What happens to a dragon after death? Theories and tales abound, but one set of legends appears more than any other. It is unknown what their origin is, whether they were made by the deities or just a hatchling's bedtime story that spread everywhere. But true or false, I give you- the Eleven Heavens.
Causes: Disease or infection
The only option in which aging and death continue, enormous skeletons and twisted trees mark the barren sands of this inhospitable desert. Bizarre creatures, fearsome and majestic in their power, roam seeking food in the form of dragons. The dragons hunt these too, in search of their meat and their hide from which to make trophies and armor. After a beast or dragon falls in battle, their bones are left on the sands for the roaming creatures to strip. Soon the remains rise young again, and rejoin the perpetual struggle. To die of old age is an incredible honor here.
Causes: Magical accidents or radiation
Planetoids drift in starry void, libraries or living space carved out over and under their surfaces. Dragons fly between, navigating the gravities and seeking new places to construct or explore. The size varies wildly, but the distance is reasonably small between worlds. Outward, there can be seen an astonishing display of cosmic events from all angles. Many venture away from the belt to wander among the nebulae and womder what exactly their comparative size is here.
Causes: Blood loss or wild animal attack
A ridiculously huge rainforest, going on seemingly forever. The resident dragons have a limited shapeshifting ability, and can and do take whatever form they want to fill niches. Food of all kinds grows and lives here, with an almost limitless variety of cuisine on the menu for dragons that choose to remain civilized. With so much space, and the difficulty of navigating in the ever-changing forest, many dragons get lost and don't meet their companions again for years.
Causes: Drowning or pressure-related injury
A freshwater sea, stretching onward with no visible edge. Colorful sea life riots across the bottom, and dragons find undersea caves to make their homes in. The occasional tiny tropical island rises out of the water, and most are crowded with non-Water dragons that drowned in an accident and are not at all comfortable with being able to breathe underwater. Large pearls can be found in some of the very impressive clams, and are polished and used to watch the living world. Some Water dragons can visit dreams and leave messages.
Causes: Electricity or exhaustion
A stormy-skied, futuristic city, with no life other than the dragons that rush about and the automated farming buildings. With more technology than should be strictly possible in a world with magic and dragons, many modern delights await in the cybercafes, electro-dance clubs and VR theaters of this misplaced skyline. There doesn't seem to be a source to all this energy consumption; maybe the tallest skyscraper with locked doors and one-way windows holds a clue?
Causes: Old age or thirst
A beautiful historic-era city with many gardens, fountains, and sculptures. Art is everywhere you turn, from Renaissanceish paintings to mosaics of colored mirrors to architectural feats. Dragons wander and admire the scenery, or add to the constantly growing collection of masterpieces. Everywhere is open to the sky, either directly or with windows in the ceilings. Except, that is, for the dungeons underneath it all, which have carvings in the walls depicting something with several heads...
Causes: Poison or starvation
An illusory forest in perpetual night, buildings appear, change their feature, move locations, and disappear regularly. Non-native inhabitants set up campfires and stay together to avoid the creeping things in the dark. Native inhabitants, on the other hand, tend to be the creeping things in the dark. Sometimes a pool can be found feep in the woods, and the finder can visit the dreams of someone in the living world until they lose the pool again.
Causes: Burns or heat
A cavern system deep under the surface, if there IS a surface. Lava pools and molten rock are everywhere, providing light to the denizens of this sweltering cave. Some of the magma pools are more like seas, extending on for miles and making a series of very odd islands— luckily the dragons here are immune to fire. Armor and weapons are forged in large numbers, and one-on-one battles are a popular entertainment. Steampunk fashion is becoming increasingly popular.
Causes: Freezing or cold-related injuries
A place for final rest, this place consists of a vast mountain that towers over the surrounding evergreen forests and iced over seas. Most of the animals have thick coats of fur, and make fine blankets when caught. Simple log homes are where the inhabitants stay most of the time, resting and keeping the cold out. For those who want a deeper sleep, there's always the halls within the mountain, where the dragons go who refused to stop bothering the sleepers...
Causes: Crushing or asphyxiation
These caverns are filled with treasures of every kind. Gemstones, precious metals, fossils, relics, and many more artifacts are held within. Many dragons take no notice of these, instead settling in a final home with their ancestors and family. The underground towns hold the majority of the population. Along with the allure of company, the cathedrals and historical records are enough to convince many to stay.
Causes: Falls or blunt weapon damage
Sky forever in all directions, fragments of lands falling through the expanse. The fragments range in size from a large boulder to a mountain range. Gravity is very light, so even snappers can fly and a few of the most hardcore Wind dragons have taken to sleeping in freefall. The lands are an incredible variety of places, forests, ruins, mountains, plains, lakes, deserts, so on and so on. Little towns have cropped up on the largest and most hospitable, but Wind dragons are rarely seen living there, preferring to journey onward into the blue.
These are not by any means complete, and any contributions or suggestions are welcome. Feel free to use this in your own lore. Comments?
Causes: Disease or infection
The only option in which aging and death continue, enormous skeletons and twisted trees mark the barren sands of this inhospitable desert. Bizarre creatures, fearsome and majestic in their power, roam seeking food in the form of dragons. The dragons hunt these too, in search of their meat and their hide from which to make trophies and armor. After a beast or dragon falls in battle, their bones are left on the sands for the roaming creatures to strip. Soon the remains rise young again, and rejoin the perpetual struggle. To die of old age is an incredible honor here.
Causes: Magical accidents or radiation
Planetoids drift in starry void, libraries or living space carved out over and under their surfaces. Dragons fly between, navigating the gravities and seeking new places to construct or explore. The size varies wildly, but the distance is reasonably small between worlds. Outward, there can be seen an astonishing display of cosmic events from all angles. Many venture away from the belt to wander among the nebulae and womder what exactly their comparative size is here.
Causes: Blood loss or wild animal attack
A ridiculously huge rainforest, going on seemingly forever. The resident dragons have a limited shapeshifting ability, and can and do take whatever form they want to fill niches. Food of all kinds grows and lives here, with an almost limitless variety of cuisine on the menu for dragons that choose to remain civilized. With so much space, and the difficulty of navigating in the ever-changing forest, many dragons get lost and don't meet their companions again for years.
Causes: Drowning or pressure-related injury
A freshwater sea, stretching onward with no visible edge. Colorful sea life riots across the bottom, and dragons find undersea caves to make their homes in. The occasional tiny tropical island rises out of the water, and most are crowded with non-Water dragons that drowned in an accident and are not at all comfortable with being able to breathe underwater. Large pearls can be found in some of the very impressive clams, and are polished and used to watch the living world. Some Water dragons can visit dreams and leave messages.
Causes: Electricity or exhaustion
A stormy-skied, futuristic city, with no life other than the dragons that rush about and the automated farming buildings. With more technology than should be strictly possible in a world with magic and dragons, many modern delights await in the cybercafes, electro-dance clubs and VR theaters of this misplaced skyline. There doesn't seem to be a source to all this energy consumption; maybe the tallest skyscraper with locked doors and one-way windows holds a clue?
Causes: Old age or thirst
A beautiful historic-era city with many gardens, fountains, and sculptures. Art is everywhere you turn, from Renaissanceish paintings to mosaics of colored mirrors to architectural feats. Dragons wander and admire the scenery, or add to the constantly growing collection of masterpieces. Everywhere is open to the sky, either directly or with windows in the ceilings. Except, that is, for the dungeons underneath it all, which have carvings in the walls depicting something with several heads...
Causes: Poison or starvation
An illusory forest in perpetual night, buildings appear, change their feature, move locations, and disappear regularly. Non-native inhabitants set up campfires and stay together to avoid the creeping things in the dark. Native inhabitants, on the other hand, tend to be the creeping things in the dark. Sometimes a pool can be found feep in the woods, and the finder can visit the dreams of someone in the living world until they lose the pool again.
Causes: Burns or heat
A cavern system deep under the surface, if there IS a surface. Lava pools and molten rock are everywhere, providing light to the denizens of this sweltering cave. Some of the magma pools are more like seas, extending on for miles and making a series of very odd islands— luckily the dragons here are immune to fire. Armor and weapons are forged in large numbers, and one-on-one battles are a popular entertainment. Steampunk fashion is becoming increasingly popular.
Causes: Freezing or cold-related injuries
A place for final rest, this place consists of a vast mountain that towers over the surrounding evergreen forests and iced over seas. Most of the animals have thick coats of fur, and make fine blankets when caught. Simple log homes are where the inhabitants stay most of the time, resting and keeping the cold out. For those who want a deeper sleep, there's always the halls within the mountain, where the dragons go who refused to stop bothering the sleepers...
Causes: Crushing or asphyxiation
These caverns are filled with treasures of every kind. Gemstones, precious metals, fossils, relics, and many more artifacts are held within. Many dragons take no notice of these, instead settling in a final home with their ancestors and family. The underground towns hold the majority of the population. Along with the allure of company, the cathedrals and historical records are enough to convince many to stay.
Causes: Falls or blunt weapon damage
Sky forever in all directions, fragments of lands falling through the expanse. The fragments range in size from a large boulder to a mountain range. Gravity is very light, so even snappers can fly and a few of the most hardcore Wind dragons have taken to sleeping in freefall. The lands are an incredible variety of places, forests, ruins, mountains, plains, lakes, deserts, so on and so on. Little towns have cropped up on the largest and most hospitable, but Wind dragons are rarely seen living there, preferring to journey onward into the blue.
These are not by any means complete, and any contributions or suggestions are welcome. Feel free to use this in your own lore. Comments?