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Fornoss is one of the earliest Religions of the Ailor Race, that survived thousands of years of conversion by other Religions as well as attempts to be eradicated by various nations, as one of the few surviving so called [[Pagan Faiths]]. Unlike the other (mostly) dead Pagan Faiths, Fornoss has a large following, particularly among Velheim and Gallovian Ailor, though a large number of Urlan, Dwarves, and some Ashhaven Eronidas also follow it, meaning it is not limited in scope to just Ailor. Fornoss is sometimes also called the Old Gods Religion, but this is not a historically correct term. The Gods are not old from a pure chronological perspective, and it is certainly not the oldest Religion in Aloria. This term was mostly popularized by the Ailor, who when reviewing only their own history, can see Fornoss as the oldest Religion, but when taking the totality of the world's history, Fornoss is a more accurate term, which roughly translates to "Ancient us", an homage to its survival through the ages.
{{Info religion
|image = Gdwsgdse.png
|pronunciation = Dra-konism
|origins = Unknown, presumed over 70.000 years ago
|deities = Regulus, Caius, Daiana, Triton, Nox, Marik, Severena, Aurora.
|subsects = N/A
|}}
==Origins==
==Origins==
The birthing of the Gods and the founding of the Religion are two distinct periods. The birthing of the Gods is a mysterious period perhaps thousands of years before the first followers professed their belief in the Gods, as it is said that the Gods wandered for many ages before finding the people that would recognize their worth. It is said that the Eili Gods were born at the foot of the tree Arne surrounded by Dragons, though it is unclear if these refer to the Draconism Dragon Gods, or just the folktale version of Dragons which may also have been Skywyrms. There is also some theological debate about whether Arne is actually the Draconist Goddess Daiana, because no Tree of Life has ever been found elsewhere, but most Fornoss believers hold onto the version that states Arne is not a Dragon. The Fornoss Religion is roughly 15,000 years old, though this has an error margin of about 3,000 years, because the proto-Velheim people who were the first Fornoss followers did not have a form of writing at the time. The Religion was founded on a series of islands and part of the mainland of Oldt Tera (Ceardia), where the locals embraced a form of polytheism while most other Ceardian tribes were monotheistic. The Eili offered the faithful escape from the endless bloodshed and misery and slavery under the Elves that terrorized the Oldt Tera shores, fleeing the mainland, and retreating to some island called Aldra, which cannot be found on any modern map. On Aldra however, the Fornoss believers still were not safe, so the Eili contacted the Vola, and created The Pact, which joined both Pantheons to the Fornoss believers as two distinct unions, and the Fornoss people were finally given safety in Volaheim's embrace through the Vaarda Gates. For thousands of years, the Fornoss followers spread across the world through the Vaarda Gates, until Svartskra.
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.
 
===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.  
The Fornoss Gods are divided between two distinct Pantheons, the Eili who are generally considered mindful and virtuous but restrained, and the Vola who are generally considered opportunistic and selfish but powerful. The two Pantheons represent the two halves of any person's soul, filled with desire to do good by others, and desire to do good by one's self. It is important to stress here that there is no ontological morality that can be assigned to either Pantheon. While some Eili create the impression of being purely benign, they are in ways just as flawed as mortals and have desires and wants and needs that can cause them to commit great misdeeds, such as the time when Bard cut off Svol's arms because Svol refused to participate in Bard's punishment of the faithful for small misdeeds. Similarly, Hrymrøk foments chaos and anarchy wherever and whoever she touches, however even when cities crumble and burn, does the destruction give way to the liberation of the enslaved Fornoss followers that lived in the undercities. While generally speaking all Gods have good intentions for their followers, they are all equally capable of cruelty, misguidedness, deceitful or selfish actions to preserve their worship, which speaks to their vanity. However, because Soldi inherently represents helping others, and Svaldi represents using others, the faithful still draw lines in the sand and dictate morality on each other based on their personal beliefs, even if there is no theological reason to reinforce it. There are some people who worship only the Eili called Eilirik, and some people who only worship the Voli called Volirik, while a person who worships both is called a Hvarkirik. These three groups tend to conflict with one another for religious reasons, but usually unite when facing an external threat, like they did during the Skagger Wars against Regalians. Fornoss does not have a strict list of Virtues and Vices, rather, source the list of Soldi and Svaldi enriching activities from the Gods and Goddesses section.  
==Draconic Nuance==
 
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.
===Soldi & Svaldi===
===Divine Mechanics===
Soldi and Svaldi are two very important terms that accompany the Fornoss believers throughout all their lives. In the simplest of terms, Soldi is honor derived from virtue, while Svaldi is honor derived from opportunism. Soldi and Svaldi can be seen as resources that souls accrue in life as they grow older, and the goal of any Fornoss believer generally is to acquire high Soldi or Svaldi and be permitted into the afterlives of the Eili and Vola. Some might even consider trying to acquire both, a difficult balancing act, but if successful, might result in the very Gods themselves playing games of skill and wit to secure the soul for their own afterlives. This can sometimes result in a so-called Hvitdraugr, who is Undead Draugr until such a time comes that the Gods have finished their conflict over the person's soul (if they stay alive for that long in an Undead unfriendly world). Finally, it is also possible to lose Soldi or Svaldi from actions that go against the tenets of the Gods. It is in fact possible to lose all Soldi or Svaldi all at once, but this is usually not a complete disaster. Either honor can be restored, and can in fact be restored by another person. It is not uncommon for a father to lose all Soldi, resulting in their son beginning a quest to restore Soldi in his name. When offering his achievements up to the Gods, he offers them in his father's name, resulting in the Gods restoring the Soldi of his father. It is even possible to do this for people who have already died and passed into Imellomgård (purgatory), or who have come back from Imellomgård as Draugr Undead. In such a case, the living must restore their Soldi or Svaldi, after which they are released and restored to the proper afterlife, and in rare cases, to life either as a living person or a Revenant Spirit.
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.
 
* 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.
===Eiliheim & Volaheim===
Unlike all other Religions, Old Gods has two afterlives, the Eiliheim which is the paradise of the Eili Pantheon, and the Volaheim which is the paradise of the Vola Pantheon. There exists also a realm in between, but this is not really classified as a paradise and more like a purgatory called Imellomgård, which literally translates to the land in between. While Eiliheim and Volaheim are described as places filled with the luxuries of life and pleasures of mortal life made immortal, Imellomgård is a land devoid of color, song, happiness and purpose, where souls who are refused entry into the other afterlives are forced to wander for all eternity. To enter Eiliheim, a person must have high Soldi, and to enter Volaheim, a person must have high Svaldi. If a person has neither in adequate quantity, or offended both Pantheons by having negative Soldi or Svaldi, they are condemned to Imellomgård to wander the mirror-wastes for all eternity. Though, Undead sometimes come back from Imellomgård in the form of Draugr Undead, if their bodies were not properly interred in the Helbolwen burial sites.  
 
===Svartskra===
The Svartskra identifies a pivotal point in Fornoss history that despite its massive importance to all Fornoss believers, is mostly shrouded in mystery either by the Eili forcing the faithful to forget, or the people willingly abandoning any reference to this period to avoid the stray faithful from looking too deep into the matter and opening old wounds. As part of the Fornoss origins, the so-called Vaarda Gates, exist all over the world visited by Fornoss followers, helping their early colonizing boom. It is said by the Eili that these Gates were built by Bev, and passed through Volaheim to fold time and space together, allowing instant transportation across vast distances. At some point, the relationship between the Fornoss believers and the Eili, as opposed to the Vola and their Spirits, turned sour. It is said by the Eili that Rand (who they call the Great Betrayer) tricked them and condemned the Fornoss followers to some kind of horrible fate, thus causing their rebellion against the Pact that was meant to save the early Velheim people from Elven enslavement. From this point it is unclear if the Fornoss believers were expelled or fled from the Volaheim Gates. Whatever the circumstances, the Gates were closed shut after everyone was out with Bev's Keys (Artifact Weapons), which were then scattered across the world. The Vola maintain that the Eili fomented a false rebellion and that the followers defaced the Vola in their own home, though whichever version is closer to the truth, is hard to say as both sides have motive to lie. The last side effect of Svartskra (the day the Gates shut), was that the two Eili who had brokered the deals with the Vola the Flesh God Gro and the Metal God Jord were banished by the Eili and stripped from the Pantheon. Similarly, the Vola banished the two Gods responsible for working out the deal with the Eili being the Revenge God Asbjørn and the Greed God Frynni, who were also stripped from the Pantheon. Since this day, the Eili and Vola have been immortal enemies. As a consequence of this animosity, both sides agreed to refrain from interfering with the faithful too much, so as to prevent all out holy war within the Religion. This explains why the Fornoss Gods have been exceptionally silent during major tragedies that struck for example the Velheim people in the past 300 years, however in recent years, this policy has shown signs of cracking, with some raising concerns that if the Gods get too involved, that they will start fighting each other.


==Gods and Goddesses==
==Gods and Goddesses==
The Fornoss Gods are divided over two Pantheons, Eili and Vola. The God listing below shows Eili and Vola as prefix in front of their names. This is purely for ease of readability, in daily life, the believers do not prefix the names of the Gods with their Pantheon membership, this is purely for the reader. The titular name is also not necessary, it just provides a more poetic way of referring to them without using their name directly. Because both Pantheons expelled two Gods each, and because the Pantheons didn't become established all at once and some Gods joined much later, it is still possible for this Pantheon to grow.  
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.  
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<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Eili Bev, Doorway of the Moon'''</center></span>
<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Regulus, the Blue King Dragon'''</center></span>
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* '''Name:''' Bev, the Lord of Water, called Bevel by the Gallovian Ailor.
* '''Name:''' Regulus, the Dragon of Command, Hierarchy and Rulership.
* '''Domain:''' Bev's domain is the mortuary cult, the death rites, and mortal aging.
* '''Domain:''' Regulus controls the Draconic Conclave and rules the Dragons.
* '''Symbols:''' Mirrors, The Mortuary Cloth, rich and deep colors of Blue and Black.
* '''Symbols:''' Thunder Storms, Rulership, Banners, Rain, Bodies of Water.  
* '''Role:''' Bev measures the Soldi of the Dead, and guards the Gate to the Afterlife.  
* '''Role:''' Regulus acts as the King of Dragons, to mediate and command them.
* '''Traits:''' Cryptic, Silent, Reserved, Slow-Acting, Careful, Observant, Learned.
* '''Traits:''' Capricious, Cryptic, Regal, Sagely, Mediating, Attentive, Loyalty.
* '''Temple:''' Bev's largest Temple is the Dead-Door Mortuary in Irvainvik, Drixagh.
* '''Temple:''' House of Dragons on Draackenrust Mountain in Anglia.  
* '''Allies:''' Ammuloa followers, priests of other societies, especially Unionist.
* '''Allies:''' Arkenborn, Urlan, Adal & Hagen faithful, Leyon faithful.
* '''Enemies:''' Anything Ordial Aligned, especially Undead, and more so Draugr Undead.
* '''Enemies:''' Those who stand against the Regalian Empire and seek its downfall.
* '''Soldi:''' Gained from tending/respecting to the dead, lost from disrespecting the dead.
* '''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.  
* '''Rituals:''' Bev rituals involve the tending of Helbolwen graves, refreshing flowers and offerings, and lighting candles by the Bev statue which can always be found in a Helbolwen. Bev is also worshiped through the singing chalice, large chalices filled with water and played somber and harrowing tunes with by gliding fingers over the rims.  
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<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Vola Rand, Herald the Dark Celestial'''</center></span>
<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Caius, the Red Dying Dragon'''</center></span>
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* '''Name:''' Rand, called Great Betrayer by Eilirik, or Power Arken by non-believers.
* '''Name:''' Caius (Shalmanisar in Eronidas), Dragon of Love, Passion, and War.
* '''Domain:''' Rand is the lord of Volaheim itself, said to never leave his realm.  
* '''Domain:''' Caius commands the impulses of the living, violence, and fire.
* '''Symbols:''' Rand's symbol is the red Evil Eye, bear claw scars, and bears.
* '''Symbols:''' Volcanoes, Battle, War, Destruction, Flames and Fire, and Magma.
* '''Role:''' Rand acts like a King of the Vola, and commander of the Volaheimr.
* '''Role:''' Caius acts as the Dragon General, leading Dragon forces in War.
* '''Traits:''' Power-hungry, Domineering, Authoritarian, Strong-willed, Capable.
* '''Traits:''' Ill-tempered, Violent, Uncompromising, Brave, Passionate, Loving.
* '''Temple:''' Rand has no temple, Volaheim itself is one big temple to his glory.
* '''Temple:''' Rock of Eternity Volcano (largest Volcano in the world) in Guldar.
* '''Allies:''' Rand's only allies are the Void Arken, he has no need for others.
* '''Allies:''' Ifrit faithful, Leif & Bard faithful, Gladiators, Lothar Knights, Purists.
* '''Enemies:''' Rand has no explicit enemies, except for the Exist Arken, notably Justice.
* '''Enemies:''' Any Occult, Occult Sympathizers, Aelrrigan Knights, Centrists.
* '''Svaldi:''' Gained from establishing power and control, losing from banishment.
* '''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.
* '''Rituals:''' The Feast of authority involving guests choosing their preferred leader among the gathered, with the winner gaining Svaldi. The Binding of Power is respected even by the Eilirik, a ritual in which two persons agree to a binding pact in blood, that if either fails or breaks, they lose all Soldi or Svaldi when vowed to their preferred Gods.  
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<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Eili Leif, Warmth of the Fire'''</center></span>
<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Daiana, the Gray Dreaming Dragon'''</center></span>
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* '''Name:''' Leif, the Lord of Fire, Warmth of the Rising Sun.  
* '''Name:''' Daiana (Da'amu in Eronidas), Dragon of the Elements and Planet.
* '''Domain:''' Leif is the God of Love and Affection, and of Passion and Care.
* '''Domain:''' Daiana's domain is the planet itself, she is the world.  
* '''Symbols:''' Leif is represented by Fire and the blazing Golden Sun.
* '''Symbols:''' Earth, Ancestor Spirits, Nature, Dreaming, Child-bearing.
* '''Role:''' Leif is set to bring warmth and sunlight to the world and to hearts.
* '''Role:''' Daiana is the rock upon which all living move through space.
* '''Traits:''' Compassionate, Loving, Parental, Passionate, Driven, Energetic.
* '''Traits:''' Shamanism, Maternal, Nurturing, Meditation, Grounding, Wisdom.
* '''Temple:''' Leif's largest Temple is the Sun-Sky House in Kongehjem, Nordskag.  
* '''Temple:''' Great Hall of Mother in Kezzeret Kashubasha (Eronidas State).
* '''Allies:''' Theomar Followers, Regulus Followers, and kindhearted Bloodcast Knights.
* '''Allies:''' Mana faithful, Mothers, Yanar, Narim, Dwarves, Elkonur faithful, Spirits.
* '''Enemies:''' Followers of any Moon-themed Gods, Armas/Amandaros followers.
* '''Enemies:''' Those who disrespect Spirits as not having a story to tell or live out.  
* '''Soldi:''' Gained from loyalty to Lovers/Family and Kindness, lost from Treason.
* '''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.  
* '''Rituals:''' Many of Leif's rituals involve offering things like fruits or hunted animal carcasses to the flame, believers saying that the flames offer them up to Leif until nothing but ash remains, absorbing the life and using it to pull the Sun through the sky each day. Other rituals involve the sharing of passion with other believers in his Temples.  
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<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Vola Thirun, Fates of the Dark Sun'''</center></span>
<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Triton, the Black Chain Dragon'''</center></span>
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* '''Name:''' Thirun, called Pride Arken or Ott by non-Believers.
* '''Name:''' Triton, Dragon of the Void, known as Triton in [[Evolism]].  
* '''Domain:''' Thirun is the God of Magic and of Pride and Vanity.
* '''Domain:''' Triton's Domain is power and control, specifically of the mind.  
* '''Symbols:''' Thirun is represented by the Dark Sun surrounded by Light and Hounds.  
* '''Symbols:''' Revenge, Domination, Darkness in one's Soul, Dark Metal.
* '''Role:''' Thirun is the source of all Fornoss God Magic but also the Magic Burden.
* '''Role:''' Triton is the Dark second half of Caius's split soul, Void infected.
* '''Traits:''' Prideful, Vain, Sardonic, Sarcastic, Greedy, Scornful, Ego-driven.
* '''Traits:''' Vengeful, Cruel, Pragmatic, Powerful, Unforgiving, Unrelenting.
* '''Temple:''' Thirun's largest Temple was destroyed by Regalia in the Elven War.
* '''Temple:''' Darkscale House of the High Father in the Osciird Princedoms (Daen).
* '''Allies:''' Pride/Fury Arkenborn, Evolism followers, Vampire hunters.
* '''Allies:''' Evolism Faithful, Evintarian Unionists, Military & Martial people.
* '''Enemies:''' Vampires, Justice Arkenborn & Followers, Publicly Weak Persons.
* '''Enemies:''' The Apathetic & Inactive, Behesael faithful, Pacifists, Ithanians.
* '''Svaldi:''' Gained through great achievements, lost by losing Duels.
* '''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.  
* '''Rituals:''' The Prideful Parade is one custom that involves demanding others show to a public roasting session where the aim is to praise the person who demanded they show, and roast the opponents who invited others. Another is the Prideful Feast, where each produces Food which instills pride in their cooking, and they compete over the best dish with others.  
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<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Eili Njal, Keeper of the Light'''</center></span>
<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Nox, the Teal Unseen Dragon'''</center></span>
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* '''Name:''' This far Max This far Max This far Max This far Max This far Max This far Max
* '''Name:''' Nox (Madhyaratri in Slizzar & Allar), Dragon of mirrors and truth.
* '''Domain:''' Njal's domain is that of light, and the sky, as well as all of the arts.
* '''Domain:''' Nox's domain is that of truth or lies, and wisdom in foresight.
* '''Symbols:''' Njal is represented by clouds and bright pastel colors and light prisms.  
* '''Symbols:''' Mirrors, Snakes, Libraries, Sassrakkand, the Mind, Chrome.
* '''Role:''' Njal is the diplomat and artist of the gods, providing entertainment in Eiliheim.  
* '''Role:''' Nox acts as Spymaster for the Dragons, but also has his own agenda.  
* '''Traits:''' Artistic, Snarky, Whimsical, Creative, Sloth, Childish, Caring.
* '''Traits:''' Deceitful, Calculated, Foresight, Thoughtful, Wise, All-Knowing.
* '''Temple:''' Njal's largest temple was destroyed when Ceardia became forsaken.
* '''Temple:''' The Sassrakkand Pyramideon (only accessible to Slizzar and Archon).
* '''Allies:''' Artists, Musicians, and Creatives of any kind, and Queer people.  
* '''Allies:''' Inth faithful, Rand faithful, Juvin Faithful, Wadj & Yah Faithful.
* '''Enemies:''' Njal's only true enemies are those who abstain from a good stiff drink.
* '''Enemies:''' Justicars, Knights, Guards, The Afflicted, The Thralled & Mind-Controlled.
* '''Soldi:''' Gained by creative expression and bringing joy, lost by destroying art.
* '''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.  
* '''Rituals:''' Njal is Bard's husband, and because of this, many of his rituals involve Bard in some way. Skysteel Forging is the act of letting an artist inspire a forger to produce a work of art and tough steel at the same time. Other rituals involve poetry duels, and Annointment of the Artist, where Artists use body paint on a strong Man dressed as Bard for Art.
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<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Vola Svol, The Punished Shadow'''</center></span>
<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Marik, the Brown Etherforge Dragon'''</center></span>
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* '''Name:''' Svol, Bard's Bane, the Dark Lightning Lord.
* '''Name:''' Marik (Al-Asir in Qadir), Dragon of Tech, a [[Unionist]] God also.  
* '''Domain:''' Svol's domain is thunderstorms, but more metaphorically of lies and deceit.
* '''Domain:''' Marik's Domain are the Leylines and Leytech, all Draconic machines.  
* '''Symbols:''' Shadows, Lightning, Missing or fully Tattoo'd arms, the colors black and yellow.
* '''Symbols:''' Technology, Forgery, Craftsmen, Bronze, Brass, and Desert Sands.
* '''Role:''' Svol was once a Eili, until punished by Bard, changed teams to plot for Rand.
* '''Role:''' Marik is the Architect of Dragon Weapons and Sites against the Occult.
* '''Traits:''' Analytical, Mindful, Deceitful, Witty, Suave, Charming, Good-Tempered.
* '''Traits:''' Helpful, Reassuring, Resourceful, Quirky, Compassionate, Self-Sacrificing.
* '''Temple:''' Svol's Temple is the Copper Tower now within Life Isldar land in Ellador.
* '''Temple:''' Marik's Temple was destroyed by the Great Storm that ravished Ard-al Nur.
* '''Allies:''' Trickster god followers and politicians, Inth & Nox followers.  
* '''Allies:''' Qadir, Unionists, Automata & Artificial living Beings, Technicians.
* '''Enemies:''' Justice Arken(born), Guards, Knights, Justicars, Knights.
* '''Enemies:''' Machinist faithful, Body-Modders, War-fanatics & the Military.
* '''Svaldi:''' Gained in subterfuge plots, or beaten Knights, lost by being deceived/losing.  
* '''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.  
* '''Rituals:''' Svol's rituals are deceptively easily hidden as party games, especially those that involve lying. A common one is Svol's Gauntlet, where everyone produces 2 truths and a lie, and gains points each time a person in the gathering cannot guess which one is the lie, or guesses wrong. Another is punishing tyrannical/corrupt law enforcement with violence.  
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<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Eili Dáuw, Bringer of Order'''</center></span>
<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Umbra, the White Twilight Dragon'''</center></span>
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* '''Name:''' This far Max This far Max This far Max This far Max This far Max This far Max
* '''Name:''' Umbra, the Dragon of the Dead and the Soul Rivers of Draconism.
* '''Domain:'''  
* '''Domain:''' The Soul Rivers, the passage between life and death in Aloria.
* '''Symbols:'''  
* '''Symbols:''' A white swirl, blackout tattoos, a furred instead of scaled Dragon.
* '''Role:'''  
* '''Role:''' Umbra maintains the Soul Rivers and the Dead-Living boundaries.
* '''Traits:'''  
* '''Traits:''' Deadly, Pestilent, Renewal, Memories, Capricious, Sardonic.
* '''Temple:'''  
* '''Temple:''' Destroyed, re-inhabited by the Evolist Temple in Regalia' Wilderness.
* '''Allies:'''  
* '''Allies:''' Eronidas, Those who hunt Undead and return Spirits to the Afterlife.
* '''Enemies:'''  
* '''Enemies:''' Undead, Geists, those who consort with the Ordial Scourge.
* '''Soldi:'''
* '''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.
* '''Rituals:''' Two full Lines
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<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Vola Hrymrök, The Charnel Chaos'''</center></span>
<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Felicula, the Yellow Harmony Dragon'''</center></span>
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* '''Name:''' This far Max This far Max This far Max This far Max This far Max This far Max
* '''Name:''' Felicula is the Dragon of Festivity, Kindness, and Warmheartedness.
* '''Domain:'''  
* '''Domain:''' Felicula's domain is entertainment and culture, as well as peace.
* '''Symbols:'''  
* '''Symbols:''' The yellow Hadar Chrysanthemum, vines wrapped around amphoras.
* '''Role:'''  
* '''Role:''' Felicula makes the world pleasant to live in by creating joy in shadow.
* '''Traits:'''  
* '''Traits:''' Shy, Endearing, Hospitable, Altruistic, Well-meaning, Naive.
* '''Temple:'''  
* '''Temple:''' Felicula never had a Temple, as worship of her was in festivities.
* '''Allies:'''  
* '''Allies:''' Entertainers, Artists, Musicians, Bartenders, Party Hosts, Dancers.
* '''Enemies:'''  
* '''Enemies:''' Those who speak with sarcasm, cruelty, or inflict mental anguish.
* '''Svaldi:'''
* '''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.
* '''Rituals:''' Two full Lines
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<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Eili Halfvel, Father of Godly Blood'''</center></span>
<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Severena, the Green Stalwart Dragon'''</center></span>
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* '''Name:''' This far Max This far Max This far Max This far Max This far Max This far Max
* '''Name:''' Severena (Saaima in Sihai), Dragon of Protection and Transcendence.
* '''Domain:'''  
* '''Domain:''' Protection of the world from danger, and the inner Eye and Soul.
* '''Symbols:'''  
* '''Symbols:''' Air, Monasteries, High Mountain Towers, Clouds, Transcendence.
* '''Role:'''  
* '''Role:''' Severena guides the protectors of the living across the world.
* '''Traits:'''  
* '''Traits:''' Contemplative, Insightful, Ascended, Detached, Piercing, Ethereal.
* '''Temple:'''  
* '''Temple:''' The Beian Temples in Zhong where the Air Dragons Slumber and dream of Jade.
* '''Allies:'''  
* '''Allies:''' Those who task themselves to save the world from chaos and calamity.
* '''Enemies:'''
* '''Enemies:''' Those who would cause chaos and damage the world and people in it.
* '''Soldi:'''
* '''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.
* '''Rituals:''' Two full Lines
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<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Vola Eikki, Drinker of the Blood Taint'''</center></span>
<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Aurora, the Purple Creation Dragon'''</center></span>
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* '''Name:''' This far Max This far Max This far Max This far Max This far Max This far Max
* '''Domain:'''
* '''Symbols:'''
* '''Role:'''
* '''Traits:'''
* '''Temple:'''
* '''Allies:'''
* '''Enemies:'''
* '''Svaldi:'''
* '''Rituals:''' Two full Lines
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<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Eili Bard, Bear-Lord of Protection'''</center></span>
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* '''Name:''' This far Max This far Max This far Max This far Max This far Max This far Max
* '''Name:''' Aurora, the Dragon of Creation's penultimate design and intellect.
* '''Domain:'''  
* '''Domain:''' The Creation Dictat, that which creates all live on Aloria.
* '''Symbols:'''  
* '''Symbols:''' The sprouting plant, the meteor and the meteor's impact crater.
* '''Role:'''  
* '''Role:''' Aurora designs, creates and iterates on all living species on Aloria.
* '''Traits:'''  
* '''Traits:''' Frigid, Emotionless, Intuitive, Work-Obsessed, Isolationist, Free.
* '''Temple:'''  
* '''Temple:''' The Moon-Vault Halls in Ellador, capital of the Life Isldar Elven State.
* '''Allies:'''
* '''Allies:''' Alchemists, Hunters, Urlan, Scholars, those in the sciences.
* '''Enemies:'''
* '''Enemies:''' Death Isldar, Environmental destruction and eco-system destabilization.
* '''Soldi:'''
* '''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.
* '''Rituals:''' Two full Lines
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<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Vola Blodrúna, The Crimson Carnage'''</center></span>
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* '''Name:''' This far Max This far Max This far Max This far Max This far Max This far Max
* '''Domain:'''
* '''Symbols:'''
* '''Role:'''
* '''Traits:'''
* '''Temple:'''
* '''Allies:'''  
* '''Enemies:'''  
* '''Svaldi:'''
* '''Rituals:''' Two full Lines
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<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Eili Elkonur, The Winter Hunter'''</center></span>
===Gaia, the Indigo Nature Dragon===
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* '''Name:''' This far Max This far Max This far Max This far Max This far Max This far Max
| style="font-weight:bold; width:75px; vertical-align:top;" | Description
* '''Domain:'''  
| style="vertical-align:top;" |
* '''Symbols:'''
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.
* '''Role:'''
|-
* '''Traits:'''
| style="font-weight:bold; width:75px; vertical-align:top;" | Virtues
* '''Temple:'''
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* '''Allies:'''
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.
* '''Enemies:'''
|-
* '''Soldi:'''
| style="font-weight:bold; width:75px; vertical-align:top;" | Vices
* '''Rituals:''' Two full Lines
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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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<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Vola Odal, Fear of the Dark'''</center></span>
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* '''Name:''' This far Max This far Max This far Max This far Max This far Max This far Max
* '''Domain:'''
* '''Symbols:'''
* '''Role:'''
* '''Traits:'''
* '''Temple:'''
* '''Allies:'''
* '''Enemies:'''
* '''Svaldi:'''
* '''Rituals:''' Two full Lines
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- Explain the Arken connection
==Magic Policy==
- Explain mortuary rites
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.
- Explain religious jobs
* '''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.
- Explain priesthood
* '''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.
- Explain Vaarda Gates & Keys
* '''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.
- Explain the Magic Burden
* '''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.
- Trivia
* '''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===
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==
To be Expanded.
{{Religion}}
{{Accreditation
|Artists =
|Writers = MonMarty
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[[category:Religion]]

Latest revision as of 06:52, 30 April 2024

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Religion
Pronunciation Dra-konism
Origins Unknown, presumed over 70.000 years ago
Deities
Regulus, Caius, Daiana, Triton, Nox, Marik, Severena, Aurora.
Subsects
N/A

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.

History

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.

Draconic Nuance

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.

Divine Mechanics

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.

  • 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.

Gods and Goddesses

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.

Regulus, the Blue King Dragon
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  • Name: Regulus, the Dragon of Command, Hierarchy and Rulership.
  • Domain: Regulus controls the Draconic Conclave and rules the Dragons.
  • Symbols: Thunder Storms, Rulership, Banners, Rain, Bodies of Water.
  • Role: Regulus acts as the King of Dragons, to mediate and command them.
  • Traits: Capricious, Cryptic, Regal, Sagely, Mediating, Attentive, Loyalty.
  • Temple: House of Dragons on Draackenrust Mountain in Anglia.
  • Allies: Arkenborn, Urlan, Adal & Hagen faithful, Leyon faithful.
  • Enemies: Those who stand against the Regalian Empire and seek its downfall.
  • 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.
Caius, the Red Dying Dragon
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  • Name: Caius (Shalmanisar in Eronidas), Dragon of Love, Passion, and War.
  • Domain: Caius commands the impulses of the living, violence, and fire.
  • Symbols: Volcanoes, Battle, War, Destruction, Flames and Fire, and Magma.
  • Role: Caius acts as the Dragon General, leading Dragon forces in War.
  • Traits: Ill-tempered, Violent, Uncompromising, Brave, Passionate, Loving.
  • Temple: Rock of Eternity Volcano (largest Volcano in the world) in Guldar.
  • Allies: Ifrit faithful, Leif & Bard faithful, Gladiators, Lothar Knights, Purists.
  • 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.
Daiana, the Gray Dreaming Dragon
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  • Name: Daiana (Da'amu in Eronidas), Dragon of the Elements and Planet.
  • Domain: Daiana's domain is the planet itself, she is the world.
  • Symbols: Earth, Ancestor Spirits, Nature, Dreaming, Child-bearing.
  • Role: Daiana is the rock upon which all living move through space.
  • Traits: Shamanism, Maternal, Nurturing, Meditation, Grounding, Wisdom.
  • Temple: Great Hall of Mother in Kezzeret Kashubasha (Eronidas State).
  • Allies: Mana faithful, Mothers, Yanar, Narim, Dwarves, Elkonur faithful, Spirits.
  • Enemies: Those who disrespect Spirits as not having a story to tell or live out.
  • 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.
Triton, the Black Chain Dragon
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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.
Nox, the Teal Unseen Dragon
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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.
Marik, the Brown Etherforge Dragon
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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.
Umbra, the White Twilight Dragon
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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.
Felicula, the Yellow Harmony Dragon
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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.
Severena, the Green Stalwart Dragon
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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.
Aurora, the Purple Creation Dragon
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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.

Gaia, the Indigo Nature Dragon

caption
 Description

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.

Virtues

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.

Vices

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.

Radical

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.

Magic Policy

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.

  • 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

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

To be Expanded.

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Last Editor OkaDoka on 04/30/2024.
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