Draconia (D&D)

Draconia is a work in progress; as research is done on the topic of Dragons in D&D the lore and mechanics of this world alter. As such nothing here should be considered a 'release' version in the sense that a game has yet to be hosted.
Draconia is one of the Middle Worlds in the Astral Sea. It's often called the Dragonic Plane. As a campaign setting Draconia offers a world built upon Dragonic lore from various D&D publications.
==Unique Player Options==
*Draconia as a campaign setting allows players to be a Dragon Wyrmling and age as such if they desire, in fact it's the main focus as Dragons are the dominant species; not always in number but authority being treated as Demigods by the builders of civilization. A 3.5 Edition AD&D publication (the Draconomicon) details how dragon player characters are handled in D&D.
*Unlike the portrayal of Dragons in 4th and 5th edition D&D the Dragons of Draconia are intelligent like those of 3rd edition yet diverse in power and color like 1st edition. What this means is that the color of a Draconian Dragon's scales neither determine their alignment nor breath attack and they have the capacity for rational thought and with that thought a will to determine their own alignment.
==Player Characters==
Players can play a Dragon with first level dragon characters being 6 to 26 years of age. Dragons up until a certain age will not have an issue regarding size but after a certain age they'll have to learn how to polymorph into a humanoid to remain active in the group. Kindred are non-Dragons chosen by a Dragon of the same moral alignment to be a companion, to the point of being considered extended family. Kindreds are held in high regard by Draconian society with a number rising to the title of Dragonkith which comes from forming a close telepathic bond with the Dragon (the two characters gain XP at the same time with the Kindred being capable of more traditional D&D gameplay), When not playing one of the Kindred or a Dragon player characters usually play a Dragonborn, Kobold, or Spellscale inhabiting the outskirts of civilization while negotiating the conflicts, threats, and politics of the world in their own way. An example would be a Dragonborn Wizard seeking to gain a status that makes them worthy to enter the great vault of the Library of Ionia, most sacred city dedicated to Io.
Draconic is the 'Common' tongue of Draconia and something each of the player races can speak.
=== Classes ===
* Bard - Bards of Draconia have access to Dragonsong, a form of performance that originated among the Draconic races and is thus the most common in Draconia.
* Cleric - Good clerics follow Bahumat, Hlal, or Tamara. Neutral Clerics can look towards Aasterinian, Astiabor, Chronepsis, Io, or Lendy. Evil clerics venerate Falazure, Garyx, or Tiamat.
* Fighter - Dracoknights, Dragonriders, etc are all covered here.
* Sorcerer - Sorcerers in Draconia are of Draconic heritage.
* Thief
==Divinity==
Draconia is presided over by a pantheon of Draconic deities. They manifest into the world from time to time with the appearance of Garyx being periodic and predictable in all but place. Bahumat while not chief of the pantheon is along side Tamara the most worshiped in Draconia. Bahumat, Hlal, and Tamara associate often with each other and stories regarding them are the most well known. Aasterinian, Io, and Hlal tend to associate as well, Bahumat and Tiamat are both associated with war but represent different aspects of it. Invading armies call upon Tiamat's favor while defending cities look towards Bahumat for guidance.
*Aasterinian (Chaotic Neutral; Learning, Invention, Pleasure) - Aasterinian is a cheeky deity who enjoys learning through play, invention, and pleasure. She is Io’s messenger, a Huge brass dragon who enjoys disturbing the status quo.
*Astilabor (Neutral; Acquisition, Status, Wealth) - Astilabor represents the natural draconic desire to acquire treasure and power. She dislikes the naked greed displayed by Tiamat and her followers.
*Bahumat (Lawful Good; Good, Wind, Wisdom, Protection) - Bahamut is revered in many locales. Though all good dragons pay homage to Bahamut. Other dragons, even evil ones (except perhaps his archrival Tiamat), respect Bahamut for his wisdom and power. He is stern and disapproving of evil, but kind and helpful to the downtrodden and dispossessed. He teaches his followers to strive against evil wherever they can, and to help others become strong enough to resist evil by themselves. He appears as a long, sinuous dragon with platinum scales and catlike eyes of shifting colors.
*Chronepsis (Neutral; Fate, Death, Judgement) - Chronepsis is neutral; silent, unconcerned, and dispassionate. He is the draconic deity of fate, death, and judgment.
*Falazure (Neutral Evil; Decay, Undeath, Exhaustion) - The terrifying Night Dragon, Falazure, is neutral evil. He is the lord of energy draining, undeath, decay, and exhaustion. Some claim he has a decaying skeletal form, but others believe that he looks like a decrepit black dragon whose flesh is pulled tight over his bones.
*Garyx (Chaotic Evil; Fire, Destruction, Renewal) - Garyx the All-Destroyer symbolizes the sheer power and destructive force of dragonkind. Some argue that Garyx is actually insane, as a result of his long occupation of the Windswept Depths of Pandemonium. He appears much like a great wyrm red dragon. Garyx manifests periodically in Draconia to rain destruction upon the land and ruin upon civilization. Those that do revere him are more often Chaotic Neutral and associate his destruction with renewal as ash fertilizes the land. The evil of his clergy believe that he would destroy all if not for Bahumat and that if Bahumat where defeated Garyx would indeed do so to remake the world anew. Most members of his cult start off Chaotic Neutral before moving towards Evil as further revelations are given to them. Even if Bahumat kills him in the material world Garyx will be renewed in the spiritual and return again to rain down destruction.
*Hlal (Chaotic Good; Storytelling, Inspiration, Humor) - Hlal is a sleek, copper-colored dragon with a ready grin and a happy glint in her eye. Of the dragon gods, she is the most friendly to nondragons (even Aasterinian enjoys a reputation of playful danger).
*Io (Neutral; Dragonkind) - Io the Ninefold Dragon is neutral, for he encompasses all alignments within his aspects. He can (and does) appear as any dragon type, from the smallest pseudodragon to the largest great wyrm. He is the creator of Dragonkind and interested only in their continued existence.
*Lendy (Lawful Neutral; Balance, Justice) - Unlike Chronepsis, who judges the life of a dragon only after its death, Lendy metes out justice during a dragon’s life. His scales are a tarnished silver, some say because he cares more about judging others than tending to himself.
*Tamara (Neutral Good; Life, Light, Mercy, Family) - Tamara is the kindest and most benevolent of the draconic deities. Some mistake this quality for weakness, though such beings don’t make the same error twice. She appears as a luminously beautiful silver dragon, her eyes shining with the gentle brightness of the sun itself.
*Tiamat (Chaotic Evil; Conquest, Greed) - Tiamat is a massive dragon with ﬁve heads: black, blue, green, red, and white. She urges her followers to conquer as much as they can, gathering the spoils of war in rich hoards. No cruelty is beyond her desire for plunder and victory in battle.
In the Mythic age there where other gods who held influence in Draconia but they have long been subplanted.
==Features of the Land==
*Dragon Graveyards
*Guardian Nesting Sites
==Lifeforms==
Draconia is inhabited by Behir, Cattle, Chimera, Draco-Sphinx, Dragons, Dragonborn, Dragonflies, Dragonkin, Dragonnes, Dragonnels, Drakes, Faerie Dragons, Felldrakes, Goats, Golems (Dragonbone, Dragonstone, Drolem), Gorynych, Hoard Scarabs, Kobolds, Landwyrm, Linnorms, Lions, Pocket Dragons, Pseudodragons, Mice, Scalamadrion, Sheep, Sea Wyrm, Spellscales, Squamous Spewer, and Wyverns.
Note: Be sure to keep an ecology in mind.
===Races===
*Dragonborn - In times past their where other races on Draconia but they have been succeeded by the Dragonborn. The first Dragonborn where Paladins reborn as Children of Bahumat during the Mythic Age. Dragonborn serve as a mid-tier group in civilization; below Dragons but above Kobolds. Most are Clerics, Paladins, and Warlords.
*Dragonkin - A possible remnant of the races that where (Orcs perhaps) the Dragonkin in a few ways look like proto-Dragonborn and are said to have been Tiamat's attempt. They are not as aesthetically pleasing to look upon with scale and mane. They stand 8 to 9 feet tall (roughly 3 meters). They are generally a barbaric people leaning towards Chaotic Evil with a good many being followers of Tiamat.
*Kobold
*Spellscale - Spellscales look the most like the races that where, specifically they resemble Elves with tiny scales of various hues covering the body in an elegant way. Scales so small that much of the skin appears smooth. Spellscales tend to associate with themselves rather then the other races and never explain nor apologize for their actions. They are the most free spirited of races in Draconia and thus the most Chaotic prone with a leaning towards Chaotic Neutral. They form (tolerant though secluded) republican states that are generally non-interventionist. Those in the Dragonborn Empires and Draconic states may be well known (usually trouble making) Bards, Sorcerers, and Wizards. It's said that mentally Spellscales are in an eternal state of adolescence which makes them prone to experimentation with new sensations and world views. They are considered favored by Aasterinian.
==Lore of Draconia==
=== Mythical Race of Men ===
Humans are in Draconia remembered as beings from a far distant past, They are recalled in fable and myth as either Evil Dragon Slayers, Sorcerers of a Dragonic lineage, Devout Paladins of Bahumat, and in some accounts the first Dragonborn. Depictions of Dragons protecting Humans from other Dragons along with depictions of Dragons guarding Human cities or receiving tribute from Humans can be found in some ruins. Archeology suggests that they where the most common race of the mythic age.
=== Elusive Elves ===
Elves like Humans are considered a mythical subspecies of Human known for their hunting and magical talents with rangers and wizards being most well known fable. They are generally depicted as prideful, whimsical, tricksters with few depictions of them with Dragon or Pseudodragon familiars. Some Elven relics can still be found often of a magical nature. The Spellscales of Draconia are of Elven heritage.
=== Diabolical Dwarves ===
Another deemed mythical race the Dwarves are remembered for their greed with most stories recounting Dragonic liberators of those held in Dwarven Tyranny; it's replacement with draconic rule. Other stories involve the aiding of Kobolds against Dwarves seeking to exterminate them. They are typically depicted as followers of Tiamat or as a godless people and the most evil of Dragonslayers with armies being sent to destroy Dragon nests; at times by collapsing the caverns in accordance with the genocidal dogma they are accredited with.
=== Treacherous Gnomes ===
Gnomes are remembered largely for their rivalry with the Kobolds of Draconia and for their great betrayel of the Kobolds. According to legend Kobolds where born of the blood spilled in the first battle between Bahumat and Tiamat when the world was young. As blood they gathered together and under their first ruler set about making their way in the world hoping to please the gods. They came upon the Gnomes and traveled together eventually establishing a city. But the Gnomes feared the rapid growth of the Kobold population, and with that growth power in the city. The Gnomish leader set a trap for the Kobold leader and the result trapped him. When the Kobold heard they panicked long suspecting the Gnomes would turn on them. The Gnomish leader insisted it was a prank gone wrong but the Kobolds where not fooled. Driven from the city the Kobolds swore revenge and according to this legend dealt it as the Gnomes are no more.
== Player Criticism ==
* The lack of a Human player character option is difficult to get past. While one could certainly be a Human arriving in Draconia from some other world a number of us would like to be Human natives who grew up around the Dragons of Draconia.
** Create a story about your character's parents being stranded Spelljammers or otherwise arriving to this world before your character was born. You would be native and certainly have drawn some attention to your self due to being a mythical creature- enough to have become a Kindred. The meeting between your character and the Dragon they have bonded with must surely be a tale worth telling- at least to one of the characters if not both.
** See if your DM is willing host a campaign that will restore Humans to the setting (Draconia: The Orbs of Humankind) or if they are willing to modify the history to allow for Humans to be abundant.
== DM Resources ==
* Draconomicon (3.5)
* Dragon Magic (3.5)
* Races of the Dragon (3.5)
Category:D&D
Category:Draconia