by Eloy Lasanta (Dark Ages: Fae | Resources)
The esteemed and powerful Council of Dragons was called that day and the Grand Dragon once again resided over a select collection of his brethren. He was Dravel, a very large, very wise Root Dragon, composed of both wood and earth. He had gained respect from overseeing the humans in the early days, but those days were gone.
When all those who were woken from their slumber arrived, the council of dragons called to the floor the topic of the fae and their breaking of the Sacred Oaths. They had turned their backs on humanity and their punishments needed to be discussed.
The tone of the evening was dry, sorrowful. But even in this type of atmosphere, Dravel called upon the representatives to each of the dragons’ species to air their grievances and discover the best punishment for the fae.
Many tales have been told about the thunder lizards and golden dragons. Many of these tales are true and many are simply a fabrication of the truth. In terms of the fae, these creatures, these beasts, are an abomination and a bane to their existence. Little do they know the real truth of the dragons…
They came first.
To the fae, they are the rulers of the world. None among the other supernatural beings can match them. Vampires suffer from the curse of Caine and can e bested by even the weakest of pupils in the Dominion of Day. Werewolves are merely animals, but they would be so arrogant as to stand against the fae’s whims. Demons hide within their cults, Witches hide away from the church and the Inquisitors are simply beckons of power that has not been tapped by the fae… yet.
But dragons are an enigma. Fae zoologists suggest that dragons are nothing more than lizards and other serpents that have been affected by the Mists in a way to give them magical properties. There is no reason to place in a category different than every other magical beast that exists in the Dark Medieval. Fae are the rulers, not dragons, and they should not be given more importance than they are truly due. This hypothesis comes from their understanding of the world as they recall it (although, this is not always the best source). In their history, the firstborn sprang from the mists, then the inanimate, then the sun and moon and animals and so on. Dragons were not in the equation.
Other fae historians claim that they are akin to the Giants in the mountains to the north. The Giants live away from the fae, are as large as dragons, are as powerful in combat and are presumed to be created by the Mists as well. For this reason, news of dragons strikes fear in the heart of even the most noble and brave of the fae, because dragons have their same powerful abilities and more.
The mind of the firstborn is too arrogant to even suggest the real truth, but the dragons have strong memories and remember the past quite well.
In the beginning, the world was nothing. Only the Mists existed and everything was chaos. In the minds of the dragons, this is the time when everything was at its most beautiful and most perfect. Yes, the dragons existed even at this time. They are creatures of the Mists, but at this time had no real form.
A collection dragons – at this time there existed close to a thousand – decided it was time to give themselves form, to weave themselves into the world. However, they needed a world to weave themselves into first. They began to create the earth, the rocks, the water, the air, and so on, until the world was just as they liked it. Then, as the chaos of the Mists was known to do, their magic began to create a different sort of life… the firstborn.
The multi-headed serpent creature does have its roots in the dragon creation myth as well. When the first dragons weaved their bodies, giving themselves form to exist in the world, they used up vast amounts of Mists to construct their Miens. After the majority of elder dragons had their gigantic forms, the less powerful of their kind has little to work with. Instead of giving up on the dream of a body or fighting amongst themselves for the available Mists, they decided to join together into one creature. They would later be known as the hydra.
Yes, the firstborn were still truly he first born from the Mists, as the dragons had not given themselves a real form yet, but they quickly became the servants of the dragons. Even without form, dragons still communicated to their minions, instructing them to help finish the creation of the different lands. The firstborn were even allowed to take their own portions of the newly weaved creation for their own, creating small kingdoms. Then, things got interesting.
The inanimae sprang from creation, part of the world and part of the Mists as well. The dragons were intrigued. They proceeded to put to the inanimae through several series of tests, checking their abilities to craft themselves and their surroundings and found that they were equal to the firstborn in power, yet more perfect as they were the product of both Weaving and the Mists. The inanimae became the dragons preferred minion.
Because the firstborn and inanimae refused to reside in the same domains at this point in history, the dragons frequented the inanimae’s dwellings more often, bringing more favor and power to the inanimae, allowing them to shape the world into what they wanted. The elemental fae created time, the shifting of the tides, etc. and the firstborn were none too happy. They wished to be the dragon’s beloved servants, they wished for the power that title brought and they wanted to be the one and only race of rulers. This was the reason for the Great Unleashing that has been lost in time. The Great Unleashing not only created life (plants, animals, etc.), but also used up a lot of the excess Mists that still existed in the world.
The dragons were running out of time and were forced to weave themselves forms at this time. They had been toiling over whether to create themselves in the same fashion of the firstborn or like that of the inanimae for thousands of years, but now there was not enough of the Mists left to weave themselves wholly of it. Hence, they wove themselves as part of the elements (Earth, Water, Fire and Air) and were content in their decision. When the first dragon set foot on the land, they sparked fear into all the fae’s hearts. They towered over even the largest and proudest fae kingdom, bringing dark shadows to land, stopping the growth of animals and plants. The dragons new they needed to retreat to seclusion, for the sake of the planet itself.
“They have forgotten their place in our slumber, Lord Dravel,” Gabrille exclaimed for the Sky Dragons present. She stood tall and thin, the color of a clear sky and beautiful, but spoke her statements with the anger of crackling lightning. “We left them to protect the humans, who our ancestors created and they broke their Sacred Oaths to us in favor of their pitiful War of Seasons!” she addressed the dragons’ leader upon his pedestal.
The other dragons assembled, nodded in agreement. They collectively cheered to Gabrille’s words; they rang clear and true. The humans were to be cautiously lorded over and protected, not left to rule the world. The recent events leading to this council meeting were due to the fae leaving humanity to their own devices, forgetting about the world while they developed this new power against them.
Faith.
Even the dragons have no clue as to the origin of humanity. Many more arrogant dragons demand that their race created the humans to spite the fae who drained the world of the Mists with their foolish unleashing. How stupid could they have been to waste the very essence of the world on their own petty whims? Dragons still, to this day, detest most firstborn on sight for this reason alone. But this theory lies flat when you consider that the humans’ Echoes also affect dragons, even to a greater extent.
Other dragons guess that, since there were still pockets of Mists left, the first humans sprang from that just as easily as the firstborn did. This made them a particularly interesting spectacle for the dragons. Those without form followed humanity around, checking into their everyday lives and their constants goings-on. Those with form magically called the human to their lands to view for afar. They were particularly fascinated, as the inanimae were. The firstborn, now horribly disliked by dragons, tried their best to stay away from humanity, not wanting to lure the dread gaze of the dragons.
All three origins now existed. The fae became more and more entrenched in the lives of humans, while the dragons less and less. The oaths the dragons made were broken in favor of those with the fae, as they were closer and able to effect more readily. The dragons were powerful, but mostly kept to themselves, sometimes forgetting entirely about their charges. It was time, the dragons declared, that they take a backseat to the fae. They had ruled for long enough and they could see the wisdom of retreating. But before this could happen, they needed to make sure the world was left in good hands.
The Council of Dragons called all the fae together into one realm, even firstborn who dragons were known to despise. In this moment the dragons charged the fae with caring for the humans, who were weak and may not have been able to take care of themselves. The fae accepted this oath, now called the Sacred Oath, and in return, the dragons stayed away from the fae. If the fae were to fail their Sacred Oath, the group of dragons called the Chill of Iron Circle, were given permission to hunt them down and destroy them, their element becoming an evident weakness to the fae. But as long as they kept their end of the oath, dragon would no longer influence the faes’ pathetic courts or attempt to lord over them.
Instead, they slept.
The dragons slumbered for longer a very long time, leaving the fae to their own devices, just as long as they kept after the humans. Every so often, a dragon would awaken to check on the status of the oath, only to find that the fae themselves were waging war upon each other. They left humanity alone to rule the world. It was their job, then, to awaken the rest of their brethren.
Few, besides the most powerful dragons, still exist, however. There were several group of inquisitors that visits the lairs of dragons to dispel them, blinking their physical forms out of existence, making the dragon insignificant. The most known story of a Crusader who called upon the power of his “Lord” to strike down the recently reawakened dragon in one fell swing.
The dragons soon learned of this new power, this Faith that humans now wielded and blamed the fae. They have begun to return to the world, the least powerful awakening first, as the more powerful one are in deeper slumber. These dragons have become a bane to the courts, especially to those kingdoms ruled by firstborn who they guess was probably behind this as well.
The few dragons that actively inhabit the Dark Medieval are very close to what the humans have depicted them as in their myths, fables and legends. They are great, powerful creatures who resemble giant lizards and have exceptionally impressive wingspans. They have long necks and are known to wield deadly breath weapons, as well. All of this is true. But the exact nature of the dragon is that of his tuned element, that which makes up his entirety. There are four different kinds (Earthen, Sky, Sea and Flame), each with its own personalities, knowledge, powers and temperaments.
The head of the Chill of Iron Circle, Julon, stood up straight and addressed the council and the judge, Dravel. “I beg for permission to hunt these bastards down. While I know that we are cousins to the Wood Dragons who wish to coddle and baby the fae, as if they were precious commodities, the Metallic Dragons seek to rectify the breaking of this Oath. Lord Dravel, will you allow us to do what was agreed?” he stared into Dravel’s eyes and saw fear… of indecision.
Within the Earthen Dragons, there is a split that exists even today. On one side of the struggle you have the Root Dragons, those dragons of the forests. They are a collection of both dragons that formed their bodies from the trees and bushes or from the earth itself. Some are Stone Dragons who use their scales for protection primarily, while others may be Thorn Dragons who wield mighty wooden spikes upon their heads and backs. The variety is large, as there are many different combinations of such. The Root Dragons are the second most numerous of dragons and are known for their wisdom above all else. They also believe that the dragons should reconcile with the fae, even the firstborn.
The second group of Earthen Dragons is the Metallic Dragons. They are composed of dragons that formed their bodies from that of metal, the most notorious being Cold Iron. These dragons are also those that have appeared a lot in fables and stories of the humans. Golden and Silver Dragons were a favorite for the Metallic Dragons to take, but ultimately led to the depletion of much of the gold and silver deposits that the world had that time. Metallic Dragons while seemingly very noble and wise, are much more hostile and easier to enrage. They believe that the fae should be destroyed, as it states in the Sacred Oath.
Torrel, the greatly intelligent White Dragon, proposed, “It is not necessary to exterminate the fae entirely. The inanimae have always been loyal, as they are like us in their elemental state. Wouldn’t it be wise to investigate further into this new power of humanity to find the cause and the cure? With it, we will then be able to cure ourselves and the fae of the humans’ affliction.” He knew that the numbers were against him, but he couldn’t simply stay quiet. Sky Dragons have a tendency to speak their minds.
The Sky Dragons are more of a collective unit than the Earthen Dragons, but are easily the least populated of all the dragon species. They are comprised of the dragons that formed their bodies from that of clouds, as well as the sky itself. Grand Blue and White Dragons are known for their knowledge of the world as they stay above, watching everything that goes on, but intervenes very seldom. They are known to have collected treasure troves of books, writing down books on the shed scales of their brethren. They believe that the dragons should stand their ground. They should observe before acting hastily. They propose that they should alert the fae to their presence and advise them on how to save themselves from the Chill of Iron Circle. They also believe that more information is needed in humanity’s new power.
“The Chill of Iron Circle is right. Destroy them, destroy them all!” Typhon the Black yelled, not to anyone’s surprise. “Oaths are sacred, this one more than any other as it has lead to the deaths of too many of our kind so far! The Sea Dragons will not stand for their continued existence for long!” The scowl on the Black Dragon’s face was very evident, as was his disdain for the appointed leader, Dravel.
The vast majority of Sea Dragons still dwell beneath the waves, but they are still he most heavily numbered of all the dragon species – the world is 75% water, after all. Despite their name, however, they are not only dragons that formed their bodies from the sea, but also from oceans, lakes, rivers and swamps as well. Green and Black Dragons hail from this species, including the evilest dragon in history, Typhon the Black. This notorious dragon was known to hate any and all other life, taking form only for the joy of destruction. Many of the Sea Dragons follow suit in their belief that both humans and fae should be ruined and decimated.
Kron, leader of the Flame Dragons at this particular gathering stepped up and spoke. “Why do we even worry about the Oath? It was a stupid idea in the past and it is stupid now. It has been forgotten and there is no turning back, but the death of all fae will not make the world better. We must, instead, use them to our advantage.” These words struck a cord in some of the other dragons assembled. Maybe this was a real possibility and maybe not, it was for the wise and fair Dravel to decide.
The last dragons are those that formed their bodies from flame itself, the Flame Dragons. Red Dragons hail from this species and are well known in history and myth alike to the bearers of the deadliest of all breath weapons. They are dragons of fire and lava, easily letting their presence be known to all, especially humanity at large. These dragons were those that hated humanity since their beginning, forgoing the needless gawking that the other species dis. The Flame Dragons, instead, pushed for the Council of Dragons to stay alert, not to slumber and to continue to cultivate their relationship with fae, using them as servants instead of becoming fascinated by the humans and forgetting that they are the most powerful beings in the world. Now, they wish to continue that goal and are working toward the enslavement of the fae.
Dragons are truly epic in their power and their size. While the younger hatchlings range just under 30-ft long, elder dragons can be the length of several miles when they reach the peak of their potential. Most mountain climbers are clueless to the fact that they tread on an earthen dragon’s back and divers regale at the wonders of the sea, which are merely a water dragon’s waves.
With the size comes a truly impressive wingspan, easily doubling their length, as well as an increased amount of health levels. You normal human or fae has seven health levels. Even your brand new hatchling dragon has five times as much as your average human, while elder dragons have close to thirty to forty times as many. Yet another reason why the fae must watch their moves when suspecting themselves upon a dragon.
Hatchlings have not mastered their forms or their control over the Mists the way that elder dragons have. Consequently, elder dragons have the ability to change their size and shape at will. They are able to assume any human shell, although it takes one full week to take that form. To switch back only takes one full day. They also can retain their dragon shape, but simply change their size and can range from their full height, down to 2-feet tall.
All dragons are great weavers of magic, as they did so to create most of the world. They are even more powerful than the fae in this respect, being born with the same power that the fae work centuries to build. Each dragon is assumed to be the master of their Dominion according to their species (Flame=Day, Sea=Night, Earthen=Dawn, Sky=Dusk). The dragon also gets to split up a number of additional dots among the other Dominions depending on their power level. Those that constructed their forms first, the elders, would get 10 additional points, while those who formed themselves last, hatchlings, would get only 5.
Mists and Weaving for a dragon works the same as for a fae. Their starting statistics are always equal, beginning at Mists 6 and Weaving 6. Dragons also begin with 4 Greater Features in addition to the 6 Lesser Features they get from their Mists rating.
Each dragon slumbers in different ways and it is important to know how, to make sure how to avoid them if you seek to. Earthen Dragons are known for sleeping within the earth itself, whether within the bases of mountains, each peak being one crest of their spine, to slumbering beneath a vast forest, each tree grown from his back. Sky Dragons usually sleep in the form of clouds or of the air itself. Within this time, their bodies dissipate, separating throughout all the sky. This leads to their awakening taking much longer than any other type of dragon, hence their low numbers at the present time. Sea Dragons sleep beneath humanity’s noses in the waves of all the seas, rivers and oceans. They actually take the physical form of water at this time and cause violent tidal waves and whirlpool upon rising from their slumber. Luckily for humanity, few of them have woken up yet. Flame Dragons have slept inside the core of the earth since the time of the slumber began. When they wake up, entire towns and countrysides are destroyed, covered in the lava that gives them birth.
Dragons have never attempted to forge Oaths with humans and there are countless debates that go on, deliberating over what the consequences would come if they did. The Sky Dragons above all others seek to experiment with Oaths. Their vast libraries actually hold the lost knowledge of Gold Oaths, yet they are hard pressed to find a time to use them in this hostile, Echo-filled world. If the Sky Dragons’ plans are accepted by dragon society, there may be a chance for those secrets to be given back to the fae. Only time will tell.
Even with all the power the dragons wield, they seem even more susceptible to the power of Echoes and Faith, even more so than the fae. They begin play with at least 2 Echoes and gain them with greater frequency than any other creature. They begin play with 4 Greater Features and 6 Lesser Features, which means that a dragon already has a 5 dice penalty to his Echo roll. Not to mention the automatic 1-die penalty simply for being, a penalty that reiterates the inanimaes’. If more than one person see the dragon, and it is very easy for that to happen with elders, as they are the size of mountains, they gain an even bigger penalty. This fact keeps more dragons in their caves, than any other kind of fear ever could.
Do not use dragons as everyday, wandering antagonists. They predate the fae themselves and are a force to reckon with. It takes a small force of fae to conquer even the youngest of dragons. Storytellers are warned to use them wisely.
This has to be my favorite fae-related article I’ve written. It was a lot of fun. Any comments can be forwarded to my email kendril1@gmail.com or we can talk about it on the forums. Have fun with this. Peace!
