Draconic Dominions
Structure
The Dominions were organized into Clans of dragons. In turn, most of these individual dragons held sway over at least a dozen or so square miles of territory, called their Demesne.
The Lord of a demesne would either manage it themselves if it were small enough, or delegate responsibilities to Thanes and Reeves.
Culture
The Dominions operated under a rigid caste system based on how similar each race was to dragons. Dragonborn, and occasionally the half-dragon bastard children of the Lords, held the highest non-noble positions in society as thanes, reeves, and military commanders. Dwarves were regarded as having somewhat draconic natures, so they held slightly higher positions than elves, who were considered overly fragile but given some status for their magical aptitude. Humans, gnomes, and halflings were the bottom rungs of the ladder, good only for labor, entertainment, or (if they particularly displeased a dragon) food.
Meanwhile, when they weren't oppressing other races, the Lords fought among themselves. Some clans were worse than others, but every clan had its share of feuds both within and without. These would sometimes break out into armed conflict, possibly with devestating results; some of the wars between clans left permanent marks on the landscape, like the Ys Crater (which used to be a city).
History
The Draconic Dominions were the main powers in pre-Reman Io. The continent was dominated by dragons at the time, who were organized into clans based on subspecies and social rank. They imposed a brutal caste system on other races that came under their sway, and frequently destroyed both land and lives with their inter-clan wars. Humans were classified by the Dominions as mere slaves, used as laborers, servants (in roles that couldn't be filled by halflings or gnomes), and occasionally even concubines.
Disbandment
Not all dragons were involved in the Dominions, and not all humans were willing to take that kind of treatment. An alliance eventually formed between a handful of good dragons and the growing resistance among the slave races. Over the course of forty-nine years, they gradually toppled the Dragon Lords until all of the oldest and most powerful were killed, and the rest either fled or capitulated. From the ashes of the Dominions rose the empire of Remus, who built his palace atop the bones of the ancient wyrm Avanianth.
Comments