The Skyknights of Aerolithica
As adult Lunar Dragons become older, they begin to develop the power to peer into the minds of other beings. This makes them much more difficult to negotiate with, as they can simply extract an individual's best stories without their consent, leaving them with nothing to offer the Lunar Dragon.
A being who truly opens their mind to that of a Lunar Dragon can merge their consciousness together and forge a lifeling bond of rider and mount. Those that do become the Skyknights or Aerolithica: the elite guard of the Imperial family. The identities of both individuals are forever lost to the now merged consciousness, but the rider will make the sacrifice in order to serve their nation, and the Lunar Dragon does so in order to experience tales of adventure and heroism first-hand.
There are only ever 13 Skyknights in Aerolithica: The Skyknight General, and their 12 subordinates.
Aside from The Iron Bastion, each other nation has their equivalent of Skyknights, but due to the lower numbers of Lunar Dragons around their skies, their numbers are much fewer. The Sunken Collective has only ever had one Skyknight in their nation's history. The Verdant Isles' equivalent - The Greenwardens - share a close bond with the Aerolithican Skyknights after their Greenwarden Elder came to Aurelia Skybound's aid after she was grievously wounded by pirates.
For both the knight and the dragon, this bond can only be forged once, and is not done so lightly.
If one or the other perishes, it creates a void in the heart of the survivor, as they have lost a literal piece of themselves which can never be replaced. If a Skyknight loses their dragon, they are usually appointed to the rank of Sky Marshal in Aerolithica's Skyward Keep, training the next generation of Skyknights.
If a Skyknight dies and their Lunar Dragon survives, the dragon will usually spend a number of weeks standing vigil at its rider's final resting place, before departing for good. It is rumoured that there is a secret island in the vicinity of The Whispering Expanse, where the Lunar Dragons of deceased Skyknights live together, exchanging stories of their great adventures to prepare for the Eternal Library.
A being who truly opens their mind to that of a Lunar Dragon can merge their consciousness together and forge a lifeling bond of rider and mount. Those that do become the Skyknights or Aerolithica: the elite guard of the Imperial family. The identities of both individuals are forever lost to the now merged consciousness, but the rider will make the sacrifice in order to serve their nation, and the Lunar Dragon does so in order to experience tales of adventure and heroism first-hand.
There are only ever 13 Skyknights in Aerolithica: The Skyknight General, and their 12 subordinates.
Aside from The Iron Bastion, each other nation has their equivalent of Skyknights, but due to the lower numbers of Lunar Dragons around their skies, their numbers are much fewer. The Sunken Collective has only ever had one Skyknight in their nation's history. The Verdant Isles' equivalent - The Greenwardens - share a close bond with the Aerolithican Skyknights after their Greenwarden Elder came to Aurelia Skybound's aid after she was grievously wounded by pirates.
For both the knight and the dragon, this bond can only be forged once, and is not done so lightly.
If one or the other perishes, it creates a void in the heart of the survivor, as they have lost a literal piece of themselves which can never be replaced. If a Skyknight loses their dragon, they are usually appointed to the rank of Sky Marshal in Aerolithica's Skyward Keep, training the next generation of Skyknights.
If a Skyknight dies and their Lunar Dragon survives, the dragon will usually spend a number of weeks standing vigil at its rider's final resting place, before departing for good. It is rumoured that there is a secret island in the vicinity of The Whispering Expanse, where the Lunar Dragons of deceased Skyknights live together, exchanging stories of their great adventures to prepare for the Eternal Library.
Type
Military Order
Training Level
Elite
Leader
Ruling Organization
Leader Title
Founders
Related Species
The Forgeknights of the Iron Bastion despise the Skyknights of Aerolithica. The latter, however, are completely unaware of the former's existence.
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