Belief of Societal Hierarchy
CW: This article will directly mention and depict topics of slavery
This day, let it be known. That all dragons and their kin may rise out of the darkness that our world has lived under for the past hundred years. Today, a new dawn emerges. A dawn not led by Man, Elf or Giant, but a dawn under the authority of the one true deserving race. Today begins the Era of Dragons!The world of Draconia is a world unlike any other. A world of violence, hatred, power and debauchery, one ruled by dragons. When the gods of ancient times departed the world to the afterlife, Io, the God of Dragons, made a declaration of dragonkind's superiority over the other races of the world. Upon their departure, Io split its spirit into four beings: Bahamut, Tiamat, Gruaghlothor, and Sardior. Each of these new deities was the chief figure of one of the races of True Dragons. Each of these deities held Io's central belief of superiority close to their heart and enforced it such. And so began the rule of dragons. A rule lasting over three thousand years and still enduring without signs of failure. And from this belief of superiority came the central belief held by almost all of dragonkind: That other races were created to serve dragons.
Origins and The War of Creation
This set of beliefs did not spontaneously emerge without warning. No, this supremacist ideology was something that was shaped over the course of hundreds of years. Dragons originally lived alongside the other races of Humans, Elves and Giants long before the Era of Dragons was established. The races coexisted in tense harmony for centuries, building settlements and creating countries. Through their combined efforts, they managed to create a utopian society based on the magical understanding of the arcane arts. Even with all of the advancements made, no paradise could stop the malice that lay beneath the surface. The relationship between the Dragons and Giants was the first to crumble, as both groups laid waste to the opposite's settlements, leaving nothing but death and destruction in their wake. The progenitors of all Elves made attempts to stop the growing conflict, but all attempted negotiations were unable to mend the broken trust. The world, once a utopia for advancement and knowledge, was now a ravaged wasteland filled with gutted towns, razed lands and decay. Of the groups that engaged in open conflict, the Giants suffered the heaviest losses. Their race, bordering on extinction, was forced to go into hiding or risk annihilation. The Elves managed to escape grave losses but were gravely affected by the immense amount of death that plagued the world they helped create. The groups of remaining humans were left to fend for themselves while the gods of their pantheon abandoned them to whatever fate await the world. The Dragons were the clear victors of the conflict regardless of their own heavy losses. The Giants that had openly contested their power were exiled to the farthest corners of the world, the Elves had little choice but to ally with the Dragons in a desperate bid to survive and the Humans were left powerless without their gods or support of the other disenfranchise races. Now, with control over the world, the vision of how to govern the surviving populations as the Dragons made their declaration of superiority. The enslavement of non-dragon races had begun.The Beliefs
There are three central beliefs to dragonkind's superiority and the natural hierarchy of the world. Natural Right, God Given Right and Might is Right.Natural Right
Dragons and their kin have a natural right to rule over all races. As the only creatures capable of manipulating the three types of magic they possess a natural advantage over all other sentient creatures. Their physical gifts such as hardened scales, flight capability and breath weapons combined with this magical power makes them the apex species to inhabit the natural world. Therefore, they possess the right to rule.God Given Right
Of all the gods and deities that departed into the spiritual world upon the conclusion of the War of Creation, only Io left behind descendants. The other deities escaped, leaving behind their worshippers and subjecting them to what fate held in store. Had the divine will of the gods not wished for this outcome, they would have prevented such a fate. But since the only remaining gods in the physical world belong to Io's blood, the gods have willingly transferred their control of the world's fate to the Dragons.Might is Right
Victory in the War of Creation, as bloody and brutal as it was, is the pinnacle achievement of dragonkind. Had this fate not been meant to be, events would have turned out differently. But, no, dragons emerged victorious over all other races. As the conquerors of their enemies, they have earned their right to rule.
Embodiment
The races of dragonkind began boisterously displaying their newfound power over all other races. The terms "Superior" and "Lesser" races were created to greater distinguish themselves from those they once called allies and friends. Banners once proudly held high above human populated settlements were ripped to shreds, replaced by the marks of royal families claiming those same settlements and the people living within. Dragons were the most forthright with their status as a superior race. They wasted no time in pillaging the vaults and hoards of treasure that human nobility had accumulated over the years of living together with the other races. Artifacts, magical items and treasured mementos; nothing was spared from the greedy claws of the new world rulers. When they were not preoccupied with stealing the wealth of humans, the dragons took great pleasure in embracing their vanity and pride, particularly the Chromatic Dragons. Any instances of backtalk or defiance from their subjects was met with swift discipline that ranged from light punishment to sociopathic torture. Some dragons took this a step further by mutilating their slaves in a sadistic form of branding.
The wound lingered for six months. The infection for a year. But the pain never faded.Dragonborn and half-dragons were also quick to embrace their status. A majority of them were instilled in positions of leadership across the settlements and cities that were now under draconic control. While they lacked the number of subjects that a true dragon would have, that fact did not deter them from demanding results from the subjects they did have. Dwarves and hardier human subjects began work across the continents to create infrastructure such as roads, irrigation and plumbing. Credit for these developments was taken by those who had ordered them to their fate, of course. As slaves in the new world order, no accomplishment would ever go to the "lesser" races, as they were now undeserving of such honors.
For years I toiled away in volcanic passages, carving out mine shafts and tunnels to excavate the treasures in the depths. Now I slave away under the hot sun, paving roads for hoity toity bastards to pompously straddle across with their "royal boots".Kobolds and Lizardfolk enthusiastically embraced every drop of new power they now held. These two races were often looked at as the butt of dragonkind before their superiority over the lesser races was declared. No more would they be viewed as the insignificant throwaways of the dragon races. No, now was their chance to take power and flaunt it with dignity. Kobold colonies began to form in rapid succession all over both continents, creating a population boom of the little creatures. Most of these colonies swore allegiance to a dragon, dragonborn or half-dragon that allowed them residency on their lands so long as they carried their own weight in growing the local powers. While they were often weaker than other taller dragonkind, kobolds held a knack for being curious learners. No matter how incomprehensible a tome was, they would find a way to decipher the text and discover its secrets. This trait led to the funding of kobold research facilities, where they would study the arcane and unholy magics that were looked at as too abhorrent for normal research. Naturally, they were provided with test subjects from the local towns... Lizardfolk, despite loving their new power and ability to consume whatever they damn well pleased, maintained their tribal views. Their devotion to their true dragon brothers did not waver in the slightest and they continued to willingly devote themselves to the greater dragons so long as they were given flesh to eat. They served as enforcers and agents of force for the royal dragon families. It was commonplace to see groups of them on farms, watching roads and inside manors, eyeing slaves with a bright glint in their eye, just hoping for one to make a mistake. When subjects stepped out of line they were brought to a lizardfolk tribe and left to fend for themselves. If they came back alive, that would usually straighten them out. But being left in the clutches of primitive and self-serving creatures that have a taste for your flresh doesn't usually bode well for beaten, weakened and frail humans.
Modern Beliefs
The idea of "lesser" and "superior" races has finally started to diminish after three long millennia of the concept. Among modern society there are considered to be two groups of cultures that make up a majority of the population: Traditional Dragonkin and New-Age Dragonkin. New-age dragonkin are members of the dragon races that have relinquished the ideal that they are superior to their humanoid counterparts. Thousands of years of growing alongside them have opened their eyes to the fact that humans, dwarves, elves and others are just as capable of great accomplishments like dragonkind is capable of. The population of Ruxan is a prime example of this group. They were the first to dissolve legislation forbidding humankind from holding public offices and opened the door to conversation and mending of relationships after thousands of years of torment and toil. While they do their best to fight for their oppressed brethren, there is a fear of openly displaying this new line of thought. Dragonkind are arrogant species that do not take kindly to change. The worry that some crazed traditionalists will hunt them down for supporting humankind is a concern that lingers in the back of any new-ager's mind. The traditional dragonkin are dragonkind that still adhere to the ideas of the past that humankind and their new associated races are beneath dragons and their brethren. The majority of dragonkind across both continents fall amongst this group, as the beliefs of equality and fairness have yet to fully be embraced. A key factor to this slow adaptation is that believers of this ideal make up more than 95% of the Council of Dragons. The developments in Ruxan that have led to the surge of new-agers in that area was a miracle in and of itself, but gaining traction in other regions is likely to take many more years.
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Ember rained from the sky during the war. The world destroying itself, hastening its disfigurement as we ruined what we created.
Impact on Humankind
Humans were the most severely affected race after the War of Creation. They lost a majority of their freedoms and were reduced to slaves. Such a shift led to a widespread depression among them that lasted for centuries until new generations accepted their fate. Dwarves were forced into underground colonies formed in the hillsides and mountains of the continents. The new lifestyle was actually well-received, though they were not accepting of their designation as slaves. Breeding between humans and dwarves ultimately led to the creation of Gnomes and Halflings. Recent generations have been utilized for their knowledge of building and mining.I would rather die than experience another day in this hell. The sweet grasp of death cannot come swiftly enough.
The F-G Rebellion
The deities Sardior and Gruaghlothor eventually rebelled against Bahamut and Tiamat. The rebellion turned into a civil war that lasted five years and caused countless losses on both sides. Although the enslavement of humanity was not a point of contention, it was used justification for the punishments levied against the oppositions leaders, as well as the stricter laws placed on the slave population. Main ArticleOur lives were already hard enough. But what we had to endure after the rebellion was nothing short of hellish torture.
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