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Damsels & Dragons: Races
Aug. 17th, 2005 12:07 pmJust putting down some thoguhts instead of working on my next Pyramid article like I ought to be doing.
Known Races of Damsels and Dragons
Dragons: The largest and smartest predators on the planet, the dragons are on the average about 150 ft. (50 meters or so) from tip to tail, with large wings, metallic scales, and firey breath. Sociable beings, all the world's known dragons (perhaps fifty all told) are gathered in the Dragon Valley, living in individual caves. Curiously, all of the adults are female, though there is at least one young male dragon lving there currently (Jeremy). It is unknown what, or how often, they eat. Given their size and energy they should have tremendous appetites, but they have never been observed consuming food, and it is speculated they draw their sustenance from the inherent Mana of the Valley.
One curious aspect of Dragon psychology is their demands of tribute. Every so often, a dragon ventures forth and demands that a kingdom hand over a princess in tribute, or face vast (and usually undefined) consequences. The princess is held captive, unti either a knight beats their jailer in a ritualized combat, or their kingdom coughs up a healthy ransom. No one is quite sure why the dragons do that, but their is no shortage of knights chasing after princesses' hands in marriage, so the economic effect on the kingdoms isn't as bad as it could be.
Gnomes: Beings approxmitely half the height of a human, with thick beards and craggy features, Gnomes live underground, and have extensive tunnels that reach far underneath their aboveground neighbors' lands. Fortunately they're friendly towards the surface races, trading ore and manufactured goods for foodstuffs and linens. They are friendly with Elves and Humans, and maintain a cautious business relationship with the Dragons of the Valley, acting as a go between with the human mercahnts that supply the Valley's princesses with what they need to maintain their lifestyles. Dark Elves, however, they regard with deep (pun intended) suspicion, as both races covet the cave networks and ore under the earth. What little is known about their governing style suggests they divide themselves into large merchant and manufacturing Houses, which act as both employers and extended family for the average Gnome. From a human perspective, Gnomes speak with a thick Barvarian accent.
Elves: Immortal, decadent beings, elves have for the most part left the continents of the world, and have confined themselves to a series of remote islands along the planet's equator. On average they are about a half-foot shorter than humans, with long flowing hair and delicate, pointed ears. Their society can best be described as a Mageocracy, with those demonstrating the highest skills in magic assumed to also possess the wisdom to govern. Not that there is much to govern, considering the elven population has dropped to less than 10,000, mostly out of sheer procreational laziness. Elven names tend to be very long, at least in formal mode of communication, with a syllable added to each generation that has come of age since Elven civiliation was founded, with the latest generation (about 500 years old on average) having names around 20 syllables each.
Elves have a frosty relationship with Dark Elves, whom they somehow regard as both bloodthirsty and terminally frivolous. Other races they ignore as much as they can, though they do maintain a single ambassador at each race's cultural center, who is expacted to give a report every century or so.
(Note that Tez cheerfully contradicts many of the cultural standards of Elves, much to his personal delight. And "Tez" is his full name.)
TBC
Known Races of Damsels and Dragons
Dragons: The largest and smartest predators on the planet, the dragons are on the average about 150 ft. (50 meters or so) from tip to tail, with large wings, metallic scales, and firey breath. Sociable beings, all the world's known dragons (perhaps fifty all told) are gathered in the Dragon Valley, living in individual caves. Curiously, all of the adults are female, though there is at least one young male dragon lving there currently (Jeremy). It is unknown what, or how often, they eat. Given their size and energy they should have tremendous appetites, but they have never been observed consuming food, and it is speculated they draw their sustenance from the inherent Mana of the Valley.
One curious aspect of Dragon psychology is their demands of tribute. Every so often, a dragon ventures forth and demands that a kingdom hand over a princess in tribute, or face vast (and usually undefined) consequences. The princess is held captive, unti either a knight beats their jailer in a ritualized combat, or their kingdom coughs up a healthy ransom. No one is quite sure why the dragons do that, but their is no shortage of knights chasing after princesses' hands in marriage, so the economic effect on the kingdoms isn't as bad as it could be.
Gnomes: Beings approxmitely half the height of a human, with thick beards and craggy features, Gnomes live underground, and have extensive tunnels that reach far underneath their aboveground neighbors' lands. Fortunately they're friendly towards the surface races, trading ore and manufactured goods for foodstuffs and linens. They are friendly with Elves and Humans, and maintain a cautious business relationship with the Dragons of the Valley, acting as a go between with the human mercahnts that supply the Valley's princesses with what they need to maintain their lifestyles. Dark Elves, however, they regard with deep (pun intended) suspicion, as both races covet the cave networks and ore under the earth. What little is known about their governing style suggests they divide themselves into large merchant and manufacturing Houses, which act as both employers and extended family for the average Gnome. From a human perspective, Gnomes speak with a thick Barvarian accent.
Elves: Immortal, decadent beings, elves have for the most part left the continents of the world, and have confined themselves to a series of remote islands along the planet's equator. On average they are about a half-foot shorter than humans, with long flowing hair and delicate, pointed ears. Their society can best be described as a Mageocracy, with those demonstrating the highest skills in magic assumed to also possess the wisdom to govern. Not that there is much to govern, considering the elven population has dropped to less than 10,000, mostly out of sheer procreational laziness. Elven names tend to be very long, at least in formal mode of communication, with a syllable added to each generation that has come of age since Elven civiliation was founded, with the latest generation (about 500 years old on average) having names around 20 syllables each.
Elves have a frosty relationship with Dark Elves, whom they somehow regard as both bloodthirsty and terminally frivolous. Other races they ignore as much as they can, though they do maintain a single ambassador at each race's cultural center, who is expacted to give a report every century or so.
(Note that Tez cheerfully contradicts many of the cultural standards of Elves, much to his personal delight. And "Tez" is his full name.)
TBC
