Welcome to the Sky...

Written by R. R. LoreCastle

People of the Sky

Miles above the crust of the earth, and unbeknownst to those on the ground, an entire civilization carries out their lives. Dragons and humans, bonded together through mutual trust, dependence, and friendship. Most of them are paired together in dragon-human pairs referred to as Bonds. These Bonds become closer than siblings and are the best of friends, always there to support each other throughout their lives.
Situation: As a result of both the Ashes Wars and the Dark Plague, over three quarters of the sky's population has been wiped away. Though it has been nearly two centuries, they are still rebuilding. Once-great countries have now melded together into the Sky Cities and the Dragon Kingdom. They work together and see themselves as one people: the Skydwellers. Their lives blend science and magic together to create many truly spectacular experiences.
Dwellings: Skydweller buildings are trees. Literally. These trees are rooted deep in the clouds that make up the civilization. The trees take in water from the clouds even as the clouds absorb water from the air, creating a stable place for the Skydwellers to build. The trees also move and stretch to form the walls of the buildings. Although Skydwellers can walk on any clouds, they generally prefer ones that half at least one tree on them, because those are the most secure and will never rain.
History: The Skydwellers have a rich and exciting history filled with many heroes, legends, and discoveries. Many of these have been lost due to the skyshattering (which is used to refer to both the Ashes Wars and the Dark Plague together). The Skydwellers are working to rediscover their history and culture bit by bit, and with each new discovery are able to blend in the old with the new.

I was asked to speak about my home. How can I? How can I describe something so vast, so wonderful? It is beyond description. This world that we live in...I could sing the glories of our history, tell of our legends, speak poetry about our lives, and still would only capture but a glimpse of what it truly means to be a Skydweller.
However, I do have a way with words. And I have long theorized about the four fundamental aspects of our life. : light, wind, magic, and flight. They impact our lives more than we know. And I suppose I shall have to try and explain why. These are but simple summaries; I imagine I will be writing further on the matter."

On the Subject of Light

All living things are drawn to light. It catches our eyes - we cannot help it. Our world is full of light - the light of the sun, the moon, and the stars. But there is other light, too. The light of fires on a cold night. The light of our breath weapons. The light of knowledge. The light of truth. We must hold this light dear to ourselves.

Characteristics of the Wind

The wind is there, even if you can't see it. It is fresh and cool on a warm day; sharp and motivating during the cold. It is unpredictable, yet we can study its patterns. It is important to remember this: to be reliant and timely as the wind, no matter how erratic and inconsistent you can get.

Concerning Magic

Magic, is, of course, at the core of all that we are. It defines us - we would not be Skydwellers without it. Magic flows both within and without us; it is important to know how and when to use it. Magic is both powerful and dangerous. Many an accident has come from the ill use of magic, but many a life has been saved through its powers. Magic teaches us balance, control, and strength.

The Importance of Flight

We, as a people, would not be who we are without the ability to fly. It extremely important to us. It is the way that we move, the way that we discover. It is the aspiration of all ground dwellers and the privilege of the Skydwellers. To us, flight is freedom, discovery, and exploration. It is the very essence of our people. I have seen many lose the thrill of flight - we must not forget what it means.

Themes of the Skydwellers:

Curiosity and Discovery

The driving factor of the Skydwellers is that of discovery: they want to know more about the world around them. There are people whose jobs it is to discover new ways to use magic, to forge new sciences, delve deep into history tomes, observe plants and animals, and explore the world around them. Some even study how the ground dwellers interact - there is much that can be learned from the ground that is both useful to Skydweller daily life, as well as fascinating to study.

Greed, Conflict, and Unity

The Skydwellers have a rich history full of power struggles and conflicts between different peoples. There have been brave heroes, evil leaders, unity of peoples, and coalitions of dark entities. Greed has always driven people to power, but the people of the sky have always been able to unite together and prevail against the darkness.

"I sing a tale of the sky and the sun

And a people that live together as one

A tale that is told with every breath

And though you may listen until your death

The song forever shall run

The sky itself is deep and vast

The sun and the moon, they shadows cast

O'er mountains and valleys, rivers and plains

Where wind doth sweep and storm doth rain

There the dragons arrived at last

Among forests and woodlands were kingdoms built

Across rolling clouds the blood was spilt

The heroes fought with might and soul

They fought to rule - they took their toll

Now hope begins to wilt

From the ground an ally arose

To save a fallen dragon, they chose

They were taken up into the sky

They tilled the clouds, they paired to fly

Now peace and plenty flows

Working together, great cities we built

But sadly, blood continued spill

We fought for right from the depths of the soul

But conflict will always take its toll

And life on the clouds did wilt

Though the strife was deep and vast

Unity triumphed; away evil was cast

Discovery ruled - we flew the plains

Where wind doth sweep and storm doth rain

There, peace had come at last

Now we live in a world with the sky and the sun

Our people - they live together as one

There is new life and vigor with ev'ry breath

We do so much before our deaths

So our song forever shall run."

-Darkwing and Ezra Greybeard, esteemed Songweavers