Vystrian 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.

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.

The Remnant

The Remnant is the name given to those dragons who reside in Millirand, those that did not leave in the great exodus to Felnova in the Millirandian year 7303. They see themselves as loyal to the land of their ancestors, and vehemently defend their territory in the Ryukun Mountains and their capital, Arrowhead. Distrustful of outsiders, and wary of the age-old - though now unlawful - practice of hunting their kind for trophies, most Remnant dragons do not venture far from the Ryukun's lofty heights. To visit the mountains is to risk their ire, and more than one hapless traveler has been chased from the mountains by a dragon unwilling to speak. Many still do not revere the Ten or Millirandian Five as much as most in that Realm, due to believing the gods abandoned them to their fate thousands of years ago. However, the Trae'vinn Yi'fae'n - a religion called the Essence of Faith - has made a comeback in younger individuals who have wandered beyond Arrowhead's crystal walls.

Unlike the dragons of other Realms, all Remnant dragons are led by a single ruler who shares no ties to Kazule or the original royal bloodline of the First. While this position has been passed down from parent to child for several generations now, it was once a rank chosen by the Council of Elders, many of which do not like how things have changed and will make no effort to hide their malcontent. This Council is forged of six of the oldest dragons in Millirand, a few of which are old enough to remember the mass exodus, the hope of the dragons returning, and the sense of betrayal when the gods did not answer their pleas for help.

Many of the Remnant are able to trace their bloodlines back to the original dragons who lived in the mountains before the founding of Ki-Lia, as well as western drakes who settled there before the mass exodus and the gods' perceived abandonment. The vast majority are westerns, though groundrakes and wyverns are also common in those with less than pure blood. Resilient to the cold, arctic conditions that grasp the Ryukuns in three out of four seasons, the Remnant dragons have several common traits shared throughout their population, most of which help them live in the great peaks. These traits are listed below.

^{(drag to address bar for full size!)}

• All Remnant dragons who have been hatched in the last several thousand years are uniquely adapted to the cold, wintery conditions of their home. They share a resistance against extremely low temperatures and have a mammalian ability to regulate their body temperature, as more reptilian-aligned dragons do not do well in the persistent north. Slight resistance to ice magic exists, and some may have magical affinities to keep them warm outside of biological processes.


• Fur is very common in various places on the dragon, seen as an adaptive trait inherited from ancestors who were able to better handle the mountain clime. Fur manes and tufts are found in all Remnant-hatched dragons, and fur coats covering at least the the neck, shoulders, wing arms and upper tail are very common. Other fur, as on the chest, underside of the tail, and on the jowls, are uncommon but still found in many members. Fully furred dragons, and those with feathers - frills, feathered wings (partial or full), and crests - are rare. Purebred Remnant dragons may appear more mammalian than reptilian, resembling canines or large felines in facial structure and paw configuration.

Lord/Lady: de facto monarch of Arrowhead and the Remnant. serves as a king or queen with a different name. offspring, however, are still called princes and princesses.

Councilor: a member of the Elder Council, one of six ancient dragons and the eldest of the Remnant. act as advisors to the Lord/Lady.

Lorekeeper: historian and chronicler, responsible for keeping track of historical happenings, bloodlines, and recording important current events.

Warden: commander of the Sentinels. responsible for Arrowhead's defenses.

Sentinels: responsible for safeguarding Arrowhead and its surrounding domain, and ensuring nobody strays too close if not invited.

Elder: dragons who aren't part of the council, but who are old enough to remember the days before the great exodus.

Nightwind Clan

The Nightwind Clan is one of the oldest dragon clans recognized, having been formed several thousand years ago in Noctis. Every blood-descended Nightwind is related to one of six siblings - all of whom carried the signature family traits, seen in their descendants many centuries later. Nightwinds are known for several traits that have grown prominent in both their magic and their appearances, not the least of which is their unique aura-tinted elemental magic - most often color-stained wind, elemental magic uniquely colored by their reiatsu.

Though they often portray themselves as a large family of artisans, traders and courtesans, the Nightwinds most often use these as fronts for organized crime. They deal in the underground and host a large black market in multiple cities across several Realms, paying off local authorities and bribing higher powers to allow their business to flourish above the law. While they tend to deal in mostly illegal procurement, counterfeiting and fraud, they may also employ assassins, smugglers and other such skilled criminals. Wealth and nepotism are very important in gaining rank within the clan, though rising through hard work and pleasing the regents works just as well.

Many Nightwinds are suspicious of outsiders, and clan members are very choosy who they bring into the family - as well as what children they keep as opposed to those they send away to be raised far from the main city. Hatchlings should display feathers and dark coloration - anything else, and suspicion may rise that the child is not of true Nightwind blood. Those they choose to breed with must also display at least one similar trait, to keep their clan look stable. Love-matches are allowed, but frowned on the closer one's lineage is to the regents, as their bloodline is very tightly controlled.

The Nightwinds are primarily descended from six siblings who initially claimed the name after serving for some years in the Vystrian Order of the Raven and Order of the Beryl. All six were clutchmates, and have a seventh still-living brother in Zaon, who has cut most of his ties and remains in Felnova. These six are Lord Nielnev, a Black with white stripes and long feathers; Lord Ezra, a Purple with broad feathers and starry markings; Lady Yzran, a Violet with black stripes and spots; Lady Furious, a Black with galaxy-marked wings and bold red-orange feathers; Lord Tyrannus, a sunset-colored dragon coated in fur; and Lady Kerem, a Black who was fully feathered nose to tail. All six left the knighthood to pursue their own goals and ambitions far from Felnova, earning their brother's ire - to this day, he has not forgiven their dishonor, though he feels regret that he was never able to make amends before their eventual deaths. Together, they founded the city - named Jayshrike - and the clan after settling on the Crystalline Silza, high in Noctis' floating sky-continents. Many other dragons who had admired them in the Order had followed, and helped to build Jayshrike out of the stone and crystals, making their new home with high hopes and grand dreams.

For some time, this city thrived. Many of the dragons, including the siblings, wanted a beautiful and artistic metropolis where the creative and industrial minds they had brought with them could build something truly unique, where all would be free to pursue the dreams they had harbored throughout their lives. As the siblings took mates and their offspring grew, it seemed this would become a reality. However, as months stretched into years and years into centuries, the founders and their children grew restless and greedy, unsatisfied with Jayshrike's prosperity. It is unknown what exactly happened to the founders themselves - but each sibling either vanished or was killed, as were many of their children and grandchildren, despite the clan growing in leaps and bounds within the first several hundred years. Their focus turned to darker and darker dealings, and the family grew more and more suspicious, as the centuries stretched on. At last, the Nightwinds became what they are known as today; a wealthy and prosperous crime family, nigh untouchable and unofficial Noctisian nobility.

Nightwinds may vary greatly in basic coloration, marking shape and adornment, though each blood-tied to the clan will have several distinct and shared traits. These traits are as follows.

• Nightwinds all have some feathering on them; most commonly feathered crests and hybrid-styled wings (feathers along the leading edge, with webbing underneath), but may sport fanned tails, feathered ridges, trailing feathers, or even be completely covered in a feathery coat. Wings can be fully feathered, though this is somewhat rarer. Most are scaled, but can be covered in fur as well.


• Coloration varies, but all Nightwinds have either dark base colors, or dark markings. Many will have starry, space-like markings or some form of sparkly iridescence to their scales, feathers or fur, though this is not found in all individuals. Stripes and spots are most common in marking shapes, though other shapes and gradients may be found.


• Primarily wind/air element, though water and lightning are also common. Storm magic similarly common, as is non-elemental emotional manipulation and similar abilities. Nightwinds all possess the unique trait of their magic being directly 'stained' by their aura color, resulting in oddly-colored elements such as purple wind, red lightning, silver water, etc. This trait is so strong it shows in Nightwind children that show no other clan traits, regardless if they are kept by the clan or not.

Regis/Regina: the male and female leaders of the clan. often a mated pair, but may be co-rulers without romantic attachment, so long as an heir with blood-ties to one of the clan founders has been named. called the 'regents' when referred to together.

Scion: the heir apparent, to become regis or regina. must have blood-ties to one of the clan's several founders.

Seneschal: oversees important everyday tasks for the running of the clan; works closely with the regis and regina, and heads all matters of the city and its running. also serves as spymaster for the regents, playing an assortment of roles to hear from various spies both in and out of the clan.

Legati: singular legatus. generally serves the same role as ambassadors, but also provide 'encouragement' for those affiliated with the Nightwinds to pay their dues.

Aethyrian Elder Council

The Elder Council is a group of Aethyrian dragons who are among the strongest of their 'element', well versed in history and fonts of knowledge. Due to their age, wisdom and power, the Elder Keepers serve as a guiding force of all Aethyr, as well as guardians of the Realm's bountiful lore. They watch the political meanderings of the Imperial Houses, teach dragons of their magic and their history, and are dedicated to the Realm's protection and prosperity. Imperial leaders and monarchs throughout Aethyr bow to their authority, and often seek their advice on matters of state. They are also the only power the Celestial Order will bow to in matters beyond religion. Their coat of arms reflects that of the Heartlands, symbolizing their neutrality, as they are not part of any one Kingdom and do not fall into either the Aetherian or Netherian Alliances.

While the members of the Elder Council are never related, and do not form a noble family in truth, they are the highest ranking individuals and the most powerful form of leadership in Aethyr. Thus, they are comparable to a leading royal family in other Realms. They can be from a House and nobility themselves, or they can be unrelated to nobility and Houseless - it depends on their age, experience, and power over all. The Elder Council's knowledge and skill in their magic is their key to power.

The history of the Elder Council is a long one; many years ago, Aethyr was ruled by competing clans of dragons, torn by war and conquest between the various elements. Mistrust was at an all-time high, and the various factions had gone into a steep decline as violence mounted. Eventually, jaded by bloodshed and tired of war, leaders of these clans sent ambassadors to a secret summit in what would eventually be known as the Heartlands, to discuss pathways of peace. These ambassadors tended to be old and venerable, not only keep the integrity of the front lines, but because they were skilled and knowledgeable in a wide array of disciplines.

They were all tired of war. Through these elders, they came to a fragile agreement to work together, and began forging peace between the various clans and tribes, helping to solidify them into royalty - and, eventually, the Imperial Houses all Aethyrian dragons follow to this day.

Traits do not count in this group, and this the members may look radically different from one another. Each Elder is called by the term Elder Keeper.