Tsaparang (/ˈsɑp.bræŋ/ SAHP-brang)

The Tsaparang, often referred to as the Conclave of Metals, is a political and cultural body composed of metallic dragons who returned to Rolara following the reignition of the Stars of Power. Their organizational framework is deliberately archaic, intended to evoke continuity with ancient draconic institutions and to underscore their legitimacy as heirs to the world’s oldest order of power.  

The Grand Conclave

At the core of the Tsaparang stands the Grand Conclave, a council of elder wyrms. Membership is apportioned by metallic lineage—gold, silver, bronze, brass, and copper—each kind represented by its most venerable or influential elder. The Conclave holds supreme authority within the organization. Decisions are reached not by majority vote but through consensus, with debates often spanning years. This method reflects both draconic patience and a desire to maintain unshakable unity once a course is set.  

The Chorus of the Conclave

Because the Conclave rarely leaves its seat of deliberation, external relations are conducted through the Chorus of the Conclave. The Chorus consists of selected envoys, often wyrms of middle to great age, appointed to represent the collective will of the Conclave in foreign courts. Each envoy carries equal authority to speak on behalf of the whole body, though they are expected to maintain fidelity to consensus decisions rather than pursue personal agendas. The Chorus is intentionally multi-voiced, enabling the Tsaparang to maintain simultaneous presences in multiple nations while symbolizing the harmony of differing draconic perspectives.  

Tenure and Authority

Membership in the Grand Conclave is effectively lifelong, though dragons of great antiquity may abdicate in favor of younger kin when age or weariness overtakes them. The Chorus, by contrast, serves limited terms—usually one century—after which appointees return to private life or to advisory roles within the Conclave. Neither body maintains permanent hierarchical power: prestige comes from service and wisdom rather than from rank. This tradition is intended to discourage ambition and reinforce the Tsaparang’s identity as guardians rather than rulers.  

Philosophy of Governance

The Tsaparang’s structure embodies their axiom, “Endure as Stone, Shine as Flame.” The Conclave represents the stone—immovable, unyielding, and enduring—while the Chorus embodies the flame, adaptable, far-reaching, and illuminating. Together, they present themselves to mortals as both steadfast protectors and active participants in diplomacy.  

Public Perception

To mortals, this structure appears simultaneously majestic and alien. The Conclave’s slow deliberations can seem remote or unresponsive, while the Chorus, polished and diplomatic, is often viewed with suspicion as the velvet exterior of a harder core. Nevertheless, the structure has thus far succeeded in maintaining the Tsaparang’s image as an ancient order reborn, one whose legitimacy rests on continuity with the past rather than innovation.

The Tsaparang embody a paradox at the heart of draconic nature: creatures renowned for independence, pride, and solitude choosing to bind themselves to collective purpose. Their culture is a deliberate compromise between personal sovereignty and shared duty, designed to preserve the dignity of the individual wyrm while advancing a unified draconic agenda.   At its foundation lies the belief that metallic dragons, though mighty in their own right, cannot alone safeguard Rolara from the excesses of mortals and the threat of chromatic domination. This conviction gives the Tsaparang a seriousness and gravity that distinguishes them from informal draconic gatherings of the past. The Conclave insists that participation is voluntary, yet once pledged, a Dragon’s oath is binding until released by consensus. To break faith with the Tsaparang is to invite lasting dishonor among dragonkind.  

Decision-Making and Debate

Tsaparang councils are characterized by extended deliberation. Elders view time differently than mortals, and consensus is valued above expediency. Arguments are recorded, archived, and sometimes reopened centuries later. Younger dragons find this pace exasperating, yet the culture regards patience as proof of wisdom and restraint.  

The Chorus Abroad

Dragons selected to serve in the Chorus of the Conclave must demonstrate unusual tolerance for mortal habits and customs. Within the Tsaparang, these ambassadors are seen as instruments rather than leaders. They are tasked with projecting unity, but their authority derives entirely from the Conclave, not personal initiative. Despite their ceremonial prestige, they are reminded constantly that they are replaceable voices, not sovereign powers.  

Independence and Pride

Tsaparang members maintain private lairs, hoards, and domains apart from their collective obligations. This separation ensures that no dragon is entirely subsumed into the organization. The culture recognizes that draconic pride cannot be extinguished without consequence; instead, it is redirected. A dragon may boast of its personal wisdom, its wealth, or its victories, but not of achievements accomplished in the name of the Conclave. To do so is considered a breach of decorum.  

Symbols and Rituals

The organization cultivates continuity with antiquity. Ritual assemblies are conducted in the ancient draconic tongue, and symbolic gestures—such as striking the ground with a claw to signal agreement—are preserved from pre-exile traditions. Their axiom, “Endure as Stone, Shine as Flame,” is recited at every gathering of the Conclave.  

Attitudes Toward Mortals

The Tsaparang culture teaches that mortals are both dangerous and necessary. Dangerous, because their short lives encourage reckless innovation; necessary, because they populate and shape the world into which dragons have returned. While Tsaparang ambassadors adopt the language of partnership, internally mortals are viewed as apprentices at best, wards at worst. The tone is paternal rather than egalitarian, which has led to charges of condescension from mortal rulers.  

Faith and Philosophy

The Tsaparang is not a religious body, but devout dragons openly venerate Bahamut (Long Wang) or other draconic powers. Such worship is treated as a personal matter, and debates on theology are discouraged in Conclave sessions. The cultural emphasis lies instead on continuity, memory, and stewardship of the world as a shared charge.

The Tsaparang present themselves as a stabilizing force in the new age of Rolara, dedicated to fostering peace between dragonkind and mortal nations. Their stated purpose is to ensure that the calamities which once extinguished the stars of power are not repeated. To this end, they advocate for transparency, diplomacy, and mutual respect between species. Through the Chorus of the Conclave, they seek to maintain continuous dialogue with mortal rulers, positioning themselves as allies in the struggle against chromatic aggression and the cults of Tiamat. The Tsaparang emphasize stewardship and guardianship rather than dominance, declaring that their influence exists to safeguard civilization and preserve balance, not to usurp mortal sovereignty.

The Assets of the Tsaparang encompass both material wealth and intangible influence. Chief among these are the vast hoards accumulated before the dragons’ long absence, many of which have been hidden in warded vaults, buried sanctuaries, or entrusted to loyal servitors. With the reignition of the Stars of Power, several of these caches have been reclaimed, restoring to the Tsaparang an unmatched reserve of precious metals, magical relics, and ancient tomes.   Equally important is their access to pre-exile knowledge. The Tsaparang preserve fragments of draconic sorcery and warding techniques lost to mortal cultures, granting them a distinct advantage in matters of arcane scholarship and defense. They also command the loyalty of draconic servitors—Dragonborn lineages, oathbound cults, and bound spirits—who act as intermediaries, agents, and guardians of sacred sites.   Finally, the Tsaparang maintain influence through sanctuaries beyond Rolara, interplanar strongholds that survived the long exile. These sites serve as gathering places for the Conclave, staging grounds for envoys of the Chorus, and secure redoubts against their enemies. Collectively, these assets ensure that the Tsaparang remain formidable both in material might and in the subtler realms of prestige, knowledge, and continuity.

The Tsaparang, often styled The Conclave of Metals, is a collective of metallic dragons whose presence and influence span both the ancient and modern ages of Rolara. Though their name was nearly forgotten during the long centuries of diminished magic, the revival of the Stars of Power in recent years has brought the Tsaparang back into prominence.  

Origins in Antiquity

  The first Tsaparang is believed to have emerged during the final centuries before the extinguishment of the Stars of Power. At that time, the metallic dragons of Rolara recognized the growing peril of unchecked mortal ambition and the destabilizing effects of rampant sorcery. In response, they forged a loose pact to coordinate their efforts in guiding and restraining mortal civilization. Contemporary sources describe them less as a centralized order and more as a “concord of elders,” convened only in times of grave crisis.  

The Great Departure

  When the Stars of Power were extinguished and magic receded, most dragons withdrew from the world entirely. Many scholars contend that the Tsaparang agreed collectively to depart, believing their presence would exacerbate the chaos of the age. What little evidence survives suggests that only scattered individuals—too young, too stubborn, or bound by circumstance—remained behind. The Tsaparang itself faded into myth, its very name preserved only in esoteric records and half-remembered chants.  

Revival and Formalization

  The Draconian invasions of 1521–1523 Post Extinguishment marked a turning point. Metallic dragons, returning in greater numbers with the reignition of the Stars, found mortals once again threatened by draconic power—this time twisted under the banner of a false god. During this conflict, calls arose among the metallics to reform the ancient pact into a structured and enduring body. Out of these councils the modern Tsaparang was born.   The Grand Conclave was established, composed of the eldest surviving representatives of each metallic kind: gold, silver, bronze, brass, and copper. In keeping with draconic tradition, decisions are reached through long deliberation and consensus, ensuring stability rather than haste. To engage with mortal nations, the Conclave created the Chorus, a body of ambassadors dispatched across borders to speak with one voice in many tongues.  

Mission and Philosophy

  Though individual dragons pursue varied interests, the Tsaparang maintain a collective mission: to prevent the follies that once extinguished the Stars of Power, to secure a rightful place for dragonkind in mortal society, and to uphold an order of wisdom and justice against the tyranny of chromatic dragons and their goddess, Tiamat.   The Tsaparang do not style themselves a religious body, though many of their number venerate Bahamut (also known as Long Wang). Their authority rests not on creed but on antiquity, continuity, and the perception that they embody the living memory of a lost golden age.  

Modern Perceptions

  The re-emergence of the Tsaparang has drawn mixed responses. Mortals greet them with awe and trepidation: some see them as guardians and allies, others as overlords in waiting. The clergy of Alessandra and other prominent deities express unease at the establishment of an embassy in Tatharia Capitolina, fearing a rival spiritual authority. Among dragons, chromatic rivals denounce the Tsaparang as pretenders and betrayers, while gem dragons treat them with cool respect.   Regardless of perception, the Tsaparang’s stature grows with each passing year. Their return represents not simply the reappearance of dragons, but the resurrection of a draconic order whose name once echoed across the world, and now does so again.