[SirFozzie]

Dragons and Dragonborn

(One thing I want to avoid is that all "Color" dragons are evil and all "Metallic" dragons are good. They do have preferred habitats and someone who says something to piss a Red Dragon off is more likely to end up immediately chomped rather than dismissed, but no creatures are inherently good or evil)

Dragons were some of the first creatures in the world, and as such, they’ve had millenia to learn how to absorb ambient mana and use it. Dragons use both innate power and learned skill to cast their spells.

One reason Dragons are such avid collectors of items and treasure is that when they feel it’s time, they go into a slumber that can last years or even decades, and during that time, they absorb some of the power from their horde and grow. Not just precious metals and gems, however, although many dragons prefer the tried and true method in collecting a gleaming horde of treasure. They can use the energy of items that have emotional resonance with the world.

In a way, it’s a way the Dragons convince themselves to enter that growth cycle, by showing oneself how they’ve impacted the world. So, for some dragons with an artistic bent, collecting previously undiscovered paintings by a long-dead painter may fuel their slumber-growth. Other examples are the war banners of famous war-hordes, important works of magical or divine theory, or even mundane things like first edition books of famous authors.

One young brass dragon even served twenty years as a quartermaster in a small city-state, and while she was derided for taking a portion of her records with her into slumber, she countered that by her actions or (lack thereof), armies marched (or starved from delayed supplies). It seemed to work for her (she claimed she learned how to manage a far flung network of agents from her actions), but most dragons don’t go to such extremes.

So why don’t Dragons take over the known lands, especially considering their need to compete with each other for power? Well, a lot of it is that they just don’t have time to handle kingdoms and all their little decisions that are beneath their notice. Also, conquering and holding large swaths of land takes a lot of energy and effort. Dragons have on tap more mana than any other creature, but that does not mean it’s a bottomless supply. That resevoir of power does fill back up, slowly over time. The more they spend, the less they have on hand if something comes up that requires their personal attention (such as defending themselves from pesky intruders looking to slay them and take their hoard).

So, wise Dragons build a support network of younger dragons and what’s called “Dragonborn”. These are generally unfertilized eggs of female dragons combined with the magic essence of male dragons, which are used in a magic ritual to generate a whole clutch of Dragonborn, who generally share the color and hue of their Draconic Parent. Some dragons prefer to set the clutchmates at each other’s throat from an early age, hoping to identify the most promising and to train them to utter obedience from a young, impressionable age. Others let their clutch grow normally, and guide them, like a distant (but always in mind) elder who has use for their progeny. No two dragons, no matter what Color or essence infuses them, guides their Dragonborn the same way. Generally, two dragons will agree on how to divide their clutch before any such ritual takes place. It takes power from both dragons, so it’s not something to do easily, or lightly, but it allows the Dragons to have people bound to them in an innate way to act as their agents in the outside world.

(Note: According to some myths, the first kobolds were an earlier experience at trying to create a Dragon-led army. The Dragons of course, aren’t saying, and find the whole “kobolds worship dragons” to be embarrassing, but their due)

There have been enough clutches released into the wild that there are several dots of Dragonborn families across the known kingdoms, as they are able to reproduce normally, but if you ever come across a dragon who is unmistakably bright-hued, that means they have an ongoing, active connection to their Dragon lord. A Dragonborn with dull red scales is probably (not always) the descendant of a long-ago clutch, while one with shiny dark wine-red powerful scales is probably the direct agent of a Red Dragon, and should be treated appropriately. This has caused many such Dragonborn to wear concealing clothing should they not wish said association to be noticed, or to dress in a way that flaunts such brilliance if they want to overawe others.

These agents are fairly widespread, and their actions can have a direct impact on the city-states of the kingdom. For example, it’s believed a Brass Dragon and a Green had an interest in artifacts from a Lost Age architectural find from the far north that were brought up for auction. The move and counter-move in this battle between two powerful dragons led to a criminal underworld gang war (sponsored by the Green, a male named Cillanthas to consolidate power), an eventual crackdown by the city guard (sponsored by the Brass, a female named K’an’apala), and political maneuvering between political families (sponsored by both parties to destabilize the other).

The city nearly dissolved into internecine fighting, and by the end, two noble families had been broken, a third had been exiled from the city, and a fourth no longer existed by royal decree. And in the end, it’s believed that neither Dragon got their claws on the items, as shortly after the auction, agents of a third Dragon (believed to be a Red) stole the artifacts as they were being transported. The Dragons aren’t saying who and how. You can ask them if you feel particularly brave, but I would have your last testament and wills well in hand before hands. (They don’t like to let the “Lesser races” know that they battle amongst each other, it might give the other races, or their agents ideas on how to battle them)