Rainsong

While there are many king pardas, there is only one King of the Parda, and they aren’t even a parda at all.

Rainsong hatched without a family, a sad consequence of the constant egg thievery by beastclans. Foolish beastclans, who flee from dragons into the Rainsong Jungle only to learn that there are far worse things in the jungle than dragons. Fortunately, mirrors are dragonkind’s greatest survivalists, and when the thief met their end at the jaws of one of the jungle’s numerous monsters Rainsong instinctually knew what to do. Hatch immediately and run as fast as their tiny legs could carry them.

Being newly hatched, Rainsong was small enough to hide were the huge creature with many teeth couldn’t reach him. Then he kept running for good measure, until he stumbled upon a nest full of eggs and decided it was his new home. That nest belonged to a pair of parda, who would turn out to be the best fosterer parents Rainsong could have looked for. While Rainsong looked nothing like a parda, parda society tries to make sure even the weakest member survives. Thus, the parda made sure that their weird, misshapen child was given the most food in order to increase their chances of growing up strong despite their extra limbs and lack of fur.

Rainsong continued to be a weird child (as far as parda are concerned) by developing creative interests instead of being satisfied with merely hunting. While the parda might not have invented tools, Rainsong was inventive enough to shape some out of stone, and found he had quite the flair for carving. Before long, he was presenting a pair of stone collars to his adoptive parents, who were enthralled by the concept of wearing things. Rainsong was delighted by home much they liked the collars, and he quickly branched out to bracelets and tail rings. Soon, wearing one of his creations was a sign of prestige among the parda, and Rainsong enjoyed his position as one of the most important figures in parda society.

Now, Rainsong rules from the top of a stone pyramid deep within the Rainsong Jungle, as king of a burgeoning empire. Before, he only led the parda of one corner of the jungle. But conquest after conquest has changed that, as parda eagerly join his ever-expanding dominion. They fight bravely, each hoping to prove themselves in battle and earn one of the stone collars crafted by their king that signifies his favour. And Rainsong looks ever forwards, following his vision of the empire controlling the entire jungle. It’s the least the parda deserve for taking him as a hatchling.

As Rainsong’s influence spreads, the parda seek conquests ever farther from the deepest parts of the jungle and the empire’s core. Their scouting parties and advancing armies have begun to meet dragons from outside the Rainsong Jungle, those who seek to plunder the jungle’s riches for themselves. Many skirmishes have been fought, and Rainsong has quickly learned not to underestimate this new threat. Now, he prepares the parda for their largest campaign yet. They will not permit these interlopers to intrude upon their domain. The Rainsong Empire will control the whole jungle. Rainsong will see to it, even if it means fighting against his own kind.