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content/Factions/Dragons.md

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+---
+title: Dragons
+description: Serpentine demigods of the material plane
+---
+Dragons inspire awe and fear in all spheres in the cosmos. They are known across the planes. They seem to be ubiquitous in every corner of existence.
+
+Dragon-kin call themselves The Children of Oshumare (pronounced oh-shoo-MAH-ray). Their history and mythology state that Oshumare is a higher and more ancient being than Bahamut and Tiamat, and that all dragon-kind are descended from a clutch of Oshumare's eggs. Their songs tell of Oshumare being born from the song, becoming the world, and giving birth to all living creatures within.
+
+Dragons claim that they are the first creatures to exist in the material plane. No evidence has been found to contradict this assertion. Indeed, dragons can be found in the records of every civilization, including the Arcane.
+
+Dragons are also effectively immortal. A wyrmling, left on its own with adequate sustenance, will not die of natural causes. Instead, it will grow in size and magical power until it becomes a demigod. Most often, however, a dragon will become so bored with existence that it will fall asleep and never bother to wake up
+
+Dragonkind is not a monoculture. Some dragons remain aloof from the affairs of lesser beings, and some are actively involved in the affairs of others. Dragons establish cults dedicated to their individual worship, but even greatwyrms pay reverence Oshumare. The most ancient of the greatwyrms, especially those that live in space, maintain a loose alliance. The inner workings of this group are kept closely guarded, with only the most trusted high priests and devotees being granted knowledge of their discussions. 
+
+When the Disconcordance occurred, dragons made an alliance with the high elves who came from the Feywild the cosmos to defeat a great evil. As a reward for their assistance, the dragons granted the elves the use of spelljamming ships and showed them a few hyperlane routes through the phlogiston. The elves promised to be good stewards of the spaceways by eliminating slavery within their protectorate and by hunting and destroying aberrations.
+
+Dragons do not readily reveal knowledge about the cosmos. Even when discussing prosaic matters, dragons will often speak in poetry or riddles. They claim that such unclear language is a better approximation of their own speech, and thereby conveys a greater truth, but that lesser beings are unable to fathom their message. Many think that they are just being coy.
+
+Dragons do not like it when explorers or travelers trespass in their territory. Whether it be a horde under a mountain, a quasar, or a reserved hyperlane route. Most significantly, dragons have never allowed anyone--including the Emerald Armada--to enter the region surrounding the core of the Greater Sphere. No quarter is given to those who do not turn away at the first warning.
+
+Draconic speech is the oldest language in the galaxy and probably the most difficult to learn. Although accurate pronunciation can only be achieved by dragons, dragonborn, and other reptilian and saurian peoples, any creature can speak it. Draconic is a tonal language where the grammar follows musical rules. You cannot merely speak draconic, you must sing it. Additionally, draconic is a highly metaphorical language, where the exact metaphors being used vary by region and culture. 
+
+Speaking in direct terms, to dragons, is considered rude. Directness signals a rudimentary grasp of the language, but no appreciation of their culture, and is similar to how a young wyrmling speaks. 
+
+But dragons do not use metaphor to avoid uncomfortable topics. They consider metaphor to be a richer form of communication. A dragon will tell you an inscrutable riddle that it claims reveals a deeper truth than a mortal could comprehend, and the dragon may be right about it.