbloom.
Throughout the years, the
Council choses the
"younglings" to keep watch over the Edenbloom Fields and protect the delicate blossoms from any harm that may come to them. While
Mithril Dragons see this role as sacred, all colors of
Metallic Dragons take reverence in the position and serve fully with no reservations.
Exquisite entry! The design and the art are really beautiful! Also every trait is described with lots of details in a very fluent way. I like that you information about the Council and the homonym valley... the quotes are wonderful!