Creative Corner

[center] [img]https://40.media.tumblr.com/a220d2b005b889121931c2afc00ba406/tumblr_o5spn85lXd1vranqso1_500.jpg[/img] My dragons are linked by a somewhat unique lore - and this thread exists to keep track of the finer details of that lore along with miscellaneous writings associated with it, like bios and stories related to my clan. If you browse the pages, you'll see a lot of my musings and bits and pieces of stories, and if you want I can ping you for updates! This is an [b]open [/b]lore, meaning that anyone who's interested in using the world-building for their own dragon backstories or as a jumping-off point is more than welcome to! I do request however that if you choose to play your dragons in this universe, that you credit me by linking back to this thread. Meanwhile, use this thread to hang out with fellow lore-members, chat and brainstorm plots and ideas, discuss world-building details, ask questions, etc. [img]http://41.media.tumblr.com/07655acabf5f30100a4bbe954460a1eb/tumblr_o1zrsv44JN1ufdm5xo3_400.png[/img] [b]Brief Overview[/b] In this world, dragons live side-by-side with a human realm and can travel freely between the dimensions. Under the influence of draconic magic, human technology has developed in a different direction, creating a world with elements of high fantasy and steampunk. Dragons in this world are able to assume a humanoid/gijinka form for ease of interacting with humans, and some choose to live permanently among humans for reasons of their own. Otherwise, dragons follow a semi-tribal, semi-feudal social structure based around gender identity, class, and magical ability. [b]Table of Contents[/b] 1 - You are here! 2 - Users & Ordering Custom Bios 3 - Worldbuilding - Lore History 4 - Worldbuilding - Culture and Biology 5 - Worldbuilding - Magic 6 - Questions & Affiliates [b]News & Updates:[/b] 4.2.16 - Established thread 4.9.16 - Made things look a little prettier & neater 4.13.16 - Set up a Tumblr for archival purposes [/center]

[center][img]https://40.media.tumblr.com/c059d595ffebeea1b73b37eaab04b6f9/tumblr_o5spn85lXd1vranqso6_500.jpg[/img][/center] [i]A brief directory of users whose dragons use this lore or whose dragons live within this universe. Use these links to browse all the characters, or find potential RP partners! [/i] [quote] [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&tab=userpage&id=188785]Fenshae [/url]- Lore Creator [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&tab=userpage&id=50796]SuperPaperShark[/url] [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&tab=userpage&id=112692]RaisingCain[/url] [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&tab=userpage&id=129951]Takenaka [/url] [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&tab=userpage&id=20282]Drackana[/url] [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&tab=userpage&id=232536]8BitFey[/url] [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&tab=userpage&id=153960]Starlight18[/url] [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&tab=userpage&id=237706]Greybee[/url] [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&tab=userpage&id=171207]LogicalDiviner[/url] [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&tab=userpage&id=272586]WindRunning[/url] [/quote] [b]Join the Lore! [/b] Interested in becoming part of this open lore project? Just let me know that your dragons are playing within this world, and I'll happily add you to the list! [quote="Order Custom Lore"] Enjoy the storytelling potential of this world but don't have the time or inclination to write something for your dragons? I can do that for you! Go visit my lore shop for details: [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/art/1835192][img]https://40.media.tumblr.com/e3cbf46efd2e63dcacac6becda879c90/tumblr_o676457nPs1vranqso3_r1_250.jpg[/img] [/url] [/quote]

[center][img]https://41.media.tumblr.com/9418f48be74d828e1fe7e15b9ddaf4a9/tumblr_o5spn85lXd1vranqso4_500.jpg[/img] [i]For centuries, our kind have dominated the skies, growing strong and prosperous even as those around us have fallen to darkness. We were made in the image of our gods, the blessed children of warring deities, and we served them loyally, never realizing that our prosperity would one day bring destruction. As dragons proliferated, our magic grew stronger; and where magic grows, so does chaos. We unleashed the Shade and, with it, terrible instability. The walls between worlds began to crumble, our magic leaking out and reaching across dimensions to bleed into the worlds of men. [/i] [img]http://41.media.tumblr.com/07655acabf5f30100a4bbe954460a1eb/tumblr_o1zrsv44JN1ufdm5xo3_400.png[/img] [/center] Dragons have come to dominate their own realm, being the smartest and most advanced of the races in their world -- and, as always happens with sentient races, they became terribly lonely. As the magic of their world became stronger and more chaotic, it sent ripples through the fabric of space-time, building a bridge between dimensions; and through one such pathway, they discovered humans. They found humans to be a promising species, one worthy of forming an alliance, albeit one made uneasy at times. For dragons have something that humans lack and desperately want: magic. In exchange, humans offer technology and comforts previously unheard of among dragonkind. To simplify their interactions, dragons assume a humanoid form (gijinka). They have found that this form offers many side benefits as well -- including ease of interacting among their own kind without the inconvenience of size differences. Some dragons choose to live primarily as humans, dwelling in manors and sleeping in beds. Others find human form terribly restrictive and vulnerable, preferring the craggy mountains and wide-open spaces of their forebears and assuming human form only when absolutely essential. [quote="Quick Facts"] [LIST] [*]The human world, having developed under the influence of dragon magic, has technology with elements of both high fantasy and steampunk settings. [*]Dragons can assume human form at will, adopting a "seeming" or humanoid appearance; but most still retain some dragon features such as unusual eye and hair color or the presence of wings or tails, setting them apart from natural humans. [*]The dragon world exists side-by-side with the human world, with some dragons choosing to live within human cities and others living in more wild areas; the dragon realm itself is inhospitable to humankind, and so dragons preferring human interaction tend to live on the borders. [*]The Shade is an ever-present threat, running the risk of further tearing apart their world; some dragons find this more alarming than others. [/LIST][/quote]

[center][img]https://40.media.tumblr.com/f3adb850133e8105062caaebf3b512a5/tumblr_o5spn85lXd1vranqso2_500.jpg[/img][/center] Biologically, dragons are quite different from humans. They are creatures of magic, and magical energy supplants the chemical-and-electrical systems of carbon-based lifeforms. The exact mechanics of their biology are largely a mystery to humans, and of little interest to dragonkind, who tend to be much less science-minded and far more rooted in tradition than their more vulnerable allies. In other words: Dragons do not question their origins or lives; they simply accept things as the way their gods intended them to be. [b]Breed Expression and Magical Power[/b] Dragon fall into a number of breeds - guardian, imperial, pearlcatcher etc. But the expression of these breeds is determined by the strength of magical power in an individual. The prevailing wisdom is that more rare breeds are more powerfully magical, and that breeding with a weaker breed would result in dilution -- hence why mixed breedings between, say, an Imperial and a Tundra would yield primarily Tundra offspring. Some dragons (generally of the 'weaker' races) suspect that this explanation is not the whole truth, but it is the prevailing wisdom and guides the mate selection of some (though by no means all) dragons. [center] [img]http://41.media.tumblr.com/07655acabf5f30100a4bbe954460a1eb/tumblr_o1zrsv44JN1ufdm5xo3_400.png[/img][/center] [b]Gender Identity[/b] Dragon breeding is, itself, a primarily magical affair. Dragons combine their life essence into eggs, which are then tended until they hatch. In general, male and female essence is necessary to produce a viable egg. Like birds, a female dragon may produce eggs without the presence of a male, but they will not hatch under most circumstances. A faeder is able to express magical energy in either a male or female way, but almost always requires the magical ability of two other dragons -- either in the form of three dragons tending the nest, or by laying an egg in another nest/stealing an egg created by two other parents. For way more intensive notes on breeding, see my [url=http://openloredragons.tumblr.com/post/143027306120/breeding-mechanics-in-depth-musings]tumblr[/url]. Dragons generally recognize three genders: [LIST] [*]Males [*]Females [*]Faeders [/LIST] As a rule, male dragons attract mates through flashy displays and shows of wealth and power. The cultural norm is for a male to develop a harem of multiple females, but other arrangements may sometimes occur (see below) [quote="Social Structure"] [LIST] [*]Females tend to be the most adept at hunting. Some females will pledge fealty to a male, offering food in exchange for safety in numbers by becoming part of a single male's harem. In general, harem-females will tend to bond closely with each other, sometimes forming romantic attachments with other females, often communally raising their clutches of eggs. [*]Other females will live outside of harem territories or on their fringes. These will tend to be more territorial themselves, less likely to bond with other females, and more likely to develop one-on-one attachments to solo males (ie, pair-bonding). [*]Harem-keeping males will tend to manage very large territories and will form strategic alliances with each other to ensure separate territories -- think of them like mob bosses. They will generally freely allow females into their territory as long as those females pledge fealty and are open to sharing a nest; under certain circumstances they will welcome other males as well. [*]Secondary males within a harem will generally pledge allegiance to their patriarch, sometimes forgoing their breeding rights in exchange for the benefits of living in a well-defended territory. If unrelated to the patriarch, they may be allowed to claim a patriarch's daughter as a mate; if related to the patriarch, they will often remain as bachelors but may be granted access to females in the harem (so long as the patriarch maintains first choice or absolute authority - depending on the culture of the clan itself). [*]Solo males who are not up to challenging harem-males, or who have no interest in becoming harem-males, will generally take small territories on the fringes of harem territories. They will usually claim solo females as mates or, more rarely, claim two females. Solo males will fight each other for resources and will tend to be very territorial toward each other, but generally cannot stand up to a challenge from harem-males. [*]Faeders are essentially considered a third gender, although they often claim one gender or the other for social purposes. They will form romantic attachments with both males and females. They are relatively rare, being the result of a biological anomaly, and as such are highly coveted (rumors that they are particularly magical help with this a lot). They tend to be solitary, traveling from one territory to another and frequently forming attachments with anyone they come across. Faeders sometimes reproduce as brood parasites, using the nests of other dragons, or by hatching the eggs of others (stolen from nests or found abandoned). [*]Solo males tend to be defensive toward faeders (fearing that they will lose their females to them) and harem females are generally uninterested in them, but solo females and harem males both gravitate toward Faeder. It is a mark of absolute honor if a harem-male can have a Faeder committed to him living within his harem; it's the sort of thing that makes you look really important to all of the other mob-bosses. [/LIST][/quote] [b]Day-to-Day Lifestyle[/b] Dragons are of course concerned with gathering more treasure/improving their social status; this becomes increasingly important for harem patriarchs and certain females trying to elevate their status within harems (or move into particularly classy harems that are choosier). There is a lot of court politics among the 'nobility' in that regard - lots of posturing and deal-making, trading hatchlings, etc. Lower-classes of dragons/those that exist outside the courtly structure of the harem actually frequently have more time to pursue other interests, so they may be more likely to pick up hobbies. They may also spend more time among humans and pick up human hobbies/interests like reading, engineering, crafting, entertaining etc. This is particularly true of Faeders, whose more nomadic lifestyles mean they're often involved in all kinds of side hobbies and interests. [center] [img]http://41.media.tumblr.com/07655acabf5f30100a4bbe954460a1eb/tumblr_o1zrsv44JN1ufdm5xo3_400.png[/img][/center] [b]Some Other Miscellaneous Cultural Notes[/b] Dragons in their own society are very interested in status. They tend to hoard treasure for totally impractical reasons, largely using it to show off their power and influence - particularly for attracting mates and influencing their allies. They also tend toward ostentatious self-expression, and this has only gotten more intense since they began trading with humans. Dragons hatch relatively self-sufficient compared to humans, and require less parental supervision; nesting females are vulnerable, but once the nest has hatched, direct parent influence is minimized. Hatchlings are often viewed as a status symbol, more like treasure - thus having a ton of offspring is seen as a mark of high status (especially in harem families). Hatchlings tend to bond more closely with their siblings throughout childhood, during which time their gender/social status will begin to emerge. Male hatchlings born to harem males may choose to stay within the clan, forfeiting their rights to females in exchange for the relative safety and security of clan life; they make up much of the security of the clan. (they may occasionally enjoy the company of harem females, loner females, and faeder males - as long as doing so doesn't threaten the harem patriarch's authority). On the other hand, males and females may strike out from the clan as they reach adulthood in order to seek their own fortunes. Family bonds are not particularly damaged by this; dragons actually tend to feel more pride at the achievements of their young (and, again, offspring are very much a quantity-over-quality game for some dragons, though not all. The more rare breeds will tend to be snootier about the quality of their offspring due to the power of magic inheritance; more plentiful breeds may try to compensate more by spawning huge families).

[center][img]https://40.media.tumblr.com/e573b1c3b71d87ce7584e2383a772112/tumblr_o5spn85lXd1vranqso5_500.jpg[/img][/center] Dragon magic is essential to humans for two reasons. First, it serves the role of electricity in our own world -- all of the functions we rely upon electricity to power, are powered by magic from the dragon realm. Second, and even more important to the economy, dragons have the ability to magically replicate items, allowing for mass-production. Dragon magic is a finite resource, and one that is fairly expensive to obtain. Human business people tend to actively court dragons, the way one might court an investor. Dragons, for their part, often feel that they are getting the upper hand -- they find the idea of mass-production utterly ridiculous, as they value unique and priceless artifacts above all other things. Of course, not all dragons are capable of offering such powerful magic. Because dragon magic multiplies when dragons live in close proximity to each other, patriarchs of large clans will have the most raw power. However, even loners and faeders will have things to offer to humans. Some may act as storytellers and bards, using their abilities to impress an audience; others may work as healers or even handymen, repairing things through magical means. [center][img]http://41.media.tumblr.com/07655acabf5f30100a4bbe954460a1eb/tumblr_o1zrsv44JN1ufdm5xo3_400.png[/img][/center] [b]The Human World[/b] Human society has become more advanced, in large part thanks to the convenience of dragon magic and its influence in technology. There are still vestiges of feudalism -- most notably, a powerful Noble class -- but class mobility is increasingly common and communities are generally maintained by elected officials moreso than kings (who, when they exist, are more figureheads than powerful political entities). From the dragon's perspective, human society is much more progressive, and some dragons choose to live among humans for precisely this reason (although not all humans welcome dragonkind with open arms). [b]Limits of Dragon Magic[/b] The dragon's realm is built for magic - it has, essentially, a magical infrastructure. Not so in the human world, where magic is much more volatile and requires a bit more effort. This means that dragon power is linked inextricably to the lifeforce of the dragon who created it -- if that dragon dies, their enchantments and spells die with them (unless they've made arrangements to transfer it to another dragon, such as a clan member - a fairly complex procedure, and one not entered into lightly). Dragons aren't always up-front with this fact, which leads to human businesses being left in a lot of trouble if something happens to the spells. Imagine, for example, a dragon magically replicating a weapon for mass-production, and that dragon dying; a whole army could swiftly find themselves unarmed without any warning. Needless to say, this has opened the door for some unscrupulous human businessmen to engage in the shady practice of killing dragons to devastate their competitors. Now, this is not an easy task as dragons are rather difficult to take down (particularly if you don't have a dragon of your own available to do battle) but it is becoming increasingly common to attempt in certain areas. It's also led to certain dragons becoming mercenaries and hit-men killing their own kind, often in exchange for safety or favors from humans. [b]Transformation Magic[/b] All dragons (barring those who may have some sort of disability) have an innate shapeshifting ability, with the overwhelming majority of these being able to turn into human form. However, some attain different forms (such as [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&id=188785&tab=dragon&did=15857944]Ulryk's [/url]wolf form). In general, dragons will always assume the same form when they transform - although the ability to assume multiple identities isn't unheard of, it is exceedingly rare and a skill that requires much practice to hone. Some dragons can also use their abilities to morph other creatures - the most common of this being transforming humans into Beasts (seen not-infrequently in their familiars) and, more rarely, humans and Beasts into dragons. The transformation of a non-dragon into dragon form is generally frowned upon by dragon society, considering that most dragons view themselves as very much superior to other species. Additionally, this transformation is more of a magical enchantment; it generally is permanent until the spell is lifted or the dragon dies. In other words, if a human is turned into a dragon, they will be a dragon until the spell is interrupted - they can't freely change forms. [quote="Miscellaneous Notes"][LIST] [*]The mob-boss mentality of harem clans probably has significant political influence in terms of relations with humans. I imagine that there is probably some conflict over what dragons can trade with what humans, with some of the more influential patriarchs even dominating the market of whole villages or trades/industries. [*]There may be some females who feign male identity in order to assume traditionally male roles, and vice versa. That would be a whole separate issue from the gender and sexuality preferences, as it would be doing it for a political purpose and not as the result of magical/biological expression and identity. So there's some room for story fodder there. [*]Dragons who live on the fringes/who avoid the clan and harem structure, may have a very different relationship with humans. I'm imagining they have a more equal trade established. Like, if a patriarch is able to trade some sort of replication magic for mass production, an individual dragon probably offers some kind of more personal magical service, like healing or a specific type of glamour spell. [/LIST][/quote]

Questions?
This canon is a living thing, and I'm always adding things to the lore. If you have a question or would like to learn more about things -- or offer thoughts, suggestions, and musings of your own -- drop me a line! FAQs and musings will be posted here.

[b]Useful Links[/b] You may find these links relevant to your lore creation and more. [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/gde/1721826]Coded Bio Templates[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/gde/1552898]Images for Bios[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/gde/1777871]Bio Resources Master List[/url] [img]https://41.media.tumblr.com/b2a13302207c79f005a2e6d86303f567/tumblr_o5spn85lXd1vranqso7_250.jpg[/img] [b]Link to Us: [/b] [code][url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/1811701][img]https://41.media.tumblr.com/b2a13302207c79f005a2e6d86303f567/tumblr_o5spn85lXd1vranqso7_250.jpg[/img] [/url][/code] Want more Lore? I also have an [url=http://openloredragons.tumblr.com/]OLP Tumblr [/url]to share writing snippets, world-building information, etc. especially as related to my dragons :) (Want to be an affiliate? Let me know!) Also I'd like to give a special thanks to @RaisingCain and @superpapershark whose feedback during my initial lore creation was invaluable. Thanks!

I need to make some banners/graphics to pretty up the thread, but I am lazy right now.

I also need to stop stalling and actually write my dragon bios instead of procrastinating with canon/worldbuilding. I'll probably write some blurbs and such below, linking to the dragon in question.

[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=15857945] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/158580/15857945_350.png[/img] [/url] Anackire, the Princess of Flame They tell stories about a dragon of mysterious origin -- one, they say, who emerged from the sun itself, who burst into being like a phoenix hatched from a fiery egg. But these are stories meant to flatter, to secure the attention of a certain young female Guardian. Her true story is much less exotic, though it is not one she is likely to share. Things that are known about this enigmatic female: She was born under the sign of the Arcanist, a fact at odds with her seemingly natural-born talent at wielding flame. She tends to keep to herself, dwelling far from the territory of other dragons. And though she has been courted many times by clans of varying sizes, she prefers a simple life of solitude. When she ventures into the human realm, she is rarely seen without the company of a large wolf at her heels, and she herself often wears the skin of a wolf pulled tight around her shoulders, as if attempting to hide her true identity.

@fenshae

Would I be able to join in a bit?

Since reading your original forum, I've been toying around with the idea of my character Sero being a prestigious innkeeper who lives in the human world. After being treated horribly when she was young (from an abusive clan arrangement) she's rather sexist; all her staff are female, female-identifying, or faeder, and she jumps at the opportunity to throw harem-keeping males out.

Its a half-finished idea, and i've got lots of little tidbits I'm still thinking about, sorry.