Warden Dragons

in Lore

Dragons hoard prized items, mountains of gold, or spoils from previous battles. Warden Dragons however, hoard people. This focus on amassing Mortals as part of their hoards make Warden Dragons inherently social creatures. Warden Dragons, especially the most powerful ones, end up naturally playing key roles in the power structures of societies they inhabit but the differences between Warden Dragons and other members of the draconic family don't end there.   The juvenile stage of any Warden Dragon starts by them finding a specific mortal that matches the hoard they want to build. That mortal is soon joined by others, as the hoard grows in number so does the power of the dragon. A Warden's Dragon's power is not measured in years lived like for other dragons but in how many and how strong the Mortals in their hoard are.   Warden Dragons do not lay eggs, instead they select one of the members of their hoard that shows particular promise and aptitude often referred to as a prince. Once the time is right the dragon will perform a ritual with the prince with the goal of transferring their draconic essence into the prince. If successful, a new Warden Dragon will be born from the prince as they transform into a Dragon maintaining the essence of the original Dragon within them. This way Warden Dragons literally birth their successors from their hoards.   So connected are these dragons to their hordes, that the kind of people they take under their wings dictate the sort of Warden Dragon they become. There are many different types of warden dragons and these are not defined by the color or material of their scales but the company they keep;  

• Magus Wardens hoard Arcane practitioners and value knowledge above all else. Elder Magus Dragons being known to form massive universities where arcane knowledge is exchanged and learned
• War Wardens make their hoards into armies with a strict hierarchy and militaristic training empathizing their value on strength. The members of the dragon's army and hoard share exclusive fighting styles taught by the dragon itself
• Paragon Wardens on the other hand, form orders of knights, banned together under a common creed. A strong moral code dictated by the dragon but earnestly believed and followed by each member of The Hoard. They’re sent on missions to work towards the oath that binds them.
• Coven Wardens differ from the other Warden subtype. They tend to be driven by emotion and loyalty; rather than a thirst for knowledge, a desire to accrue faith, or amass armies to control territory. They seem to focus more on building or maintaining communities.

  It's the proximity to mortals and their mortality that gives Warden Dragons their characteristic appearance instead of being defined by the color of their scales. Warden Dragons can be recognized not just by The Hoard but the unique characteristics each of them take on while retaining the reptile-like appearance that all dragons share. Despite the massive differences between each type of warden Dragon they all share the commitment to Grow their hoard.   some hoards are made out of willing participants that join the ranks of like-minded individuals under the leadership of an impossibly powerful dragon, to grow in power and in their area of expertise but some others are forced into a life of servitude to the dragon. As the dragon's power grows with each unwilling addition to the hoard both the servant and the source of power to an unknowable being much more powerful than any lone member of The hoard, which method will a Warden Dragon choose to grow its hoard? Only each individual Warden dragon can say   credits to pointy hat on youtube for creating the Warden dragon concept