Dragon
Dragons are a mighty race of nigh-godlike power, and indeed in many places they are worshipped as gods. They are incredibly diverse in form and power, but are united by their scaled hides, magical prowess, and ability to breathe out clouds of elemental or magical material. Dragons can broadly be divided into three types; dream dragons, sovereign dragons, and wyverns. Linnorms are often included as well, but they are more technically the progenitor-race of all the varieties of dragonkind.
Dream or True Dragons are the most lizardlike of the three, possessing four limbs and wings. They are the descendants of Ur, the Opal Dragon. Ur was created from a Linnorm by the ancient empire of Ishtakar in order to serve as great warbeasts and mounts, and generally to improve upon the stubborn nature and limited intelligence of their linnorm companions. In his creation rituals of forgotten power were used, culminating in the creation of a Heart. As a result, he is as much a fixture of reality as the sun or the sea, and cannot be unmade even by the Primordial Gods themselves. Ur, however, has a tainted legacy, as it was he that led the Dracomachy, a war between gods and dragons. For a time he was mentally bound by the degenerate mGya rKhar Empire, and believing that any gods willing to allow the crimes of both Ishtakar and the mGya rKhar were unworthy of their title. Most dragons sided with their sire, while a few sided with the gods. The chromatic dragons are descended from the former, while the metallic draw their lineage from the latter. Ur lost his war, but not before shattering the Primordial God Xenagost into a thousand pieces, condemning each shard to madness. Unable to kill him, the Primordial Gods shattered Ur in turn.
Wyverns are another creation of Old Ishtakar, created to be mounts and companions for the Griezhte warriors and kobold slaves that served the Dream Giants. They are distinguished from dream dragons by having only two legs, their front set being replaced by their wings.
Sovereign dragons are the closest to sea serpents, who some also consider a type of dragon. They do not have wings, but this does not stop them from flying, doing so instead through sheer magical power. Their bodies are long and serpentine, and they have five claws on each paw rather than four, giving them greater manual dexterity. They also have hair, arranged in long flowing manes that run from their head down the length of their back, although many choose to cut it or shave it, and long whiskers somewhere between a moustache and those of a catfish. Instead of horns, they have antlers.
Sovereign dragons are also descended from linnorms, but have no relationship to Ur. Rather, they are the children of Rutu, a linnorm who dwelled in the depths of the sea. One day, he found a strange creature of pure white guarding a clutch of gigantic pearls. Her name was Shinje-no-Haka, the Mother of Pearl. Desiring her vast wealth, Rutu snatched the largest of her creations from her grasp and was instantly flooded with knowledge and magical power, his form twisting even as his mind expanded. He was suddenly aware of beauty, not just the beauty of the pearls but of the woman who fashioned them. Confessing his love, the two were married soon after. Rutu still lives beneath the waves in Ryugojo with his wife, surrounded by his favorite children and ruling over a kingdom of crustacean and sharkman servitors. Some of his daughters inherit their mother's ability to turn the water into the dragon pearls that give their kind so much of their power. Sovereign dragons are not dependent on the pearls, but rarely will allow them out of their sight, as they are extremely powerful magical artifacts and they will go to great lengths to retrieve them. Those sovereign dragons who are closest to their progenitor are called Sea dragons, while others are known as Imperial dragons
Genetic Ancestor(s)
Lifespan
Unlimited
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