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[center][size=5][b][u]Navigation[/u][/b][/size]
[url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2699119#post_2699119]Basics[/url] | [b]History[/b] | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2699119/1#post_39311396]Territory & Institutions[/url] | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2699119/1#post_39311398]Culture[/url]
[url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2699119/1#post_39311402]Citizens[/url] | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2699119/1#post_39311408]Alliances & Beastclans[/url] | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2699119/1#post_39311411]Associated Threads[/url] | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2699119/1#post_39311416]Other[/url] | [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2699119/1#post_39311460]Former Iterations[/url][/center]
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[center][size=5][b]History[/b][/size][/center]
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[center][size=5][b][u]Prologue - The Agony Syndicate[/u][/b]
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[size=2]Before the kingdom had ever come to fruition, a small Plague clan known as the Agony Syndicate was led by a terrifyingly powerful Fae named [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&id=177846&tab=dragon&did=15126763]Traiqe[/url]. The first dragon to join his new clan was an old, packless Mirror named Nefta. She helped him to create a grand (although false) reputation by spreading rumors of his powerful leadership among clans of Pearlcatchers, a breed known for their love of gossip. Countless fearsome drakes heard the hyperbolic stories and came pouring in at the entrance to his den, but Traiqe would only allow dragons with the most elite traits into his ranks. The clan was comprised only of the greatest warriors and strongest survivors, including Imperials, Mirrors, and Wildclaws. However, just as the Syndicate reached its prime, Traiqe developed a mysterious illness that made him overly analytic and paranoid.
When one of Plaguebringer's more deadly viruses blew across the clan's territory, many younger non-Plague dragons succumbed to the disease and perished. Traiqe took this as an sign from the Plague Mother herself that only the oldest, most battle-hardened dragons were worthy of remaining as members of the Agony Syndicate. Frantically he banished all of the young dragons of his clan, leaving them with nothing but each other.
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[center][size=5][b][u]The Revenant Affliction - Era I[/u][/b]
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[size=2]The eldest among the outcasts was [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/15840013]Sekeo[/url], a strong but immature Imperial. He claimed leadership of the small band and led them to an underground hollow in which to build their new home. They called themselves a new name: The Revenant Affliction.
Life for this small clan of outcasts, however, was not made easier simply by finding shelter. The high of founding the Affliction quickly ebbed away as the young dragons began to realize that their lack of experience made living comfortably very difficult. Many of them had not been taught how to hunt, fight, or fend for themselves, and Sekeo was not one to teach them.
As time went on many outcasts, loners, and rogue dragons were drawn to the Revenant Affliction due to its lack of ranks and structure. Some wanted to escape the strict rules of their birthclans, some were simply too weak to survive alone, and some had been forcibly removed from their home clans for more nefarious reasons.
No one asked any questions about the intentions of the newcomers, instead simply allowing them into their home. For this reason overpopulation and starvation began to run rampant. A clan with no rules, no training, and no real leader was nothing more than a disaster waiting to happen. They were digging themselves into their own graves, and the Wasteland would not mourn for them.
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[center][size=5][b][u]The Revenant Affliction - Era II[/u][/b]
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[size=2]One dragon in the Revenant Affliction could not stand for this chaos any longer. [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/16749955]Yuina[/url], a mysterious but skilled Wildclaw, challenged Sekeo to a duel for leadership. The Imperial obliged her, but he deeply underestimated her battle prowess.
With all of the clan watching as the two dragons fought, Yuina took things much too far. Sekeo's lazy and reckless personality was reflected in his fight tactics, and with her precision Yuina quickly took down her vastly larger opponent. But just when everyone thought that the duel was over, Yuina scored a fatal blow to the clan's founder, slaying him where he stood.
Shocked and appalled, the clan erupted into roars and cries of panic. The Wildclaw dragoness announced that she had won the right to leadership fair and square, and declared that from now on the Revenant Affliction would be a clan of order.
It was made very clear that defectors and rebels would meet the same fate as Sekeo. The first of these was Sekeo's mate, [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/14853469]Paine[/url], who refused vehemently when Yuina asked her to rule as her mate and queen. As more and more dragons were cut down by Yuina and her followers, the overpopulation issue was quickly solved and the clan was restructured into strict ranks. Those who were considered useful clan members were allowed to stay, but dragons who could not provide any skill to the clan were eliminated.
Once the dust began to settle, things were very different for the Revenant Affliction. It was obvious that Yuina clung tightly to traditional Wildclaw values, as her clan structure clearly reflected so. At the top of the ranks were the Alpha Wildclaws, comprised of Yuina herself and two of her strongest, most loyal followers: [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/16515093]Kearix[/url] and [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/16813491]Nuala[/url]. Just below the Alphas was a Skydancer named [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=17599855]Aleksander[/url], who had quickly pledged his loyalty to Yuina after the duel. His innate ability to detect the emotions of others proved to be extremely useful in his newfound role as a spy, mediator, and lie detector. He was Yuina's closest adviser and confidant, tasked with sitting in on all of her most private meetings to monitor the compliance and truthfulness of her guests.
The middle ranks were composed of any dragon who aided the clan's survival, such as battle trainers, gatherers, hunters, and medics. Among the lowest ranks were any dragons known to be proficient in magic use, as Yuina saw magic as a cowardly tactic to avoid physical labor or bloody honor in battle.
At first, the structure and efficiency that this new system provided was a welcome change for the clan. For the first time in over a year, dragons had full bellies and a renewed sense of purpose. But the feeling of relief and excitement was once again short-lived. Just as the daily life of the Revenant Affliction began to feel routine, Yuina surprised the entire clan with a horrifying display of violence that reminded them all of the fear they felt on the first day of her leadership.
Yuina and the Alpha Wildclaws dragged a captured Nocturne into the center of the hollow, claiming that he was an intruder. Then with almost no warning the trio released a stream of deafening, guttural battle shrieks and lunged onto the stranger. The gore that remained after the so-called battle petrified everyone in the clan.
"This," Yuina warned, "is what happens to dragons who dare to disrespect me and my leadership."
Things changed after this appalling murder occurred. Dragons were reminded of the friends and loved ones they lost to Yuina's brutality. Some were so afraid of being the next to die that they faltered in their duties and cracked under the stress, too mentally and physically unstable to withstand the Plague elements. Some felt a deep sense of resentment for their leader. Some felt hatred. But no matter if it was fear, resentment, anger, or desperation that fueled their intentions, nearly every dragon in the clan had the same basic notion on their mind; something had to change.
The rebellion didn't happen quickly. Meticulous planning and laying low was absolutely necessary for survival, especially with the Alpha Wildclaws serving as Yuina's eyes and ears among the ranks. But one drake, the one who Yuina would never suspect, served as a key element of the rebellion's success.
Aleksander met routinely with the rebels, outlining all of Yuina's plans, strategies, strengths, and weaknesses without batting an eye. For over a year this continued just under Yuina's nose, until at last they had gathered enough intel and power to strike.
Almost monthly, new murders were staged in the center of the hollow to demonstrate the strength of the Alpha Wildclaws. After five years, however, this tactic of intimidation had lost its luster. On this day, a Fae named [url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&id=177846&tab=dragon&did=22679328]Trekora[/url] was to be executed for unauthorized magic use.
The same sickening ritual began again like clockwork. The three dragonesses circled the tiny drake, hissing and screeching at him with bared teeth and outstretched wings. But just as they were about to lunge, a trusted voice called out.
"Yuina!" Aleksander shouted, his eyes wide and his stance demanding attention. The urgency in his voice distracted her and she halted her aggressive display to look up at him.
In that very moment Trekora leapt into flight, blowing a magical powder of temporary blinding directly into Yuina's eyes. Before the other Alphas could react, the crowd ambushed them with anything and everything they could find to defend themselves. With a snarl Aleksander shoved Yuina into the mob, and by the end of the night the tyrannical dictator and her minions had suffered the same fate as countless dragons whose blood unjustly stained the ground of the Affliction.
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[center][size=5][b][u]The Z'Arduani - Era I[/u][/b]
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[size=2]In the aftermath of the mutiny, one dragon stood out as a natural replacement for the power-hungry Wildclaw trio. Aleksander, who tended personally to the wounded and the sick, soon became known as the new leader of the clan.
What was once a clan of oppression and military tooth-and-claw battle was now a clan of education and advancement. They learned from their neighbors of the west and took up the practice of Arcane magic. Prohibition of arcana was abolished and all denizens of the clan were encouraged to be true to their own potentials and to lead meaningful lives in whichever way seemed the most fulfilling. Dragons did not need to be productive to be considered a part of the clan; they simply needed to be happy and thrive.
To signify this drastic change in ideals, Aleksander declared that the clan would take on a new name — a name spoken in the Ancient Draconian tongue: [i]Z'Arduani[/i]. New Magic.
Years of knowledge and progression shaped the clan; what was once a small band of rebels grew into a sizable town of dragons from all walks of Sornieth. They were a peaceful group, using their extensive intelligence and personable mannerisms to negotiate with neighboring clans rather than using blunt force. And if a battle were to ever rear its head, the [i]Z'Arduani[/i] had an arsenal of mages up its sleeve.
Five more prosperous years passed, and the town of the [i]Z'Arduani[/i] evolved into a small kingdom. The government changed from a single leader to a large council of advisers with Aleksander at its head. Policies and contingency plans for sustainability despite the harsh landscape of the Wasteland were put in place to protect against overpopulation or starvation. The head-rebel Skydancer was now a renowned ruler and the face of the kingdom's endless prosperity.
But no idol is free from imperfection.
With the seemingly endless routine of day-to-day diplomacy, Aleksander’s mind began to wander — and with it so did his body. His husband [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dgen/dressing-room/dragon?did=17953225&skin=0&apparel=30821,28365,20550,27148,27144,27143,27145,27146,27147,27150&xt=dressing.png]Jaye[/url] found out about his many affairs with countless lovers and gave him a heartbreaking ultimatum; Aleksander was to leave the clan and never return. Jaye felt that if Aleksander could not remain loyal to his husband, how could he be trusted to stay loyal to his kingdom and its citizens? It was a painful truth, but a truth nonetheless. The requirements of the ultimatum were clear; Jaye would only keep the affairs quiet, and subsequently keep Aleksander's grand reputation intact, if Aleksander chose and trained a successor for the kingdom's throne.
With sullen, but understanding agreement, Aleksander trained a chosen heir in the ways of clan leadership – the prince of the [url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&tab=userpage&id=172602]Akashaa[/url] Kingdom, [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=30865474]Inoso[/url]. The Akashaa was a long-standing ally of the [i]Z'Arduani[/i], so Inoso's claim to the [i]Z'Arduani[/i] throne seemed most beneficial to inter-kingdom relations. Once Inoso's training was complete, Aleksander slipped away into hiding and left the clan under the young Bogsneak’s rule. Jaye, feigning grief, also fled the territory only days after Aleksander's disappearance to avoid spilling secrets.
In the end, Aleksander's status as a revolutionary legend, humble leader, and overall awe-inspiring dragon remained untarnished by his hidden infidelity. He went down in history books as one of the greatest leaders the [i]Z'Arduani[/i] had ever known, and Inoso was left to rule in his shadow.
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[center][size=5][b][u]The Z'Arduani - Era II[/u][/b]
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[size=2]Inoso's coronation as king was met with mixed reactions by the clan at first. No one thought that the young Bogsneak could live up to the unmatched standards of Aleksander. But his influence, charisma, and diplomatic upbringing quickly proved to be precious assets for the future of the clan. The general consensus of the Council was that Inoso would make a fine king for the [i]Z'Arduani[/i], and that his many years of training would not go to waste. This was a comfort to many of the kingdom's denizens, as previous changes in leadership had not been historically peaceful nor successful.
In the first years of ruling, King Inoso made great strides in developing the cultural epicenters of the clan, including raising altars upon which each Deity could be praised and where dragons of any creed could worship freely. He also created a schedule in which the eleven elemental members of the Council could routinely travel to their birthplaces in order to conduct prophetic ceremonies and gather omens from fellow spiritual leaders. This reinforced the idea that the [i]Z'Arduani[/i] was a peaceful kingdom welcome to anyone who wished to express themselves truthfully. With Aleksander's framework of resource allocation and expansion protocol, Inoso could open the kingdom's gates to a large wave of immigrants seeking cultural and religious freedom.
It was then that a long period of artistic, spiritual, and cultural booming took place within the kingdom. Dragons came to the [i]Z'Arduani[/i] in droves to perfect their skills and establish themselves. Musicians, artisans, smiths, painters, hawkers, and mages came together in the center of town and eventually established a bustling plaza for business and trade. On the edge of the plaza stood the [i]Z'Arduani[/i] Academy of Arcane Arts, headed by the Fae mage Trekora.
With economy and trade growing substantially alongside the influx of bartering and resource allocation, Inoso and the Council sought to establish further alliances with neighboring clans. The citizens of the [i]Z'Arduani[/i] were apprehensive about the establishment of a guard or warrior presence due to the scars left on the minds of those traumatized by Yuina's regime, so Inoso sought instead to establish alliances with clans of substantial military power. [url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&tab=userpage&id=91491]Clan Virulent[/url] and the [url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&tab=userpage&id=19436]Morbus Factio[/url] were among the most significant in battle prowess, offering protection and aid in return for food and goods offered by the [i]Z'Arduani[/i]'s finest craftsmen. They also established a trade route and safe haven at the [url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&tab=userpage&id=297465]Traveler's Breeze[/url], a peaceful Wind clan who traded art materials such as fabrics and pigments as well as reagents for potions and spells. These alliances were sealed by sending Inoso's two daughters, fathered by his husband [url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&id=177846&tab=dragon&did=18698253]Daskess[/url], to live and be raised within the Morbus Factio and the Traveler's Breeze respectively.
Many more prosperous years passed during which peace was established between the kingdom and the surrounding Beastclans, allowing for the formation of trade routes through Beast territories in return for supplies and protection from other dragon clans. The [i]Z’Arduani[/i] Academy grew to worldwide renown among academic circles, and many skilled artisans made names for themselves meanwhile boosting the artistic reputation of the clan. The kingdom also served as a safe haven and celebration hub during elemental holidays, drawing in many tourists that spiked economic stimulation during those weeks.
Inoso raised many children via surrogate over the span of his rule, but just when it came time for him to choose an heir he received a fateful letter from his eldest daughter, [url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?p=view&id=297465&tab=dragon&did=35986956]Treya[/url].
Over the years, Treya had rose to power within the Traveler’s Breeze, now serving as their queen. However, what her people didn’t know was that she struck a deal with a mysterious sorcerer in order to ascend so quickly through the ranks. In return for leadership, Treya was cursed so that only one hatchling of each clutch she bore would survive to adulthood. In an attempt to give her hatchlings a better life — however long it may be — she asked Inoso to adopt her daughter, [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dgen/dressing-room/dragon?did=39889337&skin=0&apparel=30821,30823,30822,30824,30834,30825,30828,30848,30829,30832,30833,30835,30838&xt=dressing.png]Ariki[/url], and raise her within the [i]Z’Arduani[/i] kingdom. Pitying his daughter, Inoso obliged, adopting Ariki and claiming her as the next heir to the throne.
Ariki was a well enough apprentice, being raised half as a child of Inoso and half as his student. But she had a fairly soft and spoiled personality, focusing more on the practice of etiquette and ballroom dancing rather than the gritty details of maintaining a government. She remained under Inoso’s wing for years, but when she was nearly of age to rule, something began to occupy his time and demand his attention much more than she ever could, and she was determined to find out what that was. He told her that she wasn’t ready to be a part of such a serious political matter, but she wanted to use the opportunity to prove her worth to the townspeople and to the Council.
Inoso had received word of a large inter-Flight war in which the [i]Z’Arduani[/i]’s ally, Clan Virulent, was becoming involved. Dragons of Light and Plague were at war with Shadow and Nature groups, with Ice and Fire soon to join the conflict. The leader of Clan Virulent warned Inoso that action should be taken immediately to avoid being dragged into the war, but he foolishly underestimated the urgency of the message.
To gather more information, Inoso called upon the Council to travel to their respective Flights to consult the Deities personally. Most of them did not return. It is uncertain whether they chose to stay put as guided by their Deities, were captured by the enemies, or fled the life of prophecy forever in order to avoid the chaos. All that was certain was that Inoso was left with only a few advisers to rely on, and his kingdom was relying on him.
Those who remained loyal advisers to Inoso, along with Inoso himself, decided that they would hold back on telling the commonfolk about the encroaching battlefront until they had a solid plan of handling the conflict. Days passed, though, and they could not come to an agreement. Frustrations arose as they found themselves at an impasse; every precious minute they wasted was a step closer to destruction.
It was in this moment that Ariki chose to step forward. She had overheard shouting in the castle one night and eavesdropped on one of the leadership meetings, learning enough about the issue to take matters into her own talons. She thought that the more minds they had to brainstorm solutions, the quicker a solid decision would manifest. So she gathered all of the townspeople into the plaza and announced the news of the coming war to everyone in the [i]Z'Arduani[/i] in hopes that they could come together and create a plan. However, the only result created by her announcement was uncontrollable chaos.
Hostility, fear, and lack of direct leadership drove the kingdom into a frenzy, causing many dragons to panic. Inoso and the others attempted to minimize the damage as soon as they became aware of Ariki's grave mistake, but it was already too late. For weeks the clamor continued, many dragons fleeing the kingdom in search of a neutral clan to avoid going to war or to take family members to safety. Some of the more eager dragons took up arms and flew directly into the fray, impatient with the [i]Z'Arduani[/i]'s uncertainty about the nature of their involvement. Every day they waited, however, the closer the front lines drew towards the outskirts of the kingdom. With the clan's vehement aversion to military presence in the past, Clan Virulent's entanglement in the war, and the Morbus Factio's inability to provide aid on such short notice, the [i]Z'Arduani[/i]'s gates were left unguarded.
Finally, Inoso was forced to make a decision.
By royal decree, all dragons loyal and healthy enough to migrate would immediately pack their most important belongings and journey alongside Lord Daskess to a new swath of land recently purchased using funds withdrawn from King Inoso's personal Hoard. There, in the Starfall Isles, the kingdom would rebuild. The [i]Z'Arduani[/i]'s fastest messengers and couriers were tasked with hiring a skilled team of Arcane architects and city planners to work day and night to make sure that housing would be available for the dragons upon arrival.
All dragons too weak, ill, or young to travel long distances were to be lead by King Inoso himself to a halfway point where they were to meet a small group of aides and guides. From there, they would be assisted to the Traveler's Breeze. In recent years the Breeze had been wracked by a horrible plague that blew in from the Wasteland, so they were happy to take in any newcomers to restore the population.
By some miracle all of the kingdom's subjects made it to the established rendezvous points and successfully avoided harm. To show his gratitude to Lord Chieftan Aramis and his loyalty to the alliance, King Inoso vowed to give forty percent of all food, armor, and textiles produced by the [i]Z'Arduani[/i] directly to Clan Virulent for the duration of the war. Meanwhile, every able-bodied dragon in the kingdom was called upon to aid in the construction of their new home. The entire community pooled treasure and resources for the Reconstruction, and with consistent building and upkeep the new location rivaled the glory of the original kingdom in less than 10 years.
Inoso remained as the king even after the Reconstruction was complete, far surpassing Aleksander for the longest reign of any leader since beginning of the clan's creation. However, just after the clan migrated to Starfall Isles, Ariki was overcome with grief and shame for her grave error and abandoned her position as heir to the throne. She left the kingdom, never to be seen again (though some dragons were not particularly dismayed at this revelation). The Council had long since disbanded and Inoso took to ruling alone, with only his husband as his adviser. The citizens of the Z'Arduani were generally satisfied with his singular leadership, but this left Inoso without a chosen heir, and he was not particularly eager to mentor another on top of all of his added responsibilities.
So when a chaotic [url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=47118116]cultist[/url] attacked Inoso during a holiday celebration, nearly assassinating him where he stood, there was no option other than to appoint Inoso's nearest progeny as interim ruler until his recovery.
The new heir, a young adult drake of one of Inoso's later clutches, was Prince Pearl. He was inexperienced and clumsy in demeanor, but as months drew on and Inoso was not properly recovering from his injuries, he eventually decided to retire permanently and leave the throne to his son on official terms. Pearl was appointed king of the [i]Z'Arduani[/i] after 59 years of Inoso's rule.
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[center][size=5][b][u]The Z'Arduani - Era III[/u][/b]
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[size=2]Pearl was no stranger to hardships in his life.
He was in his late adolescence, barely of age, when he and his newlywed wife [url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=51693657]Xenia[/url] had their first brood. The laying was very difficult for the frail and sickly dragoness and she passed away just days after the eggs hatched. This left Pearl to grieve his lost wife and to care for his hatchlings simultaneously, which proved to be nearly impossible for such a young dragon.
To help ease this burden, Inoso's husband Daskess adopted the hatchlings and took sole guardianship of them so Pearl could grieve in peace and transition into adulthood without the struggle of raising children when he was not much more than a child himself.
Pearl had always been grateful for the ways in which his parents had helped him throughout his life, remaining close to their sides even into adulthood. He was chosen as Inoso’s heir 14 years after becoming a widower, but the trauma of his teenage years stunted his emotional maturity and ability to manage stress quite severely. So no matter how much Inoso and other diplomats attempted to aid him with leadership decisions, he simply could not keep up with the harsh demands of being a king.
Along with the massive shadow his father's long reign cast upon him and the poor circumstances of his coronation, Pearl's first few acts as king tanked his reputation with the commonwealth quite tremendously – not that he had much of a reputation to begin with. After the attempted assassination of King Inoso, the assailant was captured and imprisoned only to escape without a trace a few days later. Superstitious dragons claimed this was an omen of bad luck to come should the people allow Pearl to rule. In the following months, Pearl declared that he would put an end to all suspicious activity or groups, which was well-intended but poorly received; rumors spread that the attempt to disband the cult was actually a thinly-veiled excuse to discriminate against fortune tellers, illusionists, and/or Shadow dragons in general (depending on who you asked).
The one political action King Pearl took that had an at least somewhat-positive response from the public was the establishment of a full-time Royal Guard. Highly skilled and individually trained by the generals of the Morbus Factio, these dragons were to protect not only the king and other designated officials, but also the gates and borders of the kingdom itself. This meant that the [i]Z'Arduani[/i] would have some protection and could defend itself without depending on the aid of outside sources alone should an emergency arise.
King Pearl managed to stay afloat for a rocky 2 years before his children, raised by Daskess and trained all their lives in the ways of kingdom rule, came of age to be considered as heirs to the throne. He quickly chose Altan as his heir, hoping that his son could carry the lineage forward in a more meaningful way than he ever could himself.
Pearl resigned from his position less than a month after appointing Altan as his heir, and Altan took on the title of king with quiet dignity and grace.
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[center][size=5][b][u]The Z'Arduani - Era IV[/u][/b]
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[size=2]It was among the most peaceful transitions the kingdom had ever seen. King Pearl announced his resignation to the kingdom, and although some dragons may have felt relieved at the news, no disrespectful gestures or snide comments were made by the crowd. Altan's coronation ceremony was the very next day. It was a traditional ceremony throughout most of its duration, but King Altan's coronation speech was one for the history books.
In most coronation speeches, the heir would outline the ways in which they intend to better the kingdom and serve the people. King Altan did exactly this, but his promise was a truly surprising one.
"A king is always supposed to do everything in his power to serve his people," his speech began. "And with this newfound power, I would like to propose something that has never been done before in the [i]Z'Arduani[/i]."
A hushed murmur followed by attentive silence fell over the crowd as Altan smiled the bright, welcoming smile of his grandfather. Not even Daskess nor the other royals knew what the young king was planning. "For generations the ruler of this clan has been chosen by the leader before him, following in his place and upholding values similar to his own. But today, before all of you, I propose this:
"Not only should the [i]Z'Arduani[/i] be ruled by an heir chosen by the previous leader, but [i]also[/i] by an official elected by the people. This position is not like the Council; the dragon elected to this place shall be equal in status to myself, and shall have equal say in all decision-making processes that accompany the title of ruler. With two leaders rather than one, it is less likely that tragic and sudden events — such as the foul attempted assassination of my beloved grandfather, King Inoso — would greatly disrupt the everyday workings of the kingdom.
"For this position I nominate my sister, Princess Charis, to be decided upon by vote of the masses. She is well-versed in diplomatic practice and her ideas are often brighter than my own. She deserves the throne just as much, if not more, as I do myself. I, King Altan, vow to uphold the values of my bloodline and to always do what is right for our kingdom. If this vote does pass, I believe that my sister, [i]Queen[/i] Charis, shall uphold the will of our people."
Shocked and awed by the announcement, Charis stepped forward to stand alongside her brother. The crowd erupted into roaring cheers of excitement and Lord Daskess was the first to vote in favor of the dragoness's election. Ultimately the vote was nearly unanimous and by the end of the day the [i]Z'Arduani[/i] had two new rulers: King Altan and Queen Charis.
Together the two young leaders cemented the details of the new election process and its requirements. In the months following, they drafted a series of plans dedicated to city upkeep and restoration in the event of natural disasters and erosion of the coast on which the kingdom was situated. They also devised an outline for the operation of the kingdom's small harbor, including which ships were allowed to make port on the docks and at what price. In their new territory the Z'Arduani was directly across the bay from the outer reaches of Clan Virulent, so together they controlled the waters between Starfall Isles and Dragonhome. Partially for protection and partially to cultivate the ongoing alliance, Clan Virulent's naval fleet was given free access to dock in the [i]Z'Arduani[/i]'s port.
In only 3 short years, Charis and Altan’s reputation had skyrocketed, especially now that the townspeople felt that their voices were being properly heard. The ruling pair were quite personable and took pride in their shared passion for mingling directly with the community, often seen shopping at small local businesses or chatting with regulars at the tavern. Twice per week they held open forums with the public, allowing anyone in the realm to come forward with comments and concerns. The Royal Guard was expanded moderately and highly-skilled dragons were hired to protect the kingdom. The kingdom also began the quarterly tradition of gathering together for a seasonal feast to be communally celebrated in the center of town. It was during this time that the [url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?p=wiki&article=93]Oculus of The Eleven[/url] issued a statement to all large clans situated along elemental ley lines requiring that a mage be hired to report back to the residing magister of the Arcane Sanctum, which included the [i]Z’Arduani[/i]. The dragoness they appointed to this role was [url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&id=177846&tab=dragon&did=55465811]Perdona[/url], who later became Queen Charis’s wife.
During their 4th year of rule, tensions between the [i]Z’Arduani[/i] and the local Maren school arose. Despite attempts for diplomacy with the school and a mediation between the dragons and the Maren observed by a neutral Longneck party, the Maren were nothing but hostile to the clan. They poisoned entire hauls of fish and other seafood catches, tampered with baskets, and heavily damaged the undersides of docked ships in [i]Z’Arduani[/i]’s port. This interference began to deter tourism and trade with the kingdom as well as propel an ever-growing threat to the townspeople. King Altan released an official statement declaring that all citizens were to steer clear of the water if possible and fishing boats were to go inland to gather seafood. This kept dragons safe for a short while, but the slow movement of imports and exports had a significant impact on the clan’s way of living over time. Something needed to be done.
The final straw was the night that one of the Guard, a Pearlcatcher named [url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&id=177846&tab=dragon&did=50464978]Thurel[/url], was found nearly drowned on the shore near the docks. He was rushed immediately to the infirmary, but whatever the Maren did to him, he was unable to recover from it. This enraged his wife, the Head of the Guard, General [url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&id=177846&tab=dragon&did=35265191]Aryssa[/url], who demanded that action be taken against the Maren school. It felt so severe and so sudden for the young king and queen, but they knew that Aryssa was right. The next morning, they made an official declaration of war.
For the remained of their rule the [i]Z'Arduani[/i] kingdom remained engaged in the Maren War. To offer aid, Clan Virulent allowed temporary command over one of its warships as well as a large shipment of food and supplies to replenish the kingdom's lack of imports by ship. They also provided a magical poison known as Godsbile, lethal even to Maren in the correct dosage. King Altan and Queen Charis drove all of their focus on the war, leaving High Mage Perdona to conduct the bi-weekly forums and manage everyday workings of the clan. The docks and their surrounding area were mandated to be cleared out and residents of the shoreline were given free access to stay at the inn until a series of ramshackle huts could be constructed inland. Mediators and higher-ups including Charis and Altan had continued communication with their Beastclan allies throughout the war in an attempt to reassure the Beasts and keep their relations from crumbling under the pressure of the Maren conflict.
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[center][size=5][b][u]The Z'Arduani - Era V[/u][/b][/size]
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[size=2]At the height of the Maren War a tragedy took place that shook the kingdom to its core.
Charis and Perdona raised four hatchlings together over the course of the war, which lasted nearly 37 years in total. The kingdom was forced to depend almost solely on aid from the southern coast where a secret port was able to take on small loads of cargo ferried from beyond the horizon. Tourism and other forms of income were heavily limited, so the [i]Z'Arduani[/i]'s economy took a nosedive. Several dragons fled the kingdom, having lost hope in its ability to quell the Beasts.
The king and queen tried everything to end the war; no matter the strategy, it was simply impossible to destroy an enemy from a world beyond one's own. They called for aid far and wide but over time alliances faded as outsiders no longer saw the appeal of keeping the kingdom afloat. Clearly this was a battle founded on bad blood, each casualty fuel to the fire in an endless cycle.
One such casualty was [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/58063441]Princess Harlan[/url], daughter of Queen Charis. Harlan had been told all her life that she would take the throne after the war, but the war never came to an end; at least, not before she did.
Bedridden after the laying of her first clutch, Harlan was resigned to the castle for several days. Everyone assumed she was resting. It wasn't until long after she took her last breath that her caretakers realized that she was dead. Someone had poisoned her food, they would later come to find, but no one was certain how the enemy's influence had run so deep into the heart of their territory. Some were suspicious that someone may have taken the kingdom's conflict as a window of opportunity.
Queen Charis became desperate to put an end to this pointless killing and, despite King Altan's best attempts to console her, she was driven mad with the effort. Finally, someone stepped forward -- and Charis would do [i]anything[/i] for the help.
A beautiful, charismatic, bronze-scaled Pearlcatcher in elaborate clothing arrived like a sign from the Deities to deliver the [i]Z'Arduani[/i] from its blight. This drake, named Oriel, had but one condition: he would end the war if he was given the throne. Charis, hopeless, agreed.
With a shining endorsement from the beloved queen and a willingness to try anything at this point, the townsfolk elected Oriel as king with little objection.
As if by magic unimaginable of this world, the moment Oriel was elected king the shoreline of the [i]Z'Arduani[/i] fell silent. There was no longer a single trace of the Maren schools along the coast. No one knew how he did it, but everyone was awed by his power and grace.
Over the next 20 years the kingdom would return to its former prosperity and renown as a trade hub and vital port city along the outer oceans. With prosperity came wealth, and with wealth came greed.
King Oriel began to demand monthly tithes of every household in the kingdom as repayment for the invaluable service he provided to the [i]Z'Arduani[/i]. But every year that the kingdom's quality and success greatened, Oriel placed a higher value on the worth of himself as its savior. King Altan did his best to resist Oriel's tyranny, including offering to pay some of the tithes of the poorer communities and to plead for someone rise up against Oriel to be voted out, but somehow every contender to Oriel's rule never received enough votes to dethrone him.
Over the kingdom's many generations of brilliant thinkers and strategists it seemed that when times were dire the rulers were no longer able to use their claws to solve problems.
King Altan, despite his best efforts, could no longer resist King Oriel's forceful demands of the people, so he resigned himself to raising his granddaughter, Neofeli. Charis passed away of illness soon after she stepped down from the throne, and life for Altan was never quite the same without her. Still, Neofeli was his light and he did all he could to raise her well despite the great heights from which the kingdom had fallen. It was no surprise when he named her as his heir as she neared the age in which she could take the throne.
Oriel stressed that it was quite ridiculous to have him ruling alongside a dragoness not much older than a wyrmling, but it was no use for him to object. So Queen Neofeli took the throne a few short years later and King Altan was allowed to spend his final years marked down in legend alongside his forefathers.
The first action Neofeli took as queen was to bring the kingdom crumbling down.[/size]
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[center][size=5][b][u]Breezecliff Cooperative[/u][/b][/size][/center]
[size=2]It happened so quickly that the entire kingdom was rocked to its core.
Queen Neofeli lacked the same trust in leadership that previous rulers held from their citizens, as that decayed rather quickly as the wealth gap widened its maw and swallowed up everyone without the means to fly. She had to make swift, decisive action — one that could not be thwarted once it was in motion. Some would say she was channeling the spirit of the kingdom’s great forefather Aleksander.
Using her guile and wit, the young queen snuck out of the castle to procure some unsavory items from the underground market and returned neatly to her quarters by morning, the day of the tithe.
As King Oriel sat upon his throne, Neofeli stood at the front of the tithe line with her head bowed to him and claws outstretched with a miraculously intricate gold coin of unspeakable wealth. The court and the commonwealth were shocked at this display. Oh, how far the Redcourt name had fallen.
“It is our family’s finest heirloom,” Neofeli explained as Oriel sat forward in his throne, intrigued. “All along I have pledged my honor and my loyalty to you, O King, for bringing about a permanent end to the Maren War. My grandfather, King Altan, passed this treasured heirloom to me on the day he named me his heiress and told me never to reveal it or its worth to you. But, King Oriel, I cannot simply overlook the lack of gratitude you have been given by my family after such a miraculous feat.”
She did not break his gaze as she carefully approached, talons stretched upward in exaltation of the king. “Please, my king, accept this gift as a token of my sincere apology and greatest gratitude on behalf do not only myself, but my entire bloodline.”
It was excruciatingly easy to touch the ego of a dragon whose pride could fill an entire Great Hall. Luckily for Neofeli, King Oriel’s pride and greed were matched only for his sheer hatred of the former King Altan. Any doubts Oriel may have had about her elaborate speech were thwarted at the mention of the former king, nearly making Oriel’s mouth water at the thought of Altan’s own flesh and blood betraying him on Oriel’s behalf.
“Thank you, Neofeli,” Oriel simply replied, and snatched the gold coin from her pristinely gloved talons.
As soon as he took the coin, Oriel began to panic. Neofeli smirked and stood tall, watching in awe as the cursed coin did its work. The gold fused to Oriel’s claws, rendering him unable to let it go, and quickly spread up his arms and over his shoulders. He roared and cursed Neofeli’s name, thrashing and stammering as he attempted to free himself until a majority of his neck and torso were turned to solid gold. Just before his jaw was permanently wedged in place, Oriel exclaimed a series of words in a language neither Mordern nor Ancient, nor truly Dragon at all. A sliver of golden light tore through the air behind him like ripped fabric and with a final push of his tail he passed through it. The entire kingdom stood dazed as the sliver of light sewed itself back together behind him and disappeared in a tiny scatter of sparks as if it had never been there in the first place.
That was it. King Oriel was gone.
Queen Neofeli turned to her people and took to the throne where the tyrant king once sat, standing atop it to cast her voice across the crowd.
“As my first decision as Queen of the Z’Arduani, Fifth Generation of the Redcourt Lineage and Seventh Ruler of the Court, I hereby dissolve the Z’Arduani Kingdom and resign as its leader.”
Resounding gasps and shouts of panic echoed off the finely-polished crystal walls, but Neofeli raised a hand to silence them. “I do not wish to rid you of your stability, your homes, or your way of life. However, I ask that you lend me the grace to share my offer.
Too long our great community has been plagued by unnecessary war, poverty, division, and suspicion where there should be family and togetherness. We meet for our beloved solstice and equinox feasts, but those cannot be our only moments of prosperity and joy. Our kingdom is built upon the image of the Redcourt bloodline, yet for decades we have struggled to keep the kingdom from capsizing. This is why I suggest we start over with something better, something closer together, without lines of status dividing us. We are all dragonkind. It is time we start acting like a true family.”
It was then that the band of dragons migrated once more, traversing the ever-changing lands of Starfall Isles to the fertile farmland of the Windswept Plateau. They settled and subsisted there with democratic administration, each dragon sharing equally in the fruits of their labor. From here they were able to master and expand their crafts and skills until each dragon reached their full potential. It is in this place that the Breezecliff Cooperative was born.[/size]
History
Prologue - The Agony Syndicate
Before the kingdom had ever come to fruition, a small Plague clan known as the Agony Syndicate was led by a terrifyingly powerful Fae named Traiqe. The first dragon to join his new clan was an old, packless Mirror named Nefta. She helped him to create a grand (although false) reputation by spreading rumors of his powerful leadership among clans of Pearlcatchers, a breed known for their love of gossip. Countless fearsome drakes heard the hyperbolic stories and came pouring in at the entrance to his den, but Traiqe would only allow dragons with the most elite traits into his ranks. The clan was comprised only of the greatest warriors and strongest survivors, including Imperials, Mirrors, and Wildclaws. However, just as the Syndicate reached its prime, Traiqe developed a mysterious illness that made him overly analytic and paranoid.
When one of Plaguebringer's more deadly viruses blew across the clan's territory, many younger non-Plague dragons succumbed to the disease and perished. Traiqe took this as an sign from the Plague Mother herself that only the oldest, most battle-hardened dragons were worthy of remaining as members of the Agony Syndicate. Frantically he banished all of the young dragons of his clan, leaving them with nothing but each other.
The Revenant Affliction - Era I
The eldest among the outcasts was Sekeo, a strong but immature Imperial. He claimed leadership of the small band and led them to an underground hollow in which to build their new home. They called themselves a new name: The Revenant Affliction.
Life for this small clan of outcasts, however, was not made easier simply by finding shelter. The high of founding the Affliction quickly ebbed away as the young dragons began to realize that their lack of experience made living comfortably very difficult. Many of them had not been taught how to hunt, fight, or fend for themselves, and Sekeo was not one to teach them.
As time went on many outcasts, loners, and rogue dragons were drawn to the Revenant Affliction due to its lack of ranks and structure. Some wanted to escape the strict rules of their birthclans, some were simply too weak to survive alone, and some had been forcibly removed from their home clans for more nefarious reasons.
No one asked any questions about the intentions of the newcomers, instead simply allowing them into their home. For this reason overpopulation and starvation began to run rampant. A clan with no rules, no training, and no real leader was nothing more than a disaster waiting to happen. They were digging themselves into their own graves, and the Wasteland would not mourn for them.
The Revenant Affliction - Era II
One dragon in the Revenant Affliction could not stand for this chaos any longer. Yuina, a mysterious but skilled Wildclaw, challenged Sekeo to a duel for leadership. The Imperial obliged her, but he deeply underestimated her battle prowess.
With all of the clan watching as the two dragons fought, Yuina took things much too far. Sekeo's lazy and reckless personality was reflected in his fight tactics, and with her precision Yuina quickly took down her vastly larger opponent. But just when everyone thought that the duel was over, Yuina scored a fatal blow to the clan's founder, slaying him where he stood.
Shocked and appalled, the clan erupted into roars and cries of panic. The Wildclaw dragoness announced that she had won the right to leadership fair and square, and declared that from now on the Revenant Affliction would be a clan of order.
It was made very clear that defectors and rebels would meet the same fate as Sekeo. The first of these was Sekeo's mate, Paine, who refused vehemently when Yuina asked her to rule as her mate and queen. As more and more dragons were cut down by Yuina and her followers, the overpopulation issue was quickly solved and the clan was restructured into strict ranks. Those who were considered useful clan members were allowed to stay, but dragons who could not provide any skill to the clan were eliminated.
Once the dust began to settle, things were very different for the Revenant Affliction. It was obvious that Yuina clung tightly to traditional Wildclaw values, as her clan structure clearly reflected so. At the top of the ranks were the Alpha Wildclaws, comprised of Yuina herself and two of her strongest, most loyal followers: Kearix and Nuala. Just below the Alphas was a Skydancer named Aleksander, who had quickly pledged his loyalty to Yuina after the duel. His innate ability to detect the emotions of others proved to be extremely useful in his newfound role as a spy, mediator, and lie detector. He was Yuina's closest adviser and confidant, tasked with sitting in on all of her most private meetings to monitor the compliance and truthfulness of her guests.
The middle ranks were composed of any dragon who aided the clan's survival, such as battle trainers, gatherers, hunters, and medics. Among the lowest ranks were any dragons known to be proficient in magic use, as Yuina saw magic as a cowardly tactic to avoid physical labor or bloody honor in battle.
At first, the structure and efficiency that this new system provided was a welcome change for the clan. For the first time in over a year, dragons had full bellies and a renewed sense of purpose. But the feeling of relief and excitement was once again short-lived. Just as the daily life of the Revenant Affliction began to feel routine, Yuina surprised the entire clan with a horrifying display of violence that reminded them all of the fear they felt on the first day of her leadership.
Yuina and the Alpha Wildclaws dragged a captured Nocturne into the center of the hollow, claiming that he was an intruder. Then with almost no warning the trio released a stream of deafening, guttural battle shrieks and lunged onto the stranger. The gore that remained after the so-called battle petrified everyone in the clan.
"This," Yuina warned, "is what happens to dragons who dare to disrespect me and my leadership."
Things changed after this appalling murder occurred. Dragons were reminded of the friends and loved ones they lost to Yuina's brutality. Some were so afraid of being the next to die that they faltered in their duties and cracked under the stress, too mentally and physically unstable to withstand the Plague elements. Some felt a deep sense of resentment for their leader. Some felt hatred. But no matter if it was fear, resentment, anger, or desperation that fueled their intentions, nearly every dragon in the clan had the same basic notion on their mind; something had to change.
The rebellion didn't happen quickly. Meticulous planning and laying low was absolutely necessary for survival, especially with the Alpha Wildclaws serving as Yuina's eyes and ears among the ranks. But one drake, the one who Yuina would never suspect, served as a key element of the rebellion's success.
Aleksander met routinely with the rebels, outlining all of Yuina's plans, strategies, strengths, and weaknesses without batting an eye. For over a year this continued just under Yuina's nose, until at last they had gathered enough intel and power to strike.
Almost monthly, new murders were staged in the center of the hollow to demonstrate the strength of the Alpha Wildclaws. After five years, however, this tactic of intimidation had lost its luster. On this day, a Fae named Trekora was to be executed for unauthorized magic use.
The same sickening ritual began again like clockwork. The three dragonesses circled the tiny drake, hissing and screeching at him with bared teeth and outstretched wings. But just as they were about to lunge, a trusted voice called out.
"Yuina!" Aleksander shouted, his eyes wide and his stance demanding attention. The urgency in his voice distracted her and she halted her aggressive display to look up at him.
In that very moment Trekora leapt into flight, blowing a magical powder of temporary blinding directly into Yuina's eyes. Before the other Alphas could react, the crowd ambushed them with anything and everything they could find to defend themselves. With a snarl Aleksander shoved Yuina into the mob, and by the end of the night the tyrannical dictator and her minions had suffered the same fate as countless dragons whose blood unjustly stained the ground of the Affliction.
The Z'Arduani - Era I
In the aftermath of the mutiny, one dragon stood out as a natural replacement for the power-hungry Wildclaw trio. Aleksander, who tended personally to the wounded and the sick, soon became known as the new leader of the clan.
What was once a clan of oppression and military tooth-and-claw battle was now a clan of education and advancement. They learned from their neighbors of the west and took up the practice of Arcane magic. Prohibition of arcana was abolished and all denizens of the clan were encouraged to be true to their own potentials and to lead meaningful lives in whichever way seemed the most fulfilling. Dragons did not need to be productive to be considered a part of the clan; they simply needed to be happy and thrive.
To signify this drastic change in ideals, Aleksander declared that the clan would take on a new name — a name spoken in the Ancient Draconian tongue: Z'Arduani. New Magic.
Years of knowledge and progression shaped the clan; what was once a small band of rebels grew into a sizable town of dragons from all walks of Sornieth. They were a peaceful group, using their extensive intelligence and personable mannerisms to negotiate with neighboring clans rather than using blunt force. And if a battle were to ever rear its head, the Z'Arduani had an arsenal of mages up its sleeve.
Five more prosperous years passed, and the town of the Z'Arduani evolved into a small kingdom. The government changed from a single leader to a large council of advisers with Aleksander at its head. Policies and contingency plans for sustainability despite the harsh landscape of the Wasteland were put in place to protect against overpopulation or starvation. The head-rebel Skydancer was now a renowned ruler and the face of the kingdom's endless prosperity.
But no idol is free from imperfection.
With the seemingly endless routine of day-to-day diplomacy, Aleksander’s mind began to wander — and with it so did his body. His husband Jaye found out about his many affairs with countless lovers and gave him a heartbreaking ultimatum; Aleksander was to leave the clan and never return. Jaye felt that if Aleksander could not remain loyal to his husband, how could he be trusted to stay loyal to his kingdom and its citizens? It was a painful truth, but a truth nonetheless. The requirements of the ultimatum were clear; Jaye would only keep the affairs quiet, and subsequently keep Aleksander's grand reputation intact, if Aleksander chose and trained a successor for the kingdom's throne.
With sullen, but understanding agreement, Aleksander trained a chosen heir in the ways of clan leadership – the prince of the Akashaa Kingdom, Inoso. The Akashaa was a long-standing ally of the Z'Arduani, so Inoso's claim to the Z'Arduani throne seemed most beneficial to inter-kingdom relations. Once Inoso's training was complete, Aleksander slipped away into hiding and left the clan under the young Bogsneak’s rule. Jaye, feigning grief, also fled the territory only days after Aleksander's disappearance to avoid spilling secrets.
In the end, Aleksander's status as a revolutionary legend, humble leader, and overall awe-inspiring dragon remained untarnished by his hidden infidelity. He went down in history books as one of the greatest leaders the Z'Arduani had ever known, and Inoso was left to rule in his shadow.
The Z'Arduani - Era II
Inoso's coronation as king was met with mixed reactions by the clan at first. No one thought that the young Bogsneak could live up to the unmatched standards of Aleksander. But his influence, charisma, and diplomatic upbringing quickly proved to be precious assets for the future of the clan. The general consensus of the Council was that Inoso would make a fine king for the Z'Arduani, and that his many years of training would not go to waste. This was a comfort to many of the kingdom's denizens, as previous changes in leadership had not been historically peaceful nor successful.
In the first years of ruling, King Inoso made great strides in developing the cultural epicenters of the clan, including raising altars upon which each Deity could be praised and where dragons of any creed could worship freely. He also created a schedule in which the eleven elemental members of the Council could routinely travel to their birthplaces in order to conduct prophetic ceremonies and gather omens from fellow spiritual leaders. This reinforced the idea that the Z'Arduani was a peaceful kingdom welcome to anyone who wished to express themselves truthfully. With Aleksander's framework of resource allocation and expansion protocol, Inoso could open the kingdom's gates to a large wave of immigrants seeking cultural and religious freedom.
It was then that a long period of artistic, spiritual, and cultural booming took place within the kingdom. Dragons came to the Z'Arduani in droves to perfect their skills and establish themselves. Musicians, artisans, smiths, painters, hawkers, and mages came together in the center of town and eventually established a bustling plaza for business and trade. On the edge of the plaza stood the Z'Arduani Academy of Arcane Arts, headed by the Fae mage Trekora.
With economy and trade growing substantially alongside the influx of bartering and resource allocation, Inoso and the Council sought to establish further alliances with neighboring clans. The citizens of the Z'Arduani were apprehensive about the establishment of a guard or warrior presence due to the scars left on the minds of those traumatized by Yuina's regime, so Inoso sought instead to establish alliances with clans of substantial military power. Clan Virulent and the Morbus Factio were among the most significant in battle prowess, offering protection and aid in return for food and goods offered by the Z'Arduani's finest craftsmen. They also established a trade route and safe haven at the Traveler's Breeze, a peaceful Wind clan who traded art materials such as fabrics and pigments as well as reagents for potions and spells. These alliances were sealed by sending Inoso's two daughters, fathered by his husband Daskess, to live and be raised within the Morbus Factio and the Traveler's Breeze respectively.
Many more prosperous years passed during which peace was established between the kingdom and the surrounding Beastclans, allowing for the formation of trade routes through Beast territories in return for supplies and protection from other dragon clans. The Z’Arduani Academy grew to worldwide renown among academic circles, and many skilled artisans made names for themselves meanwhile boosting the artistic reputation of the clan. The kingdom also served as a safe haven and celebration hub during elemental holidays, drawing in many tourists that spiked economic stimulation during those weeks.
Inoso raised many children via surrogate over the span of his rule, but just when it came time for him to choose an heir he received a fateful letter from his eldest daughter, Treya.
Over the years, Treya had rose to power within the Traveler’s Breeze, now serving as their queen. However, what her people didn’t know was that she struck a deal with a mysterious sorcerer in order to ascend so quickly through the ranks. In return for leadership, Treya was cursed so that only one hatchling of each clutch she bore would survive to adulthood. In an attempt to give her hatchlings a better life — however long it may be — she asked Inoso to adopt her daughter, Ariki, and raise her within the Z’Arduani kingdom. Pitying his daughter, Inoso obliged, adopting Ariki and claiming her as the next heir to the throne.
Ariki was a well enough apprentice, being raised half as a child of Inoso and half as his student. But she had a fairly soft and spoiled personality, focusing more on the practice of etiquette and ballroom dancing rather than the gritty details of maintaining a government. She remained under Inoso’s wing for years, but when she was nearly of age to rule, something began to occupy his time and demand his attention much more than she ever could, and she was determined to find out what that was. He told her that she wasn’t ready to be a part of such a serious political matter, but she wanted to use the opportunity to prove her worth to the townspeople and to the Council.
Inoso had received word of a large inter-Flight war in which the Z’Arduani’s ally, Clan Virulent, was becoming involved. Dragons of Light and Plague were at war with Shadow and Nature groups, with Ice and Fire soon to join the conflict. The leader of Clan Virulent warned Inoso that action should be taken immediately to avoid being dragged into the war, but he foolishly underestimated the urgency of the message.
To gather more information, Inoso called upon the Council to travel to their respective Flights to consult the Deities personally. Most of them did not return. It is uncertain whether they chose to stay put as guided by their Deities, were captured by the enemies, or fled the life of prophecy forever in order to avoid the chaos. All that was certain was that Inoso was left with only a few advisers to rely on, and his kingdom was relying on him.
Those who remained loyal advisers to Inoso, along with Inoso himself, decided that they would hold back on telling the commonfolk about the encroaching battlefront until they had a solid plan of handling the conflict. Days passed, though, and they could not come to an agreement. Frustrations arose as they found themselves at an impasse; every precious minute they wasted was a step closer to destruction.
It was in this moment that Ariki chose to step forward. She had overheard shouting in the castle one night and eavesdropped on one of the leadership meetings, learning enough about the issue to take matters into her own talons. She thought that the more minds they had to brainstorm solutions, the quicker a solid decision would manifest. So she gathered all of the townspeople into the plaza and announced the news of the coming war to everyone in the Z'Arduani in hopes that they could come together and create a plan. However, the only result created by her announcement was uncontrollable chaos.
Hostility, fear, and lack of direct leadership drove the kingdom into a frenzy, causing many dragons to panic. Inoso and the others attempted to minimize the damage as soon as they became aware of Ariki's grave mistake, but it was already too late. For weeks the clamor continued, many dragons fleeing the kingdom in search of a neutral clan to avoid going to war or to take family members to safety. Some of the more eager dragons took up arms and flew directly into the fray, impatient with the Z'Arduani's uncertainty about the nature of their involvement. Every day they waited, however, the closer the front lines drew towards the outskirts of the kingdom. With the clan's vehement aversion to military presence in the past, Clan Virulent's entanglement in the war, and the Morbus Factio's inability to provide aid on such short notice, the Z'Arduani's gates were left unguarded.
Finally, Inoso was forced to make a decision.
By royal decree, all dragons loyal and healthy enough to migrate would immediately pack their most important belongings and journey alongside Lord Daskess to a new swath of land recently purchased using funds withdrawn from King Inoso's personal Hoard. There, in the Starfall Isles, the kingdom would rebuild. The Z'Arduani's fastest messengers and couriers were tasked with hiring a skilled team of Arcane architects and city planners to work day and night to make sure that housing would be available for the dragons upon arrival.
All dragons too weak, ill, or young to travel long distances were to be lead by King Inoso himself to a halfway point where they were to meet a small group of aides and guides. From there, they would be assisted to the Traveler's Breeze. In recent years the Breeze had been wracked by a horrible plague that blew in from the Wasteland, so they were happy to take in any newcomers to restore the population.
By some miracle all of the kingdom's subjects made it to the established rendezvous points and successfully avoided harm. To show his gratitude to Lord Chieftan Aramis and his loyalty to the alliance, King Inoso vowed to give forty percent of all food, armor, and textiles produced by the Z'Arduani directly to Clan Virulent for the duration of the war. Meanwhile, every able-bodied dragon in the kingdom was called upon to aid in the construction of their new home. The entire community pooled treasure and resources for the Reconstruction, and with consistent building and upkeep the new location rivaled the glory of the original kingdom in less than 10 years.
Inoso remained as the king even after the Reconstruction was complete, far surpassing Aleksander for the longest reign of any leader since beginning of the clan's creation. However, just after the clan migrated to Starfall Isles, Ariki was overcome with grief and shame for her grave error and abandoned her position as heir to the throne. She left the kingdom, never to be seen again (though some dragons were not particularly dismayed at this revelation). The Council had long since disbanded and Inoso took to ruling alone, with only his husband as his adviser. The citizens of the Z'Arduani were generally satisfied with his singular leadership, but this left Inoso without a chosen heir, and he was not particularly eager to mentor another on top of all of his added responsibilities.
So when a chaotic cultist attacked Inoso during a holiday celebration, nearly assassinating him where he stood, there was no option other than to appoint Inoso's nearest progeny as interim ruler until his recovery.
The new heir, a young adult drake of one of Inoso's later clutches, was Prince Pearl. He was inexperienced and clumsy in demeanor, but as months drew on and Inoso was not properly recovering from his injuries, he eventually decided to retire permanently and leave the throne to his son on official terms. Pearl was appointed king of the Z'Arduani after 59 years of Inoso's rule.
The Z'Arduani - Era III
Pearl was no stranger to hardships in his life.
He was in his late adolescence, barely of age, when he and his newlywed wife Xenia had their first brood. The laying was very difficult for the frail and sickly dragoness and she passed away just days after the eggs hatched. This left Pearl to grieve his lost wife and to care for his hatchlings simultaneously, which proved to be nearly impossible for such a young dragon.
To help ease this burden, Inoso's husband Daskess adopted the hatchlings and took sole guardianship of them so Pearl could grieve in peace and transition into adulthood without the struggle of raising children when he was not much more than a child himself.
Pearl had always been grateful for the ways in which his parents had helped him throughout his life, remaining close to their sides even into adulthood. He was chosen as Inoso’s heir 14 years after becoming a widower, but the trauma of his teenage years stunted his emotional maturity and ability to manage stress quite severely. So no matter how much Inoso and other diplomats attempted to aid him with leadership decisions, he simply could not keep up with the harsh demands of being a king.
Along with the massive shadow his father's long reign cast upon him and the poor circumstances of his coronation, Pearl's first few acts as king tanked his reputation with the commonwealth quite tremendously – not that he had much of a reputation to begin with. After the attempted assassination of King Inoso, the assailant was captured and imprisoned only to escape without a trace a few days later. Superstitious dragons claimed this was an omen of bad luck to come should the people allow Pearl to rule. In the following months, Pearl declared that he would put an end to all suspicious activity or groups, which was well-intended but poorly received; rumors spread that the attempt to disband the cult was actually a thinly-veiled excuse to discriminate against fortune tellers, illusionists, and/or Shadow dragons in general (depending on who you asked).
The one political action King Pearl took that had an at least somewhat-positive response from the public was the establishment of a full-time Royal Guard. Highly skilled and individually trained by the generals of the Morbus Factio, these dragons were to protect not only the king and other designated officials, but also the gates and borders of the kingdom itself. This meant that the Z'Arduani would have some protection and could defend itself without depending on the aid of outside sources alone should an emergency arise.
King Pearl managed to stay afloat for a rocky 2 years before his children, raised by Daskess and trained all their lives in the ways of kingdom rule, came of age to be considered as heirs to the throne. He quickly chose Altan as his heir, hoping that his son could carry the lineage forward in a more meaningful way than he ever could himself.
Pearl resigned from his position less than a month after appointing Altan as his heir, and Altan took on the title of king with quiet dignity and grace.
The Z'Arduani - Era IV
It was among the most peaceful transitions the kingdom had ever seen. King Pearl announced his resignation to the kingdom, and although some dragons may have felt relieved at the news, no disrespectful gestures or snide comments were made by the crowd. Altan's coronation ceremony was the very next day. It was a traditional ceremony throughout most of its duration, but King Altan's coronation speech was one for the history books.
In most coronation speeches, the heir would outline the ways in which they intend to better the kingdom and serve the people. King Altan did exactly this, but his promise was a truly surprising one.
"A king is always supposed to do everything in his power to serve his people," his speech began. "And with this newfound power, I would like to propose something that has never been done before in the Z'Arduani."
A hushed murmur followed by attentive silence fell over the crowd as Altan smiled the bright, welcoming smile of his grandfather. Not even Daskess nor the other royals knew what the young king was planning. "For generations the ruler of this clan has been chosen by the leader before him, following in his place and upholding values similar to his own. But today, before all of you, I propose this:
"Not only should the Z'Arduani be ruled by an heir chosen by the previous leader, but also by an official elected by the people. This position is not like the Council; the dragon elected to this place shall be equal in status to myself, and shall have equal say in all decision-making processes that accompany the title of ruler. With two leaders rather than one, it is less likely that tragic and sudden events — such as the foul attempted assassination of my beloved grandfather, King Inoso — would greatly disrupt the everyday workings of the kingdom.
"For this position I nominate my sister, Princess Charis, to be decided upon by vote of the masses. She is well-versed in diplomatic practice and her ideas are often brighter than my own. She deserves the throne just as much, if not more, as I do myself. I, King Altan, vow to uphold the values of my bloodline and to always do what is right for our kingdom. If this vote does pass, I believe that my sister, Queen Charis, shall uphold the will of our people."
Shocked and awed by the announcement, Charis stepped forward to stand alongside her brother. The crowd erupted into roaring cheers of excitement and Lord Daskess was the first to vote in favor of the dragoness's election. Ultimately the vote was nearly unanimous and by the end of the day the Z'Arduani had two new rulers: King Altan and Queen Charis.
Together the two young leaders cemented the details of the new election process and its requirements. In the months following, they drafted a series of plans dedicated to city upkeep and restoration in the event of natural disasters and erosion of the coast on which the kingdom was situated. They also devised an outline for the operation of the kingdom's small harbor, including which ships were allowed to make port on the docks and at what price. In their new territory the Z'Arduani was directly across the bay from the outer reaches of Clan Virulent, so together they controlled the waters between Starfall Isles and Dragonhome. Partially for protection and partially to cultivate the ongoing alliance, Clan Virulent's naval fleet was given free access to dock in the Z'Arduani's port.
In only 3 short years, Charis and Altan’s reputation had skyrocketed, especially now that the townspeople felt that their voices were being properly heard. The ruling pair were quite personable and took pride in their shared passion for mingling directly with the community, often seen shopping at small local businesses or chatting with regulars at the tavern. Twice per week they held open forums with the public, allowing anyone in the realm to come forward with comments and concerns. The Royal Guard was expanded moderately and highly-skilled dragons were hired to protect the kingdom. The kingdom also began the quarterly tradition of gathering together for a seasonal feast to be communally celebrated in the center of town. It was during this time that the Oculus of The Eleven issued a statement to all large clans situated along elemental ley lines requiring that a mage be hired to report back to the residing magister of the Arcane Sanctum, which included the Z’Arduani. The dragoness they appointed to this role was Perdona, who later became Queen Charis’s wife.
During their 4th year of rule, tensions between the Z’Arduani and the local Maren school arose. Despite attempts for diplomacy with the school and a mediation between the dragons and the Maren observed by a neutral Longneck party, the Maren were nothing but hostile to the clan. They poisoned entire hauls of fish and other seafood catches, tampered with baskets, and heavily damaged the undersides of docked ships in Z’Arduani’s port. This interference began to deter tourism and trade with the kingdom as well as propel an ever-growing threat to the townspeople. King Altan released an official statement declaring that all citizens were to steer clear of the water if possible and fishing boats were to go inland to gather seafood. This kept dragons safe for a short while, but the slow movement of imports and exports had a significant impact on the clan’s way of living over time. Something needed to be done.
The final straw was the night that one of the Guard, a Pearlcatcher named Thurel, was found nearly drowned on the shore near the docks. He was rushed immediately to the infirmary, but whatever the Maren did to him, he was unable to recover from it. This enraged his wife, the Head of the Guard, General Aryssa, who demanded that action be taken against the Maren school. It felt so severe and so sudden for the young king and queen, but they knew that Aryssa was right. The next morning, they made an official declaration of war.
For the remained of their rule the Z'Arduani kingdom remained engaged in the Maren War. To offer aid, Clan Virulent allowed temporary command over one of its warships as well as a large shipment of food and supplies to replenish the kingdom's lack of imports by ship. They also provided a magical poison known as Godsbile, lethal even to Maren in the correct dosage. King Altan and Queen Charis drove all of their focus on the war, leaving High Mage Perdona to conduct the bi-weekly forums and manage everyday workings of the clan. The docks and their surrounding area were mandated to be cleared out and residents of the shoreline were given free access to stay at the inn until a series of ramshackle huts could be constructed inland. Mediators and higher-ups including Charis and Altan had continued communication with their Beastclan allies throughout the war in an attempt to reassure the Beasts and keep their relations from crumbling under the pressure of the Maren conflict.
The Z'Arduani - Era V
At the height of the Maren War a tragedy took place that shook the kingdom to its core.
Charis and Perdona raised four hatchlings together over the course of the war, which lasted nearly 37 years in total. The kingdom was forced to depend almost solely on aid from the southern coast where a secret port was able to take on small loads of cargo ferried from beyond the horizon. Tourism and other forms of income were heavily limited, so the Z'Arduani's economy took a nosedive. Several dragons fled the kingdom, having lost hope in its ability to quell the Beasts.
The king and queen tried everything to end the war; no matter the strategy, it was simply impossible to destroy an enemy from a world beyond one's own. They called for aid far and wide but over time alliances faded as outsiders no longer saw the appeal of keeping the kingdom afloat. Clearly this was a battle founded on bad blood, each casualty fuel to the fire in an endless cycle.
One such casualty was Princess Harlan, daughter of Queen Charis. Harlan had been told all her life that she would take the throne after the war, but the war never came to an end; at least, not before she did.
Bedridden after the laying of her first clutch, Harlan was resigned to the castle for several days. Everyone assumed she was resting. It wasn't until long after she took her last breath that her caretakers realized that she was dead. Someone had poisoned her food, they would later come to find, but no one was certain how the enemy's influence had run so deep into the heart of their territory. Some were suspicious that someone may have taken the kingdom's conflict as a window of opportunity.
Queen Charis became desperate to put an end to this pointless killing and, despite King Altan's best attempts to console her, she was driven mad with the effort. Finally, someone stepped forward -- and Charis would do anything for the help.
A beautiful, charismatic, bronze-scaled Pearlcatcher in elaborate clothing arrived like a sign from the Deities to deliver the Z'Arduani from its blight. This drake, named Oriel, had but one condition: he would end the war if he was given the throne. Charis, hopeless, agreed.
With a shining endorsement from the beloved queen and a willingness to try anything at this point, the townsfolk elected Oriel as king with little objection.
As if by magic unimaginable of this world, the moment Oriel was elected king the shoreline of the Z'Arduani fell silent. There was no longer a single trace of the Maren schools along the coast. No one knew how he did it, but everyone was awed by his power and grace.
Over the next 20 years the kingdom would return to its former prosperity and renown as a trade hub and vital port city along the outer oceans. With prosperity came wealth, and with wealth came greed.
King Oriel began to demand monthly tithes of every household in the kingdom as repayment for the invaluable service he provided to the Z'Arduani. But every year that the kingdom's quality and success greatened, Oriel placed a higher value on the worth of himself as its savior. King Altan did his best to resist Oriel's tyranny, including offering to pay some of the tithes of the poorer communities and to plead for someone rise up against Oriel to be voted out, but somehow every contender to Oriel's rule never received enough votes to dethrone him.
Over the kingdom's many generations of brilliant thinkers and strategists it seemed that when times were dire the rulers were no longer able to use their claws to solve problems.
King Altan, despite his best efforts, could no longer resist King Oriel's forceful demands of the people, so he resigned himself to raising his granddaughter, Neofeli. Charis passed away of illness soon after she stepped down from the throne, and life for Altan was never quite the same without her. Still, Neofeli was his light and he did all he could to raise her well despite the great heights from which the kingdom had fallen. It was no surprise when he named her as his heir as she neared the age in which she could take the throne.
Oriel stressed that it was quite ridiculous to have him ruling alongside a dragoness not much older than a wyrmling, but it was no use for him to object. So Queen Neofeli took the throne a few short years later and King Altan was allowed to spend his final years marked down in legend alongside his forefathers.
The first action Neofeli took as queen was to bring the kingdom crumbling down.
Breezecliff Cooperative
It happened so quickly that the entire kingdom was rocked to its core.
Queen Neofeli lacked the same trust in leadership that previous rulers held from their citizens, as that decayed rather quickly as the wealth gap widened its maw and swallowed up everyone without the means to fly. She had to make swift, decisive action — one that could not be thwarted once it was in motion. Some would say she was channeling the spirit of the kingdom’s great forefather Aleksander.
Using her guile and wit, the young queen snuck out of the castle to procure some unsavory items from the underground market and returned neatly to her quarters by morning, the day of the tithe.
As King Oriel sat upon his throne, Neofeli stood at the front of the tithe line with her head bowed to him and claws outstretched with a miraculously intricate gold coin of unspeakable wealth. The court and the commonwealth were shocked at this display. Oh, how far the Redcourt name had fallen.
“It is our family’s finest heirloom,” Neofeli explained as Oriel sat forward in his throne, intrigued. “All along I have pledged my honor and my loyalty to you, O King, for bringing about a permanent end to the Maren War. My grandfather, King Altan, passed this treasured heirloom to me on the day he named me his heiress and told me never to reveal it or its worth to you. But, King Oriel, I cannot simply overlook the lack of gratitude you have been given by my family after such a miraculous feat.”
She did not break his gaze as she carefully approached, talons stretched upward in exaltation of the king. “Please, my king, accept this gift as a token of my sincere apology and greatest gratitude on behalf do not only myself, but my entire bloodline.”
It was excruciatingly easy to touch the ego of a dragon whose pride could fill an entire Great Hall. Luckily for Neofeli, King Oriel’s pride and greed were matched only for his sheer hatred of the former King Altan. Any doubts Oriel may have had about her elaborate speech were thwarted at the mention of the former king, nearly making Oriel’s mouth water at the thought of Altan’s own flesh and blood betraying him on Oriel’s behalf.
“Thank you, Neofeli,” Oriel simply replied, and snatched the gold coin from her pristinely gloved talons.
As soon as he took the coin, Oriel began to panic. Neofeli smirked and stood tall, watching in awe as the cursed coin did its work. The gold fused to Oriel’s claws, rendering him unable to let it go, and quickly spread up his arms and over his shoulders. He roared and cursed Neofeli’s name, thrashing and stammering as he attempted to free himself until a majority of his neck and torso were turned to solid gold. Just before his jaw was permanently wedged in place, Oriel exclaimed a series of words in a language neither Mordern nor Ancient, nor truly Dragon at all. A sliver of golden light tore through the air behind him like ripped fabric and with a final push of his tail he passed through it. The entire kingdom stood dazed as the sliver of light sewed itself back together behind him and disappeared in a tiny scatter of sparks as if it had never been there in the first place.
That was it. King Oriel was gone.
Queen Neofeli turned to her people and took to the throne where the tyrant king once sat, standing atop it to cast her voice across the crowd.
“As my first decision as Queen of the Z’Arduani, Fifth Generation of the Redcourt Lineage and Seventh Ruler of the Court, I hereby dissolve the Z’Arduani Kingdom and resign as its leader.”
Resounding gasps and shouts of panic echoed off the finely-polished crystal walls, but Neofeli raised a hand to silence them. “I do not wish to rid you of your stability, your homes, or your way of life. However, I ask that you lend me the grace to share my offer.
Too long our great community has been plagued by unnecessary war, poverty, division, and suspicion where there should be family and togetherness. We meet for our beloved solstice and equinox feasts, but those cannot be our only moments of prosperity and joy. Our kingdom is built upon the image of the Redcourt bloodline, yet for decades we have struggled to keep the kingdom from capsizing. This is why I suggest we start over with something better, something closer together, without lines of status dividing us. We are all dragonkind. It is time we start acting like a true family.”
It was then that the band of dragons migrated once more, traversing the ever-changing lands of Starfall Isles to the fertile farmland of the Windswept Plateau. They settled and subsisted there with democratic administration, each dragon sharing equally in the fruits of their labor. From here they were able to master and expand their crafts and skills until each dragon reached their full potential. It is in this place that the Breezecliff Cooperative was born.
Trying to be more active - FR+2
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[center][size=5][b][u]Navigation[/u][/b][/size]
[url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2699119#post_2699119]Basics[/url] | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2699119/1#post_39311393]History[/url] | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2699119/1#post_39311396]Territory & Institutions[/url] | [b]Culture[/b]
[url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2699119/1#post_39311402]Citizens [/url]| [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2699119/1#post_39311408]Alliances & Beastclans[/url] | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2699119/1#post_39311411]Associated Threads[/url] | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2699119/1#post_39311416]Other[/url] | [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2699119/1#post_39311460]Former Iterations[/url][/center]
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[center][size=5][b]Culture[/b][/size][/center]
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[b]Elemental Holidays:[/b]
[size=2]During each of the elemental holidays, the entire kingdom is welcomed to partake in celebration. The streets and storefronts are adorned with decorations native to the Flight of the holiday's element. Dragons are encouraged to trade elemental currency at the plaza, hawk crafts and wares native to their Flight's culture, and leave offerings at the altar outside of the Temple of The Eleven. Visitors usually stay at the Inn for the entire week of celebration.[/size]
[b]Seasonal Holidays:[/b]
[size=2]At each solstice and equinox, a grand feast is held outside the castle hosted by the royal family. Large swaths of seasonal crops and catches are brought together in a kingdom-wide potluck to celebrate the community's successes, open communication between dragons who may not often converse otherwise, and bridge the gap between the clan's leaders and its commonfolk.[/size]
[b]Religious Practices:[/b]
[size=2]Religious freedom is paramount to the culture of the [i]Z'Arduani[/i] kingdom. The Temple of the Eleven is an open-doors monument in which dragons of all Flights and creeds can come to worship, citizens and visitors alike. Groups are also allowed to praise minor deities or godless elements such as Truth or Blood, but cult activity is closely monitored and met with suspicion due to the clan's history with a Chaos cultist who nearly assassinated the king.[/size]
[b]Political Traditions:[/b]
[size=2]Previous to the rule of King Harlan and Queen Charis, rulers were appointed after being chosen as an heir by the previous leader, usually a member of the leader's own bloodline or close inner circle. To combat the elitism of this practice, however, the kingdom has taken an unprecedented step in another direction: A dual leader system. One leader is appointed as an heir by the previous heir, as is tradition. The second leader is appointed by popular vote of the townsfolk and is up for reevaluation every few years, although the number of consecutive years they can hold the throne is indefinite.
Another longstanding political tradition of the [i]Z'Arduani[/i] are the bi-weekly Great Hall forums in which the rulers of the kingdom, including the High Mage, receive comments, concerns, and suggestions from dragons of the commonwealth. These reports ensure open communication between the kingdom and its leaders, and allow faster relaying of information in times of crisis.[/size]
[b]Relationships and Hatchling Care:[/b]
[size=2]Generally speaking, most dragons within this kingdom have a fairly open idea of love and courtship. Dragons will court and form relationships with either one or multiple partners, of the same or opposite sex. Betrothement is not common due to the come-and-go nature of many dragons within the kingdom and a lack of long, well-established family lines. Marriage is celebrated from time to time, but is only ceremonial; dragons who are married do not have legal privileges over dragons who are not married. Long-term partners, or mates, are just as socially accepted as those who are married.
Hatchling care within the [i]Z'Arduani[/i] is communal. A typical example of what one may commonly observe in the kingdom would be a nest cared for within the home of one of the parents, or hosted within the Academy if the parents of the nest would prefer. Once the eggs are hatched, both the hatchlings' parents and any close friends or relatives of the parents would be involved in day-to-day care. If the dragon bearing eggs has no social support system, it is not uncommon to see neighbors or coworkers pitching in to aid in hatchling care. Once the young dragons are old enough, they are then usually expected to begin boarding school at the Academy to be taught the basics of history, flight, hunting, art, and cultural competency. Younglings who wish to seek religion are given in-depth lessons from the curators of the Temple, after which they may then choose to concentrate their learning on one specific deity. Dragons who wish to learn magic and its surrounding academia may also elect to remain in the Academy as official students of the Arcane Arts once basic schooling is complete. Enrollment in the Academy is not compulsory, but is generally seen as a well-rounded path of education for hatchlings.[/size]
[b]Naming Conventions:[/b]
[size=2]Before the re-arrival of the Ancients, the kingdom sought to preserve the Old Tongue using words from Ancient languages to name their hatchlings. Some examples of these names include [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/30865474]Inoso[/url], whose name means "Pearl Prince", or [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/17229139]Linkalti[/url], meaning "Hawk's Wing". Some dragons continue to use these traditional names to this day, however as the newer generation grows old enough to have their own children, the tradition seems to become less strict. Old Tongue names are less common among hatchlings now, but have not entirely dissipated.
Dragons in this clan will most likely have a surname, however surnames are not always passed down through bloodlines. Individuals can choose to assume the surname of their ancestors or create an entirely new surname. This also helps dragons with chosen family tie their bonds together in a more formal sense, as they can all choose the same surname if they wish. These surnames are usually related to the dragon's place of origin, their occupation, or their physical appearance. Examples of surnames include Shardwing, Bramblewood, Harvester, and Scrollgard.[/size]
Culture
Elemental Holidays:
During each of the elemental holidays, the entire kingdom is welcomed to partake in celebration. The streets and storefronts are adorned with decorations native to the Flight of the holiday's element. Dragons are encouraged to trade elemental currency at the plaza, hawk crafts and wares native to their Flight's culture, and leave offerings at the altar outside of the Temple of The Eleven. Visitors usually stay at the Inn for the entire week of celebration.
Seasonal Holidays:
At each solstice and equinox, a grand feast is held outside the castle hosted by the royal family. Large swaths of seasonal crops and catches are brought together in a kingdom-wide potluck to celebrate the community's successes, open communication between dragons who may not often converse otherwise, and bridge the gap between the clan's leaders and its commonfolk.
Religious Practices:
Religious freedom is paramount to the culture of the Z'Arduani kingdom. The Temple of the Eleven is an open-doors monument in which dragons of all Flights and creeds can come to worship, citizens and visitors alike. Groups are also allowed to praise minor deities or godless elements such as Truth or Blood, but cult activity is closely monitored and met with suspicion due to the clan's history with a Chaos cultist who nearly assassinated the king.
Political Traditions:
Previous to the rule of King Harlan and Queen Charis, rulers were appointed after being chosen as an heir by the previous leader, usually a member of the leader's own bloodline or close inner circle. To combat the elitism of this practice, however, the kingdom has taken an unprecedented step in another direction: A dual leader system. One leader is appointed as an heir by the previous heir, as is tradition. The second leader is appointed by popular vote of the townsfolk and is up for reevaluation every few years, although the number of consecutive years they can hold the throne is indefinite.
Another longstanding political tradition of the Z'Arduani are the bi-weekly Great Hall forums in which the rulers of the kingdom, including the High Mage, receive comments, concerns, and suggestions from dragons of the commonwealth. These reports ensure open communication between the kingdom and its leaders, and allow faster relaying of information in times of crisis.
Relationships and Hatchling Care:
Generally speaking, most dragons within this kingdom have a fairly open idea of love and courtship. Dragons will court and form relationships with either one or multiple partners, of the same or opposite sex. Betrothement is not common due to the come-and-go nature of many dragons within the kingdom and a lack of long, well-established family lines. Marriage is celebrated from time to time, but is only ceremonial; dragons who are married do not have legal privileges over dragons who are not married. Long-term partners, or mates, are just as socially accepted as those who are married.
Hatchling care within the Z'Arduani is communal. A typical example of what one may commonly observe in the kingdom would be a nest cared for within the home of one of the parents, or hosted within the Academy if the parents of the nest would prefer. Once the eggs are hatched, both the hatchlings' parents and any close friends or relatives of the parents would be involved in day-to-day care. If the dragon bearing eggs has no social support system, it is not uncommon to see neighbors or coworkers pitching in to aid in hatchling care. Once the young dragons are old enough, they are then usually expected to begin boarding school at the Academy to be taught the basics of history, flight, hunting, art, and cultural competency. Younglings who wish to seek religion are given in-depth lessons from the curators of the Temple, after which they may then choose to concentrate their learning on one specific deity. Dragons who wish to learn magic and its surrounding academia may also elect to remain in the Academy as official students of the Arcane Arts once basic schooling is complete. Enrollment in the Academy is not compulsory, but is generally seen as a well-rounded path of education for hatchlings.
Naming Conventions:
Before the re-arrival of the Ancients, the kingdom sought to preserve the Old Tongue using words from Ancient languages to name their hatchlings. Some examples of these names include Inoso, whose name means "Pearl Prince", or Linkalti, meaning "Hawk's Wing". Some dragons continue to use these traditional names to this day, however as the newer generation grows old enough to have their own children, the tradition seems to become less strict. Old Tongue names are less common among hatchlings now, but have not entirely dissipated.
Dragons in this clan will most likely have a surname, however surnames are not always passed down through bloodlines. Individuals can choose to assume the surname of their ancestors or create an entirely new surname. This also helps dragons with chosen family tie their bonds together in a more formal sense, as they can all choose the same surname if they wish. These surnames are usually related to the dragon's place of origin, their occupation, or their physical appearance. Examples of surnames include Shardwing, Bramblewood, Harvester, and Scrollgard.
Trying to be more active - FR+2
[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/7AGqN22.png[/img][/center]
[center][size=5][b][u]Navigation[/u][/b][/size]
[url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2699119#post_2699119]Basics[/url] | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2699119/1#post_39311393]History[/url] | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2699119/1#post_39311396]Territory & Institutions[/url] | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2699119/1#post_39311398]Culture[/url]
[b]Citizens [/b]| [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2699119/1#post_39311408]Alliances & Beastclans[/url] | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2699119/1#post_39311411]Associated Threads[/url] | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2699119/1#post_39311416]Other[/url] | [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2699119/1#post_39311460]Former Iterations[/url][/center]
[center][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/34820.png[/img][img]http://68.media.tumblr.com/ef0840888ff0719adb51c08d8a4e2635/tumblr_nnblkuIVvN1sjsb38o6_100.png[/img][img]http://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/16454.png[/img][img]http://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/19262.png[/img][img]http://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/6347.png[/img][/center]
[center][size=5][b]Citizens[/b][/size][/center]
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[br]
[center][b]Of Kingdom's Past[/b][/center]
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=15126763][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/151268/15126763.png[/img][/url]
[size=2][b]Traiqe Highblood - [/b]Traiqe was the founder of the [i]Z’Arduani[/i]’s predecessor clan, The Agony Syndicate. He worked as an advisor to the king until he was accidentally transformed into a Tundra, causing him to lose all of his memories. In a desperate attempt to regain his wisdom, he raided the transformation scroll storage library in the Academy and read as many of them as he could, although he couldn’t quite remember why he was doing so in the first place. His looks changed dramatically and the influx of magical energies took a drastic toll on him, causing his mental illness and delirium to rapidly progress. He has regained his memories, but at what cost?[/size]
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=30865474][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/308655/30865474.png[/img][/url]
[size=2][b]Inoso Redcourt -[/b] Inoso was a retired former king and personal advisor to his grandchildren, King Altan and Queen Charis. He spent most of his time in the village, convening with kingdom citizens. He is renowned as a bringer of great prosperity to the kingdom and for keeping the clan from facing certain destruction at a time of crisis.[/size]
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=51259078][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/512591/51259078.png[/img][/url]
[size=2][b]Pearl Redcourt -[/b] Pearl is a former king of the Z’Arduani and son of Inoso. Retired from the throne, he focused instead on managing smaller tasks given to him by Inoso or Daskess, such as reviewing drafts of legislation or overseeing the general upkeep of the kingdom's key institutions. He did not handle these responsibilities alone, however, to avoid stress and burnout. He generally kept to the castle and avoided going into town too often.[/size]
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=18698253][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/186983/18698253.png[/img][/url]
[size=2][b]Daskess Crystalcatch -[/b] Formerly the Head Judge of the kingdom, Daskess eventually "retired" into his former role as clan treasurer. He found himself at his most relaxed among stacks upon stacks of stock inventory and economic documents. His work was meticulous and perfect, just like he liked it. When possible, though, he did make time to spend with his grandchildren Charis and Altan.[/size]
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=55465811][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/554659/55465811.png[/img][/url]
[size=2][b]Perdona Meteorum -[/b] As the kingdom's High Mage, Perdona was to report any anomalies in elemental energy surrounding the kingdom to the magister of the Arcane Sanctum. She was also Queen Charis's wife, so she had some additional political responsibilities from time to time.[/size]
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=54318918][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/543190/54318918.png[/img][/url]
[size=2][b]Charis Redcourt -[/b] As Queen of the [i]Z'Arduani[/i] and member of the Redcourt royal family, Charis was tasked with upholding the kingdom and managing all political matters alongside her brother, King Altan. As an elected official, she spent much of her time consulting directly with the townsfolk of the kingdom.[/size]
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=54318917][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/543190/54318917.png[/img][/url]
[size=2][b]Altan Redcourt -[/b] Altan was a king known for being graceful and tactful, with a boisterous sense of humor. With a lifelong education in political and diplomatic practices, he had contagious confidence in his ability to lead the kingdom. However, he lost much of that zest after Charis’ resignation from the throne.[/size]
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=58063441][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/580635/58063441.png[/img][/url]
[size=2][b]Harlan Redcourt -[/b] Daughter of Charis and Perdona, Princess Harlan was the chosen heir of King Altan and is next in line to the throne. She had a close relationship with her three siblings and often shared her teachings with them, both as a form of bonding and as a contingency plan should she become unable to later rule. Unfortunately it did one day come true that she passed too early to ever be able to see the crown atop her own head.[/size]
[br]
[center][b]The Castle[/b][/center]
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=62147530][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/621476/62147530.png[/img][/url]
[size=2][b]Oriel Summercourt -[/b] Mysterious and charismatic, the mesmerizing smile and shimmer of Oriel’s scales draws dragons in easily to distract from the fact that he is draining their energy and livelihood from them. [/size]
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=63737926][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/637380/63737926.png[/img][/url]
[size=2][b]Neofeli Redcourt -[/b] With a personable demeanor and clever mind, Neofeli has always had the personality of a leader. However, leading is not exactly what she had planned…[/size]
[center][b]The Academy[/b][/center]
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=22679328][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/226794/22679328.png[/img][/url]
[size=2][b]Trekora Shardwing -[/b] One of the eldest dragons in the clan, Trekora is a wizened drake and Headmaster of the [i]Z'Arduani[/i] Academy of Arcane Arts. He spends most of his time within the Academy's walls, teaching pupils or organizing old spellbooks.[/size]
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=28963272][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/289633/28963272.png[/img][/url]
[size=2][b]Ayrkas Blackamare -[/b] As an assistant to the Headmaster, Ayrkas runs most of the errands related to Trekora's experiments, such as gathering reagents or checking out books from the library. She is a magical experimentalist herself, specializing in the combined arcana of Plague and Shadow. Since the beginning of the war, she has taken up the use and training of battle magic.[/size]
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=58063446][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/580635/58063446.png[/img][/url]
[size=2][b]Osric Meteorum -[/b] Son of Queen Charis and High Mage Perdona, Osric is one of Princess Harlan's three siblings. He is a mage scholar, focusing in written spells and the history of magic use. He is a history professor at the Academy.[/size]
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=22123051][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/221231/22123051.png[/img][/url]
[size=2][b]Suikarthel Spellfeather -[/b] As a Wind dragon raised on the Starfall Isles at a time when tensions between Wind and Arcane were very high, dragons in Suikarthel's home village became suspicious and eventually hostile towards him, driving him out of the territory. He took refuge in the [i]Z'Arduani[/i] when it was still located in the Scarred Wasteland. There he spent much of his young adulthood as a messenger for the king. Now that he is older and his wings are less durable for flying long distances, he has taken to studying Arcane magic just as he had wanted throughout all of his childhood.[/size]
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=42118034][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/421181/42118034.png[/img][/url]
[size=2][b]Cure Dawnsbane -[/b] Although she does not have any special propensity for magic, Cure dedicated much of her childhood to her hobby of developing potions during her time as a student at the Academy. Taking notice of her skill, Headmaster Trekora hired her on as the Professor of Potions at the Academy after she graduated.[/size]
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=50756299][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/507563/50756299.png[/img][/url]
[size=2][b]Wiley Dawnsbane -[/b] Cure's granddaughter, Wiley is a recent graduate of the Academy. After she was adopted by Cure, she became intrigued by the Academy and applied as a pupil. She was known for her bold, inquisitive personality and was popular among other students. After graduating, she was hired to lead the Hatchling Academy.[/size]
[center][b]The Barracks[/b][/center]
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=35265191][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/352652/35265191.png[/img][/url]
[size=2][b]Aryssa Plightcross -[/b] General Aryssa Plightcross was one of the first dragons to be appointed to the Royal Guard. She quickly proved herself useful in training others in her skill and was duly appointed Head of the Guard and Commanding General of the Great Maren War.[/size]
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=49385192][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/493852/49385192.png[/img][/url]
[size=2][b]Felorai Nightscrawl -[/b] A night guard with a secret interest in sketching the stars, Felorai is a rather solitary drake with a mysterious personality. Not much is known about him other than that he has been a dedicated member of the Guard for several years.[/size]
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=50464978][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/504650/50464978.png[/img][/url]
[size=2][b]Thurel Soulcaster -[/b] Once a highly skilled battle mage, Thurel rapidly lost his mental faculties after an altercation with hostile Maren of unknown circumstances. He stays in the barracks, although other dragons are unsure of if he remembers living there in the past or if it is simply a blind muscle memory.[/size]
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=56299004][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/562991/56299004.png[/img][/url]
[size=2][b]Finrai Carver -[/b] Although he is a younger recruit, Finrai is one of the most renowned warriors in the Guard. The only match for his unusual battle prowess is his extraordinary loyalty to his friends.[/size]
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=57595382][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/575954/57595382.png[/img][/url]
[size=2][b]Aerie [/b][/size]
[center][b]The Village[/b][/center]
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=18645724][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/186458/18645724.png[/img][/url]
[size=2][b]Ankina Daygleam -[/b] Beastclans Interpreter[/size]
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=49855359][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/498554/49855359.png[/img][/url]
[size=2][b]Gedru Daygleam -[/b] Temple groundskeeper[/size]
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=15126764][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/151268/15126764.png[/img][/url]
[size=2][b]Nura Vesselier -[/b] Temple historian[/size]
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=58159605][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/581597/58159605.png[/img][/url]
[size=2][b]Demoxi Vesselier -[/b] Temple curator[/size]
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=21685454][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/216855/21685454.png[/img][/url]
[size=2][b]Zhenara Scrollgard -[/b] Librarian[/size]
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=15281438][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/152815/15281438.png[/img][/url]
[size=2][b]Sekil Bramblewood -[/b] Traveler[/size]
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=54134002][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/541341/54134002.png[/img][/url]
[size=2][b]Fryrrinoth Wintermelt -[/b] Engineer[/size]
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=58122003][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/581221/58122003.png[/img][/url]
[size=2][b]Nimriel Whipwind -[/b] Musician [/size]
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=50784598][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/507846/50784598.png[/img][/url]
[size=2][b]Reysa Glimmerfell -[/b] Toymaker [/size]
[center][b]The Marketplace[/b][/center]
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=19251465][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/192515/19251465.png[/img][/url]
[size=2][b]Cordyline Mendmeadow -[/b] Healer[/size]
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=17229139][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/172292/17229139.png[/img][/url]
[size=2][b]Linkalti Greybloom -[/b] Forager[/size]
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=58063445][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/580635/58063445.png[/img][/url]
[size=2][b]Nesta Meteorum -[/b] Tea Shop Owner[/size]
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=51446231][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/514463/51446231.png[/img][/url]
[size=2][b]Lorraine Harvester -[/b] Restauranteur [/size]
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=51996445][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/519965/51996445.png[/img][/url]
[size=2][b]Kymro [/b] - Berry Farmer[/size]
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=51996572][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/519966/51996572.png[/img][/url]
[size=2][b]Solana[/b]Jam maker[/size]
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=39477999][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/394780/39477999.png[/img][/url]
[size=2][b]Romeo Crimsonflight -[/b] Matchmaker [/size]
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=58110671][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/581107/58110671.png[/img][/url]
[size=2][b]Hywel Rotguard -[/b] Innkeeper[/size]
[center][b]The Wayward Pearl[/b][/center]
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=45408843][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/454089/45408843.png[/img][/url]
[size=2][b]Annova Glassheart -[/b] Captain[/size]
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=49377411][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/493775/49377411.png[/img][/url]
[size=2][b]Warima Hunterguise -[/b] First Mate[/size]
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=49578461][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/495785/49578461.png[/img][/url]
[size=2][b]Silutha Goldclaw -[/b] Quartermaster[/size]
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=22278425][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/222785/22278425.png[/img][/url]
[size=2][b]Jossal [/b] - Navigator [/size]
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=46084546][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/460846/46084546.png[/img][/url]
[size=2][b]Ritonus Deepcrest -[/b] Shipwright[/size]
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=49103517][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/491036/49103517.png[/img][/url]
[size=2][b]Kaemani[/b] - Haunt[/size]
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=48053498][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/480535/48053498.png[/img][/url]
[size=2][b]Maris Ripplefin -[/b] Rigger[/size]
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=51253195][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/512532/51253195.png[/img][/url]
[size=2][b]Z'Arantra Glassheart -[/b] Cabin Boy[/size]
Citizens
Of Kingdom's Past
Traiqe Highblood - Traiqe was the founder of the Z’Arduani’s predecessor clan, The Agony Syndicate. He worked as an advisor to the king until he was accidentally transformed into a Tundra, causing him to lose all of his memories. In a desperate attempt to regain his wisdom, he raided the transformation scroll storage library in the Academy and read as many of them as he could, although he couldn’t quite remember why he was doing so in the first place. His looks changed dramatically and the influx of magical energies took a drastic toll on him, causing his mental illness and delirium to rapidly progress. He has regained his memories, but at what cost?
Inoso Redcourt - Inoso was a retired former king and personal advisor to his grandchildren, King Altan and Queen Charis. He spent most of his time in the village, convening with kingdom citizens. He is renowned as a bringer of great prosperity to the kingdom and for keeping the clan from facing certain destruction at a time of crisis.
Pearl Redcourt - Pearl is a former king of the Z’Arduani and son of Inoso. Retired from the throne, he focused instead on managing smaller tasks given to him by Inoso or Daskess, such as reviewing drafts of legislation or overseeing the general upkeep of the kingdom's key institutions. He did not handle these responsibilities alone, however, to avoid stress and burnout. He generally kept to the castle and avoided going into town too often.
Daskess Crystalcatch - Formerly the Head Judge of the kingdom, Daskess eventually "retired" into his former role as clan treasurer. He found himself at his most relaxed among stacks upon stacks of stock inventory and economic documents. His work was meticulous and perfect, just like he liked it. When possible, though, he did make time to spend with his grandchildren Charis and Altan.
Perdona Meteorum - As the kingdom's High Mage, Perdona was to report any anomalies in elemental energy surrounding the kingdom to the magister of the Arcane Sanctum. She was also Queen Charis's wife, so she had some additional political responsibilities from time to time.
Charis Redcourt - As Queen of the Z'Arduani and member of the Redcourt royal family, Charis was tasked with upholding the kingdom and managing all political matters alongside her brother, King Altan. As an elected official, she spent much of her time consulting directly with the townsfolk of the kingdom.
Altan Redcourt - Altan was a king known for being graceful and tactful, with a boisterous sense of humor. With a lifelong education in political and diplomatic practices, he had contagious confidence in his ability to lead the kingdom. However, he lost much of that zest after Charis’ resignation from the throne.
Harlan Redcourt - Daughter of Charis and Perdona, Princess Harlan was the chosen heir of King Altan and is next in line to the throne. She had a close relationship with her three siblings and often shared her teachings with them, both as a form of bonding and as a contingency plan should she become unable to later rule. Unfortunately it did one day come true that she passed too early to ever be able to see the crown atop her own head.
The Castle
Oriel Summercourt - Mysterious and charismatic, the mesmerizing smile and shimmer of Oriel’s scales draws dragons in easily to distract from the fact that he is draining their energy and livelihood from them.
Neofeli Redcourt - With a personable demeanor and clever mind, Neofeli has always had the personality of a leader. However, leading is not exactly what she had planned…
The Academy
Trekora Shardwing - One of the eldest dragons in the clan, Trekora is a wizened drake and Headmaster of the Z'Arduani Academy of Arcane Arts. He spends most of his time within the Academy's walls, teaching pupils or organizing old spellbooks.
Ayrkas Blackamare - As an assistant to the Headmaster, Ayrkas runs most of the errands related to Trekora's experiments, such as gathering reagents or checking out books from the library. She is a magical experimentalist herself, specializing in the combined arcana of Plague and Shadow. Since the beginning of the war, she has taken up the use and training of battle magic.
Osric Meteorum - Son of Queen Charis and High Mage Perdona, Osric is one of Princess Harlan's three siblings. He is a mage scholar, focusing in written spells and the history of magic use. He is a history professor at the Academy.
Suikarthel Spellfeather - As a Wind dragon raised on the Starfall Isles at a time when tensions between Wind and Arcane were very high, dragons in Suikarthel's home village became suspicious and eventually hostile towards him, driving him out of the territory. He took refuge in the Z'Arduani when it was still located in the Scarred Wasteland. There he spent much of his young adulthood as a messenger for the king. Now that he is older and his wings are less durable for flying long distances, he has taken to studying Arcane magic just as he had wanted throughout all of his childhood.
Cure Dawnsbane - Although she does not have any special propensity for magic, Cure dedicated much of her childhood to her hobby of developing potions during her time as a student at the Academy. Taking notice of her skill, Headmaster Trekora hired her on as the Professor of Potions at the Academy after she graduated.
Wiley Dawnsbane - Cure's granddaughter, Wiley is a recent graduate of the Academy. After she was adopted by Cure, she became intrigued by the Academy and applied as a pupil. She was known for her bold, inquisitive personality and was popular among other students. After graduating, she was hired to lead the Hatchling Academy.
The Barracks
Aryssa Plightcross - General Aryssa Plightcross was one of the first dragons to be appointed to the Royal Guard. She quickly proved herself useful in training others in her skill and was duly appointed Head of the Guard and Commanding General of the Great Maren War.
Felorai Nightscrawl - A night guard with a secret interest in sketching the stars, Felorai is a rather solitary drake with a mysterious personality. Not much is known about him other than that he has been a dedicated member of the Guard for several years.
Thurel Soulcaster - Once a highly skilled battle mage, Thurel rapidly lost his mental faculties after an altercation with hostile Maren of unknown circumstances. He stays in the barracks, although other dragons are unsure of if he remembers living there in the past or if it is simply a blind muscle memory.
Finrai Carver - Although he is a younger recruit, Finrai is one of the most renowned warriors in the Guard. The only match for his unusual battle prowess is his extraordinary loyalty to his friends.
Aerie
The Village
Ankina Daygleam - Beastclans Interpreter
Gedru Daygleam - Temple groundskeeper
Nura Vesselier - Temple historian
Demoxi Vesselier - Temple curator
Zhenara Scrollgard - Librarian
Sekil Bramblewood - Traveler
Fryrrinoth Wintermelt - Engineer
Nimriel Whipwind - Musician
Reysa Glimmerfell - Toymaker
The Marketplace
Cordyline Mendmeadow - Healer
Linkalti Greybloom - Forager
Nesta Meteorum - Tea Shop Owner
Lorraine Harvester - Restauranteur
Kymro - Berry Farmer
SolanaJam maker
Romeo Crimsonflight - Matchmaker
Hywel Rotguard - Innkeeper
The Wayward Pearl
Annova Glassheart - Captain
Warima Hunterguise - First Mate
Silutha Goldclaw - Quartermaster
Jossal - Navigator
Ritonus Deepcrest - Shipwright
Kaemani - Haunt
Maris Ripplefin - Rigger
Z'Arantra Glassheart - Cabin Boy
Trying to be more active - FR+2
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[center][size=5][b][u]Navigation[/u][/b][/size]
[url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2699119#post_2699119]Basics[/url] | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2699119/1#post_39311393]History[/url] | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2699119/1#post_39311396]Territory & Institutions[/url] | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2699119/1#post_39311398]Culture[/url]
[url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2699119/1#post_39311402]Citizens [/url]| [b]Alliances & Beastclans[/b] | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2699119/1#post_39311411]Associated Threads[/url] | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2699119/1#post_39311416]Other[/url] | [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2699119/1#post_39311460]Former Iterations[/url][/center]
[center][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/19264.png[/img][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/19260.png[/img][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/5917.png[/img][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/24501.png[/img][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/190.png[/img][/center]
[center][size=5][b]Alliances and Beastclans[/b][/size][/center]
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[center][size=4][b][u]Alliances[/u][/b][/size][/center]
[b]Akashaa Kingdom:[/b]
A vast realm of Light, the [url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&tab=userpage&id=172602]Akashaa Kingdom[/url] is the birthplace of King Inoso and the origin of the [i]Z'Arduani[/i]'s royal bloodline. They gave great financial aid to the [i]Z'Arduani[/i] during the Reconstruction, allowing for the speedy recovery of the kingdom and its economy. In recent years, the Akashaa has experienced some political tension of their own and have therefore withdrawn from ongoing activities related to the alliance, and especially from the Maren War. Despite this, the [i]Z'Arduani[/i] still holds the Akashaa in good faith and remains loyal to their longest-standing alliance.
[b]Morbus Factio:[/b]
A fierce and well-renowned clan of Plague and Earth origin, the [url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&tab=userpage&id=19436]Morbus Factio[/url] is a powerful ally of the kingdom. The reputation of the Factio's highly-skilled mages and warriors reaches far across Sornieth. To the [i]Z'Arduani[/i] the clan offers military training to the Royal Guard, and the headmaster of the Academy of Arcane Arts often corresponds with Morbus Factio mages to unlock new spells and expand upon shared research.
[b]Clan Virulent:[/b]
Perhaps the closest ally of the [i]Z'Arduani[/i] kingdom, [url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&tab=userpage&id=91491]Clan Virulent[/url] has proven its loyalty time and time again. With a fully communal lifestyle, the clan is aware of the importance of strength in cooperation. They also have an impressively vast territory, reaching from the southwestern cliffs of Dragonhome across the Wandering Contagion to the Abiding Boneyard and the northeastern Crystalspines in contact with the Plague border. The [i]Z'Arduani[/i] shares its eastern boundary with Clan Virulent as well as the bay to the north. Although the Maren of the bay have focused their attention on the [i]Z'Arduani[/i] for now, Clan Virulent must remain vigilant of this threat.
[b]The Travelers:[/b]
Once a notoriously welcoming clan known as the Traveler's Breeze, this group has since been reduced to a small band of dragons with ties to nothing but one another. Queen Treya, the former ruler of this clan, incited the Breeze's destruction in her blindingly ambitious quest for power. King Inoso, being Treya's father, felt partially responsible for the clan's downfall and therefore vowed that for as long as the [i]Z'Arduani[/i] exists, the [url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&tab=userpage&id=297465]Travelers[/url] will have free access to any food, supplies, or shelter they may need on their endless journey. The alliance is simply honorary at this point, but existent nonetheless.
[b]The Tempest Chase:[/b]
A skilled group mercenaries known for swiftly minimizing Beastclan threats, the [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2608325#post_2608325]Tempest Chase[/url] was hired by the kingdom to aid in the protection of the northern border. They have a long-term contract without a specific date of termination, however the high price of commission for this group may bankrupt the kingdom if the war lasts too long.
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[br][size=4][b][u]Beastclans[/u][/b][/size][/center]
[b]Longnecks:[/b]
Of all the beastclans, the [i]Z'Arduani[/i] has the strongest relationship with Longnecks. They trade bounties of fish and leftover scrap metal with the Longneck clans on the border of the Starfall Isles and the Scarred Wasteland, and in return they receive portions of the Longnecks' crops and safe trade passage through Longneck territory. The [i]Z'Arduani[/i] also negotiates with this Longneck herd on Clan Virulent's behalf, as much of the Logneck territory overlaps with Clan Virulent territory.
[b]Centaurs:[/b]
The Dunhoof Centaurs of the Starwood Strand and the Focal Point are fairly peaceful with the [i]Z'Arduani[/i], although they do not often make contact with them. Some Dunhoof ambassadors make visits to the [i]Z'Arduani[/i] Academy of Arcane Arts in order to learn elemental magic to teach the rest of the herd. The dragons of the kingdom are careful not to teach the Centaurs any destructive magic, though, just to be safe.
[b]Maren:[/b]
The Maren school off the northeastern coast of the Starfall Isles has grown increasingly hostile with the kingdom until finally reaching a breaking point. The king and queen of the [i]Z'Arduani[/i] have declared war on the Maren and have closed their port to the public until the threat has been minimized. Maren warriors continue to poison the kingdom's seafood supply, batter the undersides of [i]Z'Arduani[/i] trade ships, and attack any dragons who near the shore.
[b]Talonok:[/b]
Relations with the Talonok has been fairly neutral for most of the kingdom's history. They have had little interaction with them, as the closest known flock resides in the Starwood Strand. When traveling south, however, dragons of the [i]Z'Arduani[/i] prefer to move across Dunhoof territory in an attempt to avoid possibilities of hostility with Talonok altogether. The occasional Tengu may wander close to the kingdom's gates, in which case the Starwood flock may be notified in order to properly handle the threat.
[b]Harpies:[/b]
Dragons of the [i]Z'Arduani[/i] have recently been made aware that the Stonewatch Sisterhood of Dragonhome has a messenger stationed in the Starfall-Wasteland Longneck herd, and communication between the two Beastclans is fairly routine. The kingdom is uncertain of how this is affecting their relationship with the Harpy flock, if at all. They otherwise have no interaction with any Harpies.
[b]Serthis:[/b]
Since Serthis are known for their violent way of life, the kingdom steers clear of any and all interactions with Serthis congregations. Serthis are only native to the furthest southern reaches of the Starfall Isles, so dragons of the [i]Z'Arduani[/i] generally do not have to worry about coming across a Serthis group. Despite this warriors are still trained in how to neutralize Serthis attacks, should the situation ever arise.
Alliances and Beastclans
Alliances
Akashaa Kingdom:
A vast realm of Light, the
Akashaa Kingdom is the birthplace of King Inoso and the origin of the
Z'Arduani's royal bloodline. They gave great financial aid to the
Z'Arduani during the Reconstruction, allowing for the speedy recovery of the kingdom and its economy. In recent years, the Akashaa has experienced some political tension of their own and have therefore withdrawn from ongoing activities related to the alliance, and especially from the Maren War. Despite this, the
Z'Arduani still holds the Akashaa in good faith and remains loyal to their longest-standing alliance.
Morbus Factio:
A fierce and well-renowned clan of Plague and Earth origin, the
Morbus Factio is a powerful ally of the kingdom. The reputation of the Factio's highly-skilled mages and warriors reaches far across Sornieth. To the
Z'Arduani the clan offers military training to the Royal Guard, and the headmaster of the Academy of Arcane Arts often corresponds with Morbus Factio mages to unlock new spells and expand upon shared research.
Clan Virulent:
Perhaps the closest ally of the
Z'Arduani kingdom,
Clan Virulent has proven its loyalty time and time again. With a fully communal lifestyle, the clan is aware of the importance of strength in cooperation. They also have an impressively vast territory, reaching from the southwestern cliffs of Dragonhome across the Wandering Contagion to the Abiding Boneyard and the northeastern Crystalspines in contact with the Plague border. The
Z'Arduani shares its eastern boundary with Clan Virulent as well as the bay to the north. Although the Maren of the bay have focused their attention on the
Z'Arduani for now, Clan Virulent must remain vigilant of this threat.
The Travelers:
Once a notoriously welcoming clan known as the Traveler's Breeze, this group has since been reduced to a small band of dragons with ties to nothing but one another. Queen Treya, the former ruler of this clan, incited the Breeze's destruction in her blindingly ambitious quest for power. King Inoso, being Treya's father, felt partially responsible for the clan's downfall and therefore vowed that for as long as the
Z'Arduani exists, the
Travelers will have free access to any food, supplies, or shelter they may need on their endless journey. The alliance is simply honorary at this point, but existent nonetheless.
The Tempest Chase:
A skilled group mercenaries known for swiftly minimizing Beastclan threats, the
Tempest Chase was hired by the kingdom to aid in the protection of the northern border. They have a long-term contract without a specific date of termination, however the high price of commission for this group may bankrupt the kingdom if the war lasts too long.
Beastclans
Longnecks:
Of all the beastclans, the
Z'Arduani has the strongest relationship with Longnecks. They trade bounties of fish and leftover scrap metal with the Longneck clans on the border of the Starfall Isles and the Scarred Wasteland, and in return they receive portions of the Longnecks' crops and safe trade passage through Longneck territory. The
Z'Arduani also negotiates with this Longneck herd on Clan Virulent's behalf, as much of the Logneck territory overlaps with Clan Virulent territory.
Centaurs:
The Dunhoof Centaurs of the Starwood Strand and the Focal Point are fairly peaceful with the
Z'Arduani, although they do not often make contact with them. Some Dunhoof ambassadors make visits to the
Z'Arduani Academy of Arcane Arts in order to learn elemental magic to teach the rest of the herd. The dragons of the kingdom are careful not to teach the Centaurs any destructive magic, though, just to be safe.
Maren:
The Maren school off the northeastern coast of the Starfall Isles has grown increasingly hostile with the kingdom until finally reaching a breaking point. The king and queen of the
Z'Arduani have declared war on the Maren and have closed their port to the public until the threat has been minimized. Maren warriors continue to poison the kingdom's seafood supply, batter the undersides of
Z'Arduani trade ships, and attack any dragons who near the shore.
Talonok:
Relations with the Talonok has been fairly neutral for most of the kingdom's history. They have had little interaction with them, as the closest known flock resides in the Starwood Strand. When traveling south, however, dragons of the
Z'Arduani prefer to move across Dunhoof territory in an attempt to avoid possibilities of hostility with Talonok altogether. The occasional Tengu may wander close to the kingdom's gates, in which case the Starwood flock may be notified in order to properly handle the threat.
Harpies:
Dragons of the
Z'Arduani have recently been made aware that the Stonewatch Sisterhood of Dragonhome has a messenger stationed in the Starfall-Wasteland Longneck herd, and communication between the two Beastclans is fairly routine. The kingdom is uncertain of how this is affecting their relationship with the Harpy flock, if at all. They otherwise have no interaction with any Harpies.
Serthis:
Since Serthis are known for their violent way of life, the kingdom steers clear of any and all interactions with Serthis congregations. Serthis are only native to the furthest southern reaches of the Starfall Isles, so dragons of the
Z'Arduani generally do not have to worry about coming across a Serthis group. Despite this warriors are still trained in how to neutralize Serthis attacks, should the situation ever arise.
Trying to be more active - FR+2
