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Endu

2026-05-19T01:42:35Z

CourseDirector: /* Swear Words */

[[Necromancer]]s generally speak [[Common]], but their religious writings are in a language called [[Endu]], many words of which are also used in day to day lexicon. The word ''tan'nesh'' for example, roughly translates to "forget" or "ignore", is commonly used to describe people and things which are not part of the necromancer culture. ''Embu'' (roughly translated as "thirsty") also sees use in a wide variety of roles. Since necromancers learn a part of the language to complete various religious [[Necromancer Rites of Passage|rights of passage]] in their youth, all of the swear words are also in common circulation.

Linguistically, Endu is very simple. All words are spelled phonetically and most of the sounds can be made using the [[Egregts|Common Alphabet]]. The necromancers have their own alphabet with 30 characters. About 15 are borrowed from the Common alphabet (indicating a similar root), others appear different but make similar sounds. There are 5 characters denoting glottal stops and a strike-through symbol not considered a letter but that combines two characters to make a different sound.

It is common to find prayer pamphlets and other materials printed using the common alphabet. This is because, officially, for religious reasons, Endu can only be written using human blood. For health and safety reasons this tradition is commonly only upheld with sacred texts, but particularly observant necromancers will refuse to handle any document written in Endu characters but not printed in blood.

There is typically not more than one word for any specific thing. This makes the language easy to interpret but fairly limited in its prose. For that reason, most [[Necromancer Literature|necromancer literature]] (even classic and neoclassic) is written in dialects of [[Common]].

The word ''tan'nesh'' can be used as either are descriptive term (as in "that's so tan'nesh") or a noun, calling someone or something a tan'nesh. The term is not inherently derogatory, in most use-cases it simply means "not necromancer"; but it can be used as an insult or slur.

The character ''ze'' exclusively refers to any form of ritual bloodletting.

==Use in Magic and Ritual==
Endu, specifically written Endu, is used extensively throughout the magic of necromancy. The ritual aspects of the magic, the spells specifically, must be written in Endu. Also a necromancer will typically write incantations down to aid in quick recall (as they have to be spoken perfectly in order to work).

For this reason, there is often a distinction drawn between "working Endu" and "spoken Endu". The latter being what most non-magical necromancers use for their prayers, while the former is necessary for the precise ritual elements of raising up souls from the [[Underworld]].

==Swear Words==
Necromancers have all the common curse words, but they aren't actually particularly offensive in context. The word "''Cren''" is roughly analgous to excrement, but as it is the only word in Endu for excrement, it functions as the technical term and is used in prayers for the "cre" or anus.

The word ''nikta'' means 'fornicate', and is frequently combined with syntaxes from Common to take the place a similar swear in that language. "Get niktaed!" or "Nikta off" for example. ('''Note:''' written Endu has no k and uses a double c with the strike-thru character to make the k sound). The verb-form of ''nikta'' is ''nika'', but necromancers will typically instead keep ''nikta'' and add the Common "-er" to the end to make it a verb.

The word "ka’niktanrix" translates literally into "woman who performs multiple acts of copulation" and in a derogative sense is analogues to "slut" in common. However, it is NOT exclusively used in a derogotive sense, because necromancy values the act of procreation it can be used in a positive context. The masculin, ka'niktanxir, however, is exclusively used in a derogatory context and roughly means "he's a fucker" or "you're a fucker" if said to a man's face.

A portmantua is "''embusnapper''", which combines ''embu'' (meaning thirsty) and the Common word ''snapper'' which typically means "bitch" in a strictly derogatory manner (In Common, bitch can mean 'female dog' or be used as an insult. Snapper is only an insult). In typical parlance "embusnapper" refers to women of loose sexual morals and great appetite, making it roughly analogous to "slut". The use of the term has has a somewhat different meaning within the necromancer community where sexual freedom is more common. When used within that context its refers specifically to a woman who deliberately seeks out as many partners as possible. The less insulting version is a woman desperate for male company.

'''''Tan'nesh''''' is sometimes used as a slur, particularly against [[Necromancy#Converts|Acolytes]]. Though not inherently a slur it can take on that connotation with added context.

''Nic'oi'' means "to cast out" and is the shortened form of "to cast out of the underworld", meaning to destroy one's soul forever. As it is the closest analogue to "damn" it is frequently adopted in that context. In a related matter, the necromancers have no concept of "hell", but use the concept of a soul being cast out of the Underworld as the worst possible thing that can happen to someone after they die. The word "''eboa'an''" which means "Cast down" or "thrown down" is a shortened form of this concept and used throughout holy texts to mean this.

"''Neru'fuyt''" actually comes from early necromancer culture when Endu was the only written and spoken language used. Literally translated the word means "Shepherd of the anus" and was the name given to early proctologists. At the time it was a noble and well-respected profession. While modern necromancers go to modern proctologists, ''neru'fuyt'' lives on as a common word for asshole.

"''Fuyt'nika''" isn't even technically a word in Endu, but is a pormanteau of "fuyt" (which technically means "of the anus" but here is used to just mean "anus") and a shortened for of "''nikta''" in the form in which it means "fuck". "''Fuyt'nika''" therefore means "ass-fucker". While this is an offensive enough insult on its own, the word has additional, more sinister meanings within necromancer culture. Anal intercourse is not taboo (and indeed common in sexual rituals), but to refer to a man as a "''Fuyt'nika''" implies he is specifically desirous of this act and may not consider the willingness of his partners. Therefore "''Fuyt'nika''" more accurately translates as "ass-raper" and is a very serious obscenity indeed.

"''Soseek'enty''" the etymology of this one is completely last to time. It is the only legitimate "swear word" in Endu and is used as such in the holy texts. The exact meaning is difficult to pin down as the etymology seems to have already been lost by the time the events depicted in the stories took place. In typical parlance the word can mean either "bastard" or "son of a bitch" with the latter being more common. Tan'nesh linguists who have studied the ancient texts believe it is a shortened form of a much longer insult that has something to do with dogs, so "son of a dog" would be a more accurate translation. Vague context clues indicate "son of many dogs" or "child of <some number> of dogs" might be the correct interpretation. ''Soseek'enty'' can also be used as an exclamation of surprise or anger.

===A Note about Necromancer Swearing===
An interesting linguistic observation is that necromancers lack swearwords related to genitalia. Even when swearing in good old Common, you will not likely see a necromancer call someone "a dickhead" for example. This is part of the cultural dissonance. Necromancers worship fertility and the ability to bear children as part of their religious ideology. The human sex organs--and very specifically, the female sex organs--are seen as sacred to them. It therefore would not be be viewed as an insult. Scholars who study Necromancer culture have many jokes about how the most widespread use of their holy language is for teenagers to swear, but nobody ever calls anyone a dickhead because the penis is sacred.

==Linguistic Drift==
Because Endu plays a highly important role in the Necromancer ceremonial functions, it has suffered very little drift over the millenia. Linguists who study Endu find that verb form and sentence structure is very nearly unchanged between the [[Endu Epics]] and modern compositions. Since the prayers are often carved into stone on temple walls, it makes sense that there would be little deviation. In a sense, Endu itself is sacred, its unchanging nature being a core value of necromancy.

The spoken form, however, sees quite a lot of modification, changing almost on a generational cycle. During the [[Ages]] of the [[Alliance]] with the advent of audio recording it was discovered that spoken Endu changed even faster the [[Common]]. The words and their meaning remain the same, but way they are pronounced changes dramatically. This phenomenon is theorized to be the product of the way Endu is typically taught. Most Necromancers learn Endu by rote, parroting back the prayers said during temple rituals. Though learning to read Endu is a right of passage, in reality most children simply memorize the scripture without ever bothering to learn what sounds the characters properly make. Since some of those same children later grow up to be priests and chantresses, the same ingrained pronunciations stick.

An interesting experiment involved asking a high priest to recite a well-known prayer, then having him read the same prayer from the pamplet. The resulting recordings were quite different.

[[Category:Course Books]]

Endu

2026-05-12T20:29:08Z

CourseDirector: /* Swear Words */

[[Necromancer]]s generally speak [[Common]], but their religious writings are in a language called [[Endu]], many words of which are also used in day to day lexicon. The word ''tan'nesh'' for example, roughly translates to "forget" or "ignore", is commonly used to describe people and things which are not part of the necromancer culture. ''Embu'' (roughly translated as "thirsty") also sees use in a wide variety of roles. Since necromancers learn a part of the language to complete various religious [[Necromancer Rites of Passage|rights of passage]] in their youth, all of the swear words are also in common circulation.

Linguistically, Endu is very simple. All words are spelled phonetically and most of the sounds can be made using the [[Egregts|Common Alphabet]]. The necromancers have their own alphabet with 30 characters. About 15 are borrowed from the Common alphabet (indicating a similar root), others appear different but make similar sounds. There are 5 characters denoting glottal stops and a strike-through symbol not considered a letter but that combines two characters to make a different sound.

It is common to find prayer pamphlets and other materials printed using the common alphabet. This is because, officially, for religious reasons, Endu can only be written using human blood. For health and safety reasons this tradition is commonly only upheld with sacred texts, but particularly observant necromancers will refuse to handle any document written in Endu characters but not printed in blood.

There is typically not more than one word for any specific thing. This makes the language easy to interpret but fairly limited in its prose. For that reason, most [[Necromancer Literature|necromancer literature]] (even classic and neoclassic) is written in dialects of [[Common]].

The word ''tan'nesh'' can be used as either are descriptive term (as in "that's so tan'nesh") or a noun, calling someone or something a tan'nesh. The term is not inherently derogatory, in most use-cases it simply means "not necromancer"; but it can be used as an insult or slur.

The character ''ze'' exclusively refers to any form of ritual bloodletting.

==Use in Magic and Ritual==
Endu, specifically written Endu, is used extensively throughout the magic of necromancy. The ritual aspects of the magic, the spells specifically, must be written in Endu. Also a necromancer will typically write incantations down to aid in quick recall (as they have to be spoken perfectly in order to work).

For this reason, there is often a distinction drawn between "working Endu" and "spoken Endu". The latter being what most non-magical necromancers use for their prayers, while the former is necessary for the precise ritual elements of raising up souls from the [[Underworld]].

==Swear Words==
Necromancers have all the common curse words, but they aren't actually particularly offensive in context. The word "''Cre'do''" is roughly analgous to excrement, but as it is the only word in Endu for excrement, it functions as the technical term and is used in prayers for the anus.

The word ''nikta'' means 'to fornicate', and is frequently combined with syntaxes from Common to take the place a similar swear in that language. "Get niktaed!" or "Nikta off" for example. ('''Note:''' written Endu has no k and uses a double c with the strike-thru character to make the k sound). The verb-form of ''nikta'' is ''nika'', but necromancers will typically instead keep ''nikta'' and add the Common "-er" to the end to make it a verb

A portmantua is "''embusnapper''", which combines ''embu'' (meaning thirsty) and the Common word ''snapper'' which typically means "bitch" in a strictly derogatory manner (In Common, bitch can mean 'female dog' or be used as an insult. Snapper is only an insult). In typical parlance "embusnapper" refers to women of loose sexual morals and great appetite, making it roughly analogous to "slut". The use of the term has has a somewhat different meaning within the necromancer community where sexual freedom is more common. When used within that context its refers specifically to a woman who deliberately seeks out as many partners as possible. The less insulting version is a woman desperate for male company.

'''''Tan'nesh''''' is sometimes used as a slur, particularly against [[Necromancy#Converts|Acolytes]]. Though not inherently a slur it can take on that connotation with added context. Calling someone a "niktaing tan'nesh" for example, would be quite insulting.

''Nic'oi'' means "to cast out" and is the shortened form of "to cast out of the underworld", meaning to destroy one's soul forever. As it is the closest analogue to "damn" it is frequently adopted in that context. In a related matter, the necromancers have no concept of "hell", but use the concept of a soul being cast out of the Underworld as the worst possible thing that can happen to someone after they die. The word "''eboa'an''" which means "Cast down" or "thrown down" is a shortened form of this concept and used throughout holy texts to mean this.

"''Neru'fuyt''" actually comes from early necromancer culture when Endu was the only written and spoken language used. Literally translated the word means "Shepherd of the anus" and was the name given to early proctologists. At the time it was a noble and well-respected profession. While modern necromancers go to modern proctologists, ''neru'fuyt'' lives on as a common word for asshole.

"''Fuyt'nika''" isn't even technically a word in Endu, but is a pormanteau of "fuyt" (which technically means "of the anus" but here is used to just mean "anus") and a shortened for of "''nikta''" in the form in which it means "fuck". "''Fuyt'nika''" therefore means "ass-fucker". While this is an offensive enough insult on its own, the word has additional, more sinister meanings within necromancer culture. Anal intercourse is not taboo (and indeed common in sexual rituals), but to refer to a man as a "''Fuyt'nika''" implies he is specifically desirous of this act and may not consider the willingness of his partners. Therefore "''Fuyt'nika''" more accurately translates as "ass-raper" and is a very serious obscenity indeed.

"''Soseek'enty''" the etymology of this one is completely last to time. It is the only legitimate "swear word" in Endu and is used as such in the holy texts. The exact meaning is difficult to pin down as the etymology seems to have already been lost by the time the events depicted in the stories took place. In typical parlance the word can mean either "bastard" or "son of a bitch" with the latter being more common. Tan'nesh linguists who have studied the ancient texts believe it is a shortened form of a much longer insult that has something to do with dogs, so "son of a dog" would be a more accurate translation. Vague context clues indicate "son of many dogs" or "child of <some number> of dogs" might be the correct interpretation. ''Soseek'enty'' can also be used as an exclamation of surprise or anger.

===A Note about Necromancer Swearing===
An interesting linguistic observation is that necromancers lack swearwords related to genitalia. Even when swearing in good old Common, you will not likely see a necromancer call someone "a dickhead" for example. This is part of the cultural dissonance. Necromancers worship fertility and the ability to bear children as part of their religious ideology. The human sex organs--and very specifically, the female sex organs--are seen as sacred to them. It therefore would not be be viewed as an insult. Scholars who study Necromancer culture have many jokes about how the most widespread use of their holy language is for teenagers to swear, but nobody ever calls anyone a dickhead because the penis is sacred.

==Linguistic Drift==
Because Endu plays a highly important role in the Necromancer ceremonial functions, it has suffered very little drift over the millenia. Linguists who study Endu find that verb form and sentence structure is very nearly unchanged between the [[Endu Epics]] and modern compositions. Since the prayers are often carved into stone on temple walls, it makes sense that there would be little deviation. In a sense, Endu itself is sacred, its unchanging nature being a core value of necromancy.

The spoken form, however, sees quite a lot of modification, changing almost on a generational cycle. During the [[Ages]] of the [[Alliance]] with the advent of audio recording it was discovered that spoken Endu changed even faster the [[Common]]. The words and their meaning remain the same, but way they are pronounced changes dramatically. This phenomenon is theorized to be the product of the way Endu is typically taught. Most Necromancers learn Endu by rote, parroting back the prayers said during temple rituals. Though learning to read Endu is a right of passage, in reality most children simply memorize the scripture without ever bothering to learn what sounds the characters properly make. Since some of those same children later grow up to be priests and chantresses, the same ingrained pronunciations stick.

An interesting experiment involved asking a high priest to recite a well-known prayer, then having him read the same prayer from the pamplet. The resulting recordings were quite different.

[[Category:Course Books]]

Foundation Total Control Zone

2026-05-12T16:51:21Z

CourseDirector: Created page with "A Foundation Total Control Zone or "TCZ" is a region in which the Gudersnipe Foundation holds total control, with no other governmental or political influence. Such regions exist outside of any other nation or political entity and are sometimes highly secretive. The size can vary from a single room inside a building to entire Dimensions. ==Status== TCZs are often highly restricted and structured around sensitive infrastructure. It is said that all equipm..."

A [[Foundation Total Control Zone]] or "[[TCZ]]" is a region in which the [[Gudersnipe Foundation]] holds total control, with no other governmental or political influence. Such regions exist outside of any other nation or political entity and are sometimes highly secretive. The size can vary from a single room inside a building to entire [[Dimensions]].

==Status==
TCZs are often highly restricted and structured around sensitive infrastructure. It is said that all equipment related to the [[GATE]] system exists inside Total Control Zones. Major GATE hubs, which contain no hardware but are considered soft targets, are also in such regions.

TCZs are always guarded, with shoot-to-kill orders in full effect. Anyone considering attempts at unauthorized access are forwarned.

==Life Inside a TCZ==
Foundation citizens who live and work within larger zones report life is not much different from anywhere else. The Foundation creates worker towns and provides ample housing, shops, and recreation facilities. The key differences are closed-down communications and restricted travel. Moving between areas within a TCZ is prohibited, as is most contact with the outside world. Citizens report forming close-knit communities and finding a lot of hobbies.

==Famous TCZs==
On [[Aren]], a second of northern [[Modia]] is legally not a part of either the [[Alliance]] or [[Trans-Draconic Federation]] despite the rest of the region officially belonging to both. Knowledge of the region is highly supressed, going so far as to appear as a blank space on the maps. During the [[New Day]] era, 17 civilian aircraft were shot down for violating the no-fly zone.

The [[Utops Cluster]] is perhaps the most famous TCZ owing to its status as a tourist destination. The stellar cluster is heavily guarded against conventional military attack, but can be visited by GATE after passing a routine background check. Visitors are restricted to a few specific locations and are not permitted to venture outside, but it is possible to tour the [[Utopia Gregaria]] shipyards and a few other high-profile locations.

[[Category:Course Books]]

Modia

2026-05-12T16:32:33Z

CourseDirector:

[[File:Modia.jpg]]

[[Modia]] is a region of the [[Greater Continent]] separated from the central mass by the [[Brutish Sea]], and internally integrated by the [[Transverse River System]]. Its coast encompasses [[Grakest Bay]] and [[Shield Island]]. Northern Modia is a [[Foundation Total Control Zone|total-control-zone]] of the [[Gudersnipe Foundation]], while the southern reaches see several jointly-administered regions.

[[Category:Course Books]][[Category:Greater Continent]]

Alliance Regulars

2026-05-12T16:30:47Z

CourseDirector: Created page with "The Alliance Regulars is the military arm of the New Day Alliance. Chronically under-funded and under-equipped, the combat-ready units typically function as an auxiliary alongside local troops. ==Background== The New Day Alliance charter called for a dedicated military force that could be deployed for peace-keeping operations and police actions. Alliance member states large enough to field their own militaries would be expected to contribute troops, while th..."

The [[Alliance Regulars]] is the military arm of the [[New Day Alliance]]. Chronically under-funded and under-equipped, the combat-ready units typically function as an auxiliary alongside local troops.

==Background==
The [[New Day Alliance]] charter called for a dedicated military force that could be deployed for peace-keeping operations and police actions. Alliance member states large enough to field their own militaries would be expected to contribute troops, while the Regulars would create the larger framework for combined militaries.

In practice, only member states too small and poor to field their own armies contributed financially to the Regulars, leaving the Alliance as a whole to make up the short-comings. However, the lion's share of the Alliance member nations hold dual-status as part of the [[Trans-Draconic Federation]]. As such, they are already contributing to a massive standing navy, and thus are exempt from paying in to the Regulars.

Worse still are the member-states controlled by the [[Gudersnipe Foundation]], who have the [[Crimson Blade]] mercenary force available as needed. Some states are in fact trinary, being Foundation-controlled but belonging to both the TDF and Alliance.

All of this contributes to a military force which relies on hand-me-down equipment, third-rate soldiers, and lacks the budget to properly train with what little they do have. The original Alliance framework called for the force to be larger and to command brigades contributed by larger member states, but in practice the force has to avoid all combat where possible.

An example of the sort of lengths they have to go to: the [[Gudersnipe Foundation]] has such an excellent record for building warships that they are the go-to source for any military that can afford them. The Foundation will build a ship for it's own uses, and keep it in service for 30 years. Then the ship will be sold second-hand to the [[Trans-Draconic Federation Navy]] where it undergoes an extensive re-fit and overhaul, to be placed in service for another thirty years. The ship is then sold a second time to the Alliance Regulars, who repair any broken parts and keep it in service until it sinks.

==Other Notes==
Despite all that, the Regulars still enjoy a proud military tradition and are widely considered to have some of the most dedicated officers of any service.

[[Category:Course Books]]

Tomlin Huk

2026-05-12T16:13:35Z

CourseDirector:

[[Tomlin Huk]] was [[Pendragon]] of [[Slayer Dragons]] during the mid [[Ages#The Sixth Age|Sixth Age]]. Often called "The Suburban Pendragon" he liked to make light of his incredibly conventional upbringing. He grew up in [[Arindell]]'s suburbs and played soccer in high school. As a youth he never studied any martial arts or magic, but came to take [[The Trials]] in his early 20s after failing out of art school. That he would one day carry [[Echbalder]] seemed patently absurd.

==Early Life==
Tomlin lived in the vicinity of the [[Great Library of Arindell]] in one of the city's tract suburbs. Both of his parents worked, and while the family was not impoverished they did suffer some financial strain. Tomlin described growing up as a latchkey kid, cooking meals for his parents, and working odd jobs when he wanted spending money. He described his childhood as wonderful.

The family never had much money. His father worked in a factory and his mother taught Common as a Second Language. Neither one attended college or earned a degree.

===Secondary Education===
Tomlin played competitive soccer and received a scholarship. He attended a university in Arindell's city center as a commuter student, but had some issues from the start. Most notably he had difficulty declaring a major. Though he claimed at the time the pressure of playing soccer at the university level caused him to declare fine arts as his major because it would be easy, most of his fellow students would later reveal he chased girls incessantly and didn't care much about academics or ball.

Near the end of his second year of college he flunked out. That very day, not wishing to go home and reveal to his working-class parents that he'd squandered his opportunity, he went to The Keep and signed on the take [[The Trials]].

==Slayer Dragon Training==
Against all expectations, Tomlin performed exceptionally well in The Trials, completing the tests in just five years. Among the trainees he was well-liked for his up-beat attitude, but drew some ire from the woman for his constant flirting.

[[Category:Course Books]]

Tomlin Huk

2026-05-11T04:53:07Z

CourseDirector: Created page with "Tomlin Huk was Pendragon of Slayer Dragons during the mid Sixth Age. Often called "The Suburban Pendragon" he liked to make light of his incredibly conventional upbringing. He grew up in Arindell's suburbs and played soccer in high school. As a youth he never studied any martial arts or magic, but came to take The Trials in his early 20s after failing out of art school. That he would one day carry Echbalder seemed patently a..."

Pendragon

2026-05-11T04:50:04Z

CourseDirector: /* Pendragons of the Sixth Age */

The Pendragon is the leader of the [[Slayer Dragons]]. The official title is Pendragon of Slayer Dragons. Typically a Pendragon will serve several years as a Slayer Dragon before taking up the sword. The Sword Echbalder is the badge of rank for the Pendragon. The current Pendragon is typically identified as the "carrying-Pendragon" because he carries the sword.

==Sword==
The Pendragon carries as his insignia of rank a enchanted sword(the only weapon passed from one generation to the next among the Slayer Dragons). The weapon was created during the [[Mage Wars#The Second Chaotic Period|Second Chaotic Period]] of the [[Mage Wars]]. While a powerful weapon in it's own right, the sword, called Echbalder, was desgned for a singular purpose: to retrieve the powerful relic sword [[Echbaldham, the Sword of Righteousness|Echbaldham]], a weapon of great power from the [[Mystical Age|Age of Myth]]. The mages who originally created the sword intended that the wielder of Echbalder, if he were worthy, could open a portal and wield Echbaldham.

Although apparently made of ordinary steel (though of high-quality), the Sword Echbalder is a potent [[Magic#Amplifiers|magical amplifier]], giving the Pendragon increased spell-casting ability simply by possession, and even greater power by holding it.

As a weapon, it is described as very sharp (despite a broad blade) and finely-balanced, described by most experts as the best-made weapon they had ever seen. Each Pendragon who held it described the sword as "perfectly suited" to them, despite great differences in height and build between Pendragons.

The sword is very closely tied to the office or rank of Pendragon, with "taking up the sword" to describe the act of becoming Pendragon. A Pendragon's time in service is defined by time in which it "carried the sword".

Several Pendragons have described the magic of the sword as commanding them, more than they controlling it. A Pendragon may only draw the sword with total purpose of being, with intent to use it. In many [[Honorarium]]s, Pendragons have made illusions to what they call 'the blood rust', a condition which afflicts them when the sword is drawn and ''not'' used. It causes pain, insomnia, and restlessness, and can only be relieved by putting the sword to use. In a situation where no reasonable target is available, the sword must be turned upon themselves. It has also been said, however, that the greatest Pendragons were able to conquer the blood rust.

===History of the Sword===
The first record of the Pendragon's sword comes in [[B.G.A.]] 74, late in the [[Mage Wars#The Second Chaotic Period|Second Chaotic Period]] of the [[Mage Wars]]. Mages in [[Ataya]] crafted a magical sword meant to act as a gateway, to bring back the sword of legend that supposedly formed the mighty [[Empire of Roads]].

However, the sword would not be used until B.G.A. 6, when it was given to [[Eieber]] to lead the final battle for Ataya's freedom. This began [[Eieber's Long March]] that would eventually end the Mage Wars, and form the [[Alliance]]. This sword became the sword of the [[Pendragon]].

Throughout all of the [[Ages|Ages of the Alliance]], it would be carried by each Pendragon successively, until the Order of Slayer Dragons was destroyed at the [[Battle of the Last Stand]] in [[A.Y.]] 6960.

In the [[New Day]], a replacement was made, entitled 'Consecution': held to be the identical sword of the Pendragon, until found to be otherwise by [[Scarlet Jusenkyou]].

This is further complicated in peripheral books like ''[[Going South]]'', wherein the sword is called the 'Consecution' throughout.

===Scientific Analysis===
In [[A.Y.]] 6203 as an act of good faith during the [[Kamian Succession Wars]], the [[Alliance]] allowed scientists from the [[Gudersnipe Foundation]] to perform the first and only known scientific tests on the sword.

The tests were strictly non-invasive; the Foundation was not allowed to damage or dismantle the sword in any way. Many very high-resolution photographs and scans were made, as well as extensive and highly-detailed measurements. The survey team found the blade to consist of a very complex alloy including iron, copper, silver, and even some gold. They also found a very high incidence of carbon nanotubes, which explains its fine edge.

The examination revealed that the blade was forged by a folding technique with layers of hard and soft metals, making it stronger and less likely to break under force. This technique was not known to be used in the region at the time, but was later confirmed common under period [[Ataya|Atayan]] swords.

Gudersnipe's analysis indicated that the sword was made with a degree of craftsmanship not previously believed possible using Atayan tools and techniques. This stired up a great deal of controversy until a group of [[Craftsmen]] came forward (many of Atayan descent and still practicing Atayan techniques) and made an almost perfect replica of the sword, in front of Gudersnipe's documentary film crew. The replica did not have the original's magical properties but was of equal quality and made entirely by tools and techniques available in B.G.A. 74.

The Craftsmen further suggested the Foundation study weapons of the early Slayer Dragons (of which a few were available), also made by early descendants of the Atayan artisans who made the Sword Echbalder. An analysis revealed similar levels of quality.

A study of modern Slayer Dragon weapons and regalia was then carried out, which were made using some modern technologies but with similar techniques, and found only marginal improvements in quality over the early items.

==List of Pendragons==
For nearly six thousand years, the Echbalder was passed from one Pendragon to the next in a continuous line.

===Pendragons of the Golden Age===
<table border="1">
<tr>
<td>'''#'''</td><td>'''Name:'''</td><td>[[S.D.C.]]</td><td>'''Years as Slayer Dragon ([[A.Y.]])'''</td><td>'''Years as As Pendragon ([[A.Y.]])'''</td><td>'''Years Served'''</td><td>'''Years Carrying'''</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td>1</td><td>[[Eieber]]</td><td>0</td><td>[[B.G.A.]] 6 - [[A.Y.]] 157</td><td>[[B.G.A.]] 6 - [[A.Y.]] 157</td><td>63</td><td>63</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td>2</td><td>[[Aden Searlin]]</td><td>62</td><td>A.Y. 143-181</td><td>157-181</td><td>14</td><td>24</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td>3</td><td>[[Jayce Spearlock]]</td><td>86</td><td>A.Y. 171-1111</td><td>181-1111</td><td>10</td><td>30</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td>4</td><td>[[Astrid Stador]]</td><td>116</td><td>A.Y. 1102-1138</td><td>1111-1138</td><td>8</td><td>28</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td>5</td><td>[[Emily]]</td><td>143</td><td>A.Y. 1135-1210</td><td>1138-1210</td><td>3</td><td>72</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td>6</td><td>[[Tanner Ruegg]]</td><td>215</td><td>A.Y. 1173-1216</td><td>A.Y. 1210-1216</td><td>37</td><td>6</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td>7</td><td>[[Orin]]</td><td>221</td><td>A.Y. 1166-1218</td><td>A.Y. 1216-1218</td><td>51</td><td>2</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td>8</td><td>[[Johan Teague]]</td><td>223</td><td>A.Y. 1211-1223</td><td>A.Y. 1218-1223</td><td>7</td><td>5</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td>9</td><td>[[Ace Barnam]]</td><td>228</td><td>1218-1258</td><td>A.Y. 1223-1258</td><td>5</td><td>35</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td>10</td><td>[[Landon Aldis]]</td><td>263</td><td>A.Y. 1238-1300</td><td>A.Y. 1258-1300</td><td>20</td><td>42</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td>11</td><td>[[Colby Holman]]</td><td>305</td><td>A.Y. 1293-1325</td><td>A.Y. 1300-1325</td><td>7</td><td>25</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td>12</td><td>Adam Souza</td><td>330</td><td>A.Y. 1321-1366</td><td>A.Y. 1325-1366</td><td>4</td><td>41</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td>13</td><td></td><td>361</td><td>A.Y.</td><td>A.Y. 1366-1397</td><td></td><td>31</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td>14</td><td></td><td>388</td><td>A.Y.</td><td>A.Y. 1397-1424</td><td></td><td>27</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td>15</td><td></td><td>444</td><td>A.Y.</td><td>A.Y. 1424-1480</td><td></td><td>44</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td>16</td><td>[[Genghis Sater]]</td><td>485</td><td>A.Y. 1461-1529</td><td>A.Y. 1480-1529</td><td>19</td><td>49</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td>17</td><td></td><td>506</td><td>A.Y. </td><td>A.Y. 1529-1550</td><td></td><td>21</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td>18</td><td>NAME</td><td>S.D.C.</td><td>SERVICE</td><td>CARRYING</td><td>YEARS</td><td>PENDRAGON</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td>19</td><td>NAME</td><td>S.D.C.</td><td>SERVICE</td><td>CARRYING</td><td>YEARS</td><td>PENDRAGON</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td>20</td><td>NAME</td><td>S.D.C.</td><td>SERVICE</td><td>CARRYING</td><td>YEARS</td><td>PENDRAGON</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td>21</td><td>NAME</td><td>S.D.C.</td><td>SERVICE</td><td>CARRYING</td><td>YEARS</td><td>PENDRAGON</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td>22</td><td>NAME</td><td>S.D.C.</td><td>SERVICE</td><td>CARRYING</td><td>YEARS</td><td>PENDRAGON</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td>23</td><td>NAME</td><td>S.D.C.</td><td>SERVICE</td><td>CARRYING</td><td>YEARS</td><td>PENDRAGON</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td>24</td><td>NAME</td><td>S.D.C.</td><td>SERVICE</td><td>CARRYING</td><td>YEARS</td><td>PENDRAGON</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td>25</td><td>NAME</td><td>S.D.C.</td><td>SERVICE</td><td>CARRYING</td><td>YEARS</td><td>PENDRAGON</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td></td><td>441 Years Unacounted</td><td></td><td></td><td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td>26</td><td>[[Scott Sagen]]</td><td>996</td><td>A.Y. 1958-220</td><td>1991-220</td><td>60</td><td>27</td>
</tr>

</table>

===Pendragons of the Second Age===
<table border="1">
<tr>
<td>'''#'''</td><td>'''Name:'''</td><td>[[S.D.C.]]</td><td>'''Years as Slayer Dragon ([[A.Y.]])'''</td><td>'''Years as As Pendragon ([[A.Y.]])'''</td><td>'''Years Served'''</td><td>'''Years Carrying'''</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td>#</td><td>NAME</td><td>S.D.C.</td><td>SERVICE</td><td>CARRYING</td><td>YEARS</td><td>PENDRAGON</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td>28</td><td>[[Alubus Pendergast]]</td><td>1144</td><td>2122-2171</td><td>2139-2171</td><td>17</td><td>32</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td></td><td>151 Years Unacounted</td><td></td><td></td><td></td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td>30</td><td>[[Anthony Trac]]</td><td>1204</td><td>A.Y. 2166-2242</td><td>2201-2242</td><td>35</td><td>41</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td>31</td><td>[[Sydnee Stanton]]</td><td>1246</td><td>A.Y. 2231-2302</td><td>2242-2302</td><td>11</td><td>60</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td>32</td><td>[[Robert Desaradie]]</td><td>1306</td><td>A.Y. 2295-2347</td><td>A.Y. 2302-2347</td><td>7</td><td>45</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td>33</td><td>NAME</td><td>S.D.C.</td><td>SERVICE</td><td>CARRYING</td><td>YEARS</td><td>79</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td>34</td><td>[[Michael Muranaka]]</td><td>1430</td><td>2415</td><td>2427-2459</td><td>44</td><td>32</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td></td><td>453 Years Unacounted</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td>44</td><td>[[Rhys Rayborn]]</td><td>????</td><td>A.Y. 2830-2889</td><td>A.Y. 2850-2889</td><td>59</td><td>29</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td>45</td><td>[[Uremer Lafiet]]</td><td>1894</td><td>A.Y. 2877-2940</td><td>A.Y. 2889-2940</td><td>12</td><td>51</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td></td><td>471 Years Unacounted</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td>
</tr>
</table>

===Pendragons of the Third Age===
<table border="1">
<tr>
<td>'''#'''</td><td>'''Name:'''</td><td>[[S.D.C.]]</td><td>'''Years as Slayer Dragon ([[A.Y.]])'''</td><td>'''Years as As Pendragon ([[A.Y.]])'''</td><td>'''Years Served'''</td><td>'''Years Carrying'''</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td></td><td>[[Lal Soratami]]</td><td>2378</td><td>2414</td><td>A.Y. 3375-3417</td><td>A.Y. 3411-3437</td><td>36</td><td>26</td><td>62</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td>#</td><td>NAME</td><td>S.D.C.</td><td>SERVICE</td><td>CARRYING</td><td>YEARS</td><td>PENDRAGON</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td>#</td><td>[[Nicholas Pettit]]</td><td>S.D.C.</td><td>SERVICE</td><td>CARRYING</td><td>YEARS</td><td>PENDRAGON</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td>#</td><td>[[Cole Whelan]]</td><td>S.D.C.</td><td>SERVICE</td><td>CARRYING</td><td>YEARS</td><td>PENDRAGON</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td></td><td>433 Years Unacounted</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td></td><td>[[Kumono|Kumono Sorenio]]</td><td>2841</td><td>2873</td><td>A.Y. 3838-3900</td><td>3870-3900</td><td>32</td><td>30</td><td>62</td>
</tr>

</table>

===Pendragons of the Fourth Age===
<table border="1">
<tr>
<td>'''#'''</td><td>'''Name:'''</td><td>[[S.D.C.]]</td><td>'''Years as Slayer Dragon ([[A.Y.]])'''</td><td>'''Years as As Pendragon ([[A.Y.]])'''</td><td>'''Years Served'''</td><td>'''Years Carrying'''</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td>#</td><td>[[Sheila Galet]]</td><td>S.D.C.</td><td>[[A.Y.]]4487-4537</td><td>[[A.Y.]]4500-4537</td><td>13</td><td>37</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td>#</td><td>[[Andrei Ransom]]</td><td>S.D.C.</td><td>A.Y. 4529-4540</td><td>4540-4573</td><td>7</td><td>33</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td>#</td><td>[[Gabriel Rikart]]</td><td>S.D.C.</td><td>A.Y. [Years]-4573</td><td>4573-4613</td><td>[years]</td><td>40</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td></td><td>2102 Years Unaccounted</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td>
</tr>

</table>

===Pendragons of the Fifth Age===
<table border="1">
<tr>
<td>'''#'''</td><td>'''Name:'''</td><td>[[S.D.C.]]</td><td>'''Years as Slayer Dragon ([[A.Y.]])'''</td><td>'''Years as As Pendragon ([[A.Y.]])'''</td><td>'''Years Served'''</td><td>'''Years Carrying'''</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td>#</td><td>NAME</td><td>S.D.C.</td><td>SERVICE</td><td>CARRYING</td><td>YEARS</td><td>PENDRAGON</td>
</tr>

</table>

===Pendragons of the Sixth Age===
<table border="1">
<tr>
<td>'''#'''</td><td>'''Name:'''</td><td>[[S.D.C.]]</td><td>'''Years as Slayer Dragon ([[A.Y.]])'''</td><td>'''Years as As Pendragon ([[A.Y.]])'''</td><td>'''Years Served'''</td><td>'''Years Carrying'''</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td></td><td>[[Lydia Lionheart]]</td><td>5045</td><td>A.Y. 617-667</td><td>A.Y. 642-667</td><td>25</td><td>25</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td></td><td>357 Years</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td></td><td>[[Tomlin Huk]]</td><td></td>A.Y. 6424<td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td></td><td>370 Years</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td>117</td><td>[[Ian Riley]]</td><td>5814</td><td>A.Y. 6799-6873</td><td>A.Y. 6811-6873</td><td>12</td><td>62</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td>118</td><td>[[Hokori]]</td><td>5876</td><td>A.Y. 6854-6910</td><td>A.Y. 6873-6910</td><td>19</td><td>37</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td>119</td><td>[[Hunter Jusenkyou]]</td><td>5914</td><td>A.Y. 6905-750</td><td>A.Y. 6910-750</td><td>5</td><td>50</td>
</tr>

</table>

This completes the Pendragons of the [[Ages]] of the [[Alliance]].

==Second Iteration of Pendragons==
When [[Conri Jason Jusenkyou]] revived the [[Slayer Dragons|order]] during the Age of the [[New Day]], he revived the [[Slayer Dragon Count]]. However, it was already [[N.D.]] 35 when he founded the new Order, so the new S.S.D.C. makes about as much sense as the old one:

<table border="1">
<tr>
<td>'''#'''</td><td>'''Name:'''</td><td>'''Anointed'''</td><td>'''As Pendragon'''</td><td>'''Service [[N.D.]]'''</td><td>'''As Pendragon'''</td><td>'''Years Served'''</td><td>'''Years Carrying'''</td><td>'''Total'''</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td>1</td><td>[[Conri Jason Jusenkyou]]<</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td>
</tr>

</table>

[[Category:Course Books]]

Kai Chi

2026-04-16T23:27:11Z

CourseDirector:

Kai Chi is a [[Known Worlds#Flat Dimensions|flat dimension]] and part of the [[Alliance]]. Several important off-world battles during the [[Mage Wars]] were fought here. Kai Chi is distinct among flat worlds in that it is largely mountainous and desert in nature, without the large oceans characterizing most flat worlds. The [[Repeating horizon]] phenomenon can be observed here, and has been studied many times.

Due to its arid environment, Kai Chi remained sparsely populated during the [[Alliance]] era.

==Long Night==
After the [[Necromancers]] were disinterred in the [[Age of the Dragon]], many settled in remote valleys on Kai Chi where they supported themselves as cocoa farmers. During the [[Long Night]] their populations were largely left un-checked as they were already living in an appropriately "primitive" fashion. However, the necromancers there were not so poorly advanced as the forces of [[Samuel Fate]] believed.

By the end of the Age of the Dragon, the necromancers had already begun to tap aquifers to irrigate their cocoa crops. Fearing competition from local farmers who had to rely on the natural rivers and streams, the necromancers did this in secret. As the Long Night fell, they continued to keep their pumping and drilling technology a secret. This allowed them to continue producing enough food while still using "simple" farming techniques which relied on animals and hand tools. With their populations able to grow while the original indiginous populations faced hard ships, by the end of the Long Night necromancers had largely suplaned the native Kai Chians.

==New Day==
In the [[Age of the New Day]], the largely agrarian population of the steppes were quick to modernize, making deals with the [[Gudersnipe Foundation]]. Despite three thousand years, the locals understood the value of machinery and were eager to gain access to luxuries once out from under Fate's thumb. The necromancers already had the necessary infrastructure of roads and graded fields, they only needed tractors, trucks, and harvesters to quadruple their output. For a relatively paltry investment in farming machinery and a number of fertilizer factories, within the space of a generation Kai Chi became the breadbasket of the [[Known Worlds]].

In more remote regions, a curious culture developed as remote necromancer [[Necromancer Temple|temples]] focused on becoming self-sufficient while continuing to export. These temples could produce enough food and energy to not require anything, while also exporting valuable crops of cocoa. Some even went into full-scale chocolate production. These temples represent a curious oasis in an otherwise harsh landscape. With cement buildings, glass windows, air conditioning, and all the other modern conveniences, they are separated from the outside world. Such temples are known for their orthodoxy and are seldom visited by outsiders, but open to pilgrims from other temples.

[[Category:Course Books]]

Eieber

2026-03-30T19:15:36Z

CourseDirector:

Sometimes called Lieber or Uther.

Eieber was the first [[Pendragon]] of [[Slayer Dragons]]. Among his people men do not have last names, so he is only Eieber.

Eieber's birthday is on the 5th day of the 11th month. Don't have a year figured out yet.

==Early Life==
Born a farmer's son in the little-known Cloden Valley region of [[Ataya]], Eieber spent much of his youth hearding sheep. Most sources put his farm in the village of Iban.

==Magical Ability==
Beforing taking up [[Echbalder]], Eieber was not known to be proficient in any level of [[Magic]]. It was only after the [[Battle of Eckl-Skaald]] tht he began casting spells and fighting as a battling sorcerer. Eieber [[Battle of Eckl-Skaald#Magical Imbuement Dispute|claims]] he gained access to magic by stabbing the [[Arch Magus]] and [[Sigil Stone]] while the tower was casting a spell. This is disputed by most mages but agreed upon by historians.

Later, upon becoming a [[Slayer Dragon]], he became one of the most powerful living mages of the war.

==Notable Achievments==
Eieber is perhaps the most important figure in [[Course Books]] history, as he is credited with ending the [[Mage Wars]] after their extent of 3700 years. His [[Eieber's Long March|campaign]] lasted approximately six years, and ended with the formation of the [[Alliance]].

The [[Battle of the Eckl-Skaald]] cemented Eieber's reputation when his army, then small and fielding few battle mages, defeated one of the most well-established towers on the [[Agras Plain]].

He is also best known as the founder of the [[Slayer Dragons]], whereof his first group were known as [[The Ten]].

==Speculations of Dragon Heritage==
Eieber grew up in [[Stormreaver Valley]] in what would later become the city of [[Arindell]]. Essentially, he was born and raised in the shadow of the [[High Mountain Flight]]. The [[Ataya]]ns living in the valley had some sort of peace with the dragons, though the reason is not known. It has been theorized on numerous occasions that Eieber had some dragon ancestry, as did all the Atayans living in the valley. However, DNA mapping that could detect dragon blood was not perfected until the late [[Ages#The Sixth Age|Sixth Age]], so it remains hypothetical.

==Interesting fact:==
Though Eieber is praised in song and story as a larger-than-life hero, whose deeds cannot be measured and whose courage is without equal, the actual man was somewhat less impressive. History remembers him as a great man partially because he wrote much of it, and also because despite the name of [[Ages#Golden Age|'Golden Age']], the early years during which Eieber still lived were extremely turbulent. The legend of Eieber then became an important stabilizing factor, as he still lived and still led the [[Alliance]]. He had to be a great man and have an unbelievable reputation, or his word alone could not have stabilized nations.

The truth, however, is that Eieber actually won the Mage Wars by simply fighting dirtier than everyone else. His tactic was simply to find his adversaries' biggest weakness and exploit it as hard and fast as possible.

It is a true testament to propaganda that he is remembered best for his honor.

==Epic Poem==
This is the final verse of an epic written about Eieber:

“Though in his youth he had both strength and praise, in his failing years he had not but praise. With his dying grasp, he took the hand of the one that would follow after him, and placed it upon the sword. There were no more words in this moment, only understanding. As he succumbed to his years and death take him, for the briefest of moments he felt the old strength, and for the briefest of moments his squeezed the hand of the one that would follow after. The end of a life, the beginning of a legacy”.

It appears in both [[Joshua]] and [[Herald of the Calm]]; but in ''Herald'' it is indicated that large portions were written by Eieber himself.

==Chronicaler==
Most of the information about Eieber was recorded by a [[Paladin]] named [[Saint Oraounge|Oraounge]], who later became a [[Cardinalism|Cardinal]] priest and was sainted in the early [[Ages#The Second Age|Second Age]] over a thousand years after his death. St. Oraounge recorded thousands of pages in [[Sepal-Script]], which was not transcribed into [[Egregts]] until centuries after his death. As Sepal had fallen out of common usage by then, the transcription process along with the degradation of the leaflets introduced numerous mistakes. Some of these were not caught until millennia later.

[[Category:Course Books]]

Dragons

2026-03-01T21:06:06Z

CourseDirector: /* Dragon Flights */

Dragons are powerful [[Mystical Creatures]]. They live in groups called 'flights' and sleep in caves on large mounds of gold. Dragons are long-lived and often very wise. They can become powerful sorcerers, but even their innate magic is exceptionally potent.

==Dragon Names==
Dragon formal introductions are done like so:

[Dragon Name], of the [flight name], out of [Mother's Name], by [Father's Name].

Example:

Hunter Jusenkyou, of the [[High Mountain Flight]], out of Sahar, by Hygelic.

Dragon flight names always end with 'Flight'. Example: Ozork Flight, High Mountain Flight, Warsong Flight, Lowland Hills Flight, etc, etc, et agnosiam.

Dragon magic is based around true-name magic, whereby knowing or speaking something's true name grants you power over it. The formal dragon name is thus the dragon's true name, and by announcing it they are announcing their power. It is extremely rude to address a dragon by his full name, the only time it is appropriate for someone other than the dragon to say his full name, is during an introduction.

Curiously, dragon formal names are very rarely written down by dragons. If a dragon needed to interact with humans, they would adopt a human moniker. This is because, for another to read a dragon's true name, would invite that person to invoke the dragon's power. This is why [[The Broodmother]]'s dragon name is impossible to actually speak, and must be expressed through the shape of a spiral.

===Family Names===
Dragon family names originate from unrelated members of the flight that have died. A dragon formally 'dying' is a very uncommon occurrence, most often the result of combat or murder. If such an individual was a revered member, the flight may wish to honor him and preserve his name. Not all dragons have family names to begin with; so an un-named dragon will take the first name of the deceased individual as his family name, this keeping him alive for generations to come.

==Physical Types==
Dragons can be classified by how they fly, and they fly one of three ways:

===Black Earth Dragon===
Dragons of this type have extremly large lungs and many tiny air bladders within their bodies. They swallow fire to heat the air bladders, thus producing lift much like a hot air balloon's. Small wings are used for steering and propulsion. Black Earth Dragons excel at distance travel and need very little energy to fly far.

===Blue Air Dragon===
Blue Air Dragons use magic to fly. They will typically have no wings at all or very small wings. Conversly, they might have very large but completely decorative wings that serve no actual function. These dragons are typically the rarest, but most powerful. They are often highly manuverable.

===Red Fire Dragon===
A Red Fire Dragon flies much like an aircraft, using lifting surfaces and flapping wings for thrust. Red Fires are the most common and typically fill the roles of hunters and warriors. Red Fire Dragons are also the only type subjected to scientific study. According to [[Rinoin]] scientists, Red Fires can fly at speeds of up to 400 m.p.h. and can break the sound barrier in a dive.

The scientific name for Red Fire Dragon is ''Draco Volan Draconoides''.

==Physical Capabilities==
Dragons are very strong, capable of lifting nearly twice their own weight. For brief periods, and depending on available traction, a dragon can exert a force up to three times its own weight. They are also nearly indestructible, and known to fall from great heights without injury, and to survive rockslides and cave-ins.

===Speed and Altitude===
Dragons are also very fast. An adult red fire dragon can "cruise" at speeds of roughly three hundred miles per hour, and reach speeds of four hundred for short durations. In a dive, a dragon can break the sound barrier. Some experiments attached G-meters and accelerometers to red fire dragons, which reached nearly Mach 2 in rarified upper atmosphere, and broke the meters at five hundred Gs.

There is no known altitude limit for a dragon's flight. Red fire dragons have been been seen to reach one hundred fifteen thousand feet, the main limit being being their ability to produce lift in the rarified air. They breathe oxygen and cannot stay at high altitudes for long. A dragon achieves the best combination of flight-efficiency and speed at altitudes between fifteen and twenty-thousand feet.

Black earth dragons have a much higher altitude ceiling, clearing one hundred forty thousand feet with little effort. However, they cannot dive like fire dragons, and can only reach those altitudes by inflating their sizable flight-bladders with heated hydrogen. A black earth dragon at altitude is effectively holding its breath, which they can do for a considerable interval, but it's generally not considered a normal altitude. Typically, Black Earth Dragons remain at around forty thousand feet, though when traveling with others they will hang around the same altitude.

No studies have been done on Blue Air Dragons, though anecdotal evidence suggests they should be able to "fly" through space, with speed and distance ultimately limited by their magical abilities (a Blue Air dragon can, in theory, magically transform the carbon dioxide in his blood back into oxygen). A Blue Air Dragon's top speed without magical assistance should be roughly comparable to a Red Fire Dragon, but it becomes questionable at which point its speed is "magically assisted", since these dragons fly by magic.

===Ground Speed===
Dragon walking speeds are difficult to quantify. An adult dragon typically moves quite slowly on the ground, owing to to the energy requirements and the rather destructive nature of dragon ground movement. Flying is more efficient than walking, and given a full-grown dragon's great size, they would dig massive pits with each step if careful consideration is not paid to footing. Rather surprisingly, a dragon can, with effort, walk very softly.

Running speed is dependent on how exactly one defines 'running'; or, where they draw the line between 'running' and 'flying with your feet touching the ground'. Using its wings for lift and tail for stability, running on its hind legs, and adult red fire dragon can reach forty-five miles per hour. This assumes good terrain, open, with hard-packed earth for support. Running on all fours they are restricted to closer to thirty M.P.H.. Black Earth Dragons have refused to run for analysts, several of whom were eaten for asking.

Unsurprisingly, the juveniles are considerately faster than their adult counterparts. Possessing the same great muscle content, but not being quite as limited by sheer physics, a juvenile fire dragon can reach speeds of over eighty M.P.H. in the open - faster than a cheetah - and can sustain high speeds for a considerable time. Their fastest speed can only be reached for brief intervals, but the same dragon could do thirty-forty M.P.H. got hours at a time. In fact, in the rare cases where juvenile dragons have been left alone (in such cases as they are not old enough to fly) this is how they hunt: by running down their prey until said prey collapses in exhaustion.

===Magic Hour===
Dragons have impeccable eyesight, with unequaled distance-vision and incredible night-vision. Their Achilles' heel, however, is the so-called 'magic hour'. Around sunrise and sunset, when the light is not quite full or gone, their vision is severely impaired. While dragons can fly during this period, most instead find a space to roost and wait it out. While traveling, they will fly straight through the hour, and avoid landing if possible. They are not completely blind, but may be unable to see threats in advance enough to respond.

==Size Descriptors==
Dragons also use colors to denote levels of maturity. This is sometimes confused with age; but is thus a misnomer as the lengths of developmental periods vary widely from dragon to dragon. For example, "dragon puberty" can last anywhere from 30 to 200 years. It especially difficult to ascribe ages as dragons are, for all intents and purposes, immortal. They do not die of "old age", and also never stop growing. Further, the sizes are not tied to mental age, at which dragons develop considerably faster. A dragon may be considered "mature" as young as sixteen.

===Green===
A Green dragon is a hatchling, not yet ready to leave the safety of the rookery. This stage generally lasts a year or two, and requires that the hatchling at least gain the physical size and resistances to survive within the eerie proper.

===Pink or Blue===
This is the only developmental stage at which gender-differences are specified ('pink' for girls and 'blue' for boys). A pink or blue dragon has reached an appropriate size, developed strong enough lungs, and grown a thick enough hide to move safely around outside the rookery. However, they will still spend most of their time either in the rookery or in the main horde chamber. This stage lasts for 2 to 4 years.

===Red===
A Red dragon is a juvenile, also often referred to as "dragon puberty". Juveniles have not yet reached full physical maturity, but would appear to an outside to be "surely a dragon". However, when compared to the mature forms, juveniles appear gangly, misshapen, with often disproportionate features.

Juveniles will not be allowed outside the eerie until they have learned to fly; however they will have free run of the entire eerie.

===Black===
Black is the first stage of physical maturity. A black dragon is a fully-developed adult. Most active dragons within a flight will be black dragons. This stage can last until death.

===Gold===
A Gold dragon is the lowest stage of advanced age, or an elder dragon. Golds are massive, sometimes reaching lengths of 100 feet from wing-tip to wing-tip. Gold dragons are typically at least 500 years old.

===King===
King is the next stage beyond Gold, with few dragons of this type able to still move. Many may chose to live on in human form to advance in their years.

===Emperor===
Few dragons ever reach this stage. The final stage of a dragon's life cycle, emperors are the largest by far. Very seldom can they leave the eerie, and movement is heavily restricted.

==Dragon Age==
Dragons tend not to measure their ages in years or months. Very young dragons might have seasons ascribed to them, but typically dragons don't really keep track of their age, once maturity has set in. Even the life-cycle color descriptors do not define specific ages. The juvenile, or "red", stage can last for centuries, and dragons do not wait all that time to grow up.

In general, dragon maturity is defined by three factors: Mental acuity and demonstrated access to the genetic memory, the ability to fly and hunt effectively, and the ability to shape-shift. Mental and emotional maturity are also a factor. Dragons have no set age of majority: a big part of growing up is simply being recognized by the flight as an adult.

Shape-shifting often comes first, with dragons being able to take on other forms around the age of 11. When exactly this happens, while important, is not considered a huge marker.

Flying is always the first milestone. Dragons will begin gliding and testing their skills in the eerie, but when they have mastered the ability, they may first venture outside to hunt. Mastering the hunt means they have mastered flight.

Demonstrated access to the genetic memory is the final test, and takes time. Flight alone does involve some access, but full access requires practice and some training.

==Life Span==
"A dragon lives forever", and a dragon never stops growing. A dragon's life-span is ultimately limited by how long it maintains the caloric intake required for activity. Most dragons do not survive long enough to reach Gold status, but die in accidents or in battles with rival flights. There are also diseases and conditions within the dragon community. A typical dragon life-span is around 500 to 700 years, though dragons living over 1000 and even into their 2000s is not uncommon.

Older dragons rely more heavily on magic as a replacement for food, allowing a modest level of activity. King and Emperor dragons are usually unable to hunt due to their massive size, and must be fed by the flight, or draw magic to survive. The leading cause of natural death among dragons is not being able to draw enough magic.

Often, elder dragons will find and out-of-the-way corner of the eerie to sleep in, where they draw power from the rocks to stay alive. They can hibernate like this for hundreds or even thousands of years, slowly building up stores of energy. They can, for hours or days, return to the flight with renewed energy, and then return to sleep again.

An old, established flight such as [[High Mountain Flight|High Mountain]] or [[Warsong Flight|Warsong]] might have dozens or hundreds of King and Emperor dragons sleeping in its halls.

===Dragon Fossilization===
Most dragon eeries are built at or below the water table, or contain hot springs. Additionally, dragons typically make their homes over volcanic hotspots, which make their interiors humid and damp.

For dragons in hibernation, partial fossilization (or rather, encrustation) of their hides becomes a real problem. Fossilized skin can usually be shed, but the fossilization will sometimes penetrate the muscles and even reach bone, causing discomfort and reduced mobility.

==Rookery==
Every dragon eerie includes a rookery or hatchery where the eggs incubate. The hatchlings also live there for one to two years after birth. The rookery is the most highly-guarded cave in the entire eerie, and is usually a small chamber off the main horde. The cave is characterized by a hot spring and the presence of '''''Luminous Drgonola''''', a bio-luminescent plant found only in dragon rookeries. The plant provides a soft, warm nest for the eggs (which must periodically be turned) to rest on, and is also the primary diet of the newly-hatched baby dragons. Later they will be fed scraps of meat by the elders to help them grow and mature faster, but the ''Luminous Dragonola'' is always available for snacking.

==Personality Traits==
Dragons tend to be very strong-willed and independent; a dragon flight is less a political entity than a group of dragons bound by familial ties. While laws are sacrosanct, there is no governing body, and it is up to individual dragons to obey and maintain them. Dragons do not follow what humans would regard as traditional gender roles. Among dragons, traits like assertiveness and dominance are most often associated with femininity, though it is also expected within dragon cultures that every individual should express both a feminine and a masculine side.

==Belief System and Laws==
===The Broodmother===
The dragons worship the [[One King]], through a creator they call [[The Broodmother]]. According to Tradition, the Broodmother is the ancestress and moral authority of all dragons. Her wisdom was handed down to dragonkind through the [[Dracosage]]s. The dragon creation story holds that the One King created the Broodmother, and then gave her twelve eggs, from which she hatched eleven sons. She then created mates for her sons by gathering elemental forces (earth, air, and fire).

Because all dragons descend from the Broodmother, whom they hold to be inherently good and sinless, dragons must choose for themselves whether to follow the wisdom of the sages and the path of the One King, or to go their own directions down the path of darkness. A dragon who chooses the latter is called a fallen dragon, and while great power comes with this fall, so to does eternal damnation. To escape the underworld, a fallen dragon must become a rising dragon, and must serve out penance by assisting lesser beings.

====Fallen Dragon====
Fallen dragons are cursed beings: when they attempt to reproduce, their offspring are born [[Feral Dragon|feral]]. Once a dragon has become "fallen", they cannot rise again within their own lifetime. In order to rise again, a fallen dragon must die. For this reason, many flights will seek and destroy fallen members, rather than let them continue down the dark path. In some cases, however, entire flights are fallen. These flights are usually very short-lived, as they cannot produce a new generation.

There are many accounts of fallen dragons living out their lives in solitude, in some cases even trying to atone for their misdeeds in life. Other dragons call this 'ascension training' as the dragon is essentially practicing for its time as a rising dragon. Others simply look for a spot to wait out their lives, trying to avoid temptation.

====Rising Dragon====
In order to rise again, a dragon must die, and spend time as a sort of spirit or shade, in which form they form a bond with one of the life forms they can change into and help them achieve a great victory. This process may be repeated numerous times, as necessary. The mortal being is said to "carry" the rising dragon. [[Hunter Jusenkyou]] carried several on his skin as two-dimensional figures, which supplied him with [[magic]]al strength; but this is not unique to him alone.

Draconic memories are extremely powerful, so much so they can take on a life of their own. This is the nature of a rising dragon, it is the memories and soul of the fallen dragon given form.

===Law===
The dragons belief system is built around a series of events from pre-history called [[The Broodmother#|The Dragon Cycles|The Dragon Cycles]]. It was during this time, and throughout the [[Mythical Age|Age of Myth]], the [[Dracosage]]s laid down dragon belief and law.

While the dragons have no universal governing body, there are a few universal laws that all flights obey.

Chief among these are the '''War Rule''' and the '''Ally Rule'''. These concepts govern how flights interact and how conflicts are resolved. Though not governed under a recognized 'rule' there is also third-party arbitration (something that dates back to the [[Laws of Antiquity|rules of Antiquity]]). When two flights are in conflict and have not yet gone to war, they will frequently seek the aid of a neutral third-party in mediating the dispute.

===The War Rule===
The War Rule determines when two flights can and cannot go to war. Though there are numerous conditions (and some flights honor or ignore different aspects of doctrine), the basic rule is this: when two flights go to war, the war ends only when one flight has been completely annihilated.

Caveats and conditions apply, such as one flight can 'annihilate' the other simply by absorbing it. Flights may also exist in a state of war without open conflict, if the issue that initially drove them to war (typically land disputes, arguments over gold, etc.) is no longer important, or one flight has made restitution to the other.

Typically, flights will avoid war at all cost. However, two flights are considered 'at war' when a member of one flight has killed a member of the other.

While flights are at war, no member of either flight may form a mating pair with a member of the opposing flight.

===The Ally Rule===
Much like in war, once a flight has become allied with another flight, they cannot break the allegiance until one flight ceases to exist. Usually, in the case of allies, the allied-flight has right of ownership over the deceased flight's gold.

Alliances can form for many reasons, though it is usually mutual defense or the destruction of a mutual enemy. Any intermarriages between two flights are also said to make them allies, though allegiances of this type are sometimes not openly admitted.

Allied flights must support each other in conflicts, either morally or through direct military support. Often simply the threat of bringing down the wrath of many allies is enough to keep two un-allied flights from going to war.

==Pilgrimage==
Since about the start of the [[Ages#The Golden Age|Golden Age]], dragons have ritually made a pilgrimage to [[Djr Archipelago|Djr]], the last vestige of [[The Dragonlands]] and considered to be the spiritual home of all dragons. This involves off-world travel for some, but the many flights based on the [[Greater Continent]] elect to go the long way, flying for great stretches to reach Djr.

During the [[Ages#The Second Age|Second Age]], when [[Lelerough, Destroyer of Worlds|Lelerough's]] body was returned to the Dragonlands, the pilgrimige came to include a flight over her tomb in the long-ruined city of [[Le Ro]].

Pver time the pilgrimage became a coming-of-age rite for young dragons, undertaken about the age of 13. Different flights have different routes and methods. At [[High Mountain Flight|High Mountain]], the reds all leave together as one group and fly unattended to chosen shelter-caves, or stay with allied flights along the journey. Conversely, [[Seacrest Spire Flight|Seacrest Spire]] prefers to send its reds with a single, slightly older 'guide' and to have them sleep rough and hunt along the way. The exact nature of the pilgrimage is simply a matter of the character of the flight, and can change through generations.

===The Legacy===
The most important part of the modern pilgrimage, starting in the late Second Age, is to fly the honor-guard formation over Lelerough's tomb. This is itself a challenging undertaking, as the tomb is located deep within the blighted Dragonlands, and there is nowhere safe to land.

A dragon who has flown this formation is then considered "part of the legacy" (of the Dragonlands) and should have a new understanding of dragonkind. This is also when, despite appearances, dragons ritually enter adulthood. Before the pilgrimage, a young dragon will not have left the eyrie much and never without supervision. After, they are regarded more or less formally as an adult, and given freedom to do as they please.

==Use of Slavery==
Dragons begun to take on human slaves during the [[Age of Darkness]] and have held them ever since. Dragons are not, however, known as particularly cruel task-masters; human slaves are treated well and have access to the bounty provided by living on dragon lands. Further, they are not held captive. In general, dragon flights that practice slavery allow their humans to leave at will, often allowing them to take whatever they can carry with them. For the dragons, it is more a case of making use of the land; if there are people living on it, they make use of the people.

==Dragon-form==
Dragons can shapeshift, but only into a limited number of forms. Specifically other mystical creatures and humans. They cannot disguise themselves as anyone; the dragon has very specific 'forms' in its other shapes, all distinct and identifiable. A dragon in human-form might not be identifiable as such to a human; but if compared to its dragon form, the similarities are obvious.

==Feral Dragons==
Feral dragons (often referred to as 'Hellkites') have the body of a dragon but the mind of a beast. Dragons do not consider feral dragons to be dragons, and have no more qualms about killing them than you would a monkey or a cow. They are animals; the likeness (in draconic minds) is coincidental. Hellkites have frequently been tamed throughout history and were sometimes ridden during the [[Mage Wars]].

===Types===
Adult feral dragons are exclusively red-fire types. Blue-Airs are simply never born, while Black-Earths do not survive into adulthood and cannot fly.

==Organizational Structure==
Dragons live in flights. The flight is a close-knit community with a herarchy and leadership. Usually the eldest dragons lead. The flight will live in an eerie, a system of caves usually heated by geothermal (volcanic) activity. Dragon eeries are heavily guarded; outsiders are not permitted under any circumstances (including dragons from other flights). Though dragon eeries are a community, each dragon considers other dragons as family, referring to each other as 'brother' and 'sister', regardless of actual familial relationships. Dragons do organize into family groups, and are very interested in consanguinity (family relationship; in lay terms "who is related to whom, and how"). Though familial relationships are rarely spoken of, every dragon knows how he is related to every other dragon.

Dragons mate for life. Eggs, however, are hatched in a communal rookery, tended to by the entire flight. Despite the massive size of dragons, eggs are only around a foot in diameter. The exact incubation time varies drastically between flights, with some as low as four months and others as high as two years. Hatchlings grow very quickly, doubling in size every two or three months. Hatchlings remain in the rookery for the first year or so of life, before venturing out into the eerie with their parents. Hatchlings only ever leave the rookery with their parents; when the parents must leave the hunt the hatchlings are returned to the eerie. This continues until they reach the age of three. By this time their physical bodies have matured enough to begin learning to hunt and fly.

Despite their long lives, dragons develop mentally along a similar time line to humans. Much of their early life is governed by instinct, but they soon become aware. Dragons have exceptionally good memories, and thus have no need for books. Every dragon will learn the oral history of the flight by age ten, along with any other information they may require.

Dragon grudges last a long time. When one flight is 'at war' with another, the war does not end until one flight has been completely annihilated. Though the war may not involve any active battle, all dragons know which flights they are at war with, and if one ever encounters a dragon from an opposing flight, they will battle one another until one lies dead.

===Types of Dragon Flights===
There are several types of dragon flights:

====Off-Shoot Flight====
Most existing dragon flights are these. When a flight grows too large, a number of its members will break off and form a new flight. They establish a new eerie and take some of the original flight's gold with them. Off-shoots retain very close ties to their original flights, with many inter-marriages and much migration between the two. Only after an offshoot has existed for several generations will it even generally consider itself a separate entity, and even then the mother-flight will remain an important ally.

On rare occasions, several dragons from two separate, allied flights will form a new flight. In this case, the flight is still considered an offshoot, but of both flights. It is known that for a time during the [[Mage Wars]] there existed a pan-dimensional offshoot flight consisting of members from hundreds of different flights. The final fate of this flight is not known.

[[The Dragonlands]] contained many such offshoot and conjoined flights, with many city-states each centered around a large dragon flight.

====Primordial Flight====
A Primordial Flight is a flight considered to be original, not an offshoot of an existing flight. According to the legend of [[The Broodmother]], the first dragon gave birth to eleven sons, each of which was given a mate created from a basic elemental (earth, fire, and wind thus account for Black Dragons, Red Dragons, and Blue dragons). Each pairing then founded a new flight. Thus, there are eleven Genesis Flights, or first flights.

The [[Lowland Hills Flight]] is known to be a Primordial Flight, and [[Ozork Flight]] claims to be one as well.

====Pauper Flight====
Also called an Exile Flight. Though extremely rare, Pauper Flights are made up of dragons exiled from their birth-Flights. Typically, an exiled dragon will seek shelter with a neighboring flight, if possible taking a mate from it in order to become a part of that flight. Other times, such outcasts will live alone in solitude. Very rarely, a handful of exiled dragons from different flights will band together and form a new flight of their own. Since such flights are not considered off-shoots, they do not receive any gold from their original flight, and any riches they have must be obtained on their own. Hence the term 'Pauper', as these flights are often very poor by dragon-standards.

==Leadership==
Dragon flights are largely self-governed but have elders who nominally lead the flight. This is typically only for very large scale decisions, such as relocating or declaring war. However, the flight elders may have the power, but seldom truly lead. An elder will typically name a younger dragon as his voice; this dragon(along with the other voices) attend meetings and discuss matters. There is a mentor/student relationship at play, indicating the elder trusts the younger to be his 'voice'.

Dragon politics can actually be quite complex, but mostly involve a lot of very long-winded speeches.

==Dragon Genetic Memory==
According to legend, each dragon carries "the secrets of the multi-verse" in his being. In practice, this translates to a encyclopedic knowledge of the physical sciences. Math, chemistry, physics, how the [[Multi-Verse]] functions; all of it is coded within their DNA. During [[Antiquity]] and particularly Classic Antiquity, dragons used this knowledge to educate humans, informing the high technological advancement achieved by the [[Eladamri]]. With the [[Fall of Roads]] and the rise of [[Dragons#Fallen Dragons|fallen dragons]], the dragon population, as a whole, gradually lost their genetic memory. It is believed the technique of accessing it had to be passed verbally from one generation to the next, and that during the [[Mage Wars]] this often failed to happen.

==Magic==
Dragon [[magic]] is very subtle yet powerful, and relies on the full capability of the genetic memory to function. Dragons use true-name magic, and in their memory lie the constructs for the true names of everything, right down to sub atomic particles. While dragons rarely speak aloud to preform magic, their capabilities are quite literally infinite, limited only by the time and imagination of a single dragon.

Dragons primarily use their magic to improve the land around them. By feeding energy into their feeding grounds, they make plants grow stronger and animals healthier, thus increasing the available game. Dragons have also been known to manipulate the weather to further strengthen their domains. While the full extent is unknown, its common to see dragons exerting a strong influence over a five hundred mile radius around their eeries.

==Living Accomodations==
Since the destruction of all the old nomadic flights, all dragons now live in eyries. An Eyrie is a network of natural and artificial tunnels in which the flight makes its home. These are usually built over volcanic 'hot spots' to provide the eyrie with warmth. Where a natural hot spot is unavailable or has shifted (as dragons inhabit the eyries for thousands of years), they will often dig tunnels many miles into the earth to release heat, sometimes to the magma if need be.

Eyries are always very hot; the dragons prefer a temperature of between 95 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit, though personal preferences vary. Average temperatures tend to be inversely proportional to the size of the flight: larger flights maintain lower temperatures.

===Bedding===
Dragons actually collect gold for a very practical reason. The flames they emit would ignite most forms of bedding; only gold is soft enough to be comfortable but also fireproof.

Most flights have a single, large, communal bed-chamber, though they may store gold in many interlinked sections of the eerie.

===Food===
Dragons self-identify as carnivores, but most are omnivorous, to the degree of being almost walking garbage disposals. Young dragons especially will eat basically anything, including fruit, shrubs, fruit trees, fruit farmers, small woodland creatures, large woodland creatures, woodlands, and rocks.

In general, the flight's food comes through hunting. Most dragons simply go alone to hunt in the flight's territory, though some flights have organized parties of hunters that gather food for the elders.

Dragons typically enjoy their food raw, or cooked with a blast of flame. The only condiment universally enjoyed is ketchup (see [[Kladeth]]), though some flights do have an interesting history of culinary excellence. Meals are prepared, recipes followed, and all manner of seasonings used. These flights are fairly rare, however, and the food is often still not fit for human consumption.

===The Eyrie===
The eyrie is divided into several key sections. At the very center is typically a single large cavern which contains the bulk of the flight's gold. This is called 'The Horde', and the name refers both to the chamber and to the gold within the chamber. In conversation, dragons always seem to know exactly which is meant (the chamber or the gold) and have no linguistic distinction.

The horde is always the best-guarded part of the eyrie, and the entrance to the rookery is always through the horde. The rookery is where the eggs are laid. It is usually tended by a dragoness who remains in the chamber at all times. Water is brought from a natural spring or through an artificial channel, so the rookery is always very hot and humid.

Around the horde or near it lies the library, a large network of tunnels and chambers in which the history of the flight is recorded, usually written directly on the walls but sometimes on additional stone tablets. The library may have no clear entrance or border, as it expands with the age of the flight.

Some flights may also have chambers for meeting and chambers for feeding (eating within the horde is considered extremely poor manners), though most dragons eat outside. The [[Inferno Organ]] will have a chamber all its own. Every flight has one, but some may construct additional instruments.

The eyrie's tunnel system is extensive and has many entrances and exits.

==Language==
===Spoken===
Dragons in fact have a spoken language of their own, which humans mistakenly called [[Parceltongue Institute|Parceltongue]]. In fact, "parceltongue" is a very rough translation of an extremely crude and offensive word which has no human equivalent. It came to be known by that term thanks to early dragonologists, who observed dragons speaking it to one another, and made the mistake of asking what it was called. This incident later gave rise to the the dragonologist's first maxim: ''"Don't ask a dragon any direct questions"''.

When [[Yule Steinheart]] asked [[Ikelani Nosval]] about it, Ike did his best to explain: ''"it's as if an exceptionally sexist word and an equally racist word conceived a child together, and that word in turn were raised by all the discriminatory terms for Necromancers"''. As such, you will never hear a dragon utter the word in polite company, but most will laugh like five-year-olds when a human says it. To them, it's like teaching children to say swear words: funny, but extremely inappropriate.

While dragons will typically tell you otherwise, it is possible for humans to learn and speak draconic. The language consists mostly of glottal stops, hissing, percussion, and throat-clearings, and is said to be largely interpretive in nature. A lot of words have many meanings, and rely on context, shared experiences, and [[Genetic Memory#Dragon Genetic Memory|dragon genetic memory]] to be properly understood.

===Written===
Dragons have a written language called [[Scoriography]], which translates nicely into [[Common]], but presumably is meant to be read in the draconic language. It is said to be quite easy to learn, enough so that humans have been able to read it, but not all dragons will know it. A flight will generally only have a handful of scoriographers, whose task is to record the flight's history within its tunnels.

==Trivia==
Most dragons cannot make the 'hew' sound in human with their mouths in dragon-form, and thus prounounce it 'oo' or 'uu'man. Many dragons are unaware that this is the incorrect pronunciation and will even correct humans who say it wrong.

"Tatsujin" is a dragon term of endearment. Though it has roots in words from the [[Mage Wars]] meaning 'master' or 'expert', it has evolved over the eons into a term of affection. Traditionaly reserved for use on one's beloved elders, it is not uncommon to see it put in place of 'friend'.

Dragon magic converts quarts into a material called [[Dragonite]] which glows faintly and can be used as a light source. Interestingly, despite being converted from a crystal, the material contains a metal, named [[Scarlididium]].

A [[Dragon Forge]] is a tool used in [[Enchanting]].

*[[Pirinad]]

===Dragon Holidays===
The exact dates vary by flight, but the major holidays are as follows:

*The Ascension - commemorating the day [[The Broodmother]] took dragon form
*The Hatching - always celebrated 270 days after the Ascension, this is said to be the day the first children of the Broodmother hatched.
**Fire - when the first Red Fire dragons were made
**Earth - when the first Black Earth dragons were made
**Air - when the first Blue Air dragons were made

==Famous Dragons==
A number of dragons throughout history have had a great impact. [[Draco]] is the most popular and notable, however in the city of [[Arindell]] [[Ikelani Nosval]] is quite the legend. Then there was [[Khornthises]], a dragon sorcerer who rules the city of [[Khornth]] during the [[Mage Wars#The Dynastic Period|Dynastic Period]]. And, of course, no one can ever forget [[Lelerough, Destroyer of Worlds]].

[[Ferrimeso]], a dragon from [[Phoenix Tavern Flight]], collaborated with [[Herbet Patric Galactis]] on the [[Accepted Histories]].

Erizar the Heartless, of [[Rama Flight]], out of Itez, by Mutzi - figure this out later.

==Dragon Flights==
A list of known flights:
*[[Lowland Hills Flight]]
*[[High Mountain Flight]]
*[[Laqutoshon Stone Flight]]
*[[Ozork Flight]]
*[[Warsong Flight]]
*[[Kodiac Flight]]
*[[Rama Flight]]
*[[Seacrest Spire Flight]]
*[[Water Drake Flight]]
*[[Demi Flight]]
*[[Arkash Grim Flight]]
*[[Phoenix Tavern Flight]]
*[[Dagon Drago Flight]]
*[[Laughing in the Dark Flight]]
*[[Pirinasis Praxis Flight]]
*[[Champion Back Flight]] - eliminated by High Mountain sometime in the late Fifth Age.
*[[Obwalla Ascension Dragon Flight]] - located in Modia
*[[Sea Quake Desert Flight]]
*[[Spiremenod Flight]](located on the Isle of Spire in [[Lyot Gulf]])
*[[Gorbash Flight]].

[[Category:Course Books]]

CourseDirector:

#REDIRECT [[Slayer Dragons#Political Age|Political Age]]

[[Category:Course Books]]