The Passing of the Scales is a ceremony held every year in the territories of the Dragon Clans, as a way to transition the role of Draconic High Lord from one Clan Lord to the next. The event involves significant fanfare, and incorporates the unique cultural aspects of both the new and former High Lords' clans.
History
Throughout most of the history of the Dragon Clans of Odish, the role of Draconic High Lord was one earned with blood. The Clan Lord who held the role of High Lord was chosen based upon the size of their controlled territory. As a result, each clan worked tirelessly to expand their own borders. This process was largely a race to the west, as there were large swaths of uncontested territory that the Clan Lords desperately wanted to add to their empires. Once this land was gone, some clans attempted to expand into the territory of Bramnia, though they were quickly defeated. With no more land to expand in, the clan lords were left to fight themselves. The near-constant infighting between the clans rendered it nearly impossible to accomplish any unified goal, with the only major accomplishments occurring when the Dragon Clans were at war with a foreign power.
Following the Lithos War and the end of the Fourth Era, the then-High Lord, Nerthek Belchiar of Clan Delmirev, desperately wanted to seek an end to the constant state of civil war that had become his peoples' norm. To end the fighting, he established the policy of transitioning the role between the Lords, to promote unity and forward thinking. If the next Lord could undo what the previous had accomplished, the Lords would be more inclined to find support before carrying out unilateral actions.
As part of this plan, he established the Passing of the Scales, a day of ceremony and celebration that commemorated the transition. Since Nerthek had served as Clan Lord during the final years of the Lithos War, he decided to step down immediately, handing the title to Clan Irlynys. The celebration that occurred during the transition was designed around bridging their two similar yet distinct cultures, with aspects of Delmirev and Irlynys cuisine and artwork incorporated into the entire festival.
While the Dragon Clans are much less distinct than during the Fifth Era, this festival is still designed to celebrate the aspects of modern draconic culture that originated from each of the clans.
