Dragonborn

'Make no mistake, chancellor, my son may be more your size, but his heart, his soul, and his blood are that of a dragon. You would do well to treat him with respect. After all, he may be on this throne after I am gone.' - Dragon-Emperor Qitirth

The first dragonborn were born from a clutch of dragon eggs, not long after the arrival of the elves - appearing in many ways as humanoid, wingless dragons, their birth was taken by the dragons as a sign that the humanoid races were important to the order of the world, and directly led to the establishment of the Ales Empire - to this day, dragonborn are considered heralds of great change in many parts of the world. They remain a relatively uncommon race, despite their significance in history, with most choosing to stay within the Ales Empire, where a few have even taken the role of Dragon Emperor over the millennia. Their scales and the element they can exhale are representative of the species of their draconic ancestor, in many ways resembling a small, upright dragon, though notably lacking wings.

Basic Information

Ecology and Habitats

Dragonborn are just as adaptable as their dragon ancestors, with their scale colour typically indicating their preferred climate.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Dragonborn, like the dragons, are largely carnivorous, though many will also eat plant matter. Unlike dragons, they usually prefer to cook their food, though the fire-breathing red and gold varieties often eat it raw, stating that it 'cooks on the way down'.

Biological Cycle

Dragonborn may be hatched from eggs laid by a dragon, or by other dragonborn, who may breed in amongst themselves. They typically have a gestational period of around 6 months before hatching, and mature rapidly, reaching adolescence by 3 years and adulthood by 10-12.

Additional Information

Facial characteristics

Dragonborn faces are close to those of dragons, covered with scales, with horns and slit-pupiled eyes. Notably, their snout is proportially more short and wide than that of a dragon. While incapable of growing hair, a few individuals are seen to have grown feathers from their scalp, and many have elaborate arrangements of horns.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

When raised by dragons, dragonborn will have similar naming conventions, taking a single Draconic word as their name during their tenth winter. When raised by other dragonborn, they are typically given a Draconic name at birth, as well as the name of their dragon ancestor as a form of family name(e.g. Vorrakas, descendant of Zaydhyd). Usually, female dragonborn will take the name of their mother's dragon ancestor, and males their father's.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Almost all dragonborn speak Draconic, with other languages depending on which part of the world they inhabit.

Culture and Cultural Heritage

Culturally, dragonborn are generally quite proud, and emphasize performing great deeds and earning a legend. As such, and due to their nature as agents of change over much of the world, dragonborn adventurers are more common than the rarity of dragonborn would imply.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Within the Ales Empire, the dragonborn are typically considered to be aristocracy, due to their close relation to the Dragon-Emperors and the founding of the Empire. Outside of the Empire, dragonborn are often considered the heralds of great change, whether good or bad. However, dragonborn who have been members of a community for a long time are as accepted as any other race.

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• Dragons

Lifespan

150-200 years

Average Height

7ft, though they can be a great deal taller or shorter

Average Weight

Typically very muscular, their average weight is usually high.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

The scales of a dragonborn can be any of the various colours of a dragon's.