Dragon

Introduction

History

Abilities

Dragons speak verbally. Their scales and teeth are as tough as metal, but an arrow or a spear can still wedge between them. It is the massive size and knowledge of a dragon, and the power of its Grist, that determines its strength.

Many dragons are old enough to wield several magics or even Gnosis at their disposal. While rare, when a powerful and wise dragon decides to invade this often means mass devastation for entire civilizations. Dragons are prideful and solitary, so it is rare to see more than one dragon united over a common goal.

Grist

All Draconidae have have access to the [[[Glamour]] of Grist, located within the apple of their throats.

Life Force Predation

Dragons may steal the very age of other dragons by slaying them and then feasting on their life force. The most powerful dragons are truly ancient, and dragons slowly grow boundlessly in size with time.

Anyone with the power of Grist can become a full-blooded dragon of the age they’ve slain by absorbing its life force through the organ, expending the proper Merits if any as XP debt. Eligibility includes Kobold and those who are part-draconidae or else part of a Bloodline with Grist. While rare, surgeons with Anima can implant themselves with Grist to absorb the powers of a captive dragon.

Physiology

Dragons are large quadrupedal reptiles, usually but not always covered in rigid scales. Some of them are long and spindly, while others are rotund and fat. A dragon comes in all shapes and sizes, with age dictating the upper bounds of its size.

Variants

Every individual dragon is unique, shaped in appearance through its age and Grist. A dragon that exists in relation to metaphor will begin to exhibit the traits of those concepts; for instance, those who eat a specific kind of prey or material will begin to exhibit traits of its preferred food source, and those who obsess over machinery will begin to look like their creations. A dragon which has slept atop a bed of moss for years will sometimes begin to exhibit moss as part of its hide. Even their general physiology might change from being bulky to thin and long, possibly even bipedal. It should be noted that aside from whether or not a dragon has wings, these traits are mainly aesthetic outside of direct manifestations of Grist.

Life Stages

• Egg -

Dragons begin as an egg. They need to be bathed in the concept of their Grist at least somewhat to develop, otherwise the egg will remain dormant for centuries without hatching.

• Wyrmling - 30 Years or Less, 1’ to 3’ tall.

A Wyrmling is between the size of a raven, to that of a large dog. Its scales are soft and smooth, and they are quick and flighty at this stage of life. They can fly, but tend to flutter and cannot soar for long distances.

• Young - 31-99 Years, up to 7’ tall.

A Young Dragon is up to the size of a large horse. Its scales have grown to be tougher, similar to iron. Their Grist has begun to shape their form according to how they live.

• Adult - 100-399 Years, up to 20’ tall.

The adult dragon can be as tall as three men standing upon each other’s shoulders, their size enough to dwarf that of a cottage. Their scales are equated to solid steel. Adult dragons have an edge with Glamour due to their higher sum of life force. They are able to use half again as many expressions as those before them without tiring.

• Elder - 400-799 Years, up to 60’ tall.

Elder dragons are oft tall enough to loom over the walls of small castles. Very few places can contain them, their natural strength capable of smashing most forms of stone and common metal. Their scales and teeth are thought to be as tough as adamantine. Elder Dragons can use twice as much Glamour as any other.

• Ancient - 800 Years or More, up to 120’ tall.

The Ancient Dragon is a beast of lore. Only a few dozen exist in the entire world of Antarok. Many of them spend their time slumbering among a hoard of treasures, resolving disputes between their kin, or instructing the younger generations. Some have lived so long that they care little for conquest, power, or wealth as they have likely attained all they could have ever wanted, and others spend their days chasing knowledge for the sake of understanding. Their scales are supernaturally impervious to all but the most potent forms of harm, and their minds can speak so loudly as to make lesser mortals writhe in agony. Most troubling, their boundless life force allows them to use all but the most tiresome forms of Glamour seemingly without end.

Playing a Dragon

You may begin play as a natural-born dragon. Understand that many cultures fear or resent dragon-kind, and their size leaves them dependent on magic or special social customs afforded to them should they wish to interact with the mortal races of Antarok.

Your starting age is limited to 300.

Progression

• Wyrmlings may be played without penalty.
• Beginning play as a Young Dragon is a Minor Merit. You may expend a Major Merit during moderated play through the act of Soul Predation to become an Adult Dragon.
• To begin play as an Adult Dragon, allocate your initial 300 XP as you wish, expend a Minor Merit for having been a Young Dragon, another Minor Merit if you wish to begin with your Grist unlocked, and then begin with up to 250 XP debt for the Major Merit.

• To become an Elder Dragon, you would have to expend another Major Merit during moderated play through the act of Soul Predation
• To become an Ancient Dragon, you would need to expend yet another Major Merit during moderated play through the act of Soul Predation.