Kil's Clan

Cradled deep within earth and ice, hidden from casual seeking, lies the lair of Clan Chaeir'q. Their lair is a massive ice cave, cavernous and twisting, that lies deep within the Fortress of Ends, the most remote and dangerous region of the Southern Icefield. The walls glisten with a frozen chill, kept from melting by the magic of the dragons who live within them. The long passageways are lit with blazing torches, another symbol of their skill in elemental magic, for the torches burn blue and never go out. It is a maze of tunnels and caves, and those who don't belong quickly find themselves lost, to wander the icy pathways until they freeze... or until something finds them. Every so often, you might catch a glimpse of a glimmering rune out of the corner of your eye, gone when you try to look directly on it, a visible representation of the magic the dragons here have channeled through their element. The heart of the lair is a vast chamber that serves as both great hall and feasting hall. Hung with banners bearing the symbols of the clan and tokens of their victories, dominated by a pair of elaborate crystal thrones, and lit by a massive fireplace, it is truly awe-inspiring.

The lair is ruled by Frostlord and Frostqueen, who are the undisputed monarchs of it. The regal pair discovered the cave, and decided to claim it for their own. They have since worked to expand and furnish it, fit for their clan and its revels. They are firm in laying down the law, but fair, considering every aspect of the situation before they pass judgment, and not hesitating to punish their clan members who transgress. According to the old ways, a dragon of their lair who feels they have been judged wrongly may call for trial by combat, and challenge the one who passed it down. However, in addition to being widely beloved, Frostlord and Frostqueen are some of the clan's most formidable fighters, so it's rare that any dragon takes that option.

The dragons of this lair follow the old ways. They throw many feasts in honor of the deities, and in honor of the old gods, many of them forgotten by clans who don't have such a long memory. But the dragons of the Southern Icefield keep hold of what they have, and do not forget. The one-eyed Allfather, the Mother of the Deep, the hunt god who is both hunter and prey... These and more they recognize, and they feast and toast in their honor. Many of the clan's dragons have at least one favored deity, and are eager to perform brave deeds and win triumphs in their name.

However, their feasts and revels do not all follow the bright path. The old ways are also the ways of stone knives and blood on the snow, crowns of bone and blood sacrifices. They range from battles between the clan's warriors, that their strength and valor might please the gods, to ceremonial hunts, after the swiftest, most cunning, or noblest prey. And sometimes, they award one dragon that greatest of honors, and one deity that greatest of sacrifices, sending them a servant in a way far more permanent than exaltation. Even Frostlord and Frostqueen know that with their power and title comes the unspoken promise that one day, if all is lost for their clan and no hope remains, they too must bare their throats to the knife and go personally to the halls of the gods, to petition them for help in their direst need.

The clan is not welcoming to intruders, and treats them with hostility. Those dragons who were brought in from the outside were either picked by Frostlord or Frostqueen for some quality that would benefit the clan, or proved themselves to the clan by great deeds or doing them some boon. Truly unwelcome intruders might find themselves the subject of the clan's next blood sacrifice. The only time when outsiders are welcomed to their hall is during the celebration of the Crystalline Gala, when the custom of hospitality is sacred, and all travelers could be a deity in disguise.

The clan is, for the most part, very tightly knit. They call each other brothers and sisters, and bestow upon Frostlord and Frostqueen the reverent title of Lord Father and Lady Mother. Every dragon who would join their clan swears an oath in blood, on the white expanse of the snow on a moonless night, binding them to clan. They cut themselves with an ancient stone knife, and let their blood mingle with Frostlord's and Frostqueen's, thus sharing blood with not only their leaders, but every dragon who underwent the ceremony before them. From then on, every dragon in the clan is their bloodsib, regardless of birth. However, it may be that some of the clan doesn't take their oath as seriously as the rest, scheming to seize power and willing to pay the price of being named oathbreakers if that's what it takes to get it.

As soon as a dragon is bound into the clan, either by birth or by blood ceremony, they gain the distinguishing feature of Clan Chaeir'q. Every word they speak emblazons itself onto their wings, in a burnt black script. From then on, they must be careful how they speak, because when there is no more room on their wings for more writing, they will die. The writing on the wings of younger dragons is often large and clumsy, and their parents have to work hard to shush them lest they take up too much space on their small wings too quickly. For this reason, hatchlings within the clan are rare, but celebrated. However, as dragons grow older, and more powerful, they learn to make it smaller, and the most powerful mages have very small script indeed. Some dragons carry around something to write their words down on at first, but the clan has their own sort of sign language, composed of gestures, claw snapping, posture, wing and tail position, and even some nonverbal sounds like hisses, growls, and tongue clicks. This is one of the reasons they're so hostile to most outsiders. Since their method of communicating is exclusive to them, it's almost impossible for outsiders to understand. To speak to them in their own tongue would shorten the speaker's life with every word, so they are not particularly eager to encounter them.

Besides, who do they need but their brothers and sisters, and their Lord Father and Lady Mother?