Scribe

Lair location

The entirety of the lair is located in the southern parts of Rotrock Rim, with the Wyrmwound eerily lurking on the horizon when one arrives at the above-ground barracks. It lies close to the Abiding Boneyard, with the Blight Sanctum only being a few days travel away.

To view it on the world map, please click here.

The clan's lair is mainly located underground, but has its barracks and hunting lodge lying above-ground for easy access to the rest of the Scarred Wasteland. The barracks are also located there to more quickly mount a defense when the Bestclans attack. These all lie in an enclosure protected by wooden walls with a visible stone foundation, which are decorated with the bones of fallen Beastclan enemies as a warning. The buildings themselves have a similar stone foundation and wooden wallconstruction as well, but have more stone per wall. One can enter at a gate, picturing the clan's crest: a sparrow skull, with a pencil embedded in a bone lying on an invisible surface in front of it. From a grand cave entrance in the edge of Rotrock Rim, one can reach the rest of the lair.

The underground parts of the lair stand in stark contrast to the chaos outside: a long tunnel leads to a bustling central plaza, holding a fountain in its center. Most of the higher-end stores in the lair are located here, which cater to the wealthier dragons of the clan. This plaza also holds a few souvenir shops, and some gathering places for guided tours. Directly to the north of the plaza lies The Lair of the Three: the grand town hall where the lair's leaders live and its government convenes. To the east of the plaza lies the street which leads to the embassies, where the elemental representatives of the lair oversee several important facets of running the clan. These embassies are considered territories of the homeland of the representative in question. For example: the Arcane embassy is seen as territory of the Starfall Isles. To the west of the plaza lies a set of streets leading to the lair's mid-range shopping area: several craftsmen sell their wares to the average dragon of the clan.



Lair defenses

The clan’s territory on the surface is surrounded by walls, which have stone foundations to support the wooden spikes standing on them. Barracks are located in a circle around civilian buildings such as farms, in order to better defend them and evacuate them to the clan’s underground areas in the event of an attack. These barracks lie closest to the walls, to both better mount a defense against attacking Beastclans, and being the first to be face the enemy, should they breach the walls.

The walls themselves are fortified with the bones of the mightiest of Beastclans, such as Rocs and . Around these walls lies a deeply-dug moat, to redirect overflow from the Wyrmwound during one of the flash downpours overcasting from the Abiding Boneyard to Rotrock Rim. The moat mainly acts as a defense, though: the substance of the Wyrmwound mixed in the water is a solid deterrent for the Beastclans, many of which are unable to resist the horrible plagues within.

Around these moats are barricades made out of wooden spikes and bone, serving as cover for soldiers with ranged weapons on the front lines. This is where the clan’s lookouts are stationed: a minimum of three guards is stationed behind one barricade at any given time, and soldiers with melee weapons regularly patrol them. In the event of an attack, the lookout will run towards an alarm bell, which is located next to a war horn. The bell will be rang to alert barracks adjacent to them, and the war horn will be blown to alert the rest of the barracks of an enemy’s presence. Right behind the walls are anti-aircraft cannons, designed to knock flying Beastclans such as Harpies to the ground. This leaves them at the mercy of the soldiers at the barricades. However, since these cannons fire slowly, they are accompanied by faster-firing ballista’s.



General lore

While Clan Scribbles originated as a group of three Plague dragons based in the Wandering Contagion, it has always welcomed dragons of other elements. This was both out of kindness and neccesity, as every element has a certain advantage related to it. For example: Plague dragons have infamously strong immune systems, while Nature dragons can make plants grow on even the most fetid soil. Shadow dragons are adepts at the darker sides of magic, while Light dragons are adepts at healing magic. Fire dragons have incredible control over the heat of their fire, while Water dragons can purify even the stillest and most duckweed-filled waters. Earth dragons are strong enough to break the toughest of rock, while Wind dragons are fast enough to out-fly anyone else. Ice dragons can resist colder tempreratures then other dragons, while Lightning dragons are said to be able to bend the very currents to their will through engineering. Arcane dragons are often extremely knowledgeable, and make for the best researchers.

Clan Scribbles operates on the principle of 'strength in numbers': they believe that working together with others is the best way to survive: They feel that no dragon can fully survive on their own, as everyone has a different skillset. One dragon might not be good at tracking animals, but excel at building defensive structures. While another dragon might not be a builder at all, but can find even the slightest trace an animal would leave. For the clan, that leads to the next logical step of combining these skills to achieve the goals of every team member. While this philosophy requires compromise in its essence, the clan doesn't believe in the idea of just achieving one dragon's set goal: if one allows that to one dragon, then one must allow it to all of them to avoid conflict in the longer run. Clan Scribbles has seen many groups fall apart over feeling like one member is in a position of privilege over the others, and hopes to avoid a similar fate through their approach. The clan also believes that one is only as strong as the weakest link in their group: one must share survival wisdoms and techniques with them to strengthen the group overall.

Exalted dragons arrive at the Plaguebringer alive. They go to the Wyrmwound, which serves as a physical portal to her realm. To be sent there is both considered a great honor, and a great burden: once a dragon leaves, there is no turning back: they are no longer allowed to 'consort with mere mortals' by their goddess. They are not allowed to contact the clan, or ever visit. Service to the Plaguebringer is eternal.



Resources

Clan Scribbles mainly lives on meat and insects: scavengers to find the latter on carrion so often, that insects have become the clan's biggest export and a bit of a bargaining chip when trading for rarer resources in the Scarred Wasteland. The clan's meat products find their way into storage from the Starwood Strand, and are mainly subjected to different preservation techniques. Clan Scribbles also gathers gemstones from that area for use in its jewelry.

While one would not expect a Plague clan to have fruits, vegetables and herbs in their diet, Clan Scribbles has these products in storage. They source these from the outskirts of the Reedcleft Plateau, which is a few days travel away. The clan has especially taken a liking to tomatoes, bananas, and pears: this is mainly because these particular foods take a long time to spoil. It's also not uncommon to see tomatoes, cauliflower, potatoes, onions, and corn on plates of food in the lair. Especially edible mushrooms are a staple, and tend to serve as a replacement for meat.

Clan Scribbles mainly obtains its fish in portions of the Sea of a Thousand Currents near the Scarred Wasteland. This is to not come across ships from other clans, as the Maren already pose enough of a threat to the clan's fisher-dragons: it's not uncommon to see the clan's soldiers on the deck of a fishing boat to serve as protection for the gatherers. Due to the risk that obtaining this resource takes, fish is a rare sight in the lair and is considered a luxury.

The clan obtains its neccesary ore for weapons and armor from the Perched Canyonwalks, as its miners are careful to avoid the deep chasms of the area. The ore gathered here make for stronger results then the equipment of their enemies, and give the clan a clear edge in battle. With shipments often coming in from the area's outskirts, a metal product made in the clan will last a dragon for a lifetime.

Another big export of the clan is a series of antidotes: especially one that cures the effects of the venom that Acid-Tongue Serpenta produces is sought after. The clan's nature as Plague dragons make them naturally immune to the beast's poison, and allowed the clan to to quickly research it. They also sell antidotes for Serthis- and Maren-made poisons, as the clan's soldiers have brought back plenty of vials for the clan's medics to research.



Government

The lair is ran by the three dragons who founded it: Galdera, Verona, and Black Diamond. Each has an important task when it comes to the lair. As dragons of every element are welcome in Clan Scribbles, every element has one seperate representative. After discussing with the Three, the representatives are the ones who actually write up the laws of the clan. The Three still have the last word on whether this law passes or not, but will always consider the representatives' opinions. Any dragon can go to any representative of their choice with personal worries. They can also express community needs, which the representative then relays to the three dragons.

However, the task of the Three doesn't end there: they also are tasked with regularly visiting the grand meetings organized at the Hellwell Undercroft. This in order to forge alliances with new clans: Clan Scribbles is one of the more welcoming clans present during these events. It's not uncommon for them to take newer and smaller clans under their wing to teach them advanced survival techniques. While some other clans called it foolish and feared that Clan Scribbles would regret it, it has earned the Three some powerful allies in the longer run. When asked about this, Galdera will often recap the clan's philosophy along the following lines:
'There is safety in numbers. An exchange of skills it truly the best survival strategy: one member of a group can be a great tracker, but worthless at scavenging. While the other can be great at scavenging, bur horrible at tracking. However, if they combine forces, they will be invincible.'



Diplomacy

Clan Scribbles maintains diplomatic relationships with several lairs: this often starts with a truce and a trade agreement. There are several trade caravans delivering goods from the lair to either the Trading Post or the Crossroads, and they are often the ones carrying out the logistics of these agreements. In these truces and even allyships, they don't seem to care which flight the dragons hail from: Clan Scribbles itself is a melting pot of many different dragons, and dragons in the clan often speak as if different flights living together in peace is a given to them. As Verona would put it: 'It is foolish to limit yourself when it comes to alliances.' When it comes to the struggle of Dominance, it's more of a friendly competition in the lair, solved through competitive games and sports instead of battle.

If the other clan does not break this truce or causes the clan itself to break it, then this truce and exhange of goods will eventually form into an alliance. As the Scarred Wasteland can be dangerous, the dragons of Clan Scribbles often travel to the ally's home lair. The dragon almost always arrives with tons of medicines in tow, in case they have caught something along the route out of their homeland. After being around dragons of many different elements within their own lair, these Plague dragons know full well that not everyone shares their powerful immune system. If the allied clan comes to visit them, then Clan Scribbles will meet them at a previously agreed upon border to safely escort them through the rest of the Scarred Wasteland, especially since many lone dragons have disappeared around Abiding Boneyard. Clan Scribbles often cares deeply for its allies, and Bestclans quickly become hesitant to attack clans who are openly on good terms with them. For this same reason, Clan Scribbles can be quite fierce when coming to the defense of their allies: one would be foolish to mistake their kindness for weakness.



Militairy

While Clan Scribbles is quite peaceful and welcoming, they make for ruthless warriors when attacked. Their soldiers often use weapons forged from Fungalhoof Qiriq Horn, and often dipped in the venoms of Oozing Tusks or Mirage Puffer venom for maximum effect in combat. If the soldier themselves won't kill the enemy, then the venom will. The Mirage Puffer venom is meant to disorient the enemy enough for a final blow, and the bacteria on the Oozing Tusks is meant to be fatal in the longer run. Clan Scribbles rarely battles other clans, and they are mostly at war with the everal Beastclans of the Scarred Wasteland. The clan's army is led by the imposing general Bralzrim, and he has built quite the reputation with their enemies. Any of the Beastclans who have faced the soldiers of Clan Scribbles will attest to the sheer strength of their opponents.

The clan has been at war with the Serthis since its inception: in its early stages, the Serthis were the ones who sent the assassin after one of its leaders, Galdera. The conflict started mainly because the Serthis wanted to slay the Three in order to prevent them from fully founding a clan, but Verona's enraged assault on the assassin gave the dragons the opening to drive them off. The clan never forgave the Serthis for this incursion: thanks to continued attacks on the clan, the long-standing grudge eventually evolved into all-out war. Many of the clan's defenses were sucessful, however: Many Serthis have started referring to them as 'the red-eyed terrors'. While the clan does take prisoners during their battles, these prisoners are often given a harrowing choice: allyship or death. The Familiars chose the former, and are grateful that they live to lament the foolishness of their brethren. The clan's prisoners are mostly Serthis and Talonok, although enemy Serthis resent them the most: these refer to the clan as 'undeserving, protecting the weaklings of both our kin and their own'. Though Serthis familiars will often remark on the clan's immense strength, and attest to the clan's kind treatment of familiars when convincing their captured kin to choose allyship.

As the Harpies often attack the harvesters of Clan Scribbles during their journey to the outskirts of the Reedcleft Plateau, the clan has declared war on them as well. Most of the feathers on the intimidating birdskull adornments of the clan's soldiers are Harpy feathers, often plucked from their enemies as they are struck to the ground during a final blow. The clan's soldiers have also developed a habit of looting the masks of fallen Harpy warriors, in order to identify which Harpy clan made the mistake of harming their innocents. They also keep the masks to defy the wish of their enemies to stay anonymous in death. When asked about this practice, the clan's warriors often answer along the lines of: 'If one would kill an innocent, then justice can only be enacted if their name is known to all.'

However, the Harpies are hardly the only threat to the clan's scavengers: several fisher-dragons in service to Clan Scribbles have been attacked by Maren, some even dying due to the poison the Beastclans like to use. The clan has declared them as enemies as well, and soldiers often pin them on land to enact karma for these regular attacks. However, since an antidote has been found for the Maren's signature poison, they have been reduced to a mere nuisance while fishing. The antidote has to be ingested up to 6 hours after the venom enters the system, and the clan's fisher-dragons never set sail without it. With the antidote stored in the hold of the ship and some harpoon-wielding soldiers on board, the Maren often send its warriors to their doom when attacking the clan's ships.

The clan has had some run-ins with the Longnecks: miners of ore in the Parched Canyonwalks and miner of crystals in the Starwood Strand often encounter them on their route through the borders of these territories. Since this only results in skirmishes between the Longneck and the miner's guards, the clan hasn't declared war on them yet. The Longnecks see their mining expedition as an insult to nature in its essence, claiming that the clan 'sacrifices ecological balance for their fancy jewelery'. The truth is that younger Longnecks use this as an excuse to attack the dragons passing by: Clan Scribbles tends to regularly switch mining locations within the area in order to give new ore and gemstones time to form within the stone.

With many common enemies with clans beyond the Scarred Wasteland, Clan Scribbles tends to answer the call to thin the number of the Beastclans wherever smaller lairs struggle with them. Their soldiers often brought back souvenirs from their deployment across the world, and are indirectly the ones who have introduced other cultures into the lair through this process.

The training to join the army of Clan Scribbles can be quite gruelling for new recruits, but they are warned for this: dragons who can't handle the sight of gore are not to apply. However, those who finish it come out of training as one of the biggest non-environmental threats in the Abiding Boneyard.
Training drills are done until a dragon has reached the highest level of physical fitness they can attain. They are taught to make every strike a killing blow, and that showing mercy on a Beastclan that hasn't yielded means death: either later on, or when you turn your back to walk away. With attacking Serthis being a fairly regular event, the clan has adopted a bit of a ghoulish way of target practice: captured Serthis who didn't choose to be Familiars (servants of a dragon as I headcanon them as sentient enough to communicate with dragons) are gagged and beat unconscious so they can be used as training dummies. This is to introduce recruits to both the sights of war, and to teach them where to aim their strikes for maximum effects. It also serves as a means of execution for the Beastclans: When it comes to Clan Scribbles, a sentient captured Beastclan has two choices. Allyship or death. This method is one of the means of execution the clan uses.

However, if a recruit has survived the first training round, then dexterity training will feel like a bit of a break by comparison. It starts off with an obstacle course, consisting of elements of terrain which are actually gathered from the nearby Abiding Boneyard: logs, stones, etc. This is to mimic terrain that the soldier will probably have to navigate. On the first run, there is no time limit yet, but there is a bit of shame in finishing the course in one of the last positions on the platoon. It's more of an obstacle course race with a bit of friendly ribbing between recruits.
However, that recruit had better not relax quite yet! The second run IS timed: in the event of most of a platoon being wiped out, a soldier of Clan Scribbles must be able to get away from the enemy in time. However, the most gruelling part of this training also involves captured Beastclans: these are also quite badly beaten, but these Beastclans can still walk to a degree, and even give chase to some extent. Nothing that would kill a recruit, but a recruit is expected to finish the course with the Beastclan on their heels. The number of Beastclans is equal to the numbers of recruits, to truly mimic a combat situation where they need to escape. Once the recruits finish the course, the Beastclans are slaughtered by nearby soldiers, who were deemed capable enough to do so. These experienced soldiers are also present in the case of an emergency: if a Beastclan does manage to catch a recruit and attacks them, then the soldier will quickly intervene. The Beastclan will be executed on the spot, and replaced by another.

Should a recruit finish both of these trainings sucessfully, then they are allowed rest to recover from both. The clan does acknowledge how gruelling the training can be up to this point, and how far this can break a dragon's resolve. This period of rest also serves as a bonding activity for recruits, to build up a sort of brotherhood style bond. This is so they are less likely to leave a man behind on the battlefield: once you get to know someone, it becomes harder to turn your back on them. Amongst soldiers of the same regiment, sparring is common to keep eachother in shape. It should be mentioned that there are no penalties for failing the tests beyond the 'training dummies' that do not involve Beastclans: it will be marked on a preformance sheet, but a dragon has nothing to worry about if they pass the tests which do involve those, as the tests involving Beastclan prisoners are designed to more closely mimic real battle scenarios. The tests beforehand are more of a means to ease the soldiers into the mindset of the tasks, before unleashing the more realistic scenario on the recruits.

After the period of rest, there is only one test left to pass before a recruit finishes their training, and thus are welcomed into the army. The dragon is now considered ready for their first foray into battle: they are to join some more experienced soldiers when doing guard work for gathering parties (scavengers, miners, etc.). They will face Beastclans on the way, and this is a recruit's first real encounter. If they return from this, they are considered a footsoldier. They will be invited to pick up a basic armor set for this rank, the type of weapon they preformed best with during their first test, a set of field rations, and a basic writing set for letters to send home. This is considered standard equipment for the clan's soldiers. They are lended this during the test, but are registered to own the equipment when they return.

If a dragon either fails most of the tests or most of the tests involving Beastclans, then they are assigned to the town guard, as they did show some apititude for battle. The town guard really just serves to keep Beastclans who slip past the lair defenses at bay long enough for civilians to be evacuated. If these Beastclans manage to run into the personal guards of the dragons who run the lair, so even if they do manage to break through several layers of defense? Then still, by no means will they have the chance to do any real harm to the clan.

Most footsoldiers of Clan Scribbles do wear metal armor to a degree, but a complete set of that is uncommon in their ranks. A full set of plate armor uses up a lot of ore to make: The clan mines its ore from the Perched Canyonwalks in Dragonhome, which requires miners to cross the border between that and the Scarred Wasteland for the trip. These mining expeditions would be facing Beastclans along the way, and thus they need bodyguards. To outfit basic soldiers with a full set of armor would be too costly in non-monetary ways for the clan. Therefore, most footsoldiers make up for the deficiencies in their armor with bone breastplates, greaves,etc.

Mages don't really wear armor, and opt instead for their enchanted robes to maximize the effects of their spells. It serves as an equivalent to leather armor in most fantasy games: it's better then regular fabric, and it can save the mage's life in battle. But it won't deflect damage as well as a full set of plate armor: mages have spells they can cast to migitate most of the damage directed at their person, and they will often cast these right before entering the battlefield.

Higher-ranked soldiers with melee weapons wear a full set of plate, though: many dragons calling the shots like sergeants and generals are more often seen in a fuller set of plate. They often keep their helmets off when in the lair, to stay more recognizable to your average dragon. But they do carry their helmet on their belts, to be able to quickly put them on in the event of an attack.



Law and Order

This section is still in progress, please stay tuned. Llorem ipsum and all that jazz.



Religion

-Freedom of religion is a thing: the Plaguebringer is the deity of the clan on paper, but the constitution allows for worship of any patron.

-Offerings vary depending on what the patron in question is invoked for: offerings of treasure are common when praying for wealth, offerings of aphrodesiacs when praying for luck in love, etc.



Festivals

- The clan recognizes the festivals of all patrons, but very much goes all-out fot Riot of Rot.

- Food offerings during a festival is a tradition: altars and temples are well-travelled during the festivals. Markets selling festival-exclusive souvenirs are also a thing, since these celebrations sometimes attract visitors.

- The clan often maintains diplomatic relationships with other clans at these festivals: especially friends from outside the Scarred Wasteland. Their allies are invited every year, and are allowed to choose souvenirs from the market which will be gifted to them upon leaving.



Hoard

The clan has a central Hoard, which is utilized for every item known to man. But it is predominantly used to store the communal hoard of Treasure, Gems, Food, Materials, and anything else the clan deems of value. It's kept in the Vault: a massive building, with the room holding its most valuable opbjects closed off by a near-indestructible door, which requires at least three keys to open. The building is located in some of the deepest tunnels and far away from the direction of the Wyrmwound. The latter is more because of its ever-expanding nature then a fear of contaminated goods. The Hoard is overseen by Majesty, the head treasurer of the Clan Scribbles.

When one enters the Vault, they pass a door that only closes when the last guard enters, and the last employee leaves. The visitor is greeted by a great central plaza, with several front desks where dragons can state the reason for their visit. Delivery boys for merchants and smaller business owners often flit in and out of here at a fast pace, picking up materials for their employer to practice their craft. After determining where a dragon needs to be, they will then be directed to their destination by an attendant. The Central Hall holds branches for each item category: Treasure, Gems, Food, Materials, Battle equipment, magical items to enhance a dragon's appearance called 'Skins', and Other items of value. For Familiars, however, one would need to visit the beastmaster instead. These routes branch off into smaller rooms, sorting these into even smaller categories (for example: seperate rooms for meats and seafood in the Food area of the Hoard).

Any aspiring thief would be disappointed at their chances to get their claws on these riches: The Vault is well-guarded, and visitors are escorted to the exit around 6:30 PM at the very latest. Any would-be thief would have to hide extremely well to even be present after the front door locks. Even then, there's quite the horde of guards to contend with: There is a seperate branch of the militairy called the Vault Guard. They are known to be eagle-eyes soldiers, with a naturally ruthless attitude towards wandering claws. They are led by sergeant Thorburn. Many would-be thieves have lost fingers in their attempts to make off with an item. However, attempts at the Hoard by other dragons is rare: the Vault Guard mostly serves to keep attacking Serthis away from the clan's riches.



Daily life

For a civilian, life in Clan Scribbles is in stark contrast with the rest of the chaotic and unforgiving nature of the Scarred Wasteland: the community of the clan is relaxed, and its systems are quite organized. While one would expect a big yet roughly hewn cave from the outside, the lair is practically an underground city, with roomy tunnels and hubs, while its streets are bustling with life and vigor. If one steps inside from the difficult journey through the Abiding Boneyard, they might initially think they have caught some ungodly infection from the nearby Wyrmwound. However, their eyes are all but blurred by disease: Clan Scribbles has not only survived this close to everlasting calamity, they have even managed to thrive despite it.

Families all decide for themselves how their structure works. Anyone can be the provider, and anyone can be the dominant one in the relationship. The dragons of Clan Scribbles have a general culture that amounts to 'as long as it's not actively and willingly harming others in any capacity'. They don't really feel like they can tell others how to live. The only reason they see to step in is if innocent people are suffering under a behaviour. If a couple chooses to have hatchlings, these newborns need 2 days after hatching to imprint on their parents. Nesting and this time period is extremely exhausting for new parents, because of the eggs often moving during gestation, keeping the nesting parent awake. This makes it natural for both parents to nest in shifts: These are 8 days with little to no sleep. It's therefore customary for couples to bring their kids to the daycare on a daily basis on the 3rd or 4th day after hatching. Dacio has founded it, and multiple dragons work for him. They all are in charge of different classes. One cannot expect one dragon to watch all curious hatchlings in the lair, after all. The daycare also teaches the young dragons basic information, such as reading and writing. They also give lessons about the clan, the world beyond the Scarred Wasteland, the Plaguebringer, and all other deities in Sornieth.

Many dragons hold the company of a familiar: Serthis aren't uncommon servants, and are treated as such as they are sentient enough to communicate with dragons. They often carry out minor tasks for a dragon in return for shelter and protection from their kin. Maren are also considered as such, but are kept in aquariums and thus are limited in the tasks they can preform. Sprites and Goblins are considered to be especially high-status servants, and are often reserved exclusively for the elemental representatives. The Sprite or Goblin in question will often react in an offended manner if asked to serve a dragon they deem of low status, as they directly serve their deity.
Mirage Puffers, Clown Hippocampus, Fungalhoof Qiriq, Serpenta, and Dunewind Manticores are more beastlike in nature, and are more considered as pets. For example: Many Plague dragons of the clan would call a Graveyard Guardian 'a dragon's best friend', and thus consider it an equivalent to the human world's dog. Especially Serpenta are popular, as Plague dragons have a natural immunity to their poison. Shattered Serpents are also a common sight around the lair, as they're abundant in the nearby Abiding Boneyard. The Runic Bats found in the Starfall Isles also find themselves quite comfortable in the underground areas of the lair, as have the Djamor and Ostreatus Bats. They make for quite loyal pets, as they're rarely seen leaving the homes of their master.



Rituals for Life's Milestones

In clan Scribbles, there are a few milestone events in a dragon's life: being named as a hatchling, coming of age, marriage, and death.

The clan's naming rituals are quite simple: after the parents have rested up from nesting, one of the lair's archivists will visit. They will record the hatchling's name on the list they carry on their person, and will copy it to the lair's census. It's common for parents to throw parties once this is done: often, a cake with the hatchling's new name on it will be ordered in advance for the occasion. Close friends and family are invited, and the new hatchling is presented to the guests. Once the hatchling is old enough, they will be enrolled in daycare to get a basic education: they will graduate once they are considered fully grown. This event often warrants a graduation party as well: cake is not essential to this celebration, but some dragon families do order one in advance.

For a dragon to come of age, they must first pass several tests, which are usually administered when they have grown out of the hatchling phase. The first test serves more as training for the later ones: a dragon must display a certian level of survival skills in a relatively safe setting. An experienced hunter and warrior will guide the parents and child to a tent within the surface enclosure of the clan. Here, a pre-weakened enemy Beastclan will be held captive: they are often beaten so badly before the trial, that they have trouble fighting back. The inside of this tent is reinforced with steel plates, to prevent this Beastclan from escaping. This is one of the places where the clan sends captured Beastclans who have refused their offer of allyship, and they have decided to use this test both as a means of execution for the Beastclan and a test for the young dragon. The Beastclan will be released, and the young dragon is expected to slay them: this is told to the dragon in advance. The hunter and warrior will stand inside and observe, ready to intervene in case the dragon is unable to defeat it. The parents wait outside of the tent, and are brought along more for the reason that the rage of a protective parent is a force to be reckoned with.

Should a dragon pass the first test, they are considered ready for the second: the young dragon will follow both the hunter and warrior for a day, and then visit a shaman. They will first follow the hunter, to learn more about the dangerous wildlife in the nearby Abiding Boneyard and how to handle them. After this, they will recieve an arrow as proof of the hunter's approval. The next day, they will follow the warrior to learn how to fight off attacking Beastclans. If successful, they will recieve a sparrow skull for the same reason. After this, they will follow a shaman for a day. The shaman will ask them to recite some facts about the Plaguebringer, which the young dragon learned in daycare. If the dragon can recite these, the shaman will hand them a pencil set in bone as a reward. If a dragon has collected all of these three items, they have passed this test. Many dragons who pass this test keep these items well into adulthood.

The third test is the most difficult one: the young dragon must camp alone at the edge of the Abiding Boneyard. If they can spend the night there and return unscathed, then they are considered to have mastered every survival skill they will need to contribute to the clan. Therefore, they are considered an adult. For this test, the items from the second test are often brought on the trip as a good luck charm.

Marriage rituals of Clan Scribbles work similar to those of our world: female-identifying dragons wear wedding dresses, while male-identifying dragons wear tuxedoes. Dragons who don't identify at either are known to either combine the two, or choose the one that feels comfortable to wear. A non-binary dragon wearing a masculine hairstyle with a tuxedo jacket over a dress is not out of the question, and is considered acceptable. Details of marriage rituals differ depending on the dragon: a Water dragon might wear a wedding dress made out of Iridescent Cloth, while a Plague dragon will wear one made out of Lizardscale Cloth. They do have a few things in common, though: dragons will dress formally, the bride and groom wear formal clothing that makes them stand out as the couple in question, there's an exchanging of vows, and the ceremony concludes with an offering for fertility to the deity they marry under. Small details in the ceremony differ depending on the deity that is blessing the new couple: Water dragons traditionally douse the couple in water after the vows, and wearing waterproof make-up and hair is common for a bride. While Plague dragons have an exchange of vials, symbolizing a 'mutual affliction of love'.

Ceremonies end with an offering to the deity the couple is marring under, praying for fertility. For Plague dragons, the offering consists of an Empty Zalis Nest, filled with Display Plumes and a few Eye Agates, with the entirety being decorated with a dash of Cerdae Sparkle. While Water dragons will fill the nest with Shining Feather Clusters, a few Lapis Lazuli's, and the entirety is decorated with Unicorn Dust. The offering represents a full nest, and thus many children, cementing the couple's legacy.

The funerary rites of Clan Scribbles involve cremation, as burial would possibly lead to accidental grave exhumations while expanding the lair. Cemeteries mainly consist of urns: the wealthier the family, the more luxurious the material of the urn. Poorer families often use Bonewood urns, the middle class uses urns made out of actual bone, and the upper class use urns made out of Warbeast Tusks. The urns are carved with symbols relating to the deity the dragon worshipped in life: this is to symbolically return them to the patron that gifted them with life. Crematoriums are often in parts of the lair near the surface entrance, to allow for their ventilation. The blackened smoke from them can be seen bellowing out of both chimneys near the top of the entrance, and the entrance itself.

At the funeral itself, relatives and friends of the deceased will often say a few words about the deceased. After everyone has said their piece, someone close to the deceased dragon (usually a child or sibling) will then pick up the urn, and lead the procession to the graveyard. The urn will then be placed there, and a priest to the deity that the dragon worshipped in life will bless the urn, symbolically opening the portal for the dragon's soul to find their way to their deity. After the priest finishes, they usher in a moment of silence. After this, the procession will return to the funerary hall, and share a buffet of snacks and pastries. This is held in order to grieve together and comfort one another.



Taboos
However, death does not neccesarily have to mean the end... While there is a major taboo on necromancers in Clan Scribbles, the Three have not illegalized it since some soldiers lamented they could not serve the Plaguebringer in death. Many dragons in the clan look down upon the practice, though, and it would take deep despair at a loved one's death for a dragon to consider visiting a necromancer. While undead dragons retain their personalities and memories upon ressurection, they are seen as somewhat freakish by most dragons in the lair. For most, it is quite unsettling to see a deceased loved one walk around again and speak, as if alive... But now with a deathly pallor, a lack of life behind their eyes, and a need to regularly apply an embalming cream to stay preserved. And when an undead dragon sleeps, they once again appear as if they were dead. However, this practice has led to one of the clan's most terrifying soldiers. Many a Serthis' stomach has dropped at the sight of a slain dragon rising up to fight again. These soldiers are referred to by the clan as 'Woundwalkers': as far as the clan is concerned, they have symbolically clawed their way back up from the edge of the Wyrmwound, to once again draw unnatural breath.

A lesser known rumor is that a vampire has recently joined the clan, but nobody in the clan has an idea on who this dragon is... No other dragons have been bitten yet, and many say that the vampire chooses not to feed on the rest of the clan. However, enemy Beastclans have been led into a mansion, only to be tossed out of one of its windows with all of its blood drained... The dragons of the clan have confirmed that the vampire means them no harm, and are happy to not be on the menu. Thus they tolerate the vampire's presence, and choose not to pry into the matter.

Another enormous taboo in the clan is to speak of a mysterious figure called 'the Plaguedaughter': legend has it that she directly serves the Plaguebringer, and created the progenitors. When they looked upon her, she did introduce herself. However, she told them to never name her in return for their existence. Galdera and Verona were unsure of whether she could take their existence back just as easily, and gave the Plaguedaughter their word. Word of her existence eventually did get out: since the couple had not broken their promise, the Plaguedaughter hasn't reclaimed them... But the Three fear it may still happen should they mention her. Only the Three and their personal attendant Orion know of the Plaguedaughter's existence, and have kept that a close-guarded secret. As far as the clan knows, she is merely an urban legend...