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To become Great: a Golden Treasure Dragon Quest

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[X] The Sapphire Clan. This graceful Kin live near Water, the Essence of Earth. They can easily hide inside the Element that favors them and are born already capable of diving, but their territory must be surrounded by Water [starts with a Rank of Water Mastery]
 
[X] The Emerald Clan. This majestic Kin make their home in forests, as they easily blend among Mother Earth feathers. Their territories are in tree rich areas and are born capable of digging. [starts with a Rank of Earth Mastery]
 
[X] The Onyx Clan. Unlike all the other Clans this swift Kin are active mostly during the night, their pitch black Bodies allowing them to blend in the sky after the Sun is slayed. Like the Ruby Clan this Kin don't have requirements for territory but they prefer dens that remain in the dark during the day. They are favored by Air and are born capable of gliding for short distances. [starts with a Rank of Air Mastery]
 
Vote closed

Ruby Clan wins, the next update will be posted in the weekend. During the week i will update the character sheet and post an informational about the set dragons.
 
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The Draak Good Way
  • Informational
    • The Draaks

    Draak are massive scalebeasts that inhabit every land of Earth and parts of the Great Blue as well. They have four limbs, with their front legs being used both for motion and flight.
    All Draak-Kin belong to one of the four Great Clans: the Sapphire Clan, the most numerous in numbers, that live in water-rich areas and managed to conquer parts of the Great Blue, the Emerald Clan, that lives in forests and are also called the tree-dwellers, the Ruby Clan that lives in whatever territory they manage to conquer, even areas no other Kin establish themselves in and the Onyx Clan, mostly active during the night, they can live in any territory like the Ruby Clan.
    Draak of different Clans can Create with each other, the resulting generation will inherit the Clan of the birther-Creator.

    Life cycle

    Draak birthers lay their eggs at a certain distance from each other at the edges of their territory, during the incubation they visit the eggs to instruct them about the world they will live in and teach them the Good Way of the Draak, once the unborn Kin are considered sufficiently taught they are left to fend for themselves.
    Once born the hatchlings claim patches of land at the edge of their Creator territory and grow there. They pass their childhood learning to survive, collecting their first Treasures and Challenging each other over hunting grounds or portions of their burrowed territory.

    Once the hatchlings grow their ornamental feathers and attain true flight they are considered adults among the Draak and leave their birther territory. Young adults travel the world in search of knowledge, Treasure and glory. Once they become Great they conquer a territory for themselves.

    Great Kin protect their territory from rivals and any threat, Create the new generations and dedicate themselves to perfect their elemental Mastery. Older Draak on the verge of completely mastering an element are called Sages, Sages are considered Great among the Great and it's not unusual for young adults to seek them out for counsel.

    Above the Sages there are the Elders. Elders are fabled Kin who are told to have completely mastered one element. There are numerous tales surrounding them, from their ability to eclipse the already large lifespan of the Draaks, to the ability to Destroy all living beings in an area in a matter of minutes. Some say that they no longer follow the Two Great Laws as they no longer exist as Bodies, having left them behind to exist only in Spirit, avatar of their mastered element. Whatever the truth Elders are exceedingly rare and their word may as well be a lesser Law among the Kin.

    Dance of Creation

    Kin don't really care about their role as birthers or givers unless it's the Time of Creation, a sacred moment where Draak recognized as Great seek others to Create. Courtship consists in a birther or giver Kin entering the territory of the Draak they are interested in Dancing with and then proceeding to prove their worth to it. Kin decide the Greatness of another based on individual values and while Treasure and glory are an almost universal measure of Greatness, some Kin may decide to test their perspective partners challenging their Mind or Body or demand a gift.

    Tradition

    Draak's Way is one of strength alone, instead of numbers, since Earth wouldn't be able to sustain their cooperation. Tradition is a series of honorable norms that regulate meetings between Draak. While tradition is not a Law, not respecting it is a powerful but dangerous tool, as being known as dishonorable might lose the respect of other Draak, making it harder to find a partner for the Dance of Creation, losing the right to barter and making the breaker look weaker, increasing the number of Challengers.
    While the most important aspect of tradition is the regulation of Challenges, these are the other regulations:

    1. No Kin should impose their Way on another
    2. When entering another Kin territory one should announce themselves with the Song of Annunciation, if the Song goes unanswered the Kin has right to enter the territory.
    3. All Treasures and prey in a territory belong to the Kin that owns it.
    4. Kin should make their den at least three days of walk from the border of another Kin territory

    Challenges are confrontations among Kin to prove their superiority. They are divided into two categories: Trials of Body, which are Dances of Destruction, in which Draak face each other in open combat. This type of Challenge ends when one Draak recognizes the superiority of the other, in this Dance of Destruction it is extremely unlikely that one of the partners is Silenced. Then there are Trial of Mind or Trials of Song, these intellectual Challenges consist in riddle contests. The Challenged is the one that picks what type of Trial the Challenge will be.

    Treasure

    Treasure is something that holds value to all Draak. This wide definition includes Knowledge, Wisdom, a powerful Body, territory and so on.
    The largest part of a Draak Trove consists of Shiny Things, they include baubles, pretty rocks, shells and precious metals. Shiny Things are the currency among Draak, since among Kin doing something for another not in self-interest is unheard of, counsel and Artifacts are exchanged for them.
    Artifacts are physical objects present in the trove that don't count as Shiny Things, some are pretty, many can have powerful uses.

    Good beasts

    The First Law is Truth for all beings birthed by Earth, so every interaction between good beasts and Draak-Kin happens only if neither is hunting. This is made clear by Singing to each other and by positioning the Body making their intentions abundantly clear. Only once it is done interaction between good beasts and Draak can begin.

    Good beasts, depending on their Way, can Challenge Kin in trials of Body or Song for different prizes. Also since the Draak greed is a known Truth it is not unheard for a good beast to enlist Kin help by promising Treasure to it.

    Draak-Kin that conquer a territory are revered as guardian deities by the good beasts of the land. The Draaks' might is widely recognized and due their vastly longer lifespan they can sought as sources of Wisdom and arbitrators to settle disputes.
     
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  • Informational
    • This should be everything for the Draak ecology. i tried to mantain the game flowery language, but since English is not my first language and i'm a terrible writer if anything is amiss please let me know. If anything isn't clear ask.
     
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    1.3
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    • 1.3

    You've wasted enough time as it is. With a quick glance around you, you confirm that you are in the second Chamber that Ruby birthers put around their Creations both to prevent others to attack them and to test that they are born with the Clan's gift. You feel it, deep within your Core, the inner Fire of all Draak is burning, already formed. You breathe in and for the first time you let it out, strong and just it melts the special mixture made by your Creator, freeing you.
    You are finally out, Rhythm of Life almost deafening you for what you behold. The Sun, great and wondrous shines upon you, Air brings new smells and the promise of adventure. Leaving your claw marks you claim this land of wonder for yourself. You are a mere hatchling, you are allowed to stay here here only by the grace of your Creator. Thus you do not Sing a Song of Claiming.
    The land you are is an harsh, the Sun doesn't Sing gently to it, but with a strength it almost can't endure. Earth's fur, normally green, is yellow. You see something strange, as you inspect it closer you see it's just one of Earth's feather, but why is it made of stone? You look around and see that the singular tree is not the only petrified, what's going on here? As you ponder on your questions your Core Sings a Song of Emptiness. You have more pressing matters to take care of than some strange trees.


    As you are looking for something to consume you don't notice a Tailbeast following you. Suddenly it lunges at you, biting easily into your still soft scales and wrapping itself around your body, trying to squeeze the Air out of it. You can't breathe, the life you have just glimpsed is disappearing, the promise of glory, Treasure and adventure vanishing quickly.
    No.
    You Will Not Be Silenced Here!
    Trashing madly you manage to bite into the Tailbeast, you claw it and breathe Fire, burning it. The trashing ends. Sudden as it had started your first Dance of Destruction is over. You quickly consume your opponent. As the excitement for the Dance drops you feel slow, sluggish and you see your red Essence screaming on the ground. You are injured.

    [+1 Lesson of Fire. Rank 2 reached, you have unlocked Danger Sense]

    You start to look for a den. You see a hole on the ground, by the scent you deduce that it was the home of a family of furbeasts that haven't been there in some time. As you slowly make your way inside you feel a signal of danger coming from your Core. You are not dealing with this. You breathe fire into the den and the heat causes the collapse of the escape exits. Thankfully the area the den is located isn't too near the dry vegetation, saving your newly claimed land to be consumed by a large fire. As the fire wanes you resume making your way inside and you notice the Silent remains of a large group of Stingtails that had taken residence before you. The escape routes are collapsed and it smells of burnt weeds, but it protects you from the gaze of the Sky, it remains spacious enough and is situated in a central position of your territory, this den is a good home for now.

    The next Sun you make your way out of the den. You are still injured, you are slow and should you find yourself in a Dance of Destruction you would certainly be Silenced. But you want to explore, the outside calls to you! It's your first full Sun of life and you don't want to spend it in a den! Your tail lashes out indicating your frustration. There will be many Sun to explore, but there won't be if you are Destroyed because you didn't give your Body the time it needs to heal. Your tail slams on the ground in anger, this is no way a young Draak should spend its first Suns. You retreat back. You mindlessly consume the Stingtails from the Sun before, at least they are pleasantly crunchy, sleep and occasionally lash your tail at the unfairness of it all.

    [+1 Lesson of Earth]

    The next Sun finally rises, you are still a bit battered, but you settle on the compromise of exploring just the area around your den. In your wandering you stumble on a rock formation with an entrance that seems to go deep under the Earth. Your Core sends a shiver that reaches up to your Mind. Danger and Destruction wait you here, you are not strong enough. Taking its advice you settle to explore another part of your territory.

    "Danger! Draak! Danger! Danger! Run!" a chorus of voices stops you on your tracks. Sentinels start running toward their refuge. Once there they keep watch on you, ready to form a phalanx and Dance to drive you away. You yourself are tired from your walking and still feel battered, so you settle comfortably on a rock and relax under the Sun. After some time, seeing that you are not hunting and that they need to sate their own Destroyers the Sentinels go back following their Way. Having nothing better to do you watch them spend their Sun. There is always a few members of the clan keeping watch from dangers coming both from the ground and from the Sky, with all adult Sentinels barring the Archbirther and Archgiver taking turns between guarding and hunting. The hunt is a constant chorus of "All clear! All clear!" from the guards and "Hungry! Feed me!" from the hatchlings, with the occasional cry of alarm that sends the Sentinels running.
    As the Sun starts to set the sentinel Archbirther gives the order to retreat and you make your way home as well.

    [Way of the sentinels added to Knowledge]

    Next Sun your body is in pristine condition, you are going to explore! What shall you do exactly? You have two actions, one for hunting and the other for exploring

    [X]Hunt (what?)
    -[] The Sentinels. (specify how)
    -[] Look for something else to consume

    [X]Explore (where?)
    -[] South
    -[] North
    -[] East
    -[] West
     
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  • Threadmarks
    • Character Sheet updated.
    Be wary that the look for something else option is chancy, it could be a lucky find that requires no effort at all or another Dance that might put you on the verge of Destruction again.

    Also: vote closes monday night
     
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    [X]Explore (where?)
    -[X] South
    Lets go check down in the south for anything neat.
     
    All right vote is closed. throwing a dice to decide between south and west and the hunting encounter roll. If you guys prefer the rolls to be hidden let me know.

    Edit: sorry for the second decision dice, first time rolling on the site.
    Eiral threw 2 2-faced dice. Reason: West (1) or South (2) Total: 4
    2 2 2 2
    Eiral threw 1 100-faced dice. Reason: Hunting roll Total: 23
    23 23
     
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    1.4
  • Threadmarks
    • 1.4

    Pleased with the exploration of the past Sun you recap what you know of your land: There is a mountainous area that seems to start on the east side of your territory and you found a secret entrance in there. The entrance looks like something dug and enlarged a natural cave to allow passage of something big. Only a Draak would be able to modify a mountain in such a big fashion, but why do so? Was it a lair? Is in there any Treasure that your Creator didn't take when it conquered the territory? Anyway while the secret entrance is very tempting to explore it gives you a very Bad feeling about it, so you set it aside. On the north-west side of your territory there are some stone trees, you think that they might turn into a full-fledged stone forest further north. The trees are certainly an oddity and there might be Treasure there or some interesting Truths. Something about them is off, not Bad, they just feel very Silent.

    You decide that you will explore south next, but not before sating the Destroyer within you. You wander off, searching for an interesting scent to trail and you find it around the southern part of the central area. It's a young Greater Prickleback, a furbeast that shouldn't live in such a dry area, might there be Water further south? You have more pressing matters as it notices you and it prepares to Dance. Unlike your first Dance, which was wild and fast, this one turns out to be a slow Dance. You carefully circle your partner and it mirrors your moves, showing you its back armored with thorns. And you circle and circle and circle. Who knew a Dance of Destruction could be boring? Frustrated you try an half-hearted swat to try break the stalemate and only get some thorns in your right front claws in return. Ouch.
    You can't carelessly use your fire-breath here least you risk starting a fire and attacking frontally will only hurt you, you don't need the Greater Prickleback to sing at you to know it's waiting for you to give up. You blow out some smoke in frustration, there must be a way around its armor... Around its armor? Struck by illumination you continue circling and then swathe your opponent to the side, launching it on its back, exposing its soft belly. You dive and bit in, ending the Dance. You are battered and putting your front claw on the ground hurts, but you are nowhere as hurt as after your first Dance and you bested a Greater Prickleback, even if it was an hatchling, it is prey you shouldn't be hunting until older. This victory hard won with your Mind fills you with pride.

    [+1 Lesson of Water. Way of the Greater Pricklebacks added to Knowledge]

    Holding up your right claw you make your way south. You notice that there is more Music, more Life as you progress. How could the land change so much in so little time? What is going on? The change of the quality of prey is evident by scent and tracks, in the central area the greatest danger are the Tailbeasts, here you already notice traces of Clanjokers and Lesser Clansingers, could there be something even greater further south?
    Prey here is more diverse and bigger in general, a successful hunt here will yield bigger rewards, but the risks are also much greater.

    You run in a strange rock. It is rather big and a bit oddly shaped, in usual circumstances you wouldn't give it a second glance. But. But there is Spirit passing through it. The only beings that have Spirit are good beasts aren't they? Is it a good beast in disguise, setting a trap for the unsuspecting? No, your Core would send you a signal of danger if it was some trap. You raise yourself on your hind legs and tap the rock with your good claws, first gently then stronger, to the point where you give it a couple of smacks, but nothing happens. You circle it, but nothing gives you the idea that it isn't a normal rock. You breathe fire at it, still nothing. Defeated you leave the Rock in search of something else, you swear you could hear it laughing at you.

    [+1 Lesson of Air]

    You reach a river, it is not particularly large or impressive, in its current form it's more correct to define it a stream really. It runs for a bit in your territory and then it goes further south, it seems to come from the west side of your territory, but you aren't sure.
    The claw marks on the other side of the river stop you dead on your tracks, you carefully inspect them and feel a shiver running from your spine and Mind. These are the marks of an older Draak, from the synergy of its and your scent you deduce that this is the point from which your Creator's territory starts. Trespassing would be beyond dangerous and the Voice made it clear it isn't interessed in hearing your Song again.
    You rest for a bit on the riverbank, injured claw carefully hidden below your body, and you see a Clanjoker observing you. Without moving you just let out a puff of smoke, showing the hidden fire burning just below your throat in an obvious threat display. The Clanjoker retreats and after a while you make your way to your den.


    You have started to get acquainted with your territory, next turn you can choose to explore the three remaining sections or investigate in the areas you already know. You are currently battered, your right front claw was injured in the Dance with the Greater Prickleback.

    Choose one location for hunting. (if you keep hunting in the same area you will drive out the good beasts and that hunting ground will be depleted)

    [] Central Area
    -[] the Sentinels (write how)
    -[] Something else
    [] Southern Area
    -[] Greater Prickleback hatchling (how do you separate it from its birther?)
    -[] Something else

    Pick an action:

    [] Central Area
    -[] Investigate the secret entrance in the mountans (you have a very Bad feeling about this)
    -[] Do something else (what?)

    [] South Area
    -[] Interact with the Strange Rock (how?)
    -[] Call your Creator (you have nothing to offer for its counsel)
    -[] Do something else (what?)

    [] Explore West
    [] Explore North
    [] Explore East
     
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    • [X] Southern Area
    -[X] Something else

    There gotta be some easy prey somewhere...

    [X] Explore North

    I have no idea what to do with the rock.
     
    1.5
  • Threadmarks
    • 1.5

    For this Sun you decide to explore north. You are a bit wary of what you will find there considering how the quantity and quality of prey decreases from the southern to the central areas. Anyway you need to know the conformation of your territory, whatever there is north you will deal with it.

    You don't know how to deal with this. You have no idea of what you were actually expecting, but it certainly isn't this. This is not a problem you can Challenge.
    How can you deal with the fact that the Earth here is simply moribund? Earth is supposed to be impervious to Destruction! The Voice in the Chamber said so! You feel cheated.
    You stare in defeat at the plain in front of you: this is not an hunting ground, this is the last resort for an hatchling in the very shadow of Destruction. The vegetation is grey and the only living beings are the occasional Stingtail and Baretail that can be found hiding below the rocks.

    You go ahead and start exploring the plain with the howling wind as the only Music that breaks the Silence of this place. Wait, Music? Before seeing it you hear it in the distance, someone is Singing.

    "...Oh Great Father in all Life..."

    You are too far to understand, as you approach you see a figure who isn't a figure. It is far in the distance and doesn't seem to have a firm, physical Body, but your eyes don't lie too you: you see the Spirit in there. You keep approaching and try to Sing at the figure, but it is too absorbed in its own hymns and keeps flying away. Resolved to demand answers about this land's Destruction you give chase. You run, run and keep running. But you are slowed down by your injury and the figure flies like it is the wind itself. If only you were faster...If only you were faster! You are too tired and out of breath. You give up.

    [+1 Lesson of Air. Rank 1 reached, you unlocked the ability to Glide.]

    After the mad chase in the plain you travel along the borders of the southern area to complete your first exploration. You confirm the presence of the beginning of the mountains on the east side and then you see it. In the west side you see a forest of the occasional stone trees present in the northern part of the central area. They are as Silent as everything here. There might be something interesting here, but it's late and you are tired from the chase and depressed from today findings. You'll deal with it another Sun. You return to your den.

    …

    It's a brave new Sun! To clean the nasty taste of yesterday failures you decide to dedicate today to hunting. You are Draak, failure doesn't know your Kin! Or if it does it is for the briefest of time!
    You settle to hunt in the south, both for the chance of richer prey and to give respite to the hunting grounds in the central area.

    As you wander around, looking for an interesting scent to trail you see them in the Great Above: Silence Seekers! This large featherbeast consume the remains of mightier animals prey. Considering the numbers of them there must be the Silent remains of a large prey nearby. It is beyond dangerous, as the hunters that downed the prey are probably still around and won't give up their prize without a Challenge, but you feel beyond audacious this Sun and follow the Silence Seekers.

    You reach the site and there it is, the remains of a Lithe Greathorn, barely touched. You are not alone, a Clanjoker is already chasing away the Lesser Clansingers that won the initial Dance of Destruction. You approach to take a good share of the spoils, but you are stopped on your tracks by the Song of a another Clanjoker, these one young giver. "Ohi, ohi, Draak pup, you are trying to steal what we rightfully conquered!" It starts laughing, finding humor in its own Song. In answer you assume a threatening position and roar out a Song of Challenge.
    It doesn't look too impressed. "Pups these Suns, not even a Moon old and already so full of Fire. Why are you Challenging me? If the Dance drags for too long my companions will join me and you would surely lose. Surely you would be better off hunting your prey instead of facing Destruction against my clan for some scraps?" And yet it doesn't accept your Challenge, you answer. You are given just a curious "Mh?" in response. You elaborate further: it has you beaten in strength of Body and reinforcements are on their way here and yet instead of simply engaging in a Dance with you it can surely win it tries to make you leave peacefully. The answer is simple: It fears a direct battle with you since It. Will. Be. Burned. And you punctuate this statement breathing fire at the Clanjoker. And should the reinforcements arrive it will have to share a good part of the spoils if not losing them all together, since all Tribes that live in clans have a hierarchy of eating. Its bluff uncovered the Clanjoker assumes a much more threatening position "Tch, damn Draak! I'll show the difference in Mind given by experience. I accept your Challenge. It will be a Trial of Song, answer correctly to two of my riddles and you should have a share of the prey"


    I exist only because of light,
    give me too much and I shall die
    give me too little and in full darkness I perish
    What am I?
    [] Write in

    I can sing without mouth
    I can touch without paws
    I can run without legs
    If I pass in front of you you cannot see me
    What am I?
    [] Write in

    If you stare at yourself
    I stare at myself
    If you retreat
    I retreat
    What am I?
    [] Write in
     
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