Creature Feature - Here Be Dragons! (Part 2)

 Here Be Dragons! (Part 2)

 Well, unfortunately we missed another game session, this time because our baby sitter was in hospital for a, thankfully, routine scan but because of timing and distance, it meant she couldn't be back to look after the Primary Distraction. Therefore I have decided to keep going with the Draconnic Encyclopedia. Yes there are really more different species of dragons out there on Hestia and they all leave their mark for better or for worse.

 Draconnic Encyclopedia (Part 2)

(Art not my own, All rights go to Lee Moyer and Todd Lockwood)

 With the demands upon the writing team of our previous volume it was revealed to be impractical to try to include all the diverse forms of the dragons of Hestia in one tome. Therefore, we have complied this second volume for the students of dragon lore to study and glean the information they need to defend themselves and others against these alpha predators.

General Notes on Dragons

This volume covers further examples of hybrid dragon subspecies born of the union between two other subspecies , as well as more esoteric subspecies that seem to be born of even deeper experiments in binding raw magic to flesh. Since the release of our last volume we have been contacted by a member of the Ash Elf society. Though this individual wishes to remain anonymous, they have imparted their races beliefs as to the origins of the dragons.

The Ash Elves consider themselves to be the Eldest of the Eldest races for 'they alone remained true'. In their belief system they account for the rise of many intelligent races on Hestia by the belief that these races did not arise of their own free will or by blind chance or by the will of the gods, for, they believe  that the gods are younger than the creators of the races. They say 'the races needed higher beings to govern them and guide them, for they had turned on their creators and cast them down. The creators were dead and they had killed them, then who was left to comfort them? In their need, they created beings from story and belief and spun them into being. The gods hold great power but only as much as their worshipers truly believe them to have. Hence why gods rise and fall and die. When belief in them grows, they grow, when it wains, they weaken, when it passes away, so do they.'

Instead, the Ash Elves believe that all races were created by beings they name 'The Begetters'. These beings seemed to be able to mold and build flesh the way a potter can mold clay. It was by the design of these Begetters that the different races were granted their differences and encouraged to grow into the roles predetermined by their creators. The four major races all had purposes built into their very flesh, all of them of practical natures to serve their creators as beasts of burden and farm stock. Apparently a select few were even chosen to be nurseries for the next generation of Begetters (from this we can conclude that they were a parasitic race and this undoubtedly fuel the Great Betrayal that lead to their downfall).

However, when it came to the creation of the draconnic subspecies, it appears that the dragons were created to give their creators minds equal to their own. Whether this was done from some need for competition that we do not understand or because they thought they could control such powerful beasts is unclear and undoubtedly lost to time. All that is known is that the dragons lead the rebellion that cast the Begetters down and destroyed their civilization. What ever the dragons hoped to achieve in this rebellion was quickly lost in the civil war, known as the God War, that followed.

If this humble scholar is allowed to put forward their own opinion, then it occurs to this scholar that what the dragons hoped to achieve in their rebellion may have been a lie right from the start. If readers are willing to refer back to our previous volume then they may remember the entry detailing the deprivations of the Tomb Dragons. Depending when this hideous species developed their love of spreading chaos and destruction, it is possible that they were in instigators of the Draconnic Rebellion and the root cause of the destruction of the Begetters, leading others on with their lies and manipulations. It would certainly explain why the united races disintegrated so thoroughly the moment that their creators were no longer there to enforce order and co-operation.

Whom ever the instigator, it remains certain that the Begetters were cast aside and the races of the world allowed to choice their own paths following the God War. The dragons were of course no different and it is said that the hybrid species had their genesis in this time period. As for the esoteric dragons, it isn't clear whether they were created before or after the fall of the Begetters, though either is a possibility. There is also the theory that some of them were created by magic users in the days when magic was more freely manipulated and there is the possibility that some extremely powerful magic users are still able to influence embryonic dragons while they are still in the shell.

How ever they came to be, the scholar of Dragon Lore should remember that all dragons are powerful magic users in their own right and the esoteric breeds are even more powerful than most.

Assassin Dragons

 Slightly larger than Glacier Dragons at the shoulder, this hybrid species is known for its 'frill' of short horns around the back of its head and jaw and its extremely rough scales. Indeed, some describe these beasts as furry due to these scales, which are more akin to the denticles of shark skin. Dragon hunters report that these dragons are particularly difficult to net, as the roughness of these scales cause them to flay ropes and other fibers. Though chains can withstand the scales, these dragons are fearfully strong despite their size, with thicker musculature than most. Some scholars have even voiced the theory that the 'double muscling' that is typical of a dragon's chest is present through out the entire of the Assassin Dragon's body. It would certainly explain the sheer power these dragons possess, with larger dragon subspecies avoiding them if possible.

The denticles also cover the wing surface, breaking up air flow and therefore deadening the sound of the wing beat, allowing the Assassin dragon to 'stealth fly', often being on top of their target before the target even realizes that the dragon is there. Unusually for dragons, Assassin dragons favor ultra-low level flying, hugging the terrain and attacking from behind obstacles and landscape features that break line of sight. They are also superb night time flyers, often coming in low and fast out of the gloom. It is believed this is due to them inheriting the lateral line and crescent shaped wings of their Glacier Dragon parents, allowing them to judge how close they are to the ground to a nicety.

Color - Assassin dragons are unusual in that their colors do not distinctly change from infancy to maturity so there is no certain way to tell how old these dragons are other than size. That being said, there is a lot of variation between individuals, with some being of such a dark charcoal grey to be almost black, while others are so light to be an ashy white grey. They are also one of the few draconnic subspecies to regularly have patterned individuals among their number, with stripes being common but spotted individuals have also being seen.

Family - Due to their small size while living in environments outside of the sparsely populated frozen wastes, Assassin Dragons form loose 'packs' that share a communal den and will act as a unit to repel threats to their territories but for the most part are fairly dispersed and individualist. Young remain within the 'nest' for roughly a decade but are not under the care of any one parent. Like the eggs, they are guarded and trained by whoever happens to be home at the time. However, this arrangement does allow for elderly and disabled members of the pack to survive as they take on home keeping duties in return for food, both from returning adults and shares in the successful hunts of the youngsters in training.

Assassin Dragons have on of the smallest clutch size of any egg laying dragon, with usually no more than three eggs being laid per clutch.

Personality - Assassin dragons known for having a cold, emotionless stare that looks into the soul of the one speaking to them and weighs up the speakers worth in the given moment. They are coldly logical and emotionless, even more so than the Night Dragons. Whereas Night Dragons strive to use the logic of long term considerations in all that they do for the good of the family, Assassin dragons truly do not care. All that they do is for their own good, even their loose family groups are only an insurance policy against future injury or disability. They feel no guilt or remorse at using anyone and everyone to reach a target. They are highly intelligent and can be charming, if they believe the situation needs it, manipulating those that they need to win at whatever 'game' they are currently playing. If you break under their use, however, you will be cast aside without regret.

Elemental Weapon - Assassin Dragons are unusual in that they are the only Draconnic Subspecies to truly lack an elemental weapon. However, this lack of ranged attack does not make them any less dangerous, due to their inborn strength and their teeth. Their many, many teeth. Assassin dragons have maws that are lined with a triple row of teeth, the smallest of which are six inches long above the gums and the longest coming in at nearly a foot in length. They are deeply rooted and bright red, containing as they do huge amounts of iron to strengthen them. Some orc mountain tribes treasure weapons made out of these dragons' teeth, claiming that they are more effective than steel and never break. These claims may be true as the teeth of an Assassin Dragon are wickedly sharp and serrated front and back to increase damage and blood lost of the target. They also curve back towards the throat so the more the prey struggles, the more they impale themselves upon these fangs.

What is more, Assassin Dragons don't just have teeth lining their impressively strong jaws (strong enough to bite through a bison's thigh bone without effort), they have teeth lining their throats, some backward curving to ensure that the prey cannot escape, others forward facing and more blade like to shred the prey on its way to the stomach. In short, death by Assassin Dragon is death by massive blood loss and tissue trauma.

Shapeshift - Of all the Draconnic Subspecies that are able and willing to shapeshift the Assassin Dragon comes in only second place to the Tomb Dragon in the sheer fear factor this ability gives them. Assassin Dragons can live for years in the form of another being, slowly worming their way into a position of trust next to their target.

Known Example - The kingdom of Muldwa has survived because it is host to at least two packs of Assassin Dragons. This geologically small nation is sandwiched between the national interests of no less than three major powers and would form the most direct corridor of advancement to at least two opposing religious interests. As such, one would have expected it to have been destroyed generations ago in the tidal fluxes of history. Instead, it sits quite peacefully between them all, its general population quietly tiling the soil and enjoying the peace of a good climate, fertile land and gentle terrain. It is said that change comes slowly to Muldwa, if it ever comes at all. However, it does have one 'trade' that keeps it safe from all its more aggressive neighbors. Its spy network is vast and the greater part of its government is dedicated to sifting the masses of information thus generated, all of this data being solely so that new targets can be chosen to be assigned to the packs of Assassin Dragons that call the Eastern Mountains of Muldwa home. Thus the people of Muldwa trade 'interesting hunts' in exchange for their safety. It is a delicate balance but one that has ensured that Muldwa has continued to exist in the face of historical pressure.

The greatest success of the Assassin Dragons of Muldwa has to be the repulsion of the invasion the followers of Jagra, a religion that firmly believed that all beings must be converted to their way of life, by the sword if necessary. As the hordes spilled through the Eastern Mountain passes of Muldwa, the Zvak discovered in his tent one morning a message bound round the hilt of a dagger. No one had seen who had entered his tent placed the dagger there, the unwritten message being that he could have died in the night without a sound. The written message announced that a messenger would come to parley later that day. When the messenger arrived, baring the mark of the Assassin Dragons, they were shown to the Zvak's tent and informed him that the message they carried was for his ears only. The Zvak ordered everyone, save his two most trusted bodyguards out of the tent. The messenger repeated that his message was for the Zvak's ears only, to which the Zvak replied that these men were as his sons, anything said to him would be said to them, where upon the messenger asked the body guards 'if I order you to kill this man, what will you do?' The replied was not spoken, instead the bodyguards both drew their daggers and laid them at the Zvak's throat. As the Zvak came to the realization that his most trusted bodyguards, men who had been at his is side for ten or more years, where Assassin Dragon agents, the messenger informed him that there were more like them within his inner circle and his government. The army of Jagra with drew from Muldwa within the week and has not returned.

Hoard - The hoard of an Assassin Dragon, would look not unlike junk to the uninformed individuals eyes, comprising of bits and pieces of arms and armor, as well as small household items and even magically preserved lengths of rope and cloth. All of it will, inevitably, be stained, battered, broken or damaged in some way. However, junk this is not. Every piece has a story attached to it as it is a relic of a successful 'hunt'. If asked, the Assassin Dragon can recall the details of each and every assassination it has carried out, down to the final stroke and death rattle, as well as who commissioned the Assassination. Assassin Dragons see no reason to disguise their activities once the 'hunt' has been successfully completed.

Environment - Assassin Dragons favor hilltop fastnesses or mountainside fortresses, some going so far as to have no land based method of access, instead having a secondary location that acts as the communication point between them and possible 'clients'. These secure nests also give the hatchlings an advantage when they first take to their wings and also result in giving this usually low flying species a vantage point from which they can view approaching foes.

Devourer Dragon

Also known as Serpent Dragons, this hybrid species is noted for having the blunt, rounded snout of a snake and specialized ribs in the neck made of a material similar to whale bone, enabling them to flare a 'hood' out when they are irked. They are also noted for the fact that they are the only Draconnic Subspecies to lack wings entirely, with barely a indistinct ridge on their sides to denote where the wings were originally rooted. This lack of flight does not overly bother them within their native range as they are able to 'swim' through loose soil and water with equal ease. Therefore the traveler is advised to bare in mind that not all draconnic attacks will happen from the air, some can erupt from under their feet as the ground gives way and the Devourer Dragon bursts forth to claim its feed. The other distressing feature of this dragon is its sheer variety of size, with some individuals being no bigger than Glacier Dragons at full maturity, while others with rival Lava dragons in sheer weight and power. Therefore there is no sure way of calculating the size and weight of a Devourer Dragon if the traveler is hired as a dragon slayer to try and destroy it.

Color - Devourer Dragons begin life as a muted tawny yellow color and darken as they grow and age, shifting through many different shades until their reach the beautiful luster of a well polished horse chestnut on their upper scales while their underbellies remain a paler shade of teak. Their scale are large and thick but well polished, their horns small, though not as numerous as the Assassin Dragon's, their claws long and wickedly hooked. Their maws, though not as toothsome as the Assassin Dragon's are still extremely strong and they can open extremely wide, with some Devourer Dragons gaping and then using their head like a battle axe against large prey and other large predators, the teeth of the upper jaw being the serrated cutting edge that slams into the target over and over. It is not quick and it is not pretty but it is brutally efficient, resulting in ragged wounds that led to massive blood loss and over whelming shock. Some scholars also claim that the smaller specimens of this species are venomous. They do not have the specialist fangs that true serpents possess but many of their teeth are grooved and there is evidence of the specialized salivary glands necessary to produce venom. It is believed that it is leaked continuously into the mouth and therefore coats the teeth in a permanent sheen of venom. It appears that this venom is an anti-coagulant, keeping wounds open and leaking, as well as increasing the risk of infection post attack. This certainly would explain the bite and retreat attack pattern witnessed being employed by many of the smaller members of this Draconnic Subspecies, with an initial attack taking place before the Devourer retreats and follows the injured party at a distance, waiting for collapse to take place so they can then move in on the kill.

Family - It appears that the Devourer Dragon employs the same family strategy as many of the Draconnic Subspecies, that being to lay the eggs in a secluded spot, in a mound of material that will keep them warm before abandoning them and moving on. Again this is a high risk, high reward strategy. If the nest remains undiscovered then the eggs will be able to hatch on mass but if the nest is discovered, particularly in the climate that Devourer Dragons prefer then it is unlikely that any of the eggs with make it to hatching.The young disperse quickly after hatching and take their chances.

Personality - Devourer Dragons are always looking for the edge, they are always looking for the advantage that will give them victory in any conflict. They are cunning, resourceful and can sometimes be petty if they feel slighted. They prefer speed and guile to gain what they want, goading conflict but avoiding injury if they realize that they have provoke a fight they cannot win. They live very much by the maxim of 'he who fights and runs away, lives to fight another day'. As such, other Draconnic Subspecies consider them to be cowards and weaklings, a belief that the Devourer Dragons are more than happy to exploit to their advantage. They often subject smaller communities of the lesser races to their will, forcing the community to pay tribute to them in return for 'safety'. This heavy handed protection racket can financially cripple communities, although the smarter specimens of this species do have an understanding of the balance between obedience and oppression. This level of intelligence is not universal to the subspecies though and it is difficult to known which sort is the more dangerous - the small, venomous, intelligent type or the massive, bullying and dimwitted variant.

Elemental Weapon - Besides the apparent presence of venom in the smaller specimens of this subspecies, Devourer Dragons also have a very abrasive elemental attack, literally. They possess a highly muscled, secondary gullet, which can store a mixture of sand and saliva and jet this concoction at the target at blistering speeds, sloughing skin and soft tissue off the bone. It is known as an excruciatingly painful way to die.

Shapeshift - Maybe one of the only benefits to this Draconnic Subspecies is that they are not known to regularly shapeshift into the form of other races, remaining apart from the population even in settlements were they are extracting payment in their protection rackets. However, they do have a forceful personality and some members have formed communities around themselves to control the organized crime within a location better.

Known Exception - The kingdom of Garman shimmers above the desert mirages, its white walls blinding in the midday sun, its guards gazing down the height of the plateau that has kept them safe for generations. With in the city walls, carefully tended garden grow an abundance of food, while merchants being exotic food stuffs from far away, to trade in exchange for the fresh water pearls that are harvested from the oysters that are used to purify the city's water system. These pearls have a strange luster to them, most appearing to have a purple sheen to them, while others are so dark to be almost black. Within the domed palace, the king reclines on pillows of silk, his scales brightly gleaming, plucking grapes from bowls with delicate claws. Else he strides among his courtiers as broad shouldered man with skin the color of polished hard wood, his dragon kin children keeping pace, their weapons ever ready to defend their sire.

Hoards - Devourer Dragons are a subspecies shaped by the scarcity that marks their early years and though they are not as animalistic as Glacier Dragons, they are very much driven by their stomachs. As such they hoard non-perishable food items and recipes, always looking for a new treat with which to tickle their pallets. As such a choice dish of delicacies is always an acceptable tribute if you wish to pass safely through their lands.

Environments - Devourer Dragons prefer hot, dry climates, particularly deserts, where their ability to 'swim' through loose soil will not be hindered. They appear to have the ability to detect rhythmic vibrations through the soil and will hone in on the pattern of footfalls. Due to this some cultures, who have lived with Devourer Dragons  for a long time have adapted their culture to teach their children such tricks as walking without rhythm when they are outside of the city walls, or to drag their feet when they are walking so that it distorts the sounds of their steps through the ground. As such cobblers and shoe makers have a well respected trade as people need their shoes regularly replaced as they wear at a faster pace than those worn by people who can walk without out the fear of a dragon rising up from under their feet.

Other peoples have come to an understanding with the Devourer Dragons that call their lands home, offering them food and recipes at way side shrines to guarantee safe passage along set trade routes. These trade routes have become safe passages into and out of some of the desert cities, with anything that strays off of the set routes becoming prey for the Devourers. As such the Devourer Dragons have become both angels and demons to these cultures, beings of a higher order that must be appeased to have safe passage from them.

Crone Dragons

The first of the esoteric dragons we will cover and one of the most dangerous, these beings are as unnatural as they come. They are neither born, nor truly hatched from eggs, they have no will to breed and do not even have a true life circle that can be compared to other Subspecies. This is because Crone Dragons are created, never bred. They come into being when a dragon egg is stolen by a circle of crones. These evil fae beings then experiment on the egg, subjecting it to rituals of suffering and magic, twisting its body and warping the mind within the shell. When it finally hatchlings it bares only a slight resemblance to the being it once was, but it has been warped beyond any kinship to those that were once its own kind.

Color - A Crone Dragon is always a sickly, mottled brown, unhealthy looking and patched, some even having leprous looking white patches dotting their hides. Their wings are broad and short, their flight pattern heavy in the air. Besides the fact that they have wings, there are a couple of other features that make them distinct from Devourer Dragons, the most striking of these being that they only have one eye in the center of their forehead. The eyes that should have been their have withered to residual husks in the sides of their heads, while their single, great blood shot eye pops and goggles in the center of their foreheads, its eyelids sliding sideways as it blinks.

They also have flesh tendrils sprouting from the back of their heads, hanging down their necks in a mockery of hair. What purpose these fleshy 'dreadlocks' serve is not understood and this scholar doubts that it ever will be.

Family - Born as they are from foul deeds and warped magic, Crone Dragons have no family. Indeed, the only reason a Crone Circle will create one of these things is so that they can use it in their diabolical schemes. It will be a living battery for their magic, an overworked familiar and a source of potion ingredients. What infancy and childhood a Crone Dragon has is marked with suffering and pain but far from wishing to elevate these conditions in others the Crone Dragon seeks to supplant its suffering into another, perpetrating an endless circle of suffering and trauma, with the Crone Dragon, like the Crones who created it, feeding off the resulting pain.

Personality - Crone Dragons are known for being sly, using magic to manipulate their surrounding and pull targets into their sphere of influence. They will pour bad luck on to their chosen targets, causing crops to whither, property to be damaged and people to sicken around them. Many who have been accused of witchcraft, have in fact themselves been the victims of the attentions of a Crone Dragon, who will delight in breaking the trust of a community from a far. It takes strong faith in a god to be able to turn aside the attentions of a Crone Dragon. Their cruelty is legendary, with only Tomb Dragons fully able to rival them. Which of these beasts is the worst at inflicting pain is debated but there is one factor that means that Crone Dragons will often lose out to a Tomb Dragons - Crone Dragons are all totally and utterly mad. Their wheels were slipping as soon as they were hatched and this continues throughout their lives. As such, they will often lose track of a scheme in favor of a new distraction and their schemes are often badly thought through. As such they will concentrate more on the destruction of one person or one family over and above all others, rather than bringing a whole country to smash.

Elemental Weapon - The elemental weapon of the Crone Dragon is unusual in that it is an exhalation of an element but rather a devouring of an element, in this case one of the most fundamental elements of all - time itself. With a dreadful rattle that sounds like the last gasp of a dying man, the Crone Dragon inhales, sucking in the time contained within a hundred foot square area. Through this area is not as large as it sounds, being only ten foot by ten foot, this elemental weapon has a devastating affect on the the attacked location and anyone caught within in it. Dead organic matter, such as the wood used for furniture, decomposes, metal rusts or tarnishes and living beings age at a terrifyingly advanced pace. Years flash by like minutes, hair greying, strong limbs becoming weak, backs bending under the weight of the years, eyes becoming dim and hearing fading. Young, powerful warriors become broken old men and beautiful young women become withered old biddies with nary a tooth in their heads within minutes. Worse, however, is yet to come.

As Crone Dragons are not born but rather made, they cannot age like regular creatures that come into the world in the normal fashion. Indeed, if a Crone Dragon is not allowed to use its elemental attack on anyone they will never age a day, spending hundreds of years as a Hatchling, never growing, never changing but all too aware of the power that is being denied them as they are trapped in the earliest stage of growth. The Crones that created the Crone Dragon will, of course, exploit this trait to the full, keeping the dragon as small and a weak as possible, the better to torment it and exploit it. Denied not only the time to grow but also the suffering of others on which to feed, the Crone Dragon will build its resentment to astronomical heights, constantly on the lookout for ways in which to dispose of the Crone Circle so that it can be free to indulge all of its appetites and vices. Indeed, may a band of heroes have succeeded in destroying a Circle of Crones only to have unleashed a greater monster for a Crone Dragon, once it has had time to feed its hunger for time, will have all the power of a dragon warped by the sickly magic of a Circle of Crones and mated to their hunger for suffering.

Shapeshift - The only magic that blessedly, Crone Dragons seem to have no ability in is the magic of shapeshifting. They either find the process painful or have no interest in assuming the form of another. It is possible that having spent years trapped in a relatively small and fragile body, Crone Dragons have no interest in assuming a form that is just as small and even weaker and less resilient to damage. For this small mercy, there can be nothing but thanks.

Hoard - The Hoard of a Crone Dragon is a ramshackle pile of mad experiments and twisted equipment. A Crone Dragon will dabble in just about all forms of magic, such as biological manipulation, beast control, magical constructs, enchanting items, illusions, oracle and potions. Their experiments often do not make any sense, due to their insanity and are often abandoned half way through the project. There is nothing elegant or pleasing about the constructs of a Crone Dragon, indeed they seem to revel in ugliness and loathing.

Environment - Unfortunately, these dragons have no natural environmental preference and therefore can be found in every possible environment, though they favor deep caves and secluded locations for their lairs as just about every natural creature will be their enemy. Even Tomb Dragons have been known to enter truces and agreements for the sake of the destruction of a Crone Dragon. If Crone Dragons have any understanding that all natural beings are disgusted by them, they show no sign of it, consumed as they are by their hunt for suffering on which to feed.

Gealach Dragons

Whilst also being created by the Fae, Gealach dragons are the polar opposite of Crone dragons in almost every single way possible. Gealach Dragons are, it is true, neither born nor bred, but no outer will created them, indeed it is not known if they even come from true dragon eggs. It appears that when the lands of the fae are suitably saturated in life giving magic, some of this magic will be expressed back into the material world as a Gealach Dragon egg. This egg, about the size and shape of an ostrich egg will lay on a deep bed of mulch, sheltered by the spread of leaves above it. If found by a wild animal it will be inspected and left alone, something in the smell or maybe the sound of the egg, deters predators from interfering with it. How long this egg will lay there, is anybody's guess but in due time it will hatch into a truly beautiful creature.

Color - Galach Dragons have every color and no color at all. Their shimmer with a pearlescent hue, white hide shimmering with bands of color, like an aurora over a snow field. They are infinitely graceful, their moments measured and steady, their slender heads held high but tilted down so that they greet you with a nod of respect and quiet welcome. Growing in the nooks and creases of their scales, small plants grow and bloom. However, here not all is as it seems. What appears to be a clump of moss is a tiny oak tree. What appears to be biting stonecrop is actually a miniature yellow rose bush and the dust that falls from their hide is the seeds of thousands, gently sifting down to be planted in the ground as the dragon walks. Larger plants grow from its back so that, as it moves, pacing through its home, it appears that part of the forest has become perambulatory and has decided to go on an inspection of its environs, giving the Gealach Dragon a shape akin to a leafy sea dragon but drifting through a land based forest, rather than one under the waves.

Family - As Gealach Dragons are not truly born but rather created, they do not have families as such. However, they quickly gather around them a gathering of the lost and the lonely, the injured and the broken. Their presence is gentle and their aura calm, healing can be found in their company. Though plant life doesn't grow as rampantly around a Gealach Dragon as it does around a Tropic Dragon, it still grows healthy and well. The sunlight through the canopy is cool and refreshing and at night luminescent fungi shines, fireflies dance and crystal rocks glow with gentle light. It is never truly dark around a Gealach Dragon.

The trees are green, the rain is gentle, the seas are cool and the sky is blue; life grows anew. A Gealach Dragon is a gentle, haunting blessing to the land it calls home and those that are outcast through no fault of their own can find peace in their presence.

Personality - Gealach Dragons speak but little and listen much. Their large dark eyes regard those in their presence with an otherworldly wisdom. This wisdom is not passive; Gealach Dragons understand only too well that not all of wisdom brings joy, exposed as they are to the depravity that people are capable of in the living wreckage that floats up to where the Gealach Dragon lives.

Gealach homes are havens of peace but never think they are defenseless. Gealach dragons are warriors in a garden, not gardeners in a war, if roused their anger is a terrible thing and they are not forgiving creatures. They know ways of punishing those that anger them that makes death look like the preferred option.

However, to those that are in pain, those that are burdened may come to them and find their rest.

Elemental Weapon - The elemental weapon of the Gealach Dragons is the stuff of dreams itself, unfettered by time. For those that come to them seeking healing, the dreams of a Gealach Dragon heal trauma, resolve internal conflicts and aid in self acceptance.

For those that come seeking to do harm, the dreams of a Gealach Dragon are the stuff of nightmares, made of their worst memories and most terrifying fears, trapping them in pits of despair that shatter minds and reduce them to infancy. However, if this most terrible of punishments is warranted then the Gealach Dragon will be merciful in the aftermath, allowing the shattered being to remain in their domain, to be cared for and entertained by the little things that amuse infants until their natural death. They will not push them away to be trampled by the world that they can now no longer defend against or expose them to the vengeance of others, no matter how much that vengeance maybe deserved. In all things Gealach Dragons try to be merciful.

Shapeshift - Gealach Dragons will not often appear outside of their homes in the form of another but within their boarders they will approach strangers in the form of a different being, usually a fair maiden or a graceful doe to test their will and intent. If they come seeking destruction, they will find it but if they are of the lost and the lonely, the broken and the cursed, then the Gealach Dragon will lead them deeper into their home, until they are ready to begin their healing, no matter how long that takes. If after their healing, they have something that must be done, some task, some wound that must be healed in others, some recompense that must be given then they will appear on the edge of the Gealach's territory within only hours of leaving it. If however, they have no one and nothing that can hold them to the world this time round in their broken state, then they will reappear on the edge of the Gealach's land completely unchanged but years, decades, even centuries may have passed in the outer world while they were within the Gealach Dragon's home. It is the belief of this scholar that this is the source of the stories of the children of broken homes going missing in the woods, only to return as health young adults, trained and ready to face the world, only to find their tormentors died years before and they are free to live the lives they longed for in the world now that the darkness has been cleansed from their lives.

Environment - The territories of the Gealach Dragon is one of the most difficult to define as they exist in two places at once. They exist in the material world and in the strange world of the Fae at the same time and at no time as well. It is impossible to say when the ways between these two places will be open and when they will not. There are areas known for not exactly hauntings but for strange occurrences and odd disappearances but they can shift and sometimes they are unreliable. People can search earnestly their whole lives for a doorway to the Fae and be denied that entire time, whereas others, having no idea what they are doing, can step through into the territory of the Gealach Dragon without effort. All that can be said is that the pathway to the home of a Gealach Dragon is a matter of need rather than of want and sometimes it is the little needs that open the door, rather than what is expected to.

Void Dragon

Neither normal or esoteric, the Void Dragon is something else entirely. One of two cousin subspecies that shared the land further east than east in the time that land was inhabitable, the Void Dragon appears to have a natural life cycle but at a power level that defies even the esoteric subspecies in ability. Indeed, this scholar must report that at least some of these beings seem to have a manner in which they can defy death itself. Although they are not as powerful as the last subspecies of dragon we will cover in this report, it must be said that they come close, to the point that if the last and greatest subspecies could be considered a god then these beings and their cousins could be considered the angels, or rather demons, of the pantheon. However, which is which can depend on your position to their morals and whether or not you are in their way. This scholar, again, wonders, if they maybe so bold as to present their own opinion, which is worse - the Void Dragon's gleeful love of destroying those they consider to be worthy prey or the Astral Dragon's calm ascertain that the destruction is 'for the greater good'.

Color - The Void Dragon is hatched with a hide of deepest, darkest black and eyes that glow with a faintly phosphorous glow. Even as hatchlings their teeth are deadly, their claws wicked and their love of chaos unbound. As they grow and mature, their hides become speckled with the patterns of nebula and cosmic explosions that shift and waver over their bodies, lending the appearance that they are made out of the stuff of the night sky itself. In full maturity their eyes glow with the sickly light of dying supernova. They also distort the material around themselves to a certain degree, giving the impression tat they are much larger creatures seen at a distance, even when they are close to you. They also possess an unnerving aura, the chill of night seeping from their hide to trickle across the ground, leaving ice crackling in their wake.

Family - In the time before the calamity struck the Burning Continent Void Dragons formed small, diverse family groups. Probably due to their love of chaos, Void Dragons had no set family structure across the species, with multiple different versions of the family being played with. Some only mated for the time taken to raise a single clutch, others abandoned their eggs upon laying, still others formed permanent bonds but even these varied. One family could be two sisters sharing one husband, where as another could be one female with two unrelated husbands to her name. They also seemed to have a number that made same sex bonds with these couples regularly adopting the eggs of females who had abandoned their clutches.

 There did seem to be a general understanding that knowledge needed to be passed down the generations but this seemed to be more geared towards an instruction on how to cause chaos to more organized societies.

Personality - Void Dragons, what can be said of these chaotic tricksters? They are the dark reflection of society, structure, order and regulations. They are danger and risk personified, careless in many ways as to the destruction they cause, though it must be said that the disasters they caused could always be seen at least several days in advance so that those who had the sense to see the signs could try to mitigate the damage or evacuate the area.

Perhaps it is best to think of them as an embodiment of both natural disaster and organized warfare, the chaos they sow will either destroy a society or force it to evolve and grow. Void Dragons will not allow stagnation and conservatism, they force community and growth upon the lesser races. When the world breaks around people they either revert to the worst they can be and destroy each other or they bound together, the attitude of 'we must all stick together for the clouds to roll by' coming to the fore.

They also forced those in authority to consider the long term effects. There was never an 'if' about the disasters Void Dragons brought, it was always a 'when'. As such flood mitigation, drought preparations, fire defenses and evacuation routes in case of a volcanic eruption always had to be considered. Companies and governments could not afford to ignore the existence of these creatures and just wait for disaster to happen because if they did then the Void Dragons would make sure the disasters happened in the most expensive way possible.

Unfortunately this often meant that innocent and small lives were caught in the fall out zone when disaster struck and not enough had been invested in disaster preparation. While the Void Dragons appeared unconcerned by this, if they did discover a case of cruelty and neglect then they could be extremely personal in their resolution of the situation. Again there is the factor that thy seemed to distort reality around them. Though rarely appearing bigger that twenty two hands at the shoulder, Void Dragons could some how swallow entire horses whole or even consume swarms of smaller foes in a single gulp. They appeared to appreciate the sensation of live prey wriggling as it went down.

Elemental Weapon - The breath of a Void Dragon was the total cold of the empty Void between stars, a freezing, blood chilling frost that cut through flesh, stilled the blood and stopped the heart, leaving surfaces slicked with black ice and skin adhering to what it was touching. Skin turned black, blood vessels burst and eyes ruptured as the water in tissues swelled and ruptured cell walls. Death was quick but excruciating.

The greater danger of a Void Dragon was their sheer mastery of area of affect magic. They could stir a volcano to wakefulness after a thousand year sleep and shift an entire continental shelf in an earthquake that shattered cities.

Shapeshift - It appears that Void Dragons did have the ability to shapeshift into the form of the lesser races but they rarely did it for much more that tasting that which they fancied, their chaotic nature seeding itself in moments of fun and distraction but never lasting for anything more than a temporary tryst.

Hoard - Void Dragons were too chaotic to collect Hoards but they had long and detailed memories so if they collected anything it was the memories of chaos and destruction, of flood's roar, of fire's bright glow, of the thunder of volcanic fury and the wild dances performed on the wing round the ash cloud.

Environment - The Void Dragons Haunted the wild places of the land now known as the Burning Continent, prancing in their wild abandon, stoking the fires of mountains, laying the beams of a dam slam, stirring the skies to rage with the untamed recklessness of their will. However, all their power could not save them from the disaster that struck the land that became the Burning Continent, their Void born wings burning as they tumbled from the skies to their doom below, the darkness of the calamity claiming them as thoroughly as all other life on the continent.

Known Example - The only apparent survivor of the Void Dragon race appears to be one Valodrael. It is unclear how exactly he has defied death for so long as it appears that he did take some damage during the catastrophe but he is currently in a symbiotic relationship with one Estella Blackstar. The dynamic between them is somewhat messy and unconventional but Estella Blackstar seems more than content to play host for a being that can devour monsters. They are able to separate for a short space of time but Valodrael struggles to maintain his form on these excursions and extended periods of time on the outside seem to cause him a degree of pain.

Exactly what bounded these two together has not yet been revealed but it appears that Estella Blackstar was more than happy to leave both home and family behind her and there is a dark maturity to her words and opinions that speaks of an extremely unhappy time in her past.

If they ever succeed in finding another body for Valodrael, it is unclear how their relationship will develop but there appears to be a possessive streak in Valodrael's behavior towards Estella and Void Dragons rarely let go of that which they want.

Astral Dragons

The other sub species of the now Burning Continent, the Astral Dragons were the opposite in the interplay of duality between themselves and the Void Dragons. Ordered whereas their cousins were chaotic, structured to their destruction and living their lives to a rigid code of conduct, instilled in them from birth, Astral Dragons existed to be the guardians of society and no failure of that cause was allowed. Indeed in the few cases of an Astral Dragon failing to live up to the expectations, the limited moments when an Astral Dragon fell into dishonor, then they would inevitably ritually end themselves by jumping to the 'Non-realm' and staying there until death.

Color - The Astral Dragons began their lives the color of a well banked fire. As they grew and matured, their hides would slowly shift to a warm yellow before finally becoming the blue white of a lightning strike in old age. Like their counterparts, the Void Dragons, the Astral Dragons appeared to distort reality around them, bending it so that a much larger creature could fit into the smaller space that was available. They were streamlined and sleek, speeding through the air with whiplash velocity.

Family - The Astral Dragons did not have families, believing that family was an emotional tie that only led to destruction. Attachment led to fear, fear to anger, anger to hate and hate to destruction and dishonor. Therefore eggs were transported away from their parents within hours of being laid. They were taken to a separate chapter house of the Paladins to be raised by members of that organization. They were always watched carefully and any sign of attachment resulted in them being moved on to a different chapter house. Deviation from the structures laid down by the regulations of the Paladin order were not tolerated. It is unclear how frequent deviations from this norm were and whether there were ever any mavericks that didn't care when they failed the training. It is also unclear if the failures were banished or otherwise disposed of.

Personality - The Astral Dragons were calm, regal, loyal to their principles and considered noble by the people under their protection. Their regal presence was a staple of the main civilization of the now Burning Continent, partnered as they were to the Paladins.

They were always calm and collected, trained from infancy to ignore emotion and consider only the greater good of their avowed society.

Though this code of conduct kept the society safe for several thousand years it was also a harsh master, meaning that no failure or deviation was allowed from the set structure of the society, any that could not bend to the greater good were either outcast or imprisoned as threats to the state. For the Astral Dragons this was a necessary sacrifice and a welcomed one as the measure of love is what you are willing to give up for it. Therefore, if you could not conform to societies expectations then you should welcome your sequestering from society as it was your sacrifice to prove that you still loved your family. If you did not welcome your sacrifice then that proved that you had no love for your family, your society or the greater good. Those that had no love deserved no compassion. They held their chaotic kin in great despair and sorrow, deploring their unnatural families and their wild ways. Even the Void Dragons who avoided causing natural disasters that impacted civilization directly were considered enemies of he greater good as their wild sky dancing encouraged outbursts of social unrest and disorder, as people were inspired to question whether the structures of society truly served the people when the Void Dragons flew overhead.

Elemental Weapons - The Astral Dragons elemental weapons did not cause property destruction and disorder to infrastructure of the civilizations of the now Burning Continent and they were careful to only unleash it with the minimum of witnesses to avoid causing panic among the population but it was none the less devastating to unprepared targets. The Astral Dragons could create a jet of pure star light. Though this does not sound that terrible it resulted in bubbling and blistering skin with yellow blisters rising on reddened flesh Eyelids puffed, ears swelled and although recovery was possible further diseases of the skin were probable in the years following exposure. In short, although not destructive, the elemental weapon of an Astral Dragon was extremely painful.

Another inborn ability of the Astral Dragons was the ability to jump to the 'non-realm'. This is a poorly understood ability in the modern era but from what can be gleaned from the sparse historical records is that the Astral Dragons could somehow shift themselves into another realm a part from and yet some how apart of our own world. It is unclear how this was done, why the euphemism of 'jumping' was chosen and just how much the Astral Dragons could carry with them; all that is clear is that it was an ability only the Astral Dragons ever possessed. Whether the 'non-realm' was the Fae or somewhere different is easier to answer. The 'non-realm' seemed to be a realm of complete and utter sensory deprivation, a 'white room' of a place, where it was a competition as which ran out first, the air in yours lungs or your minds ability to think in a straight line. Thus it is as far from the Fae realm as it is possible to get as the Fae realm is a realm of life abundant.

Shapeshift - There was a strict prohibition against Astral Dragons assuming the form of another being that hints that they were capable of such magic but did not practice it. This is most likely due to a belief that the only motivation for the shapeshift was over attachment, dare I say love, of another being. Therefore to shapeshift was a sign of dishonor and disgrace, earning instant banishment. Most would jump to the 'non-realm' and stay there in shame.

Hoard - Just as attachment was forbidden so was possessions. An Astral Dragon had no hoard and as a true member of their society would not wish for one.

Environment - It is unclear if any of the Astral Dragons and their Paladin partners survived the cataclysm that struck the Burning Continent. With the Astral Dragons ability to jump to the 'non-realm' and back, they would have been the most likely survivors but it would probably be a matter of how fast to Paladins could detect the ignition of the God Machine, calculate what was happening and react before the blast wave hit. Even if they did survive the initial destruction then it is unlikely they survived the psychological damage of realizing that not only had they failed to protect their avowed nations but that their final destruction had arisen from within its very heart. It is likely that many jumped to the 'non-realm' and stayed there in ritual self destruction.

Steel Dragons

Yet another subspecies of dragon that does not appear to have any connection to the other subspecies, to the point that this scholar wonders, if the Ash Elf belief that the dragons were create is true, what purpose was in mind when the Steel Dragons were brought into being. These mighty creatures are unlike every other dragon known and it is unclear even how many of them there are and whether or not they can begin dragon kin bloodlines. Some details about their lifecycle are even unknown and we must make our best guess as to the possibilities, weighing the probabilities present by the information gathered by those that have been studying this species for far longer than this scholar has.

Color - Steel Dragons are a beautiful polished silver grey when ever they are seen in their natural forms, their scales looking like overlapping shields, large and thick over the chest and sizing down to the smallest that rest at their joints. As youngsters they were less well polished and more of a blue grey, akin to steel in the earlier stages of forging. Their faces were particularly expressive and mobile, making them one of the easiest dragons to judge when it came to mood and inclination. They often smell like fresh steel that has just been quenched. Their wings are not made of one surface membrane like other dragons but rather of overlapping vanes of a scale like structure, similar to their chest scales but shaped more like swords that whisper through the air, promising a swift but painful death. Though difficult to employ against targets on the ground, unless they are large enough, these blade wings are brutally efficient against targets in the air, which is probably why other dragons are extremely cautious around Steel Dragons. Having their wings sliced to ribbons would be a death sentence for most dragons.

Family - As stated before the complete life cycle of a Steel Dragon is unclear but what can be implied from the rare records of these creatures is that they spend their early years with their parents until they have mastered a level of the shapeshifting ability that even beasts such as the Tomb Dragons struggle to master. Once this is accomplished the Steel Dragon will leave to assume their first 'life' among the other, lesser races. The Steel Dragon will then spend the greater part of their existence hoping from assumed life to assumed life, pausing only at the end of each 'life' to record their experiences in fine detail before traveling to a new life and assuming a new identity.

It is only as they grow through to older age that they feel the need for a more stable identity and will return to the 'library', as their nests are known, that birthed them for their last stay. Unfortunately not many Steel Dragons make it this far as disease and injury accounts for many deaths. In these last centuries the Steel Dragon will commit to the record any further observations and knowledge that they collected during their many lives. While they finish this last recording they will pair off, if possible, to create the next generation of Steel Dragons.

Then, at last, they will leave the library for their last flight before the final sleep claims them and they close their eyes for the last time.

Personality - When they are in their true form Steel Dragons are curious to a fault, constantly seeking new knowledge, new understanding and new experiences. Considering their feline grace and speed, one is tempted to call them the cats of the Draconnic Races.

When they have 'assumed' a life among the lesser races, it really does depend on what sort of life they have chosen. They can run the gambit from kind to cruel, self sacrificing to selfish, lawful to chaotic, good to evil. They aim to taste every possibility life has to offer them and they will do so, both the good and the bad, though they often have a leaning for one or the other, so that if they are forced into a life that runs counter to their internal beliefs they will eventually rebel against it and set out to reinvent themselves within their current life.

Elemental Weapon - The Elemental Weapon of the Steel Dragon appears to be a direct reflection of their name. When they are in their true form they can exhale a spray of fine, extremely hot liquid steel droplets. These are dangerous enough when jetted in a horizontal pattern but when the dragon is on the wing, if it is at sufficient height, the steel droplets are cooled and hardened by wind speed even as they approach terminal velocity. At these speeds a droplet the size of a pea can punch clean straight down through the top of someone skull, delivering death in an instant. It appears that this Elemental Weapon is created in a specialist gullet and that after death any of the metal that is left in this organ cools and solidifies into a plug that is prized by blacksmiths and armorers. Indeed there are adventuring companies that are dedicated to discovering dragon graveyards in the hope of recovering a haul of this 'dragon iron', despite the risks of running a foul of a Tomb Dragon that has been attracted by the feast of carrion.

Shapeshift - As mentioned in the section on the family of the Steel Dragon, Steel Dragon young go through an extended period of training in the arts of Shapeshifting Magic. In this skill they are unsurpassed by any other Draconnic Subspecies. Even the Tomb Dragons must bow to the greater knowledge and skill of the Steel Dragons for when a Tomb Dragon assumes the form of another they are are static in that form, it neither ages nor changes, whereas when a Steel Dragon assumes a new life they begin it as a child of which ever race they have chosen to be this time. This child will grow and age at the expected rate so that its care takers will suspect nothing amiss or that there is anything different about this particular child. As such a Steel Dragon learns its new life the same as any other young being and will, mature to the end of that life. Only at the end of that life will anything be different because, unless the Steel Dragon is ended by disease or injury, when they sense that the strength of the form they are wearing is coming to an end, they will put all their affairs in order and then take one last pilgrimage to a secluded place. There they will shed the form they have worn for so long and resume their true being, ready to travel back to the library to record their most recent life before traveling on to find the place where they want to have the next one, cleansed of any scars or damage that they sustained in their last life. And so the cycle repeats until they return to the library for the last time.

Hoard - If a Steel Dragon has a hoard at all it is the collection of experiences that it has gathered over its long life. Unusually for dragons this Hoard becomes part of the communally held Library of experiences. The Libraries of Steel Dragons are known to be vast and there is speculation that they have agreements with the Gealach Dragons so that the Libraries are partially within the Fae and as such they are larger on the inside than they are on the outside. Some orders of scholars train 'walking monks' solely for the purpose of trying to discover the locations of the Libraries of the Steel Dragons so that a small portion of their knowledge can be brought back into the world of the lesser races.

Environment - A Steel Dragon can be found anywhere, any when, the main issue is recognizing them for what they truly are as they can be hidden in plain sight, they can be the elven guard at the gate, the dwarven blacksmith hammering out a horseshoe or the old sea captain sat at the end of the dock waiting for a cargo that will be anything but boring. Any traveler can have passed a Steel Dragon at any point in their journey without even realizing it, though usually there is a hint as to their true nature, that the color of their eyes, an odd birth mark or something in the timbre of their voice when they are irked that hints of a much larger creature.

Iridium Dragon

The most unusual and rarest dragon of them all. The most powerful of all the esoteric Draconnic Subspecies, titans in the material world, as close to Gods as it is possible for a mortal to be. What can be said of these divine beings? The world trembled when they flew at the head of the amassed horde of dragons and a civilization toppled. When they turned on each other in dispute and hatred a world spanning war was ignited and raged in destruction until not only the dragons but also the lesser races and the dragonkin children that had been fathered among them united against one of the Iridium Dragons and managed to imprison him in a prison outside of the world and scattered the keys to the wide winds. The other Iridium Dragon then went into hiding, recognizing that such was his power that it could not be trusted to not bend the world out of shape. Since then the Iridium Dragons have not been seen and their existence has passed into myth.

Color - Legends say that the Iridium Dragons shine with a light that rivals the sun, painful to gaze upon but illuminating all before them with a warm and gentle light in the case of one and a light that burns and scorches with the other. In the midst of this light only rough details of their forms could be seen , just enough for them to still be considered dragons. Their wings beats are said to be thunder and their voices are said to be felt more through the chest than heard through the ears.

Family - By what magic the Iridium Dragons were born is not know but legend states that there were only ever two, brothers that flew as one until one fell to zealotry and fanaticism. As such the Iridium Dragons have no family and no known life cycle. Whether the one who went into exile is even still alive is unknown. The world has become dimmer in their absence and joys are more fleeting, while the darkness of the deep nights takes longer to lift. The Gods themselves, woven as they are from the belief of their followers, are not as strong as they once were and magic has lost its savor.

Personality - The duality of all that is mortal is present in the Iridium Dragons. Whether as one was the ideal of all that can be - the reluctant king who rose up to do the right thing, to shoulder the burden for others, to lead with humbleness and soft, gentle words, who thought before they spoke, who stood up and recognized that there was a day when the courage of mortals would fail, but it would not be this day - the other was all that nobility taken to the extreme where it twisted back on itself and became something else. The other was righteous, expected others to shoulder their share of the burdens, led with strength, with power and with ferocity, led with the thunder of an unbending will and punished when the strength of mortals failed. There was no forgiveness in his heart for mortal frailty or mortal weakness, any that fell short of the ideal were to be disposed of, the trash of mortality that were not worthy of life. Without the Begettors to balance and calm these wild storms it should be unsurprising that was was inevitable between them, a war, which the nobler side won but the scars of the God War were along time in healing and one wonders how many of them persist today.

Elemental Weapon - The Elemental Weapon of the Iridium Dragons was described as a light that ended the world, dissolving reality in a glare that should not exist. Moonlight that outshone the sun, snow glare so bright it made the skin tingle and burn, a magnesium flare that burned brighter and longer than it should be physically possible to do so.

What was worse was what effect this elemental weapon had on living flesh. Without a chance to scream plants, animals and people were changed into perfect, glittering sculptures of salt. Flawless in every detail, every hair in place, frozen in the instant they were hit, the slightest touch would cause these statues to disintegrate with the soft sigh of sand over a dune. There is no surviving the wroth of an Iridium Dragon.

Shapeshift - There is no record of an Iridium Dragon ever taking the form of another.

Hoard - If the Iridium Dragons ever hoarded something it is unknown.

Environment - The location of the last Iridium Dragon at liberty is unknown if he is even still alive. Of the one that was imprisoned, his prison exists outside of time and space and had a trio of keys. Where these keys were hidden was deliberately unrecorded so his prison may remain forever shut.

And there we have it, the second part of the Dragon Lore of Hestia and a further two of the ones the characters have actually met. I know one of them is actually named in Draconnic Shenninagans but seeing as he is the last of his species I didn't really have much choice in the matter. Can you guess who the other dragon wearing a different face is in Draconnic Shenninagans is?