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{{Info religion
{{Info religion
|image = Gdwsgdse.png
|image = Aconismshield.png
|pronunciation = Dra-konism
|pronunciation = Dra-con-ism.
|origins = Unknown, presumed over 70.000 years ago
|origins = Start of recorded history
|deities = Regulus, Caius, Daiana, Triton, Nox, Marik, Severena, Aurora.
|deities = One unified Pantheon with three Factions
|subsects = N/A
|}}
|}}
Draconism as a religion represents an organized faith that worships dragons. Dragons are a specific class of being, somewhere in between an ancient civilization of immortals, and technicians who keep the basic functions of the world running. While many other Religions are about the Gods teaching mortals virtues and sins and guiding them to live a good life in worship and being, Dragons are less sentimental about worship and rather take mortals on a journey with them in the operation of the world and preservation of life against outside foes.
==Origins==
==Origins==
Draconism is the oldest [[Religion]] in the world, presumed to have existed in some form or another for nearly 100,000 years, though it is at the very least certain that the dogma has changed over successive generations. For example, the [[Maraya]] who have awoken from the Vaults, find Draconism radically different from what they remember in their Civilization, and even different from the archeological studies they did of the third Civilization that preceded them. Draconism styles itself after the values and principles of the Dragons in that Era, themed or styled in itself after the [[Races]] that roam the world at that time. It is as such an ever changing Religion that shapes itself based on the followers, though the Dragon Gods are eternal and remain largely similar with only their Race and some subtext changing between successive generations. Draconism has followers all over the world, but is generally speaking one of the weaker religions, being outclassed in number of followers by the likes of [[Unionism]], [[Estelley]], [[Fornoss]], and some would argue even [[Evolism]]. Draconism has technically been a dead religion for 300 years, as the Dragons disappeared from the world in various ways, leaving behind their faithful who now worshiped in essence dead Gods. In the last few years however, Draconism has made a quick revival with many Temples being inhabited again, and the Dragons coming back alive in what is referred to as the Revival of Immortality.
Draconism has invariably existed for all of time, but never quite in the same shape or form. Every cycle of civilization has had some form of Dragon worship, some more popular than others, with different Dragons, and different ideals. The modern version of Draconism first came into being among the early Ailor tribes and the Allorn Empire, which always contained some waning and waxing population of Dragon Cultists. Up until the Cataclysm, Draconism was a deeply disorganized religion with different cults and beliefs held in nearly every country. When the Cataclysm happened, many of the Dragons disappeared, some mysteriously, others with a clear message that the time of Dragons was over. This Long Death as it was later referred to, lasted for 300 years, until the Dragons came back one by one, and proclaimed an end to the Long Death, based on a breakdown of the consensus among them about the intentions of passing the Mantle of Creation to mortals. Since coming back, the Dragons have made efforts to organize Draconism into an actual fully fledged Religion, to acknowledge and reward their followers for their belief, even if unlike other Gods they are not strictly incentivized to seek out worship, and sometimes even seem uncomfortable with the idea.
===History===
==Core Beliefs==
To understand why the Dragons "died", it is necessary to understand the grand theme running through Draconism, being The Immortal War. The Immortal War refers to the endless conflict between the Dragons and what they call The Infection, which means Ordial/Exist/Void Essences that creep into the world of [[Aloria]] and attach to living and non living things there. The Dragons see themselves as natural wardens of the order of the world, and seek to remove The Infection from the world as a result. The Immortal War is mostly fought between Dragons and the [[Arken]], at least historically speaking when they were still bound to Estel and Behesael. Each successive Void Invasion signals the failure of the Dragons to halt yet another end-times event, though after each cycle, the Dragons remain to restart civilization with new Races. Only the last (5th) Void Invasion was halted, when the Dragons performed the rite of the Denial of Immortality. In essence, Demons and Arken were immortal because the natural laws of Aloria allowed immortality. By denying immortality, the forces the Dragons fought could be killed, but they in turn were also killable. The Arken destroyed Estel and eventually Behesael in their betrayal, and the Dragons went out one way or another as the Immortal War essentially ended in a stalemate. The Dragons relented their efforts to kill the Arken, and contented themselves with the end of the Void Invasions, though recently, the Dragons seem to have come back from this decision, and have started reviving all over the world.  
===Central Message===
==Draconic Nuance==
The central message of the Draconism faith is that there is no true purpose to anything but the continuation and expression of life itself. Draconism acts as a shield against unnatural death, but also as a guarantor of the perpetual cycle of life and death so that reality itself can perpetually experience all the colorful and vibrant expressions of being alive. There are no virtues or vices to be expected of Mortals, with the only real demand that Dragons have, being to obey their rulings towards The Presence, and to preserve life and free will worldwide. Any believer passing into the afterlife has their soul raised up to the cosmos and turned into one of many countless stars from where the living can gaze up at a memory of them. No separate section with information about the Afterlife will be provided because there is nothing else to be said about it.
There is one topic worth discussing with regards to Draconism, compared to other religions: the (in)validity of other Religions through Dragons. It is pretty widely known that Dragons create both Races and Gods, but this fact does not make them Gods to other peoples and religions who do not observe them as such. Consider this metaphor: if you liked your team-leader, because he did good things for you and your goals align, your belief in your team-leader is not suddenly invalidated, because your team-leader was raised/taught by a different person. All Religions understand the mechanical purpose of Dragons in the world (conception, creation, ecosystems etc.), but reject their religious message or Dragons as Gods (except in some circumstances, like the Guided Cult of Unionism). Draconism is the only Religion without an afterlife, the faithful neither go to an afterlife nor to the Beyond, their souls are lifted up by Umbra and rejoin the Soul Rivers from which they are born, disappearing into nothingness and lending their life and memories back to the Dragons.  
===Mantle of Creation===
===Divine Mechanics===
The Mantle of Creation is a concept held by Dragons that informs a more technical approach to Draconism. Dragons control the various functions of the world of Aloria, from the cycle of birth and death to the patterns of weather, material existence, the passage of time, and so forth. The world functions because they continue to make it function, and in some way, that can cause mortals to hold them as Gods to give thanks and praise for the reality they have created and enabled. To many, the Dragons are distant and mysterious, because they do not always explain their actions or intentions. The Mantle of Creation has a lot of implications, discussed further down in the Expanded Lore section, but for now only a short introduction will suffice.
All Religions provide 1 single Mechanic to their Believers that fits within the flair of their Religion. This Mechanic is lost if the individual stops believing in the Religion, or becomes a heretic, but can be regained. Afflicted can use this mechanic, but having the mechanic does not imply that they have blanket forgiveness from their Gods, just that there is more nuance to it than that.
==Gods and Goddesses==
* Draconism worshipers are able to use Persuasion Dice rolls on Gods both outside and inside of [[Divinium]] summonings which is normally not possible. Additionally they gain +2 to every Dice roll of Persuasion against a God, and their Persuasion Cap is raised by +2 when rolling against Gods.
Draconism has one unified pantheon, but the pantheon is split between two opposing factions, ruled over by a neutral mediating Dragon-King who does not take sides but resolves conflicts when they arise. Their opposition is rooted in how both sides want to deal with Demons from any of the Dimensions. All Draconists should worship all Dragons equally (though can choose a patron Dragon), but should also choose one of the two factions:
* '''The faction of the Great Calm''', including the Dragons Marik, Gaia, Orion, Julianus, Daiana, Felicula and Armina, believes that Demons if they follow the laws of life and agree to be bound by Draconist ritual, should be allowed to exist and thrive in the world of Aloria.
* '''The faction of the Scale Pact''', including the Dragons Triton, Aurora, Nox, Cinerius, Umbra, Severena, and Silas, believe that Demons if they follow the laws of life and agree to be bound by Draconist ritual, owe it to mortals to serve eternally as soldiers in the war against other Demons.
===Regulus, the Dragon-King===
[[File:Cedragonneww.png|left|frameless|250px]]
Regulus is the Dragon-King of the entire Draconist pantheon and acts like an impartial mediator and problem solder within the pantheon, but also as a leadership and authority dragon for his worshipers. Regulus controls the domains of weather and time on Aloria and is as such often depicted with lightning. His heralds are birds, most commonly his Falcon named Princess. Regulus is prayed to for good weather in travel and fair winds for crops, but also for an understanding of future visions and the threads of time which Draconists are often plagued by. He is a patron of leaders, mentors, guides, and any other who seek to help those in need with guidance and words of wisdom, even if his personal guidance is often capricious.
 
Regulus has a moderating role in the pantheon, as he was born a mortal in the Regalian Empire, but discovered his Dragonsoul at a later point in life. Having lived a life as a relative nobody in the backdrop of an extensive Imperial family, and now saddled with the immortal duties of Godhood, he strikes a fine balance between duty and understanding the impracticalities of faith on the ground. Regulus has deeply personal ambitions and wants, that constantly clash with his responsibilities and leave him conflicted and difficult to understand for outsiders. There are many still around in Regalia who remember him as a mortal.
===Triton, the War Dragon===
[[File:Voiddragon.png|left|frameless|250px]]
Triton is both Dragon-God and Demon-God at once, a split personality from when the now-dead Dragon Caius entered the Void during the first Void Invasion and was fractured. While Caius limped back to Aloria, Triton was trapped in the Void and grew in power there. Triton is often held with distrust because of his attachment to Evolism as a God, but also because his existence in Aloria was predicated on the slow agonizing death of Caius. When Caius did eventually die, Triton was able to break into Aloria, and while Caius himself was succeeded by Cinerius in a reincarnation, Triton assumed the role of War Dragon previously held by Caius. He is worshiped for good fortune in war and also for victory in personal battles and duels.  
 
Triton is eternally vague or avoidant whenever challenged about his true loyalties. He states one thing to Draconists, and another to Evolists, leading to many circulating theories. Generally, though, worshipers hold that more than one version of the truth can be valid because Gods always seek to expand their power in Aloria by gaining more followers. While the Dragons are generally more distant and haughty than other Gods in this activity, Triton is prone to the vices of the Void and as such seeks more power and influence. Even if some faithful are repulsed by his Void-based nature, they cannot deny his immense power.
===Marik, the Leytech Dragon===
[[File:Yayh.png|left|frameless|250px]]
Marik is the lord and master of the Leylines, an intangible network of Dragon power that extends over the world like a vascular system, feeding all of their installations with power and information. Dragons are not omnipotent, and just like other Gods, are bound by the laws of presence and influence around them. Marik's leylines extend the reach of Dragons, allowing them to act globally, for example, allowing Regulus to project weather patterns across the world while never leaving his home in Anglia. Marik also fuels the Leysystem with Soulcores and Unicores, self-operating drones that maintain by now collapsing and decaying infrastructure. Marik is worshiped for good fortune in technological pursuits and for success in professional employment.
 
Marik was recently reborn, however, sometime before the Dragons returned. Marik instead was reincarnated by the enigmatic Primeval the Everwatcher, the high God of the Unionist faith, and as such, doubles as a Draconist God and a Unionist God. Marik's position is complicated because Draconists believe he is foremost Marik the Dragon, while Unionists claim he is foremost their god Al-Asir. Marik himself dubiously avoids the subject but conspicuously resides among the Skyborn of Ard-al-Nur, while remaining generally absent from Dragon matters, attempting to mend the hostility between Dragonkin and Skyborn.
===Gaia, the Nature Dragon===
[[File:New_Canvadddsrtetgr.png|left|frameless|250px]]
Gaia is the creator Dragon of all things flora in nature. Gaia designs the trees, the plants, the flowers, and all non-sentient life matter that form the very basic foundations of the food chains all over the world. Gaia is considered a very anti-social Dragon, in the sense that he rarely speaks with mortals, yet is touched to help them by the convictions of his lover. Gaia is worshiped to restore blighted landscapes and environments, but also for protection against the natural dangers of the dense forests, and for plants to clear the way out for anyone lost. It should be noted that not all plants are actually by Gaia's design, as many Gods of other Religions claim the mantle of nature-God, and invariably change plants in their domain to suit them.
 
Gaia was killed by Teled Elves during the Mage Wars, but his soul was preserved as Dragons never truly die. The current vessel of his Dragonsoul is Iorwerth, once a mortal Aelrrigan Knight from Kintyr who was trapped by the Death Gods to become a servant of the Malefica to save the soul of his lover. Iorwerth acted on behalf of the Malefica for many decades, but was freed by the intervention of mortals in Aloria, and then tasked to carry the Dragonsoul as his burden for serving the Death Gods. He remains scarred by Dark Metal shards embedded in his body, but now enjoys freedom from the control of the Malefica with his lover.
===Silas, the Shaper Dragon===
[[File:Silasvilkensit.png|left|frameless|250px]]
Silas is the Dragon of shaping, making, and crafting. He inspires the combination and processing of raw materials into objects of beauty and function, and so his worshipers pray to him for excellence in their craft. It is said that Silas was the first to strike a hammer on anvil and teach every kindling civilization how to forge bronze and iron. Draconists believe that the first swords used in the first wars on Aloria, were forged in the likeness of his metallic scales and that the Dragonforges that lie hidden across the world hold ultra-rare ingredients and materials long lost to time by which to craft powerful Artifacts. Indeed, Silas is also the power engine behind all Draconist Artifacts, even if commissioned by other Dragons. 
 
While Aurora is traditionally seen as the Dragon to create all sentient beings of Aloria, this is not actually true in the sense that Silas has created all civilization-faring peoples of Aloria. While Aurora is adept at precisely organizing food-chains of complex animal-life, only Silas knows the Elderlaw principles of higher cognitive ability Creation Particles required to form the people of Aloria, while they are born in Aurora's craters, they are shaped by Silas. Silas's most recent magnum Opus, or so it is believed, is the Urlan, a far cry from his first designed Mud-men. Though, he is far more enigmatic than Aurora and is often forgotten.
===Severena, the Protector Dragon===
[[File:New_Canvashgfhgnfgg&hhhh.png|left|frameless|250px]]
Severena is the Dragon of protection and guidance, a Dragon that has inspired whole civilizations into the act of world guardianship. She inspires all to shepherd and shield those too weak to defend themselves and empowers her followers to protect them from harm, most chiefly the Demons who have come to bring ruin to Aloria. While Triton is considered the General to issue commands, Severena is the frontline commander who joins the fray with the Archon and Leytech machines. Triton remains in the shadows with his plots, while Severna brandishes her blades and talons to protect not only her charge, but also those who have chosen to sacrifice their life in the line of duty for Dragons. She is prayed to for protection and liberation from oppression.
 
Severena did not traditionally die or disappear like the other Dragons at the end of their reign around Cataclysm. Rather, she and her clade of Dragons entered an eternal slumber that froze the Jade Seas around the Zhong Kingdoms, the traditional homeland of the Sihai. This event also created the Jade Walls, massive walls of frozen sea waves that protect the Sihai lands from their periodic Demonic attacks, as massive lumbering beasts called Akula attack from the seas. Lately, the Jade Walls have shown signs of cracking and melting, leading many to fear the imminent awakening of the Dragons and the disappearing of their protections.  
===Aurora, the Life Dragon===
[[File:Auroragoddess.png|left|frameless|250px]]
Aurora is the Dragon of Life and Creation, traditionally held as the chief administrator of the Creation Particles, the Elderlaw principles used to create living bodies and design organisms. From the smallest creatures that require microscopes to see, to massive sky whales and dune snakes, Aurora crafts the food chains of the world, carefully balancing predators and prey, scavengers and providers. She designs each creature with the intent to live and continue the cycle of life and death, a dance between herself as the Life Dragon, and Umbra as the Death Dragon. It is her love for Umbra and his for her, that causes them both to appear as halves of each other, elements of white and black in equal balance and never truly meet. She is worshiped for good hunts and healthy children.
 
Aurora has a personally painful history, from the Cold March during which she led the Dregodar north into Ellador, to her eventual demise at the hands of the Dwarves where she became the Undead Dragon Frisit, or so the Dregodar becoming Isldar had thought. Aurora's body was actually possessed by the Ordial Entity known later as Frisit, an agent of the Death Goddess the Glacial, who was plotting to subject the Isldar to her rule and expand her domain in Aloria through their deadly means. When Aurora was revived, this plot was revealed, immediately plunging the Isldar into Civil War while Aurora retreated to her Craters of Creation to restore damaged ecosystems.
===Nox, the Knowledge Dragon===
[[File:Dueuaj.png|left|frameless|250px]]
Nox is traditionally held as the Dragon of Knowledge, but his unofficial title is the Dragon of Deceit, Plotting, and Scheming. Nox is the architect of the Codexes, the Draconic sites that hold information of the past 130,000 years recorded in painful detail, something that makes his sites particular targets by nefarious actors. He is however skilled in deploying all this knowledge to hide, obfuscate his intentions, and even plot around fellow Dragons to get his way, most notoriously in the creation of the Slizzar that caused him to be imprisoned for over a hundred thousand years, while he continued to influence the world through them. It is said that Nox used Elderlaw to create mirrors on Aloria, or the concept of reflection, leading his enemies to smash mirrors.  
 
Nox is sometimes held with distrust among the faithful, especially those who harbor resentment towards the Slizzar for having been created in an act of defiance by Nox, but also because Nox while being an upstanding Dragon God, is still entertaining his own plots away from the other Dragons without their knowledge. This has also led some who hold him as patron to consider themselves above the common Draconist faithful and imitate their lord in his game of scheming against their own erstwhile allies. Nobody can deny, however, that Nox is one of the few remaining unbroken consciousnesses that has been alive since the beginning of time, and thus has endless knowledge.
===Orion, the Afterlife Dragon===
[[File:Orionbsle.png|left|frameless|250px]]
Orion is the steward of the Draconic Afterlife, which makes him a steward of the constellations and stars in equal measure. The Draconists believe that Orion designs the cosmic night sky, the ordained position of all the stars and the celestial bodies, and moves them through the vacuous space beyond the Terrasphere so that sunrises and moon phases occur. Orion is considered a deeply detached Dragon, the only one not present in the Terrasphere (Aloria's atmosphere), roaming instead among the stars and only venturing onto Aloria when summoned by the Dragon Conclave. Many Draconic monks emulate his teachings of earthly detachment and enlightenment, while many priests also consider him a patron due to his relation with death rites.  
 
Orion is one of the few Gods of any Religion that actually cares about atheists and agnostics, always ensuring that they have a place in an afterlife and that their souls do not just explode into nothingness when they die. Orion preserves the souls of the dead without faith among the stars, just like the other Draconists, which some Draconists find difficult to process due to the mental gymnastics one must inherently engage in to be an atheist in a world full of divine providence. They do not believe that atheists should be rewarded with an afterlife when they are so resistant to the common sense of spirituality and the undeniability of divinity.
===Julianus, the Wisdom Dragon===
[[File:EerkUntitled Artwork.png|left|frameless|250px]]
Julianus is the agent of wisdom and insight, a purely logic and pragmatism-driven Dragon that shows little compassion for the individual but is instead condemned to see the perpetual reality beyond reality. Julianus is the only Dragon that peers into all Dimensions at once, from the Void to the Beyond, and even the realms of the Fae and the Silence. Julianus's utter lack of emotions allows him to drift between existences and observe as a silent witness while remaining unaffected by the natural corruption of these realms due to his apathy. Julianus acts as such like an oracle to the other Dragons, being able to combine Nox's knowledge, and his own sight into other realities, to better predict where Dragon faith should bend and where it should progress.
 
Julianus is the cause of visions and far-sight that Draconists are sometimes prone to, living dreams and waking realities that bend and show them things they often fail to comprehend. Julianus speaks with such apathy and lack of understanding for mortals, that his god-like perception often becomes a series of incomprehensible images or gibberish speech, which the faithful sometimes spend even years attempting to decipher. Worship of him is often aimed at wishing for an understanding of personal fate, and the insight to avoid calamities, even if the faithful must confess to seek the guidance of other Gods to decipher his messages.  
 
===Daiana, the Ancestor Dragon===
[[File:Dreamdragon.png|left|frameless|250px]]
Daiana is a bit more complicated to explain than the other Dragons because she does not have a conventional body outside of the projection that she sometimes appears as. Daiana, simply put, is the planet of Aloria itself. Her soul is the core of the world, and her body is the earth mantle that covers her massive inner core that has been described as blinding light in all color spectrums by those who have ventured to certain doors only opened by Artifacts. Her Dreaming manifests whole Religions and even makes changes to reality through Elderlaw, representing ancestry and descendants. When she is worshiped, it is to call upon the Spirits of ancestors to help the living in their struggles, she also fulfills the role of earth-mother and fertility due to the bounty of life on Aloria.
 
Daiana is the only Dragon that produces Godborn conventionally through her Dreams of Divinity, though all Dragons are actually capable of creating Dragonborn through non-conventional manifestation long after birth. It is believed that Demons who attack Aloria indirectly attack Daiana. She suffers from the corruption that is brought by unregulated Magic and Mages who do not properly vent or dispense with the damage or cost of their Magic to their environment. As such, incorrect usage of Magic, or irresponsible dispensing of Magic, is gravely offensive to Draconists, because it attacks her directly.
===Cinerius, the Passion Dragon===
[[File:Untitled Artwork-3 3jtds.png|left|frameless|250px]]
Cinerius is the reincarnation of Caius, the previous War Dragon. Caius suffered from the corruption of the Void when he ventured into that realm during the first Void Invasion to understand the enemy. The Corruption slowly ate away at him for 130,000 years, until it finally killed him, and rebirthed him as Cinerius the Dragon of Love and Passion. Caius had always been the Dragon of Love and War, but with his reincarnation, War was inherited by Triton, while Cinerius became an ever-brighter flame of love. It is said that Caius is shrouded in permanent shadow, because to gaze at him would drive mortals insane as they are confronted with every single unspoken desire they have ever had, a realization that some find frightening, wishing not to learn certain things of themselves.  
 
Caius's eventual death and Cinerius's rebirth are somewhat shrouded in mystery, as the faithful and Dragons alike believe Umbra had some hand in the matter with a fair amount of gaslighting. Umbra convinced the whole pantheon for millennia that Caius could only be saved by killing all the Mages and permanently shutting off the Veil. While this theory is technically sound among those who know how the Veil works, there are those who believe this goal was always unattainable, and realistically just distracted the faithful from finding actually actionable solutions to save Caius. In the end however, anyone who asks Cinerius if he would like to go back, will be resolutely rebuked.
 
===Umbra, the Death Dragon===
[[File:Newumbraart.png|left|frameless|250px]]
While Nox draws most of the ire from the faithful for potentially having complicated loyalties, Umbra often goes under the Radar due to his silent planning, and his actions that are counted in hundreds of thousands of years. Umbra is the agent of death, the first death in the world was caused by him, and every death continues to be an echo of his eternal demand that life must end, in order for life to begin again. Umbra has designed all diseases, all viruses, and all bacteria that consume. He has caused the Elderlaw of entropy, of decay, and of rot. Together with his great love Aurora, he ensures that there is a perpetual cycle of life and death, among mortals but also crucially among Gods. Even if Gods cannot die traditionally, their metaphoric death gives rise to reborn ideologies.


==Gods and Goddesses==
The faithful often grapple with the eternal necessity of Umbra's design. It is easy to worship Umbra when he sharpens a blade before the kill, or guides an arrow or bullet to its target, but it becomes a lot harder to worship him when the faithful's body is rotting from disease, or ravaged by cancer. Umbra in such a way is worshiped both to help those who inflict death to inflict it fast and painless, but also in a form of fear-worship to pray that his agents of death stay far away and that the individual faithful may have a long and happy life that is not cut short by Umbra's inevitable quota-generated balancing acts. Nobody likes being auto-balanced into the afterlife.
Draconism has several Gods (gender indeterminate, though when humanoid, they do appear gendered), making it a polytheistic Religion. Unlike many other polytheistic religions, however, Draconism has a clear hierarchy and even a form of competitive rivalry between the so-called Dragon Thrones. Every Dragon Throne (a group of Dragons) contains a leader who is the representative God, and the lesser named Dragons. These lesser named Dragons are not strictly Gods, but they are treated with great reverence. Not all Draconism Gods are currently alive, during the process of the Denial of Immortality, most Dragons died in a non-traditional sense (which also made the Religion "dead" for nearly 300 years save for areas like the [[Sihai]] Lands), with not all of them having been revived recently. It is possible to worship multiple Dragons, but because the Dragon Gods often conflict with one another even when they have a Dragon King, most Draconism followers worship a single God that best fits their principles and beliefs.  
 
<table style="width: 100%;"><tr><td style="width: 50%; vertical-align: top; text-align: left;">
===Felicula, the Arcane Dragon===
<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Regulus, the Blue King Dragon'''</center></span>
[[File:FeliculaNew Canvasytgfjf.png|left|frameless|250px]]
{|
Felicula is the Dragon of Magic, responsible for upholding much of Elderlaw among the Dragons, but crucially also to allowing Magic to flow into Aloria and to maintain the Veil. Some would claim that her task must thus be to shut down the Veil and prevent Magic from coming through, but her act is more one of balance and conservation, rather than destruction and erasure. Felicula is thought of as the kindest among the Dragons with a great bleeding heart for the fates of the living. It is by her will, that Magic is shaped into something potentially useful. It is by her design, that responsible Magic casting is made possible, because without the order that she creates, Magic is just cancer-inducing rot. She is prayed to for guidance and good fortune in Magic casting, and to be protected from Dark Magic.
[[File:Cedragoin.png|220px|caption|left]]
 
|
It is important to express that extradimensional Magic does not exist because Felicula allows it, but is shaped in a more harmless form because Felicula wishes it for the betterment of mortals both inside and outside the faith. There is truly nothing Felicula could do to prevent Magic from existing in Aloria, so she makes the most of it and generates the Elderlaw principles required for responsible casting and Magic Venting to occur safely. Still, it is believed that it is also by Felicula's design, that those who are Born with Magic have their souls touched by her design and blessed by her goodwill and compassion for others, even if they do not follow in her footsteps.
* '''Name:''' Regulus, the Dragon of Command, Hierarchy and Rulership.
 
* '''Domain:''' Regulus controls the Draconic Conclave and rules the Dragons.
===Armina, the Community Dragon===
* '''Symbols:''' Thunder Storms, Rulership, Banners, Rain, Bodies of Water.
[[File:Armitlaart.png|left|frameless|250px]]
* '''Role:''' Regulus acts as the King of Dragons, to mediate and command them.
Armina is the Dragon of Family, kindness, companionship, and community. While Silas designed the first Mud-men, it was Armina who felt they were cold to one another and kissed them with the gift of community and society, thus giving all people on Aloria a longing for companionship and togetherness. Armina embodies the necessity for cooperation and community, she is the agent of loneliness to all those who reject their loved ones and friends, and the warmth between the oldest of acquaintances meeting once more. Armina is the agent of the Soul Rivers, yet another branch of Dragon power that extends over the whole world just like the Leylines, somehow connecting all living souls on Aloria together with the afterlives of other Religions.
* '''Traits:''' Capricious, Cryptic, Regal, Sagely, Mediating, Attentive, Loyalty.
 
* '''Temple:''' House of Dragons on Draackenrust Mountain in Anglia.  
Armina remains missing or presumed dead in the modern era, due to her complicated relationship with Avinla among the Suvial Elves. While Avinla was a Goddess of the Estelley Pantheon which at times has posited itself as an enemy of Draconism, Armina and Avinla were two peas in a pod when it came to the Suvial people, and the reasons why their society is split between the two Religions. It is not within the power of individual Gods to suspend the death of millions of people, and as such, it is often speculated that Armina is actually responsible for the undying nature of the Suvial, even if the exact nature of the situation is badly understood due to her absence.
* '''Allies:''' Arkenborn, Urlan, Adal & Hagen faithful, Leyon faithful.
 
* '''Enemies:''' Those who stand against the Regalian Empire and seek its downfall.
==Priesthood==
* '''Rituals:''' Regulus is celebrated through the act of mediation between aggrieved parties, or the Dragon-King trial in which blue Dragon-King flames are summoned, a trial is held between two parties holding their hand in the flame, with the flame burning them if they utter a lie. Another method of worship is by expanding the political reach of the Dragons or the Draconism faithful, who have to rebuild their religion.  
Priesthood for Draconism is more complicated than one might assume at first glance from a Religion that was effectively dead for 300-odd years while most Dragons were either in slumber or in a near-death state. At the end of the Immortal War, the Dragons decreed that the Mantle of Creation (the theoretical stewardship over the world's functions) was to pass to mortals and that they too would become mortal (explanation on why they did this is further below). As this occurred around Cataclysm, Draconism as a Religion was effectively dead for 300 years except for among the Sihai where the Dragons could still be visited, or the Isldar who were deceived. Still, when the Dragons returned centuries later, they found that much of the priesthood had survived their absence and that in some places, the faith had even grown. The Religion had always been considered more of a curiosity by the Dragons, who never asked to be worshiped, or set out to have a Religion specifically ordained by them. They fully expected everyone to give up on the Religion when they left, but the fact they had not, caused a change to occur.  
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The structures that were still very much in place, were the hierarchy set out before the Immortal War that had more or less survived. At the head of all the priesthood were the Matrons (a non-gendered term) that applied to the single most favored of each Dragon God. Each God had their own Matron, a mortal who would have their favor, and know most personally their wishes and ambitions for the world, and could translate them to the other faithful. This position was often elective, but some Matrons passed their lineage from generation to generation, which became especially common after the Denial of Immortality. The only Matron succession that had not survived, was Regulus's Matron, who was eventually chosen from the Isldar to be Gwenyth Zylmoira, leading the faithful into a new era.  
<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Caius, the Red Dying Dragon'''</center></span>
 
{|
Below the Matrons, are the Dragon Priests. Dragon Priests represent the whole religion, but usually specialize in the teachings of a specific Dragon God as their patron, and emphasize their qualities and teachings above the others. Generally speaking though, Dragon Priests should be aware of all other Dragons just as much, and be able to hold their own in theological discussion on the merits and values of the other Dragons too, but also understand the overarching narrative of Draconism as a whole. It is possible to be a Dragon Priest and hold other occupations, as Dragon Priesthood is more of a personal choice than an ordained position. There is no official academy or place of teaching for Priests, the only real requirement is that each self-ordained priest takes a pilgrimage to the Matron of their Patron God, and seeks approval from them.
[[File:Caiuodragon.png|220px|caption|left]]
 
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Below the Dragon Priests are the Dragon Champions. Unlike Dragon Priests, Dragon Champions do not widely act as priests, they are more akin to lay priests but hold an extreme emphasis on specific Dragon Gods. Anyone can be a Dragon Champion, it is in most cases self-declared, but 9 out of 10 Dragon Champions are warriors because they enforce the might and will of their Dragon usually by the sword. This may lead to some comical arrangements, with Felicula Dragon Champions forcing participants to have a party and be happy, with the threat of physical harm if they do not. Dragon Champions can administer religious services, but only specifically to their own patron God, while Dragon Priests can perform more general and widespread religious services.
* '''Name:''' Caius (Shalmanisar in Eronidas), Dragon of Love, Passion, and War.
==Expanded Lore==
* '''Domain:''' Caius commands the impulses of the living, violence, and fire.
The Expanded Lore section contains additional contextual information about the Draconist faith. This section is not necessary to read to get a good understanding of the lore, just the background information.
* '''Symbols:''' Volcanoes, Battle, War, Destruction, Flames and Fire, and Magma.
===Festivals and Worship===
* '''Role:''' Caius acts as the Dragon General, leading Dragon forces in War.
The [[Draconism Expanded]] Page contains information on Draconism Holy days (one each month), as well as basic rituals performed by Draconism Priests for the faithful. This Page is useful to read for upcoming festivals, but is not necessary to fully explore unless an event is actually upcoming and pinned to the calendar. The bottom of the page contains information relevant to Draconism Priests.  
* '''Traits:''' Ill-tempered, Violent, Uncompromising, Brave, Passionate, Loving.
 
* '''Temple:''' Rock of Eternity Volcano (largest Volcano in the world) in Guldar.
===Crystalline Symbolism===
* '''Allies:''' Ifrit faithful, Leif & Bard faithful, Gladiators, Lothar Knights, Purists.
Due to crystals being formed in the crust of Aloria (thus Daiana), they bear a specific value to Draconism that is both symbolic, but also has every day life uses. Draconists believe Crystals resonate either with the elements of the world and Daiana herself, or are capable of generating a weak reality-enforcement field around them that seep away dark magics and corrupted realm energies. While individual crystals are not strong enough to yield a noticeable effect from a purely scientific standpoint, superstition and cultural adherence to the healing powers of crystals remains prevalent among Draconists. The Draconists also have a specific crystalline cave underneath the Thundermount shrine of Regulus in Regalia that is so filled to the brim with different crystals, that it is their favored location for storing Magestone among the Magic users of Draconism. Soulgems also hold a particular value among Draconists, as artificial embodiments of particular personality qualities strongly associated with individual people. For more information on Soulgems, read the [[Soulgems]] page.  
* '''Enemies:''' Any Occult, Occult Sympathizers, Aelrrigan Knights, Centrists.
 
* '''Rituals:''' Caius is celebrated through the rituals of Mage-Burnings and Pyro-Branding. The former involves gathering magical scrolls, books, and artifacts, and burning them in a ritual fire, while the latter involves branding the Occult with painful scars that hurt when they use Magic. Less violent forms of worship involve the Flame-Dance, a ritual dance by torches in the moonlight, and the Burning Love Chalice, writing love letters and burning them.
===Relation to Magic===
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Draconism has a historically complicated relationship with Magic that has generally mellowed out over the last few centuries. While originally the Draconist view of Mages and Magic was to utterly burn them out of existence, the reality of the world touched and changed by Magic eventually settled in, and relations to the idea of Magic being in the world normalized. It must always be understood that if the Dragons could have it any other way, they would prefer it if Magic did not exist. After all, Elderlaw, the Magic of Dragons and the fabric of reality, still remains inaccessible to mortals, disabled for their use ever since the first Void Invasion due to the Dragons's mistrust.
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Dragon Gods and Goddess do not show any particular favor towards any of the Dimensions, but hold a great disdain for Magic from the Beyond, due to its inherent death-inducing themes and associations. This does not mean that Dragons or Draconists reject anyone with Magic from the Beyond, it just means that the faithful are generally more guarded towards those with indirect connections to the Ordial realm without knowing their exact allegiances or intentions. Draconists in general do not define or color any dimension other than the Beyond with any pre-supposed expectation, and hold all types of Magic and their users responsible for their ultimate conduct, safe Venting, and proper casting procedures. They can however turn hostile against Mages who are careless and corrupt the world, sending Archon after them like holy warriors to rob them of their Magic.
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<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Daiana, the Gray Dreaming Dragon'''</center></span>
===The Advancement===
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Prior to the Advancement, each Dragon had their own Radical view of how to deal with the Presence, a catch-all term for all things magical in the world, including Demons and Mages and the Afflicted. When Caius died, the Conclave was shaken so profoundly that it re-convened, an event that had only taken place 5 centuries prior to discuss the departure of Dragons from their traditional role as Mantle of Creation. In this Conclave, Regulus abandoned his own Radical, and tried to mediate the Conclave to agree to a common sentiment on the Presence. While agreements were formed fairly quickly on Mages and the Afflicted (namely, that Mages deserved life, and the Afflicted curing or death), no agreement could be made on Demons.
[[File:Dreamdragon.png|220px|caption|left]]
 
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Eventually two camps formed under the nominal leadership of Daiana and Triton, both equally believing fanatically in their views of the Great Calm and the Scale Pact, while the other Dragons each joined these factions. Regulus was the only one who remained impartial, even if the Conclave is in some views seen as a failure on his part to truly unify the Dragons in one ideology. The great benefit it did bring however, was that the Dragons committed to taking their own Religion seriously. While prior, their Religion had been cobbled together beliefs held and proclaimed by mortals, the Dragons committed to decreeing their own beliefs and dogma, so that the faithful could take it directly from them instead of just assuming.
* '''Name:''' Daiana (Da'amu in Eronidas), Dragon of the Elements and Planet.
 
* '''Domain:''' Daiana's domain is the planet itself, she is the world.  
===Old Believers===
* '''Symbols:''' Earth, Ancestor Spirits, Nature, Dreaming, Child-bearing.
Old Believers of Draconist exist (though it is generally not recommended you play one, due to their hostile relations with both Draconists and non-Draconists). Old Believers of Draconism hold onto the anti-Presence attitude that the Religion once had over 500 years ago, still firmly believing that the Presence (Mages, Afflicted, Demons, etc.) are all alien to the world of Aloria, and must be purged from the world. Most modern Draconists believe that Old Believers are insane blood-thirsty fanatics, but the reality is always a bit more nuanced than claimed. Some have never gotten over the death of Caius and because of their love for that Dragon, continue the burning crusade against the Presence. Others yet, are not comfortable with the radical accepting degree that he Dragons currently show towards Demons. While technically Old Believers generally agree that the Presence should be burnt out of the world, there are degrees of radicalness and pragmatism among them, causing some Old Believers to not outright believe in death for Mages, but just general segregation and population control.
* '''Role:''' Daiana is the rock upon which all living move through space.
 
* '''Traits:''' Shamanism, Maternal, Nurturing, Meditation, Grounding, Wisdom.
===Dragon Types===
* '''Temple:''' Great Hall of Mother in Kezzeret Kashubasha (Eronidas State).
Dragons are not singular, there exist not just 15 Dragons in the world, but technically hundreds, and even different categories. To make sense of the various categories, this section will explain the differences.
* '''Allies:''' Mana faithful, Mothers, Yanar, Narim, Dwarves, Elkonur faithful, Spirits.
* '''Dragon-Gods''' are the leaders of so-called Clades. Clades are groupings of Dragons that are all of the same type. For example, the Blue Clade belongs to Regulus the Blue Dragon. All of these Blue Dragons control time and rain and storm, but only the Dragon God Regulus is considered a God. The other Clade Dragons are still considered divine, but their power is inherited from the Dragon-God, who holds absolute authority. The other Clade Dragons should be considered like right-hands because Dragons are not omnipotent or omniscient, and can't be everywhere at once.  
* '''Enemies:''' Those who disrespect Spirits as not having a story to tell or live out.
* '''Clade Dragons''' are the afore-described right-hands of the Dragons. Clade Dragons do not have a consistent number, for example, Regulus has only 6, while Marik has 30 (though many of them remain dead). Clade Dragons appear identical to their Dragon-Gods, but there is no common trend between what certain Dragons look like. The only true commonality is that all true Dragons are massive, sometimes as large as mountains, and thus compare with the Primeval Beings in size. True Dragons can have four legs, only two, six, or none at all. Sometimes they have wings, other times they do not. Sometimes they are long, or stubby, or slither around.  
* '''Rituals:''' Daiana is celebrated through the Harvest Ritual and Caring Ceremony, the former which involves celebrating harvest and sharing meals with others, the latter which involves bestowing both the blessing and responsibility of caring onto someone else by granting them a plant, a pet, or a child to take care of. Daiana is also invoked by priests to summon the Spirits or appearances of dead relatives to give consolation to the mourning living.  
* '''Drakon''' are mortal versions of Dragons that nonetheless live for centuries. It is somewhat unclear if they are directly related to Dragon-Gods or Clade Dragons, or were created to come too close to them in appearance. Drakon always appear like the traditional understanding of a wyvern with two large wings which it can support itself on, two hind legs, a long neck and a long tail. Drakon are large but never quite as massive as true Dragons, being about the size of a Regalia Frigate. Drakon have no inherent Magic, but do have an elemental breath that depends on the Dragon they belong to. For example, Regulus Drakon can breathe lightning, while Cinerius Drakon breathe fire, and Silas Drakon breathe sharp silver shrapnel, and Felicular Drakon breathe ethereal Magic. Drakon are primarily war beasts used by the Dragons to fight Arken and Demons. Only in very rare cases will a Dragon send a Drakon to act as mount for a chosen person for their task.  
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* '''Drakes''' (often also called Wyverns) are mortal versions of Dragons that live for several centuries but are much smaller than Drakon. Wyvern are just larger than a war-horse, allowing them to comfortable carry multiple persons on their back, but not able to tear down whole buildings like Drakon could. Drakes were created specifically as flying mounts for the Archon and Dragon Champions, and usually bond with mortals as their personal mount. Drakes do not possess any Magic, appear with the same appearance traits as Drakon, and also do not have an elemental breath.  
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* '''Draconet''' are small mortal versions of Drakes that are no larger than dog-sized. What their exact purpose was is unclear, unlike Drakes and Drakon they have four legs and thus can move around like most mammals, but rarely fly despite being able to do so. Draconets are occasionally kept as pets by worshipers though they are exceedingly rare to find, and usually have to be raised from an egg to acquire the right calm temperament. Draconets were considered a prized possession during the Allorn Empire, but overhunting of their native populations has effectively driven them to extinction in the wild, with only select eggs being held onto for centuries until they hatch for the right person in unclear conditions.
<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Triton, the Black Chain Dragon'''</center></span>
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[[File:Voiddragon.png|220px|caption|left]]
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* '''Name:''' Triton, Dragon of the Void, known as Triton in [[Evolism]].
* '''Domain:''' Triton's Domain is power and control, specifically of the mind.  
* '''Symbols:''' Revenge, Domination, Darkness in one's Soul, Dark Metal.
* '''Role:''' Triton is the Dark second half of Caius's split soul, Void infected.
* '''Traits:''' Vengeful, Cruel, Pragmatic, Powerful, Unforgiving, Unrelenting.
* '''Temple:''' Darkscale House of the High Father in the Osciird Princedoms (Daen).
* '''Allies:''' Evolism Faithful, Evintarian Unionists, Military & Martial people.
* '''Enemies:''' The Apathetic & Inactive, Behesael faithful, Pacifists, Ithanians.
* '''Rituals:''' Triton is celebrated through the Metamorphic Baptism, involved in ritually immersing in a pool of Void-blessed Dragon Water, and assuming Void Mutations of Triton. Another ritual is the Retribution Rally, where they summon a banner of Revenge and call forth allies to sally forth and attack their enemy for vengeance. Finally, Triton accepts blood offerings either from the faithful or those vanquished in battle.  
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<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Nox, the Teal Unseen Dragon'''</center></span>
{|
[[File:Dueuaj.png|220px|caption|left]]
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* '''Name:''' Nox (Madhyaratri in Slizzar & Allar), Dragon of mirrors and truth.
* '''Domain:''' Nox's domain is that of truth or lies, and wisdom in foresight.
* '''Symbols:''' Mirrors, Snakes, Libraries, Sassrakkand, the Mind, Chrome.
* '''Role:''' Nox acts as Spymaster for the Dragons, but also has his own agenda.
* '''Traits:''' Deceitful, Calculated, Foresight, Thoughtful, Wise, All-Knowing.
* '''Temple:''' The Sassrakkand Pyramideon (only accessible to Slizzar and Archon).
* '''Allies:''' Inth faithful, Rand faithful, Juvin Faithful, Wadj & Yah Faithful.
* '''Enemies:''' Justicars, Knights, Guards, The Afflicted, The Thralled & Mind-Controlled.
* '''Rituals:''' Nox's worship involves the mirrors in which his Dragonsoul was banished by the Dragons for transgressing by creating the Slizzar, which he was specifically forbidden from doing. His followers etch secrets and things they have learned from the Occult into mirrors, after which the messages melt into the reflection and disappear, sometimes causing an approving reflection of Nox to appear for only a split second.
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<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Marik, the Brown Etherforge Dragon'''</center></span>
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[[File:Yayh.png|220px|caption|left]]
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* '''Name:''' Marik (Al-Asir in Qadir), Dragon of Tech, a [[Unionist]] God also.  
* '''Domain:''' Marik's Domain are the Leylines and Leytech, all Draconic machines.  
* '''Symbols:''' Technology, Forgery, Craftsmen, Bronze, Brass, and Desert Sands.
* '''Role:''' Marik is the Architect of Dragon Weapons and Sites against the Occult.
* '''Traits:''' Helpful, Reassuring, Resourceful, Quirky, Compassionate, Self-Sacrificing.
* '''Temple:''' Marik's Temple was destroyed by the Great Storm that ravished Ard-al Nur.
* '''Allies:''' Qadir, Unionists, Automata & Artificial living Beings, Technicians.
* '''Enemies:''' Machinist faithful, Body-Modders, War-fanatics & the Military.
* '''Rituals:''' Marik's history of making all the Draconic weapons to exterminate the Occult in history, versus his current reincarnation differ considerably. While in the past worship was the creation of more weapons, now it is the creation of tools to help people live easier and more comfortable lives, specifically to replace the shortcut need of Magic to solve societal and environmental problems, by making the solution tech instead.
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<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Umbra, the White Twilight Dragon'''</center></span>
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[[File:Monkeydragongod.png|220px|caption|left]]
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* '''Name:''' Umbra, the Dragon of the Dead and the Soul Rivers of Draconism.  
* '''Domain:''' The Soul Rivers, the passage between life and death in Aloria.  
* '''Symbols:''' A white swirl, blackout tattoos, a furred instead of scaled Dragon.  
* '''Role:''' Umbra maintains the Soul Rivers and the Dead-Living boundaries.  
* '''Traits:''' Deadly, Pestilent, Renewal, Memories, Capricious, Sardonic.
* '''Temple:''' Destroyed, re-inhabited by the Evolist Temple in Regalia' Wilderness.  
* '''Allies:''' Eronidas, Those who hunt Undead and return Spirits to the Afterlife.  
* '''Enemies:''' Undead, Geists, those who consort with the Ordial Scourge.  
* '''Rituals:''' Umbra is an ambiguous Dragon who is neither motivated by rage and pain or banishment into the Void for his favor to what some would call cruelty. He is the agent of all diseases and sickness on Aloria, because his greatest beauty is death itself, a final act and a final chapter in someone's life. Rituals of Umbra involve speeding an inevitable death to conclusion, and putting the dying at ease with the inevitable.  
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<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Felicula, the Yellow Harmony Dragon'''</center></span>
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[[File:noimglong.png|220px|caption|left]]
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* '''Name:''' Felicula is the Dragon of Festivity, Kindness, and Warmheartedness.
* '''Domain:''' Felicula's domain is entertainment and culture, as well as peace.
* '''Symbols:''' The yellow Hadar Chrysanthemum, vines wrapped around amphoras.
* '''Role:''' Felicula makes the world pleasant to live in by creating joy in shadow.
* '''Traits:''' Shy, Endearing, Hospitable, Altruistic, Well-meaning, Naive.
* '''Temple:''' Felicula never had a Temple, as worship of her was in festivities.  
* '''Allies:''' Entertainers, Artists, Musicians, Bartenders, Party Hosts, Dancers.  
* '''Enemies:''' Those who speak with sarcasm, cruelty, or inflict mental anguish.  
* '''Rituals:''' Felicula's worship is engaged in through the many varied Draconism festivals, one for each month, and to show random gestures of kindness and gifts to others. Very common is the Draconist gift-giving ceremony, where on the 20th of December, Draconism Faithful gift each other personalized and thoughtful gifts of specifically small monetary value, but also joining events hosted by others and improving the entertainment value.
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<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Severena, the Green Stalwart Dragon'''</center></span>
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[[File:noimglong.png|220px|caption|left]]
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* '''Name:''' Severena (Saaima in Sihai), Dragon of Protection and Transcendence.
* '''Domain:''' Protection of the world from danger, and the inner Eye and Soul.
* '''Symbols:''' Air, Monasteries, High Mountain Towers, Clouds, Transcendence.
* '''Role:''' Severena guides the protectors of the living across the world.
* '''Traits:''' Contemplative, Insightful, Ascended, Detached, Piercing, Ethereal.
* '''Temple:''' The Beian Temples in Zhong where the Air Dragons Slumber and dream of Jade.
* '''Allies:''' Those who task themselves to save the world from chaos and calamity.
* '''Enemies:''' Those who would cause chaos and damage the world and people in it.
* '''Rituals:''' Severena worship is done the Breath of Serenity, a solo or group excersize of speaking out evils and attachments, and letting go with breathing exercises. Another worship method is the Temple of Elevation where the faithful climb high mountains or tall towers with lanterns to seek enlightenment, and the vows of protection where those who have attained enlightenment and detachment from the mortal world, can become true world protectors.
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<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Aurora, the Purple Creation Dragon'''</center></span>
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[[File:noimglong.png|220px|caption|left]]
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* '''Name:''' Aurora, the Dragon of Creation's penultimate design and intellect.
* '''Domain:''' The Creation Dictat, that which creates all live on Aloria.
* '''Symbols:''' The sprouting plant, the meteor and the meteor's impact crater.
* '''Role:''' Aurora designs, creates and iterates on all living species on Aloria.
* '''Traits:''' Frigid, Emotionless, Intuitive, Work-Obsessed, Isolationist, Free.
* '''Temple:''' The Moon-Vault Halls in Ellador, capital of the Life Isldar Elven State.
* '''Allies:''' Alchemists, Hunters, Urlan, Scholars, those in the sciences.
* '''Enemies:''' Death Isldar, Environmental destruction and eco-system destabilization.
* '''Rituals:''' Aurora worship is often done alone but can also be done together, in the Harvest of the Stars by wishing on the falling stars which are common in the skies, or the Hunting Rite of Passage where mentors take students on hunts to prove their natural selection ability and population control. Finally, the Transition Cave is where animal or people carcasses are laid to rest to turn into new lifeforms in insects and fungi.
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===Gaia, the Indigo Nature Dragon===
===Dragon or Primeval===
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To cast aside presumptions, Dragons are distinctly not Primeval. While Dragons rarely speak about the pre-Seraph history and existence of the world, they have made clear statements about the idea that when they first awoke, that the Primeval Beings were already there. The only Primeval Beings that the Dragons have ever spoken about, were the Everwatcher, the Blind One, and the Covenant, though for the Covenant she went by a different name and appearance. Dragons believe Primevals to be more powerful than them, and some speculate that in the eternal cycle of creation, that the Primevals actually created Dragons, who in turn created mortals and other Gods, though this is exceedingly hard to prove. There is effectively no communication between the Dragons and the Primeval Beings. The Everwatcher only speaks to the Vessel of Unionism and does so cryptically, the Blind One is in a state of eternal unconscious binding by its followers to prevent it from awakening, while the Covenant seems lost in some higher state of being that makes her interactions with the world seem more instinctual than calculated. The Dragons urge utter caution when attempting to interact or learn more about the Primeval Beings, because what is unknowable to Dragons, will surely spell doom for the mind of mortals.  
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| style="font-weight:bold; width:75px; vertical-align:top;" | Description
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Gaia is not a Dragon exactly, but a mortal Aelrrigan Knight named Iorwerth (depicted right) who was an Archon serving the Dragons, carrying the soul of the dead Dragon Gaia. For centuries, Iorwerth was forced to serve the Malefica, one of the greatest unseen enemies of the Dragons, forced to conjure up vast magical structures, mazes, and fortresses for the Malefica and its Shades to use to deal death on mortals in the living world. He was forced to do this because his lover Cadell's (depicted left) soul had been captured by the Malefica, who used him as a bargain to string Iorwerth along. Through the intervention of mortals in Regalia, Iorwerth and Cadell were able to break free from the Malefica's control, and return to Aloria. There he rekindled with the Dragons he once served, but also still held the power of Ordial god-hood. For this, the Dragons tasked him to ascend to their pantheon by being the (somewhat reluctant) host of Gaia's Dragon Soulspark, a Dragon who had perished many centuries ago during the Denial of Immortality. While many of Iorwerth's structures still serve the Malefica, all have become overgrown with lush vines and the Lillies of the Valley, Iorwerth and Cadell's favorite flower. In this, Gaia's powers manifest as the Dragon of Nature, the other half of Aurora's Craters of Creation. While she created the living beings that inhabited nature, it was Gaia who created the plants and trees and flowers that decorate all the realms. Thus, carrying life and death in his body and his love by his side, Iorwerth is the Draconic God of Nature, tranquility, absolution, and redemption in rebirth.
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Virtue to Gaia (This God is both called Gaia and Iorwerth) is preserving balance of nature, in the give and take between the forces within an ecosystem, and preventing cascade collapse due to dying flora. From the smallest of maggots, to the largest of mammals, nature exists as the bedrock of life on Aloria. Iorwerth specifically adds to this, by making the act of redemption both in receiving and offering others the chance, a true virtue and to never give up in the face of even the most malicious of death-bound forces to return to a righted world and make amends.
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| style="font-weight:bold; width:75px; vertical-align:top;" | Vices
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Vices to Gaia, are the stupidity and naivety to outsmart forces greater in power than the self. In this, Iorwerth and Cadell's centuries-long imprisonment in the Beyond acts as a deterrent and a warning that evil forces are not interested in playing fair or honest, and that respecting duels or challenges of powerful entities is foolish. Iorwerth and Cadell express above all that it is a Vice to not seek help, to not ask for saving, and to foolhardy insist that the individual can overcome all trials and struggles alone. Gaia looks down on lone wolves who risk others with their own recklessness.
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| style="font-weight:bold; width:75px; vertical-align:top;" | Radical
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Gaia's Radical is the Radical of Integration. This Radical proposes that the Occult can have the right to exist in the mortal world, but only insofar they are able to exist in a social ego system that is in harmony with their environment and the people around them. This vague concept proclaims that the Occult have a right to exist, but that to claim this right they must adapt and conform, concede, and compromise, and cannot hold onto selfish notions of complete autonomy. Failing this, Gaia's Radical proposes purging invasive Occult who disrupt social eco systems to preserve stability.
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==Magic Policy==
===God Dreams===
Magic, or more specifically how to treat Magic (that is not Dragon Magic), varies for each of the Dragons, and subsequently as their faithful as they are bound to choose one of the Dragons as their Patron. The Dragon policies are called "The Radicals" for example the Radical of Destruction or the Radical of Apathy. Each Dragon has a context and nuance for why they feel that particular way, which is explained below. It is possible to apply multiple Radicals at once.
Dragons create Gods, flat-out. It is necessary to discuss this topic to dissuade furthering logic that because Dragons create Gods, that other Religions are fake and that Dragons should be worshiped instead as the only correct Gods. This is far from the truth, and actively against the intentions of the Dragons even. To first examine how other Gods are made, they are barely tangentially made by Dragons. When enough people on Aloria wish or crave for something, it is often through the optic of divine protection or saving. People generally gravitate in situations of despair and suffering, to wishing for a higher power to wisk them away and protect them, and this naturally becomes a desire for a savior-god. When enough people wish for this, all that emotional energy is felt by the planet itself, which is Daiana. Daiana dreams, but her dreams are never decided upon by herself, they are affected by the emotional energy that permeates the crust from the people living on it. And so, when enough people wish for a God, Daiana dreams of their desire, and Daiana's dreams become manifested reality. Nearly all Gods are thus born from Daiana's dreams by the template and wish provided by the people. There are some corner cases. For example, some Fornoss Gods were Arken who refracted into Godhood, and some Unionist Gods were made Gods directly by the Primeval Being the Everwatcher, but generally speaking, this logic holds true.  
* '''Regulus, the Radical of Symbiosis:''' Regulus was born and lived most of his life as a mortal Ailor, and spent many years warming up to the presence of Occult. Notable in his history, is his intense friendship with a Pride Arkenborn, who softened him to the value of the Occult to fight an indeterminate "evil". As such, Regulus's Radical is that of Symbiosis, the idea that the Occult can also be recruited in the fight against the bad types of Magic, or the bad types of Magic users. Regulus fervently believes in the right of the Occult to live their life un-harassed by demands to convert to Dragon Magic or be rid of their Magic, as well as free from the fear of being killed for being Occult, but only for a narrow band of Occult who agree that casual, indifferent, or whimsical use of Magic is extremely dangerous. Regulus seeks to recruit Occult of Void, Exist, or Ordial alignment, who will aid in the fight against the Death Cults, Evolist Gods, Undead, Arken, and their ilk. Finally, Regulus and his followers determine those who are irredeemably "evil" for their vile Magic usage, declaring them Anathema and handing the matter off to Caius and his faithful for the hunt.
* '''Caius, the Radical of Fire:''' Caius has suffered for 80,000 years, as the Void itself is tearing him apart. When the Void opened, Dragons being curious, sent Caius in to try and understand what it was. This event caused Caius's soul and body to split in two (the other half being Ifrit). He has been infected with a slow rotting corruption from within that will eventually overtake him, and so the urgency of his fight against the Occult is a desperation to end the infection before it ends him. His Radical of Fire, insists that the bad type of infection (Magic, Afflicted) must be burned out with fire and sword without mercy. Umbra believes that Caius's condition is made worse by casual Magic usage (such as just doing magic for the sake of it, or to impress others without urgent need), and so while Caius does not demand all Magical people be exterminated for being Magical, he demands they be made to suffer for casual Magic and abuse of Magic for selfish reasons with fire so they learn not to add to the suffering of Caius. Caius and his followers also wait for Regulus to determine who is Anathema in the law of Draconism, and seek out to utterly destroy those that have been labeled irredeemable to help Caius in his suffering.
* '''Daiana, the Radical of Peace:''' Daiana is the world itself, and as such, her policies are only really understood indirectly from the Dreamborn that wander the world that are manifested from her Dreamspark, the thing with which she creates Gods and other matters of reality on Aloria. Daiana is a Dragon uniquely positively disposed to Spirits, and their will to live on Aloria even if they come from another dimension. Daiana dreams of a world without death, which sometimes puts her at odds with Umbra who insists on the need for the life and death cycle. While Spirits cannot truly feel the same way mortals do on Aloria, Daiana is the Spirit mother who seeks to embrace all of them and create a world in which Spirits and the living can exist in harmony, as Spirits in her eyes are always fated to exist for a specific reason, just like her Dreamborn. The exception, however, is what her faithful call the "Hollows", which are Spirits that have vile or ruinous intentions on the world. Daiana and her followers seek out the destruction or banishment of these Hollows, as they believe them to be corruptive to other Spirits who would otherwise have curious or benign intentions to living on Aloria.
* '''Triton, the Radical of Power:''' Triton is both a split personality of Caius that exists in his own body, but also an entirely different person. It is believed that Triton is perhaps the only entity to have been omniscient since the dawn of Dragon times, as all other Dragons have either died, faded from reality, become unaware of the world, or projected into a different reality. Triton to some is called the "Dark Dragon", because he has no anti-Occult stance whatsoever, in fact he wants them all used, even Vampires. Triton's stance of Radical of Power implicates his followers with seeking to bend the Occult to their will, ostensibly to eradicate other Occult who are resilient to their power or are too wretched to be bent into service. Triton essentially weaponizes the Occult against other Occult, both to gather power, but also to bring about an easier destruction of the Occult, specifically by making the casualties other Occult, and not the Mundane or Draconist worshipers.  
* '''Nox, the Radical of Illusion:''' Nox much like Daiana has a policy that isn't strictly anti-Occult but aimed at the Occult integration in some way. Nox acknowledges that while other Dragons are mostly focused on the Occult infection of the world, Draconism or Dragons as a whole have many other enemies, including Gods, mortals and even the natural forces of the world. Nox seeks to harvest the Occult for information, knowledge, and sometimes even dark powers short of becoming Afflicted so that they can be weaponized against the threats the other Dragons ignore or aren't aware of. This can also include defending the Draconist cause against incursions from the outside, those who would usurp the powers of the Draconic. Some might even say, that it could involve shutting down Dragon Sites and regulating who get access to them, because sometimes, the enemy is within the Draconist's own cause whether through naivity or having fallen under the wrong influences.
* '''Marik, the Radical of Illumination:''' Marik is a product of a reborn tragedy, a Dragon whose soul was once used to commit the revenge of a Death God unto the ancestors of the Qadir. Much of his current life is in a mission to heal the damage this has done, and to mend the rifts that have come about between people of different origins, cultures, or beliefs. Marik as the patron of the Songaskians, straddles a difficult position in which he is a Dragon God to the Songaskians, but a Unionist God to the Qadir. The Songaskians do not directly contradict this reality, but the Qadir have not yet surpassed their historical trauma, and refuse to acknowledge that Marik is also a Dragon. Marik himself has always dodged the question or the matter, and resides in his home in Al-Alus, surrounded by the Qadir. His avoidant attitude extends to his Radical of Illumination, believing that whatever issue exists with the Occult, is only secondary to healing the historical trauma and damage that was inflicted on the world by the war between the Dragons and the Occult over the past 70,000 years, by helping Mundane and Occult alike heal from their history and the crimes committed against their ancestors.
* '''Umbra, the Radical of Demise:''' Umbra's Radical of Demise underpins the absolute necessity for death to continue the cycle of life, and to prevent death from taking place elsewhere. What this means is that Umbrists believe in the inevitability of the fated end, that all thousands of premonitions of the future always lead to one outcome, being a death, and that a death must be made but that they have the choice whose life to take. This evaluation is usually based on the circumstances of the death. For example, if a Purist were to try and kill an Occult and that would result in a riot which would cause even more death, then the Umbrist would instead prevent the Occult's death, and kill the Lothar instead, because they believe that if they do not, that fate will exact another unforeseen death elsewhere. Umbra and his followers are utilitarians at heart, and as such will always seek to exact a clean and painless death to prevent more violence and more undue death that was not foretold in the threads of future visions. This can as mentioned sometimes involve taking the side of the Occult, but often also results in them killing Occult who will inevitably become Demonically possessed, or limit-break and take half a city with them.
* '''Felicula, the Radical of Love:''' Felucila's Radical of Love, is often ridiculed by the faithful of the other Dragons as inanely naive. Her Radical insists that if the Occult were just embraced, cherished, loved, and be made friends with, that the Immortal War will end by itself, and that most if not all the vileness and grief that comes from the Occult, is based by the sociopolitical conditions in which they live, in constant persecution, ridicule, and fearing for their life. While some element of this is certainly very true, Felicula worshipers sometimes neglect the reality that some people just suck, and that some entities are just irredeemably evil. Felicula and her followers will always keep trying to convince those who were led astray by the ruinous powers, that they are welcome and cherished, and through that convince them to turn away from sinful Occult behavior.
* '''Severena, the Radical of Inward:''' Severena believes that the world, reality as it existed even before the Dragons, created flaws inherent in existence. As a result, Dragons are flawed, and subsequently, mortals they create are flawed. Furthering from that thought, she believes that one cannot truly look at the Occult and claim it to be filth that defiles the world, because the world is already filled with filth in violence, untimely death, suffering, hunger, and anguish, even without Magic. She claims that it is not possible for a Draconist to truly stand against the vilest of Occult that have tasked it upon themselves to inflict suffering, if the non-Occult do not first reach a higher understanding in themselves, and rid themselves of earthly attachments and have a clean mind. The Radical of Inward insists that the faithful must reach a higher level of transcendent detachment from personal anchors such as greed, pride, vanity, lust, and so forth, and then reach out into the world during this journey, to become protectors of the world.  
* '''Aurora, the Radical of Focus:''' Aurora does not care. This is a simple view, the Radical of Focus insists that there are far more important natural functions of the world, such as the continuation of life itself and the perpetuation of new animal species. Aurora quite literally does not have time to spend a second thought about the Occult, and as such she and her followers completely ignore the hypothetical Immortal War or the war between the Dragons and the Occult, to instead focus on maintaining the base functions of the world in the absence of other divine figures to steer them. Note, this does not mean that the Life Isldar are pacifists and simply lay down to the Death Isldar attacking them, they can take a very harsh and hostile stance against the Occult, but only ever do so when the threat manifests in geo politics. Aurora and her worshipers otherwise reject the urgency of destroying unworthy or sinful Occult, even at the cost of Caius's suffering.
==Priestly Activities==
Draconist priesthood once lacked a formal structure, relying instead on Draconic oversight and the command of their directly chosen Matrons. However, as the millennia wore on and religious belief continued after the disappearance of Dragons, a priesthood came to be. With the modern-day resurgence of Draconism, the priests have multiplied alongside. Unlike the Matrons who directly serve one Dragon, the priests serve all Dragons simultaneously and preach in all their names.


===Celestial Festivals===
It is necessary to express that even though Daiana takes a direct role in the creation of Gods, coupled with the fact that Aurora has indirectly created all species and peoples of Aloria through biological experimentation, that this does not mean anyone owes them their life or obedience or indeed worship. The Dragons primary directive is to create and preserve life, but they take a very apathetic role towards this life after it is created and is able to survive. While the Dragons indirectly aid certain societies by sending Archon or other Dragon forces to fight The Presence, this isn't really to protect specific groups of people, but rather just to counteract The Presence. In many ways, Gods that are dreamed up by Daiana are found family, while Dragons are the actively rejecting family that wants nothing to do with mortals, unless they specifically choose to worship them. Dragons are welcoming to worshipers, but do not demand or expect worship from those who feel stronger kinship with the Gods that were born from their ancestor's wants and needs, and that have always been present to guide them and their ancestors, and will continue to be around for their descendants. This doesn't necessarily stop some Dragon worshipers from acting smug about the technical superiority of Dragons over other Gods, and it is certainly true that some Gods are very weak compared to Dragons and actively hide away from them, but that these persons are never ontologically correct with their attitude.
Draconist festivals are drawn up according to the twelve months of the year, placed exactly in the middle. These festivals are open to the non-faithful as well, in the search to entice new converts. The twelve monthly festivals are:
* '''Wildcard Festival (January 15)''': Taking place at the heart of winter, this celebration is an invitation for the priests of the community to celebrate the important events of the previous year in broader retrospective of all that has come to pass. This Festival specifically also celebrates Regulus and the Blue Dragons.
* '''Before-Spring (February 15)''': Amidst the clearing of the frost, this Draconist festival sees the creation of garland, bouquets, and other arrangements to show respect for nature. Nature-walks, protests of industrialization, and celebrations of the natural world via communal learning are commonly held during this time. This Festival specifically also celebrates Aurora and the Purple Dragons.
* '''Storyteller’s Festival (March 15)''': This festival is a celebration of the power of stories, and their importance in preserving oral history, especially when so much knowledge of the Dragons has been lost. Worshippers usually gather in someone’s home, or around a large stage, and take turns telling their favorite story. The tales are usually non-fiction, but fictional stories are allowed and encouraged, as long as they have some moral lesson or point.
* ''' All-Faith Tournament (April 15)''': This festival features ritualistic fighting between groups (or pairs) of warriors in the name of the Dragons. It is common for Draconists to invite fighters from other faiths, and include them in the battle, primarily to show the grace of the Dragons, but also to show off the martial prowess of the Archon and Draconists who participate. Ritualistic Dragon-Magic is used to prevent anyone from outright dying in the arena, and this Festival (unofficially) celebrates Triton and his might.
* '''Cycles of Creation (May 15)''': This festival is the Draconist version of a “Love Festival” common in many other cultures and religions. During the day, Draconists gather and encourage others to spend time with their loved ones, specifically handing out flower-wreathes to single individuals, encouraging others to talk to them. While the day celebrates platonic and romantic love, by the evening Draconists are encouraged to spend time with their romantic partner(s), and the festival is seen as a particularly holy and important time to procreate and make love, as a celebration of life. This Festival historically used to celebrate Caius and the Red Dragons, but doesn’t anymore.
* '''Introspection Trials (June 15)''': This festival is less of a festival and more of a series of quests that Draconists task one another with, based on their perceived failures and weaknesses. Draconists are encouraged to devise a “mission” for another Draconist to try and complete, specifically with the intent of helping them get over something they struggle with, or learn something new, or improve and better themselves in some way. Succeeding in this task obligates the Draconist who did the quest to treat the quest-giver in some way (dinner, drink, a gift, etc), and the opposite if the Draconist fails (as consolation, the quest-giver treats them to something nice). Outright refusal to partake is looked down upon, and obligates all other Draconists to devise an even more convoluted quest. This Festival specifically also celebrates Severena and the Green Dragons.
* '''Harmony Jubilee (July 15)''': This the largest and most bombastic of all of the Draconist Festivals, an all-day celebration including a large feast, dances, and loud music and song.  Most importantly, the Jubilee has hospitality extended to enemies of the faithful during this time, meaning they will not be attacked or chased out, so long as they do not harm someone first, or callously insult the Draconists hosting the festival. It is for this reason that the Jubilee (in Regalia, at least) is usually held in the countryside, to prevent any arrests being made. This Festival specifically also celebrates Felicula and the Yellow Dragons.
* '''Festival of Service (August 15)''': This festival has no defined structure, but is a celebration that encourages the faithful to remain humble, and offer their aid to others. For the entire day, Draconists travel in groups and offer their help, free of charge or expectation of repayment, to anyone who might need it. This can range from helping someone clean up their store, to building a home, to offering relationship advice, or trying to track down a lost pet, as long as the request does not obligate the Draconists to do something violent or offensive to their morals. This Festival specifically also celebrates Marik and the Brown Dragons.
* '''Mourning Festival (September 15)''': It is common for this festival to feature processions in the streets of towns and cities where Draconists carry candles to graveyards of other religions, to offer their condolences to remember the dead and honor their memory, no matter their religion or culture or citizenship. This Festival specifically also celebrates Umbra and the White Dragons.
* '''Harvest Ritual (October 15)''': This festival celebrates the harvest via a large potluck, where everyone contributes some ingredient or dish. The feast is a large public gathering, where non-Draconists are welcome to bring their own food and dishes. It also features lots of colors, as it is common to have dyed chalk that is smeared across people’s skin and clothes to mark them as worshippers of a particular Dragon. This Festival specifically also celebrates Daiana and the Gray Dragons.
* '''The Eternal Vigil (November 15)''': This festival is a solemn vigil in remembrance of the Archon who gave their lives historically, and even now, to protect and champion the cause of the Dragons. It is a festival that reflects on the suffering of the Archon, and even of the Dragons, at the hands of demonic forces. This Festival specifically also celebrates (or mourns) Caius and the Red Dragons.
* '''Gift-Giving and Sharing Ceremony (December 15)''': On this day, Draconists traditionally give each other personalized and thoughtful gifts of little monetary value. Usually, Draconists will choose a small number of people who they felt helped them the most throughout the year, and offer them gifts, with the expectation that everyone should get something. During this time, Draconists also partake in the ritual of sharing and absolution, wherein Draconists can reveal secrets or things they have kept hidden, that they regret or feel shame about, with the promise that by sharing at this ceremony, they will not be completely shunned or abandoned. To reveal a secret at this festival is a sacred act, and while it will not absolve them of all possible sins, it does ensure that the other Draconists will work to help them through it, and repent (if needed). This Festival specifically used to celebrate Nox, but, after his sin and banishment, it no longer does (publicly, anyways). Nox worshippers and Slizzar still hold this festival as a celebration of him and his wisdom.
===Rising===
The act of Rising is one of the more complicated rituals a Draconist priest can perform, and is a harmless event performed in the name of Daiana meant to give closure to a member of the living through the calling forth the target of their communion. It should be stated clearly that this ritual is not a Summoning or Evoking, and the entity that appears is only a visual construct from the memories of the participating party. This form can be the appearance of dead relatives, close friends, or those who were sadly taken too soon from a partner that they loved. The act of Rising is meant to provide closure, and priests as channelers of the ritual and also emotional guides, speak through their “puppet,” being granted temporary access to relevant memories shared between these two figures, or which might be useful in providing the living subject closure. Rising is seen as sacred among Draconists, while also being something that a priest does not perform lightly. An individual usually has to have a real emotional block in their mindset regarding a lost loved one for a priest to consider a Rising.


==Trivia==
==Trivia==
To be Expanded.
* Draconism is technically the oldest religion, but due to constant changes in its dogma, it is now actually the youngest Religion, being exactly 1 month old at time of this article writing.
* Sometimes non-named Dragons are very important. It was not by ordaining from Regulus that Dragons returned, but due to the rebellion of Renita, one of his subordinate Dragons.
* Dragons should be considered a form of an advanced civilization that has acquired godhood, but inevitably, there are very limited numbers of them. The Gods just happen to be the leaders of the "Clade".
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[[category:Religion]]
[[category:Religion]]

Latest revision as of 18:39, 7 December 2024

Draconism
Religion
PronunciationDra-con-ism.
OriginsStart of recorded history
Deities
One unified Pantheon with three Factions

Draconism as a religion represents an organized faith that worships dragons. Dragons are a specific class of being, somewhere in between an ancient civilization of immortals, and technicians who keep the basic functions of the world running. While many other Religions are about the Gods teaching mortals virtues and sins and guiding them to live a good life in worship and being, Dragons are less sentimental about worship and rather take mortals on a journey with them in the operation of the world and preservation of life against outside foes.

Origins

Draconism has invariably existed for all of time, but never quite in the same shape or form. Every cycle of civilization has had some form of Dragon worship, some more popular than others, with different Dragons, and different ideals. The modern version of Draconism first came into being among the early Ailor tribes and the Allorn Empire, which always contained some waning and waxing population of Dragon Cultists. Up until the Cataclysm, Draconism was a deeply disorganized religion with different cults and beliefs held in nearly every country. When the Cataclysm happened, many of the Dragons disappeared, some mysteriously, others with a clear message that the time of Dragons was over. This Long Death as it was later referred to, lasted for 300 years, until the Dragons came back one by one, and proclaimed an end to the Long Death, based on a breakdown of the consensus among them about the intentions of passing the Mantle of Creation to mortals. Since coming back, the Dragons have made efforts to organize Draconism into an actual fully fledged Religion, to acknowledge and reward their followers for their belief, even if unlike other Gods they are not strictly incentivized to seek out worship, and sometimes even seem uncomfortable with the idea.

Core Beliefs

Central Message

The central message of the Draconism faith is that there is no true purpose to anything but the continuation and expression of life itself. Draconism acts as a shield against unnatural death, but also as a guarantor of the perpetual cycle of life and death so that reality itself can perpetually experience all the colorful and vibrant expressions of being alive. There are no virtues or vices to be expected of Mortals, with the only real demand that Dragons have, being to obey their rulings towards The Presence, and to preserve life and free will worldwide. Any believer passing into the afterlife has their soul raised up to the cosmos and turned into one of many countless stars from where the living can gaze up at a memory of them. No separate section with information about the Afterlife will be provided because there is nothing else to be said about it.

Mantle of Creation

The Mantle of Creation is a concept held by Dragons that informs a more technical approach to Draconism. Dragons control the various functions of the world of Aloria, from the cycle of birth and death to the patterns of weather, material existence, the passage of time, and so forth. The world functions because they continue to make it function, and in some way, that can cause mortals to hold them as Gods to give thanks and praise for the reality they have created and enabled. To many, the Dragons are distant and mysterious, because they do not always explain their actions or intentions. The Mantle of Creation has a lot of implications, discussed further down in the Expanded Lore section, but for now only a short introduction will suffice.

Gods and Goddesses

Draconism has one unified pantheon, but the pantheon is split between two opposing factions, ruled over by a neutral mediating Dragon-King who does not take sides but resolves conflicts when they arise. Their opposition is rooted in how both sides want to deal with Demons from any of the Dimensions. All Draconists should worship all Dragons equally (though can choose a patron Dragon), but should also choose one of the two factions:

  • The faction of the Great Calm, including the Dragons Marik, Gaia, Orion, Julianus, Daiana, Felicula and Armina, believes that Demons if they follow the laws of life and agree to be bound by Draconist ritual, should be allowed to exist and thrive in the world of Aloria.
  • The faction of the Scale Pact, including the Dragons Triton, Aurora, Nox, Cinerius, Umbra, Severena, and Silas, believe that Demons if they follow the laws of life and agree to be bound by Draconist ritual, owe it to mortals to serve eternally as soldiers in the war against other Demons.

Regulus, the Dragon-King

Regulus is the Dragon-King of the entire Draconist pantheon and acts like an impartial mediator and problem solder within the pantheon, but also as a leadership and authority dragon for his worshipers. Regulus controls the domains of weather and time on Aloria and is as such often depicted with lightning. His heralds are birds, most commonly his Falcon named Princess. Regulus is prayed to for good weather in travel and fair winds for crops, but also for an understanding of future visions and the threads of time which Draconists are often plagued by. He is a patron of leaders, mentors, guides, and any other who seek to help those in need with guidance and words of wisdom, even if his personal guidance is often capricious.

Regulus has a moderating role in the pantheon, as he was born a mortal in the Regalian Empire, but discovered his Dragonsoul at a later point in life. Having lived a life as a relative nobody in the backdrop of an extensive Imperial family, and now saddled with the immortal duties of Godhood, he strikes a fine balance between duty and understanding the impracticalities of faith on the ground. Regulus has deeply personal ambitions and wants, that constantly clash with his responsibilities and leave him conflicted and difficult to understand for outsiders. There are many still around in Regalia who remember him as a mortal.

Triton, the War Dragon

Triton is both Dragon-God and Demon-God at once, a split personality from when the now-dead Dragon Caius entered the Void during the first Void Invasion and was fractured. While Caius limped back to Aloria, Triton was trapped in the Void and grew in power there. Triton is often held with distrust because of his attachment to Evolism as a God, but also because his existence in Aloria was predicated on the slow agonizing death of Caius. When Caius did eventually die, Triton was able to break into Aloria, and while Caius himself was succeeded by Cinerius in a reincarnation, Triton assumed the role of War Dragon previously held by Caius. He is worshiped for good fortune in war and also for victory in personal battles and duels.

Triton is eternally vague or avoidant whenever challenged about his true loyalties. He states one thing to Draconists, and another to Evolists, leading to many circulating theories. Generally, though, worshipers hold that more than one version of the truth can be valid because Gods always seek to expand their power in Aloria by gaining more followers. While the Dragons are generally more distant and haughty than other Gods in this activity, Triton is prone to the vices of the Void and as such seeks more power and influence. Even if some faithful are repulsed by his Void-based nature, they cannot deny his immense power.

Marik, the Leytech Dragon

Marik is the lord and master of the Leylines, an intangible network of Dragon power that extends over the world like a vascular system, feeding all of their installations with power and information. Dragons are not omnipotent, and just like other Gods, are bound by the laws of presence and influence around them. Marik's leylines extend the reach of Dragons, allowing them to act globally, for example, allowing Regulus to project weather patterns across the world while never leaving his home in Anglia. Marik also fuels the Leysystem with Soulcores and Unicores, self-operating drones that maintain by now collapsing and decaying infrastructure. Marik is worshiped for good fortune in technological pursuits and for success in professional employment.

Marik was recently reborn, however, sometime before the Dragons returned. Marik instead was reincarnated by the enigmatic Primeval the Everwatcher, the high God of the Unionist faith, and as such, doubles as a Draconist God and a Unionist God. Marik's position is complicated because Draconists believe he is foremost Marik the Dragon, while Unionists claim he is foremost their god Al-Asir. Marik himself dubiously avoids the subject but conspicuously resides among the Skyborn of Ard-al-Nur, while remaining generally absent from Dragon matters, attempting to mend the hostility between Dragonkin and Skyborn.

Gaia, the Nature Dragon

Gaia is the creator Dragon of all things flora in nature. Gaia designs the trees, the plants, the flowers, and all non-sentient life matter that form the very basic foundations of the food chains all over the world. Gaia is considered a very anti-social Dragon, in the sense that he rarely speaks with mortals, yet is touched to help them by the convictions of his lover. Gaia is worshiped to restore blighted landscapes and environments, but also for protection against the natural dangers of the dense forests, and for plants to clear the way out for anyone lost. It should be noted that not all plants are actually by Gaia's design, as many Gods of other Religions claim the mantle of nature-God, and invariably change plants in their domain to suit them.

Gaia was killed by Teled Elves during the Mage Wars, but his soul was preserved as Dragons never truly die. The current vessel of his Dragonsoul is Iorwerth, once a mortal Aelrrigan Knight from Kintyr who was trapped by the Death Gods to become a servant of the Malefica to save the soul of his lover. Iorwerth acted on behalf of the Malefica for many decades, but was freed by the intervention of mortals in Aloria, and then tasked to carry the Dragonsoul as his burden for serving the Death Gods. He remains scarred by Dark Metal shards embedded in his body, but now enjoys freedom from the control of the Malefica with his lover.

Silas, the Shaper Dragon

Silas is the Dragon of shaping, making, and crafting. He inspires the combination and processing of raw materials into objects of beauty and function, and so his worshipers pray to him for excellence in their craft. It is said that Silas was the first to strike a hammer on anvil and teach every kindling civilization how to forge bronze and iron. Draconists believe that the first swords used in the first wars on Aloria, were forged in the likeness of his metallic scales and that the Dragonforges that lie hidden across the world hold ultra-rare ingredients and materials long lost to time by which to craft powerful Artifacts. Indeed, Silas is also the power engine behind all Draconist Artifacts, even if commissioned by other Dragons.

While Aurora is traditionally seen as the Dragon to create all sentient beings of Aloria, this is not actually true in the sense that Silas has created all civilization-faring peoples of Aloria. While Aurora is adept at precisely organizing food-chains of complex animal-life, only Silas knows the Elderlaw principles of higher cognitive ability Creation Particles required to form the people of Aloria, while they are born in Aurora's craters, they are shaped by Silas. Silas's most recent magnum Opus, or so it is believed, is the Urlan, a far cry from his first designed Mud-men. Though, he is far more enigmatic than Aurora and is often forgotten.

Severena, the Protector Dragon

Severena is the Dragon of protection and guidance, a Dragon that has inspired whole civilizations into the act of world guardianship. She inspires all to shepherd and shield those too weak to defend themselves and empowers her followers to protect them from harm, most chiefly the Demons who have come to bring ruin to Aloria. While Triton is considered the General to issue commands, Severena is the frontline commander who joins the fray with the Archon and Leytech machines. Triton remains in the shadows with his plots, while Severna brandishes her blades and talons to protect not only her charge, but also those who have chosen to sacrifice their life in the line of duty for Dragons. She is prayed to for protection and liberation from oppression.

Severena did not traditionally die or disappear like the other Dragons at the end of their reign around Cataclysm. Rather, she and her clade of Dragons entered an eternal slumber that froze the Jade Seas around the Zhong Kingdoms, the traditional homeland of the Sihai. This event also created the Jade Walls, massive walls of frozen sea waves that protect the Sihai lands from their periodic Demonic attacks, as massive lumbering beasts called Akula attack from the seas. Lately, the Jade Walls have shown signs of cracking and melting, leading many to fear the imminent awakening of the Dragons and the disappearing of their protections.

Aurora, the Life Dragon

Aurora is the Dragon of Life and Creation, traditionally held as the chief administrator of the Creation Particles, the Elderlaw principles used to create living bodies and design organisms. From the smallest creatures that require microscopes to see, to massive sky whales and dune snakes, Aurora crafts the food chains of the world, carefully balancing predators and prey, scavengers and providers. She designs each creature with the intent to live and continue the cycle of life and death, a dance between herself as the Life Dragon, and Umbra as the Death Dragon. It is her love for Umbra and his for her, that causes them both to appear as halves of each other, elements of white and black in equal balance and never truly meet. She is worshiped for good hunts and healthy children.

Aurora has a personally painful history, from the Cold March during which she led the Dregodar north into Ellador, to her eventual demise at the hands of the Dwarves where she became the Undead Dragon Frisit, or so the Dregodar becoming Isldar had thought. Aurora's body was actually possessed by the Ordial Entity known later as Frisit, an agent of the Death Goddess the Glacial, who was plotting to subject the Isldar to her rule and expand her domain in Aloria through their deadly means. When Aurora was revived, this plot was revealed, immediately plunging the Isldar into Civil War while Aurora retreated to her Craters of Creation to restore damaged ecosystems.

Nox, the Knowledge Dragon

Nox is traditionally held as the Dragon of Knowledge, but his unofficial title is the Dragon of Deceit, Plotting, and Scheming. Nox is the architect of the Codexes, the Draconic sites that hold information of the past 130,000 years recorded in painful detail, something that makes his sites particular targets by nefarious actors. He is however skilled in deploying all this knowledge to hide, obfuscate his intentions, and even plot around fellow Dragons to get his way, most notoriously in the creation of the Slizzar that caused him to be imprisoned for over a hundred thousand years, while he continued to influence the world through them. It is said that Nox used Elderlaw to create mirrors on Aloria, or the concept of reflection, leading his enemies to smash mirrors.

Nox is sometimes held with distrust among the faithful, especially those who harbor resentment towards the Slizzar for having been created in an act of defiance by Nox, but also because Nox while being an upstanding Dragon God, is still entertaining his own plots away from the other Dragons without their knowledge. This has also led some who hold him as patron to consider themselves above the common Draconist faithful and imitate their lord in his game of scheming against their own erstwhile allies. Nobody can deny, however, that Nox is one of the few remaining unbroken consciousnesses that has been alive since the beginning of time, and thus has endless knowledge.

Orion, the Afterlife Dragon

Orion is the steward of the Draconic Afterlife, which makes him a steward of the constellations and stars in equal measure. The Draconists believe that Orion designs the cosmic night sky, the ordained position of all the stars and the celestial bodies, and moves them through the vacuous space beyond the Terrasphere so that sunrises and moon phases occur. Orion is considered a deeply detached Dragon, the only one not present in the Terrasphere (Aloria's atmosphere), roaming instead among the stars and only venturing onto Aloria when summoned by the Dragon Conclave. Many Draconic monks emulate his teachings of earthly detachment and enlightenment, while many priests also consider him a patron due to his relation with death rites.

Orion is one of the few Gods of any Religion that actually cares about atheists and agnostics, always ensuring that they have a place in an afterlife and that their souls do not just explode into nothingness when they die. Orion preserves the souls of the dead without faith among the stars, just like the other Draconists, which some Draconists find difficult to process due to the mental gymnastics one must inherently engage in to be an atheist in a world full of divine providence. They do not believe that atheists should be rewarded with an afterlife when they are so resistant to the common sense of spirituality and the undeniability of divinity.

Julianus, the Wisdom Dragon

Julianus is the agent of wisdom and insight, a purely logic and pragmatism-driven Dragon that shows little compassion for the individual but is instead condemned to see the perpetual reality beyond reality. Julianus is the only Dragon that peers into all Dimensions at once, from the Void to the Beyond, and even the realms of the Fae and the Silence. Julianus's utter lack of emotions allows him to drift between existences and observe as a silent witness while remaining unaffected by the natural corruption of these realms due to his apathy. Julianus acts as such like an oracle to the other Dragons, being able to combine Nox's knowledge, and his own sight into other realities, to better predict where Dragon faith should bend and where it should progress.

Julianus is the cause of visions and far-sight that Draconists are sometimes prone to, living dreams and waking realities that bend and show them things they often fail to comprehend. Julianus speaks with such apathy and lack of understanding for mortals, that his god-like perception often becomes a series of incomprehensible images or gibberish speech, which the faithful sometimes spend even years attempting to decipher. Worship of him is often aimed at wishing for an understanding of personal fate, and the insight to avoid calamities, even if the faithful must confess to seek the guidance of other Gods to decipher his messages.

Daiana, the Ancestor Dragon

Daiana is a bit more complicated to explain than the other Dragons because she does not have a conventional body outside of the projection that she sometimes appears as. Daiana, simply put, is the planet of Aloria itself. Her soul is the core of the world, and her body is the earth mantle that covers her massive inner core that has been described as blinding light in all color spectrums by those who have ventured to certain doors only opened by Artifacts. Her Dreaming manifests whole Religions and even makes changes to reality through Elderlaw, representing ancestry and descendants. When she is worshiped, it is to call upon the Spirits of ancestors to help the living in their struggles, she also fulfills the role of earth-mother and fertility due to the bounty of life on Aloria.

Daiana is the only Dragon that produces Godborn conventionally through her Dreams of Divinity, though all Dragons are actually capable of creating Dragonborn through non-conventional manifestation long after birth. It is believed that Demons who attack Aloria indirectly attack Daiana. She suffers from the corruption that is brought by unregulated Magic and Mages who do not properly vent or dispense with the damage or cost of their Magic to their environment. As such, incorrect usage of Magic, or irresponsible dispensing of Magic, is gravely offensive to Draconists, because it attacks her directly.

Cinerius, the Passion Dragon

Cinerius is the reincarnation of Caius, the previous War Dragon. Caius suffered from the corruption of the Void when he ventured into that realm during the first Void Invasion to understand the enemy. The Corruption slowly ate away at him for 130,000 years, until it finally killed him, and rebirthed him as Cinerius the Dragon of Love and Passion. Caius had always been the Dragon of Love and War, but with his reincarnation, War was inherited by Triton, while Cinerius became an ever-brighter flame of love. It is said that Caius is shrouded in permanent shadow, because to gaze at him would drive mortals insane as they are confronted with every single unspoken desire they have ever had, a realization that some find frightening, wishing not to learn certain things of themselves.

Caius's eventual death and Cinerius's rebirth are somewhat shrouded in mystery, as the faithful and Dragons alike believe Umbra had some hand in the matter with a fair amount of gaslighting. Umbra convinced the whole pantheon for millennia that Caius could only be saved by killing all the Mages and permanently shutting off the Veil. While this theory is technically sound among those who know how the Veil works, there are those who believe this goal was always unattainable, and realistically just distracted the faithful from finding actually actionable solutions to save Caius. In the end however, anyone who asks Cinerius if he would like to go back, will be resolutely rebuked.

Umbra, the Death Dragon

While Nox draws most of the ire from the faithful for potentially having complicated loyalties, Umbra often goes under the Radar due to his silent planning, and his actions that are counted in hundreds of thousands of years. Umbra is the agent of death, the first death in the world was caused by him, and every death continues to be an echo of his eternal demand that life must end, in order for life to begin again. Umbra has designed all diseases, all viruses, and all bacteria that consume. He has caused the Elderlaw of entropy, of decay, and of rot. Together with his great love Aurora, he ensures that there is a perpetual cycle of life and death, among mortals but also crucially among Gods. Even if Gods cannot die traditionally, their metaphoric death gives rise to reborn ideologies.

The faithful often grapple with the eternal necessity of Umbra's design. It is easy to worship Umbra when he sharpens a blade before the kill, or guides an arrow or bullet to its target, but it becomes a lot harder to worship him when the faithful's body is rotting from disease, or ravaged by cancer. Umbra in such a way is worshiped both to help those who inflict death to inflict it fast and painless, but also in a form of fear-worship to pray that his agents of death stay far away and that the individual faithful may have a long and happy life that is not cut short by Umbra's inevitable quota-generated balancing acts. Nobody likes being auto-balanced into the afterlife.

Felicula, the Arcane Dragon

Felicula is the Dragon of Magic, responsible for upholding much of Elderlaw among the Dragons, but crucially also to allowing Magic to flow into Aloria and to maintain the Veil. Some would claim that her task must thus be to shut down the Veil and prevent Magic from coming through, but her act is more one of balance and conservation, rather than destruction and erasure. Felicula is thought of as the kindest among the Dragons with a great bleeding heart for the fates of the living. It is by her will, that Magic is shaped into something potentially useful. It is by her design, that responsible Magic casting is made possible, because without the order that she creates, Magic is just cancer-inducing rot. She is prayed to for guidance and good fortune in Magic casting, and to be protected from Dark Magic.

It is important to express that extradimensional Magic does not exist because Felicula allows it, but is shaped in a more harmless form because Felicula wishes it for the betterment of mortals both inside and outside the faith. There is truly nothing Felicula could do to prevent Magic from existing in Aloria, so she makes the most of it and generates the Elderlaw principles required for responsible casting and Magic Venting to occur safely. Still, it is believed that it is also by Felicula's design, that those who are Born with Magic have their souls touched by her design and blessed by her goodwill and compassion for others, even if they do not follow in her footsteps.

Armina, the Community Dragon

Armina is the Dragon of Family, kindness, companionship, and community. While Silas designed the first Mud-men, it was Armina who felt they were cold to one another and kissed them with the gift of community and society, thus giving all people on Aloria a longing for companionship and togetherness. Armina embodies the necessity for cooperation and community, she is the agent of loneliness to all those who reject their loved ones and friends, and the warmth between the oldest of acquaintances meeting once more. Armina is the agent of the Soul Rivers, yet another branch of Dragon power that extends over the whole world just like the Leylines, somehow connecting all living souls on Aloria together with the afterlives of other Religions.

Armina remains missing or presumed dead in the modern era, due to her complicated relationship with Avinla among the Suvial Elves. While Avinla was a Goddess of the Estelley Pantheon which at times has posited itself as an enemy of Draconism, Armina and Avinla were two peas in a pod when it came to the Suvial people, and the reasons why their society is split between the two Religions. It is not within the power of individual Gods to suspend the death of millions of people, and as such, it is often speculated that Armina is actually responsible for the undying nature of the Suvial, even if the exact nature of the situation is badly understood due to her absence.

Priesthood

Priesthood for Draconism is more complicated than one might assume at first glance from a Religion that was effectively dead for 300-odd years while most Dragons were either in slumber or in a near-death state. At the end of the Immortal War, the Dragons decreed that the Mantle of Creation (the theoretical stewardship over the world's functions) was to pass to mortals and that they too would become mortal (explanation on why they did this is further below). As this occurred around Cataclysm, Draconism as a Religion was effectively dead for 300 years except for among the Sihai where the Dragons could still be visited, or the Isldar who were deceived. Still, when the Dragons returned centuries later, they found that much of the priesthood had survived their absence and that in some places, the faith had even grown. The Religion had always been considered more of a curiosity by the Dragons, who never asked to be worshiped, or set out to have a Religion specifically ordained by them. They fully expected everyone to give up on the Religion when they left, but the fact they had not, caused a change to occur.

The structures that were still very much in place, were the hierarchy set out before the Immortal War that had more or less survived. At the head of all the priesthood were the Matrons (a non-gendered term) that applied to the single most favored of each Dragon God. Each God had their own Matron, a mortal who would have their favor, and know most personally their wishes and ambitions for the world, and could translate them to the other faithful. This position was often elective, but some Matrons passed their lineage from generation to generation, which became especially common after the Denial of Immortality. The only Matron succession that had not survived, was Regulus's Matron, who was eventually chosen from the Isldar to be Gwenyth Zylmoira, leading the faithful into a new era.

Below the Matrons, are the Dragon Priests. Dragon Priests represent the whole religion, but usually specialize in the teachings of a specific Dragon God as their patron, and emphasize their qualities and teachings above the others. Generally speaking though, Dragon Priests should be aware of all other Dragons just as much, and be able to hold their own in theological discussion on the merits and values of the other Dragons too, but also understand the overarching narrative of Draconism as a whole. It is possible to be a Dragon Priest and hold other occupations, as Dragon Priesthood is more of a personal choice than an ordained position. There is no official academy or place of teaching for Priests, the only real requirement is that each self-ordained priest takes a pilgrimage to the Matron of their Patron God, and seeks approval from them.

Below the Dragon Priests are the Dragon Champions. Unlike Dragon Priests, Dragon Champions do not widely act as priests, they are more akin to lay priests but hold an extreme emphasis on specific Dragon Gods. Anyone can be a Dragon Champion, it is in most cases self-declared, but 9 out of 10 Dragon Champions are warriors because they enforce the might and will of their Dragon usually by the sword. This may lead to some comical arrangements, with Felicula Dragon Champions forcing participants to have a party and be happy, with the threat of physical harm if they do not. Dragon Champions can administer religious services, but only specifically to their own patron God, while Dragon Priests can perform more general and widespread religious services.

Expanded Lore

The Expanded Lore section contains additional contextual information about the Draconist faith. This section is not necessary to read to get a good understanding of the lore, just the background information.

Festivals and Worship

The Draconism Expanded Page contains information on Draconism Holy days (one each month), as well as basic rituals performed by Draconism Priests for the faithful. This Page is useful to read for upcoming festivals, but is not necessary to fully explore unless an event is actually upcoming and pinned to the calendar. The bottom of the page contains information relevant to Draconism Priests.

Crystalline Symbolism

Due to crystals being formed in the crust of Aloria (thus Daiana), they bear a specific value to Draconism that is both symbolic, but also has every day life uses. Draconists believe Crystals resonate either with the elements of the world and Daiana herself, or are capable of generating a weak reality-enforcement field around them that seep away dark magics and corrupted realm energies. While individual crystals are not strong enough to yield a noticeable effect from a purely scientific standpoint, superstition and cultural adherence to the healing powers of crystals remains prevalent among Draconists. The Draconists also have a specific crystalline cave underneath the Thundermount shrine of Regulus in Regalia that is so filled to the brim with different crystals, that it is their favored location for storing Magestone among the Magic users of Draconism. Soulgems also hold a particular value among Draconists, as artificial embodiments of particular personality qualities strongly associated with individual people. For more information on Soulgems, read the Soulgems page.

Relation to Magic

Draconism has a historically complicated relationship with Magic that has generally mellowed out over the last few centuries. While originally the Draconist view of Mages and Magic was to utterly burn them out of existence, the reality of the world touched and changed by Magic eventually settled in, and relations to the idea of Magic being in the world normalized. It must always be understood that if the Dragons could have it any other way, they would prefer it if Magic did not exist. After all, Elderlaw, the Magic of Dragons and the fabric of reality, still remains inaccessible to mortals, disabled for their use ever since the first Void Invasion due to the Dragons's mistrust.

Dragon Gods and Goddess do not show any particular favor towards any of the Dimensions, but hold a great disdain for Magic from the Beyond, due to its inherent death-inducing themes and associations. This does not mean that Dragons or Draconists reject anyone with Magic from the Beyond, it just means that the faithful are generally more guarded towards those with indirect connections to the Ordial realm without knowing their exact allegiances or intentions. Draconists in general do not define or color any dimension other than the Beyond with any pre-supposed expectation, and hold all types of Magic and their users responsible for their ultimate conduct, safe Venting, and proper casting procedures. They can however turn hostile against Mages who are careless and corrupt the world, sending Archon after them like holy warriors to rob them of their Magic.

The Advancement

Prior to the Advancement, each Dragon had their own Radical view of how to deal with the Presence, a catch-all term for all things magical in the world, including Demons and Mages and the Afflicted. When Caius died, the Conclave was shaken so profoundly that it re-convened, an event that had only taken place 5 centuries prior to discuss the departure of Dragons from their traditional role as Mantle of Creation. In this Conclave, Regulus abandoned his own Radical, and tried to mediate the Conclave to agree to a common sentiment on the Presence. While agreements were formed fairly quickly on Mages and the Afflicted (namely, that Mages deserved life, and the Afflicted curing or death), no agreement could be made on Demons.

Eventually two camps formed under the nominal leadership of Daiana and Triton, both equally believing fanatically in their views of the Great Calm and the Scale Pact, while the other Dragons each joined these factions. Regulus was the only one who remained impartial, even if the Conclave is in some views seen as a failure on his part to truly unify the Dragons in one ideology. The great benefit it did bring however, was that the Dragons committed to taking their own Religion seriously. While prior, their Religion had been cobbled together beliefs held and proclaimed by mortals, the Dragons committed to decreeing their own beliefs and dogma, so that the faithful could take it directly from them instead of just assuming.

Old Believers

Old Believers of Draconist exist (though it is generally not recommended you play one, due to their hostile relations with both Draconists and non-Draconists). Old Believers of Draconism hold onto the anti-Presence attitude that the Religion once had over 500 years ago, still firmly believing that the Presence (Mages, Afflicted, Demons, etc.) are all alien to the world of Aloria, and must be purged from the world. Most modern Draconists believe that Old Believers are insane blood-thirsty fanatics, but the reality is always a bit more nuanced than claimed. Some have never gotten over the death of Caius and because of their love for that Dragon, continue the burning crusade against the Presence. Others yet, are not comfortable with the radical accepting degree that he Dragons currently show towards Demons. While technically Old Believers generally agree that the Presence should be burnt out of the world, there are degrees of radicalness and pragmatism among them, causing some Old Believers to not outright believe in death for Mages, but just general segregation and population control.

Dragon Types

Dragons are not singular, there exist not just 15 Dragons in the world, but technically hundreds, and even different categories. To make sense of the various categories, this section will explain the differences.

  • Dragon-Gods are the leaders of so-called Clades. Clades are groupings of Dragons that are all of the same type. For example, the Blue Clade belongs to Regulus the Blue Dragon. All of these Blue Dragons control time and rain and storm, but only the Dragon God Regulus is considered a God. The other Clade Dragons are still considered divine, but their power is inherited from the Dragon-God, who holds absolute authority. The other Clade Dragons should be considered like right-hands because Dragons are not omnipotent or omniscient, and can't be everywhere at once.
  • Clade Dragons are the afore-described right-hands of the Dragons. Clade Dragons do not have a consistent number, for example, Regulus has only 6, while Marik has 30 (though many of them remain dead). Clade Dragons appear identical to their Dragon-Gods, but there is no common trend between what certain Dragons look like. The only true commonality is that all true Dragons are massive, sometimes as large as mountains, and thus compare with the Primeval Beings in size. True Dragons can have four legs, only two, six, or none at all. Sometimes they have wings, other times they do not. Sometimes they are long, or stubby, or slither around.
  • Drakon are mortal versions of Dragons that nonetheless live for centuries. It is somewhat unclear if they are directly related to Dragon-Gods or Clade Dragons, or were created to come too close to them in appearance. Drakon always appear like the traditional understanding of a wyvern with two large wings which it can support itself on, two hind legs, a long neck and a long tail. Drakon are large but never quite as massive as true Dragons, being about the size of a Regalia Frigate. Drakon have no inherent Magic, but do have an elemental breath that depends on the Dragon they belong to. For example, Regulus Drakon can breathe lightning, while Cinerius Drakon breathe fire, and Silas Drakon breathe sharp silver shrapnel, and Felicular Drakon breathe ethereal Magic. Drakon are primarily war beasts used by the Dragons to fight Arken and Demons. Only in very rare cases will a Dragon send a Drakon to act as mount for a chosen person for their task.
  • Drakes (often also called Wyverns) are mortal versions of Dragons that live for several centuries but are much smaller than Drakon. Wyvern are just larger than a war-horse, allowing them to comfortable carry multiple persons on their back, but not able to tear down whole buildings like Drakon could. Drakes were created specifically as flying mounts for the Archon and Dragon Champions, and usually bond with mortals as their personal mount. Drakes do not possess any Magic, appear with the same appearance traits as Drakon, and also do not have an elemental breath.
  • Draconet are small mortal versions of Drakes that are no larger than dog-sized. What their exact purpose was is unclear, unlike Drakes and Drakon they have four legs and thus can move around like most mammals, but rarely fly despite being able to do so. Draconets are occasionally kept as pets by worshipers though they are exceedingly rare to find, and usually have to be raised from an egg to acquire the right calm temperament. Draconets were considered a prized possession during the Allorn Empire, but overhunting of their native populations has effectively driven them to extinction in the wild, with only select eggs being held onto for centuries until they hatch for the right person in unclear conditions.

Dragon or Primeval

To cast aside presumptions, Dragons are distinctly not Primeval. While Dragons rarely speak about the pre-Seraph history and existence of the world, they have made clear statements about the idea that when they first awoke, that the Primeval Beings were already there. The only Primeval Beings that the Dragons have ever spoken about, were the Everwatcher, the Blind One, and the Covenant, though for the Covenant she went by a different name and appearance. Dragons believe Primevals to be more powerful than them, and some speculate that in the eternal cycle of creation, that the Primevals actually created Dragons, who in turn created mortals and other Gods, though this is exceedingly hard to prove. There is effectively no communication between the Dragons and the Primeval Beings. The Everwatcher only speaks to the Vessel of Unionism and does so cryptically, the Blind One is in a state of eternal unconscious binding by its followers to prevent it from awakening, while the Covenant seems lost in some higher state of being that makes her interactions with the world seem more instinctual than calculated. The Dragons urge utter caution when attempting to interact or learn more about the Primeval Beings, because what is unknowable to Dragons, will surely spell doom for the mind of mortals.

God Dreams

Dragons create Gods, flat-out. It is necessary to discuss this topic to dissuade furthering logic that because Dragons create Gods, that other Religions are fake and that Dragons should be worshiped instead as the only correct Gods. This is far from the truth, and actively against the intentions of the Dragons even. To first examine how other Gods are made, they are barely tangentially made by Dragons. When enough people on Aloria wish or crave for something, it is often through the optic of divine protection or saving. People generally gravitate in situations of despair and suffering, to wishing for a higher power to wisk them away and protect them, and this naturally becomes a desire for a savior-god. When enough people wish for this, all that emotional energy is felt by the planet itself, which is Daiana. Daiana dreams, but her dreams are never decided upon by herself, they are affected by the emotional energy that permeates the crust from the people living on it. And so, when enough people wish for a God, Daiana dreams of their desire, and Daiana's dreams become manifested reality. Nearly all Gods are thus born from Daiana's dreams by the template and wish provided by the people. There are some corner cases. For example, some Fornoss Gods were Arken who refracted into Godhood, and some Unionist Gods were made Gods directly by the Primeval Being the Everwatcher, but generally speaking, this logic holds true.

It is necessary to express that even though Daiana takes a direct role in the creation of Gods, coupled with the fact that Aurora has indirectly created all species and peoples of Aloria through biological experimentation, that this does not mean anyone owes them their life or obedience or indeed worship. The Dragons primary directive is to create and preserve life, but they take a very apathetic role towards this life after it is created and is able to survive. While the Dragons indirectly aid certain societies by sending Archon or other Dragon forces to fight The Presence, this isn't really to protect specific groups of people, but rather just to counteract The Presence. In many ways, Gods that are dreamed up by Daiana are found family, while Dragons are the actively rejecting family that wants nothing to do with mortals, unless they specifically choose to worship them. Dragons are welcoming to worshipers, but do not demand or expect worship from those who feel stronger kinship with the Gods that were born from their ancestor's wants and needs, and that have always been present to guide them and their ancestors, and will continue to be around for their descendants. This doesn't necessarily stop some Dragon worshipers from acting smug about the technical superiority of Dragons over other Gods, and it is certainly true that some Gods are very weak compared to Dragons and actively hide away from them, but that these persons are never ontologically correct with their attitude.

Trivia

  • Draconism is technically the oldest religion, but due to constant changes in its dogma, it is now actually the youngest Religion, being exactly 1 month old at time of this article writing.
  • Sometimes non-named Dragons are very important. It was not by ordaining from Regulus that Dragons returned, but due to the rebellion of Renita, one of his subordinate Dragons.
  • Dragons should be considered a form of an advanced civilization that has acquired godhood, but inevitably, there are very limited numbers of them. The Gods just happen to be the leaders of the "Clade".
• Unionism • Draconism • Estelley • Fornoss • Evolism • Khama • Nilthism • Minor Faiths •
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