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= Kings Amongst Paupers: The Dragons of the Fourth Age =

The Dragons of the Now do not like to refer to the Days Before. Then, their 'predecessors' were not true descendants, but were blood-empowered by Exaltation. Then, it may have been neccesary, but in this modern age, speaking of such a possiblity is a massive faux pas in Dragonscion society, and is likely to get one shunned, challenged to duels, or both. Such a thing is silly to contemplate, anyway; now, the connect between Dragon and Child is truly one of blood and birth; Exaltation is for the low-born.

While Dragons Before bore some signs of their elemental legacy, Dragons of the Now show it far more clearly. They are a tall breed, even those 'Touched' who do not fully take on the Blood, averaging about six feet in height regadless of gender. Their forms are, for the most part, not too different from mortal man... but the signs of their Blood make them stand out effortlessly. 

*Life does not flee from the scion of the Dragons quickly or readily. For Touched, the average lifespan is from 150 to 200 years, aging at a slow-but-steady pace past the first twenty or so years of maturing. Actual Blooded, on average live from 700 to 900 years of age, maturing as their Touched kin... before time seems to freeze for them. From full maturity to the last fourth of their lifespan, Blooded seem ageless, retaining their youthful looks and mobility. Once that threshold is reached, however, they steadily succumb to time and wear. Those of particularly strong blood have been known to live well past a thousand years, but they are few and far between.

*Thin, whiplike tails jut from their lower back, just thick enough and strong enough to do simple tasks for the Dynast. These tails are generally three to four feet long, and are flexible enough to manipulate most objects that a Blooded could use their own hands for, so long as strength isn't needed.

*Dynasts' fingers and toes bear vestigial talons; while the black nails still come to a point, they are good for little more than deep scratches, and are short enough that they generally don't become a bother when attempting to handle something or put on a fresh pair of boots.

*A Dynast's smile is a mildly unnerving thing; while most of their teeth seem to retain the roles they would for a mortal, the majority of them seem to come to points, especially the canines. Fortunately, they're small enough that the Blooded can close their mouthes properly.

*Much like reptiles, Blooded and Touched pupils are slitted and cover a dazzling array of colors and patterns, often matching or complimenting their breed Element. The eyes are always the first thing a midwife checks when a new child is born, as a result.

*Both Blooded and Touched are, without fail, completely hairless. The Touched remain completely bald, but what serves as 'hair' for the Blooded are a set of scales rising from their scalp, taking on shapes and appearances inherited from their patents. More often than not, Blooded (and Touched) wear elaborate wigs made from real hair; Blooded generally have to trim (or pluck, a painful process) their scales to wear a wig properly. There is a surprisingly massive market for wigs on the Island, one that even the Outside has a hand in, due mostly to Clan Jitread.

:Furthermore, as the Blooded advance in age, they usually begin to grow horns much in the manner of their patrons. The first sign of them is often a cause for celebration, and there is a sort of unspoken game of bragging rights revolving around horn size and form amongst 'young' Dynasts. Elders usually outgrow this, as it can often lead to long-lasting spite and even bloodshed amongst the more proud of the Dynasty, especially from Emberbloods who do not develop horns.

*Particularly strong-Blooded Dynast females often find themselves simply unable to nurse, even after multiple successful childbirths. Often they employ Blooded or Touched wetnurses, while the least well-to-do make do with particularly healthy mundane women. This seems to happen almost randomly; there have been cases within a group of high-Blooded siblings where the defect develops only for a few. It is speculated that such a 'defect' is caused by a deeply-rooted connection to their patron Dragon, and is not viewed negatively.

== The Ten Divine Houses ==

=== <b>Fire</b> ===

<i>The brood of Heseish are as heated and combustible as their fervent, somewhat aggressive father; in their heart burns the flames of heroism and conquest, and such a flame cannot be easily extinguished. While they try their best to suppress it when civil matters are being attended to, Emberbloods are notoriously eager for conflict, either to establish dominance, order, or both.</i>

<i>Purebloods of Fire are often lean and athletically-built; there are very few among them who, even with effort, grow fat. Their skintone range from a light tan to the various colors of flame, and their scales run the gamut from orange to red to black, often long and jagged in appearance. Heseish's brood are the only Blooded that do not naturally grow horns with time; those who do usually inherit such adornment from the lesser element in their blood. They often smell of sulfur, but can also smell like burning pitch or burnt wood.</i>

* [[/FourthAgeDBAutol|The House of the Lantern, Clan Autol]]: Guides, generals, leaders.
* [[/FourthAgeDBRykol|The House of Spears, Clan Rykol]]: Warriors, heroes, defenders.

=== <b>Earth</b> === 

<i>Solid, centered, beings of structure. Pasiap's brood are the core of the Blooded, spiritually if not socially. Earth is in their hearts, and its secrets open themselves wide to the Stonebloods, be it veins or ore, new methods of (solid, if bland; innovation belongs to L'Dat) construction, and a grasp of Essence theory that few other beings can match. They use their gifts to bring stability and strength to themselves and their Blooded kin, for many dangers lie outside of their island home.</i>

<i>Purebloods of Earth are solid in build, often wide as well as tall; their appearances are rough-cut and squared, but still quite draconic. Their skintone ranged throughout the earth tones, as well as whites and grays, and their wide, angular scales are often iridescently metallic in appearance. Pasiap's brood grow small nodules seemingly made of crystal or stone; the 'type' can vary depending on what other blood flows in their veins. They smell of turned earth or freshly-dug clay, especially after bathing.</i>

* [[/FourthAgeDBEstrak|The House of the Anvil, Clan Estrak]]: Miners, craftsmen, artisans.
* [[/FourthAgeDBSutnam|The House of the Quill, Clan Sutnam]]: Dreamers, thinkers, spiritual explorers.

=== <b>Air</b> ===

<i>Evermoving, everpresent and vital to the more social aspects of their land, Mela's brood are the kings among kings, and never attempt to hide the fact. They move about like the air itself, filling their positions with bluster and force, only to move to the next task the moment they've finished the first. The Skybloods are the oil that keeps the Island working, as well as the tongues, ears and eyes that are most likely to be found outside their home, looking into the Paupers' land for things to exploit. For the good of the Blooded, of course.</i>

<i>Purebloods of Air are regal, beautiful beings that carry themselves like the kings they are; their skin is often a pale blue, although it ranges all throughout similar pale, almost pastel colors. Their thin, elegant scales are usually a solid, darker variant of their skintone, appearing more like hair than any other Blooded's. Airblood horns are long sectioned affairs, either corkscrewing or waving away towards the rear of the scion. The scent of ozone hangs around them, although most wear perfumes to cover this up.</i>

* [[/FourthAgeDBIrran|The House of Crowns, Clan Irran]]: Royals amongst kings, politicians, socialites.
* [[/FourthAgeDBToavir|The House of Eyes, Clan Toavir]]: Diplomats, spies, intelligence-gatherers.

=== <b>Water</b> ===

<i>Flowing to fill every single crack that they can, Danaa'd's brood are the adventurous wildchildren of the Island. The Oceanbloods are the most likely ones to be found in the lands Outside, where paper kings and Exalts hold sway. many go to find new trends, or to discover secrets and artifacts the outsiders have overlooked. Others search for new ways of thinking, bringing them back wholesale to be put to better use amongst the Blooded.</i>

<i>Purebloods of Water are much like Firebloods in that they are lithe and athletic; however, while the Flames are rough and worn, Mela's children are smooth and sleek, much like a creature of the sea. Their skintone runs the gamut of colors, and are often the most colorful of the Dragonblooded; however, their 'underside' is almost always a pale white, in the manner of sea mammals. Their horns grow almost chaotically, like coral reefs, but are always paired perfectly. Most Oceanbloods have webbing between their fingers and toes to aid in swimming, and smell of seaspray or that strange clean scent coming from a running stream.</i>

* [[/FourthAgeDBOkaja|The House of the Waves, Clan Okaja]]: Seamen, explorers, daredevils.
* [[/FourthAgeDBLDat|The House of Hands, Clan L'Dat]]: Inventors, tinkerers, unorthodox thinkers.

=== <b>Wood</b> ===

<i>The Children of Life Fair and Foul, Sextes Jylis' brood are those who seem to understand the truths of life; that it is to be enjoyed and relished, but that it is also a transition to the next life, and the furthering of the Blood of the Dragons. Thus, they are hedonists, makers of fine drugs, and physicians... as well as throat-slitters, poison-makers and destroyers of livelihoods. In the end, life is lived; that does mean that it has to always be enjoyable.</i>

<i>Purebloods of Wood are lanky and often seem angular, even the larger of their sort, even considering how serpentine their movements are. Sextes Jylis' brood often have vaguely wood-like skin, shades of brown streaked with the colors of leaves and flowers. Forestblood horns are much like tree branches, neither side either looking completely similar... and sometimes sprouting leaves, flowers and even strange fruits. They smell of sap, grass or sweet flowers, a perfume that permeates their clothes over time.</i>

* [[/FourthAgeDBUbali|The House of Vials, Clan Ubali]]: Alchemists, hedonists, trafficer in 'strange goods'.
* [[/FourthAgeDBNegele|The House of Shadows, Clan Negele]]: Assassins, thieves, poisoners of life and work.

=== The Three Fell Houses ===
* [[/FourthAgeDBBuscha|The House of Wolves, Clan Buscha]]: The self-elected 'police' of the Divine Houses.
* [[/FourthAgeDBJitread|The House of Coins, Clan Jitread]]: A House with dealings within the 'outside' world.
* [[/FourthAgeDBMorauwa|The House of Rings, Clan Morauwa]]: A Clan taking the unthinkable path of trying to 'find' lost Blood amongst the mundane.

== History and Assorted Information ==
* [[/FourthAgeDBDecree|The Unified Dragons' Decree]]: The five-part edict that influences (to an extent) how the Dragons of the Fourth Age govern themselves.
* [[/FourthAgeDBPolitics|Politics On the Isle of Dragons]]: The Perfected National Assembly, and how the Dynasts run things.
* [[/FourthAgeDBSplatchat|Voices From Outside and In]]: How the Dragons see the world, and how the world sees he Princes of the Earth.

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* back to [[/FourthAge|The Age of Reason]]

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