Vystrian Dragon Royal Family
The Vystrian royal family are the only dragon bloodline with direct ties to the First Dragon, Kazule, and one of the very few who may claim they are descended from dragons who have seen the First Realm. Those that marry into the family are often referred to as royal, but are not considered true royalbloods unless they have the blood of the First within their veins. In recent times, the royal family, though never large, has shrunk to a very, very small number.
Unique is that their family is tied to the balance of Felnova directly, and a living royal must be bound to the Vystrian city of Albronel lest the Realm's unstable condition grow too dire for the gods to control. This is both a strength and a weakness of all reigning Vystrian royals. While they are often gifted with great power, a reigning royal may not leave their Realm for long periods of time or be forcibly separated from the throne, as the balance is prone to fraying. It also has a detrimental effect on the reigning royal's own mental and physical stability, and over many centuries their grasp on reality may similarly fray.
Royals are known to have several unrelated stewards to help shoulder the burden of the balance through a ritual binding, though this may not be used for very long periods of time, as it will drain and eventually kill a single steward in a matter of decades.
While the appearances of Vystrian royals vary greatly in color and appearance, they have several defining magical traits that set them apart from traditional dragons. These traits are as follows.
- All royal dragons have one of two 'form' traits; magical affinity so strong it induces physical change not entirely different from a slight shifting gene. The first - and most common - is elemental forms, where a dragon's natural shape and colors may be changed by whatever element they focus on, generally in moments of extreme emotion. These physical changes often effect horn shape and structure, marking color, and outward elemental venting, such as a fiery mane or ice-coated claws. The second - and much rarer - trait is that a royal may have two much stronger light and dark elementally-aligned forms, but no ability to influence their shape with the primordial elements (IE, fire, wind, water, etc). The two elements of light and dark in this form change may be more extravagant, and often shift the base hue of their scale color to white or black (or very near those) respectively.
- Royals - regardless of their form trait - tend to have greater than average elemental affinity, and often may control more than one element at will. The vast majority begin with fire, though light is a close second. Those born entirely without an element are very, very rare, but may be stronger physically, or have greater non-elemental magic depending on the individual.
- All royal dragons are distinctly western in build type. Regardless of coloring or other appearance details, no royal has been born as a wyvern, drake, or other variant in recorded history. Though this may seem possible - as there is nothing barring a royal from taking an alternate-variant mate - it is said that Kazule's genes are so strong this body plan persists in all of his descendents regardless.
- Though not a family trait, a cultural tradition with all royals is a partially inheritable two-part surname derived from the surnames of their parents. While most royals earn secondary surnames later in life, this particular last name is given at hatching, and they will carry it with them for the entirety of their lives. An example of this might be Kazule Silentscale and Tiamat Runesong; one of their children was given the surname of Runescale, and the other Silentsong.
The royal dragons of Felnova are led by the following ranks:
King/Queen: the current reigning royal. is the holder of the balance tie, and leader of Vystriana.
Crown Prince/Princess: the current heir to the throne.
Prince/Princess: children of the reigning royal king or queen.
Queen Mother/King Father: a king or queen that has abdicated the throne, and no longer reigns.
In addition to these ranks, other royals simply are called 'royalbloods' and do not hold any official title within the family. However, any royal may take rank unrelated to their place in relation to the king or queen. Dragons do not often concern themselves with most noble rankings humanoids do, but there is nothing stopping a royalblood from serving in the military, holding land, or otherwise participating in things that may elevate their social standing.
Direct-Line Royals
These dragons are all directly related to Kazule through blood, and are descended from he and Tiamat.
Daughter of Marflax Firestriker and Kyranie Skydancer. Verridith Skystriker, a golden dragoness descended from both Kazule's line and the Great Gold, is a young queen who rules over what is left of Vystriana. Raised far from home, she grew up in the wilds of Millirand along with her brother, Zephyr, in an exile imposed by her parents. When she learned of her heritage, found by the old former king (and her grandfather) Fang, she was overwhelmed and ill-equipped to lead such an ancient kingdom.
Now, however, she has not only learned to rule, but has become immensely protective of her people regardless of their race or station. Fire and fury fall upon any who may threaten those she cares for, as her anger truly knows no bounds.
Son of Kazule Silentscale and Tiamat Runesong, firstborn of the First Dragon and second king of Vystriana. Fang Fireclaw Runescale, sometimes known as Fankorialstrazanite Flametalon, is an old and tired dragon who wants little more than to sleep his days away unbothered by the world. He believes he has served his purpose in life and that most other pursuits are meaningless; very few are able to get through to speak with him, and gain his counsel. He feels great regret for all the things he was unable to accomplish during his life, and this darkness has followed him wherever he goes, whatever Realm he shelters in.
Son of Kazule Silentscale and Tiamat Runesong, second-born of the First Dragon. Once a beautiful purple dragon that inspired thoughts of the dawn on snow, Nwalka is merely a twisted rendition of his former self. His scales have darkened and blackened, his body twisted, and what little sanity he once possessed has been lost to magical experiments that gave him great power, but robbed him of his capacity for feeling and thought.
He is insane, unfeeling, and incapable of understanding the pain and death of others. A terror upon the world, he travels from place to place at will, wreaking havoc he neither understands nor remembers wherever he may go. Most of his family are unsure what to do with him, though his brother - Fang - has vowed to find a way to restore him body and soul.
Daughter of Verridith Skystriker and Narath Thundersight. Nearly as angry and tempermental as her mother, Nagase Skysight is the firstborn of the new queen, but has no wish to rule or deal in courtly life; she avoids the great dragon cities as often as possible, and roams as the wind wills with her chosen mate and companion, Jano, along with the periodic company of her foster-father, an elf named Ecl. She is gifted with white reiatsu and has a strong connection to the Ethers, though she has absolutely no other elemental affinity or magic save for the healing properties of her aura.
Daughter of Verridith Skystriker and Megiddo Shatteredsteel, secondborn to the queen and Crown Princess of Vystriana. Kyrelia is uncertain of her place in the Realms, and what the future holds for her. Her sense of duty and obedience is often at odds with her desire to learn more about the Realms, and about herself and what she's capable of.
This dragon's information is still WIP. Check back soon!
Indirect Royals
These dragons have 'married in' to the royal family, and have no direct tie to Kazule's bloodline.
Former queen and mate of Kazule, the First Royal, Tiamat is ancient and powerful. Her knowledge of kv'naer lead her to claim the surname Runesong. Haughty and disdainful of those she deems to be beneath her notice, she harbors within her a great sense of guilt over having betrayed Kazule in the past, and the pain and suffering her betrayal caused. Now, having returned from her self-imposed exile, she seeks to find a way to atone for her past actions.
A sweet Blackbone dragon who won the heart of Nagase, and currently travels with her in self-imposed exile. He is often goofy and uncertain, but highly protective of his mate, and an experienced healer and light-magic user. He is also a Seer, though his visions are few and far between.
