Dragonborn

Dragonborn are a young race, born to the world through magical experimentation, hunger for power, and greed. In Makhavireth, dragonborn come from the the collapse of the Teluna Empire and the desperate struggle of the nobles and royal families to maintain or grab power. Resembling the great dragons that are seen as wretched, evil creatures, the dragonborn of the world struggle constantly for recognition as worthy members of society, fighting to maintain a proud and noble bearing to match the very nobles who created them. Dragonborn rarely settle as they are barely trusted by the other races, and those who find themselves welcome in a town or city are so because they have worked quite possibly for months or years to build a positive reputation in the community.

## Physiology

Dragonborn resemble dragons in nearly every respect but size and shape. Tough scales of every shade and color, even those never seen by the dragons themselves, cover a dragonborn's hide, granting them even further resilience than their already impressive anatomy assumes. Dragonborn are considered exceptional warriors due to the combination of humanoid and draconic traits, with a wandering culture and necessity for dangerous lines of work. Their dragon heritage also gifts them with a natural affinity for magic, though not all dragonborn carry such a trait.

## History

### Creation

Dragonborn in Makhavireth find their origin in the collapse of the last empire, known as the Teluna Empire or the Empire of Makhavireth. Struggling to maintain or grab power, the noble and royal houses of the crumbling empire worked to copy and expand upon the late Verinas IV's efforts in the creation of new races, attempting to incorporate the mighty dragons. Evidence suggests there were at least three separate houses responsible for the creation of the dragonborn race, who fielded entire regiments of their creations in the various battles of the collapse. Most researchers believe the houses were attempting to show superiority in their lineage for fielding draconic units much as the founding emperor Tarkles I had with his dragonriders.

In the wars that followed their creation, the dragonborn of Makhavireth proved themselves a mighty and skilled race, easily exceeding the average soldier in physical ability. When the dragonborn began exhibiting vast magical talent, however, caused their ruling houses to fear the possibility of an uprising by draconic forces. Entire regiments of dragonborn were slaughtered when the race began experimenting with their magical heritage, and only a few hundred were known to have escaped into the world.

### Post-Collapse

As the lands of the fallen empire settled, and the warring nobility began to calm and treat with each other, the dragonborn were a lost and leaderless race of outcasts. Their very creators had outlawed their existence, and many others had found the creations abhorrent to begin with. Struggling to scrape an existence off the land itself, the race as a whole went into hiding. Only oral history shows what had happened while the race hid from the rest of the world, painting a picture of nomadic and tribal life. It was only after two hundred years had passed and the dragonborn race had built up its numbers once more, that they began to show themselves again.

In the time they had hidden, the dragonborn had created a society together in the mountains and deep shadowy places of the land. Treating with goliaths, orcs, and other such outcast races, the dragonborn found themselves to be quite capable of defending themselves and carving their own slice of territory out of isolated, harsh terrain. When they were confident the race could protect itself, the elders and leaders of the dragonborn decided they would once again treat with the rest of the world, and the first few dragonborn crept out into the societies of men, elves, and dwarves.

### Infernal Invasion

When the invasion of the infernal planes took place, the dragonborn were still fresh on the scene. Barely fifty years had passed since their elders had permitted the younger generation to wander the world, and they were not prepared for the massive forces of the infernal planes. Though scattered and decentralized, the dragonborn wanderers held their ground with those communities that had accepted them, and many bastions note in their histories and memorials that the dragonborn were invaluable in their efforts to rebuff the infernal legions. It was this act of community and steadfastness that cleared the way for dragonborn to mingle with communities that had once shunned them. Even their creator noble houses welcomed them, now, after outlawing their kind for over two hundred years.

In the present day, most dragonborn wander the world, and though still treated with suspicion, curiosity, and outright disbelief in the existence of such a race, few have to deal with the level of hostility they once did. They are seen more as a curiosity now, and perhaps a redeemed distant cousin to the hated dragon.

## Culture and Religion

Dragonborn are wandering warriors, and their culture reflects that.