Refluffing the Dragonborn

This was originally going to be part of the campaign setting project, but I decided to give it its own post.

In my home campaign, I’ve never used the out-of-the-box, fourth-edition Dragonborn. Not that there’s anything wrong with them, I just think there’s a lot of other cool stuff you can do with the concept.

To start with, in my home campaign Dragonborn have completely absorbed the half-dragon concept. It was something I liked about 3.5, and I knew Dragonborn were the closest port-over we were going to get, so I ran with it.

In my campaigns, Dragonborn aren’t a distinct “race” the way that, say, Orcs and Eladrin are. They’re the result of Dragons’ well-documented habit of interbreeding (magically) with humanoid creatures. As such, characters with Dragonborn stats vary wildly in appearance. For one thing, they tend to more closely mirror the appearance and coloration of their draconic ancestor, as opposed to the universal reds, browns, and golds of the standard Dragonborn.

Also, Dragonborn don’t have to be precisely one-half Dragon. On the other hand, many people (often sorcerers) have dragon ancestry but aren’t considered Dragonborn. The guideline I give my players is that Dragonborn are draconic enough that people can tell at a glance (plus, you know, they have Dragonborn racial stats as opposed to another race’s). Essentially, Dragonborn exist on a spectrum from just-barely-humanoid to just-barely-draconic. On one end, you can have a creature that looks like a miniature, mostly-bipedal dragon, pushing the upper limit of the medium size and towering over their party members. On the other, you can have someone who looks almost human (or elf, or whatever) but for some little sign—golden, slitted eyes or a small patch of scales on the face, something to that effect (basically you can look however you want as long as you understand that people will be able to look at you and know you’re packing a breath weapon).

Let's Build a World: The Empire of Dragons - Gods of the Subjects

Aspects of Io

In modern religious practices among non-draconic subjects of the Empire, little survives of any pre-conquest faiths. What traditions survive have been subsumed into Ioism, albeit reluctantly. Pelor and the Raven Queen remain popular among humanoids, but the “official” stance is that both deities are just other names for Tiamat and Bahamut, acting in their respective roles as sun-god and death god. Some depictions of Pelor show evidence of another attempt to reconcile the faiths, showing Pelor driving the sun chariot and Tiamat pulling it. Although there are those that say both figures in such depictions are Tiamat. She can easily drive and pull a chariot at the same time in two separate bodies, being as she is a god.

Cultures that are not directly subject to the Empire of Dragons have their own faiths and pantheons, and the official doctrine is that those people are really worshipping various aspects of Bahamut, they just don’t realize that. Patron deities of other races are said to be Tiamat (patron of all foreigners) in various disguises.

Tiamat herself enjoys a strong following among humanoid subjects of the Empire. In her role as god of

(Created with Heromachine)

change, she has come to personify the some-would-say-revolutionary idea that all creatures can be elevated to the standing of a Dragon (more on this later). In this aspect she is depicted as a faceless, androgynous figure held aloft by a pair of mechanical wings.

Kobolds

Some kobolds worship individual dragons as gods, following them and doing their bidding. While some attempt to reconcile this with the  dominant faith, saying that by venerating Io’s greatest creation—a dragon—they are also worshipping Io. But the religious practices of dragon-worshipping kobolds have little to do with Ioism. The most zealous of dragon-worshippers’ fondest desire is to be eaten by the dragon they serve, as it means they can become completely one with their god. They will sometimes anoint themselves with delicious oils and spices and present themselves as an offering. Dragons typically do not object to the kobolds. Unless they make a nuisance of themselves, the dragons usually appreciate the extra servants and snacks.

Demons and Devils

There are small, secretive cults scattered throughout the empire, dedicated to various demons and devils. While the rules and practices for these cults vary widely, the rationale behind them is generally the same. These worshippers acknowledge Io but see Io as a demiurge and tyrant. They say Io coveted the universe and slew the nameless True Creator so that the universe could be added to Io’s horde. Each cult considers their particular patron to be the only being that stands a chance of destroying Io, and so the various fiends are worshipped as perverse saviors and the lesser of a multitude of evils.

There are whispered legends of a human empire whose rulers bred with fiends so that their offspring could be more powerful than any mortal. The empire destroyed itself from within, but it is said that had it survived, it could have destroyed even the Empire of Dragons.

Possibly I’m borrowing too much from Points of Light with this one.

They were called Tieflings—in the language of the old empire, “children of the dark”—and there are some alive today said to be their descendants. Other rumors hold that none from the old Tiefling empire survived, but that the Tieflings alive today prove that fiends still sire children in the mortal world.

Next Time: Beyond the Empire

Let's Build a World: The Empire of Dragons - Dragon Religion

If I’m throwing out the good-dragons-evil-dragons idea for this setting, I also want to throw out good and evil dragon gods. Frankly, I think that dragons see good and evil as quaint fancies dreamed up by the insignificant humanoids over whom they rule.

Io and the Twin Aspects

(Probably) Not Dead

 The Empire of Dragons is monotheistic, sort of. The dominant religion of the Empire reveres Io, the

Dragon-God. Io is the perfect ideal of a Dragon, so magnificent that even the greatest of mortal Dragons cannot truly comprehend Io. The story of Io’s death is extant in this universe, but it is dismissed by authorities as a misunderstanding of the nature of the god, or perhaps even a malicious blasphemy.

The Dragon-God exists in twin aspects, Bahamut and Tiamat, sometimes siblings, sometimes rivals, sometimes mates (it’s best not to think about that bit too hard). They are the patrons of metallic and chromatic dragons, respectively, but such distinctions are ultimately unimportant. More importantly, the twin aspects are said to represent the duality in the nature of dragonkind, as creatures blessed with both physical power and vast intellect. The Twin Aspects take on a variety of roles, and various cults spring up around different individual roles. Any pious practitioner, however, will be quick to insist that after all they are really worshipping Io, and that, this is not that blasphemous polytheism those humanoids go on about.

However, for the sake of simplicity of terminology, Bahamut and Tiamat are referred to as gods even though they are both "really" part of Io.

Tiamat

Tiamat is a god of prosperity (some would say greed), and so she is god of the harvest. Because of this, she

is also the god of time and change.

If either of the Twin Aspects, separate from Io, is referred to as a creator deity, it is Tiamat. She is said to have conquered the Primordial Chaos, and so she has become identified with it. While Tiamat’s depiction in scripture and myth is never particularly chaotic, she is nevertheless called the god of chaos.

She takes on a host of lesser domains associated with the broad themes of prosperity, change, and chaos. She is the god of luck, patron of merchants, travelers, and foreigners (and unofficially, of criminals and outlaws). She is also god of the nature, the wilderness, and the elements. In some depictions, her five heads are associated with parts of the natural world: the sun (red), the moon (white), the sky (blue), the earth (green), and water (black). Others describe this connection as tenuous at best, and while a useful metaphor for remembering Tiamat as aspect of the natural world, not to be taken literally.

Bahamut

Bahamut’s main role is as the god of justice. Through this and in opposition to Tiamat, he represents order and civilization. He is the god of commerce even though merchants are the purview of Tiamat.

Bahamut acts as a sort of cosmic judge. Ioan mythology portrays him acting in this role in a variety of situations. Sometimes, impossibly enough, stories have him brought in as the “impartial” judge in a dispute between Tiamat and himself. His most prominent role is to judge the dead, and in this capacity he became Ioism’s all-purpose death god. Bahamut is sometimes depicted as ruler of the hereafter, except when this role is given to Io as a unified god. He is also a psychopomp, although this role is sometimes given to an underling of Bahamut’s, acting as an “angel of death.” The form Bahamt (or his angel) takes when fulfilling this role varies. Sometimes he is said to resemble a beautiful member of the dead’s own race, who gently guides them into the next world. Other sources describe him as an immense dragon, entirely black, who descends from the sky in silence to devour  the dead.

The Afterlife

Dragons are known to collect treasure. Some amass gold, others land, still others arcane knowledge. But Io’s treasure is made up of worlds. Every plane is said to exist in Io’s horde, as shimmering crystal spheres suspended in his palace. Io’s own realm is made up of the best pieces of every universe he has created, so that when walking around in his realm you may one moment be in a magnificent temple, and in a vast open field the next.

Io is not concerned with “good” and “evil.” For Io, what matters is whether or not you fulfilled your function. The orthodoxy is that the function of a Dragon is to conquer and to rule, and the function of anyone else is to serve them. However, this view is starting to fall out of favor as a relic of Dragons’ more prejudiced past. After all, anyone can be a Dragon (more on that later).

Most souls are effectively annihilated upon death. The “substance” of the soul is reused and made into something new, but it is not reincarnation as such. Only the exceptional few are preserved. Some are said to live perpetually in Io’s realm. 

Curiously enough, Ioism preaches that you can take it with you. When Io considers a soul to be worth preserving in his realm, he will also sometimes transport the treasure that the soul amassed in life there too. If a dead person's treasure disappears shortly after death, it is said to be a sign that Io has favored them in the afterlife, although more cynical parties might argue that the treasure was simply stolen.

Others, Io considers too valuable to destroy and remake, so he returns them intact to a new body. For these individuals, memories of their past life are like a half-forgotten dream, resurfacing only rarely, but still ever-present in the mind.  When the Twin Aspects are depicted in the context of the afterlife, Bahamut judges the dead and when he finds a soul unworthy (which he usually does), gives it to Tiamat to be destroyed and remade.

Religion and Society

Ioism is ingrained in the culture of the Empire, but the actual society is fairly secular. Worship and offerings are not compelled by the state, and many people—Dragon and otherwise—profess openly atheistic beliefs. There is a wealth of mythology surrounding Io and Io’s aspects (this will be detailed as the setting is expanded, probably) but most of it is considered non-canonical by religious authorities.

The religion of the Dragons is not entirely the same as that of the common people. The Empire is religiously tolerant and claims to always have been so, but there is evidence to suggest otherwise…

Next time: The Religion of the Subjects

Let's Build a World: The Empire of Dragons - Dragon Politics

What I wanted to do here was create a system of government that I could believe D&D dragons would enact, without being so alien that players would struggle to understand it.

To the short-lived races, the Empire of Dragons is unfathomably ancient. But among the Dragons, there are those still alive who remember the time before. Dragons lived alone out of fear and distrust, content to sit on piles of treasure in the hidden corners of the world, as the short-lived people built their petty kingdoms.

Now, the Dragons are one, and by their combined power they rule the better part of the world. There is still

conflict—for Dragons, there is always conflict. But there is no more senseless destruction. Dominion of the Empire changes hand through ritualized combat. Any Dragon may challenge the reigning Emperor for the crown. On a date of the Emperor’s choosing, the challengers go to the Proving Ground. It is a desolate valley, high in the mountains, devastated forever by an ancient battle. The battle sometimes lasts for weeks as two of the strongest beings in the world vie for control. In the end, the current Emperor keeps their title, or they are defeated and a new ruler is crowned.

Dragons do not fight to the death. Killing a fellow Dragon weakens the Empire, and is punishable by exile. By the same token, it is unthinkable to refuse to yield to a proven superior.

Through combat, the Empire determines who is best-suited to rule it. It is no shame to be bested at the Proving Ground, because the Empire is stronger for your defeat.

The Lord of each province is similarly determined, and each Lord acts as an advisor to the Emperor, as well as two advisors hand-chosen by the Emperor. The practice of choosing two chief advisors, it is said, echoes Io and the god’s Twin Aspects, Tiamat and Bahamut...

I think this system is simple and elegant enough that players can easily grasp it, while also allowing for plenty of interesting stories and still capturing an appropriately draconic feel. But I’d love to know what you think of it, let me know in the comments.

Next Time: Io and the Twin Aspects

Let's Build a World: The Empire of Dragons - What's it Like to Live There?

I’d like to try and capture the “feel” of the Empire of Dragons for ordinary people and low-level PCs. What is it actually like to live in a world ruled by Dragons? Here’s what I’ve got so far.

Dragons don’t care about the common humanoids, or even low-level PCs. They want to rule, to dominate,

but even the maddest tyrant doesn’t want to be king of the ants. So while Dragons officially govern with absolute power, individual humanoids in the Empire have a pretty good amount of freedom. Dragons may vie with each other for control of fiefdoms, provinces, even the whole empire, but the individual humanoid settlements are beneath their notice, most of the time. What this means is that the experiences of the everyday people vary wildly among different parts of the empire. One person’s local government might be democratically elected, another’s might be under the control of a local despot. There is an acknowledged hierarchy of Dragons running the show, but the average person never really interacts with it. You might see the local Dragon lord flying overhead, surveying his lands every so often. Catching a glimpse of the actual Emperor would be a once-in-a-lifetime event. You hear about the wheelings and dealings going on in the upper echelons of society, but they don’t affect you. You wake up one morning and the red dragon statue in the plaza has been replaced with a white dragon, and someone tells you that the Emperor was deposed, and life goes on.

Low-level adventurers have a rough go of it. Every ancient barrow and forgotten temple has probably already been picked clean by some dragon looking to expand their hoard. Treasure hunting isn’t as viable a career in the Empire of Dragons as it is in other universes. You might find yourself working as a glorified gopher for the mayor of some insignificant town. But, hey, he’s got connections with the local lord. If you prove yourself with this guy, well, who knows…

Rebellion in the Empire of Dragons is unheard of, for two reasons. The first is obvious. The ruling class is made up of terrifying sky-monsters that breathe terrifying death on anyone who dares stand against them. Even if a large humanoid city rallied against its Dragon lord in sufficient force to defeat him or her, the dragon would just call in the neighbor dragons. Because while the Dragons fight amongst themselves, an attack on one Dragon is an attack on all Dragons. They do not suffer their rule to be questioned, and their vengeance is as terrible as it is swift.

The second reason is less obvious, and less horrific: advancement. Dragons won’t overlook something or someone that might be useful to them. While it happens quite rarely, a humanoid who proves themselves to a Dragon can very quickly find their social status elevated. Great warriors and powerful casters especially strive to become worthy  of the elevation that can come from gaining the attention of a powerful Dragon.

Of course, it’s also a rather insidious way of keeping people in line. They get sold on the one-in-a-million shot that their talent and hard work will elevate them to power and prestige, and so they keep their heads down and keep working, and the Dragons remain in power…

Next Time: Dragon Politics