Dragonborn
Dragonborn (also known as Strixiki in Draconic; or Vayemniri, "Ash-Marked Ones", in Tymantheran draconic) were a race of draconic creatures native to Abeir, Toril's long-sundered twin. During the Spellplague, dragonborn were transplanted from Abeir to Toril, the majority of them living in the continent of Laerakond in the 15th century DR. In Faerûn, most dragonborn dwelt in the militaristic nation of Tymanther.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Dragonborn resembled in many ways what their name suggests: humanoid dragons. Standing on average around 6 feet and 2 inches to 6 feet and 8 inches (1.9 to 2 meters), dragonborn were impressively tall with a heavy weight to match, commonly possessing a weight of 220 to 320 pounds (100 to 150 kilograms). Dragonborn feet ended with three strong talon-like claws with a fourth claw in the back, while their hands were similar with three claws with a thumb replacing the rear claw. A dragonborn's head featured a blunt snout, a strong brow, and reptilian frills on the cheeks and ears. On the back of the head, a crest of hornlike scales formed what resembled a mess of ropy hair. Dragonborn eyes were usually red or gold in hue.
Dragonborn exhibited many draconic features, including a scaly hide, a large muscular body, the capacity to use a breath weapon, and resistance to the same elemental energy they can breathe, thanks to their draconic heritage. Because of thousands of years of interbreeding, the scales of a dragonborn's hide were scarlet, gold, rust, ochre, bronze, or brown in hue, though a few dragonborn with an stronger draconic heritage had scales resembling those of true dragons. The colour of their scales bore little correlation to a dragonborn's draconic heritage, however. The scales were typically in their greatest concentration around forearms, lower legs, feet, shoulders, and thighs, with a very fine leathery covering over the rest of the body. With the proper training, dragonborn could learn to unlock more of their draconic potential, even to the point of sprouting wings with which to fly, like a dragon.
Like dragons, dragonborn were often mistaken for reptiles, but were in fact warm-blooded draconic creatures. In fact, the internal body temperature of the dragonborn was warmer than that of most similar races, being so hot as to seem feverish to the human touch. While this might seem disadvantageous, the lack of hair and large mouth allowed the dragonborn to displace body heat at an effective rate, meaning dragonborn were comfortable in cold climates while remaining no more vulnerable to heat than humans.
A rare, few individuals were born with tails, but this was seen as a deformity by the dragonborn.
Dragonborn exhibited many draconic features, including a scaly hide, a large muscular body, the capacity to use a breath weapon, and resistance to the same elemental energy they can breathe, thanks to their draconic heritage. Because of thousands of years of interbreeding, the scales of a dragonborn's hide were scarlet, gold, rust, ochre, bronze, or brown in hue, though a few dragonborn with an stronger draconic heritage had scales resembling those of true dragons. The colour of their scales bore little correlation to a dragonborn's draconic heritage, however. The scales were typically in their greatest concentration around forearms, lower legs, feet, shoulders, and thighs, with a very fine leathery covering over the rest of the body. With the proper training, dragonborn could learn to unlock more of their draconic potential, even to the point of sprouting wings with which to fly, like a dragon.
Like dragons, dragonborn were often mistaken for reptiles, but were in fact warm-blooded draconic creatures. In fact, the internal body temperature of the dragonborn was warmer than that of most similar races, being so hot as to seem feverish to the human touch. While this might seem disadvantageous, the lack of hair and large mouth allowed the dragonborn to displace body heat at an effective rate, meaning dragonborn were comfortable in cold climates while remaining no more vulnerable to heat than humans.
A rare, few individuals were born with tails, but this was seen as a deformity by the dragonborn.
Growth Rate & Stages
Young dragonborn, who hatched from eggs like their draconic relatives, grew at an impressively rapid rate, much faster than most other races, reaching the equivalent maturity of a human child of 10 by age 3. Dragonborn nursed their hatchlings for several months before teeth began to come in. A dragonborn would then slowly introduce soft food and then move towards normal dragonborn eating habits, which contained more meat than was typical of most other races.
Their rate of maturation slowed dramatically within a few short years and they were not considered physically mature until the age 12, when their bodies reached their adult height and appearance. Not all dragonborn developed a breath weapon but those that did usually obtained it during these years of growth.
Psychologically, dragonborn were considered mature as a human adult by age 12, and when they reached age 15 they were considered legally adults in dragonborn society. Once they did reach adulthood, dragonborn could expect a lifespan identical to that of humans.
Their rate of maturation slowed dramatically within a few short years and they were not considered physically mature until the age 12, when their bodies reached their adult height and appearance. Not all dragonborn developed a breath weapon but those that did usually obtained it during these years of growth.
Psychologically, dragonborn were considered mature as a human adult by age 12, and when they reached age 15 they were considered legally adults in dragonborn society. Once they did reach adulthood, dragonborn could expect a lifespan identical to that of humans.
Behaviour
Dragonborn had a well-known dedication to honour, but how deeply rooted this trait was remains debatable. However, all dragonborn tended to view all living things, even hated enemies, as deserving of courtesy and respect. To dragonborn, honour was more than a word and was often considered more important than life itself. Cowardice was not simply undesirable among dragonborn, it was considered outright repulsive.
Part of the roots of this honourable attitude lay in the dragonborn's drive for self-improvement. The draconic nature of dragonborn gave them a strong self-consciousness and a tendency for strong emotions. Both of these combined to make dragonborn particularly wanting for the approval of others. Dragonborn placed great value on the skill of an individual, including themselves. Failing at a task was anathema to dragonborn and as a result they could sometimes push themselves to unhealthy extremes of effort. This aspect of the dragonborn mind meant few of the race took a laid-back approach to any skill or ability, striving always to become the masters of a particular skill, and dragonborn respected those among other races who approached life in the same manner. As a result, most dragonborn adventurers came to their way of life through a desire to prove themselves and win respect from their brethren.
Part of the roots of this honourable attitude lay in the dragonborn's drive for self-improvement. The draconic nature of dragonborn gave them a strong self-consciousness and a tendency for strong emotions. Both of these combined to make dragonborn particularly wanting for the approval of others. Dragonborn placed great value on the skill of an individual, including themselves. Failing at a task was anathema to dragonborn and as a result they could sometimes push themselves to unhealthy extremes of effort. This aspect of the dragonborn mind meant few of the race took a laid-back approach to any skill or ability, striving always to become the masters of a particular skill, and dragonborn respected those among other races who approached life in the same manner. As a result, most dragonborn adventurers came to their way of life through a desire to prove themselves and win respect from their brethren.
Civilization and Culture
Major Language Groups and Dialects
Common, Draconic
Culture and Cultural Heritage
The dragonborn drive for honour carried on into the culture of the race. Among dragonborn, the most horrible crime was oath-breaking; honesty was expected whenever a deal was struck. Commitment to a word was expected to be carried out to the letter and all parties in a transaction were held accountable and responsible for failings. Ultimately, those who failed to meet their word were expected to accept the consequences and, in fact, most dragonborn did so. So widespread was this value of honour and honesty that it was commonly believed that dragonborn never broke their word.
Dragonborn society in the nation of Tymanther had a strong and abiding hatred of dragons, perpetuated by terrifying tales of draconic cruelty and retelling of the dragonborn struggle for freedom on Abeir. Though the dragons of Toril had nothing to do with this horrid past that haunted the race, the dragonborn were not particularly forgiving in this regard, and individuals who took up dragon-hunting for whatever reasons were honoured as heroes among the Tymantherans. Many dragonborn also took up the life of a mercenary.
However, though this hatred of dragons was strong, even carrying over to a condemnation of the worship of good dragon gods, like Bahamut, many dragonborn hoped that life on Toril would help them escape the tragedies of their history. In part because of their distrust of dragons, but also because of a general desire to forge a bright future for their people devoid of war, the Tymantheran dragonborn worked hard to earn the friendship of races around the world and few prejudices other than the hatred of dragons plagued the dragonborn race. Dragonborn efforts were partially successful but the sudden appearance of the dragonborn and the alien nature of their culture made many wary of their motives.
Clans were led by wizened, aged clan-masters chosen for their ability to lead who were looked to for guidance by their lieges. Dragonborn did not forget the past, and ties to clan and family determined much about how one dragonborn was viewed by others. All clans had reputations, for good and ill, that often lasted for generations. A dragonborn's actions were expected to bring favor and good will to his or her clan, improving this reputation. For this reason, dragonborn typically went by their clan names rather than their family names, hoping to bring honour and glory to their clan. Dragonborn who worshiped gods were usually expelled from their clans because traditionalist dragonborn believed worshiping such beings was equal to selling themselves to dragon slavery again.
This pressure to either right the wrongs of the past or continue a clan's glory could define a dragonborn's life. Some dragonborn fled from the imposing responsibilities their clan put on them, choosing infamy over such a burden. Others accepted the responsibility or even turned it into an additional drive for their ambition, hoping to one day become the clan-master.
Overall, compared with clan ties, family was secondary and private to dragonborn, as reflected by the fact that most dragonborn family names were kept secrets shared with only the closest friends and other family members. The usual family unit was quite small, often composed of only two individuals: a mated pair or a parent and its child. Dragonborn marriages were arranged by the clan leaders along old pact lines. Dragonborn lacked the association of love with marriage that many races had, instead wedding purely for reproductive reasons. Once a dragonborn child reached 3 years old the wedding was typically dissolved, with the parent who was the same sex as the child rearing it for the remainder of its childhood.
Having come from Abeir, dragonborn had a very different approach to religion than the other races. On Abeir, divine influence was rare and mysterious, contrary to Toril where it had been relatively common in past ages. Since Abeir was dominated by the primordials who were, according to myth, driven into hiding by the mighty dragon lords that reigned over most of the planet, the dragonborn felt less beholden to gods than the members of other races. For this reason, many dragonborn were entirely agnostic, with no strong feelings one way or another about the gods.
Dragonborn who did embrace religion, however, were well-suited to the path of a paladin. Making the creed and commandments of a god a code by which they could live was in many ways attractive to dragonborn, so long as they were able to get past their natural aversion to beholden to a superior authority they had no control of. If they did join the faithful, dragonborn could become quite devoted in their chosen church, craving the direction and purpose it gave them. Likewise, paladins, unlike clerics, represented an almost martial career path and one that blended well with the militaristic culture of the race.
Dragonborn society in the nation of Tymanther had a strong and abiding hatred of dragons, perpetuated by terrifying tales of draconic cruelty and retelling of the dragonborn struggle for freedom on Abeir. Though the dragons of Toril had nothing to do with this horrid past that haunted the race, the dragonborn were not particularly forgiving in this regard, and individuals who took up dragon-hunting for whatever reasons were honoured as heroes among the Tymantherans. Many dragonborn also took up the life of a mercenary.
However, though this hatred of dragons was strong, even carrying over to a condemnation of the worship of good dragon gods, like Bahamut, many dragonborn hoped that life on Toril would help them escape the tragedies of their history. In part because of their distrust of dragons, but also because of a general desire to forge a bright future for their people devoid of war, the Tymantheran dragonborn worked hard to earn the friendship of races around the world and few prejudices other than the hatred of dragons plagued the dragonborn race. Dragonborn efforts were partially successful but the sudden appearance of the dragonborn and the alien nature of their culture made many wary of their motives.
Clan and family
Clan and family bloodlines were both preserved among dragonborn and were highly important to dragonborn culture as a whole. Both were different, though the distinction was subtle to non-dragonborn. Family referred specifically to actual blood relatives, as far as could be traced, whereas clan, in the dragonborn context, referred to a confederation of families united by mutual purpose in ages past, organized along military lines. Of the two, clan was usually considered more important and it was to the clan that dragonborn owed their most loyalty, particularly in Tymanther.Clans were led by wizened, aged clan-masters chosen for their ability to lead who were looked to for guidance by their lieges. Dragonborn did not forget the past, and ties to clan and family determined much about how one dragonborn was viewed by others. All clans had reputations, for good and ill, that often lasted for generations. A dragonborn's actions were expected to bring favor and good will to his or her clan, improving this reputation. For this reason, dragonborn typically went by their clan names rather than their family names, hoping to bring honour and glory to their clan. Dragonborn who worshiped gods were usually expelled from their clans because traditionalist dragonborn believed worshiping such beings was equal to selling themselves to dragon slavery again.
This pressure to either right the wrongs of the past or continue a clan's glory could define a dragonborn's life. Some dragonborn fled from the imposing responsibilities their clan put on them, choosing infamy over such a burden. Others accepted the responsibility or even turned it into an additional drive for their ambition, hoping to one day become the clan-master.
Overall, compared with clan ties, family was secondary and private to dragonborn, as reflected by the fact that most dragonborn family names were kept secrets shared with only the closest friends and other family members. The usual family unit was quite small, often composed of only two individuals: a mated pair or a parent and its child. Dragonborn marriages were arranged by the clan leaders along old pact lines. Dragonborn lacked the association of love with marriage that many races had, instead wedding purely for reproductive reasons. Once a dragonborn child reached 3 years old the wedding was typically dissolved, with the parent who was the same sex as the child rearing it for the remainder of its childhood.
Magic and Religion
Because of their position as slaves of the dragon lords for so long, dragonborn did not have a tradition of magic, though they had a significant affinity for certain forms of it. The race's natural abilities were well suited for the path of a warlock, though few dragonborn were willing to actually take up the career since it forced them to deal with powers beyond their control. Some dragonborn warlocks did exist, usually social outcasts or those who had justified it as a form of individuality. Dragonborn arcane spellcasters were, however, far more often wizards or sorcerers, attracted by the often secretive and eccentric ways that both paths involved.Having come from Abeir, dragonborn had a very different approach to religion than the other races. On Abeir, divine influence was rare and mysterious, contrary to Toril where it had been relatively common in past ages. Since Abeir was dominated by the primordials who were, according to myth, driven into hiding by the mighty dragon lords that reigned over most of the planet, the dragonborn felt less beholden to gods than the members of other races. For this reason, many dragonborn were entirely agnostic, with no strong feelings one way or another about the gods.
Dragonborn who did embrace religion, however, were well-suited to the path of a paladin. Making the creed and commandments of a god a code by which they could live was in many ways attractive to dragonborn, so long as they were able to get past their natural aversion to beholden to a superior authority they had no control of. If they did join the faithful, dragonborn could become quite devoted in their chosen church, craving the direction and purpose it gave them. Likewise, paladins, unlike clerics, represented an almost martial career path and one that blended well with the militaristic culture of the race.
History
Origins
The origin of the dragonborn race was uncertain and shrouded in myth. While the origin of the Tel'Quessir as Corellon's children was well known and dwarves firmly believed in their stony origin, dragonborn were unsure whence they came.Faerunian sages of the 1470s DR believed that dragonborn were either the original inhabitants of Unther, who were transformed into draconic beings after being exposed to the energies of the Spellplague, or experiments created by the followers of Tiamat in the ruins of Unther. Such beliefs were wrong, however, as dragonborn were denizens from Abeir.
Some legends of Abeir told that Io, the first and greatest of the dragon gods, created the dragonborn as servants for the first dragons. These stories related that the dragonborn, like dragons, were formed from the essence of both the Astral Sea and the Elemental Chaos, though their nature overall favoured the elemental over the astral, just like dragons. Yet another, less popular tale told that Io was killed in the war between the gods and the primordials and that the dragonborn sprang from his spilled blood. A slight variation on this was common among the dragonborn of Tymanther, who believed they were bred by the dragon lords of Abeir for a cruel fate as slaves.
The Platinum Cadre posited an alternative theory in their efforts to spread the worship of Bahamut, that the dragonborn were the ancient creations of the Platinum Dragon. However, most of the order was ridiculed or even openly persecuted for their beliefs since, to the dragonborn of Tymanther, the idea of a good dragon, let alone a good dragon god, was completely alien. However, dragonborn were in fact related to the dragonborn of Bahamut, but only a handful of old dragons knew about this relationship.
Ancient history
Regardless of the origin of the race, dragonborn had been the slaves of dragons for millennia. Occasionally clans would rise in rebellion but only a few, such as the nation of Tymanchebar, were ever successful.Modern history
However, during the Spellplague (beginning 1385 DR), Tymanchebar was believed destroyed, wiped out following the transplantation of its centre from Abeir to Toril. Despite this tragedy, the Abeiran expatriates of the new nation of Tymanther remained strong, and by 1479 DR formed a strong and steady homeland for the dragonborn of Toril that began to see acceptance among its neighbours. Some dragonborn migrated from Tymanther to other lands on Toril, though most that were not a part of the nation remain enslaved by dragons, either on Abeir or within the new continent of Laerakond.Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
Other than their well-known hatred of dragons, dragonborn had few definitive relationships with other races. The dragonborn of Tymanther had a known tolerance for races of all kinds, extending their courtesy even to races who were generally disliked, such as tieflings.
Lifespan
80 years
Average Height
6′2″‒6′8″
Average Weight
220‒320 lb
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