Katie MacAlister

Dragon Handbook

Black Dragons

The black dragons have had a tremendous impact on the weyr, both in the past and present. One of the original four septs to be created at the bidding of the First Dragon, the black sept was comprised mostly of dragons living in the Baltic and Russian regions of Western and Eastern Europe.

The most famous member of the sept is also the most infamous: the dread wyvern Baltic, who was named heir to Alexei Istomka after he challenged and beat the existing heir. Baltic took over as wyvern in 1212, and was the original target of what came to be known as the Endless War when the wyvern of the red dragon sept declared an all-out war against the black dragons. Since the black dragons were, at that time, defending themselves from attacks by the blue sept, a weyr-wide war was not long in forming.

Baltic’s handling of the black dragons during the Endless War was cited as Constantine Norka’s reason for leaving the black dragons and forming the silver sept. As the war progressed, the black dragons began to focus more on reclaiming the silver sept, but that goal was lost when the war was brought to an end at the beginning of the 18th century with the death of Baltic at the hands of his heir, Kostya Fekete. With the black dragon stronghold, Dauva, destroyed, and most of the sept dead, the few remaining black dragons went into hiding, emerging only recently with the reappearance of the current wyvern.

Current Wyvern

Name: Konstantin Nikolai Fekete (Kostya)
Born: 1 January 1584
Mother: Doña Catalina de Elférez
Father: Cziriak Toldi Fekete
Siblings: one living
Mate: Aoife Dakar
Took control of the sept: 2009
Previous Wyvern: Baltic

Traits

Although dragons, as a rule, do not exhibit many abilities related to various forms of magic, the black dragons have an almost uncanny ability to do that which other septs can’t: they wield a particular form of elemental magic based on their natural element, energy.

They can transform the energy they gather from the relationship between living things surrounding them, and translate it into particularly effective spells. They are also experts at deception and hiding, which is why they are seldom found if they desire to remain hidden from the prying eyes of other dragons. That ability extends to objects, which can leave their lairs and items of value extremely difficult to locate.

They are also very resilient, and although they can be killed, their ability to pull energy from their surrounding allows them to survive where other dragons would not. There is a rumor that their essence turns to pure energy when they succumb to a fatal blow.

Population

Members: 14

 

Blue Dragons

History

Originally from Eastern Europe, the blue dragon sept relocated sometime around the first millennium to Italy, where the highest concentrations of members still live.The blue dragons were for centuries the weakest of all five septs, and were almost completely destroyed in the Endless War when two-thirds of the members were murdered in a brutal attack by the black dragons. The sept withdrew from both mortal and immortal socializations following the war, per the request of the Wyvern at the time.

The following century was a time for restructure and reorganization, with the blue dragons returning to active participation in the Weyr by late seventeenth century. Notable members include: Rosana Flore (the first female wyvern, later murdered by her brother in 1318), Alberti Da Ghiacceto (who is said to have created the recipe for the dragon’s blood beverage), and Bastiano Blu, uncle of the current wyvern, who was unsuccessful three times in his attempt to take control of the sept. He went insane shortly after the last attempt, and is rumored to be living in a remote villa in the Italian Alps.

With Bastian’s coup in taking over control of the sept, members divided themselves into camps that followed either Bastian or his nephew Fiat.

Current Wyvern

Name: Bastiano de Girardin Blu
Born: 1 January 1413, Firenze, Italy
Mother: Cecilia Mocenigo
Father: Giustiniano Tiepolo
Siblings: two
Mate: Phyllida Hall
Took control of the sept: 2007
Previous Wyvern: Pierozzo Blu

Traits

The blue dragons are best known for two specific abilities–tracking, and telepathy. Possessors of strong social skills, they are skilled in the art of manipulation, and are renowned negotiators. They also have a keen grasp of mortal psychology, and as such, have done extremely well in businesses in the mortal world. They prefer distance fighting to hand-to-hand combat, and are fascinated with technology of any sort.

Population

Members: 542

 

Green Dragons

History

With its Celtic origins in Northern Europe, the green dragon sept has had a violent and often tragic history. Torn apart frequently by internal strife, the sept suffered from a lack of leadership for several centuries until in 1447, when the internal troubles were put to an end by the arrival of Alhazen Vireo.

A mage and mathematician, Alhazen brought stability and order to the tumultuous sept, rewriting the sept coda, and setting down rules which are kept to this day. Alhazen originally opposed participation in the Endless War, seeing no need to either claim supremacy over the other septs. When the red dragons, led by their wyvern Chuan Ren Lung, attempted to take over the sept, Alhazen reluctantly entered the war and successfully protected the sept from obliteration. Following the Endless War, Alhazen was the first to suggest a democratic structure to the weyr, with each sept receiving equal representation.

The sept again fell into confusion and disarray when Alhazen was assassinated by a red dragon. The two septs declared a private war, which waged with bloody purpose until the turn of the twentieth century, finally ending when the current wyvern agreed to a trial by combat to determine the outcome of the war. The green and red dragons have had an uneasy peace since the red dragons’ defeat.

Current Wyvern

Name: Drake Vireo
Born: 1 January 1615, Érd, Hungary
Mother: Doña Catalina de Elférez
Father: Cziriak Toldi Fekete
Siblings: one living
Mate: Aisling Grey
Took control of the sept: 1 January 1857
Previous Wyvern: Fodor Andras Vireo

Traits

The green dragons are thieves, and as such, are very adept at getting in and out of close quarters, smuggling, and upon occasion, shape-shifting. They have a natural skill with puzzles and locks, and although they are amongst the most feared fighters in the dragon world, their strengths lie in close-quarter improvised battle rather than involved strategizing.

Population

Members: 231

 

Red Dragons

History

The red dragons have a unique history in that one wyvern has, in effect, headed the sept for most of its existence. Although her origins are lost, it is rumored that Chuan Ren Lung was the daughter of the previous wyvern, a man she murdered along with the remaining family members in order to ensure there were no other claimants to wyvern.

Regardless of her origins, Chuan Ren Lung had an iron grip on the red dragons for more than 1500 years. It was her desire for supremacy that caused two of the three major dragon wars, including the Endless War, and the private war with the green dragons (in which more than 60 percent of the red dragons perished). Forced by lack of resources and Weyr pressure to accept peace accords, the red dragons learned to live in (relative) peace with the other septs…until the sept was all but destroyed by the demon lord Bael. A new wyvern was created to bring the sept back from extinction.

Current Wyvern

Name: Rowan Malley Dakar
Born: 1 January 1980
Mother: Angharad Malley
Father: Alpha Ndakaaru
Siblings: Bee Dakar, Aoife Dakar
Mate: Sophea Long
Took control of the sept: 2016
Previous Wyvern: Chuan Ren Lung

Traits

The red dragons are fierce warriors, and masters of all combat arts. They believe might makes right, and lack diplomatic skills and abilities that come naturally to other septs. They have little tolerance for fools or weaknesses, and have a history of periodically purging their sept of members who don’t meet their high standards. They are bold and confident, unquestioning in their loyalties to their sept, and do not hesitate to challenge anyone who stands in their path.
Note: information about the previous wyvern is provided here since the new wyvern has no history with the sept. Previous wyvern’s name: Chuan Ren Lung. Born: 1 January 412, Shanxi, China. Death: 2012. Mother: Lei Su. Father: Hao Lei. Siblings: Unknown. Mate: Li Jiaxin. Took control of the sept: 1 January 670.

Population

Members: 8

 

Silver Dragons

History

Not a great deal is known about the silver dragons outside the sept, due mostly to their close-knit clan, the members of which are reluctant to make public information they consider to be private business.

They are the youngest of the five dragon septs, formed when a branch from the black dragons gathered to protest the rule of the dread black wyvern Baltic, known for his ruthless and bloody attempts to dominate the five septs. The black dragons did not take kindly to their offspring leaving the sept, and spent several centuries trying to win them back–first by bribes, later by force.

The first wyvern of the silver dragons, Constantine Norka, was successful at keeping the sept autonomous, although he paid a high price for that freedom–Baltic cast a curse on the sept that promised no mate shall be born to any of its members until a black dragon was accepted as wyvern.

Current Wyvern

Name: Gabriel Tauhou
Born: 1 January 1702, Papetoai, Moorea, French Polynesia
Mother: Kaawa Savé
Father: Ra’iarii Tarapu
Siblings: 2
Mate: May Northcott
Took control of the sept: 1 January 1947
Previous Wyvern: Sial Fa’amasino

Traits

The silver dragons are renowned healers, and as such, are very much in demand in both the mortal and Otherworld. Some silver dragons also have empathic abilities, a trait that has been exploited by other septs. They have a particular affinity with nature, and many spend time with earthier beings such as wood sprites, elves, and sylphs. They are cautious and careful in battle and politics, and while they hold honor and loyalty to be among their most valued traits, they are formidable in their revenge if you cross them.

Population

Members: 677

 

Light Dragons

History

The light dragon sept was formed when the wyvern of the black dragons was killed, and later resurrected. He then formed his own sept, which was only recently admitted to the weyr.

Current Wyvern

Name: Baltic
Born: information missing
Mother: Maewyn
Father: The First Dragon
Siblings: 5
Mate: Ysolde de Bouchier
Took control of the sept: 1 January 1977
Previous Wyvern: none

Traits

Baltic refuses to answer our requests for information. We suggest to readers that they count stubbornness as one of the traits of the light dragons.

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