Brilliant feathered dragons with an aptitude for the
arcane, Coatl dragons are one of the more mysterious and
enigmatic dragon broods. Preferring to live in solitude so
they can devote all of their time to the study of magic, they
regard other beings, including other dragon broods, as test
subjects to be observed, studied, and sometimes dissected.
Favoring magic over physical combat, Coatl dragons
fight with spells and magical abilities until forced to do
otherwise. When pressed into a physical confrontation,
they prefer to stay airborne, blasting their enemies with fire
and buffeting them with their wings rather than engaging
directly with tooth and claw.
Characteristics
Coatl dragons are lithe, with long necks and winding,
snake-like tails. Young Coatl dragons have more scales than
feathers. Their feathers fill in as they mature, and they often
grow great crests or tail fans once they reach adulthood.
With a variety of bright, vibrant colors reminiscent of jungle
birds, they take great pride in their plumage.
Dragons of the Coatl brood are, by their very nature,
endlessly curious and driven to pursue knowledge,
often at great cost. When they’re young, Coatl dragons
often venture far from their lairs, eschewing safety for
exploration and discovery, while older Coatl dragons send
servants to do the field work while they stay tucked safely
away in their strongholds. Unlike most other broods, Coatl
dragons tend to be analytical, patient, and slow to anger,
though they can still be provoked into a frenzy over insults
and incursions into their territory, as their primal instincts
lie in wait beneath their deceptively placid visage.
Azhurma
Kuxcoatl, known as the Arcane of Power, is the azhurma
of the Coatl dragon brood. According to legend, as a
dragonkin known as Kuxbaan, he was unsatisfied with
his life beneath the heel of the dragons and contained an
insatiable curiosity about the world around him. After a
chance meeting with a bunkuun Kaabweaver during a raid
on Valerna, Kuxbaan began to wonder about the nature
of existence and the power of magic. When he returned
to Drakha, he began experimenting on himself. He was
certain that if he, like all draconic beings, had the blood of
Kadmos in his veins, then he could rise to attain the same
status as the great wyrms.
After years of research and experimentation, he
emerged as no longer the dragonkin Kuxbaan but a great
Coatl dragon with a flowing tail fan and stunning crest.
He challenged the brood’s azhurma and defeated them in
combat, using magic and strategy rather than pure physical
might. Claiming the position of azhurma, he renamed
himself Kuxcoatl.
Kuxcoatl’s primary drive is knowledge—to him, there
is nothing more powerful—and he encourages those of his
brood to delve into every mystery, to search for answers to
every question, and to constantly push the limits of what it
means to be a dragon.
Coatl Lairs
Most Coatl lairs are found in the Arcanum Wilds on Drahka,
housed within great pyramid-like structures of stone and
metal. Therein lie grand libraries and arcane laboratories,
filled with decades or even centuries worth of research and
populated with thralls and Coatl dragonkin. Kuxcoatl resides
within the Pyramid of Enlightenment, where he spends most
of his time deep in study, performing experiments.
In Valerna, Coatl dragons prefer to lair in places of power
or knowledge. Ruins of ancient libraries, forgotten wizard
towers, and abandoned academies are all potential locations
for a Coatl lair. A Coatl in Valerna typically works alone,
preferring secrecy and isolation to the trouble of kidnapping
and cultivating servants. Unlike their lairs on Drakha, which
are built to their preferences and specifications, Coatl lairs
in Valerna are reclaimed and often ill-fitting. A Coatl may
do their best to outfit their lair as they see fit, but they are
inevitably held back by the restrictions of the space.
