Dragons
All dragons are inherently primal in nature, having been around since the earliest days of life in the world. Modern dragons are descendants of their earliest ancestors, called primordial dragons, great elemental beasts that paved the way for life to begin on the world, spelling an end to the Primeval Times
Dragons are apex predators by nature with four limbs, two of which are wings. Because of this, they are sometimes mistaken for wyverns from a distance. However, true dragons are much larger with more vibrant scales, and dragons are a much rarer sight than wyverns.
While some dragons are more comfortable with the company of others, even benevolent, others are hostile, greedy, and capricious. Their intelligence and wisdom match those of many mortal creatures, all while living exceedingly long life-spans, only growing larger with age. Dragons can reach upwards of 1000 years of age, but very few dragons reach their ancient years, and witnessing such a creature spells awe and wonder or death incarnate
Driven by Greed. Chromatic dragons lust after treasure, and this greed colors their every scheme and plot. They believe that the world's wealth belongs to them by right, and a chromatic dragon seizes that wealth without regard for the humanoids and other creatures that have "stolen" it. With its piles of coins, gleaming gems, and magic items, a dragon's hoard is the stuff of legend. However, chromatic dragons have no interest in commerce, amassing wealth for no other reason than to have it.
Creatures of Ego. Betrayal and in-fighting between chromatic species is common, with each dragon believing itself superior to other dragons, and even other species. Chromatic dragons are united only by their sense of superiority, believing themselves the most powerful and worthy of all mortal creatures. When they interact with other creatures, it is only to further their own interests. They believe in their innate right to rule, and this belief is the cornerstone of every chromatic dragon's personality and worldview. Trying to humble a chromatic dragon is like trying to convince the wind to stop blowing. To these creatures, humanoids are animals, fit to serve as prey or beasts of burden, and wholly unworthy of respect.
Elemental Prowess. The scales of these dragons all match the color given in their namesake and likewise are associated with a given elemental trait. Because of this, chromatic dragons most closely take on the elemental traits of their primordial ancestors, seeking reckless destruction with their innate magical prowess. Significant chromatic dragons throughout history were given fearsome titles, such as the Burning Death, Malinis, the Verdant Blight, the Frozen Ruin, and the Tempest Storm.
and enjoy the company of most younger races. Prismatic dragons generally seek to preserve and protect, viewing themselves as one powerful species with a vital role to play in the conservation of the world.
Refractive Scales. The scales of a prismatic dragon reflect its namesake, and glimmer like the facets of precious gemstones. Though they lack the inherent, elemental, destructive traits of their primordial ancestors, they possess the wisdom and discipline to use magic that their chromatic cousins lack.
Prismatic Queen. Prismatic dragons worship Astria, the primordial, crystalline queen of all prismatic dragons. It is through her teachings and her example that prismatic dragons seek to preserve the balance of magic in the world. They believe it is their role to safeguard the Astral Filament.
Noble Curiosity. Prismatics are intimately curious about the lives of younger races, and it is through their skill with magic that they can shapeshift into humanoid form. When a prismatic dragon learns how to disguise itself, it might immerse itself in other cultures for a time, wandering city streets in humanoid form, taking in the local culture and cuisine, and amusing itself by observing how the smaller races live.
Long Memories. Prismatic dragons have long memories, and they form opinions of humanoids based on the previous contact with related humanoids. Some can recognize humanoid bloodlines by smell, remembering relatives they have come into contact with over the years. A prismatic dragon might resent a noble paladin who's ancestor stole a silver statue from the dragon's hoard a century before.
Divine Spirits. Shen Dragons are unique in their appearance. They are usually long and serpentine, taking after Astria, though they lack any semblance of wings, and and possess manes of fur and long whiskers. Their scale patterns vary, and no two Shen Dragons are alike in coloration. Thus, Shen Dragon species are not named for the colors of their scales, but rather the natural places they inhabit. While Shen Dragons can be considered true dragons, they are as much spirits of nature as they are creatures of flesh and blood. A type of Shen Dragon that soars through the skies may be called a Yún-Shen, or 'Cloud Spirit', and a type of dragon that dwells in a river may be called a Hé-Shen, or 'River Spirit'. Shen Dragons gained their secondary nature as spirits, along with their unique appearance, from their thousand-year slumber within the Spirit Grove after their escape from the turmoil of the Brood War. This connection provides them the gift of flight without need of wings, and they are capable of using their innate magics to weave powerful spells. It has also given Shen Dragons long lives and long memories. Shen dragons are the oldest and longest-living dragon species, capable of reaching upwards of fifteen-hundred years of age.
Myths of the Far East. Like their prismatic cousins, most tend to be benevolent and curious of smaller races, and are capable of shapeshifting. Not all members of their species are good-natured. Some can be temperamental or even malevolent. Many tend to be individualistic by nature and prefer lives of solace, living out their long lives in peace. Shen dragons and shen dragon species are typically named in Orcish tongue due to their shared spaces with Orcish territories. Many shen dragons may gain famous names and reputations in Orcish mythology or poems, and during the Empire of the Celestial Dragon's Age of the Dragon, shen dragons became a stable of Orcish artistry, story-telling, and legend. Many Shen dragons cherish Khitang as their home, and would do anything to protect it. Many know that there is a direct connection between some of the most powerful Shen dragons and the royal lineage of the Emperor, which may have begun with Emperor Hao-Shin Soulseeker.
Hoarders of Wealth
Despite their varying dispositions, all dragons have one thing in common: the desire to cultivate hoards of wealth. Dragons will rarely put these hoards to practical use. To dragons, large hoards of wealth symbolize status and power. How exactly 'wealth' is defined varies from species to species. Some dragons may seek purely material wealth such as coins and valuable gemstones. Others might search for powerful Magic items. Some might even desire grand collections of ancient historical texts lost to the world.Innate Magic
Dragons are inherently magical creatures. All dragons have some innate magical abilities, but they vary from race to race. Dragons also have some innate powers upon the element they are linked to. For example, a red dragon, who breathes fire, may have some control over flame. It has only recently been discovered that many dragons possess a recessive trait that makes them susceptible to absorbing or manipulating ley-line magic in many forms, but this ability has not been active or in use since the time of their primordial ancestors. Today, dragons in and of themselves are a very rare sight to see, and very few of them exist in the world.Dragonflights
The draconic family tree possesses three distinct genuses of dragonflights; the collective name of a group of dragon species. These are the chromatic, prismatic, and the shen dragonflights. Dragons separated into these three dragonflights many thousands of years ago during an event known as the Brood WarChromatic Dragons
Chromatic dragons comprise the vast majory of dragons across the world and are usually foul-tempered and prone to morally evil acts. Most wish to simply quench their endless lust for treasure, food, and bloodshed. Chromatic dragon society is inherently greedy and self-serving. Most tend to keep to themselves, refusing to work in partnership with other chromatics, except when in pursuit of another dragon's hoard.Prismatic Dragons
Prismatic dragons are a rarity among the wider dragon family and have typically only ever been visualized in story and song. They are typically benevolent, altruistic,Shen Dragons
Shen dragons, also known as 'Spirit Dragons' in Orcish, are considered the most reclusive of all dragons. They inhabit the far-eastern regions of Maitreya, and many find their home within the verdant and ancient regions of Khitang.
Genetic Ancestor(s)
Genetic Descendants
Scientific Name
Draconus
Lifespan
800-1000 years
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