The Dragons of Eien

Overview

The Dragons of Eien are a proud and distinguished species, but they are as fallible as the ‘mortals’ they claim to despise.  

 

In truth, the Dragons are as mortal as any of the millions of species that cling to the swirling blue world of Eien.  From the lowest bit of life eking out an existence in the deep sea trenches, to the elegant Laeiri people in their glittering cities - the Dragons are linked to their world as intrinsically as the water is to the shore and the mountains to the sky.  Their lives, when allowed to run their natural course, span a handful of centuries - not unlike the Laeiri or the great trees of the Elhellond Forest.  

 

What sets the Dragons apart is a piece of Old Magic bestowed upon a hatchling by their mother from the moment they first draw breath.  This magic allows the Dragons to link their magical essence - their life force - to something beyond themselves.  For some, this link is a manner to grow closer to the mortals, where they form bonds of love and camaraderie - and perish with their other half when their time has come.  For others, it is a place or an object; like a great river or an enchanted sword.  

 

To the truly enterprising - they link to an idea or a tradition.  Such as love itself or the spirit of true craftsmanship.  These Dragons may spend thousands of years in bliss, their life force and magic sustained by the thousands of minds and spirits lending power to the link.  But these beings also stand to lose the most - as this is the most common type of Dragon to fall into Depravity.  Times of war lead to a great weakening of dragons bonded to such things, and they are far more likely to find their magic corrupted as the mortals who supply it turn to conflict and desperation.
 

Culture

There is no great council of Dragons, nor any form of unifying government as mortals would know it.  Instead, the dragons are aware of each other in a peripheral sense.  The Old Magic links all Dragons regardless of where they are in time or space as they are essentially funnels of serving to channel power from the world at-large into the great cauldron of the Deep Magic.  To fall into Depravity is to lose that connection, and by virtue of that, a place in Dragon society.   As for the culture itself, Dragon society is highly individualistic.  It is understood that seeking longevity is the primary motivation behind most actions, and outside of the rare ‘turf’ dispute for coveted power sources, the Dragons number few enough that they can afford to give each other space.

 

That isn’t to say that leaders among the Dragons do not exist - they most certainly do.  Some even go out of their way to remind the rest of their power.  To other Dragons, they are granted a measure of guarded respect.  Some even have influence.

To mortals, however, these beings are the closest to Gods that exist in the world.

 

Magic

The Magic of Eien is energy, with a great well of it hosted beyond common sight in what the oldest beings know as the ‘Deep Magic.’  It is, for lack of a better description, the beating heart of the world.  The Dragons - most unknowingly - serve as conduits as the magic is naturally pulled from the source, used in the world, and then pulled back from the world through the link the Dragons forge and brought back into the Well. 

 

The process of forming the link is a form of Old Magic that is passed down along matrilineal lines amon Dragons.  The spell itself is a simple one, but the Dragons take great care to avoid it falling into the hands of mortal mages.  As a result, clutches are hatched in private, with young Dragons growing and choosing their links as adults.  

To the Dragons, they see the Old Magic as a means to extend their lives beyond the few hundred years they are naturally given.  Most don’t question how it works or where it comes from, only that it continues to do what they ask. 

Mages among Dragons are considerably rare, and almost always number among the eldest of their species.  They tend to come in one of three varieties.  The classic ‘steward’ personality type - those who value learning and take great care to manage the gifts of Magic.  The highly ambitious; often paired with cunning and a malicious desire for power for personal satisfaction.  And finally, the apathetic. Those who have learned the secrets of the Deep Magic and choose to do nothing with it except maintain their own existence as they see fit.