Io's Blood Culture (CWS)

__TOC__
==Form of Address==
Few members of Deathstream's court know about Infernis. The dominates simply see their lord finally accomplishing goals and setting higher aspirations for the clan. As long as their wealth continues to increase, the dominates will go along with Deathstream's edicts-and probably would do so even if they discovered the true source of Deathstream's suddenly commanding voice. 
The first step in Infernis's ultimate plan is to gather more territory and more troops for the dragon army he seeks to build. He has decided that the Jagtail Clan will be the next to come under his influence. The blue dragons of Clan Jagtail control the desert islands off Storm's western shore. The dracolich urged Deathstream to send a small group of raiders to test the strength and determination of the blue dragons. Now he is working out the details of a full-scale invasion. 
Kuniff Dell, Deathstream's kindred  gnome, knows of Infernis's presence and influence-and is terribly frightened by the undead monster. The feral gnome, who leads the rest of Blackmoon's vassals, believes that Infernis has come to destroy the laws and customs of Io's Blood society. He has been sorely tempted to reveal the existence of the dracolich to one of the clan's dominates, but he fears the wrath of both his master and Infernis. fix of respect, such as "ul-" for a young dragon (levels 1-5) and "ur-" for an adult (levels 6-12). Another usage in High Draconic, typically reserved for meetings involving dragons of many different types, is to apply a prefix signifying each dragon type (see listing below). Using these various forms of formal address, the young adult Snowfire is called "ul-Snowfire" or "li'Snowfire.
Prefix	Dragontype	Prefix	Dragontype
au' 	Gold 	op' 	Topaz
ag' 	Silver 	ry' 	Crystal
cn' 	Bronze 	er' 	Red
cu' 	Copper 	az' 	Blue
zu' 	Brass 	ve' 	Green
ys' 	Amethyst 	dr' 	Black
ir' 	Sapphire 	li' 	White
al' 	Emerald 	 	
Vassals also receive ranks and titles, but these are more descriptive than authoritative. Dragons use any form of address they please when addressing nondragons. 
==Ranks Within the Domains==
The dragons of the Io's Blood isles have divided the islands into domains, each ruled by a dragon lord and its clan. Few clans are headed by dragons younger than the old age category, with most dragon lords being of venerable age or older. The islands are home to many clans, of which only a sample are presented above. This leaves room for Dungeon Masters to expand and shape the setting as they see fit. 
The ultimate ruler of each domain is a dragon lord. All other dragons of rank within a clan are called dominates. No title falls to a dragon by birth alone. It must be earned by work and deed. Among the dominates of each clan, a single grand lord advocate stands in as the dragon lord's assistant ruler. The remaining dominate titles, in descending rank order, are lord advocate, advocate, grand lord dominor, lord dominor, grand champion, and champion. Once a dragon has been granted the title of champion, it has started along the path of privilege and authority within its clan. 
A dragon lord's brood members are considered lordlings, a title that holds little power in a clan's hierarchy. Lordlings are entitled to few special privileges; they must earn their place in the clan like every other dragon. However, once they achieve a true rank, they are often called upon to perform at a higher level than other dragons because of their heritage. 
==Io's Blood Culture==
Dragons control the Io's Blood chain, each clan maintaining domains of varying sizes. Some of their domains have vast cities, such as the City of Gold on Exaurdon Isle. Others have less structured farming or mining communities built around their dragon lord's lair. Each lair reflects the tastes and wealth of the dragon lord who lives there. The surrounding  communities of  vassals-both dragon and demihuman-also  express the personalities of their dragon lords, though to a lesser degree. Depending on the temperament (and usually the type) of a particular dragon lord, the vassal communities have varying amounts  of freedom to express their own culture and heritage, as long as such expression does not violate the laws of the domain. 
Beyond the domains, in those regions claimed by more than one clan and where authority is random at best-and in tiny, forgotten corners of some domains-other cultures thrive. In these areas, the lesser races eke out a meager existence. Humanoid tribes live as squatters, nomads, or even minor vassals of dragonkind. Most of these monster clans exist as primitives, with cultures developed to the tribal level or less. Kobolds, hobgoblins, and bugbears are most prevalent, but small tribes of ogres, goblins, yuan-ti, lizard men, and bullywugs can be found. A few communities of drow and duergar have been discovered in isolated subterranean reaches, though these races have yet to pledge themselves to any dragon lord. 
The smallest cultural faction outside the dragon mainstream is the human descendants of the once-mighty dragon slayers. The dragon slayers who survived the war were trapped on the islands and forced to live as fugitives. These humans lived on the run, keeping themselves hidden from the dragons who feared and hated them. After a few short generations, they were little better than primitives. Today these humans, barely associated with the mighty dragon slayers of old, are usually left alone unless they settle in one place and attract the attention of a dragon lord. True dragon slayers (see the kit) will always come from the faroff human lands. 
==Economy==
The dragons of Io's Blood use the gold-piece standard to determine the worth of items and the cost of goods, though there is no official coin common to all clans. Instead, once a value is ascribed to an item, then the equivalent value can be traded for it. A trade can be in gold pieces, some other precious metal or gem, an item, a service, or anything else considered to be of equal value by the two parties. 
The inhabitants of each domain have at least one native industry. Some operate mines; others fashion items of metal or craft beautiful jewelry. Some hunt, fish, grow crops, or raise herd animals. Others produce implements of magic to trade to other clans. In most cases, no clan is completely self-sufficient. Whatever needs or wants the clan has that it cannot satisfy itself must be traded for with another clan. This is the basis for the dragon economy. 
The clan's vassals do most of the work required to keep the economy moving. Dragons may supervise, but few rarely-if ever-lift a claw to perform manual labor. Dragons have better things to do with their time-at least according to the dragons.