Dragon

In the age before ages, before the ice retreated, before the seas rose to claim Atlantis and reshape the world, before magic itself was changed beneath a burning sky, dragons ruled. This mythic age was suffused with anima, the stuff of maigc, and arcane power was present in every facet of creation. And nothing exemplified that more than the dragons themselves. They forged great civilizations that spanned the globe. They delved into secrets both occult and scientific. They shaped the world to their whims.

And then, in what was the blink of a draconic eye, humans rose from ash and mud to cities and empires. They too could use magic, could understand the nature of the world, learn and grow. And so the dragons took this young race under the wings, teaching the secrets of metallurgy, husbandry, artifice and the occult.

And we, in turn, cast them down.

The dragons alive today are mere shadows of the glorious beings that ruled that now-lost age. Their numbers had been broken by their war with the ancients titans, conflicts with the early kingdoms of man, the decline of magic in the aftermath of the Flood, rivalries with upstart mummies and werebeasts, and, then, finally, the great Dragon Hunts of the Middle Ages. 

The elders, with their vast hordes and knowledge of the previous ages, ended up impaled at the end of a knight’s spear. The dragons who survived tended to be young and adaptable. They learned to blend in with the mundane world, to play by the rules of the Veil treaty, to hide themselves as a wolf among the sheep. A new generation of dragons were raised among humans, some even had a human parent. They adopted humanity’s vital spark and adaptable spirit. They learned to live in a world where magic was rare and secret. And they have begun to finally claw their race back from the brink of extinction.

Because of their innate ties to anima, every dragon is born with magical potential. While it’s impossible to know the patterns in which this magic will develop in over the dragon's life, most lineages share certain traits. Dragons with ties to primal fire, for example, tend to develop the ability to breathe forth ghouts of flame, resist the ravages of an inferno, and catch glimpses of the future in the flickering of a bonfire. Others prominent families have connection to other powerful forces such as storms, ice, death, dreams, and time. But dragons are children of magic itself, and as the flows of magic adapt to a rapidly transforming world, so to will dragons. New magics and new patterns are awaiting the right dragon to discover them.

Quetzalcoatl: One of the noblest of the ancient dragons, Quetzalcoatl was a scholar first and foremost, and his lands, in what would become Central America, were filled with countless temples and academies. Scions of the Dragon of Winds are curious by nature, driven to learn more about the mysteries of the world. Their inheritances involve control over wind and technology.

Ryu: Gallant Ryu was the lord over the storm-drenched islands that would come to be known as Japan. He personally protected his lands and the people who dwelt there from all threats, be they sea serpents, wicked oni, or mortal mages. Scions of the Dragon of Storms are the knights of dragonkind, courageous and honourable. Their inheritances involve control over storms and lightning. 

Salamander: When one thinks of “dragons,” the first image that springs to mind is likely that of Salamander, or one of his scions. Salamander ruled over the volcanic coasts of what would one day become Italy and the Balkans, where he was worshipped as a god-king and slept upon piles of gold and steel. Scions of the Dragon of Flame have inherited their sire’s famous greed and pride, and tend to view themselves as natural leaders. While many dragons can control fire, none of them have mastered it like the scions of the Dragon of Flame, and their inheritances reflect that particular focus. 

Sedna: Mother of the Deep, Sedna ruled over the northern reaches of the world. The frigid tundras and frozen seas were her domain, and her temper was legendary. Scions of the Dragon of Ice tend to inherit their sire’s long memories and short tempers, and her willingness to protect her lands from those who would despoil it. Their inheritances demonstrate mastery over ice and snow.

Zahhak: Three-headed Zahhak was the king of the Netherworld, walking the shadowed paths between our world and the realm of terror. His territory once spanned over the mountains and deserts that would become Persia, and his tyrannical rule is still remembered in ancient legends. Scions of the Dragon of Shadows scions retain their sire’s power over the forces of shadow and terror, and, like horrors, can feed upon mortal fear to empower themselves.