Dangerous Skies
By the time the Kwanar and Dragonar arrived, the land, seas, caves, tunnels, and caverns of Cartyrion were teeming with life created by those Astralar deities that had come before. But apart from songbirds, bees, and a few flitting Fey, the skies above the world were devoid of much diversity or drama. With the arrivals of these last two groups of deific beings, this would change forever.
These hunters were made in many varieties. The larger raptors, the giant eagles, are a threat not only to the flocks of beasts kept by the Folk, but to the Folk themselves. Smaller raptors included falcons, hawks, and lesser eagles that soar above the plains and treetops, diving with great speed to pounce on smaller birds, fish, and other creatures. The smallest of all, the jays, feasted on stolen eggs of songbirds, and on the insects found in the flowery meadows and gardens of the world. Owls used great stealth to hunt by night, their silence every bit as deadly as their sharp talons.
Surprisingly, the Awkwana themselves were not granted the gift of flight - something philophers among the Folk debate about to this day. But the birdfolk were given flight-gifted companions: the crows and ravens. These creatures are highly intelligent, and capable of communicating with the Awkwana. And with patience and the right training, others of the Folk have learned to use ravens for this purpose as well.
To the Dragons, though, their creators granted keen intelligence. The desire of these beasts to dominate their surroundings was a conscious decision as much as it was driven by instinct. The Great Dragons could plan and scheme. They could manipulate the creatures and even the Folk around them rather than simply hunt them down for food. And they could sense the Six Energies and weave various magical effects to supplement their tremendous physical prowess.
At first, it seemed that the Dragons would become the overlords of Cartyrion, but the high intelligence and instinctual drive instilled into the creatures from birth ultimately prevented this. Dragons fought among themselves in territorial clashes. Red Dragons, Red would fight to the death over control of a mountain range. Greens would slay each other over the ownership of a forest. And as their numbers began to dwindle, the oppressed Folk begain to rise up against them and reduce their numbers even further.
Seeing this, some of the more intelligent varieties, such as the Sliver Dragons refocused their instinctual desires to dominate. After studying the Folk they channeled their abilities into mastering various arts and crafts that the Folk admired, becoming unsurpassed experts in their chosen trades. Their exceptionally long life cycles and magical abilities helped make this possible.
Today, to the common knowledge of the Folk, there are very few Dragons left, and most are too far away to worry about. As their numbers dwindled, bands of Kobolds - creatures originally created as servants of the Dragons - found themselves without masters. Many joined the cosmopolitan world of the Folk while others remained loyal to their draconic lords.
Occasionally, a young one may try to establish territory that clashes with the Folk, but Adventurers tend to make short work of these. But the Dragons remain, most living alongside the Folk in secrecy. Many of these are benign, others are devious and scheming as they still - one way or another - seek to dominate those around them.
Birds of Prey
Before awakening the People that would call themselves the Awkwana, the Kwanar deities sough to make their marks upon the skies of the world. Their avian creations were unlike the songbirds that already existed. They were predators, seeking out the smaller creatures made by other gods and snatching them from ground or even sky to use as food.These hunters were made in many varieties. The larger raptors, the giant eagles, are a threat not only to the flocks of beasts kept by the Folk, but to the Folk themselves. Smaller raptors included falcons, hawks, and lesser eagles that soar above the plains and treetops, diving with great speed to pounce on smaller birds, fish, and other creatures. The smallest of all, the jays, feasted on stolen eggs of songbirds, and on the insects found in the flowery meadows and gardens of the world. Owls used great stealth to hunt by night, their silence every bit as deadly as their sharp talons.
Surprisingly, the Awkwana themselves were not granted the gift of flight - something philophers among the Folk debate about to this day. But the birdfolk were given flight-gifted companions: the crows and ravens. These creatures are highly intelligent, and capable of communicating with the Awkwana. And with patience and the right training, others of the Folk have learned to use ravens for this purpose as well.
Rulers of the Skies
The Dragonar who arrived not long after the Awkwana People were Awakened did not have second thoughts about the desire for their creations to dominate the world of Cartyrion. The creatures they created, from the smallest Drakelet to the largest Dragon, were born to dominate all living things around them. In some, like the Drakelet and Wyvern, instinct drove the desire to stake out and control a territory, looking at every creature in that territory as nothing more than food.To the Dragons, though, their creators granted keen intelligence. The desire of these beasts to dominate their surroundings was a conscious decision as much as it was driven by instinct. The Great Dragons could plan and scheme. They could manipulate the creatures and even the Folk around them rather than simply hunt them down for food. And they could sense the Six Energies and weave various magical effects to supplement their tremendous physical prowess.
At first, it seemed that the Dragons would become the overlords of Cartyrion, but the high intelligence and instinctual drive instilled into the creatures from birth ultimately prevented this. Dragons fought among themselves in territorial clashes. Red Dragons, Red would fight to the death over control of a mountain range. Greens would slay each other over the ownership of a forest. And as their numbers began to dwindle, the oppressed Folk begain to rise up against them and reduce their numbers even further.
Seeing this, some of the more intelligent varieties, such as the Sliver Dragons refocused their instinctual desires to dominate. After studying the Folk they channeled their abilities into mastering various arts and crafts that the Folk admired, becoming unsurpassed experts in their chosen trades. Their exceptionally long life cycles and magical abilities helped make this possible.
Today, to the common knowledge of the Folk, there are very few Dragons left, and most are too far away to worry about. As their numbers dwindled, bands of Kobolds - creatures originally created as servants of the Dragons - found themselves without masters. Many joined the cosmopolitan world of the Folk while others remained loyal to their draconic lords.
Occasionally, a young one may try to establish territory that clashes with the Folk, but Adventurers tend to make short work of these. But the Dragons remain, most living alongside the Folk in secrecy. Many of these are benign, others are devious and scheming as they still - one way or another - seek to dominate those around them.
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