Vulsemar

Vulsemar worldbuilding Dragon Culture -wyrmlings & young dragons don’t get names until they’ve earned them, either late in their young life or upon transitioning to adulthood -during the Gigadragonomy,   Dragon Military -Dragonborn -Lizardfolk -Yuan-Ti -Drakes & Drakeriders -Wyverns & Wyriders -True Dragons   Worship by Dragonborn   In ancient times, before the humanoid races roamed the world, dragons worshipped the Elder Gods directly. It was from this primal worship that the dragons developed Draconic Magic, based on the Primal Elements (Fire, Terra, Water & Air).   Dragonborn are the dominant reptilian humanoids of Vulsemar. They come in several colors, each worshipping a specific type of dragon as their matron/patron leaders:   1. Red Dragonborn worship Infernal Dragons (Red Dragon statblock) 2. Blue Dragonborn worship Storm Dragons (Blue Dragon statblock) 3. Gold/Brass Dragonborn worship Solar Dragons (Gold & Brass Dragon statblocks), but in different ways. The Solar Dragons worshipped by Gold Dragonborn are generally associated with benevolent aspects of the sun (light, warmth & flourishing life), while the Solar Dragons worshipped by Brass Dragonborn are generally associated with the malevolent, raw powers of the sun (drought, deadly heat, etc.). 4. Black Dragonborn worship Gloom Dragons (Black Dragon statblock, change the name in all dragon documents to Gloom instead of Reaper) 5. Green Dragonborn worship Forest Dragons (Green Dragon statblock) 6. Silver/White Dragonborn worship Frost Dragons (Silver & White Dragon statblocks), but in different ways. The Frost Dragons worshipped by Silver Dragonborn are generally associated with benevolent aspects of the cold (protection from extreme heat, medically beneficial applications of cold, etc.), while the White Dragonborn are generally associated with malevolent aspects (blizzards/cold precipitation, deadly cold, etc.) 7. Copper Dragonborn worship Terra Dragons (Copper Dragon statblock). Tend to be miners, metal/stone workers, and other related professions. They use their acid breath to tunnel through the ground faster, just like their dragon matrons/patrons. Terra Dragons use their wings to smack the ground with terra-shaking shockwaves (TerraQuake, 7th-8th level Garonis spell) or blinding sandstorms, and are the undisputed masters of earth. 8. Bronze Dragonborn worship Sea Dragons (Bronze Dragon statblock) & Dragon Turtles. Tend to be sailors & islanders, rather than living on mainland Vulsemar.   Worship by other reptilian humanoids 1. Lizardfolk - mainly worship Swamp & Forest Dragons. However, some smaller cultures worship patron/matron Lesser Deities, such as Balcazar’s village worshipping the Lizard Queen (her name is in Gaiobros Chapter 23) 2. Yuan-Ti (snake people) - mainly worship Nagas and serpentine Lesser Deities, often putting them at odds with the dragons who demand their worship. As a result, many Yuan-Ti societies on Vulsemar have been decimated by Swamp & Forest Dragons, leaving only a small swath of territory as their safe haven. Those that do worship dragons tend to follow Swamp Dragons, as their native territories overlap the most. 3. Kobolds - worship whichever dragon type they hold ancestry for. Kobolds are treated as the lowest class of citizen in Dragonborn societies and as vermin servants to dragons 4. Tortles - annihilated from Vulsemar’s lands by the dragons long ago, since they mainly worship Greater & Lesser Deities (such as Testudo, Master Obu’s ex-Minor God leader). However, the few that do worship dragons tend to worship Dragon Turtles, as tortles are mainly aquatic. Their worship of Dragon Turtles vs. Sea Dragons occasionally leads to territorial conflict with Bronze Dragonborn societies.   Other random bits   •a town of Storm & Solar Dragonborn who live under the rule of two dragons; Zitharas & Foghenash (Storm & Solar). Their monthly offering determines the weather for the next month (rain & storms from Zitharas if the offering pleases him more, sun & drought from Foghenash if the offering pleases her more)   The Primal Element Structure in Draconic Arcana   1. Fire - Infernal & Solar Dragons 2. Earth - Terra, Forest & Swamp Dragons 3. Water - Sea & Frost Dragons 4. Air - Storm & Frost Dragons  

Stuff added 6/19/2024

Vulsemar worldbuilding •Primal, prehistoric landscape with dinosaurs & other flora/fauna not found anywhere else on Gaion. The land is savage & difficult to inhabit in large populations. •After the Gigadragonomy, the dragons & the giants were pushed back to Vulsemar. The initial wars led to the giants holding the southern half of the continent & the dragons holding the north. The wars also led to the extinction of the Forest Giants, with all members of the species outside of Vulsemar were corrupted & deformed by Dahli & Hytheron into the dimwitted Hill Giants. •Eventually, the giants’ territory in Vulsemar was reduced to the southwest quarter of the continent, along with the northeast corner of Thagoria. The dragons experienced too much infighting to gain more territory, leading to their own civil wars and a permanent border established via the Gigan Wall (magic barrier impassable by dragon or giants, but no effect on humanoids, beasts or other creatures). The giants consolidated into massive city-states above ground & below, allowing them to farm the rich prehistoric resources of their land while defending against possible Draconic incursions from outside the edges of the Gigan Wall. •Outside of Vulsemar & Thagoria, the giants only held scattered territories in Southern Hythenos, Western Cyregnor & remote areas of Dalterra. Sea Giants were wiped out or corrupted & deformed by Akana into the one-eyed Cyclopses, losing their amphibious nature and becoming stranded on the islands they lived on. Stone & Fire Giants lived underground or within mountains. Storm & Cloud Giants lived at the top of remote mountaintops or in coastal waters, driven from deeper waters by angry seafolk & Akana. •Most of the draconic societies are organized into tribal villages, towns & nomadic clans ruled by a regional Dracolord (Ancient Dragon). Their only responsibility is to provide food, resources & treasure to their draconic overlords. Otherwise, the tribes are allowed self rule & autonomy. Dracolords inhabit their own draconic metropolises, with the Adult Dragons, same-colored Dragonborn, different-colored Dragonborn, lizardfolk/snakefolk, & kobolds beneath them allowed to live in the city under strict hierarchy (in that order). Only a spouse of the Dracolord may be an Ancient Dragon. Leadership changes occur when another Ancient Dragon defeats the ruling Dracolord in single combat, or as the winner of a tournament between all Adult Dragons in the territory when the ruling Dracolord dies. •Wyrmking Dragons are born & raised in the prehistoric wilds by their Young Dragon mothers. Only Young Dragons who have hatched & raised at least one wyrmling is allowed in the Dracolord Cities. Draconic Magic is taught in these cities, or learned from unaligned Adult & Ancient Dragons choosing/exiled to live in the wilds.     Retcons   1. Islador is the capital city of Dracolord Raizon’s territory. The city’s social hierarchy is the Dracolord, Adult Forest Dragons, other Adult Dragons, Green Dragonborn, different-colored Dragonborn, lizardfolk, snakefolk, Green Kobolds, then other kobolds. Kobolds are specifically treated as bottom-class citizens. Wyrmling & Young Dragons are not allowed in the city, as they must prove themselves worthy of their power by training their whole lives in the prehistoric wilds. 2. Vas Dregas is a gambling hub in the midst of the Drukannas Desert that gives most of its earnings & treasures to Dracolord Dregas, an Ancient Solar Dragon who rules over the tribes & villages of the desert. If profits from Vas Dregas displease the Dracolord in a given year, he punishes his territory with a drought until they satisfy him. 3. The gang had to travel in the Draconic WarCarriage to traverse the savage landscape. The war carriage has magical off-road properties and was used by Green Dragonborn infantry during their wars with Madrakor’s armies. It was lost in battle and, at some point, recovered by/sold to the Gaiobros. They also needed this carriage for Cyregnor, as they would have died otherwise & come across the ruins of fallen Frost Elf societies, including the Moon Elf ruins of Luxevor.