Wind Dragons

General Morphology

  Wind dragons are large, lizard like quadrupeds with a large pair of wings on their back, elongated reptilian snouts and long, muscular tails. While appearing reptilian, they are actually warm-blooded, drawing most of their power and magic from the Gaoithe Sidhe, the 12 magical winds of the Hud. They may possess some avian or even mammalian features, but the most dominant aspects of most dragons are their reptilian ones.   In their natural form, wind dragons maintain a digitigrade stance on four muscular limbs. Their forelimbs are typically longer and slighter than their hindlegs, which are more thick and muscular. Their hands commonly have three digits, with a semi-opposable, thumblike dewclaw that can be used for rudimentary grasping. Their feet are typically thicker, with three digits, a vestigial dewclaw, and a longer, more dramatic arch and heel. Dragon talons are capped with sharp, nonretractable claws. These are kept razor sharp with the act of husking.   The most distinctive aspect of the wind dragons, setting them apart from their draconic peers, are the pair of great wings emerging from their shoulder blades. These are typically batlike, in form, with membane stretched between 3 long fingers. The tips of these "fingers", as well as the "wrist" of the wing are often, but not always, capped with claws or spikes. In rare cases, individual dragons may have feathery, avian wings. Dragon wings, aided by the flow of the Hud, allow for self-propelled flight up to incredible speeds, breaking the supersonic barrier if carried by a powerful wind sympathetic to the dragon's own magic. Wind Dragons travel along liminal seams between realities high in the atmosphere, easily outpacing even the fastest and most maneuverable windships. When they drop suddenly out of these flows, they generate great whirlwinds, called bouilhard in Letha.   In addition to these limbs, dragons commonly possess a long, muscular prehensile tail. Dragons are covered head to tail in thick, rigid scales, and scutes along their underside, providing them natural protection on par with metal plate armor. In addition, Wind dragons commonly have prominent horns, as well as spiked ridges from their neck to the tips of their tail. The tips of the tail are often flared, but in some cases contain additional spikes at the tip.   Wind dragons have long necks, leading to reptilian heads with pronounced, teeth filled snouts. Wind dragons have front facing eyes and a wide variety of ear shapes, including pointed and webbed. Not all dragons have readily visible ears. Often, dragons will have ridges or plates on their heads, offering additional protection.  

Kalon-Avel

  While the Fair Folk come from Old Elfriche, the Bediz from Bedouar, Wind Dragons are inextricably tied to the Hud, the currents of magical energy that flow through Alvez. This connection is deep enough to the Wind Dragon's being that it could be considered the individual's anoan, at it is frequently described as such. In effect, this connection is an ere-hud, a magical boon and bane linking the individual with one of the 12 Gaoithe Sidhe. This link, commonly called the Kalon-Avel, Coeur de Vent or Windheart, supplies them with potent foyson, which they can draw on for both sustenance and as druidecht.   An individual Wind Dragon can tap into any of the 12 Winds, but has the strongest affinity with one in particular, as well as increased affinity with the two adjacent winds. This directly affects the druidecht of the dragon, commonly manifesting as elemental magic, which can be expelled in its pure form from the mouth, or radiating off the scales in extreme cases.  

Shapechangers

  Wind dragons possess a trait unique to their family, being adept shapechangers, capable of altering their size, form and appearance at will to resemble the other Tuath of Alvez. Most commonly, they will take prefer to take the form of Bediz or Eladan, although they are functionally able to take the form of most Tuath. The age, appearance and physical attributes of this form vary greatly by individual dragons, but are commonly consistent, with only one dedicated "form" per individual dragon, taking the same appearance each time they take on the shape. Wind dragons are also capable of taking on several forms between these forms, mixing humanoid and draconic traits.

Wind Dragons produce sexually, with a mating pair producing a single egg, commonly encased in a gemlike shell. After a time, the dragonlings hatch, living with their mother for a period, gradually embarking further and further away from the lair, until such time that they develop enough to create their own hoard.  

Hoard Sickness

  There is another method by which new wind dragons come to being, a rare circumstance known as hoard sickness. The spiritual and magical core of a wind dragon is the Kalon-Avel, an ere-hud connecting the dragon with the Gaoithe Sidhe. When the connection is severed, such as with the death of wind dragon, or contains unbalanced Dle, such as in the case of an exceptionally powerful, but inactive dragon, the spell becomes wild, retaining a tenous connection between the Winds and the Hoard, if extant.   When an individual becomes attached to a hoard, either by possession or extended contact, they may become ensnared in the untethered ere-Hud. Once connected, an affected individual will begin to take an interest in collecting, or, in extreme cases begin to exhibit hoarding tendencies, gradually gathering more and more of their object of fancy. Contrary to popular belief, the "treasure" at the center of a hoard is not always gold, silver or jewels, but rather a collection of individual value to the dragon in question. As the hoard grows, the individual begins to display more draconic tendencies and physical traits, eventually becoming a wind dragon themselves. This process can be halted or reversed if a suitable anchor is found for the wild spell.

Wind Dragons exist outside of Chronos. Instead, their size and magical power grows in connection to the size of their hoard. As the size and "value" of their collection grows, so to does the Wind Dragon.

General Trends

  The environment in which wind dragons live is among the widest range of any creatures living in Alvez, from snowswept mountains and scorching deserts to tranquil woodland farms and even bustling cities of the other Tuath. Wind dragons are resilient and adaptable, able to live in even extreme environments. Their ties to the Gaoithe Sidhe has led the creatures to spread themselves wide across Alvez.   Despite their wide range, wind dragon habitats do follow some general trends. They are almost always located in conceptually liminal spaces, such as mountains (between land and sky), islands and wetlands (between land and sea), among others. Dragons living in secret amongst the other Tuath will frequent border regions and coastlines.  

Aeries and Lairs

  Wind Dragons reside primarily within dwellings known as lairs, although they are occasionally referred to as aeries. These lairs are typically located along potent leylines and locus points, where ample Hud flows and gathers. These lairs are typically in or near a noteworthy landmark within the region, such as a distinctive mountain or a prominent ruin. While the complexity of the interior varies by the individual and may even reside within a pocket of Faerie, Wind Dragon Lairs typically contain several uniform features.   The most prominent of these commonalities is a large central chamber, known as the "hoard room" This is the primary living space inhabited by the dragon, containing their hoard. Some dragons may have a series of smaller rooms depending on individual taste, spacial availability and the type of objects collected, but the basic approach remains the same, forming the core of the lair.   Dragon Lairs also have a dedicated antichamber, or a series of them, dividing the hoard from the primary entrance. Dragon Lairs typically are arranged to allow a natural flow of Hud, either in the form of wind or moving water, through their lair, constantly supplying the hoard and themselves with ample foyson.

Wind Dragons largely draw Foyson directly from the Hud, most commonly from their primary and secondary winds, but also from other sources of flowing hud. They supplement this with a carnivorous diet, consisting of large game, livestock and monsters.  

Bouilhard

  Wind Dragons, as their name implies, have a strong connection to the 12 Winds. They travel along unseen channels of the Hud high in the atmosphere, often at impossible speeds, traversing great distances in a short amount of time. When they suddenly descend from these channels, they are often wrapped in whirlwinds, using the chaos to stun prey or damage enemies.

Dragon eggs and eggshells are similar in appearance and structure to precious gems and are frequently sought out for jewelry and decor. Additionally, their potent magical power makes them ideal Talisms for Huderezh.   Dragon claws and horns make for excellent materials for weaponry and armor. Dragon scales are prized for their use as armor, being durable, flexible and magically potent.

While wind dragons have excellent senses of sight and smell, their true strength comes from being able to perceive the shifting auras and streams of the Hud, allowing them incredible insight into not only the position and actions of a viewed subject, but also the extent of its magical ability and interconnections to things around it. Functionally, this allows them to perceive things that are otherwise obscured and invisible, as well as in near total darkness. While taking flight on a sympathetic wind, the dragons can sense things far off from their location.

Wind Dragons are typically described as vain, taking great pride in their appearance. Wind dragons judge themselves and their peers by the pattern, colour and vibrancy of their scales, as well as the quality of their horns and claws.

The Hoard

  All wind dragons exhibit collecting habits, creating hoards of "valued" objects around them. The Hoard is commonly associated with objects of wealth, such as coins, gems and precious metals, but can also be more esoteric collections, such as books or works of art. Hoards can range from unsorted piles of clutter to well organized museums displaying curated objects, but their core role as a "collection" remains. As creatures of the Hud, Wind Dragons are constantly exposed to the flow of magik, their personal glamours literally radiating around them. As a result of their mystical connection to their hoard, the objects are often imbued with slight excess of glamour, slowly building over time, serving as a metaphysical battery for the creature. As a result, the larger the hoard, the more excess magical power can be drawn from it.   As their personal lifeforce and power is so intrinsically tied to their hoard, dragons fiercely guard their collections, with many exhibiting symptoms of psychological hoarding. Dragons will sometimes set out on a destructive rampage to reclaim even seemingly trivial objects from their hoard. Objects from draconic hoards are often talsims, magical batteries used in similherez. Exceptionally potent objects may serve as offshoot Kalon-Avel, serving as the spiritual anchor for the creation of new wind dragons.

Wind Dragons, like many magical creatures, share a weakness to iron. Many stories tell of farmers or sailors, who, upon throwing an iron rake or Windblade into a whirlwind, are showered with dragonscales when the creature is struck and flees.

In the time of Legends, tales tell of great dragons doing battle with the Tuath Gargan, a clash of incomprehensible power. Following The Tear, Alvez was plunged into an age of turmoil and chaos, as Bediz and Fae battled to lay claim over the shattered world. Spawned from the chaotic magic of the Hud itself, the dragons emerged as a powerful force unlike any other, carving out a path of destruction with their immense magical powers. Individually, none could match them, but they lacked the unifying cooperation of the other Tuath to act as a uniform force. In the unknown centuries before the rise of Great Kernev, this proved their undoing, as armies formed to counter their presence.   By the time of Gradlon Mwar, the draconic population was in decline. The great Wyrms retreated deep within pockets of Faerie, far from the world of Man or Fae, as the lesser dragons devolved into feral savagery. Only the proud Wind Dragons remained. They featured prominently on both sides of the War of the Two Brothers, culminating in the Battle of Meneziou Are, where the confrontation between a pair of Wind Dragons irrevocably altered the landscape of The Armorican Peninsula.   In 324 SI, the Marais de Dol was terrorized by a rampaging Wind Dragon. Defeated by Samson, a cleric of the Southern Church, it marked the turning point of the struggle between the Druids and the Faith.Wind

The Cardinal Dragons

The four cardinal winds (Black (N), Light (E), White (S) and Pale (W) are represented by 4 individual and semi-mythological dragons, regarded as deities by both the Wind Dragons themselves and the Faith of the Forest. These entities are described as follows:  

The Blackwind Dragon - A great dragon with silver-white scales with a breath of ice and snow.

The Lightwind Dragon - A dragon with green scales, flying low over the fields

The Whitewind Dragon - A great golden dragon, shimmering like the sun on fields of wheat.

The Palewind Dragon - a dragon with deep blue scales.

Major Historical Dragons

 

The Dragon of Dol

Mikael

Malgven's Dragon

Other Dragons

  Lady Melusine Salia Blackwater