Flight Rising Discussion

Wow, I had a little too much fun in some spots.

1 How do weddings work in your clan?
It's an intimate soul binding ritual that the Oracles are able to perform and a VERY private event, there are no guests invited to this ritual. The ritual has a couple of steps that are initiated by the two parties and MUST be agreed upon by both without any magical influence (such as "love charms", potions, or spells that manipulate the mind and will of the other party) and -unlike ages ago- can no longer be forcefully arranged by anyone else.

Once both partners have taken the first step, they must find a stone (quite literally a Soul Stone) that calls to them and carve a very unique and specific set of runes into it together. This task tests their ability to work together and compromise as well as teaching them how to split the duties of a task. The stone a couple looks for literally calls to their souls but, other stones do as well and they must work to find their Soul Stone. The Deceiver Stones call loudly and, if the couple can't work together or overcome the difficulties of finding the stone, the ritual magic dies off and they must either work out their issues before they try again or they were not truly meant to be. A couple that does find their Soul Stone must meditate together in a secluded location and the stone will reveal the runes that they must carve. The carving is a delicate task that comes naturally as the pair take turns.

Once complete, the pair must present their Soul Stone to an Oracle and, what is considered the most life changing moment of the ritual, may be carried out within a specially carved, private chamber. By reaching out to the ethereal world, the Oracle uses the Soul Stone to literally tear a small fragment from both souls while reciting an ancient incantation. This is a somewhat long, painful, and inspiring process, both fragments hold so much of the individual. With surgical precision, the fragments of the two are then merged with the soul of the other. They feel the rush of pain and other emotions the other is feeling, it can be incredibly overwhelming that it isn't uncommon -nor shameful- if one faints or experiences a loss of bodily control from the sheer power of it all. The fact that things can get a great deal embarrassing and all is part of the reason why it is private.

To bring the ritual to a close, the Oracle must imbue the Soul Stone with the residue of the soul fragments and present the couple with the stone. The pair are confined to rest for a month and recover from the ordeal while adjusting to being able to sense each others emotions and well being. The confinement is comfortable and closely monitored to ensure there are no ill effects and the pair are healthy in all ways. Once released, the stone is proudly displayed in the home of the newly bonded pair as a reminder of what they've achieved together. The pair then may carry on with their lives.


2 How does the trading post work? (do dragons go whenever? do specific dragons go?)
Minor merchants travel to and from the lair to the Trading Post to gather news, gossip, and goods. If other merchants are there and willing to trade or buy, they will carry out business or trade orders so that the involved parties might receive goods the merchants don't have on hand at the time. Individuals that are travelling might stop by from time-to-time.

3 Is there a market area?
Within the Atrium of the lair, a market was established on the third high tier near the gates to The Docks to make it easier for merchants to bring their wares in and sell called Hawkers District. The entire floor is massive and circles around the giant crystal in the center of the lair, being set alight in the brilliant glow of magic emanating from it. From shops beautifully carved into the stone and Beast or dragon made stalls and tents, there are many sellers with a variety of wares from common items for the home to exotic equipment for mages and adventurers and officials.

4 Breeding?
A very intimate and private affair. There are no laws besides those that nature sets regarding when one may breed, it is up to the pair to decide if they are ready. The nesting grounds are deeply secured within the lair, the nests offering enough privacy for parents while allowing more experienced dragons to help new parents that ask for it so that their nest and eggs will be safe and healthy. The only dragons in the lair that seem to have a specific point when they breed are the strange, ancient bloodlines of the Banescales and Gaolers. When eggs are hatched, the offspring are brought into the Hatchlign Den where they are given care and their parents may interact with them without fear of something in their home accidentally being broken or set ablaze. This is also where offspring make their first friends and receive the earliest education.

5 Is there ranks?
Ranks are the business of the various guilds, clubs, and the military branches.

6 Food distribution?(do the elderly eat first? alphas/royalty?)
Food is always available at the market and various eateries found in Hawkers District. Everyone has access to the same foods with the only limits set are on seasonal and festival foods simply due to limited availability of creatures or ingredients and if there's ever a need to ration.

7 Hibernation?
Besides certain dragons, hibernation isn't entirely a thing. The closest to hibernation other dragons get to are the undead that are known for going into deep meditations to rejuvenate themselves.

In regards to the actual hibernation den, there's an inn found in the Hawkers District where dragons go to rest from adventuring and swap stories. In the depths of the lair where the catacombs begin, the damned souls of unfortunate dragons haunt the area for whatever reason and cursed ones hide away from the stares of others.

8 How does gene/breed/eye change scroll work?
Playing around with gifts of the arcane can make for interesting results. At least no one has blown themselves to smithereens or turned into a toad yet. Someone did start farting lightning at one point while experimenting in biological element changing magic but, don't worry, they were sacked. Twice.

9 Selling/buying dragons?
It's not so much "buying" the dragon as opposed to buying whatever services they are offering or paying whatever the fee is for them to buy a home in the lair. "Selling" dragons is the same way, their price is the cost of their services or their budget in regards to buying a home.

10 Exalting?
Exalts are adventurous or passed on souls. Some are called by one of the deities to fight or study under their watch, other have sought to find their fortune somewhere in the world or explore the unknown, some might've accidentally blipped into another dimension when messing around with magic or arcane artifacts, other might have passed away somehow be they named or not.

1. Weddings
An actual, physical event doesn't happen often in my clan. Most dragons just go up to Glaucus, the clan's storyteller, or to Sea, who runs the museum and keeps track of major events.
If a wedding does happen it would take place in the Hall, a big building everyone's welcome in (and also has the entrance to the underground half of the lair.)

2. The Trading Post
I have an explanation for all the npcs there so i'll list them with what they are in my lore.
Tomo - A researcher who asks clans for information they know about their area of Sornieth.
Crim - A collector who, like Tomo, asks clans for things they've found in their travels.
Pinkerton - Pretty much the canon explanation, Crim's brother who's trying to clear out her collection.
Swipp - More of a company, has dragons (Edgar, Pearl, and Spitfire) deliver items to clans who've sent him [x] items.
Roundsey - Similar to Swipp, has dragons asking clans if they'd like to participate in a raffle. Dragons raffled off are members of whatever clan Roundsey's in who wanted to leave in a fun way.
Baldwin - Another semi-company, has brewers all around Sornieth that learned from him.
Galore - Every now and then he finds something he thinks everyone should have, so he gives them out to everyone he can find.
Fiona - Kind of like Baldwin, she teaches dragons about familiars and lets them meet hers.

3. Market
Kind of, there's a section of the (aboveground) town that's mainly businesses but the second level of the building is usually the dragon's living space.

4. Breeding
magic.
I like the headcanon that when dragons want a kid, they get something vaguely egg shaped and it's 'blessed' by the reigning deity of wherever they are to have a hatchling inside. Unhatched eggs happen because of some stray god magic or it got separated from it's nest.

5. Ranks
There are two leaders, though they try to stay out of most clan affairs unless they need to step in or need to 'deal with' a different clan. Other than that there's no official ranks (other than jobs), though everyone generally listens to the healer.
In the 'future version' of the clan in my HD, the clan has gotten much bigger and dragons in it join groups that do one job (Healers heal, Metalworkers make stuff out of metal, etc) and the leaders of those groups are ranked higher than the rest.

6. Food Distribution
Generally, the clan has enough food to survive so there isn't a ranking system with that, but in winters when it's hard to get food some dragons will sneakily skip a few meals to make sure those who need them (like the gardener, since she gets them all food) get food.

7. Hibernation
Doesn't exist in lore and for me is more of a way to distinguish dragons that are in the same world but not involved with the clan (and that i didn't have space for in my lair.) I also use it for the future version of my clan i mentioned earlier that has the group of dragons living in the town a couple generations after.

8. Scrolls
An alchemist or mage makes a scroll that can change something about the dragon. Small changes like eye or some genes can be near-instant, but other ones like breed changes can take longer.

9. Selling/buying dragons
It either doesn't exist and the dragon ended up in the clan a different way, or, with fodder, a dragon wanted to be exalted to a certain god and decided to help out their home clan a bit by asking for donations from the clan exalting them.

10. Exalting
Being exalted is considered a high honor and most dragons try to achieve it, though some prefer staying on Sornieth and not fighting for their god. In my lore, the exalted help clans and fight other flights for dominance to help out the deity they got exalted to. Some don't enjoy it and end up going back to their clan (restoration.)

1. How do weddings work in your clan?
There's isn't any, but there are mates.

2. How does the trading post work? (do dragons go whenever? do specific dragons go?)
Anyone who wants to go goes, but usually my travelling dragons are more likely to frequent.

3. Is there a market area?
No. My dragons have their prive personal posessions in their own lairs, but I have a treasurer to store most things. She distribute food and other necessities. Other dragons request wishlist items, and if she has it in her hoard, she will give it to them.

4. Breeding?
Yes, but barely. My clan is quite-lore based.

5. Is there ranks?
Kind of...? I have a leader in the clan, and there are a few positions of power (but they're more like normal jobs: like Head of Guards or Hunter-Gatherer or Library Assistant). However, there's no "rank" per se. They act like your friendly neighborhood dragons!

6. Food distribution?(do the elderly eat first? alphas/royalty?)
Not really. Every eat whenever they feel like it. However, when there is a clan-wide gathering during breakfast, lunch or dinner, there's no particular order. In a ceremony, the leader and the founder would eat first.

7. Hibernation?
Not canon. The dragons in my hib-den are legacy characters (either in backstory or someone important but not currently in the clan).

8. How does gene/breed/eye change scroll work?
Not really canon...? I mean, in my story, I treat it like they were always like post-change scroll form. There are exceptions though, mostly regarding eye types and especially Dark Sclera.

9. Selling/buying dragons?
In my lore, they join or left the clan. Not actually buying/selling dragons.

10. Exalting?
Just like canon lore, they left to serve their deity. I don't see them being killed or sacrificed to the deity. Unless the lore requires dead dragons (usually from an accident). As I have no way to actually kill off a dragon, I usually exalt them.

1
How do weddings work in your clan?
Dragons don't really get "married" in my clan as much as they just kinda decide "ah yes. That one. That one is my mate. Look at his dumb face, I love him."

2
How does the trading post work? (do dragons go whenever? do specific dragons go?)
Cherry is confirmed to visit Roundsey's Raffle Roulette weekly, and Nic'Elai is the clan's alchemist, essentially "replacing" Baldwin. Otherwise, I haven't really thought about it! Perhaps I should introduce a dragon that goes to the trading post daily...

3
Is there a market area?
Yes, on the Main Platform.

4
Breeding?
Let's just say my fodder breeding habbits don't reflect how they canonically breed in my lore.

5
Is there ranks?
Not really. Just dragons who have jobs and different levels of trust with the clan's leaders/founders.

6
Food distribution?(do the elderly eat first? alphas/royalty?)
Though there are cooks and food shops, these are more akin to restaurants that one occasionally visits. It's more like "you go to the marketplace to buy food and then you cook it with your family."

7
Hibernation?
It's just some extra space bro. No real lore.


8
How does gene/breed/eye change scroll work?
Mostly I act as if the dragon always had that gene/breed, unless in certain cases where it's lore-tied.

9
Selling/buying dragons?
Game mechanics. No real lore. Dragons just pass by the clan and leave, or ask to get trained up for exaltation.

10
Exalting?
It's kind of a highly religious thing, almost like the site describes it? Like the kinda thing where some want it, some don't. Like becoming a priest? Something like that? It's not viewed as a bad thing, in any case.

On occasion, exalted means dead in my lore. Mostly it's just, again, a game mechanic that I kinda take in stride.

1
How do weddings work in your clan?
Only two of my dragons are romantically involved, but weddings are a very human thing to me so...they're just together. I feel like dragons may have some kind of celebration or ceremony for life-long mateship, but exchanging rings and saying vows just seems odd to me for non-human creatures lol

2
How does the trading post work? (do dragons go whenever? do specific dragons go?)
I actually never mention it. At least one of my dragons is a merchant, but he sells cursed objects out of a mobile shop rather than hanging out in a market.

3
Is there a market area?
Nope.

4
Breeding?
Not so far. I am constantly breeding fodder, but my lore drags are all unbred. Long offspring lists annoy me because I dislike clutter, so I have no plans to ever breed my lore dragons.

5
Is there ranks?
Loosely. One of my factions has a "leader", but she's more of a creator of the others than any kind of queen.

6
Food distribution?(do the elderly eat first? alphas/royalty?)

Hasn't come up yet due to answer 1. An entire tab is full of Things-That-Only-Look-Like-Dragons, another is full of similar but not necessarily aligned dragons, another for solitary and hard to find dragons, etc. Only one of my planned lore tabs will have a unified team, but I haven't gotten past a loose idea yet.

7
Hibernation?
If I used the Hibernal Den it would be OOC. I genuinely have no use for it since I can't bond with familiars, exalt, or coli with dragons in there. It also bothers my anal-retentive habits that my active lair cycles into my hibernal den instead of looping when you're using arrow keys to browse dragons, lol, so I just never plan on using it.

8
How does gene/breed/eye change scroll work?
I write lore only after a dragon has been gened, and never change a dragon afterward, so it's not a lore-relevant change for me. I also prefer to find a dragon that's already to my aesthetic so I can save my treasure for more lair expansions.

9
Selling/buying dragons?
I exclusively exalt to make my money, breeding my own fodder every time my nests are empty. If I have empty space after a hatch I buy the difference, but all fodder producing activity is not lore related. If I am spending more than 5k on a dragon, it's for lore, and because of how my tabs are set up there is no ritual really. My lair is more of an ongoing short story project than a society that canonically accepts newcomers. If I get a new dragon they get lore as if they've always been there.

10
Exalting?
In my own headcanon, any dragon I exalt is actually consumed by a subterranean lifeform called The Maw, which basically is a gigantic tooth and eye-lined portal to a mystery dimension.

This is not to say they are dead, but, no one knows where they go.

They definitely don't go to their diety, though.

For context, my lair is a travelling circus which consists of waaaaaaay more dragons than I actually own in-game. A lot of dragons that are important to my lore do not exist in my lair, never will and I haven't even decided what breed, gender or flight they'd be.

How do weddings work in your clan?
There isn't really any such thing, but you'd be bound to find plenty of dragons on board if you wanted to throw a celebration of any given relationship. You name it, someone in the Cirque is at least trying to profit off it.

How does the trading post work?
It exists, and it's a good place to set up when there's no celebration going on in any particular territory because it gets good traffic, but it doesn't really tie in with mechanics for my clan in any way. Any dragon is welcome to visit any trading-post type place unless they're scheduled to be working on an event, but there's more going on within the Cirque in most senses.

Is there a market area?
In spite of the name, the Cirque is probably 60-80% market, selling information, services, items, food, all kinds of things.

Breeding?
Cirque members are encouraged to take a break and settle somewhere rather than staying with the Cirque when planning a nest. When I have fodder mills and the like they're not part of my Cirque lore. Offspring/parent lists are not canon.

Is there ranks?
There's the Cirque's owner, who's fairly hands-off but has veto power on just about anything and likes to plan where they stop and what they perform. Then there's VEGA (an actual dragon I own in site mechanics), who does a lot more day-to-day management, problem avoidance, figuring out how to make use of people, finances, things like that. Then there's the heads of the behind-the-scenes services like stores, medical, repairs, media, security, acquisitions, events, and those dragons can create their own hierarchies within their departments, for example the head of Medical has made Mosi (actual mechanics dragon) his 'second'.

So long as everyone is reasonably treated, groups of dragons who work together to provide a service to the public from within the Cirque can do what they like in terms of ranks. There's a bit of what you might call a hierarchy of time spent, but it's very common for dragons to skip a stop of three (usually particular flights that they don't profit off as easily) even if they've been with the Cirque a long time so that gets fuzzy.

Being directly employed by the Cirque versus renting a tent from them makes less of a difference than you might think, and a lot of dragons do a bit of both.

Food distribution?
The Cirque keeps a good food store and sells at a large discount to members (some stall holders selling food might also discount for other members). The only way to get any kind of priority is to be one of the ones gathering/making food, because they get first pick before selling their excess to the Cirque or its visitors. The owner is well liked and probably gets a lot of food gifts. VEGA doesn't eat but no one has noticed.

Hibernation?
Never really adopted this into my lore. I can't imagine anything you'd call hibernation being compatible with travelling with the cirque, it's probably something you'd have to drop out to do, like nesting.

How does gene/breed/eye change scroll work?
They exist, basically in the format as described, but they're much rarer than my own actual use of them in the mechanics. I imagine they've very tricky and energy-consuming to make, and not as sought-after as they are in mechanics, so a dragon with a strong relevant skill might learn how to make one specific type (one specific boon, scroll or vial) in their life as a big project and occasionally make one but there's no one who could make a living selling them as a major part of their stock.

Selling/buying dragons?
Would not be tolerated in my lore - those I buy/sell in mechanics are visiting or leaving of their own volition in lore.

Exalting?
My clan's lore matches site lore on what exalting is, but specific dragons who have been exalted in mechanics may be exalted, dead or neither in lore and vice versa. 'Dead' is a bit of a grey area all on its own. I don't own Houtu in mechanics any more but I like to think he still haunts what's left of clan Shard since they joined the Cirque.

How do weddings work in your clan?
Weddings? What's a wedding? There's no real wedding ceremonies in my clan. You're either in a relationship or not, for the most part. Some dragons do like to have a party when they've decided to stay together, but because of the nature of the clan, these sort-of-weddings are held with friends and rarely have family over. The party can be whatever the dragons want to have.

How does the trading post work? (do dragons go whenever? do specific dragons go?)
Spiffy, Atlantico, and other dragons that frequently move outside of clan territory are usually the ones going to the trading post. Some dragons go on their own for one reason or another.

Is there a market area?
In the clan? Yes. There’s a specific hallway dug out in the cave wall that's heavily maintained for any passers-by wanting to take a pit stop. As for the marketplace itself? It's located near the trading post in a big bazaar.

Breeding?
Offspring are usually not canon, but some are (ex. Heirs). Any hatchlings I breed that get lore later I'll usually take into account in some way.

Is there ranks?
Not really. There is a faction system and some factions have more influence over the Pagfenx than others, but the only real higher-ups are Waratah, Icefur, and the Elemental Ambassadors

Food distribution?(do the elderly eat first? alphas/royalty?)
Eat whenever; Flax is always cooking.

Hibernation?
Not canon.

How does gene/breed/eye change scroll work?
Scrolls are a unique, one-of-a-kind spell that disintegrates after the incantation is read. Some of the more powerful dragons are able to cast the scrolls on other dragons, becoming scrollcasters (like a magical plastic surgeon, very lucrative). If the incantation is read even slightly wrong, things can go wild, explaining the size glitch when breed changing into certain breeds (like nocs or bogs) or wonky genes (looking at you, f bog underbelly). Genes are usually instantaneous whereas breed changes can take weeks. Line-breaking terts can take a few days to appear. Eye vials are basically volatile eye drops and eye changes can take a few days. Scatterscrolls function identically to gene scrolls while youth and maturity scrolls are more like breed changes in terms of effects.

Selling/buying dragons?
Mostly not canon. Some dragons are saved from the black market, but 99.999% just go from one clan to another.

Exalting?
There's a small ritual that takes place around noon before the exalted fly off en masse to aid the Flamecaller's efforts. A dragon becoming exalted is like someone enlisting in the military, seen as a great honor. The short ceremony that takes place is completely optional to watch.

How do weddings work in your clan?
There are no weddings, just...dragons being together. They find they love each other, and bam! Magic happens. They're their own thing.

How does the trading post work? (do dragons go whenever? do specific dragons go?)
The Trading Post works much akin to the normal one - they simply visit. Cassini and Doku are usually the ones tasked with going there to carry out errands as they're technically the 'leaders' of the family, but Majesty in particular likes to try and steal from Pinkerton whenever he has his back turned.

Is there a market area?
Nope. Cooking places, sleeping places, entertainment places, storage places, relaxation places and general sit-around places are all there is to their home.

Breeding?
None of them breed - they're an all-female family. Some may have bred before arriving, but that was before and the cause, consequence and story is unknown.

Are there ranks?
Sure there are - Cassini and Doku reign top dogs (loosely), making sure the place is in a decently orderly fashion, and the rest aren't subordinates but they don't play as heavy a role in keeping the family organised. Peony the chef and Milliewood the family's bodyguard are probably the most useful, though.

Food distribution?(do the elderly eat first? alphas/royalty?)
Foxtrap eats all of it, then gets lectured by Peony afterwards.

Hibernation?
They don't hibernate!

How does gene/breed/eye change scroll work?
They'll likely never receive any of this treatment bar an eye scroll - even then, it's probably a bit of cause for concern. They wouldn't be alienated in any way, but it would certainly cause a stir if one day a family member woke up with laser beams as eyes.

Selling/buying dragons?
They've discovered their new home, wandering in from a previous journey to settle down. Sometimes the low life isn't for them, though, and they prefer to leave for someplace else.

Exalting?
They'll never be exalted.

I’m gonna make this short and sweet:

It doesn’t work.

My clan is an absolute mess, and I love it.

How do weddings work in your clan?
No true ceremony but some pairs do publicly announce their union. Typically only to stir the pot unfortunately, a reminder to the losers who won. Typically you learn of a union through rumors and local news. Courting is the big thing here, some go for small gestures like gifts while others loudly declare their intentions in the arena to attempt to woo their love. Somehow, this seems to work.

How does the trading post work? (do dragons go whenever? do specific dragons go?)
Only the merchant and whoever chose the short stick and gets to carry everything go. All orders from clan members go to the merchant and he attempts to gather them up weekly. Most clan members don't leave their claimed territory and some never even leave the scar. So, it is up to the merchant to interact with the outside world, at least for buying and selling.

Is there a market area?
Yes, but it is a rare occasion that outsiders are allowed through. Only a few caravans and neighboring clans ever set foot inside the scar. But there is a large rock shelf about halfway up the circular canyon just beyond the waiting area where outsiders can set up shop. Otherwise the merchant has a shelf higher up where his wares rest.

Breeding?
Well, when a mommy dragon and a daddy dragon love each other very much... Sometimes there are babies and there are no rules about it as long as the clan isn't facing famine, plague or overcrowding. Once the children are old enough most are sold go off to seek their fame and fortune outside of the scar.

Is there ranks?
Only in the military aspect. Anything with a slash is Land Troops/Airborne equivalents.
Leader -> Second -> Honor Guards -> Tactician -> General /Sky Commander -> Majors /Squadron Leader -> Fireteam Leaders -> General Troops

Food distribution?(do the elderly eat first? alphas/royalty?)
Weakest, the sick and the young eat first. They have special rations set aside for them. Then everyone else.

Hibernation?
Not a thing, we can't let them know we sleep.

How does gene/breed/eye change scroll work?
You go visit an old imperial in medical and he does some magic and tada! New whatever.

Selling/buying dragons?
Sometimes young dragons go out seeking fame, and sometimes dragons come to us to seek their fame.

Exalting?
Off to serve the Flamemother to do... Whatever it is that she does. It is probably a great honor. Or something. We hope.