Dragonewts: a Guide to the Eravssarr

Home , Legendary creature

Credits and Contents 1 1 2 4 14 54 71 84 111 116 Contents Credits & Contents & Contents Credits IntroductionEssence of Dragonewts Myths WorldDragonewts in the Dragonewt Characters Dragonewt Cults 23 Dragonewt Magic DragonsDinosaurs & Dream Voices Dragonewt 100 Index ERAVSSARR Playtesting Lucas MacKay Special Thanks Carl Pates, Jeff Richard, Jeff Kyer, Dan Barker, Shannon Roderick Robertson Colin & Driver, Appelcline, Stafford Greg Against War the and Dragons Six ‘The and Stafford Chaos’ written by Greg reproduced by kind permission. Interior Illustrations Nathan Furman, Claudio Pozas, Phil Renne Publications Manager Ian Belcher Copyright Information Credits DRAGONEWTS

A GUIDE TO THE THE ERAVSSARR A GUIDE TOA GUIDE TO Eravssarr: Eravssarr: A Guide by any Reproduction of of this work All rights reserved. to ©2007 Mongoose Publishing. Dragonewts All signiﬁcant characters, names, places, items, forbidden. means without the written permission of the publisher is expressly by Mongoose Publishing subject to its licence from Issaries, Inc. herein are copyrighted art and text This game product contains no Open Game Content. No portion of this may work be reproduced form in without any written learn more about the Open Game License, please go to www.mongoosepublishing.com. To permission. to similarity Any ﬁction. of work a is product This Kingdom. United the of laws copyright the under protected is material This is purely coincidental. places or events actual people, organisations, Printed in the UK. All rights reserved. RuneQuest is a trademark (TM) of Issaries, Inc. Produced under license from Issaries. Scribendi RuneQuest Logo Anne Stokes Proofreading Cover Design Bob Cram, Dan Howard & Jeff Koch Cover Art Tony Parker Lawrence Whitaker Lawrence Editor Nick Robinson Author

INTRODUCTION understand their place in Time and they understand their destinies with absolute clarity. Humans are ‘Several Revealer groups have spent in excess of a inconsequential, even those who have split their century, combined time, studying, analysing and tongues to speak Auld Wyrmish. There are only two collating every shred and scrap of information things of consequence: the egg-nest and the cosmic about this damnable species. Each has admitted dragon. All else is ephemera, there to be used or defeat. Their behaviour is unfathomable; their ignored as one feels at the time. lifecycles implausible; their gods non-existent; and their myths impenetrable. For every conclusion we Though the God Learners never grasped this reach, another dragonewt emerges to confound it. deceptively simple concept, it is there for all to see in Every time we gain agreement on some facet of the dragonewt prayer, uttered by every dragonewt as it their species, they wilfully contradict it. One day emerges from the egg, or opens its eyes to the morning we will be welcomed as old friends, only to be sun, or slices through another foe, or simply for the joy chased away with klanths the next. Three of the of it: the OUROBOROS mantra: Shelnesta Revealers died in this way. One was eaten alive. — Silence. The infinite. The stillness. The unhatched egg. Introduction We simply do not, cannot and, most likely, will O Zero. The exclamation. The first not understand them. They defy everything movements within. A struggle. A we have spent three centuries mastering and peace. my recommendation to the Imperial court is that OU The cry of pain. The ego. First we cease these futile endeavours and let these understanding of all that lies before. would-be dragons (again, their claim: we have The Awe. no evidence for it) continue in whatever bizarre OUR Collectiveness. Plurality. Understanding manner they wish. that you are not, and never shall be, alone. It’s not as though they’re very important, is it?’ OURO Collective Emptiness. Understanding that you are alone within many. A — Spolorfal the Arranger single scale. OUROB Creation. Life. The crack of the shell beneath the egg-tooth. OUROBO Closed infinity. Beyond the egg. Being. Existing. Moving and waking So said Spolorfal the Arranger, Dean of Pythos in the World. University, in his report to the court of Emperor Ilotos. OUROBOR Birth. Moving from shell to nest. The He was speaking of dragonewts; or rather, he was feeling of the sun and the rain and the speaking of the God Learners’ inability to fathom them. stirring. To a dragonewt, no fathoming is needed. Everything OUROBORO Nothing. The emptiness. What is left is clear. Everything is cyclical and everything has its behind and before. The ephemera. purpose. There is no need for rationalisation because OUROBOROS ‘S’. The Voice. The sound that starts rationality is a human concept that strains to impose and ends in one breath but echoes itself on all that is not. Dragonewts simply are. They infinitely.

Introduction 3 The Rune of DRAGONEWT Chapter Eight: Dragonewt Voices different the and stage each from dragonewt a which In regions of Glorantha talk of their ways, their mind. hopes An insight into the dragonewt and their fears. Chapter Five: Dragonewt Cults Five: Dragonewt Chapter A detailed discussion of worshipped by the the dragonewts True beyond those Friends, and the Dragon myths supporting Wyrms’ Empire of of the cults them. Magic Chapter Six: Dragonewt The basis of all EWF draconic in magic this is chapter, showing discussed how dragonewts use magic other species. from all differently Chapter Seven: Dragons Dinosaurs and Dinosaurs are Dream important to dragonewt societies dragonewt and in found varieties the describes chapter this regions of Glorantha. The nature of dream dragons, perhaps the closest most will ever come Dragon, is described. to a True

Chapter Four: Dragonewt Characters A discussion of dragonewt the importance physiology, of including the expanded egg and rules reincarnation, and and Player Characters. notes on creating dragonewt Chapter Three: Dragonewts in the World Chapter Three: Dragonewts in Glorantha, across dragonewts of examination detailed A their cities and settlements, achievements their and their motivations relations with and the two great Age. Empires of the Second The creation myth as the dragonewts understand it, relating how the True Dragons came into being, how played dragons the role what and defeated, was Chaos in the education of the other gods of Glorantha. Chapter Two: Myths Chapter One: The Essence of Dragonewts The essential things to understand about dragonewts; how they came to themselves. be and This how motivations on they a stage-by-stage understand chapter basis and how relates to their detailed mythical background. this explains dragonewt This is also the ﬁrst detailed study of dragonewts, their dragonewts, of study detailed ﬁrst the also is This societies and their philosophies. on Guidance is given creating dragonewt Player Characters with rules designed special to handle their reincarnation through stages of being. different This book aims characteristics to their succeed where dragonewts: the explores It God failed. Learners have as an elder race of Glorantha, their behaviour, their Dragons relationship and True to the Cosmic Dragon, their myths and, how naturally, they interact with the Friends. Wyrm’s Empire of About this Book this About

THE ESSENCE OF DRAGONEWTS There is no more misunderstood or misinterpreted race A There is no such thing as success or failure. These anywhere in Glorantha. Dragonewts intrigue, perplex are, again, mortal constructions. To a dragonewt and provoke everyone they come into contact with. a thing is either done or not done. Not doing The God Learners cannot understand them because something does not equal failure; nor does doing dragonewts refuse to let them get close enough to try. something equate success. It is simply a state of The Empire of Wyrm’s Friends believes it understands being. them through its own path to draconic enlightenment, but it has barely scratched the surface and already the A There is no separation between the mythic and the frailty of their grand plan is causing the dragonewts mundane. Dragonewts do not distinguish between to reveal less and less of what they know of both the myths and current events. These are, again, mortal present and the future. To the Old Ways traditionalists, concepts and redundant in dragonewt philosophy. dragonewts are in league with their enemies and were enemies before even that. Their god, Orlanth, slew A Experience is everything. To deny experience, the ﬁrst dragon and dragonewts have resented that whatever its extreme, is to be unfulﬁlled. Mortals superiority ever since. deny certain experiences because they are bound by the strictures of Time and notions of success The truth of it, as with all things, is far more complex, and failure. Dragonewts are free from such things.

Essence of Dragonewts but also deceptively simple. To understand the To experience something is to gain understanding essence of dragonewts one must appreciate several from it. To deny experience is to deny nature. key concepts. Experience is Right Action.

A Immortality. Despite being able to die, every The God Learners fail to understand dragonewts dragonewt is immortal. Death is but a minor because they failed to codify and then grasp these inconvenience and, often, not even that. Unlike simple precepts. It is not hard to understand why; humans who might be granted or attain immortality, mortality imposes restraints and forces the mind they do not need to unlearn mortal thoughts, to develop systems to explain why those restraints feelings and constraints. Indeed, dragonewts do should be in place. Dragonewts, free from mortality, not even consider their immortality. It is as natural have no such barriers. Their actions can be as logical, as breathing, eating and sleeping (although some illogical, cruel or kind as they wish because there is dragonewts do none of these things) and therefore simply no need for any form of restraint. This is not requires no understanding or explanation. to say that dragonewts are ignorant or unappreciative of consequences: to a dragonewt, the consequences A Time does not exist. To an immortal being, time of an action are merely another experience. Restraint is irrelevant. It matters only to mortals or those denies, and there is simply no need for denial. who have attained immortality somehow and are therefore still shackled to all the restraints time imposes. To dragonewts there is only existence, a Right Action framework in which things can be accomplished or experienced. Dragonewts have little concept Dragonewts follow a code of honour known as Right of the passage of time. Indeed, the most mature Action. Right Action varies immeasurably between dragonewt stages are aware of all parts of existence dragonewts because Right Action is, quite simply, simultaneously. whatever is right at the time for the dragonewt based 4

Essence of Dragonewts 5 But Dragonewts are not infallible beings. Sometimes Right Action fails, and where it does fail, it catastrophic can be for a oneself, dragonewt. or failing Failing to to learn and from an restrain experience, gain is dishonourable and understanding considered Wrong Action. The outcomes may those be if Right identical Action had to been followed, but that is not the point. If there is no logical (from a dragonewt perspective) justiﬁcation for a course of action, then the action itself was wrong Action. a Right and postponed until it was should have been Duty and Honour These are of paramount importance to all dragonewts and act as a guide to Right Action. Dragonewts who cannot abide by duty and from the draconic lifecycle. outcasts, excluded uphold honour become This takes two forms: duty to Ancestral the Dragons, who taught the gods, and distinction duty to The the ancestors of the now. is that all shaped have who colony, not but dragonewts of attitudes and minds the in clear is necessarily in action. Essentially it is worshipping Duty to the Ancestors should be pursued. does contain concepts relating to control

Dragonewts Dragonewts speak draconic, of course. Draconic language is difficult for humans to both hear and to Any draconic pronounce. sound translated into human language is, at best, an approximation of the actual sound. People who have their tongue and brain split through the and Waltzing Hunting Ceremony are the only people who have no and difficulty, can understand the sound and meaning without trouble. Most humans, have considerable however, difficulty and generally use their own dragonewt. terms, such as scout descriptive That said, the draconic word where for the themselves is double-s Eravssarr, indicates a protracted sound too. and the double-r is an extended r, The single-r is a rolling sibilance. transliterated as follows: stages and kinfolk, roughly various for their own words have also They Ffss, scout Kikimadu, warrior Nnass, priest king Ooamassarrava, Avssamamu, dragon Dragon True Orroborr, in general) Thunderbeast (dinosaur, Badu, The Eravssarr

Right Action is therefore the principle experience of attaining and developing a sense for their future ofactions. It is not a moral responsibilitycode of right or wrong. Action Right contains no interpretations of morality. It and restraint, but not restraint in mortal terms, which inevitably are based on morality and denial. Instead, dragonewts interpret restraint whether as or not the being time and emotional state aware is right to of pursue an experience; it is not whether or not the experienced on its understanding of the world. This is not therefore a social code in the conventional sense, although all dragonewts are expected mythical to and mundane concepts experience before moving onto certain concepts precise these What life. their of cycle next the are is personal to each dragonewt and they are wired into the dragonewt psyche at the time of its birth. A that knows it dragonewt newborn needs to experience everything. As it makes its way through it life it needs knows to experience experiences fewer the things. more it The understands and more the closerbecomes it to it True Dragonhood. Thus, all dragonewts deﬁne themselves in terms of what they need to done. have instead of what they do

One Called Running One day, a Crested dragonewt called One Called Running came across a young griffin that had fallen from its aerie. One Called Running had been searching for the centre of the sky, so it might know the Air Rune and had grown tired. Knowing that the griffin might carry him to the centre of the sky, if taught the Sky Centre Myth chant, One Called Running used his magic to heal the young griffin’s torn wing and fed it a human he’d caught the day before. As the griffin crunched on a leg, One Called Running performed the Stone Dance so he might meditate on the Right Action. To find the centre of the sky he needed to be in the sky. He could see it, but it was too distant. He might find another way of reaching the sky but here was an opportunity that seemed like a Right Action. One Called Running finished the Stone Dance and taught the griffin the Sky Centre Myth chant while the creature ate the head. ‘That is a griffin song,’ said the young griffin. ‘And I know where the centre of the sky is because I have been there.’

‘Ah,’ said One Called Running. ‘So you can describe it to me.’ And because the griffin had been fed and had its wing mended, it did. One Called Running sat back, grateful for the wisdom. He let the griffin fly back to its aerie and One Called Running returned to his nest.

When One Called Running recounted the nature of the centre of the sky to Gold Fire Apparelled First Born, the ruler of the nest, he realised his mistake. Gold Fire Apparelled First Born pointed out, in words of broken flint, that neither the location nor the description of the centre of the sky were important. What was important was that One Called Running visited it and could retrace his steps, leading other members of the nest who would be required to describe it. One Called Running had committed Wrong Action and had told a griffin the sacred Sky Centre Myth chant thereby revealing Gold Fire Apparelled First Born’s innermost desires. This was dishonour. One Called Running would not achieve warriorhood until he had Essence of Dragonewts found the young griffin, killed it, and allowed himself to be eaten by its mother three times in succession. This atonement was Right Action, and, chastised, One Called Running set off to find the young griffin in a much wiser, though less honourable, state of mind.

dragons and striving to complete the cycle through have several Lords for different things and loyalty and rebirth and progress towards dragonhood. Where duty is expected for each. This might lead to conflicts this ceases to be a priority, or where the faith in the of interests and seemingly contradictory agendas but ancestors is lost, dragonewts are in danger of being to dragonewts this is simply Right Action. excluded from the draconic lifecycle because they are incapable of Right Action. Duty to Repay Debt If a dragonewt accepts a favour, it incurs debt. Debt Duty to One’s Lord is burdensome because it must always be repaid - no Lordship is not simply one who owns land or controls matter how long it takes or what the cost is. This might a colony. Lordship is dependent upon certain physical take many incarnations and often impedes the progress and personal traits being present in an individual of the dragonewt through a particular stage. Thus dragonewt and is, in reality, a temporal device. A Lord dragonewts are inherently cautious of accepting favours might be a dragonewt given a specific task to complete, unless there is absolutely no alternative and, even then, supported by assistants chosen for that role; equally a dragonewt will spend an inordinate amount of time it might be an honoured figure that has consistently analysing what the consequences of the debt will be and achieved Right Action through its lifecycle thus far and how it must be repaid. As repaying a debt might incur so embodies the truest essence of the draconic way. On Wrong Action, and considerable amounts of it, favours many occasions it may simply be a matter of charisma are thus considered entanglements to be avoided. and leadership qualities. Individual dragonewts may 6

Essence of Dragonewts 7 RuneQuest Dragonewt Dragonewt

Why is reincarnation necessary? Why is reincarnation Why do so many reincarnations not result stage of development? new in a Why is reincarnation? the Inhuman King essential to old bodies die the soul migrates back to the original into sometimes reborn, is dragonewt the and birth-egg a new body stage, quite often in the same, but always with a new level of maturity and understanding; this is another step forward towards Where there True is no Inhuman dragonhood. King, reincarnation does are doomed to mortality. not happen and dragonewts questions. three burning The God Learners have A A A The answer lies in what existence each represents, and what stage each stage understands of dragonewt of themselves, of reality, tied to OUROBOROS. irrevocably and of the cycle. It is The Dragonewtpersonal, a than less nothing is dragonhood Stages to path The microcosmic replaying of the of God Time Glorantha and the ages within it. Each stage represents a of understanding one the and ages Time or God the of more age. that of events the reflects stage each in dragonewt Consequently, Right Action at each stage is defined by the mythical necessities of a particular Gloranthan age, and it is necessary for each and dragonewt every to fully understand and experience the nature of the age before it can reincarnate into the development. next stage of Personality Traits series a by characterised is development of stage Each of inherent personality traits that must be and mastered controlled before advancement to the next stage takes place. The ultimate aim of every dragonewt is to act with conscious deliberation at all this means times, choosing how and to act rather than allowing must that traits personality The it. determine to instinct be mastered at each stage are discussed in each stage of development. How these are defined in terms is explained on page chapter. Characters 65 of the

Advancement When a dragonewt colony has an Inhuman King, or Dragonet, presiding, its members reincarnate. When Reincarnation and In short, OUROBOROS is the dragonewt lifecycle. It is a compression of the Age Creation into a single, utterable sound: both a prayer and dragons an explanation. and It dragonewts what determines and describes are and will be. From the silence, through to the ‘S’ sound that indicates a complete OUROBOROS cycle, tail. its own as a dragon swallowing is drawn The dragonewts have tried to The have communicate dragonewts this to the EWF and grown have tired of the misunderstandings. close are they that sign a as this mistake thus EWF The to realising the Cosmic Dragon and, perhaps terriﬁed of being usurped in importance, the the give dragonewts to needed are details crucial ﬁnal, the withholding Cosmic Dragon form and substance. Fundamental to all these concepts and to the nature of dragonewts themselves is the relationship with the Cosmic Dragon. The form and nature of the Cosmic Dragon is expressed in the OUROBOROS but mantra, that is not, asDragon’s true some name. have The thought, mantra simply basic the enables understanding Cosmic a and vocalisation Cosmic Dragon did, does and is. The Cosmic of Dragon what the is therefore very much dragonewts through their lifecycles and is a focus a for philosophy that their actions. guides The Empire of Friends Wyrm’s believe focused through created be can Dragon Cosmic the that worship, extensions of territory and powerful magics; they believe that the OUROBOROS mantra can be rendered into a physical, of reshaping mythical the world and being creating a capable new cycle time. of Dragonewts know different. They the know Cosmic Dragon that can have no form because none is required. Forms are ephemeral. The true power of the Cosmic Dragon lies in its ideas and the ability of those ideas to transcend physical substance and shape than assuming a shape dictated by it. rather reality, Ouroboros

Crested Thus Crested dragonewts are immature and struggling This stage is known also as the Scout or First stage with the conflicting natures necessitated by creation: and, amongst dragonewts, as Orxiliate. This stage their own and the creation of the world. It takes at least represents the Creation and Green Ages where all was six reincarnations before the Crested stage is complete new and the Prime Runes had been meditated upon and usually many more because this involves gaining and brought into existence by the Cosmic Dragon. a mastery of the Six Actions and understanding the Each Crested dragonewt is innately tasked with power and magic of the Prime Runes. From the understanding the Six Actions and the Prime Runes. Crested perspective the Prime Runes are: Air, Beast, The Six Actions are: Chaos, Darkness, Disorder, Earth, Fire, Harmony, Illusion, Infinity, Law, Magic, Mastery, Movement, A Silence: maintaining it when the compulsion is to Plant, Spirit, Stasis, Truth, and Water. At the Crested make oneself heard stage the key task is to understand the Six Actions and commence the journey of understanding the A Secrets: maintaining them when the compulsion Prime Runes. is to tell all one knows Crested dragonewt (and, indeed, all dragonewt) A Being: understanding what one is when it is clear behaviour is thus dictated by a combination of which one is incomplete of the Six Actions it is understanding, which Prime Runes it has already understood, and which Runes it A Experience: gaining it, but doing so honourably is in the process of learning. Orxiliate dragonewts can and with understanding only learn the magic of the Prime Runes which they must then forget to advance to the next stage. At this A Thought: learning to use the fledgling mind to point Dragon Magic is forbidden to them. form and use thoughts

Essence of Dragonewts The task of understanding the Six Actions is known A Spirit: learning to replace the instinctive with the as Orxilius, after the enemy of the Cosmic Dragon, rational Orxili. This six-limbed, no headed monster attempted to disrupt the Cosmic Dragon’s meditations and was dismembered, limb by limb, as the Cosmic Dragon itself became aware of, or created, the Six Actions. The dismemberment of Orxili allowed the Six Actions to come into being and from the monster’s body came the Cosmic Egg, from which all True dragons, and thus dragonewts, hatched. Orxilius is the primal process of understanding one’s nature and the nature of reality. Once accomplished, the Crested dragonewt has quested through the Creation and Green Ages and enters the Beaked stage.

The Crested dragonewt has ﬁve personality traits to master as part of Orxilius. These are the most primitive emotions and traits, key to differentiating the dragonewt from all other creatures:

Aggression and Passivity Bravery and Cowardice Energy and Laziness Stubbornness and Docility Dependability and Unreliability 8

Essence of Dragonewts 9 Knowing Knowing this, Beaked dragonewts are cautious despite careful their increasingly warlike natures. and It a is but more once Orxilius undergo to shameful not is significant delay in attaining full dragonhood. Wrong Action is considered to be the victory of Chaos and darkness over reason. Beaked dragonewts who have regressed to Orxiliate thus tend mastering, to again, the be Chaos and focused return they Darkness when victory for on equipped runes be will they that so stage. to the Golden Shadow Those Beaked dragonewts who build cities, defend the leave to then ready are enemies defeat and them committing them, behind Ages Darkness and Golden one final act of Utuma to attain the next their progression. stage in There are, again, five mastery before the next personality stage of development. These traits requiring inherent lordliness, and leadership with concerned are qualities of the Noble stage: Apathy Curiosity and Leader and Follower and Cautious Impulsive Calm and Nervous Trusting and Suspicious

Shadowed Shadowed Beaked dragonewts devote their thoughts almost wholly to defeating Chaos and re-enacting the principle of Utuma: the dismemberment of enemies and the sacrifice of the This self. echoes the sacrifices made by the Cosmic Dragon, the Ancestral dragons and the gods who died A during Beaked the dragonewt Darkness who Age. does act of to commit Utuma as both an Action is expected not achieve Right Beaked a as reincarnates It cleansing. of and atonement dragonewt if its Wrong Action was not Action sufficiently was acute serious. it If Wrong reincarnates the as a Crested and must retread Orxilius so that it may once more. Action Right know Newly Newly incarnated Beaked dragonewts embody Golden and the their skins glisten with gold and amber. They are builders and in so doing weapons of their stage: learn the klanth, the the korff, gami to use the weapons, these of mastery gain they As utuma. the and which they view as tools rather than instruments of death, the golden hues are blacks replaced representing by greys the and shadows Ages. They become more warlike and less of concerned the Darkness with construction and more with defence. Having Having passed through Orxilius Beaked dragonewts learn now to master draconic magic, having forgotten all other magic, though a power is retained. For the Beaked residual stage Action Right memory of its is to begin the mastery both build of and Dragon fight. Its Magic motivations and are exclusively concerned to with these three things, be whichaccomplished with canany degree onlyof effectiveness if Actions the of Six Orxilius been have understood and assimilated into its consciousness. Beaked Known also as the Warrior amongst or dragonewts, as Second Golden stage Shadow, this and, stage represents the Golden and Dark Ages of Glorantha. In these ages civilisation and rational thought hold took only to be plunged into shadow by the and Greater Lesser darknesses, known as the Age of Terror. In this stage of advancement Beaked dragonewts are equipped, mentally and physically, to both build and destroy. They are architects and soldiers, the raisers of the dragonewt cities (under the direction of more advanced stages) and fighters in their defence against meddling. and mortal Time Chaos,

Noble would be apparent that a Noble dragonewt commits Also known as Tailed Priests, this stage represents Utuma because its ability to communicate with non- The Great Compromise, when the gods had to ﬁnally dragonewts has resulted in consequences that the communicate with each other and learn restraint. Noble failed to foresee. Reincarnation following such It was necessary for all the gods to understand the Utuma is always in the Noble stage but all powers mortal world and how to interact with it. Thus, Noble of language and communication must be relearned dragonewts are communicators and leaders. Of all the so that future communication will be clear and its dragonewt stages they are the best equipped to deal consequences anticipated accurately. with other races and to embody the notions of peace, negotiation and compromise.

Thus Noble dragonewts are to be found abroad, acting either as emissaries to other races, as wanderers The story goes that I Can Say And You Can Understand, learning more of the mortal world, or, and particularly a Tailed Priest advising Genderson Greyscale, a important during Glorantha’s Second Age, as advisers Wyrm’s Talon Disciple, remarked that Genderson’s to the humans of the Empire of Wyrm’s Friends. wife must be very beautiful because she was married to such a successful and articulate man. Genderson, All Noble dragonewts are obsessed with language being irrationally jealous of anyone who noticed his and how to use it as a tool of communication. They wife’s undoubted beauty, considered I Can Say And call this process Tongue Talking. Right Action is You Can Understand’s comments as a sign of physical determined by how their communication is perceived attraction, and had a mask, wrought from iron, clamped by those they interact with and understanding the around his poor wife’s head. Satisfied that now none consequences of this responsibility. Nobles are known but himself could admire his wife’s dazzling attractions, to commit Utuma because of mortal failings and this Genderson prepared to engage in a meaningful debate Essence of Dragonewts is something humans, in particular, have difﬁculty on draconic philosophy with his adviser only to watch, in comprehending. If the underlying reasons were to slack-jawed, as I Can Say And You Can Understand be studied, and they rarely are, even in the EWF, it disembowelled himself. The dragonewt, intending to compliment both Genderson and his wife, had failed to understand the human’s capacity for jealousy and suspicion. It was necessary for him to commit Utuma because, not only had his comments resulted in the Wrong Action of the wife’s masking, it also signalled a lack of appreciation of how compliments can be taken as slights.

To become a Ruler, or Full Priest, Nobles need to have mastered the following personality traits:

Honour and Dishonour Generosity and Greed Patience and Impatience Extrovert and Introvert

Having mastered both these and the skills of communicating with a wide variety of different races, the Noble dragonewt feels the ﬁrst signs of wing- growth as its skeleton and muscles begin to reform. 10

Essence of Dragonewts 11 stages can understand and ensure the Ruler’s wishes is Action Right dragonewt Ruler a For out. carried are interpreting things from a draconic perspective rather than a dragonewt perspective. They up. must or around looking than thus rather world the upon look down act will stages lesser the accurate, is perception their If correctly and Action Right is achieved. If direction is conceivable every account into take not does that given angle, opportunity, outcome and nuance, it is Wrong reincarnation the and follows naturally Utuma Action. essential, an indicating stage, Noble the at be well may through overcome be must that immaturity undraconic further communication and exposure to world. the Wrong Action wider amongst because, Rulersfrom the vantage point of looking is down, all very rare things are visible and can be explained in a of variety ways. Only when consequences cannot be explained draconically, mythically or in mortal terms is Wrong Action determined. When not community, dreaming Rulers to often dream-based survey draconic involve HeroQuests the themselves to understanding of True Dragonhood. These further dragonewt quests not in their only retread the deeds of the Cosmic and Ancestral dragons, but also quests project to forth come. to This participate prepares the in Ruler for the

Rulers are tied to their nests and spend a large amount large a spend and nests their to tied are Rulers of time sleeping and dreaming. In their dream state they interact with all guidance and stages overseeing the progression of the lesser of the nest, stages through offering Orxilius, Golden Shadow and Tongue Talking. Whenthe lesser stages awake, and make decisions based on theythey view how things from a draconic perspective. Tailed listen Priests reinterpret to these musings in reports ways the lesser from Clever and Dull Clever and Conservatism Innovation Optimism and Pessimism Construction and Destruction The Ruler must master the following personality traits personality following the master must Ruler The deﬁning Full Priest status. These are traits that allow the world to be understood and shaped; their mastery Dragon. True Inhuman King and is essential for every Once the dance is completed Utuma is immediately committed by the new-born Ruler. The old body burned is and at dawn of the next day the Ruler hatchesagain, with an identical body, but this time carrying the emotional and mental understanding of is it if stage this during accomplished be to needs now what it dragonhood. to achieve Known Known also as Full amongst Priests, Winged dragonewts, Priests emerging and, Sky represents Upon and mirrors the return of light to the sky. world the to Destined. sun the of ascendancy the This and stage from the egg the incarnated newly Ruler immediately performs the Sun Dance symbolising its emergence from the darkness of its previous incarnations and its newly developed glimpse of True Dragonhood. It is accompanied in the dance by all the dragonewts the nest and of is a time of great rejoicing and gladness. The Sun Dance is both ritualistic and practical; as the Ruler dances its wings dry and the bones strengthen, allowing the wings to be unfurled fully at the climax of the dance. Ruler dragonewts are always incarnated during the Fire Season and when nothing the sun. The obscures Sun Dance always ends as the sun sets, wings. culminating in the unfurling of the new Ruler This is painful physically for the dragonewt but is also is but dragonewt the for physically painful is This This signals the ﬁnal act of Utuma a time of great joy. as the next. for this stage and reincarnation

true, Inhuman King stage, whilst also consolidating which always give birth to new Crested dragonewts, and supplementing the dreams of True Dragons. and both watch and judge the souls of those they are FutureQuesting also trains the mind in the frightful responsible for. Dragonets are incapable of Wrong complexities of existing outside Time, and perceiving Action. Their minds exist out of Time although their all things simultaneously. A succession of HeroQuests bodies exist within it. They do not dream because it need to be completed successfully before the Ruler is unnecessary. All things are known to them and all can dream itself into a FutureQuest and, even then, actions and consequences are simultaneous. They do FutureQuesting is undertaken tentatively as even not need food because they have absorbed their own the immensity of the Ruler’s mind is fragile when egg through the action of the Egg Dream and are contemplating a reality unconstrained by the linear sustained for eternity. All that stands between them and the ultimate separation between cause and effect. and achieving True Dragon existence is the will of the However, the experiences and knowledge built-up Cosmic Dragon itself, so each Inhuman King serves through the preceding stages have been designed to that will unbendingly. prepare the Ruler dragonewt for such an existence and its FutureQuesting enables it to mould its psyche into This service is called The Unknowable Secret. a form capable of functioning fully in the God Plane. Dragonets refer to it but never explain it or reveal it. It is what the humans of the EWF strive to attain but As Rulers mature they become more abstract in cannot because they are not dragonewts and have not their communications and thought processes. This progressed through the essential stages to be able to progressive tendency towards abstraction ﬁnally comprehend and comply with the will of the Cosmic culminates in all thoughts coalescing into the Egg Dragon. Only Obduran the Flyer, a human, has ever Dream where the Ruler simultaneously relives its come close to knowing the Unknowable Secret, and past lives and both absorbs and is absorbed by its own in this he may have had the help of the Inhuman King, egg. The Egg Dream grants the Ruler the ultimate but that help would have been given only because the

Essence of Dragonewts powers of creation and reincarnation and, at this Cosmic Dragon willed it to be. point, the dragonewt pauses in its schemes for it is on the brink of Dragonet status. As it is traditional for a dragonewt society to support only one Inhuman King, it must wait, and dream the Egg Dream while it waits, until it can ﬁnally hatch in the penultimate stage before True dragonhood. Dragonet Known also as Inhuman King, this is the stage aspired to by all Ruler dragonewts dreaming the Egg Dream. Only one Inhuman King can incarnate for its society (although several dragonewt societies exist and thus there are several Inhuman Kings).

Dragonets have achieved almost total dragonhood. Their powers of understanding and mastery of Dragon Magic gives them complete control over their society. Dragonets enable reincarnation; the Egg Dream has granted them the power, wisdom and insight to decide which lesser stages should reincarnate, when, and into what form. They arbitrate Right and Wrong Action and manipulate the eggs of the colony to produce the reincarnated dragonewts at a stage of existence and experience that matches their needs and those of the colony. Dragonets can produce more eggs, 12

Essence of Dragonewts

‘One who harms

The first dragonewt eggs were laid by the Wondrous to cleaved but mates many took who Many, of Mother Dragonewts set. precedent the was Thus them. of none are born from eggs immortal. and, They are like more than a them, protective layer the for gestation; eggs each egg is deeply are magical and tied to the will of the Cosmic Dragon through the protection of the Inhuman Kings. Dragonewts are destined to be born many times and egg the hatching each After egg. same the from always reassembles itself and awaits the next hatching. They shell is hard and growing leathery, more so with age, but never deteriorating. Eggs can be harmed repair always butif not totally The destroyed. withdrawal they of the Inhuman King’s will, bond between severing dragonewt and egg, the preventing further spiritual rebirths and condemning the dragonewt to mortality, also results in the destruction of an egg. Dragonewts arrive in the world as adults; there is no physical maturity from an infant through childhood to adulthood. Mentally, new-born innocent dragonewts to the are world, progress. and survival but for drivers primal the with them their egg has equipped Higher dragonewt stages creates the template. the egg guidance, but provide education and They constantly. egg their of aware is dragonewt Every if their is know egg being threatened and instinctively dragonewts fight ceaselessly to protect them. All the eggsdragonewtofa settlement aregathered singleina nest. Thus, in cities such as Dragon’s Eye in Dragon Pass, or Absolute Circuitous guarded is nest Every eggs. of thousands number nests Fortuity in Ormsland, by Beaked dragonewts but magical protection exists as well, and of the kind merciless. that The is truly cure misguided or life, draconic fools eternal give and can who egg dragonewt believe of fragment that a the most foul of Chaos taints, never live to discover the truth of it. As the Inhuman King of Dragon Pass once confided to Vistikos Left Eye, an egg is treated as Orxili was treated. Its limbs are thrown is carcass The devoured. soul its and off ripped and plaything a it make who Dragons Ancestral the to torment. eternal ensuring but death it denying slave, a immortality.’ ler guaranteed Only thus is a shell-defi

Dragonewt Eggs The source of all draconic life, the egg is the sacred symbol, most magically, spiritually and physically, the from created was Egg First The dragonewts. all of body of the monster Orxili by the Cosmic Dragon, and from that came the Ancestral Dragon, who used the halves of the shell to create the Outside realms. Inside and the Those colonies that have, for one reason or another, placed themselves beyond the draconic denied an cycle, Inhuman King. Their Rulers are either do not within trapped themselves find or Dream Egg the start it. Breaking this cycle requires a draconic HeroQuest might this and dragonewts, Ruler by undertaken is that even be a FutureQuest, only enabling a new InhumanKing to be incarnated at a distant point in the future when it serves the Secret. purposes Without an Inhuman King, no dragonewt can of The Unknowable reincarnate, and because the Rulers are likely to be bound in their Egg Dream, there is little guidance to prevent Wrong Action and maintain become Right dragonewts of colonies isolated such do Action. Thus less draconic and condemn in the themselves, knowable certainly term, to mortality. Sundered Colonies. These are the No Dragonet in human reckoning has made the final has made in human reckoning No Dragonet change to True Dragonhood. In fact, no dragonewt or True dragon would ever reveal that the change has been made for fear of exposing the will of the Cosmic Dragon to outside influence. For this reason dragonewt a of King Inhuman the if unknowable is it is colony the same one that has been there all along, or a new Inhuman King incarnated from a waiting, Egg Dreaming, Ruler. Dragonewts do not care: the existence of the Inhuman King is symbolic and they instinctively know that to contemplate is its Wrong nature Action. Only feel Time, within living of product a is that humans, curiosity trapped by the the need for conjecture, thus incurring impurity of thought This and is motive. why no human can ever Unknowable The know to wanting dragon: a become Secret renders the secret meaningless and closes the path to dragonhood.

MYTHS Herein are described the dragonewt cosmology and key again, its limb tumbling to the Void. So was born Secrecy. myths – as they would explain them to humans of the Again Orxili tried to disrupt and lost another limb: EWF (when they actually deign to do so). It is important this was called Being and it would be retrieved by the to understand that dragonewts simply do not cleave to Cosmic Dragon later and used to make the sky and cosmology and religion in the same ways as humans; the world. On its fourth attempt Orxili lost another thus, to try to convey such critical and complex ideas, limb and this the Cosmic Dragon swallowed and the information presented here is greatly simplified. thus gained Experience. On the fifth disturbance the Cosmic Dragon tore away Orxili’s limb and absorbed These are the creation myths as understood by the True it with its mind: this became Thought. Finally Orxili Dragons, Dragonets and Ruler dragonewts. Through its sought to tear at the Cosmic Dragon’s soul but it lost own Dance of Life and Egg each dragonewt becomes again and the final limb became Spirit. steadily more involved in each myth, in the order described here, and thus attains the enlightenment of True The Cosmic Dragon took the helpless body and the Dragons. The myth cycle reflects and is OUROBOROS; third limb from the Void. From the limb it made a constant state of rebirth, life, utuma and Right Action. the world and the sky, keeping the two apart by the

Myths breadth of the limb’s fingers. With the world made, the Cosmic Dragon placed Orxili’s body at its centre and Infinity and The wrapped around it, setting it spinning, thus isolating it from the realms beyond reality. The body became the Cosmic Egg and etched upon it were the Prime Runes. Cosmic Dragon As it spun, so it hatched. From it was born the Grand Infinity came first. It was perfect and complete, giving Ancestral Dragon. simultaneous existence to all that surrounded it, binding all together with no beginning or end. Some The Cosmic Dragon had no use for the limbs it had called this the God Time but dragonewts and dragons severed from Orxili and regurgitated the pieces into know that the God Time came after. the Void so it might resume its meditations upon infinity. To purge itself the Cosmic Dragon swallowed Something broke infinity. Perhaps it spun too fast or made its own tail; in so doing, infinity was remade and the too much at once, but it became broken. One end became Cosmic Dragon was at its heart. The limbs of the the head of the Cosmic Dragon and the other its tail. Disturber were cast to the Nothingness but would one Knowing it was a broken infinity, the Cosmic Dragon’s first day return; although it could not disrupt infinity now task was to heal itself and restore infinity but this required it was remade. meditation. As the Cosmic Dragon meditated, the monster, Orxili the Disturber, arose to plague the Cosmic Dragon’s meditations. With six limbs and no head all it could do The Grand was prod and grasp at the two ends of the Cosmic Dragon attempting to pull it apart as it coiled around itself. Ancestral Dragon This was but a minor irritation for the Cosmic Dragon but The first action of the newly hatched Ancestral of great consequence for the universe. From its mouth the Dragon was to meditate and contemplate the universe. Cosmic Dragon spoke the first word, which was Silence, Because the Cosmic Dragon had severed the limb of and Orxili could not utter its blasphemies to disturb the Orxili that tried to steal secrets, the Ancestral Dragon Cosmic Dragon’s thoughts. One of the limbs was severed could see into the secrets of the universe and it noted and was cast into the Void. Next Orxili tried to probe the them all as treasures to be shared only with those that secrets of the Cosmic Dragon’s meditation and was bitten were like itself. 14

Myths 15 From these eggs hatched the The True form. dragons, and which substance had and beings mighty were Ancestral Dragons, their dance complete, returned to meditate with the Grand Ancestral Dragon and still watch the world through accepting worship universe, from Dragons the True the secrets of the and their offspring. Thus the first utuma of the Grand Ancestral Dragon brought life and order to the world and the established sacrifice of the self, and subsequent the rebirth, Dance as of Life and From utuma follow. Egg, comes the egg, and from the which egg all dragonewts Cosmic the of actions the mirrors cycle Its life. comes Dragon, but is real in the world. Cosmic And, Dragon defeated because Orxili the and remade infinity, so is the Dance of Life and Egg infinite. The First Utuma The When its meditations were complete the Dragon sliced open its Ancestral loins and created the seas and of defiance in freely flowed which world, the of oceans the Then defeated. now was which - Chaos Oozing the to power gave and belly its open cut Dragon Ancestral defeating thus Life, of gifts first the through world the the body of Orxili forever. dismembered and removed Dragon Ancestral the Next with Gods the and Stars the Sun, the creating head, its Dragon Ancestral the of skull the and eyes, its of each became the God Plane, where flourish in noble fashions. their powers would From its brain came new servants, Grand identical Ancestral to Dragon, who the taught the Gods how to know and use their the through gods powers the taught and They bay. how at Chaos to Oozing keep the First Dance, from which all other dances are derived. it The First Dance took and now place at Dragon Pass is sacred to gods, dragons and the uz, who guard its Dance First the When Ooze. Chaos the from gateways was finished, the Ancestral Dragons each laid an egg the from made Plane God the to returned gods the and skull. Ancestral Dragon’s Grand

Its fourth action was to return to meditation, that now all was guarded. But while it dreamed the limbs Orxili of returned from the Void and tried to with interfere the world. One limb became the Oozing Chaos which lapped at the Ancestral Ancestral Dragon’s Dragon feet. took the The Disorder rune Inside from and the gave it to the used it Guardian to ﬁght of back the Being, Ooze. From who this battle was born Nakala, the Primal Darkness, and the Guardian of Being fashioned a race from it and called it to life with part of the Cosmic Dragon’s mantra using OU the and the S sounds. The new race, which chose to dwell beneath world, at the Ancestral Dragon’s feet, itself uz. misheard the partial mantra and named Its third action was to make real the six principles of Orxili’s disturbance so that they would not interfere with the workings of the world but also to make the world whole again.Thus were born theActions Six of Orxilius and the Ancestral Dragon created guardians image. were made in his own for each of them, which Because it was alone in the world, its second action was to make servants, whichhalves of the Cosmic Egg, calling one Inside it and the did from theother Outside. two

with all but one of its eyes wide open. Genert was The True Dragons intrigued and asked why it did not close all its eyes. Here are the names of the True Dragons. The list is ‘So I can be both asleep and awake at the same time, incomplete because many True Dragons have no need and thus miss nothing,’ the dragon replied. Genert for names or have forgotten those given to them by the knew he had found his adviser. Ancestral Dragons. They figure in the myths of many cultures and are venerated as gods by the dragonewts. Arangorf Drolgard, who spoke the dragon language, was taken A All Eyes Open But One, who advised Genert and as a lover by Arangorf. When Orlanth, who had slain was the first dragonewt to become a True Dragon Sh’kaharzeel and Aroka, wanted to make peace with the dragons, called Drolgard to his stead, she brought A Arangorf, lover of Drolgard, who found peace Arangorf with her. Arangorf took revenge by eating and with Orlanth drinking everything Orlanth owned and then tearing away the roof of the great hall. Arangorf expected A Adamantine Truth Redoubtful, known also as Orlanth to fight him but no fight came. Drolgard had Diamond Storm, who taught Mostal and made urged Orlanth to speak with the dragon and taught him the imperishable stones the dancing-praying-chanting language that gave the Storm God the draconic tongue. He and Arangorf then A Earth Dragon, who taught Asrelia and protected spoke and peace came between the gods and dragons

Myths her as the First Friend once more, although later Orlanth forgot his oaths and that peace was broken. That is why dragonewts and A Green Scaled Father, who taught Flamal and humans find it so difficult to talk now, and must entrust purged the earth with fire to make it fertile their communications to the Tailed Priests.

A Night Dragon, who taught Dame Darkness of the Adamantine Truth Redoubtful uz Adamantine Truth Redoubtful sought Mostal so that he might teach him how to forge the unbreakable A Sun Dragon, who taught the Sun God stones, also known as diamonds, which are dragon’s tears. Mostal thanked Adamantine Truth Redoubtful A The Emperor of Wisdom, who taught wisdom to for the secret and imprisoned him so that he might the gods and saw it squandered make as many diamonds as he needed for the World Machine. Instead, Adamantine Truth Redoubtful slept A The Imperial Fountain of Peace, known also as and dreamed, his eyes ﬁrmly shut, so that Mostal Aroka, who guides the waters of the world and would be denied diamonds. That is why diamonds are was also slain by Orlanth so rare in Glorantha when once they were abundant.

A The Mover of the Heavens, known also as Earth Dragon and the Protection Sh’kaharzeel and was slain by Orlanth of Asrelia When Gata birthed her daughters, Asrelia and Ty Kora A Wondrous Mother of Many, who is the Mother Tek, Asrelia was deformed and ugly in the eyes of her of the dragonewts and venerated by all of them mother and could not possibly be a creature of any good for the world. Earth Dragon found Gata abandoning All Eyes Open But One the child in the mouth of a cave, perhaps in the hope When the god Genert required an adviser, he turned she would be eaten by monsters from Chaos. Earth to a dragon because he had heard of their wisdom. Dragon was sad and angry but did not want to confront He hunted through the dragon lands and met many Gata because he loved her also. Instead he took Asrelia dragons who scorned his attempts to ﬁnd counsel, deep underground and left her with Dame Darkness. each declaring that they had nothing left to teach to Earth Dragon told many lies when questioned over gods and wished to sleep. Eventually Genert found a what had happened to the unwanted child but he never dragon lazing on its back, belly exposed to the sun, revealed her presence. As she grew, Asrelia prospered 16

Myths 17 their liking and amongst them was Emperor of Wisdom flew away, disappointed in the children. of these frivolity Wondrous Mother of Many Wondrous MotherDragons to hatch and was so eager to mate that she did of Many so before was she was ready spiritually the or physically. She mated last with many dragons of and laid many the clutches eggs of across Truethe world. Some did. did From not them came hatch, the but first dragonewts most who were, like the Wondrous Mother, imperfect. They knew this and petitioned the Wondrous Mother for succour, but she was too in involved her mating to listen and so the dragonewts had to learn the ways of themselves. dragonhood They did for this through talking to gods and True Dragons, who described to them how they thecould onlyattain True Dragonhood way was to re-establish the relationship with the Great Ancestral draconic Dragon. full the The re-enact to be would this do to way only being, from the actions of the Cosmic Dragon onwards. This is why are dragonewts as they are, and why they who Many, of Mother Wondrous The do. they what do to returned never has offspring, her all by loved still is sometimes is she why is that and herself them instruct as Mother Forgotten. known Orlanth hated dragons after his fight with Sh’kaharzeel with fight his after dragons hated Orlanth and sought out more to Aroka, who controlled Aroka the waters challenge of the world. them. One was was unafraid of the blustering Storm God and fought Orlanth’s turning floods, and storms rain, with Orlanth powers against him. Having Orlanth was wise bested to dragon tricks and used Sh’kaharzeel, these on Aroka, besting him also. He placed Aroka’s skeleton Aroka in was the so sky. big and mighty that its head did not fit in the sky dome and so forms Ring. a as Orlanth’s pattern of stars which is known different Sh’kaharzeel flew first to the sky where he surveyed were that parts change to decided and below world the been had who gods certain angered This liking. his not to world the making The Storm Orlanth. God challenged Sh’kaharzeel and they fought across Glorantha and into the God Plane victorious. was Orlanth where sky the to back then and imprisoned and sky the in soul dragon’s the placed He his bones in Dragon Pass. The Imperial Fountain of Peace The Imperial Fountain The Mover of the Heavens

The Emperor of Wisdom flew carrying to the the Gods Spirit Plane rune, know inner so peace that and the the But the responsibility. gods, being young and foolish, harmony gods of might considered turned down this gift. Only Asrelia accepted the gift of wisdom and engendered the beginnings Friendship. of The gods First laughed and danced about the The Spirit rune and so squandered the gift of wisdom. With scales of burning the amber,Sun God to move across the sky and the how his light Sun Dragon gave life taughtto the world. After this time of teaching the Sun Dragon told the Sun God it was time for him but leave, the Sun God to made eloquent petitions; so the acts he where now, there resides and stayed Dragon Sun emperor in the court of the Sun God. as a benevolent When Night Dragon hatched, he went world beneath to the thank the new race Oozing who Chaos. Dame had Darkness defeated welcomed the him and told him the name of her flesh; from race her create might she that so rune Man people. He gave her the with it, Dame Darkness created the With Man bore rune Korasting. they created more Kyger Litor, who Ancestors of the uz. children who became the Sacred Green Scaled Father stole the Plant Rune from the Inside the from Rune Plant the stole Father Scaled Green of the Cosmic Egg and gave it to Flamal. Flamal ate it and developed roots. The Zorak sent roots she Darkness; moved Dame of into children the disturbing the earth, Zoran to see what was happening. By this time Dragons Ancestral Green the by caught been had Father Scaled roots Flamal’s while Thus, Flamal. protect not could and Father Scaled Green the Zoran, Zorak by devoured were was punished for creating the firstWrongAction. in spirit and kindness, mastering the art of wealth and She bounty. learned to give to the world and to share what was sharable. Earth Dragon understood this and was pleased. Dame Darkness understood it and so thus did the uz. Thanks to shares but Earth now, even underground deep dwells Dragon’s Asrelia protection Though her wealth with all the peoples of the surface. Asrelia’s around coiled is tail his sleeps, Dragon Earth nothing can harm her. hearth; whilst he endures, The Emperor of Wisdom Sun Dragon Night Dragon and the Teaching of Night Dragon and the Teaching Dame Darkness Green Scaled Father

How Orlanth Slew Sh’kaharzeel

A mixture of draconic and Old Ways traditionalist myths.

One morning Sh’kaharzeel awoke to find the world not as he had left it. Behind him was a mountain that soared to the sky and he did not like it. He took to the wing and soared to its summit, finding that it was Kero Fin, a goddess. Sh’kaharzeel wanted to eat her but she was too big, so instead he looked about him at the way the world had changed and saw Kero Fin’s son, Orlanth, busy at the plough and making new lands for his tribe.

Sh’kaharzeel went to undo these labours, ignoring Kero Fin’s warnings. He blasted the crops with fire and ate all the grain in the barns. Next he drank dry the lakes and streams and then went in search of Orlanth.

The Storm God had heard of dragons but had never seen one. At first he thought Sh’kaharzeel was Eurmal the Trickster and so taunted him awhile. The dragon spat fire and convinced Orlanth he was real. He protested over the reshaping of the lands and how this was unwise because it was not a part of

Myths the Cosmic Dragon’s designs. Orlanth said he had never heard of this Cosmic Dragon and demanded proof but Sh’kaharzeel could offer none because the world had been reshaped many times since it had been the Cosmic Egg. Orlanth shrugged and returned to his ploughing. Angered, Sh’kaharzeel burnt Orlanth’s plough.

Enraged, Orlanth went to his hall and fetched Death, the weapon he had stolen from Humakt. Sh’kaharzeel countered with tooth and claw, and their battle raged across Dragon Pass, which was not known by that name then. Orlanth used the sky as a shield when Sh’kaharzeel breathed fire at him, and the dragon used the mountains to parry Orlanth’s blows with Death. Their fight lasted three days and three nights, and around them the earth was undone. When Sh’kaharzeel knocked Orlanth flat with a blow from his tail the Shadow Plateau was made; and when Orlanth put out one of the dragon’s eyes, Skyfall Lake was created.

At last both began to tire. Sh’kaharzeel, because he had not eaten for a long time, wearied first, and left his spine open to Orlanth’s blade. Death cut deep and Sh’kaharzeel fell. Orlanth fetched his nets and bound-up the dragon’s soul within it and flung it high into the sky, which was dark. The net broke open and scattered the dragon’s soul as stars, which can be seen even now.

Orlanth left the dragon’s body where it was because it was too heavy to carry away and burn. He hoped monsters would eat it. But Sh’kaharzeel instead turned to stone, and formed the Rockwood Mountains. The cleft made in the dragon’s spine by Death is now the place we call Dragon Pass, and it amuses Orlanth that, in death, the dragon provides a gateway to the lands it tried to unmake.

Myths 19

Orlanth inhaled the last breath of the Primal One and with that breath learned the Four Sacred Breaths: the Calm Breath Calm the Breaths: Sacred Four the learned breath that with and One Primal the of breath last the inhaled Orlanth that clears the mind, the Storm Breath that gives one might, the Healing Breath that restores life, and the No Breath that gives insight and wisdom. Finally, Orlanth decapitated the corpse of Sh’harkazeel and, with his left hand, took its head as the source of his Power Sh’harkazeel of Head Green the carries hand, left his with and, skull its of out hall great his fashioned He Dragons. over to confound and terrify his foes. In the heavens, Orlanth’s Ring is preceded by the Green Dragon’s Head, the source of Orlanth’s Dragon Power and his residence on the Other Side. But Orlanth was not terrified and the storm god let fly his breath that poured into the Primal One’s belly, so that its courage its that so belly, One’s Primal the into poured that breath his fly let god storm the and terrified not was Orlanth But was taken from it and its jaws remained open wide. Great Orlanth let lose his irresistible thunderbolt and smote to death the firstborn of Dragons. Orlanth with his own and deadly weapons cut the Mover of Heavens into 49 pieces. The spine he cut into two and fashioned the Dragonspine mountains. Sh’harkazeel’s blood flooded the seas and swore revenge. Its ribs were used to hold up the Sky Dome after the Mover of Heavens had attacked the sky. The Orlanthi Myth variation. itself beget Sh’harkazeel gods. the than older and Dragon Cosmic primal the was - Heavens of Mover the - Sh’harkazeel and dwelt coiled around the world, with its tail in its mouth. The Mover of Heavens was so powerful that it refuted the Zzabur and devoured the spirits. Court, confounded the machinations of divine laws of the Cosmic Orlanth and his new tribe of unruly gods disturbed the inner parts of Sh’harkazeel and troubled the Cosmic clamor Dragon. their for concern, for reason Heavens of Mover the gave they things, new creating and about, running Moving, pain. gave the Cosmic Dragon One Primal The clamor. their silence to gods the devour to ready made Sh’harkazeel Emperor, the killed Orlanth When learned sons Emperor’s the when and Dome, Sky the enveloped Heavens of Mover the of coils The attack. to prepared of this, they became numb with fear and fled. Orlanth’s camp, full of fear. They came before the Slayer of Yelm and asked Seeking a champion, the gods assembled at him for his protection and aid. Without irresistible fear, the and war, of weapons Orlanth matchless his regalia, his Orlanth agreed upon bestowed They gods. the to of king as Orlanth face Sh’harkazeel. The gods rejoiced and acclaimed thunderbolt. Orlanth filled his body with breath for a year and a day, made ready his weapons, took up his sword with his right hand, set lightning before him, called forth the Six Winds and various hurricanes, and mounted his irresistible chariot of storm with four steeds, whose names were Crisis, Rage, Wrath and Havoc; clenched word he magic a with armor; placed in garbed head, his Humakt around lightning of nimbus on a left, his his on Aran of shield right the and his palm, Orlanth leapt into the heavens to face Sh’harkazeel. between his teeth, a healing plant pressed in A snorting world serpent, hissing, having thunder, lightning, mist, and hail at his command, Sh’harkazeel, the Mover an incantation; and it terrified all three worlds. of Heavens without hands or feet, pronounced How Orlanth Killed Sh’harkazeel How Orlanth Killed

Hykim and Mikyh Days of Strength Dragonewts trace all animals and natural creatures to a pair of similar, dragon-like ancestors called Hykim and Weakness and Mikyh. Both hatched simultaneously from eggs The God Learners would have the world believe that laid by the Wondrous Mother of Many, but were not the dragons and dragonewts did nothing when Disorder dragonewts or dragons, although they could take the and Chaos invaded the world, but dragonewt myths tell form of the latter and duly did. otherwise. Their stories tell of Night Dragon, in particular, ﬁghting against the Chaos invasion. The Night Dragon These egg-born creatures, which were not dragons but cult actively seeks out and challenges Chaos, reinforcing had dragon form, were the result of the Wondrous Mother the dragonewt myth rather than the passivity so eagerly mating with the Beast Rune, which she took to be a sort of postulated by the Jrusteli (most likely in another attempt dragon. Hykim and Mikyh are thus creatures of the Beast to discredit the entire notion of draconic superiority). Rune and, through subsequent matings with a variety of gods, gave birth to all the beasts of the world. Each has a What is agreed upon is that Chaos killed large numbers kernel of dragonhood at its heart, as do all things. of dragonewts. To the dragonewts it was simply Right Action to allow this to happen, since it hastened the The division between Hykim and Mikyh is unclear. Neither rebirth of the slain into the next stage of development. is thought to be male or female but it is considered that The egg nests were always protected from the ravages

Myths Hykim laid eggs, and all creatures born from it lay eggs too, of Chaos, and so the carnage was only ever temporary. whilst Mikyh begets live young and so do her offspring. Yet there were two main pockets of resistance against Once their propagation of the world was complete, Hykim the incursions of Chaos: one of Strength and one of and Mikyh formed together into a single being and retired Weakness – again, both approaches were viewed as to the celestial temple of the Grand Ancestral Dragon, Right Action by the dragonewts. there to watch the world and contemplate it. Strength was found in Kralorela, where all followed the draconic ideal and could form iron-clad alliances. Dinosaurs All creatures, dragonewt, beast and human, banded under the aegis of the Inner Circle of Wisdom, Some of the eggs laid by the Wondrous Mother which countered the threat of Chaos with a mixture did not hatch properly and create dragonewts. For of powerful philosophy, True Dragon magic and the whatever reason, these eggs created the dinosaurs cleansing flame of the Night Dragon, who revelled in which now roam Glorantha and are considered to be a destroying Chaos. degenerate dragonewt species that can never attain the draconic path. The God Learners, in formulating their Weakness was found in Dragon Pass, where the gods monomyth, claim that dinosaurs are traceable to the squabbled and had thus created a sundered land. The Hykim myth, but this is disputed by dragonewts, who dragonewts were part of that sundering and allowed have a natural kinship with all dinosaur species. Chaos to take a certain amount of their number. However, one dragonewt Ruler, who took the name This kinship has been put to good and constructive Heart of Weakness, decided upon a different strategy use. Dragonewts have always herded dinosaurs and and risked entangling his settlement (now thought used some of them as mounts or beasts of burden, but to be Ghosts Around) in the paths of the other races, with the rise of the EWF, dinosaurs have been put to humans included. Thus were formed loose alliances use in the Dragon Armies, forming cavalry units and and dragonewts marched to the I Fought We Won shock troops, striking fear into the hearts of enemies battle, where victory over Chaos was assured. as ranks of triceratops thunder across the battlefield whilst controlled velociraptors and even tyrannosaurs, This action by Heart of Weakness ensured dragonewt prowl the flanks, tearing into opposing forces with equality with all other races, particularly the uz, but more bloodthirsty abandon. critically allowed dragonewts to escape the strictures imposed by Time when the Age of History began. 20

Myths

Dragonewts

Drolgard

Mother

Wondrous

Storm

Dragon

Father Dragon Dragon Open of Wisdom of

Sh’kaharzeel Aroka

Arangorf

Diamond

Earth Night Sun G Scaled G All Eyes All Emperor Emperor

Darkness Dragons

Six Guardian Six Umath Dame

Runes Primal Darkness Primal Drgaon

Primal Grand Ancestral Grand Nakala

Egg

Cosmic

Orxili Dragon Cosmic

The Six Dragons and the War Against Chaos Another Creation Tale

IN THE BEGINNING, WHEN THERE WAS NOUGHT BUT THE VOID, NEITHER MEN, GODS NOR THE WORLD EXISTED. NESTLED BOTH WITHIN AND WITHOUT THE VAST EMPTINESS WAS ONLY OUROBOROS, THE INFINITE DRAGON WHO EXISTED BEFORE EVEN CHAOS.

OUROBOROS HAD MANY THOUGHTS THOUGH WE KNOW ONLY ONE, CALLED THE DANCE OF SIX DRAGONS. AT FIRST THEY DANCED ONLY WITH EACH OTHER BUT THEIR MUSIC DISTURBED THE SILENCE OF CHAOS AND THERE ROSE A BEING WHOSE EXISTENCE WAS BEGUN ONLY TO END, THAT OF THE DRAGONS.

ORXILI IS THE BEST KNOWN NAME FOR THIS ANCIENT ENEMY HEADLESS, ITS SIX LIMBS GRAPPLED WITH THE DRAGONS TO DESTROY THEM BUT THE POWER OF THE DRAGONS IS AS UNCHANGEABLE AS THE

Myths VOID AND THEY TORE THE GIANT ORXILI ASUNDER. THEY RIPPED HIS LIMBS FROM THE BODY AND CAST THEM INTO THE DARKNESS OF THE OUTER EMPTINESS. EACH LIMB LATER RETURNED, GARNERING NAMES OF THEIR OWN, BUT THEY WERE MET BY OTHER FOES THAN THE DRAGONS.

THE BODY OF ORXILI WAS PLACED IN THE CENTRE OF THE EMPTINESS AND SET TO SPINNING ON ITS TIP LIKE AN EGG. THE DRAGONS GATHERED AROUND AND FANNED IT WITH THEIR WINGS UNTIL A WORLD SETTLED INTO QUARTERS, EACH OF WHICH WAS AN ELEMENT. INSIDE OF ALL WAS THE YOLK OF THE EGG, A NEW BEING.

UNDER THE THOUGHTS OF THE DRAGONS, YOLK-CHILD GREW AND MATURED WITHIN ITS SHELL TO BECOME THE CREATURE CALLED THE DRAGON GUARDIAN. ITS FIRST ACT WAS TO BREAK OPEN THE SHELL THEREBY LOOSING ALL OF CREATION BY DIVIDING THE COSMOS FROM ITSELF.

AFTER THE WORLD WAS BEGUN THIS ENTITY, THE DRAGON GUARDIAN, CAME TO BE KNOWN AS THE COSMIC DRAGON. HE IS KNOWN AS THE WATCHMAN OF THE INTERIOR AND SOMETIMES AS THE MASTER OF THE COSMOS.

THE COSMIC DRAGON APPOINTED SIX OTHER DRAGONS TO BE HIS ASSISTANTS. THESE OTHERS ARE THE FOUNDERS OF THE REAL DRAGONS IN GLORANTHA AND ARE THE RACE OF DRAGONS WHICH WARNED AGAINST THE OLD GIANTS IN THE DAYS WHEN THE GODDESS GLORANTHA WAS BUT A CHILD.

Dragonewts In The World 23 But there Ormsland are in dragonewt Ralios community supports colonies outside the Dragon everywhere. Pass second King, and the Second largest its King, opens Inhuman his eyes towards Jrusteli the and the EWF, watching An closely. Inhuman King rules in Kralorela, where men eloquence greater have with and conversed longer for dragonewts with and humans of paths the and Friends, Wyrm’s the than should be. as they remain divided, dragonewts draconic the Outside are that those – colonies Sundered cycle – have no Inhuman King and follow theirways, whichown are alien to all. On humans theof affairs the islandin tampers colony dragonewt the of Teleos for reasons difﬁcult to In quantify. Carmania, a small colony of dragonewts assist dragonewt Ruler its and EWF the the against Tongues renegade, One apostate advises the Shah on a sporadic basis, between fuelling the rifts Inhuman Kings Ralios. of In Dragon Tarinwood a Pass tiny and colony assists the of elfs directly, defending dragonewts the sacred temple complex of Hrelar Amali, which is a haven for Old Ways traditionalists. In Dara Happa several dragonewt colonies, including some sundered colonies, have moved closer thriving to metropolis the of Yuthuppa, so that perfectly they venerate the Golden may Dragon Emperor, who itself wrapped and kingdom Yelm’s from emerged has temple. around the Sun God’s Dragonewts view Glorantha as their world, with all The greatest issue other inhabitants merely as tenants. the dragonewts have with humans is their interference, constant either to become the like EWF, or to them, study and as plunder, as with with Learners. the God The Elder Races, aldryami and no such uz, compunctions, content have to understand or not understand the dragonewts. There is considerable consternation amongst colony some Ruler dragonewts that the EWF has been THE WORLD THE

DRAGONEWTS IN DRAGONEWTS

— Harvensan Greyscale, Wyrm’s Fang Exultant

‘The Inhuman Kings are aspire to what be. They we have travelled to should and the Outside all understand it, embrace it. They the wings of have the dragon taken and flown far and wide. They know the thoughts and dreams of the Great have Kings Inhuman them. shape help and Dragon wisdom, shape worlds and command gods. If is it our destiny to raise the Great Dragon we must shrug off this earthly form and learn to fly. Only then will we Claim the Scales.’

Glorantha always and is, civilisation dragonewt of heartland The will be, Dragon Pass. The First Utuma and the First Dance were performed here Wondrous and it Mother is ofPass where is alsoMany the birthplace the one. become laidofand touch many sky godsthe and,and earth herinthe Kerowhere Fin, ﬁrst eggs. DragonDragon Pass is thus deeply sacred to all dragonewts, even those who have never visited it. Dragonewts in This chapter offers an overview Glorantha and of then in the heartlands of Dragon dragonewts Pass, in Ralios, Kralorela and, to a It lesser examines extent, their Slontos. worldview and those interactions who with share their lands. Place dragonewts is because important these to landscapes were by shaped the Ancestral Dragons and Relationships are the important True to them Dragons. because of depth relationship is essential to dragonhood. we And, shall see, there are some who non-dragonewts are as actively striving to enter the same cycle of being and create a similar relationship.

successful in awakening several True dragons, such do not see the mundane world beyond; instead they as Adamantine Truth Redoubtful, the Diamond Storm are aware that they walk the roads of the God Time God and the Golden Dragon Emperor. But the Inhuman and see all around them the world as it was when the King of Dragon Pass has reminded each colony that Ancestral Dragons taught the gods and the ﬁrst True these awakenings are but nothing compared with the Dragons were born. Wandering the Dragon Roads purity of the path to dragonhood; they are merely places the walker into a mythical context, although he parts of the endless replaying of the God Time, when cannot interact with it beyond observation. Stepping the Ancestral Dragons educated the gods. Now, in off the road is to tread the mundane world again and to Glorantha’s Second Age, it is humans who need to quickly forget the wonders of the God Time. be educated and who better to do this than the True Dragons who have slept for so long whilst humans Using a Dragon Road is easy for dragonewts but less have pursued their mortal follies? so for other races. It requires the blessing and teaching of either a Ruler dragonewt or the Inhuman King to Dragonewt Roads learn the secret of the Road Dance, which permits access to the road and, even then, those taught the secret are bound by dragonewt honour never to reveal ‘We used measuring magic and alchemy and it to another. A few have broken that oath and been myth-dousing. The results are incontrovertible. hunted by Dream Dragons, always to a pitiful end. Each pillar is positioned in an absolutely straight line. There is no deviation; not the slightest. There Non-dragonewts using the roads are susceptible to are no straighter lines in the whole of Glorantha. great danger. Dream Dragons and, occasionally, When I tried to shift one of the pillars just a fraction, True Dragons use them. If these creatures encounter well, you can see what happened.’ one that is not of their kin, the reaction is invariably hostile. And, if the wanderer is lucky enough to — Almakoth Armless, Logistics Faculty Head of avoid such contacts, other, draconic spirits lurk Dragonewts In The World the Shelnesta Revealers, reporting to the Imperial along the roads, waiting to prey on impure travellers. Court in Jrustela These powerful spirits are thought to be the restless

The cities of the dragonewts are connected by the magical Dragonewt Roads. No physical road or pathway exists, but the connections are made by the square stone plinths that are positioned every thirteen kilometres in an absolutely straight line between each city. Each plinth is made from polished obsidian, rune- covered on every surface, and seemingly immune to weathering and deliberate attempts to damage them. All plinths are inherently magical and were, according to the dragonewts, made by the True Dragons from discarded scales following their matings with the Wondrous Mother of Many.

All dragonewts are able to walk the Dragonewt Roads linking their cities without any need to use their own magic. Stepping onto a road places the dragonewt on both the Inside and the Outside of the shell of the Cosmic Egg. In this way it takes no more than an half an hour to move between pillars enabling vast distances to be traversed with ease. Users of the dragon roads 24

Dragonewts In The World 25 respected. On the occasions where elfs and dragonewts dragonewts and elfs where occasions the On respected. have been enemies it has been for trivial reasons and resolved without any unacceptable degradations relations. Dragonewt emissaries in to elf lords are fairly common, although this is not generally reciprocated. The aldryami find dragonewt cities overwhelmingly perplexing and only send emissaries to them absolutely necessary. when Dragonewts and Uz Dragonewts Dragonewts believe that the trolls were the created Grand by Ancestral Dragon as part of the of Nakala, the Primal Darkness. The creation trolls, of course, protest this, and sidestepping the have dragonewt beliefs although they their do power shared dragons Time, God the own in that, doubt not creation myth and wisdom with Dame Darkness, and thus race. command a measure of respect as an elder should The uz and the dragonewts have restricted dealings. Ezkenkekko, the Only cordial Old relations with One, the Inhuman has King of Dragon Pass maintained for centuries and emissaries from both races pass between Plateau Shadow Eye and regularly. Dragon’s One Old Only the taught said, is it King, Inhuman The the magic of the Dragonewt Roads, but if this is so, rarely uses them. Ezkenkekko Like most unintelligible. races, They the immortality can uz grasp consider brings understanding the the sometimes capricious nature of the dragonewts peculiarities but dragonewts. Uz value consistency whilst they dragonewts often seem have to deliberately rail against it. Usually that difficulty could be considered a sign find of so and Chaos-tainted but anything Chaos, are dragonewts but uz know behaviour. it hard to rationalise dragonewt At the end of the dragonewts against the Second Invincible Golden Horde Age that the trolls will will march aid against the dragonewt cities Pass, of sending Dragon warriors from both Dagori Inkarth the and Shadow Plateau against the humans. Perhaps the Inhuman Kings and the troll Lords been have sharing secrets: both the EWF and God Learners would pay dearly to know.

As a fellow elder race, dragonewts view the aldryami threat little pose forests elf The respect. reasonable with to dragonewts as long as territorial boundaries are For the most in part plants dragonewts or greenery, have being their more little own concerned development, interest with but, on at occasion (such Contemplative as Rest a ﬁxation with things developed that have dragonewts in Dragon Pass), grow. This has mystiﬁed, certain intrigued and alarmed the aldryami in equal measure; develop when dragonewts meddle to prone are they something in interest sudden a with its nature, often producing strange or unwanted results. The aldryami are often unsure dragonewts of intend by what this: the sometimes, as on Teleos, At other seek times to the imitate dragonewts the elfs. plant of essence very the investigating be to seem they life so that they might distance themselves from it as much as possible. Aldryami The dragonewts and the elfs maintain distance from a each respectful other but have both been allies in the past. fought and Dragonewts and Dragonewts and Other denizens of the roads are the Lost Spirits; those non-draconic who travellers wandered for too long or lost their Their way. physical bodies have faded into a grey abstraction but their wills are strong and they seek a way back but them, over to power no the have they because mundane dragonewts world. They fear humans and uz are favoured vehicles for possession. The minds of these lost spirits are insane and, even when free of the Dragonewt Roads, they wander the mundane world aimlessly, shunning all thirst sustenance, hunger, either of dies it until body host the using or exhaustion. spirits of dragonewts who have died and were not reincarnated because they are outside the draconic lifecycle. This rumour is likely to unquiet be dragonewt spirits are vengeful and cunning, true. These laying traps and ambushes because, enlightenment, are they angry at the mundane world lacking true and seek constant vengeance.

ones, they are an impatient race eager to know before Dragonewts and they understand. There is no human equivalent of Orxilius and, as this is the first stage all dragonewts the EWF must master, they find it difficult to understand how the human draconic path can be anything but flawed.

‘Even your most eloquent and enlightened speak Of deeper concern is the haste to create the Great Dragon our tongue as though taking a blunt, iron axe to a to Be. Raising or creating dragons fits completely stone-tree. The sparks and flints scald our eyes and with the dragonewt psyche and they welcome the ears, but we resent this not, for all communication project on that basis. But dragonewts are an unhurried and the efforts made to do it should be treasured race, untroubled by the strictures of Time. The EWF and swept to the soul. exhibits an indecent amount of haste in wanting to create their dragon, and dragonewts proceed down a But think not that the stone-tree can be felled or the path of perfection before being ready to make the final axe sharpened. Even with split tongues and minds metamorphosis to complete dragonhood. The EWF you are, and always shall be, wielders of a blunt wants to circumvent that process. Parts of it have instrument.’ achieved the necessary wisdom and perfection (as far as they can, trapped in the same body), but most of — Truth’s Sharp Endeavour, Noble of Absolute the EWF is considered unprepared for what they are Circuitous Fortuity to a gathering of EWF Auld attempting. The EWF exhibits a flawed understanding Wyrmish scholars of draconic nature that is obsessed with personal power and a desire to remake the world in a different image. That is not the dragonewt way. Whilst dragonewts grow more powerful with each new stage, their lifecycle is For centuries the dragonewts have been the dedicated to retracting that power from the material Dragonewts In The World benefactors of EWF society and wisdom. They world and channelling it into deep contemplation, just granted knowledge to the EWF that has been granted as the Cosmic Dragon contemplates deeply. Humans, to no one else, and gave the Original Twelve access as a race, seem incapable of such contemplation. And, to powers reserved previously for Inhuman Kings. As as the Inhuman King of Ormsland has noted more than the EWF has progressed, the dragonewts have come to once, the Cosmic Dragon entered into only one true view the Empire with a mixture of incomprehension, act of creation, and that was to create the world from admiration and suspicion. By and large the conversion the remnants of Orxili. Might the EWF be in danger of to the draconic path is welcomed because it displays reversing that divine act? an enlightenment rarely seen amongst humans. But this enlightenment is treated with a distinct unease. As the EWF races towards completing its dragon, The EWF is hungry for secrets and the dragonewts whilst attempting to hold the outline of the Great are not ready to share many of them. Several of the Dragon together, there is a growing unease and fear Original Twelve, especially Vistikos Left Eye, claim amongst the dragonewts that what will arise will not to have had mystical communion with the Cosmic be a dragon at all, but a resurrection of Orxili itself, Dragon, and this is not something most dragonewts whose body was used in the creation of the Cosmic view with much favour. All dragonewts struggle on Egg. Some of a less pessimistic disposition believe the path to dragonhood; for a human to claim such a that the body of Orxili will not be resurrected, but relationship seems both odd and inconsistent to them. some of its limbs, taking dragon form, will be. These It might even be equated to jealousy, if the dragonewts thoughts have never been articulated to the EWF at were capable of such an emotion. any level, but they are real and troubling. The Ruler dragonewts and the Inhuman Kings have thus been Because the Inhuman Kings have decreed co-operation engaging themselves in FutureQuests in a bid to with the wyrmfriends, the dragonewts comply, but do foresee the truth of the dilemma and thus decide on so at their own speed and to their own agendas. From a course of action. They are close to an answer and what they know of humans, even dragon-enlightened the signs are not good. Only the Inhuman Kings know 26

Dragonewts In The World 27 — The Inhuman King of Dragon Pass We dream a great hunger arising in the heart of all of heart the in arising hunger great a dream We that can be satisfied in one way only. We wrestle with instinct but this time it will not be controlled and the hunger is Right will Action, regret it. We seek the though wisdom of the Cosmic many needs its channels and also hungers it but Dragon to resist. through us. We are powerless It will take satisfaction. time Though to we prepare, cannot instinctive desires we suppress can this exercise our patience. our need for This is Right Action. I cast my eye in lost minds, impatient immature and folly fraying over their boundaries their to and listen I power. own their of wilderness the see and empty so promises, their at smile and petitions frail like their minds and hearts. I think of them as neglected pets. If they would pause to listen the hunger might be averted yet, but they are incapable of hearing. I feel pity for them. I return to my dreams and see a with join I and consumption awaiting Gold of field the True Brothers in crossing the Deathline and reclaiming what has always been ours. Thus, EWF and dragonewts are set for fuelled a by suspicion collision, and fear on both sides that can have only one outcome. The dragonewts have never exhibited the full extent of their years’ time, they powers,will do so, but marching in inopen revolt 134 Kings Inhuman the 1120, year the In EWF. the against will raise their Deathlines to protect their cities from the Invincible Golden Horde and that will signal the beginning of the Dragonkill. The Ruler dragonewts and Inhuman Kings have already seen parts of tapestry infolding this in their dreams and FutureQuests. understand likely most but it, avert to seek would They that it is inevitable and they prepare for it. must, instead, simply

The Guiding Council in is dragonewt aware it. behaviour of Dragonewts this and have impossible change to really is understand, always but there has always been concerned secretive been a level by of co-operation and and mutual trust that is now being eroded. The Guiding Council this interprets change and new secrecy correctly, wrong but reasons. They believe that for the dragonewts are the is Be to Dragon Great the because secrets withholding immense its seize to wish they and completion nearing power for themselves. They genuinely believe the dragonewts that wish to dominate the to World Come and not to share it. The EWF but has dragon, genuinely failed a to not foresee dragonewts the that appreciate failed have They project. the of result the as monster, a to understand that making a dragon of the earth is to tap into the substance of the enemy Cosmic Dragon’s right, are dragonewts the If it. resurrect possibly to and and Orxili is created in draconic form, imbued with all the wisdom and knowledge it sought to steal from it created, was universe the before Dragon Cosmic the will spell doom for all. In their haste and immaturity, the EWF lacks the subtle insight and understanding spent an eternity developing. have dragonewts Already the Inhuman Kings have decided to share no more secrets with the Dream EWF. orders have been made to limit communications to the mundane to and retract further magical teachings. EWF magicians eager to learn new difficult Dragon to engage Magic teachers. are Certain EWF unrelated finding mystics, to it the Guiding Council and Twelve, the Original are potential beingdoom in the hope that they can offered exert some influence and hints steer the EWF and faithful more tragic away course. from insights Petitioning the a Guiding Council and intoOriginal is Twelve futile: both are entrenched in a their obsession and cannot be swayed from realising their impatient vision. It must fall to others who have shown a less insight obsessive to the avert impending If fail, or they if the Guiding tragedy. Council ignores defence then the final acts of dragonewt the warnings, will need to be initiated. for sure what the outcome of the Great Dragon project project Dragon Great the of outcome the what sure for would be if allowed to come to fruition, and they are not sharing that knowledge, but it is clear that some form of defence is being prepared against the EWF’s future actions.

The EWF sees only the signs of a growing treachery cannot understand and codify, and everything about amongst the dragonewts. They lack tangible proof, dragonewts falls into all these categories. To the and need the dragonewts to complete their project, so Jrusteli, dragonewts present a danger of unknowable their actions must be subtle and carefully staged. But proportions. Clearly they are the architects of the the doubt is there. Distrust is beginning. EWF’s power and in this capacity must be enemies. Their cosmology deﬁes everything the God Learners The glorious Empire of the Wyrm’s Friends will not know and understand about the God Time and be destroyed by the God Learners. It will implode subsequent ages; it proposes a creation myth that can in the most spectacular and tragic fashion, almost have little meaning in the physical world but seems to mirroring the Cosmic Dragon’s dismemberment of the underpin it. As the EWF is an impenetrable enemy, the troublesome Orxili. God Learners seek to impose some semblance of order on draconic cosmology by subtly guiding the founding principles of the more malleable Kralori, who are all Dragonewts and the too trusting despite their heretical, draconic beliefs. Fluilea Gencourt’s rantings are echoed throughout the Middle Sea Empire Middle Sea Empire. Dragonewts cannot be trusted and have no deﬁnable place in the world. Many seek their destruction for the simple reason that they fear what they do not understand, and, in the God Learner ‘If Malkion had a plan for dragonewts and their Empire, understanding is everything. Fanatics like scaled kind, why is it not detailed in The Abiding Gencourt advocate holy war against the dragonewts Book? If dragonewts are the true children of and have already launched unsuccessful attacks against dragons why do they not rule Glorantha? the dragonewt heartland of Ormsland. They blame the Where is their supposed wisdom? Where is dragonewts for allowing the EWF to press its heretical Dragonewts In The World the trade? Why are they not listed amongst the borders into Middle Sea territory, bringing with it their eight pure races? Why did that primitive pagan hated Hunting and Waltzing bands. The God Learners storm god kill dragons? Why are there no see the Inhuman King as the architect of this plan, a dragonewts in Jrustela? scheming semi-dragon with insane ways, attempting to destroy the Middle Sea Empire with a war of steady These are false brethren! A trick! They were attrition but followed soon, no doubt, by some kind of born during the Great Darkness and did not all-out strike. precede it. The wyrmfriends have been beguiled into false beliefs – see how their Empire is already Conversely the dragonewts throughout Glorantha crumbling! See how the gap widens between have little or no interest in the God Learners. them and the race they so want to emulate! There is no new knowledge they can gain from the Jrusteli because they are mere amateurs in the art of Raze Dragon’s Eye! Raze Absolute Circuitous understanding gods. Dragonewts know that the True Fortuity! Kill them all!’ Dragons taught the gods in many ways, battled them, killed some and were killed. Dragonewts and True — Fluilea Gencourt, Arch Proselytizer of Dangk Dragons know more about the ways of gods and how they act better than even the most powerful Jrusteli sorcerer. This knowledge is passed to them gradually through dreams and experience. Each new stage of The God Learners harbour a natural suspicion of dragonewt development reveals some new knowledge, anything unable to comprehend the true greatness precisely the kind coveted by the God Learners, and so of Malkion and the overarching authority of The the dragonewts learn all they need to know about the Abiding Book. They dislike and fear anything they nature of gods one step at a time.

Dragonewts In The World 29 Contemplative Rest largest second the this, Somnalafinalost as also Known amongst River Solfint the on located is city, dragonewt the foothills of the Indigo Mountains. Contemplative Rest sprawls across three with hills, the landscape, rising its low, elongated and buildings like falling barnacles clinging to the side of an upturned ship. It has no wall, Contemplative Rest, but is ringed by many obsidian pillars marking its wind perimeter. around Trees the buildings, so there are no streets as such, just a maze of copses and barnacle buildings, dappled by the sunlight threading through the canopy, view. shaded and sheltered from non-dragonewt Dragon Pass Dragon Nowhere is more sacred to dragonewts than Dragon Pass. These are the ancestral lands where the Cosmic Ancestral Grand the where from and hatched first Egg True the that here is It Dance. First performed Dragon Dragons came to teach the gods and here where they will lie. The Inhuman King knows that here, too, is where the True Dragons will take a mighty revenge against humans for their presumptuous ways and in yet to be committed. response to a treachery There are more dragonewts anywhere else in in Glorantha and Dragon their ways are more Pass than obscure and impenetrable owing to the considerable essence of pure dragonhood that permeates the soil, hangs in the air and charges every boulder, stone and pebble with This its energy powers the energy. magic of The Great Dragon Project, such as helping Orfanmangostobos and EWF Markanbandanstaros cities thrive and mutate in the eyes The of the spirit non-draconic. of him. slew Orlanth because angry occasionally, ground Sh’kaharzeel rumbles beneath Dragonewt Roads criss-cross the the basin between the three major colonies. In Dragon Pass the dragonewts thrive and the three major colonies of Dragon’s Eye, Contemplative Rest and Ghosts Around are the largest seen since before the start of Time. The EWF has helped return much draconic power to this land and the dragonewts are grateful for it, though they are wary of how far and it. inaccurately the EWF dabbles with how friends.

I heard a City rumour is building once its own that wyrmfriend’s monster, when dragon they get round to to the battle the Clanking and gold and bronze of made is It it. summoning is twice the size of the island. It is powered by steam and thaumic energy and its jaws will slice beat to needing without flies It diamond. through its massive metal wings but does so to make the sky crack and bring thunder in its wake. They call this beast The Scaled Machine, but I call it an abomination. Everyone knows the wyrmfriends will fail. What True Dragon would allow itself to be commanded by humankind? What sort of god allows its faithful to command? Our Scaled Machine will not be needed. It might not even work…if it exists at all. — Bruyant Openwing, Openwing Revealers, discussing the secrets of the Clanking City with But the dragonewts are not ignorant to the threat the God Learners pose. On several occasions dragonewt armies have marched and incursions. They have fought won each encounter, but against they Jrusteli know more will come. In Kralorela, where the God Learners have managed to establish their doctrine of Immanent Mastery and thus get close to the essence of draconic human thinking, the responded by simply dragonewts sealing their have cities against any form of intrusion. The Kralori Inhuman King has not yet erected a Deathline to slay any who might move against Fanzai but would have no hesitation in doing so should the need arise. However the God Learners exercise a certain prudence in the easternTheir provinces. experiments require Kralori, and the the Kralori would certainly assistance rush to the of aid of the dragonewts if their the cities were threatened. Thus the God Learners content must are and cities dragonewt the prevented towards conduct from violent their assemble to attempts futile their with themselves explain, fully for, account can that way a in monomyth and thus neutralise, draconic power.

Dragonewts In The World

There is an innate peace to the city, hence its name, outlying buildings and they are kept fed and watered, and it lacks the strictures of Dragon’s Eye or the and regarded often as they might regard trees. Waiting insular animosity of Ghosts Around, but this is still a for an audience with the Ruler, Lord One Ex, can dragonewt city and that makes it inherently different. be a lengthy business. Lord One Ex spends a great The dragonewts here are fascinated by the interaction deal of time either dreaming or FutureQuesting and, of the trees with the city itself and many of the Crested when engaged with the mundane world, has little dragonewts are skilled arborealists either with a natural time for mortals save those who can bring news that talent for the forest or they have learned from the elfs interests him. that sometimes visit Contemplative Rest. Lord One Ex is highly respected amongst his peers. The Solfint River flows softly by, but the observant may He holds counsel with both the Inhuman King of notice that on every other day its current reverses and it Dragon Pass and the Second King of Ormsland. Like seems to flow uphill. The dragonewts are responsible, his subjects, he is fascinated with trees. His skin is of course, but never explain the magic employed in covered with moss and is curiously bark-like in texture. changing its course, save to cite the kiss of the Aroka, He communicates through several Nobles, each called the Imperial Fountain of Peace, who they claim mated Jkurl, but each emulates the bark of a different tree. here with the Wondrous Mother to produce the eggs Silver Birch Jkurl speaks to non-dragonewt visitors from which the city is built. who have blond or grey hair. Oak Jkurl speaks to those who have brown or black, and Cedar Jkurl speaks The dragonewts are largely ambivalent to non- with those who are bald or who wear hats. The first dragonewt visitors. When the EWF emissaries arrive, question asked of every visitor is how many trees they as they frequently do, lodging is offered in one of the can name: every answer is always wrong, because the 30

Dragonewts In The World 31 withers, the tree takes over, creating a new life from is passing. the one that Dragon’s Eye scraping the in only but Darfostalabos, as also Known tongue of human-spoken Auld Wyrmish, Eye Dragon’s is the first and foremost city of the dragonewts. It was built during the First Dance and it dances still, its buildings, streets and their shape through various avenues configurations and King forms Inhuman the calmly of desires and dreams shifting the by directed stop changing, and It the can Ruler never dragonewts. like nature, its is that because reborn, being stop never mutability This inhabitants. its like and Dance First the but mind non-dragonewt the to disorienting is form of each and every dragonewt understands the truth of it and can easily navigate the reforming streets without as paths shadow underlying the reading difficulty, any map. fixed accurately as any The outer walls of the city rise for fifty then metres and curve inwards, gracefully, like the bowl of egg, for an a further twenty. The wall rainbow shimmers iridescence with a hurtful to non-dragonewt shifts maw, a dragon’s eyes and the grand gate, shaped like ominously as though awaiting new find food. the Humans appearance of are often amused at their reaction. dragonewts the gate oddly disturbing; The buildings are made from obsidian and glass and have a poured look to them. The city is arranged as a of palace the from radiating bands concentric of series the Inhuman King at the centre. Those closest to the outer wall are single-storey and egg-like, belonging to Crested dragonewts. The second is the of province the Beaked dragonewts and who defend maintain it. Here the are found city the where earthshaker the pens demi-birds and dinosaurs are kept, a vast array of corrals and huge enclosures echoing with the snorts and roars of the triceratops, tyrannosaurs and stegosaurs held within. Some of these dinosaurs have Inhuman the by intelligence rudimentary a given been King and permitted the power of speech. Those that can be trusted are allowed to roam free and so they do, but are still under the command who bred them. dragonewts of the Beaked The next band is home to the Nobles and hence to the temples of the city. A thick oddly regular band structures that of serve as creamy-white, temples, homes

Contemplative Contemplative Rest is renowned for its healing. But this is healing of an kind. unconventional, The dragonewtish sick or injured are literally planted in the earth and watered An daily. acorn or seed is slipped instructed are they and patient the of tongue the under to remain still, silent and not to After chew. several days the patient cured. fully finds injury, or disease it be himself ailment, his ground, growing out of the But there is a downside to this healing. The seed or acorn is absorbed into the body during process and, the perhaps healing months or even years later, the healed part of the or body, a random area, if it was a This twiglet. a sprout then and bud to begins sickness, is not painful and the twig may be snapped off, but it If left, it regrows. forms always a full branch, in time, and, given long enough, the entire mortal body takes root and becomes a tree, absorbing the remains of the host. This seems grotesque but happens steadily and in tandem with the failings of old age. As the body The eggs of Contemplative Rest are deep underground. underground. deep are Rest Contemplative of eggs The to struggle must it reborn, or born is dragonewt a When newly a emulating soil the through breaking surface the grown sapling. Elves find this believing it practice to mock Aldrya. distasteful, The dragonewts do are not but taken, easily so is offence such why understand not about to change their habits. The Beaked dragonewts guard Contemplative they Rest but dragonewt, warrior any of zeal same the with shun the usual steeds of demi-birds and Instead dinosaurs. they ride tamed magically manipulated boar, to grow which to twice have size. The the boar’s tusks been are usual traditionally studded with small blades of flint, making developed have boar-riders the of some and weapons, them savage natural tusks themselves, but they can never be mistaken for Tusk Riders. Lord One Ex claims to have seen a future when the and seas, the even forest, single a be will world whole day. far-off that towards Rest Contemplative guiding is EWF scholars interpret this as a sign that the whole of the forest, the earth, and the Indigo Mountains are, never has this but Aroka of trappings outer the perhaps, denied by the Jkurls. been confirmed nor dragonewts dragonewts have given every tree in their forests its own, unique name and none, save tree. every can question each and perhaps aldryami,

mile and a half, but is not visible from outside the city wall. It is a glistening needle structure of amber and gold fashioned after the left incisor of the Grand Ancestral Dragon. At its base the towers of the Ruler dragonewts (and there are several) compete for space and the buildings, shaped like dragon scales, creak as they inch ever nearer to the ﬂuid walls of the palace.

The Inhuman King is known by no other name, even to Ruler dragonewts. He is rarely seen outside the palace but occasionally takes to the wing from the highest parapet, soaring down and through the city surveying its activities. On days when he feels and places of conference, depending on what is to be like it – and Hust’akalarazing seems the best judge discussed. All visitors, but especially non-dragonewts, of these – the Inhuman King accepts visitors and must report to The Welcoming Maw of Adamantine will listen to petitions, give advice or ignore them Truth Redoubtful where Hust’akalarazing, foremost of completely. All such meetings are conducted by one the Tailed Priests, counts, measures and scores all visitors of Hust’akalarazing’s lieutenants, all experienced according to a scale of his own devising. The procedure communicators with non-dragonewts, who are used involves being weighed against a demi-bird feather, then to interpreting the Inhuman King’s often impenetrable measured with a tapeworm, and then being subjected musings or conﬁrming to unbelieving ears the to a series of mental tests involving backwards riddles, astounding clarity and profundity of a particular vision paint-blot interpretation and what Hust’akalarazing or gobbet of wisdom. refers to fondly as his ‘Waiting Game’. This involves remaining stock-still whilst several klanth-wielding The palace is largely hollow, save for the audience Dragonewts In The World Beaked dragonewts dance around the individual making rooms at its summit, and lacks stairs. Access to these mock strikes with intensifying ferocity and accuracy at areas, for those without wings, is provided by a series random parts of the body. Those who scream, ﬂee or of levitating blocks of obsidian that continually rise weep are deemed to have passed the test and won the and fall from the ground level, sometimes halting game. Those who stand stock-still, showing no fear, abruptly and forcing a leap to another, or rising straight receive a frown, are offered their tape measure to eat, up at gut-wrenching speed to the Arrival Lounge and then weighed again. This can take days. Eventually, beneath the great throne room. Most dragonewts have and with no apparent reason, Hust’akalarazing allows no need to come here because their needs are attended the visitors to go after having stamped their left foot to by the Ruler dragonewts or through the Inhuman with his own personal seal. King’s own dreams, but emissaries from the EWF are frequent and the Inhuman King has permitted a small The temples are numerous. The largest venerates enclave, rather like a rather richly appointed shanty- The Wondrous Mother of Many, built in the shape town of tents and small buildings, to be erected around of a clutch of giant eggs, encircled by a loving tail the edge of the ground level, surrounding the rising of immense size; but almost all True Dragons and and falling blocks. No one is permitted to rise to the the Grand Ancestral Dragon have temples dedicated Arrival Lounge without Hust’akalarazing’s express to them. Some are small and discreet but others are permission and that usually requires measurement and brash and imposing. Tailed Priests wander amongst testing although not necessarily through the Waiting the temples, perform their meditative dances in the Game. Questions must be asked in advance and plazas in between, or engage in bizarre acts (to non- answers might be offered immediately or take days to dragonewts) mimicking utuma or the dismemberment arrive depending on the Inhuman King’s other duties. of Orxili (using live props). The leader of the palace EWF settlement is Vandenplas At the centre of the city is the palace of the Inhuman Wyrmkingfriend, a somewhat pompous Wyrm’s Hand King and the Nest. The palace soars skyward for a Triumphant originally from Pald. He claims to have 32

Dragonewts In The World 33 whilst distancing him from the true matters of running of matters true the from him distancing whilst Dragon Project. the Great Beyond the palace, and guarded by dinosaur riding Beaked dragonewts, demi-bird is the Nest. This and immense, domed building is where the egg of every dragonewt native to Dragon’s Eye, are thousands is of eggs, some kept. unhatched, some There newly hatched, some rehatching shards and – marking some a dragonewt who broken has fallen the from draconic into path and been expelled. The Nest has an overwhelming smell reminiscent of burnt almond and

The Inhuman King visits Vistikos The Left Inhuman Eye King Vistikos via visits dreams and the two share a dialogue of sorts where the Inhuman King shares news from the Empire whilst Vistikos pleads for guidance and The dreams enlightenment. of the Inhuman King occasionally reveal something of the grand plan as retrieved from is egg bright a new, a where belly its pats King Inhuman The tears. silent weeps Vistikos and FutureQuest that all will be well. Vistikos and assures beginning filled and one long a is enlightenment draconic to path The thoughts. or dreams comforting not are These with torments. There are no short-cuts. The dragonewts know this and now Vistikos, who has sought it too. to know short-cuts all his life, is beginning Vistikosoccupies the central Hs eyes no longer the perceive mortal where world Orxili and waits peer to instead into Void the unutterable suite of the tower. repeat He its torments of is the tries Cosmic Vistikos meditations. in Dragon’s always vain to contact the Cosmic Dragon naked, skin once leathery more, to finalise the stages for and raising the he and half-dreams parchedGreat Dragon, Vistikos’s for brightens vision tantalising bringing a then and apotheosis Now answers. to never like Dragon Cosmic an The entire Empire. dying leaves. once more. Void eludes him and he is plunged into the it always the Ouroboros chant, but begins Tower of Original Twelve and Vistikos Left Eye Tower of Original Twelve and At one edge of Dragon’s Eye, slivers by connected but helix double a is shifting tower The wyrmfriend. from First Eye, Left time Vistikos of to tower generated time in response to his dreams, is the self- of gleaming mother of pearl, tapering to a graceful spire that The needed. are none tower; the around sits guards no are There symbolic. than more is This palace. in King’s the full shadow of the Inhuman care of all intruders by eating their minds. ghosts within take Over the centuries of the anything retains Eye Left EWF’s Vistikos ascension Only tower. their the leave never now and world Original mortal the with engaged Twelve dragon speakers have become less of the human condition and even that is appear merely they Sometimes to. a themselves tell to shell. people of search in Of helix the roam his names these and remain, eleven companions, only their names as shadows of their former selves, but for the most they are a gaggle of whispers that float through the irrelevant are forms material Their conference. meditative draconic in tower the of passages labyrinthine laid newly eleven Nest, Eye Dragon’s the In beautiful. something into reborn be day one will they since eggs stir and rest again, hinting perhaps at the transformation they are undergoing. the Inhuman King’s ear and a deep, abiding friendship friendship abiding deep, a and ear King’s Inhuman the with Hust’akalarazing, and there is no doubting his fondness for eating tape measures All (which audiences deep-fried). with the Inhuman King are he likes common is it but first him by approved be to supposed for Hust’akalarazing to him overrule and openly even contradict him. He occupies a tent made from samite, which has been given the grand title of First Awning of the Imperial Dance. His pomposity is despised in the Grand Council of EWF, but there is little doubt about his skill in proselytising, and positioning him here panders to his yearning for personal dragonhood

no non-dragonewt is ever permitted entry to the Nest inwards to the Skull Pavilion, the Ruler’s home, as it is the most sacred and private place in the whole which is fashioned in shape of Sh’kaharzeel’s skull city. Those who stray too near are quickly intercepted in miniature. The city is filled with constant wailing and warned with a violent, but non-lethal response. as the lesser stages of dragonewt are led in screaming Further transgressions are rewarded with a deepening and sobbing prayers for their lost father and mother. brutality and outright persistence leads to death. The Utuma is a daily occurrence amongst the Tailed Priests Beaked guardians make no effort to communicate as they enact Sh’kaharzeel’s death throes. Effigies of with non-dragonewts, save to attack them. Those who Orlanth hang from the trees all around Ghosts Around, reside in the EWF settlement within the palace know used as target practice by the dragonewts and each better than to approach the Nest but sometimes fail to enchanted to thunder an apology for killing a dragon warn newcomers, as a harsh experience is often the and driving a mother away with each weapon strike. best teacher. The effigies act as sentries for the city. Anyone passing within a metre or two of a hanged effigy causes it to Ghosts Around begin sobbing and apologising, the volume rising Seated at the top of the Feyghost River, Ghosts Around every few seconds until its voice can be heard in the is off-limits to even the Dragon Speakers of the EWF. city itself. Like Contemplative Rest, it is a forest-bound city but it does not radiate the strange calm of its more northerly Beaked dragonewts patrol the stretches of the cousin, being fiercely protective of its woodlands and Feyghost River on demi-birds, awaiting the apologies letting non-dragonewts enter only on pain of death. of the effigies. These are fierce and uncompromising fighters seeking constant revenge against humans and The ‘ghosts’ of Ghosts Around are the dragonewts. human gods; humans, even wyrmfriends, can expect This sorrowing enclave laments the neglect of the no warning of an attack and no mercy. Wondrous Mother of Many, considering themselves lost in times when direction and guidance are paramount. Inside the city the dragonewts are divided into the Dragonewts In The World The human gods are blamed for this. According to the Father and Mother castes. Father castes venerate myths of Ghosts Around, the Wondrous Mother was Sh’kaharzeel and perpetually mourn his death. The driven away when Orlanth slew Sh’kaharzeel and Nobles and Ruler are creating a spell to resurrect him she cannot return while Orlanth still lives. Humans, from the mountains, almost in parody of the Great Orlanthi in particular, are viewed with much hatred, Dragon Project. They seek the bones, blood and skin so much so that the Ruler dragonewt, I Am Ghosts, has of Orlanthi to complete it. Enigmatic hints have filtered sanctioned raiding parties of Beaked dragonewts to from Dragon’s Eye that the Father caste knows it can use the Dragonewt Roads to roam far and wide, taking gain some drops of Orlanth’s blood and are preparing revenge against any and all Orlanthi they can find. HeroQuests to get it.

The cult of Orlanth the Dragon naturally wishes to The Mother caste venerates the Wondrous Mother of dispel this worldview and show that Orlanth made Many, lost now as she hunts for dead Sh’kaharzeel. Its peace with the dragons and learned the dragon tongue; members re-enact the many matings of the Wondrous but the last emissary they sent to Ghosts Around Mother sometimes using Orlanthi females (Ernaldans returned neatly packaged in six small wicker baskets, and Vingans are preferred for this) as surrogates for his soul flasked in a wineskin. Petitions are now made the Dragon Mother. Eggs do not result, of course, but more circuitously through the Inhuman King and dragon mating is dreadful to behold and involves much sympathetic Tailed Priests who can enter the lands of blood. The Mother caste has a HeroQuest of its own Ghosts Around unharmed. in preparation; to find the Wondrous Mother and make her return to Ghosts Around to guide her children. The city is gloomy and small. Magic keeps the skies The HeroQuest they prepare involves re-enacting the overcast directly above it, in mourning for the dead myth of the Wondrous Mother’s first skin-shedding Sh’kaharzeel. The buildings are made from black and requires some of her scales, thought to be hidden rock, each shaped like a dragon talon, and pointing somewhere in the Skyfall Lake. Beaked and Crested 34

Dragonewts In The World 35 I Follow You, I Follow Both. They are all , and enthusiastic, or as enthusiastic as any dragonewt dares dragonewt any as enthusiastic as or enthusiastic, the believes You Follow I EWF. the of indulgers be, to so and roost, its as Wyrm High want will Dragon Great is it until etched continually be must myth creation the the likes but this, of sceptical is Me Follow You perfect. patterns of the carving; and I Both Follow is engaged the of outcomes the see to FutureQuest prolonged a on new Dragon Empire when the EWF’s plans come to fruition. EWF emissaries are thus frequently sent to to High Wyrm question Priests the Tailed and see if I Follow Both has returned with news. The sole speaker for the city is called High Born Last Passing, noted for his fledgling wings, imminent rebirth indicatinginto the Ruler stage. His tail is an long and whip-like and it has been tattooed with an exact mountain. the of outside the on carvings the of replica attendance, constant in are dragonewts Crested Several amending and maintaining the mirror the tattoo work on the rock. to This is no perfectly easy task as High Born Last Passing is constantly on the either move, parading around the inner caves or abroad in Dragon Pass visiting Dragon’s Eye or Contemplative Rest. High Born Last Passing enjoys discourse with humans, especially on draconic matters, and news of seeks the Empire’s fortunes in Ralios. He is oddly also sympathetic to Ghosts Around, despite opposing views, and their believes the dragonewts of that city have misunderstood the mythical reasons for the Wondrousthe have should Both Mother’s Follow I ‘Lord hands. Orlanth’s at absence and Sh’kaharzeel’sanswer very soon, when he finishes his FutureQuest’, become and utuma follow can I then death ‘And promises. he The Same’, he adds, cryptically. All Are We ‘Lord The lesser stages of the city are actively engaged in a hunt for… something. High Wyrm dragonewts are often found abroad in Dragon Pass, nets in and hands, sacks peering under rocks, climbing trees, knee- Beaked Beaked dragonewts ride pteranodon, caught higher in peaks of the the Quivin range, but demi-birds are bred in the inner caves of the city Dragonewt and Roads used on when the passage needs to be The swift. pteranodon cannot be encounter, persuaded will to they what fly fearing into pathways, Dragonewt the but demi-birds lack their wit and go where their riders tell them to. High Wyrm has three Rulers: Lords You Follow Me

The city threads deep into the peak itself, but the outside the but itself, peak the into deep threads city The rock – almost a kilometre of it – is intricately carved with the complete draconic creation myth in runes no larger than ﬁngernail. These carvings are unbroken, to winds that writing of strand coiled single, a forming the summit where a mighty plinth of granite bears the culmination of the mantra: OUROBOROS. Crested cleaning carvings, the maintain dragonewts Noble and them, re-etching them, making corrections, so the outer that rock face is always a hive of activity while handholds meagre to with clinging either dragonewts they work, or supported by wood and bone scaffolds. The sound of chiselling and scratching echoes around High reaching Wyrm, down below the clouds, where the unwitting might take it to be the sound of wyrm tapping impatiently on the summit. claws Perched high in the Quivin Mountains High Wyrm, or Wyrm, High Mountains Quivin the in high Perched Wyrm of rock the from carved is Qui’qui’quiandalost, Peak and completely encircles the mountain. It is summit hidden by clouds and has of no physical this access only the reaches; lower the with it linking paths is via Dragonewt Roads, which require no physical landscape for their routes. High Wyrm I Am Ghosts is a forthright and zealous leader of his nest. He has no trust of the EWF and arguments with dealings Having frequent. are cities other of Rulers the and eyes jewelled his in Action Wrong is humans with Action in the Wrong minds thus Around of all Ghosts if it is to attain credibility, any The EWF, dragonewts. emulate to seeking for pain of eternity an spend should Dragon Great their can way no in and ways dragonewt Project be considered atonement for what a they of warnings have dire are dreams His kind. dragon to done massacre on a scale unseen since the when God Time apotheosis own his considers he (and Dragons True all close) will descend upon the region and take revenge for Orlanth sins. and Grim the mutterings EWF’s of a Golden Tribe ﬁlter out from Around Ghosts and both intrigue and alarm the EWF. The Inhuman King has leaves and motives Ghosts’ Am I understand to ceased him to pursue course, his much own to the annoyance of the EWF, which sees I Am barrier to their long-term aims. Ghosts as a painful are sent there regularly to hunt for the scales so the can begin. HeroQuest

deep in marshes or studying individual dirt-trails for dragonewt progression to True dragonhood is a false hours – sometimes days – on end before scooping a path, a metaphor for a lingering death. handful of dust into their bags. The activity seems to particularly concern Crested dragonewts although The beliefs of Marsh Reach are heretical to dragonewts Beaked dragonewts join in the search with equal and its Ruler, Uh’tharaston Unblinking, understands enthusiasm. High Born Last Passing claims to have the dichotomy. When he was reborn as a Ruler no idea what it is they search for, save for something dragonewt the scales fell from his eyes and he could that is lost, found, and then lost again, perhaps by I see that they were alone in the world. He shared his Follow You or You Follow Me. If disturbed in their thoughts with some of the priests of Dragon’s Eye and searching the dragonewts are likely to become violent; a few agreed. They shared their thoughts with a few either that or they begin a minute scrutiny of whoever Beaked and Cresteds, and they believed also. There has disturbed them, perhaps trying to put them in their was no option but to leave Dragon’s Eye (and this sacks or nets. In the centre of the Grand Hall Cave exodus took place five hundred years ago) and found of the city is a great pile of detritus collected from their own settlement. across Dragon Pass that a small army of dragonewts sifts through and then stacks neatly into a seemingly In the intervening time Marsh Reach has been random order that clearly means something to them. relatively prosperous. It attracts the godless of all species, who come here and receive enigmatic Sundered Colonies reassurance from Uh’tharaston that, indeed, all gods There are four smaller dragonewt cities in Dragon are dead and that mortality is a full stop to existence. Pass that are sundered colonies; that is, their members Occasional attacks by wyrmfriends have been avoided have exiled themselves from the draconic lifecycle because Uh’tharaston pledges dragonewt troops to the and condemned themselves to mortality. There are War Dragons every so often. Uh’tharaston is actually no nests of eggs, no rebirth, no Inhuman King. One sympathetic to the EWF message; he hopes a new god might expect these sundered colonies to be miserable will be created to replace the ones that are dead and Dragonewts In The World isolated places, and to most dragonewts they are, but fight Orxili. to other races they are far more accessible and easier – sometimes – to understand than the main cities. But Uh’tharaston has also welcomed God Learners. The Jrusteli spy and assassin, Mother Jheugar, has The EWF in particular finds the sundered colonies visited Marsh Reach to learn secrets that can be used attractive for gathering insights into the draconic against the EWF and has learned much. She wanders mindset. The protocols are more relaxed and, sensing Dragon Pass in disguise and returns to Marsh Reach mortality, dragonewts of different stages are prepared now and again for fresh news. She is a dangerous dog to enter into dialogue. in the midwinter because her ultimate agenda is to slay the Original Twelve. Marsh Reach This small colony of mostly Beaked and Noble Khovoralost Pax dragonewts has taken over an abandoned fortress A ragged and sprawling enclave in a lost valley of – or built one so that it appears to be an abandoned Orogvalteland, Khovoralost Pax (We Have No Place fortress – on the southern bank of the Krikans River Our Minds Have Broken) is a city occupied solely between Bevjarn and Orin Jistrel. The outer walls by Crested dragonewts who have not mastered their are tumbledown and moss-covered whilst the inner instinctive urges and are continually engaged in structures are clean and in good repair. It is home to Wrong Action. This is a city of feral exiles who are, two or three hundred dragonewts who follow a path in dragonewt thinking, little better than savages. They they call No Gods Allowed. Their central tenet is that have developed some unhealthy human ways, such as the Cosmic Dragon has been killed by Orxili and thus wearing clothing and engaging in a semblance of a Glorantha is adrift in Time. This, they claim, is why mating ritual, and they choose to eat whoever strays the EWF has risen to power. It is why the Wondrous into their valley. They herd triceratops and consider Mother deserted the dragonewts. It is why Chaos came all, save dinosaurs, to be enemies. when the sun died. To them, all gods are dead and the 36

Dragonewts In The World 37 The nominal ruler is a Tailed Priest called Forktongue Forktongue called Priest Tailed a is ruler nominal The He Alacrity. communicates with the human members of the settlement because, He has stopped Wyrmish. Auld short of speak joining naturally, few of them one of the Old cults, Ways but happily tolerates their existencewithin Foot andthe appears walls Wyrms’ of myths. Tribe intrigued by the Storm But dragonewts are still dragonewts, and the humans find it impossible to understand their practices. Every Priest Alacrity or Tailed another days few Forktongue the of member every engages soon that dance a begins dragonewt colony which becomes ever more feverish until it abruptly stops. Everyone for a day stands and a night stock-still making an odd gulping sound. Eventually the colony returns to normal single and dragonewt has not any recollection of a performing the dance. If humans or other races attempt in, to join the dragonewts become those who are trying of to degrees dance with varying violent, turning upon ferocity. When this dance is in full-flow, and during their distance. the standing time, the Orlanthi keep The leader of the Orlanthi is Oruman Orumanson, a Wind Lord and emissaryby from blood to Hendrikiland, King Androfin. From Wyrms’ related co-ordinates Foot raids he and more subtle schemes against the EWF. Presently he is magicians to join the mustering siege of the Clanking warriors City and and has considerable dragonewt support. Oruman is red- haired and blessed with an immense bushy beard. He loves stories and demands a tale from any who come to Wyrms’ Foot seeking sanctuary Council Guiding the and man from wanted a is he Naturally the EWF. held have they far Thus head. his on bounty large a has Foot because, though even back from Wyrms’ raiding the dragonewts are influence, beyond it the has been Inhuman warriors, made Oruman’s Also, forbidden. is city dragonewt clear King’s that attacking a despite their foul pagan ways, will be useful siege in of Zistorwal. the Subtle methods will be needed if Oruman is to be silenced. The most westerly of the sundered dragonewt cities, colony, and is a Liornalmarost of Rivers the Mind and Soul, Cleansed). It is built on (Between blunt-topped high, of place a The is It Gosland. in isle Liorn that towers lean at peculiar angles and look as though they have been melted. Its geometry is anything but Liornalmarost

The dragonewts dragons of time the longer no believe is this that and mortality Orlanth proved or dragonewts. Moving outside dragon the draconic cycle is therefore Right Action because it confers mortality, just as Sh’kaharzeel discovered reshape when the he tried world to and Thus the EWF was are the enemy, opposed and the Foot Wyrms’ by dragonewts delight in Orlanth. the failure of the EWF’s plans Empire the of edges the that hear to heartened are and are fraying. In the shadow of the Rockwood Mountains, due west of Nevelmarkan, Foot Wyrms’ is an uneasy mixture of dragonewts and Old Ways traditionalists. slaughter at accepted Sh’kaharzeel’s have dragonewts These Orlanth’s hands and thus completely fallen from the draconic path. The which city, was built by righteous dragonewts who abandoned it and for Dragon’s Eye, Ghosts is well Around protected by a high of wall obsidian dragonewt and a much frequent very patrols is it of Whilst dragonewts. Renderer-riding Beaked city, it clearly displays Orlanthi trappings. There is a great hall, a Lhankor Mhy shrine, and totems, various carved of brontosaur bone, representing the various Tribe. gods of the Storm For some reason the dragonewts of Khovoralost valuePaxseashells, which they wear about their necks like strings of pearls. It is thought these Dragon shells to compared weak somehow is which magic, their power from eggs, birth their of them remind simply or Magic, distanced. irrevocably are now which they It is said that the Crested of Khovoralost Pax know the know Pax Khovoralost of Crested the that said is It secrets of Whitewall ruin and can communicate with from dragonewts other the spirits guarding Warrior it. cities sometimes come here to challenge the strongest those but win, Most skills. ﬁghting their test to order in that don’t are eaten and their bones Scarecrow Fence that surrounds made the alongside valley, into the the bones of the dead leaders. As creatures of pure assured, but their are motives as unfathomable as any instinct their and combat of trial by selected are Leaders aggression dragonewt. is replaced They exist continually. in a state of constant war because they lack higher a worship They triceratops Thunderhead actions. god, stages to guide their only when it suits them. Thrice, but Horned Wyrms’ Foot

mundane, and gravity does not work in the expected All four Ruler dragonewts spend their time ways here. It is quite possible to fall upwards or to HeroQuesting or FutureQuesting in bid to find an stand upright on the side of a building. The dragonewts answer to their city’s predicament. First-Way-Ruler have no problems in negotiating such peculiarities but attempts the Orxili HeroQuest to see if clues lie in visitors, of which there are few, become nauseous the disruption of the Cosmic Dragon’s meditation. within a few minutes and many are simply paralysed Another-Way-Ruler performs the Sh’kaharzeel by the experience. HeroQuest to beat Orlanth and remake the world so that the city reunites with the Inhuman King. Third-Way- The dragonewts of Liornalmarost do not know why Ruler performs the Unspeakable Quest of the Wars to they are sundered. They are faithful to the draconic Come in a bid to find security of purpose and divine path and venerate the Ancestral Dragons. They have whether or not Liornalmarost regains its pathway; and nests and eggs and but they do not reincarnate. Some Hindmost-Ruler performs the Egg Dream continually, speculate that one of the Ruler dragonewts challenged attempting to become a new Inhuman King. the Inhuman King and condemned the colony to exile, but the four Ruler dragonewts deny any such action. The dragonewts believe that the strange behaviour of gravity is a result of these conflicting HeroQuests but As a result the entire city strives to re-enter the cannot voice their opinions because it would not be draconic cycle and try to discover what Right Action Right Action. A group of Beaked dragonewts have must be taken to regain the Inhuman King’s blessing, formed the Downwards Up band to scour the world or create an Inhuman King of their own. They are for the source of gravity and return it to Liornalmarost zealous supporters of the EWF and haters of the whilst the Noble priests travel to Dragon’s Eye and Old Way Traditionalists, regularly offering their best Olorost to make petitions for heroes to assist them in Beaked warriors to assist the War Dragons in their their bid to reclaim the draconic path. efforts against the enemies of the Empire.

Dragonewts In The World Ralios The dragonewts of Ralios are conﬁned to the northerly realm of Ormsland. This is ancient dragon territory and the Inhuman King, known to the EWF as The Second King, claims to have witnessed the building of Hrelar Amali and to know its secret.

Unlike Dragon Pass, where the EWF holds almost total power and there are few God Learner incursions, Ralios is pressed from both sides. The EWF is gaining ground, especially in the north, whilst the Jrusteli hold sway across much of the region. For a long time this has been of little consequence to the dragonewts. Their myths defy categorisation and intercut with so many others that the God Learners have a great deal of difﬁculty in penetrating them. Even if they did, the draconic myth-world is ﬁlled with both True Dragons and Ancestral Dragons, mighty primal concepts that even God Learner sorcery cannot harm. The draconic myth cycle is thus largely secure from interference and so the dragonewts can generally ignore the Middle Sea Empire.

Dragonewts In The World 39 town being a syllable of the prayer. The single main city, city, main single The prayer. the of syllable a being town Absolute Circuitous Fortuity, is the prayer complete. As in Dragon Pass, dragonewts are a common in and sight around Ormsland, and their motivations every bit as obscure. On certain days of the year the populations of entire the smaller towns exchange settlements in rotation, moving in circulatory migration from one to the next. The next year the direction changes with dragonewts moving back the way they came. In Earth Season great pits are dug outside the settlement of Ock it into themselves throw dragonewts Beaked the all and whilst the Priests Tailed lead the Cresteds in a bizarre, high-kneed capering dance around the pit. The Beaked dragonewts within dig small trenches for themselves and curl into a foetal position and snore loudly. In the vanishes simply population entire the Kco of settlement for precisely two and a half days and then reappears in the settlement of Oko some twenty kilometres distant. A ritual, non-violent fight between the two settlements occurs and then the Kco residents their return, original homes. elated, In to Koo the Crested dragonewts gaudy weave flags of grass and brontosaur dung which they drape around the buildings, revelling in the awful stench. The flags are then eaten on the day before the circulatory migration. next These days Ormsland belongs to both dragonewts and human settlements, but it was centuries, for presence not EWF the rejected King Inhuman always thus. The preferring spiritual purity. Between 639 and 641 Inhuman the King of Dragon Pass began to petition the

There are countless small dragonewt towns, for want of want for towns, dragonewt small countless are There a better description, brightly hued coral-like structures glittering amidst the grasslands. All pattern and, are if one circular takes in a bird’s eye that view, one the sees array of the circular towns To forms a human pattern. eyes significance dragonewts the is pattern intangible. To of there each with mantra OUROBOROS the forms settlements is clearly design here, but its Ormsland the by guarded pasture pleasant of bowl a is Ormsland Jaw as known Mountains, Nidan the of range curving surrounding hills craggy The dragonewts. the to Bone shadowing relief, and shape in draconic are Ormsland the features of dragons and dragonewts in stages various of progression. These are landscape the not of reaction a are they dragons; sculptures petrified or to the natural and ancient draconic power flooding the area. The wyrmfriends are different. They are persistent and persistent are They different. are wyrmfriends The understanding, mythical in leaps of series a made have through the speaking of Auld to Wyrmish, be able to understand and appreciate Pass the Dragon inherent of power King of Inhuman the the Whilst way. draconic has accepted this spiritual of surge understanding, the nature. cynical more a of is Ormsland of King Inhuman they when dangerous most the at are humans knows It Second the reason this For thing. a understand partially EWF the with dealings no having in resolute was King so that draconic purity could be preserved.

interconnected by rope bridges and wefts of glimmering magical force that seem to be the strings of a musical God Learner observers from the Shelnesta instrument. Indeed, the entire city can be played like Revealers have attempted to codify the dragonewt one, with dragonewts hanging from the rope bridges behaviour, going as far as to build an Antipathy by specially constructed harnesses and plucking at the Engine in Zistorwal to try to compute the meaning, wefts of force which cause the buildings to vibrate mythological and mathematical, of all this activity. and emit sound. Different neighbourhoods are tuned The result, which filled fifteen dense tomes of runic to different scales and on the dragonewts’ holiest days script, suggests an excellent marinade for salted fish Absolute Circuitous Fortuity is played from dawn until that is now used widely throughout Ralios. dusk creating a soft, lilting symphony that rises on the wind and carries across Ormsland. The Inhuman King claims to have written this symphony and his interpreters say it is a lullaby for the Cosmic Dragon Inhuman King of Ormsland via a series of compelling to help it sleep after its struggles against Orxili. dreams and mutual FutureQuests. After centuries of resistance the Ormsland King relented and allowed ThusAbsolute Circuitous Fortuity, or Ourborolanagalost a small group of wyrmfriends to enter Ormsland and as it is known to the dragonewts, is arranged into establish settlements. These small towns were a cover districts forming a great circle, at the centre of which for proselytizing wyrmfriends who took their Hunting is the Inhuman King’s palace. The palace resembles and Waltzing Bands into the Stygian Empire in a bid for a gigantic egg, balanced precariously on its narrow mass conversion. This brought war to Ormsland and the tip. The shell is artfully cracked in places, allowing Inhuman King gleefully expelled the EWF whilst still ingress and egress, and it shimmers with a multitude acknowledging it as a power to be considered. of colours, some of which have no human names, in time to the city-wide symphony. The petitions between Inhuman Kings, now known Dragonewts In The World amongst dragonewts as The Sleep of No Dreaming, Ourborolanagalost Districts began again and lasted this time for two centuries. Humans cannot pronounce the dragonewt names for In 875 the Ormsland King relented again (or was the different districts, even those who are highly ﬂuent defeated; no one is sure) and the EWF returned, this in Auld Wyrmish, so the following names are those time reinforced by draconised Orlanthi, Dara Happan accorded by wyrmfriend scholars. hoplites and Earth-Shaker cavalry, to tackle the God Learner forces that had arranged themselves on the Harp District Ormsland border, preparing for invasion. So called because the wefts of force between the buildings are tightly arranged in an almost harp-like That invasion did not happen, but it is an ever-present fashion. This is a large district, home to a selection threat. The EWF are bold and arrogant; their Hunting of Crested and Beaked dragonewts who all dye their and Waltzing Bands antagonise the God Learners in hands purple, using the crushed petals of the mussuvius the same way they antagonised the Stygians. But for ﬂower that grows only in the Ormsland meadows. some reason the Ormsland Inhuman King tolerates it. The district has no Tailed Priests but it venerates the No one knows why, but clearly something happened in True Dragon Green Scaled Father and two unnamed The Sleep of No Dreaming that established a balance Ancestral Dragons. Visitors of any species are only of power between the two Inhuman Kings and it allowed into Harp District if their hands are dyed persists even now. mussuvius purple. The dye is mildly caustic to human skin, causing a deep burning sensation and a mild Absolute Circuitous Fortuity nausea that passes after several hours. The dye is not The great city of Ormsland has the semblance of a indelible but takes a great deal of scrubbing with dock jagged, circular, coral reef. From above it clearly leaves and crushed lime moss to remove. Those who forms the pattern of a dragon attempting to devour do not have dyed hands are quickly spotted by the its own tail. The craggy, needle-like buildings are Beaked dragonewts who administer a sound beating 40

Dragonewts In The World 41 Choir District voice. singing a resembles music its because called So melody ensuring song, in communicate residents its All and rhyme fit the subject under discussion perfectly. All of dragonewts the district are altered magically to ensure perfect pitch and sweetness of voice. Crested dragonewts are the sopranos, Beaked the tenors and Nobles the bass. Being reborn to another stage alters automatically. the voice The streets of Choir simultaneous songs. There are is no hint of a cacophony; alive with ten all thousand voices, harmoniously. When irrespective the choir wefts emotionally and are physically is plucked of effect the to music, produce conversation, spot, the to frozen be to known are blend Humans staggering. dragonewt the at heartbreak or joy either with weeping Outsiders beauty. are song’s not expected to sing, but after a few hours it’s hard for them to avoid it. natural The melodies and the immense dragonewt choir seems to attune the mind to song-patterns and even if one’s singing voice is less than perfect, it does not and naturally form structures Rhyming matter. to seem questions seem to be posed as a middle-eight. narrower and taller are District Choir of buildings The than other districts, as though stave (if dragonewts had musical such things) and unsuited to notes on a anything but single occupancy. They are arranged in The district runs to distinct rhythms. All actions are aligned to the constant beat hammered dragonewt out drummers by the who in intensity; pluck The rhythm varies between the buildings. the drum wefts persistent and fast exercises. for activities meditative requiring more for speed sonorous and and slow haste; It never stops. The drumming infiltrates dreams and dictates their patterns and clarity. can expect a Non-dragonewts headache for the first few days, but this inured to the rhythms. subsides as one becomes consistent. and regimented thus is district Boom in Life One day blends into another and the dragonewts like instinct prevents and Action Right aids it as way this it district Boom Outside discipline. from over taking from rhythmically, communicate and move still members its precise the to attuned mentally speech and actions their is Distance district. the in if hear would they that beats Dragon’s visit who Boom from dragonewts barrier; no Eye maintain their attenuation perfectly.

Boom District The buildings here are round and squat, like flattened sea urchins. It makes a sound like kettle drums when dragonewts. Crested by mostly occupied is and played, The whole Priest who leads the Tailed the Apowpeartell, district, district venerates claims Sh’kaharzeel that each building is and one of the from Sh’kaharzeel’s warts hide when taken he fell to Orlanth in Time. the God As the name suggests, the district, when played, creates creates played, when district, the suggests, name the As The a harp-like sound of but a much frequency. lower harp is tuned by adjusting the angle of the connecting buildings.Beaked dragonewts dothis using triceratops to nudge the craggy towers this way and that whilst Crested dragonewts pluck at the strings to check the pitch. Occasionally a string snaps and flails with around a life of its own, sparking against the buildings time a is This nothingness. into fizzling eventually and utumas several with District Harp in mourning great of being committed in penitence. and then force the intruder to have both hands and feet and hands both have to intruder the force then and district. from the being expelled dyed before

symmetrical rows, wefts strung between them, and dragonewts of Absolute Circuitous Fortuity. There narrow balconies jutting from each side to enable music are no musical wefts between the buildings but the to be made without the need for a harness. Spiritually, sand garden, covered in a ﬁne layer of grey sand, is the district venerates Arangorf, who learned music raked into a mind-defying array of runes and draconic from Drolgard after taming Orlanth, and supposedly symbols that are magically resistant to disturbance by had the sweetest of draconic singing voices. wind or footfall.

Trumpet District A line of obsidian pillars, resembling Dragonewt Road The buildings of this district are long, low-lying tubes, plinths in miniature, encircles the sand garden. This open at each end, and arranged in rows of eight. It is is a Dreamcatcher of the Inhuman King’s devising, occupied mostly by Beaked and Crested dragonewts designed to ensnare nightmares and unwanted dreams but a Ruler also has its nest here. Iast’antias is a and channel them into the runes of the sand garden recently incarnated Ruler who is still spiritually tied to where they are dissipated amongst the designs. Setting the Trumpet district but slowly learning to break from foot in the sand garden is dangerous for mortal minds, it and move in to Regal Throne Dreamtime to join the which risk being instantly assailed by a hundred other Ruler stages. thousand dissolving nightmares and disturbing dreams. A Wyrmspeaker, Justerius Scarfeather, crossed the The district venerates the Wondrous Mother of Many Dreamline once and found his mind warped to Chaos. and The Emperor of Wisdom, who blew the first His madness was so bad that the Inhuman King had trumpet to call the gods of the world to order during to eat him to end the torment, and even that was not the God Time. Both dragons are worshipped at the enough. The remnants of Justerius Scarfeather’s mind same temple, a conical accretion of tiny pebbles, are still trapped in the sand garden, occasionally large boulders, wattle and daub, which is said to whispering for a release that will never come. resemble First Trumpet. Outside the temple are eight triceratops-horn trumpets inlaid with gold filigree, jet, The Ruler dragonewts are rarely seen, usually only Dragonewts In The World and blood-quartz stolen from the mostali of Bad Deal. on the days when the city is played when they attend The mostali want the blood-quartz back. the Inhuman King. Communication with them is through dreams and the Tailed Priests who conduct the Naturally enough, the district is the horn section of interpretations and the occasional vocalised message. the city orchestra. The tube-like buildings act as a Regal Throne Dreamtime is in the shadow of the cavalcade of magical trumpets when the music wefts Inhuman King’s palace, so that dream communion are plucked, but are capable of a range of sounds between the Rulers and the King is at its most potent. no mundane acoustic trumpet could ever manage. Iast’antias is the district’s finest musician, his skills Outside Inside increased to a phenomenal level with his rebirth as This is the outsider’s district, home to wyrmfriends on a Ruler dragonewt. He is capable of playing three official Guiding Council business, or simply because buildings simultaneously through a combination of the peculiarity of Absolute Circuitous Fortuity appeals skill, agility, and a special pike-like tool of his own to them and they seek enlightenment from it. The district devising. He knows that soon he must break his pike is of human design, with conventional buildings and and retire to Regal Throne Dreamtime so he may begin streets, magically insulated from the constant musical the preparation for the Egg Dream and HeroQuesting, emanations of the dragonewt quarters. but until that urge becomes irresistible he continues to play whenever he can, inspiring the lesser stages to The district is a place of diverse interests, all of them emulate his virtuosity. draconic or dragonewtish.

Regal Throne Dreamtime The True Dragon Chroniclers, led by Iverach A small district of slab-like nest buildings forming Sungolden, a Dara Happan Sun Dragon convert, aim a circle around a circular sand garden a hundred to do what the God Learners have so far failed to metres in diameter; this is the retreat of the six Ruler achieve: prepare a true account of draconic creation 42

Dragonewts In The World 43 . As well Clawed as . Conciliators being the official Rendregorn, Rendregorn, a Carmanian alcoholic with no visible musical talent but an unusually large capacity for the enough musical Ale. He knows Scaled locally brewed theory to be able to argue the finer points of notation, but his abilities, Mhelandra aside hangs from on word, his drinking, believing every, his end smoothly-slurred, alcoholism there. insight lends into the him dragonewts’ musical structure. a Even divine with Tarthain’s daring and colourful fashion sense, couple. attractive an do not make they The Guiding Council’s representatives are known as the EWF emissaries from Olorost they are a Hunting and Waltzing Band semi-regular a on King inInhuman the with commune to their own right.via news and updates constant communicate and basis They have thetheir Tailed right Priest liaison officer, I Who Am None. The leader of the Conciliators is Highclaw, Fargavan Wyrm’s Fang Exultanta politically ofastute operator and cool-headed thekiller of Order ofapproachable and pleasant is Crimsonhe Outwardly foes. EWF Purity, buthishands arestained with theblood ofuncountable sacrifices in the name of draconic purity. His job is to watch Absolute Circuitous Fortuity for insurgents and unbelievers, communicate the Guiding Council’s actions and wishes to the Inhuman King, when this proves necessary, and to bonds strengthen in the the region. Empire’s His Glanhadragacis, lieutenant another Wyrm’s is Fang Exultant, the but alluring of the Siblings of the Immortal Flesh and Soul. She is much is which perfection, physical attaining to devoted Hunting the co-ordinate to is task her and evidence, in and Waltzing Bands operating She throughout has a Ralios. more specific task: to what discover it precisely is the dragonewts are withholding from Guiding Council. There been have dark mutterings of the that FutureQuest a during obtained secret unshared an has grave consequences for the Empire if not acted upon. Her job is to it, discover any perceived uncover dragonewt treachery, and report back. Third of Conciliators is the Vesterian Oakladen, a bear of a man with a reputation for Wyrm’s random A violence and form. art a diplomatic marked a as use its to dedication Fang Exultant of the Adepts of Inhuman Mastery, he is a skilled master of dinosaurs and is responsible for Earth Shaker divisions in Ralios. prefer He much who dragonewts, the seems with affinity an have also to doing business with than Vesterian they do Fargavan or Glanhadragacis. is a bohemian Ourborolanagalost Ourborolanagalost

Iridescent School of Auld , Wyrmish run by the The extravagantly named ferocious Argutha Scalespeak, those to language draconic the teaches a Yuthuppa, from Buserian outcast who can pay fees. her She exorbitant has no tolerance of failure and her almost militaristic vocabulary tests drive even the hardest to tears and sleepless nights. Despite the fearsome reputation of both school and schoolmistress, Argutha is never short of form of a (certainly are they as brutal as methods, Her students. assassination), character incisive and humiliation ritual get results, and her claims to be able to Wyrmish teach Auld in ato scrutiny. But her fraction bullying tactics have earned her enemies ofand a whispering campaign linking theher in a usualtorrid affair with time Barlken, the renegade wyrmfriend stands-up to undermine her reputation. priest, is beginning Symphonic Appreciation Society collective of music and the tone-deaf who seek scholars, to create and record the poseurs, music of the dragonewt city. Using minstrels a flawed musical notation system of their own devising, long evenings are spent trying to recreate of the the complex Ourborolanagalost passages symphony from and memory conjecture. Creative tensions group, run with high harp expert in Mhelandra Dragondaughter the frequently rubbishing any worthwhile efforts that are deemed more profound than her own. Her woodwind section has been replaced twice and the flute players Mhelandra’s her. with terms speaking on longer no are Tarthain louche the by encouraged subtly are tantrums The with a mind to mythical understanding. To this end the end this To understanding. mythical to mind a with of selection a entertains continually group thirty-strong Tailed Priestsincoherent lengthy, the down writing anxiously styles, with finely preparedmyth interpretations each dinners Tailed Priest and contradictions the unravel to trying spent are offers. days of The varying elude esoteric side-references to myths that inevitably them, but claim enlightenment nonetheless. Iverach arrogantly claims to have formulated an underlying theme that explains draconic diversity but can never properly articulate it, either finding an important he’s precept forgotten or misunderstood a point particular or moral. The problem lies in the True Dragon Chroniclers’ chronic disorganisation a and grudging there respect is for approach, although the no one diligent would ever utter God such thing in public. a Learner

The renegade priest, Barlken, was once a Wyrm’s petitions, audience requests and information must pass Talon Disciple of the Siblings of Immaculate Flesh through their clearing house. Requests are inscribed in and Soul. For reasons unknown he was selected by Auld Wyrmish on slivers of bark, which are weighed the Inhuman King for a discrete audience in which using the immense scales housed in the Comatorium, as certain secrets (so he claims) were made known to the clearing house is known, against a scale taken from him. Since then, Barlken has enjoyed several private the Inhuman King’s own hide. The tip of the scales audiences with the King and revels in the self- determines the urgency of the enquiry. If the enquiry is proclaimed title Wyrm’s Claw Exultant Revelator of outweighed by the Inhuman King’s scale, the enquiry is Personal Connection. Those intrigued by Barlken’s returned to the enquirer, who is told to meditate upon its notion that personal draconisation can be attained true intent, thus improving its gravity. without a priesthood channel have thus formed The Personal Connection Revelators, seeking to emulate Only with a weighed enquiry can access be gained Barlken’s successes. Attracting the misguided and to the obsidian palace. It is labyrinthine within, a the foolhardy, the Revelators actively try to strike- stark contrast with the emptiness of the Dragon Pass up personal relationships with the dragonewts of equivalent. Passages defy mapping, and a Bender of the city, often placing themselves in extreme danger Tongues is needed to guide the visitor to where the as a result. A few have gone as far as building their Inhuman King is to be found, which might be in any own eggs from which they ritually hatch every few one of several hundred chambers on any one of twenty days in an attempt to replicate the dragonewt cycle separate levels, some of them underground. The palace of being. Barlken, now an almost constant resident is dimly lit and almost unbearably warm. Some liken of the Inhuman King’s palace, is distanced from this it to being inside a dragonewt egg, and they are not activity, but is a zealous proselytizer nonetheless. far wrong. The interior walls hum gently to different, He enjoys the Inhuman King’s protection, and thus indistinct rhythms, and one has a sense of being both the Personal Connection Revelators believe they inside and outside simultaneously. Throughout is the do as well. The Clawed Conciliators consider the unmistakeable musk of dragon scent, a mixture of Dragonewts In The World Revelators an aberration, but have resisted smashing burned almond and lavender, touched with brimstone. the sect (which would be easy) because there is a chance, yet, that it may yield information valuable The palace is home to more Noble dragonewts who to the Guiding Council concerning the dragonewts’ administer to the Inhuman King’s personal needs. A great secret. Barlken himself is in an uneasy position, guard of elite Beaked dragonewts patrols listlessly. They having to share an audience with the Inhuman King have never needed to fight an intruder; the Inhuman with Fargavan Highclaw. The two men despise each King’s magic renders it pointless, but if pressed they other, but Fargavan is unable to act directly against fight to kill. To guard the Palace guarantees a Beaked Barlken for that would injure the EWF’s overall dragonewt resurrection as a Noble, so they welcome relationships in Ormsland. Barlken thus grows bolder the opportunity, although slaying belligerent intruders in his fierce testimony of Personal Insight and gathers figures large in their priorities. more followers daily. A blood spillage between the Empire’s devout and this increasingly heretical sect On the fifteenth above-floor level is the suite of cannot be far away. rooms given to Barlken the Renegade. He swaggers about the palace with the arrogance of one who Thronekeep Triumphant considers himself the holder of a deep and powerful At the very centre of the city is Thronekeep Triumphant, secret. His rooms are furnished with draconic relics the palace of the Inhuman King. Shaped like a gigantic and gifts that he displays proudly and reverently. A dragonewt plinth, the palace is hewn from obsidian lectern supports a thick, half written tome of closely but flickers with an amber iridescence that is at once scrawled Auld Wyrmish detailing his every audience disturbing and welcoming. Surrounding its base are the with the Inhuman King and his interpretations of the squat, single-occupancy dwellings of the army of Noble exchanges. He continually hints at a ‘Great Becoming’ dragonewts selected as personal communicators for the which, of course, he takes as a signal that the Great Inhuman Kings, The Benders of Tongues. All business, Dragon will shortly be complete and rise to reshape the world. Yet other, darker, passages hint at an 44

Dragonewts In The World 45

the first Dragon True to emerge from its resting place itself began. Time since This momentous event was a beacon to and both dragonewts. EWF The former took it as a signal their that Great Dragon Project was reaching to the True Dragons and drawing them as allies. To the latter, it was a signal to establish new colonies in a land had they previously ignored. In this they had wyrmfriend backing, and the was Happa Dara in cities assent new creating so Pass, Dragon of the Inhuman King Right Action and of in keeping with the draconic path. Two new cities Pass andhave Ralios, but significantbeen nonetheless. They are built, Passed. Both are less Tests Gold New Dream Ten and smaller thanthan thirty years old but already they have developed Dragon identities. reasonable populations and their own dragonewts, to unused utterly Happans, Dara native The have found it difficult to accept their presence. Their bizarre cities and even valley the more of ways peasant essentially bizarre the with uneasily behaviour sits villages. The ruling class, a little more attuned to the strange, have attempted to accept the dragonewts as best they can, but still have difficulties understanding this strange race that has suddenly foisted itself into their lands. The Golden Sun Emperor, being above

Dara Happa Dara Happa and the Oslir valley dragonewt was never strong territory – Dragon until, emerged from the that Sun God’s is, court, and deposed Tests, the existing the Sun Ten passed Emperor, the Golden Urvanyar, stealing his heart and eyes. Dragon The is Golden now worshipped Yuthuppa, in as Yelm Emperor, of temple the around and itself wrapped it has The Inhuman King of Ormsland resisted human taint for centuries, and expelled wyrmfriends once before. To be deciphering is it And accommodatingpeer. a of pressure the than rather nowthis purpose that now concerns the hintsGuiding Council of the atas EWF, its Empire begins an inexorable slide clear into decay. purpose The Inhuman King is a more visible presence than his than presence visible more a is King Inhuman The Dragon Pass counterpart. A six blue metre tall midnight creature of of wings shimmering with gold and black and coal-bright eyes, the Inhuman King is a careful, non-committal attended communicator by always one of the Benders of Tongues who translates his deeply growled, highly ancient dialect of Verbal Auld Wyrmish. contactpiercing eye contact is maintained is throughout. power needs His little explanation: never as an Inhuman King he has handled access to the philosophies and knowledge of the directly True Dragons and, weave, tangible a into mantra occasionally, OUROBOROS the wind the ability although to creating and destroying with Amongst equal the ease. EWF there is the perception that the Inhuman King of Ormsland is subservient to the Inhuman King of Dragon Pass, but that is a gross simpliﬁcation. These are creatures equal in power and status, of one mind, but following separate strands Their thoughts of and the plans are same secrets to agenda. them The alone. tantalising hints dropped to the likes of Barlken and, occasionally, Fargavan, are loose threads from their grand tapestry. unease he feels sometimes, at how the Inhuman King lets slip too much too easily and without the cryptic pronouncements. dragonewt meanings usually veiling pay would Conciliators Clawed the of Glanhadragacis dearly for what this tome contains, whilst Fargavan would pay anything to see Barlken removed entirely from the equation.

such lowly matters, offers no guidance, but the EWF Thus the city is a magnet for dispossessed dragonewts agents in the region have been quick to point out that from across Ralios and even into Dragon Pass. With dragonewts are allies and teachers: an essential part of them come human wyrmfriend pilgrims. Word has the EWF membrane. Some noble Dara Happans, like spread that the Golden Sun Dragon performs miracles Olastavius Suncleansed, believe the dragonewts can be on a daily basis to those who prostrate themselves at ‘humanised’ and have set up missions on the outskirts its feet and offer to convert to its worship. The Wyrmic of the two cities in a bid to introduce a more human Solar Way organisation is a group of miracle-receivers approach to their routines. Others, like the violent and who enthusiastically guide human arrivals at New brooding Mermestis All-Light, believe the dragonewts Gold Dream in the ceremonies necessary to receive to be an invading army sent by Yelm to test the purity a miracle (for a fee), pointing to all the sundered of the sun-faithful. He promotes holy war against the dragonewts who have been swept back onto the dragonewt cities, spreading vile rumours of human draconic path as proof (for a further fee). Maulharik sacriﬁce, Chaos worship, and baby-eating. Some Brighteye leads the Wyrmic Solar Way, inciting hatred believe this contemptible vitriol and there are stirrings from ardent wyrmfriends and Old Ways traditionalists of resentment in Raibanth and the many clusters of alike. He has become something of an expert on the villages along the Oslir River. solar/draconic relationship having obtained a dense text from Kustria that is undoubtedly of God Learner In Yuthuppa, where the Golden Sun Emperor lazes origin. He quotes chapter and verse in the human around the Yelmic temple, a more sanguine attitude has quarter of New Gold Dream, leading the growing taken root. It is seen as a natural progression, and even, rag-tag army of miracle-seekers in prayer, song and perhaps, a gift from Yelm, that the draconic path should dance. His methods are dangerous. He proposes reach an ascendancy in their city. The dragonewt cities integration with the dragonewts (who must surely be are welcomed here, even if it is with bewilderment. the Golden Sun God’s children) and preaches against the wyrmfriends. Agents are undoubtedly moving New Gold Dream against him: The Children of the Ten Talons want to Dragonewts In The World Located on the eastern bank of the Oslir and in sight silence his heresy; the dragonewts want to avoid taint; of Yuthuppa, New Gold Dream is a concentration of and the God Learners want their book back. spiralling towers of gold-coloured stone breaking from the pasture, each tower engraved with draconic New Gold Dream is under the auspices of the Ruler symbols and runes. All windows face towards the dragonewt Empires Rise and Fall. He is less prone to temple of Yelm and the entire settlement is dedicated sleeping than most Ruler dragonewts and maintains a towards the veneration of the Golden Sun Dragon, but visible presence, sitting at the top of a thick dragonewt not the sun. There is no Dara Happan solar imagery plinth in the centre of the city, adopting a pose that anywhere in New Gold Dream, and Yelm’s name is mimics that of the Golden Sun Dragon. He sees all that never mentioned. To those Dara Happan’s suspicious happens and likes little of it. His communication with of the dragonewts’ motivation, and sure of their heresy, the Inhuman King of Ralios is constant and dreamlike; the absence of Yelmic veneration is proof of it. he is instructed not to intervene until told. His gaze is thus malevolent and knowing. He sends Nobles across New Gold Dream offers hope to dragonewts exiled New Gold Dream to watch the humans ﬂocking into from the draconic way. On the orders of the Inhuman the new city and to ensure that the New Ten Tests King of Ormsland any sundered dragonewt who being undertaken by the sundered dragonewts is every comes to New Gold Dream and successfully passes the bit as arduous as it should be. New Ten Tests will be restored to the draconic cycle. The New Ten Tests are a series of fearsome ordeals The chief speakers to the humans are the Noble dragonewts designed to test the capacity for Right Action and Araana’thal and Laht’anaara. The former’s hide is blue might almost amount to an earth-bound HeroQuest. whilst the latter’s is red. They engage in enthusiastic Failure results in death for the dragonewt, but success discourse with humans and Maulharik Brighteye in results in immediate reincarnation at the Crested stage, particular, offering typically cryptic and unhelpful with all memories of their past life expunged. insights into the solar/draconic relationship that are more a hindrance than a help. The dragonewt rune is being 46

Dragonewts In The World 47 Kralorela has four dragonewt colonies and its own Inhuman own its and colonies dragonewt four has Kralorela Representative. Celestial The as Kralori the to known King, Two of the coloniesThe third is in Centrality. Green Contemplation whilst the are locatedfourth and in largest, Fanzai, is thelocated deep in provincethe Fethlon jungle in the south part of the region. of Hopeful Interaction between Kralori and dragonewts is minimal. Occasional Noble dragonewt representatives are sent to the various provincial governments, but this is largely a courtesy with little or no political Dragon in or place diplomatic takes that intent. interaction the of none is There Pass or Ormsland and thefor opportunities the at dragonewtsperturbed are dealings such of whotell have heard taint. There are dark mutterings that only woe can come some have must Dragon Cosmic the and liaisons such of the of Most happen. to it allow to mind in purpose higher Be: to Dragon Great the of nature the on centres concern what place would such a creature have in the celestial Kralorela Kralorela was attuned to draconic cycles the long people of before the west split their tongues to learn Auld Wyrmish. Therenone and kind, draconic and human between differences has long have chosen been to – or dared an – to the narrow acceptance that wyrmfriends gap. there Like is a deeply-held belief ofuniverse that was the created by thethe Cosmic Dragon, and that, by treading the path to enlightenment, one can become a dragon upon death and dwell amongst the Ancestral court. Dragon’s Dragons in the Cosmic not do Kralori philosophy. discreet personal, a is this But Kralori powers. their replicate or dragons emulate to seek do not attempt to form enclaves in the four dragonewt colonies and do not seek droplets of draconic wisdom from the Inhuman King sacrosanct. of and The Fanzai’s Maw. division delineated clearly is races two the between As a result, the dragonewts of Kralorela and its human occupants maintain a respectful distance, the even doctrines under of Immanent Mastery, which accelerates the path to draconic ascension. The philosophy of ‘Two Paths to the Same Destination’ represents this somewhat racialthe with and sharply contrasts and division cultural destructive road driven by the EWF. Kralori believe in realising the inner dragon through personal endeavour. There is no single Great awoken Dragon or entity created that through can such creation emulatinglies solely in be the hands of the Cosmic and draconic ways: Ancestral Dragons, and their wills cannot be forced.

Outsiders, unless are are they not dragonewts, welcome klanths wielding dragonewts Beaked Passed. Tests Ten in and riding demi-birds quickly drive away the curious and the lost. The settlement has gained reputation an unhealthy amongst the are fearful of Ast route and they human Yuthuppa/Elz along the settlements scattered the entire region. some wyrmish plot to devour The colony those receives dragonewts returned to the clutch new a has It Dream. Gold New in path draconic of birth-eggs in the chambers surrounding the Ruler although the ﬁrst reincarnations are not expected for some time. The regime here again. will from fall the draconic dragonewt path ever is strict, ensuring no Some of the that Crested migrate dragonewts up from New Gold Dream are strangely deﬁcient in the basic is to having spend instincts Thal’raana and dragonewt time ensuring they fully Orxilius so understand they might pursue the draconic the path with needs of dedication and rigour. Ten Tests Passed Passed appears The Tests to city be of Ten a far more traditional dragonewt colony. Carved into the overlooking hills the route between Yuthuppa and Elz Ast it is a settlement populated primarily and Crested with dragonewts only one Noble and one with Beaked the of chambers deep the in slumbers Ruler The Ruler. new city whilst the Beaked dragonewts excavate and build in the hills around it. scour the The hills and Cresteduplands for stones dragonewtsconforming to particular geometric properties known only to them whilst undergoing their Orxilius Noble dragonewt, Thal’raana, simply meditations. spends its time The conveying the Ruler’s dreamed orders and has little time for interaction with non-dragonewts. wornbymanyofMaulharik’s faithful, tattooed into place by Araana’thal whilst Laht’anaara walks on around its the disciple. Some are then hands led away and invited to take the New Ten Tests, which Maulharik considers to be the ultimate blessing. No one is sure what happens to these people, but one eagle-eyed pilgrim a has slight noted increase in the Crested dragonewt Perhaps population. Maulharik’s wishes for closer integration welcome. he might not in ways being granted, but are

hierarchy? Is this an awakening of an ancient dragon such as Sh’kaharzeel or Aroka, or is it a new creation entirely? If it is a new creation, would this challenge the existing celestial order? Would it challenge the Cosmic Dragon itself? How ‘human’ would such a dragon be if composed of human souls?

The result is deep negativity about the entire EWF project and a profound rejection of the few emissaries who have been sent to Kralorela to further the EWF’s aims. It is not known if the Inhuman Kings of Dragon Pass, Ormsland and Kralorela are communicating with other or have assumed diametrically opposing views. Such matters are for them -- not for the rank and ﬁle.

Whilst the EWF has been given short-shrift, the God Learners have taken a more circuitous route. The Path of Immanent Mastery is largely a God Learner device designed to explain the Kralori celestial religion in terms that can be neatly categorised and explained from a Malkioni viewpoint whilst still remaining draconic. The God Learners would have loved such an opportunity to apply the same approach with the EWF, but the EWF had is a closely guarded secret because the Imperial Decree already adopted an entrenched philosophical position that is death to anyone who breaks the Two Paths, Same has been as unyielding as dragon-forged obsidian. The Destination doctrine. The God Learners thus keep their Dragonewts In The World Kralori, on the other hand, preach toleration of differing dragonewt in a state of opulence and hidden beneath view points and were quite open to the theories expounded a building in Shiji Mori known only by the codename by the God Learners which, through subtle Jrusteli ‘I Believe It’. Beliefs Never Held attempts to explain machinations, formed the basis for Immanent Mastery. draconic thinking and cosmology in between lengthy bouts of eating gourmet foods, drinking gallons of fine As a result there are God Learner study enclaves scattered wine, and ritually burning, one page at a time, a small throughout Kralorela that observe the dragonewts mountain range of rare books the God Learners have surreptitiously. Their studies are, by necessity, haphazard provided. Only a small, select group of ‘Believers’ and incomplete. It is impossible to penetrate the magical are given access to the dragonewt, and they frantically defences of Fanzai, even with Zistorite sorcerous siege- scribble down each and every word it utters, and record breaking machines. Thus the God Learners have to work every action (or lack of it) in a bid to learn something that with scraps of information here and a few unqualified fundamentally explains what makes dragonewts tick. facts there. Their chief source of information is an outlaw dragonewt named Beliefs Never Held. This Thus the God Learners flirt with great danger; not from Noble was once a member of the Fanzai colony but fell the dragonewts, who seem to accept that some of their from the draconic path in quite a spectacular fashion number will stray, but from the Kralori, who would in an event it refers to as My Soul Sundering. The exact a fearsome revenge if they were to discover Beliefs circumstances of this fall from grace are unintelligible to Never Held’s existence. even the God Learner’s best scholars and mythicists, but having something to do with a certain sort of draconic Fanzai enlightenment that codified, in easily understandable Foremost of the Kralori dragonewt colonies, Fanzai is terms, is a universal theory for Right and Wrong Action. located deep in the heart of the mighty Fethlon jungle and protected by complex draconic magics predating Beliefs Never Held lives amongst the God Learners in even the current Inhuman King. The termite mound- Shiji Mori and enjoys a semi-exalted status. His existence like buildings can be glimpsed towering above the trees, 48

Dragonewts In The World 49 The elfs of Fethlon forest claim the secret of yukleaf yukleaf of secret the claim forest Fethlon of elfs The was stolen from them by the Inhuman King and fragrant and a was it Once ends. own his to twisted delicious sprout that encouraged the most and vivid pleasant dreams and The banished Inhuman nightmares. King’s meddling gave way to nightmares the resulting in The Heartwood jungle. now hunted across the Stealer Ghlevestnas Ghlevestnas is mirror-still deep, a with jade, of entirely built Seemingly located in lake at its centre, the Green city is controlled by the Inhuman Contemplation. King of Fanzai, but administered by dragonewt, its Lord single Jade Ruler Father. Jade Father has been a Fanzai aided the Embyli elfswhen the during Mreli, seduced the by God Leaf Learner promises, War, waged struggle bitter a and Embyli, the against turned through the jungle. The Inhuman King and his Ruler dragonewts offered powerful dream magic to torment both the Mreli and their God Learner masters. Since then the Embyli have maintained good relations with forgotten not have Mreli the however, dragonewts; the of the Inhuman King and try the callous dream-power or its populace. mention Fanzai to never close be to itself believes Fanzai of King Inhuman The to transforming into a True Dragon and preparations for this momentous event are underway throughout Fanzai and the King’s surrounding dreams have been becoming jungle. Slontos more and Ormsland urgent distant from The of emissaries and late, Inhuman have begun to arrive. The dragonewts are building a palace for the soon-to-be-born dragon, a tortuous new structure of jungle hardwoods, thick river immense mud, an quantity of leaves, and from the The jungle fashioned dragonewts have floor. bones scavenged their behaviour into that of soldier ants, carrying all manner of materials for the new dream- palace other and scent-trails in using fashion regimented a highly monstrous this for template a as act to devices created rituals healing sing Priests Full and Tailed The edifice. night and day, attempting near, draws apotheosis dragon as slumber fitful King’s to soothe the Inhuman and the whole city awaits the great transformation as child. his first awaits father eagerly as an expectant yukleaf. No amount

The mounds are interconnected that by they appear to rope be strung bridges together like a so malformed length pearls. of At ground level the spaces between the mounds been have for cultivated vegetable growing, specifically has a plant The aroma. curious, poor devastatingly quite cabbage-like a and plant leaves with spiny no name in Auld but Wyrmish humans who have come into contact with it have named it Fanzai is an unruly cluster of organically shaped towers, resembling termite mounds, from semi-digested wood chewed from the surrounding forest. The mounds immense; are the tallest, Cathedral Mound, which is home to the Inhuman King, is close to a kilometre high half and as broad. The rest of the city circling mounds of group smaller is a with axis north-south arranged along a the At Cathedral. the northern most edge of the city is a strange array of tree stumps of differing heights, devoid been at flattened the top. of bark and branches, that have one no whilst and dragonewt, each for stump one is There knows how many inhabit Fanzai, it is in the thousands. It is the practice of the entire city to emerge mounds at from dusk the and dawn, climb onto the tree stumps, high-pitched single, a emit and sky the to arms their raise forest.Itthe breadth oflength and echoesthekeening that either dragonewts all then and precisely minute one lasts retreat to the mounds or go about their daily business. of culinary wizardry can ender it palatable to humans, but the dragonewts eat it raw and claim it enhances their ability to dream and create whilst doing so. Both Beaked and Noble dragonewts patrol the on jungle demi-birds, hunting for the semi-legendary creature called The Heart then which Wood King, Inhuman the by Stealer, existence into dreamed a being supposedly ran amok in the Fethlon jungle feeding on anything of a magical nature. The Beaked dragonewts treat the hunt for the Stealer Heart Wood almost like a quest chivalric one the on bestowed be to honour great unnamed an with who finds and kills this nightmare. but there are no internal paths to to it. get Anyonenear to attemptingthe city inevitably becomes lost or finds themselves on the edge of the jungle, having come no nearer to it. The only way into Fanzai is via one of the Dragonewt Roads linking all four dragonewt colonies together. Even God Learner sorcery has been unable to map the Dragonewt Roads of Kralorela, despite many efforts to do so, and they have been unable to make the themselves. reveal Fanzai to pathways

Ruler for a considerable period of time and expects to on communicating terms. The Inhuman King refuses reincarnate as the next Inhuman King once the present to intervene because it is too wrapped-up in impending King has been reborn as a True Dragon. Thus, Lord Father dragonhood, so it is left to the fractious Ruler dragonewts Jade is undergoing a series of arduous FutureQuests to of the Bouruobs to resolve their differences themselves. acquire the wisdom needed to become the supreme ruler Neither shows the slightest inclination to do so. of the Kralori dragonewts. For this purpose Lord Jade Father has immersed itself in the centre of the lake in When dragonewts from the two Bouruobs meet, they the middle of the city, only its head showing above the will either ignore each other completely or quickly fall surface. Noble dragonewts paddled around the Ruler in into accusing each other of Wrong Action. Fights are small coracles muttering prayers and the OUROBOROS common, often followed by the utuma of the victor as it mantra, hoping to speed Lord Jade Father through its realises the futility of the argument. trials. Some of Lord Jade’s dreams have taken physical form in the city: a huge tree of brilliant orange; a statue, carved from a single massive ruby, of a woman, arising Slontos from the earth and clutching a pearl moon in both hands; The lands of Slontos run across the south of Genertela, and a strange obelisk that spins of its own accord and separated from Ralios by the Halkiv Mountains, emits peculiar music, almost like a language. Mislar Mountains and Tarin Mountains. The immense Tarinwood and Arstola forest mark its northern territory. The dragonewts of Ghlevestnas are, like their Fanzai counterparts, desperately awaiting the forthcoming The dragonewt colonies are centred on the Ryzel hills, and transformations. Thus they are more active than usual and in particular the citadel of Ryzelhold. The region received almost frenzied in their duties, inﬂuenced, no doubt, by a new Inhuman King in the 10th century, the previous Lord Jade Father’s FutureQuests and dream creations. having achieved dragonhood and promptly burrowing into the Ryzel hills to sleep. The history of this enclave of Bouruobs Prime and Secondary dragonewts has not been a happy one. In the First Age, the Dragonewts In The World Hopeful Centrality has two dragonewt settlements, Ryzel dragonewts served Palangio Iron Vrok, the Emperor the smaller of the four: Bouruob Prime and Bouruob of Dara Happa, as mercenary-slaves, and were brought Secondary. Both are too small to be called cities; enclaves to Ryzel to ﬁght on Palangio’s behalf. It is thought they are a better description. They are also peculiar in that each were sundered dragonewts who had no Inhuman King at is a mirror image of the other in almost precise detail. The the time (although the dragonewts dispute this), but later buildings are a mixture of the low and prosaic and the tall developed one when Palangio’s magical power over them and splendid. In a reversal of most dragonewt settlements weakened through the theft of the All Seeing Staff. the towers are occupied by the Crested and Beaked stages whilst the smaller, less ostentatious buildings are As mercenary-slaves the dragonewts attracted a fearsome occupied by the Nobles and Rulers. reputation and grim tales of their deeds haunt Slontos even now. And there is no denying that the Slontos dragonewts The tenet within the two Bouruobs is that one works are a far more aggressive race than their northern and down towards dragonhood, just as the Cosmic Dragon eastern cousins. The majority of the two colonies are worked downwards when creating the Cosmic Egg. Thus Beaked dragonewts and, since the transformation of the height is an inverted symbol of status, and ostentation an new Inhuman King, there are no Ruler stages at all; it indication of taint. is the Rulers who traditionally provide the necessary guidance to the lesser stages. Despite being twins in almost every detail, there is animosity between the two. In the centre of each Bouruob is The Slontos colonies are disinterested in the EWF, the a huge, egg-shaped piece of onyx representing the Cosmic God Learners and the Golden Sun Dragon of Dara Egg. The egg spins magically, but in Bouruob Prime the Happa. They have their own, unrelated agenda that is spin is clockwise whilst in Secondary it is widdershins. kept to themselves, furthering their already dark and Each claims to have the correct interpretation and because unpleasant reputation. The people of Slontos avoid the agreement can never be reached, neither settlement is Dragonewt Plinths as though they were remnants of Chaos. Dragonewt parties are given a wide berth by 50

Dragonewts In The World 51 metallic claustrophobia and a deep sense of foreboding as half-shapes ﬂit between the gnarled branches and series of low a growls mingle with the creaking of ancient branches. When dragonewts strike at those pass their borders, they do so without warning or who mercy. dare Velociraptorswho warriors Beaked the from guidance mental only with are the at klanths their swinging spurredsaddles, rough the from hang forwardheads and legs of their andenemies. Survivors are dragged allowed lie. where they back to Ryzelhold; the dead are left to rot to strike in aggression dragonewts’ the of secret the is then, What, and human a by commanded they were How region? this then left to become such a dark and brooding enclave? Palangiothe IronVrok certainly enslaved the dragonewts to act as warriors for his southern old campaigns tales and tell of the the All Seeing Staff being which this was accomplished. the God Learner research has tool by part a from made was Staff Seeing All the that determined of a limb of Orxili and so able to exert power over the immature stages of draconic evolution. If true, it would explain why the dragonewts were enslaved, but not why their aggressive tendencies have remained. And the All Seeing has Staff been but no lost, one stolen supposedly, knows by whom. Its theft broke the Iron Vrok’s control but why did the dragonewtsPalangio continued remain his occupation? in Again, Slontosthere discernible answers. are whereno

No human has entered Ryzelhold and lived. The approach The lived. and Ryzelhold entered has human No to the city forsaken, have elfs is even that trees leafed sparsely stunted, daunting enough, passing through and the the constant dinosaur patrols maintain fear a and sense menace of about the place. The a very menace air not carries normally associated with dragonewts: a Beaked dragonewts Ryzelhold patrol on the tamed, tails outlying and enchanted foot claws edges velociraptors, trimmed with amid away driven are near their too stray who ferocious Those obsidian. of spikes of throwing carved wickedly and bullets slingshot of ﬂurry a stars of razor ﬂint. If that does not deter them, then the velociraptors are unleashed. Ryzelhold ancient to ivy like hillside rising the to clings Ryzelhold tree bark, its misshapen dwellings appearing as warts have dragonewts The land. the of skin the on boils and closertheirburrowedbetohillsidedeepintotheto as so Dragon, True apotheosised Inhuman King, the newest who has already been named Ryzelharakasiil. Something went wrong amongst Slontos. Badly wrong. the dragonewts of merchant caravans, and Slontian warriors are eager to hides as trophies. claim dragonewt

The EWF has devoted time and effort to studying these and were cast out of Dragon Pass for their crimes. On First Age happenings. The Guiding Council believes the Teleos they have pursued a course of experimentation All Seeing Staff is in the possession of the dragonewts that led to strange magics warping the whole area, of Ryzelhold and, as something made from Orxili, unfettered dream spells that subtly alter those who come it continually disturbs and disrupts the dragonewt into contact with them. Since humans settled on Teleos, psychology, making them more primal beings and during the First Age, these dream magics have resulted hindering Right Action. This would explain why so few in the development of six human tribes, each with a dragonewts have reincarnated as Nobles and Rulers. It different colour of skin and completely incompatible might also explain why their Inhuman King achieved life views. The dragonewts may have engineered this dragonhood so recently. The All Seeing Staff, if genuinely development process deliberately, or may simply be a piece of Orxili, might provide knowledge or magic studying the way the dream magic has affected the unlocking the deepest meditations of the Cosmic Dragon human species, but it is, without a doubt, something the and thus the power to ascend to dragonhood. dragonewts take great interest in and study relentlessly.

And so the EWF has launched its quest for the All In the Second Age the dragonewts occupied a series of Seeing Staff. Hunting and Waltzing bands are moving settlements, some over ground and some below, called into Slontos, especially the towns of Gualar and The Shifts. Each is named for a colour matching that Bemelor, and preparing to enter Ryzelhold to ﬁnd and of the separate human tribes and located close to the steal the All Seeing Staff for themselves. It is too great human settlements. The dragonewts of each Shift appear a prize to be ignored: if it can command dragonewts to function independently; each has a Ruler dragonewt, and provide insight into the Cosmic Dragon’s schemes, for instance, but they also co-operate in their Shifting it would be, perhaps, the key to raising The Great Council, which meets twice a year and circulates amongst Dragon to Be. But the EWF expects strong resistance the Shifts determined by the roll of a large dragon bone and knows its quest will be hard-fought. Dragonewts, die with twelve sides, each face representing one of the when angered, command magics that, whilst similar Shift colours. As the Teleos dragonewts are cut off from Dragonewts In The World to the wyrmfriend’s Dragon Magic, is far more potent. the draconic lifecycle their eccentricities of behaviour The Hunting and Waltzing bands are moving warily are lessened, and the time spent with both the Embyli and taking their time. They are well-funded, hungry elfs of the island, and the humans, has made them a for information, and willing to pay for it. more approachable and comprehendible race.

Naturally enough, the God Learners of Ralios have heard Blue Shift the same rumours and sent their agents to Slontos. The All the dragonewts dye their hides into mottled shades All Seeing Staff, dubious though they are of its existence, of blue. They concern themselves with the study of is too ﬁne a prize to ignore and would, if the legend was blueness: in the sky, in water, in plants and especially true, unlock the entire draconic myth cycle, allowing it to in rocks. They believe the Cosmic Dragon was blue be taken and merged with the God Learner monomyth. throughout and inhabits a kingdom of deepest blue whilst dreaming blue dreams. The Ruler dragonewt, In Slontos, dragonewts, wyrmfriends and God Learners Blue Shift Exultant Wonderer, bathes in a nearby spring are about to clash. infused with the petals of blue ﬂowers and emerges the same colour. The dragonewts are friendly and affable. They hold regular Blue Study Days where the blue- Teleos skinned humans of the island are invited to Blue Shift The island of Teleos, located in the eastern Homeward and encouraged to take part in a series of games whilst Ocean is entirely forested and was originally settled by the dragonewts watch politely from raised tiers of stone. dragonewts during the Dawn Age. This is a sundered Naturally the games are all part of the blueness study colony; there is no Inhuman King and no reincarnation, experiment and Blue Shift Exultant Wonderer believes and it has always been this way. it has established an undoubted connection between different hues of blue and running speed. Javelin The stories told about Teleos say that the dragonewts hurling seems resistant to blueness, whilst jumping and stole the power of dream magic from the Inhuman King stretching games are actively penalised by it. 52

Dragonewts In The World 53 a lack of blue in the garments, whilst the dragonewts of Red Shift secretly admire the ability to adopt new had the same daring. trends and wish they Yellow Shift The Yellow Shift dragonewts spend a great deal time of studying the trade and commerce practices the yellow of human tribes, who are adepts at striking deals. The dragonewts have developed a fiendishly complicated accounting system based around pebbles and oyster shells which, while accurate, to also drive tends humans mad when it is explained to The them. Ruler dragonewt, Yellow Shift Gold Standard, has recently started to consider the development of a common currency that will supplant the pebble and oyster system and be yellow humans although, moreso far, the Nobles, who act understandable to as accountants, have dismissed it theas far too simplistic proportions. cosmic of irregularities fiscal to open and Yellow Shift Goldof a currency past Standardthe next Shifting Council and has intendsthe Crested to dragonewts oat fl of thea the selection concept settlement of minting six hundred denominations and from fifty the gold separate seams coin found Yellow beneath Shift’s hills. Red Shift including languages, at adepts are dragonewts Shift Red one of their own which into existence they by claim the was Ruler the of version dragonewt halting a speak stages dreamed All Singletongue. Red Leader human tongue and the all are for fluent communicators as in act the often language they thus of Embyli; the on dragonewts the island and command great respect. Singletongue spends much time dreaming, hoping to find a way back of way a explaining developing in interest why little with Teleos but is colony, a sundered to the draconic path. The rest of the colony spends a great deal of time dealing with dream Singletongue’s manifestations that escape and run amok from time to necessarily are manifestations dream the of None time. dangerous (although the six-legged blue whale that was dreamed intocan they but settlement), human red existenceentire an squashed recently inadvertently Dream the is example particular One embarrassing. be to close lake pleasant otherwise an occupies that Gorp its but harmless, is it gorp true a Unlike city. Shift Red to starts it when especially -- disgusting is appearance Wyrmish. Auld sing in

The Purple are Shift fascinated dragonewts by clothing and finery. They take a close tribe’s interest craftsmanship in and the all purple Beaked for crafted cloak purple resplendent a wear Shift Purple dragonewts of Shift Purple dragonewt, Ruler The humans. the by them Controller Imperative, goes as far as wearing hats and jackets and, occasionally, a pair of moccasins woven fascination clothing The leaves. palm purple-dyed from is a constant source dragonewt population, and in of particular the fickleness Imperative Controller wonderment Shift Purple Whenever fashion. amongst of the changes the style of its cloak or hat, every dragonewt immediately burns its own garment, marches down to version new a demands and settlements tribe purple the mirroring the style The of dragonewts Imperative’s. of Blue Shift believe that this behaviour is the result of Purple Shift Orange Shift is ruled by I Am Curious, a Ruler dragonewt dragonewt Ruler a Curious, Am I by ruled is Shift Orange who claims to have achieved Ruler stage without first being a Noble dragonewt. the is it and assertion this Its in truth some is there suggests lack of a proper tail source of great debate at the Shifting Council. Orange Shift co-ordinates the ritual that annual involves most of Child the Teleos Swap practice humans. is one The of human origin but clearly appeals to the dragonewts who observe with great intent how the the with Along executed. then and agreed is Swap Child local Embyli, the Orange Shift dragonewts are trying within existing cycles communication the understand to success. little are having ritual but the Child Swap Orange Shift Green Shift Green with itself concerns Shift Green imagine, might one As greenness, but especially plants. The Shift has and harmonious links close with the Embyli of Pearl Lovers House (who are known as the Dragon Elves as a result of this liaison). An experiment is being developed by the Ruler dragonewt, Green Shift Thrower, audacious an whereby is This elfs. be to pretend will dragonewts plan as dragonewts do not have a natural affinity with things that grow, and it is the subject of considerable disagreement at the Shifting Council which, perhaps with reason, postulates that if dragonewts pretend to be elfs, surely they will take root and sprout branches. Green Shift Thrower maintains happen and this has promised to is meditate on the unlikely plan for to years although its impatience is clear. hundred five

DRAGONEWT CHARACTERS

Dragonewts do not make for good RuneQuest Player enlightenment – something the human wyrmfriends Characters. strive for but can never truly attain. At that point, True Dragonhood beckons, and with it the final stage of a Being immortal, being tied into a perpetual cycle of long, long lifecycle. As an Inhuman King enters into rebirth, being motivated by Right Action, which is full dragonhood it experiences a level of epiphany always personal to a dragonewt, means it is extremely reserved for very few and achieves its ultimate reward: difficult to play a dragonewt character just so. They the ability to rest for entire lifetimes if it wishes, until are bettered suited to act as Non-Player Characters and summoned by the Grand Ancestral Dragon to carry protagonists where their obscure and unfathomable out the Cosmic Dragon’s will. behaviour and motivations can be handled in a far more abstract manner by the Games Master. However, someone, somewhere will always want to play a Eggs dragonewt and there is never any harm in experiencing new things. Indeed, restraining oneself from new Dragonewt eggs are laid by a True Dragon, a rare experiences is counter to the dragonewt philosophy, occurrence that establishes a nest but also ensures a so here are the guidelines for creating dragonewt fixed population. Egg laying has never been witnessed characters, either as Player Characters or as Non- by human eyes but those who speculate on such Dragonewts In The World Player Characters. matters in the EWF imagine hundreds of eggs being laid in a single clutch, perhaps thousands; or perhaps All dragonewts are creations of the Grand Ancestral several dragons co-operate to establish a single nest. Dragon and are created in its image. The life stages of the dragonewts reflect the six actions of the Cosmic In some cases Inhuman Kings have claimed to be able Dragon and are representative of its cosmic meditations. to create eggs through dream magic although little or Naturally the significance of their lifecycle is not fully no proof of this exists. For all intents and purposes understood by dragonewts until they reach the Ruler the dragonewt population in Second Age Glorantha stage and the infinite mysteries of the universe are is fixed. Only sundered dragonewts die and are not revealed to them. Even then, they are recipients of only reborn, but such mortality levels are relatively low on a part of the whole truth. Only True Dragons reach any kind of human scale and are of little concern to anything approaching the enlightenment of either the other dragonewts who are secure in their immortality. Cosmic or Grand Ancestral dragon. Eggs are a little smaller than human-sized and Each stage, then, is part of a journey: physical, mental leathery, resembling dragonhide. The substance of the and spiritual. Dragonewts are born with instincts they shell is susceptible to external damage and a strong must learn to control, whilst denying themselves no warrior with a sword is quite capable of destroying experience. Each stage poses a different challenge one. A hatching dragonewt pushes its way through the and a different level of refinement of the whole. membrane of the egg, which naturally reforms as the The inherent aggression of the Beaked dragonewts dragonewt crawls into the outside world. needs to be tempered with restraint. Nobles must learn to communicate but not become corrupt. If one could see inside an egg, one would not see the Rulers must learn to rule but not dictate. By the time traditional ova components of yolk sac and albumen. a dragonewt reaches the point where it can become Instead one would see a grayish-black void, and an Inhuman King it has reached the cusp of draconic floating at its centre a tiny pulsing light which is the 54

Dragonewts In The World 55 Hearing is not particularly acute but develops through develops Hearing is not particularly acute but the lifecycles. In the hearing is Crested compensated and for by Beaked the ground stages vibrations ability and to shifts in sense air pressure, so their traits are perceptive not considered to be The lacking. senses of taste and smell are finely developed, even in Crested Extremely dragonewts. subtle in variations taste and scent can be detected easily at all stages and become more refined with time. Noble dragonewts, which are omnivorous, are often gourmands due to the refinement of their palates. considered to be Dragonewts do not mating possess of equivalence no any is There organs. form reproductive of sexual or and dragonewts, whilst communal, do not form any kind of one to one kinship, ties or family groups. One dominate will Noble, a as such dragonewt, stage higher communal goals. purely to achieve lesser stages but All dragonewts are born left-handed and remain that way until achievingTrue Dragonhood. simply sits by its egg waiting for clarity to develop, but occasionally a dragonewt may stumble arounddismay, dumbstruck by inits surroundings as it tries to it is. recall who, and what, Dragonewts have an innate psychic bond to act and with threat under is it when their know They egg. birth practical. it whenever preserve Physiology General Dragonewts are bipedal reptilians, scale-covered, and The warm-blooded. lifecycle consists of several metamorphoses with each stage draconic in becoming appearance than more the last. All stages of development share a number of reptilian traits that, whilst diminishing with reincarnation, truly lost. are never All dragonewts are binocular and possess excellent visual acuity and depth colours in of the standard field. spectrum, They although and Inhuman the Kings draconic are able to Rulers perceive perceive spectrum, which is a philosophical leanings mixture represented as of colours no human comparison. emotions have that and

Formingthebodynew takes atcanleastbuttake day, a longer depending on the stage of itself prises instinctively dragonewt the the formed, When development. free of the shell, emerging fully-formed in whatever stage it is destined to take next. disorientation A follows, as short the period dragonewt reorders of its memories and experiences and begins to assimilate new abilities or effects as determined The by disorientation lasts its for a stage. number of hours equal to the dragonewt’s POW. Usually the dragonewt proto-soul of the dragonewt. When returning the senses proto-soul the dies body physical a dragonewt’s of the full soul to the egg and begins to a weave new body frame from the of stuff A the surrounding void. partly by the magical complex formula, proto- driven soul, partly by the birthing dragonewt and partly by the Inhuman King’s psychic link to every egg in its sphere of inﬂuence, decides the form of the body to be taken for the next hatching. This might be of the same stage, a lesser stage, or a higher one, depending on the maturity, purity and psychic development of the dragonewt.

These Altered interpreters may have guards, servants Dragonewt and so on, and it is not unknown for these dragonewts to become outlaws or, as they are more commonly Characters known, barbarians. They essentially absorb so many As has been established by now, almost all dragonewts human thought processes that they become unable to are tied into a cycle of rebirth, gradually working their reconcile the human psyche with that of the draconic way through more powerful, but more focused, stages path. Pure dragonewts recognise this as ‘insanity’. It until they reach True Dragonhood. manifests in curiosity about human motives and desires Regular contact with outsiders is usually assigned to and rapidly builds into an obsession with the kind one individual in a group, always a Noble, who tries of mortal freedom humans take for granted. ‘Insane to act according to human expectations. It learns dragonewts’ are quickly spotted and exiled from the human languages, and learns to write or otherwise draconic path, so their taint will not infect the rest of the communicate ideas to humans. nest. The usual result is for the dragonewt to become an outlaw. Cast out from its settlement, the outlaw can Barbarian Dragonewts try to make its way on its own, adopt human customs On rare occasions the interpreter will be a dragonewt and ﬁnd sanctuary with them, or retreat to a settlement of either the Crested or Beaked stages who has been such as one of the sundered colonies of Dragon Pass, surgically altered so that it can stumblingly speak where all inhabitants are outside the draconic cycle human words. The reason for this rarity is because for one reason or another. When an outlaw dragonewt it is easy for dragonewts below the Noble stage to dies, it is not reincarnated and never reappears. No one become isolated from the draconic path if they ‘taint’ knows where its soul goes. themselves with too much human interaction. They lack the maturity of mind and purpose to engage in Outlaw dragonewts are by far the best choice for regular discourse and still maintain pure draconic Player Characters. They are unshackled by the strict integrity; the more Crested and Beaked dragonewts and unintelligible codes of the major dragonewt Dragonewts In The World interact with humans, the more their minds and souls settlements and may freely adopt more human begin to adapt to impure human ways – even those characteristics, making them easier for Players to relate who are ardent members of draconic cults. to. Of course, outlaw dragonewts are still considerably strange by human standards, but they can, at the very

Dragonewts In The World 57 and most likely constitutes and concert in Right act Action dragonewts times, other at At time. the unison, co-ordinating their activities to perfectly complement those of their fellows. Humans are likely to struggle to find a rationale and their any behaviour, questions directed to the to explain be to likely are group the for communicator Noble no) response. even met with a cryptic (or Dragonewts, especially Crested, seek experiences actively, out even new if is onlydragonewt might the wander into once. a A combat unarmed and passive, to experience violence first-hand and thus be better prepared next time. Instead of using the bridge to ford the the experience to river, swim, cannot it although a through, dragonewt wades of the water. power indulgence; and austerity between vary Dragonewts this is a representation of the struggle Action and is a instinct constant and source Right between Only of dragonewt. internal antagonism for every at the Noble stage will a dragonewt have a clear sense of balance as to when it is Right Action to Action to indulge (and when be austere and Right dragonewts indulge, it is heavily). This explains the gourmandism Priests, found and in Tailed the rather sparse dietary preferences of the Crested stages. and Beaked are All obsessed dragonewts with repaying debts. as acts simple perceive and debt, seek not do They deeds of great charity. Repaying that debt might take the most bizarre of forms and be seemingly unrelated to the favour. Sometimes might be gifts or reciprocal actions; it might even repayment utuma. of form the in self-sacrifice of form the take The decision as to what constitutes repayment is may repayment that and hands, dragonewt’s the in even be unpalatable in the eyes of a human. Beaked dragonewts are obsessed with defence, battle and honour. The most might extreme be used violence against the most meagre of foes. Insults and slights are and the taken vengeance all of too a ferocious indeed, Beaked particularly readily, where dragonewt debt is might be involved. A A A A

Crested dragonewts are obsessed with mastering their instincts. They do this through focusing character particular a on or rune particular a mastering trait linked to Orxilius. This manifests itself with what might be disorder’. termed They ﬁxate ‘obsessive on compulsive behaviour particular and become distressed patterns or violent when of unable to complete it. Right Action (and may What psyche. dragonewt to central is Action) the avoidance of seem obvious Wrong to a human may be not obvious to necessarily a dragonewt. Neither is behaving collectively. It is quite common for a group dragonewts to behave in ways that are of seemingly at odds with each other. To them, this is natural A A Behaviour Dragonewt behaviour is always bizarre and to it is humans impossible to describe or explain it kind in of any rational terms. For Games Masters, behaviour bizarre there their orchestrating to is guidance some below. Dragonewt Traditional Dragonewts tools useful are hand, other the on dragonewts, Normal for Games Masters. For are wyrmfriends, the mysterious dragonewts benefactors of the draconic cults who have allied themselves with the Great Project. Dragon They have allowed wyrmfriends into cities and engaged their in limited co-operation to achieve the majesty of the Great Dragon to Be. In this respect they are allies, patrons and, on occasion, companions on missions of adventurers, human of party a accompany dragonewts importance to the all EWF. communication Where is channelled dragonewt. through The lower a stages never Noble engage in direct communication primarily because they cannot, taint. wish to avoid also because they but least, communicate with humans without any other hindrance than a halting ability to language. With Games Master approval, a Player speak can a human as his character. dragonewt select an outlaw

A Being immortal, dragonewts have no concept Master to determine what the preceding lifecycle of time’s passage. Simple tasks that should take held for the Crested dragonewt. Together they minutes are drawn out for hours or days as the should outline some of the events the previous dragonewt meditates, obsesses or becomes incarnation was involved in, and what its previous uninterested. Conversely complex tasks requiring cultural background may have been. It is perfectly time and dedication are rushed and haphazard plausible for a Crested dragonewt to have been simply because that is how the dragonewt thinks from a traditional background, but to have become it should be done. Dragonewts have no concept barbarian in its later incarnation. If so, the reason of age and do not understand the differences why needs to be established. No character should between children, adults and the elderly. They begin at either the Noble or Ruler stage. know that humans decay, but see that as a sign of taint rather than an aging process. A Determine Cultural Background, according to the Cultural Background Table below. This A Neither do they fully understand the concept of determines professions and skills available to gender. To a dragonewt there is no perceivable dragonewt characters, depending on their cultural difference between males and females, although origin: barbarian or traditional. most Nobles grasp the basic precepts of why separate sexes are necessary for reproduction. A Determine the dragonewt’s current profession. They do understand the concept of motherhood This is dependent on the dragonewt’s stage and familial care; it is a constant sorrow to most of development and determines the rest of the dragonewts that the Wondrous Mother of Many dragonewt’s skills. did not remain to tutor her children to the required degree. A Select a cult for the dragonewt to belong to, referring to the Cults chapter beginning on page A Dragonewts understand what gods are, but do not 71, but, depending on the cultural background Dragonewts In The World understand why humans worship them. They know the cult may be dragonewt, EWF or even a that gods exist outside of time, but to dragonewts non-draconic cult if the character is a barbarian that is nothing special. Possessing great power is dragonewt. For EWF and human cults, refer similarly not something to be especially proud of, to Magic of Glorantha and Cults of Glorantha as their Rulers and Inhuman King exhibit similar volumes I and II as appropriate. powers but are not gods. A Determine the magic or effects known by the dragonewt, referring to the Magic chapter Creating a Dragonewt beginning on page 84. For Crested dragonewts determine the Runes and Rune Spells known, and for Beaked and Noble dragonewts, the effects Character they have reincarnated with. Rulers and Inhuman The checklist for creating a dragonewt character is as Kings know all the available dragonewt effects. follows: A Allocate the free skill points to remaining skills, A All Player Character dragonewts begin as Crested and to buy new advanced skills. The number of dragonewts. If the Games Master permits it, a free skill points depends on the number of previous dragonewt character can begin at the Beaked incarnations of the dragonewt’s particular stage. stage but the Player must work with the Games

Dragonewts In The World 59 1/4 1/4 1/4 1/3 1/3 1/4 1/5 1/6 Tail Second Stage: Beaked(Warrior) Dragonewt Larger and stockier than the Crested stage, dragonewts Beaked have developed bony ridges across body the and a thickening of the menacing skin appearance. lending The a round, more bewildered of the Crested gaze has been replaced stony with a narrow, stare and the crest has shrunk to form a spiny ridge almost the length of the backbone. extends that now The limbs are thicker and stronger. Musculature vastly is improved as are general has reactions. elongated and The narrowed, forming mouth a tough, bony D201-2 Hit Location HP Average AP/ 3-56-89-11 Right Leg 12 Left Leg Abdomen 13-1516-18Arm Chest Right 19-20Arm Left Head Dragonewt Scout Hit Locations

Characteristics STR 2D6 CON 3D6 DEX (7) 2D6+9 (11) SIZ (16) INT 2D6 4D6 POW (7) 2D6 CHA (14) 3D6 (7) (11) Crested dragonewts look, and higher act, stages. inferior to They the are company of subservient Beaked or Nobles when and actively terrified in of Ruler the dragonewts. When encountered singly or in small groups they are easily influenced with a natural of authority. a degree showing deference to anyone Crested dragonewts are exclusively vegetarian with others for it hunt they although meat, eat to desire no happily and are trained to do Noble dragonewts. Unlike so other herbivores they do by Beaked and not need to consume large quantities of vegetable matter to survive; a handful of nuts and berries will suffice and even grass provides nutrition if nothing else is available. The limbs are slender to the point of being scrawny, with scrawny, being of point the to slender are limbs The long, thin fingers and opposable thumbs. The feet are knee, human-like traditional a poses legs The twin-toed. but this is modified in later stages mammals. of quadruped the hindlegs joints much like to a pair of reverse many although drab-coloured, and smooth is hide The mature. they as skin the of dappling or mottling display and age with elongating nub, bony a as begins tail The and reincarnates. as its body enlarges First Stage: Crested Dragonewt (Scout) First Stage: Crested The smallest of the species dragonewt and sometimes considered is term this (although ‘scouts’ as to referred derogatory by dragonewts). They resemble a between human and freshwater newt, with an cross angular running crest a and eyes, unblinking round, large, head, from the above eye ridge to the nape of the neck. The crest can be raised and lowered at will and is used to indicate emotional states: erect when calm; flattened confused or under stress. to the head when panicked, Dragonewt Statistics Dragonewt

always killed ﬁrst. Bones are reserved for crafting tools and weapons, as are skins and hides, which may be used for crafting shelters and armour.

Beaked dragonewts are able builders. They possess a very ﬁne degree of hand-eye co-ordination and visual perception, allowing them to accurately gauge distances and measurements without the need for any form of measuring equipment. Characteristics STR 2D6+12 (19) CON 3D6+6 (17) DEX 2D6+3 (10) SIZ 2D6+12 (19) INT 4D6 (14) POW 2D6+6 (12) CHA 3D6+3 (14)

Dragonewt Warrior Hit Locations D20 Hit Location AP/ Average HP 1-2 Tail 6/8 3-5 Right Leg 6/8 beak ﬁlled with rows of small, sharp teeth. The hands 6-8 Left Leg 6/8 have developed claws but these do not impeded manual

Dragonewts In The World 9-11 Abdomen 6/9 dexterity. As the dragonewt matures, its skin begins to develop more horns, spines and warty protrusions. The 12 Chest 6/10 tail is almost full length, and covered in thick scales 13-15 Right Arm 6/7 with occasional spikes and spine-like protrusions. 16-18 Left Arm 6/7 19-20 Head 6/8 Body colourings are more varied. The drab grey-green of the Crested stage is replaced with darker and lighter Third Stage: Noble Dragonewt hues, especially across the chest and abdomen. Gold (Tailed Priest) and amber spots or stripes are not uncommon and The Noble stage sees the dragonewt adopting clearly appear to follow a particular pattern for a specific nest draconic physical characteristics. Neck wattles are or clutch. common as is a lateral crest running between the dragonewt’s ears. Frills of skin decorate the arms and The inferiority complex of the Crested stage has torso and the tail is now almost fully developed into been lost. Beaked dragonewts are naturally more a long, whip-like limb that tapers to a point and is aggressive and ready to challenge for position in social often covered in small spines or warts and more frills groupings, unless a Noble or Ruler is present. Whilst of skin. more aggressive as a breed, Beaked dragonewts are considered and fluid in their actions and movements, Skin colouration is far more varied; Nobles display all exhibiting inner control and confi dence in their bodies. manner of skin colourations, often with bright, primary They are not easy to startle or intimidate, even for colours replacing the drab colours of previous stages. Noble dragonewts. Colours in different parts of the body, such as the face, can alter subtly with mood and emotion and frequently at Beaked dragonewts are exclusively carnivorous and the dragonewt’s particular whim. Scent glands have also hunt their own meat unless there is a handy Crested developed across the body, giving the Noble a distinctive dragonewt to do it for them. Meat is eaten raw, but and sometimes unpleasant (to humans) aroma. 60

Dragonewts In The World 61 9/9 9/9 9/9 9/10 9/11 9/8 9/8 9/8 9/8 9/9 Tail STR 4D6+12 (26) CON 3D6+6 DEX (17) 2D6+6 SIZ (13) INT 4D6+12 (26) 4D6 POW 2D6+18 (24) CHA (14) 3D6+12 (23) Inhuman Kings As these are rare, powerful and unique beings, game statistics are of little prove relevance necessary, use here. the Characteristics Should for a they Ruler values. and double the INT and POW dragonewt Fourth Stage: Ruler(Full Priest) Dragonewt Ruler dragonewts resemble Nobles but are larger and equipped with wings. The sociable tendencies of the found rarely are Rulers and lost been have stage Noble beyond the nest or their cities, with much time spent dreaming and questing. colouration the follow and powerful, full, are wings The of the body but of form other typically any shun and ﬂight of with capable are Rulers a darker weapons, underside. handheld of use the shun also They transport. making full use of the range of draconic effects now at their disposal. They express little interest in food and may require none whatsoever. Characteristics D201-2 Hit Location HP AP/Average 3-45-67-8 Leg Right 9-10 Left Leg 11-12 Abdomen 13-14 Chest Wing Right 15-17Wing Left 18-19Arm Right 20Arm Left Head Dragonewt Ruler Hit Locations 3/6 3/6 3/6 3/7 3/8 3/5 3/5 3/6 Tail

Characteristics STR 2D6+6 CON (13) 3D6+6 DEX (17) 2D6+6 SIZ (13) INT 2D6+6 (13) 4D6 POW 2D6+12 (18) CHA (14) 3D6+6 (17) Nobles are omnivorous and have a developed taste for cooked food. Some have the reputation of being gourmands, enjoying complicated dishes that excite all the senses. Banquets for held Nobles, exclusively cooked by Nobles, are common, chefs with competing dragonewt to prepare intricate dishes. and serve the most 3-56-89-1112 Right Leg 13-15 Left Leg Abdomen 16-1819-20Arm Chest Right Arm Left Head D201-2 Hit Location HP Average AP/ Dragonewt Noble Hit Locations

the draconic path because they have no Inhuman King Dragonewt Cultural governing their reincarnation. Sundered dragonewts lack either the will or inclination to become Backgrounds Barbarians, but some may follow this path when it There are three principle cultural backgrounds available becomes obvious they have little hope of regaining to dragonewt characters: Barbarian, Traditionalist, the draconic lifecycle. Sundered and wyrmfriend. Traditionalist Barbarian Most dragonewts are Traditionalists. They dwell in the These are the outlaws of the dragonewt species. major settlements under the auspices of an Inhuman They have adopted non-dragonewt practices, may King, belong only to dragonewt cults, and are intent follow human cults, and are completely cut off from on pursuing full dragonhood. They are preoccupied their eggs and nests. Barbarians do not reincarnate with all things draconic with little interest or time for although, through choice, they can attempt to re-enter the schemes of the EWF. the draconic lifecycle and regain immortality although this generally involves complete regeneration as a Wyrmfriend Crested dragonewt shorn of all previous knowledge These are dragonewts that have ﬁrmly adopted the and experience. philosophies and goals of the EWF although they still retain the draconic path. Wyrmfriend dragonewts have Barbarians are often itinerants, acting as mercenaries often been commanded to adopt wyrmfriend ideals or lone crusaders, engaged on humanlike endeavours by either a Ruler or an Inhuman King, either through or obscure quests of their own devising. a genuine need to guide and inform wyrmfriend activities, or to exert a proxy inﬂuence amongst those Sundered wyrmfriends that may be operating in ways contrary to Sundered dragonewts belong to a colony and are, dragonewt plans. Either way, wyrmfriend dragonewts Dragonewts In The World for all intents and purposes, either Traditionalists or may join EWF draconic cults (but not progress through wyrmfriends, but have somehow become exempt from them) and take part in EWF-organised endeavours.

Dragonewt Cultural Backgrounds Advanced Skill Starting Background Regions Basic Skill Bonuses Bonuses Professions Money Barbarian Dara Inﬂuence +5%, Perception Language (Auld Crested 4D6x20 Happa, +5%, Resilience +10% Wyrmish – Regional Animal Trainer, Silver Dragon Dialect) +50%, Lore Craftsman, Explorer, Pass, Pick Two +10% (Regional), Lore Herdsman, Hunter, Kralorela, Dodge, Driving, Lore (Cult Theology) Soldier Ormsland, (Animal), Lore (Plant), Slontos, Persistence, Riding Pick One Beaked Teleos Craft, Dance, Animal Trainer, Pick Two +15% Healing, Lore, Craftsman, Explorer, 1H Axe, 1H Sword, 2H Axe, Play Instrument, Hunter, Mercenary, 2H Sword, Bow, Dagger, Survival, Tracking Miner, Soldier Polearm, Sling, Staff, Throwing, Unarmed Noble Bard, Courtier, Diplomat, Explorer, Merchant, Physician, Priest, Scholar

Dragonewts In The World 63 Starting Money 4D6x30 Silver 4D6x50 Silver 4D6x100 Silver Crested Beaked Noble Crested Beaked Noble Crested Beaked Noble Professions Craftsman, Hunter, Craftsman, Hunter, Soldier Trainer*, Animal Craftsman, Explorer, Miner, Hunter, Soldier Diplomat, Courtier, Priest Healer, Craftsman, Hunter, Soldier Trainer*, Animal Craftsman, Explorer, Miner, Hunter, Soldier Diplomat, Courtier, Priest Healer, Craftsman, Hunter, Soldier Trainer*, Animal Craftsman, Explorer, Mercenary, Hunter, Soldier Miner, Diplomat, Courtier, Physician, Priest Pick One Pick One Pick One Advanced Skill Advanced Bonuses Language (Auld Language Wyrmish – Regional Dialect) +50%, Lore Lore (Regional), Theology) (Cult Craft, Dance, Healing, Lore, Play Instrument, Tracking Survival, Language (Auld Wyrmish – RegionalDialect) +50%, Lore Lore (Regional), Theology) (Cult Craft, Dance, Healing, Lore, Play Instrument, Tracking Survival, Language (Auld Wyrmish – RegionalDialect) +50%, Lore Lore (Regional), Theology) (Cult Craft, Dance, Healing, Lore, Play Instrument, Tracking Survival, Pick Two +10% Pick Two +15% Pick Two +10% Pick Two +15% Pick Two +5% Pick Two +15% Influence +5%, Perception Influence +5%, +5%, Resilience +10% Lore Dodge, Driving, (Animal), Lore (Plant), Persistence, Riding Axe, 2H 1H Sword, Axe, 1H Dagger, Bow, 2H Sword, Polearm, Sling, Staff, Unarmed Throwing, Influence +5%, Perception +5%, Resilience +10% Lore Dodge, Driving, (Animal), Lore (Plant), Persistence, Riding Axe, 2H 1H Sword, Axe, 1H Dagger, Bow, 2H Sword, Polearm, Sling, Staff, Unarmed Throwing, Influence +15%, Perception +5%, Resilience +10% Lore Dodge, Driving, (Animal), Lore (Plant), Riding 1H 1H Hammer, Axe, 1H 2H Sword, Axe, 2H Sword, Polearm, Dagger, Bow, Throwing, Sling, Staff, Unarmed Happa, Dragon Pass, Ormsland, Slontos, Teleos Happa, Dragon Pass, Kralorela, Ormsland Dara Happa, Dragon Pass, Ormsland

* Animal Trainers must choose the species: Demi-Birds, Dinosaurs or Herd Beasts such as cattle. Beasts such or Herd Dinosaurs the species: Demi-Birds, must choose Trainers Animal * Background RegionsSundered Basic Skill Bonuses Dara Traditionalist Dara Wyrmfriend

Dragonewt Professions Dragonewt professions do not differ greatly from their non-dragonewt counterparts in terms of the skills available. Animal Trainers always specialise in either Demi-Birds, Dinosaurs or Herd Beasts, and Priests are always priests of a particular dragonewt cult, but not an EWF cult.

Profession Basic Skill Bonuses Advanced Skills Animal Trainer Driving +5%, First Aid +5%, Lore (Specific Animal) +20%, Persistence +10%, Resilience +5%, Riding +5% Bard Influence +10%, Lore (World) +10%, Perception +5%, Sing Pick One +10%, Sleight +5% Dance, Play Instrument, Language, Lore Courtier Influence +15%, Lore (World) +5%, Perception +5%, Sleight Dance +5% Pick One Courtesy, Lore (Draconic Etiquette), Lore (Dragonewt Philosophy), Lore (Regional), Play Instrument Craftsman Evaluate +20%, Influence +5%, Persistence +5% Craft (Bone, Obsidian, Stone or Wood)

Pick One Craft (other), Engineering, Mechanisms Diplomat Inﬂuence +20%, Lore (World) +10%, Perception +10% Pick One Dance, Language, Lore, Play Dragonewts In The World Instrument Explorer Lore (World) +20%, Perception +5%, Resilience +5% Pick Two Language, Lore (Regional), Lore (Geography), Survival, Tracking Herdsman First Aid +5%, Lore (Animal) +20%, Resilience +5%, Sling Survival +10% Hunter Bow +5%, Lore (Animal) +10%, Spear +5%, Stealth +10% Survival, Tracking Mercenary Lore (World) +10%

Pick Two 1H Axe +15%, 1H Flail +15%, 1H Hammer +15%, 1H Sword +15%, 2H Axe +15%, 2H Flail +15%, 2H Hammer +15%, 2H Sword +15%, Bow +15%, Crossbow +15%, Polearm +15%, Shield +15%

Pick Two Athletics +5%, Dagger +5%, Dodge +5%, Driving +5%, Evaluate +5%, Resilience +5%, Riding +5%, Unarmed +5% Merchant Evaluate +20%, Inﬂuence +10%, Lore (World) +10% Pick One Courtesy, Language (Trade Talk), Lore (Commerce), Miner 1H Hammer +10%, 2H Hammer +10%, Athletics +10%, Lore (Mineral) Resilience +10%

Dragonewts In The World 65 * Pick Two Advanced Skills Advanced Healing Engineering, Healing, Language, Engineering, Healing, Lore (other), Mechanisms For example, dragonewt with a Right Eye Action commanded skill by of Golden a 41%. Beaked It dragonewt is to because kill Laughter a the deer Beaked challenges is dragonewt Eye is a Golden and Docility hungry. traits pairing, Crested Laughter’s so a This Right Action Stubbornness test success, is a 40, a is test Laughter’s Golden Eye needed. and thus indicating that whatever it does, it will Right be Action and able justiﬁ as dragonewt such. dutifully loads The its sling Crested and takes aim at the beautiful stag it has been contemplating for the hours. last three Later, Eye Golden Laughter been has that is broo a attack to commanded dragonewt Beaked same by the seen lurking in the woods near Contemplative Rest. This challenges Eye Golden Laughter’s Bravery and Cowardice traits and calls for another Right Action test. This time the dice roll is a 66 – Golden the Cowardice, Laughter’s second of the trait a failure. Eye pairing, prevails and instead of attacking the broo, the Crested dragonewt skulks in the bushes, hoping Golden Eye depart. and bored grow will beastman the Action. Wrong Laughter has just committed Action occurs, Action Right the skill Whenever Right Action Right the If point. 1 by automatically increases must act in a manner reﬂected Pick Three 1H Axe +10%, 1H Flail +10%, 1H Hammer +10%, 1H Sword +10%, 1H Flail +10%, 1H Hammer +10%, 1H Sword Axe 1H +10%, 2H Flail +10%, 2H Hammer +10%, 2H Axe +10%, 2H +10%, +10%, Crossbow Athletics +10%, Bow +10%, Sword +10%, Polearm +10%, Riding +10%, Dagger +10%, Driving Shield +10%, Sling +10%, Spear +10% +5% +5% of the Personality Traits. If the Traits. either of the Personality

test fails, then Action instinct has Wrong and prevailed occurs. The dragonewt First, whenever a dragonewt needs to make a crucial decision, it always struggles with choice. conscious by than rather the instinct by act to desire overwhelming dragonewt the well how measures skill Action Right The can master its A Action instincts. Right test is required a whenever is dragonewt faced with making a decision one of that the involves pair of listed Personality Traits for its stage on page 8 in the Essence of Dragonewts chapter and summarised below. If the test has acted with consideration and control the dragonewt succeeds, and thus performed Right Action. It may act in a way determined by Right Action (10+INT-POW) ways. different This skill is used in two Traits. by the second of the paired Personality Dragonewts Dragonewts have two new Basic skills: Right Action peculiarities inherent the reﬂect skills Both Utuma. and fundamental is skill Action Right the and dragonewts of cycle. to progression through the draconic life *Choose any rune available to Crested dragonewts from the table on page 85. Runecasting themselves. Rune Magic do not practice Noble dragonewts is dragonewts. it to Crested purposes of teaching learned for the New Basic Skills for Soldier +5%, Resilience +5%, Unarmed (World) Dodge +5%, Lore Scholar +5%, Persistence +10% +5%, Lore (World) Evaluate Lore Profession Basic Skill Bonuses PhysicianPriestAid +20%, Lore (Plant) +10%, Perception First +5%, Evaluate +5%, Persistence +10% Inﬂuence +15%, Lore (World) Lore (Theology), Runecasting

test was a critical success, it increases by 2 points. Action only ever increases by 1 point when advanced Every time the skill test fails (i.e. Wrong Action in this way. occurs), the Right Action skill decreases by 1 point. If the test was a fumble, then it decreases by 2 points. However, Right Action also improves automatically as the dragonewt improves in other key skills as The second use for the Right Action skill is as a summarised in the table below. Right Action improves measure of how close to reincarnation to the next stage by 1 point every time one of the skills corresponding the dragonewt is. When the Right Action skill reaches to its stage of development is improved. 100% or more, the dragonewt is ready for rebirth as the next, higher stage. The rebirth is not automatic; and it occurs only when the dragonewt dies honourably Dragonewt Right Action Improvement Table – either as a result of combat or an utuma commanded Stage Skills by a higher stage that has recognised the dragonewt’s Crested All Runecasting skills maturity. If the dragonewt dies or commits utuma Beaked All Combat skills, Dodge, Ride (and the utuma is found to be Right Action through Noble All Language and Lore Skills a successful test) before its Right Action skill reaches 100%, it is reborn in the same stage, but with additional skill points as noted in the Free Skill Points section on page 67 of this chapter.

If the dragonewt dies dishonourably, or its Utuma skill test Personality Traits Summary has failed (see the Utuma skill below), then the dragonewt reincarnates as the same stage, but with all skills and Crested Dragonewts abilities reduced to the initial values for that stage. Aggression and Passivity Bravery and Cowardice Dragonewts In The World For example, after many years and many trials, Eye Energy and Laziness Golden Laughter’s Right Action skill has reached Stubbornness and Docility 102%. It knows it is ready for rebirth as a Beaked Dependability and Unreliability dragonewt. One of the Noble dragonewts has been watching Eye Golden Laughter and senses the Beaked Dragonewts dragonewt is ready. It commands Eye Golden Laughter Curiosity and Apathy to perform the sacred meditation and then commit Leader and Follower utuma, permitting the transformation into a Beaked Impulsive and Cautious dragonewt. Eye Golden Laughter takes itself into the Calm and Nervous wilds of Dragon Pass, offers prayers to The Wondrous Trusting and Suspicious Mother of Many, and uses its Utuma skill successfully. Eye Golden Laughter enters the Void of the egg birth Noble Dragonewts and, after a short while, rehatches in Contemplative Honour and Dishonour Rest as a fully ﬂ edged Beaked dragonewt. Generosity and Greed Patience and Impatience Had its Utuma roll failed, Eye Golden Laughter would Extrovert and Introvert have been reborn as a Crested dragonewt, for clearly it still has things to learn in this stage. And, had the Ruler Dragonewts Utuma test been a fumble, Eye Golden Laughter Clever and Dull would be reborn as a basic Crested dragonewt, forced Innovation and Conservatism to repeat this stage from humble beginnings. Optimism and Pessimism Construction and Destruction The Right Action skill can be improved like any other RuneQuest skill using improvement rolls as described on page 94 of the RuneQuest rules. However Right 66

Dragonewts In The World 67 which is added to the 100 base free skill points to give to points skill free base 100 the to added is which in total. skill points 170 free Rulers and Inhuman Kings skill free the determine to necessary prove should it If skill free the consider stages, these of either for points points available to be 500 x1D4 for Rulers and 1000 x1D4 for Inhuman Kings. Names Dragonewt names are always describe esoteric. the dragonewt’s appearance, its They personality, may its philosophical viewpoint, be are dragonewts completely Crested its All unconnected all. at character with experiences, dragonewt’s anything or in the named by a Noble, who has been responsibility given for the task, name and feel they choose they whatever best represents that particular dragonewt. Beaked dragonewts may either keep name or choose a their new one of their own devising; the Crested responsibility for the task. any Nobles do not take Beaked Dragonewts All Beaked dragonewts begin with points, plus 10 additional skill points for each Beaked 200 free skill reincarnation. Roll 1D10 to times determine the dragonewt how has been many reborn in the Beaked stage and then multiply the result by 10 to determine are available. free skill points many how For example: dragonewt. The 1D10 roll results Black in a 6 six indicating previous Beaked Faraway incarnations. Multiplying 6 by 10 gives 60 which Klanthis added to the 200 base free skill skill points in total. points to give 260 free is a Beaked Noble Dragonewts Nobles Roll reincarnation. begin Noble each with for points 300 skill additional free skill points, plus 1D6 to determine the number of Noble reincarnations 10 and multiply the result by 10 to determine how many free skill points are available. For example: dragonewt. Singer The 1D6 roll gives of a 4, Sh’kaharzeel indicating previous incarnations as four a Noble, and thus 40 points to Songsbe added to the Noble free skill base, for is340 free a Nobleskill points.

Forexample: Spectral The 2D6 results in roll a 7, indicating seven previous Receiver Crested incarnations. is Multiplying a 7 Crested by 10 gives 70 dragonewt. Crested Dragonewts All Crested dragonewts begin Crested each with for points skill additional 10 plus points, 100 free skill times many how determine to 2D6 Roll reincarnation. the dragonewt has been reborn in the Crested stage and then multiply the result by 10 to determine how free skill points are available. many

When allocating free skill points, dragonewts are not restricted to the usual limits placed upon increasing existing skills and buying new ones. Free Skill Points characters dragonewt to available points skill free The depend on the lifecycle stage incarnations and experienced the number within of those of the stages that before. Whilst it is possible for stage, a within reincarnations inﬁnite experience to dragonewt plus the same stage, for practical purposes the number of a dice roll. incarnations is determined by previous If the test is fumbled then the dragonewt has incarnation failed current to its relive must and honour its redeem again. All skills are returned to their initial values and the dragonewt character must fulﬁl precisely the same again. criteria before it can be reborn advancement Utuma is used as a skill to commit ritual suicide using suicide ritual commit to skill a as used is Utuma either the utuma weapon A or successful test a against the dragonbone skill indicates blade. that dragonewt the has killed itself effectively and destroyed all vital parts, including its skin, so that no part of its the test body can be used for tainted purposes. Failing indicates death but not the destruction of the vitals, meaning that the skin (and other organs) can be used section the in described as death, dragonewt’s the after on utuma on page 69 of this chapter. Utuma (CON+POW) Utuma Utuma is considered a Basic skill for dragonewts as it is part of their personalities, channelled from will the of the Grand Ancestral Dragon. For species, wyrmfriends any for instance, it is other considered an skill. Advanced

Nobles never retain their previous, Beaked stage general welcoming ceremony for attaining this stage, name and always decide upon a new title that sounds along with a ﬂint or obsidian-headed spear. more draconic or reﬂects their depth of experience of maturity. Harsh, reptilian sounds with plenty of Gami: A gami is a three-pronged swordcatcher made consonants and sibilants are common, but the Noble of dragonbone, exceptionally effective at parrying. may opt for a softer sound if engaging in interaction A gami doubles its AP for parrying purposes. Again, with non-dragonewt species, or use a human translation the gami is presented to all newly hatched Beaked for ease of pronunciation. dragonewts as a sign of their new status.

Ruler dragonewts typically retain their Noble name or Utuma: This weapon is the dragonewt version of a opt for something fully draconic, in readiness for their shortsword. Usually, it is a reinforced flint blade, but next transformation. Inhuman Kings always select a a very rare utuma is made from dragon bone. These new, draconic name which they reveal to no one else. have an AP/HP of 8/12. All dragonewt stages use an utuma, both for defence and the ritual suicide of the The key with selecting a dragonewt name is to be same name. imaginative and strange: there are no real rules. This book has many examples of bizarre dragonewt and Chokin and Samarin: These are small throwing draconic names to act as inspiration. weapons made either of flint or obsidian, which can impale. The dragonewt may throw up to three chokin or four samarin at the same time during a single Combat Dragonewt Weapons Action. The dragonewt may not mix the two weapons Just as dragonewts themselves are exotic and difficult in a single throw – for example, he may not throw two to understand, so too are the weapons and tools the race chokin and one samarin. For each additional weapon employs. Dragonewts do not refine and forge metal, thrown at one time, the dragonewt must subtract 10% so all implements must be formed of bone, stone or from the chance to hit for all weapons thrown. Dragonewts In The World wood. Shields are not used in dragonewt culture (with the exception of the Qua, which is more weapon than For example, if a dragonewt with a Throwing skill of shield), though a barbarian dragonewt may certainly 50% throws one samarin, its chance to hit is 50%. If use one if it wishes. it throws two at one, the chance to hit falls to 30% for each. If it throws three, it has a 20% chance for any of Klanth: A klanth is a weapon constructed of flint them to hit, and if it attempts to throw four, its chance blades set into a wooden haft. A few rare klanths are to hit is only 10%. constructed of dragon bone rather than wood and have AP/HP of 8/18. A ritual klanth is always presented to Long Bow: This is a large bow made of bone and a newly incarnated Beaked dragonewt as part of the strung with pteranodon tendon. It is used strictly by Beaked dragonewts.

Dragonewt Close Combat Weapons Close Combat Weapons Skill Damage Dice STR/DEX ENC AP/HP Cost Klanth 1H Sword 1D6 9/9 2 4/12 200 SP Gami 1H Sword 1D6+3 11/9 2 8/12 300 SP Utuma 1H Sword 1D6 5/7 1 3/8 225 SP Dragonewt Ranged Weapons Ranged Weapons Skill Damage Dice Range Load STR/DEX ENC AP/HP Cost Chokin Throwing 1D4+1 20m – –/9 1 1/1 50 SP Samarin Throwing 1D6 20m – –/9 1 1/2 35 SP Long Bow Bow 2D10 200m 1 15/13 2 2/8 500 SP

Dragonewts In The World 69 and may be increased

Reincarnation has process the and times many reborn are Dragonewts reincarnates, dragonewt the time Every limit. upper no it is reborn in the city or nest where its birth of where it dies. stored, irrespective egg is its stage, new a as reincarnates character dragonewt a When Characteristics the to according rerolled are Characteristics appropriately. recalculated are Abilities all and stage that for the in discussed Effects Dragonewt the as such magic, New Magic Dragonewt chapter are determined and, in the case Runecasting skills are forgotten. of Crested dragonewts, Most skills revert to their skills can be improved The dragonewt’s Action. Right initial values, including using the new some skills However, described earlier in this chapter. Free Skill Points remain base at their value previous as valueusing the Free Skill Points. These skills are Draconic (Auld Language skills Lore Draconic all Illumination, Wyrmish) and Utuma Hero Points accrued during the previous retained, stage but any are Legendary Abilities are lost. The Utuma is never undertaken lightly by any dragonewt. There There dragonewt. any by lightly undertaken never is Utuma is no guarantee that the following reincarnation will offer advancement on the draconic path and so the decision to commit it must be absolutely or unequivocal, it requires a and contemplation beforehand. great deal of meditation The utuma ritual is never conducted undergo to seclusion quiet of in place a find will dragonewt public. beforehand. Every intentions its indicate to unlikely is and act the quick a requires and silence in conducted is itself act The slicing of the Death belly follows with the utuma sword. to continues dragonewt the which during minutes within will hold. reincarnation next meditate on what the Clearly barbarian and sundered dragonewts face a stark choice: utuma for them there is means no path to reincarnation. In final such circumstances death, because the attracted. dragonewt dishonour is or only incurred likely been to has consider debt utuma considerable where Where the actions of a barbarian or sundered dragonewt benefit other dragonewts some small consolation might Crested new, a as reincarnating dragonewt the in found be always and small very is chance this although dragonewt, discretion. at the Games Master’s

A dragonewt’s Sling: A sling dragonewt’s is essentially identical to any human of made often is pouch the that save sling, other of weapon missile main the also is It skin. dragonewt or and is shunned by higher stages. Crested dragonewts

Utuma The act of utuma is that of ritual shortsword of the suicide same name. using Utuma is invited the for a variety of reasons: either because self-sacrificecurrent body of is the Right Action; a particularly or way; other any in rectified be cannot Action serious Wrong because a particular ritual demands utuma to enable stage of existence. progression to the next The Action Right for any dragonewt who has its hide taken is This revenge. restores the natural rhythms of the lifecycle and punishes the offender. Dragonewts, particularly Beaked stages, will go to extraordinary lengths to track down and punish those responsible for desecrating the flesh of the previous body. Upon reincarnation the dragonewt automatically knows the identity of the defiler Action and to is bound by Right seek-out and punish the The wrong-doer. punishment ritual is always the consumption the and Plinth same: Dragonewt a at perpetrator the flaying alive of the (if a Beaked dragonewt) of the What skin. happens to concern. the flayed perpetrator is not the dragonewt’s Any Any dragonewt that has its skin flayed from the body finds its reincarnation progress to cycle the next stage in its cycle, and when even disrupted. It reincarnating cannot into the same is increased by 1D6 days. in the egg regenerating stage, the time spent The hide of a dragonewt is highly prized in some quarters quarters some in prized highly is dragonewt a of hide The mercenaries Unscrupulous flexibility. and lightness its for their for solely dragonewts live hunt to known been have turn who craftsmen skilled to taken then are which skins the skin into light, flexible, unrestrictive armour. This it for is dreadful might armourers, but for be good news shed or died willingly have who those even dragonewts, a body naturally and are about to reincarnate. Dragonewt Dragonewt hide offers Beaked location; natural hit per 1AP gain dragonewts Crested armour protection: 3AP and Rulers gain 9AP. gain 6AP; Nobles gain Dragonewt Hide Dragonewt

dragonewt remembers its previous incarnations Reincarnating as a Ruler Dragonewt perfectly, and all events associated with them, although When a dragonewt reincarnates at the Ruler stage, its physical appearance will now have changed beyond options for adventuring become very limited. Rulers all previous recognition and so will its personality. The spend most of their time in deep contemplation, new stage measures Right Action progression against HeroQuesting and FutureQuesting; they are close the new set of Personality Traits summarised in the to True Dragonhood and are, for all intents and text box on page 66 of this chapter. purposes, beyond the mundane world. At this point it is probably wise for the dragonewt Player Character to The dragonewt must also select a new Profession retire unless, of course, the Games Master intends to relevant to its stage: the Games Master may decide continue the campaign at an advanced level involving what the new profession will be, or it can be the Player detailed HeroQuests and FutureQuests. Character’s choice. The dragonewt character can also join a new cult if it so wishes.

How to Play a Dragonewt A View everything as though it has mystic signiﬁcance: a leaf is falling because the Cosmic Dragon has willed it; a raindrop is a tear from slain Sh’kaharzeel’s eyes; a roll of thunder is Orxili’s limbs attempting to reassemble. Once the mystic signiﬁcance of something has been established, it must be contemplated. Do so now.

A Deny no experience. If it is on offer and it would not incur debt or dishonour: do it. But do it only after determining it is Right Action. This means meditating on the choice and seeking the views of a higher stage or someone in authority. But dragonewts do not balk at things that might otherwise turn human stomachs, as long as there is no debt to be incurred. Dragonewts In The World

A The slightest kindness incurs debt. Debts between dragonewts are easily repaid, but debts between other species must be repaid in kind and promptly. Find something unique and unusual that will repay whatever debt you believe has been incurred. It might be a body part. It might be a cup of your own tears. It might be your life. What you offer in return should cancel the debt completely.

A Struggle against instinct constantly. Everything that happens to you is likely to challenge your Personality Traits so struggle with choices and always strive for Right Action. Instinct must be controlled. Wrestle with that every day, ﬁnding challenge in everything.

A Speak cryptically. You view the world in mythical terms and as you progress you will learn more secrets that humans can never know. Drop dark hints about the future. Mangle facts about the past. Speak of the future as though it had happened and the past as though it will. Be deliberately vague on detail but crystal clear on generalities.

A Do the opposite of what is expected. If companions use a bridge to cross a river, you should swim across it. If they run from a ﬁght, you should run towards it.

A Spend long periods contemplating the universe. Speak to no one. Refuse to move. Remain motionless. Only when you are ready, having contemplated Right Action, should you break the meditation.

A Think and do strange, stream of consciousness things all the time. Be and act bizarrely. Never be predictable. Ever.

Dragonewt Cults 71 , but but , Glorantha of Magic Joining EWF Cults can join Dragonewts of any the draconic cults of in described as EWF, the sundered Only them. in progress to forbidden are dragonewts can join and attain ranking status as wyrmfriends. Cult membership is mandatory for every dragonewt. Those who refuse it are sundered and from the become colony barbarians. The same cult is member true who for does not any uphold significance of the cult. the beliefs and philosophical more far are then, Cults Dragon True The in nature than the dragon members cults learn of the the myths EWF. and Cult Dragons to powers equip them for the day of when they will be the True reborn in the same image. Certain cult-specific skills are taught; in particular, the True which Dragon codify Dances, a variety and rhythm. ritualised movement of mystical elements into Cult Descriptions considered always are dragonewts Beaked and Crested to be rank and file members of the to cult, equivalent initiates. Noble dragonewts are and conduct the all cult the priests training and of worship the cult. functions Rulers are the equivalent of Rune Lords as they actively engage in draconic HeroQuests and with directly commune Kings Inhuman FutureQuests. the Cosmic Dragon and the True Dragons; they are outside the cult process. effectively as follows: The cult descriptions are organised Name: each cult is venerated. named for the True Dragon

DRAGONEWT CULTS DRAGONEWT For all stages of dragonewt, are includingformed around Rulers,the True Dragons cultswho still sleep in Glorantha or, like the Golden Sun Dragon of Dara Happa, have reassumed a confers tangible little magic, for that is form. mystically hard-wired Worship various the of form the in development dragonewt into dragonewt effects, as explained in Magic chapter. the A Dragonewt few rune spells Crested dragonewts, are who available must, as to part of are born knowing. learn dominance of the runes they Orxilius, Dragonewts Dragonewts perform Dragon Cosmic ancestor the are gods worship. to correspond that The beings only and the Grand Ancestral Dragon, neither of which being the by rank and ﬁle dragonewts, are venerated sole prerogative of the Inhuman Kings. And, even than communication direct of form a more is it then, indirect worship. The only exceptions to joining human cults are Tailed The to only joining exceptions human Tailed cults are Priests who do so in order to understand and enable communication with other species. Human draconic cults are but favoured there are instances in Ralios of Tailed Priests joining to do so. is expedient Malkioni cults simply because it The cults described here are exclusively dragonewt. Humans cannot join closer a perhaps, and, save, so, doing from even beneﬁt no derive if they did, would insight into dragonewt behaviour and As motivation. a rule dragonewts do not join human cults, for that is that colonies dragonewt those although them, to hurtful are outside the draconic lifecycle can, and sometimes human gods. do, choose to worship Dragonewts do not offer worship in the same way as way same the in worship offer not do Dragonewts their from aid direct or gifts no receive They humans. gods because True Dragons have little or no reason to interact with the dragonewts mundane Yet plane. still worship and venerate the Cosmic Dragon, the Grand Ancestral Dragon and the True Dragons. In doing so they hope to gain Action insight into Right and gain smoother, faster progression to their next stage of existence.

Description: what the cult believes and signiﬁes.

Members: the stages of dragonewt that can be members of the cult.

Skills: the cult skills taught to its members. For RuneQuest game purposes any Player Character dragonewt must always spend one of its improvement rolls on a cult skill. Cult members also gain an automatic +10% to the base value of all the cult skills upon joining, as part of the initiation rite.

True Dragon Dance: the dances taught to the dragonewt and the game effects these confer. True Dragon Dances are treated as advanced skills, always with a base value of the dragonewt’s DEX+POW.

Rune Magic: the rune spells available to Crested dragonewts only. Crested dragonewts cannot learn rune spells unsupported by their cult.

Dragonewt Cults Adamantine Truth Redoubtful Also known as the Diamond Storm dragon, Adamantine Lodril and as a way of maintaining the spinning of the Truth Redoubtful is a guardian of the depths of the World Machine. Despite being a creative and guardian world where it keeps the things of Hell from spilling dragon, Adamantine Truth Redoubtful is thought out and the Oozing Chaos at bay. Adamantine Truth to be amongst the least even tempered and, if ever Redoubtful taught Mostal, and so the cult teaches summoned away from its underground caverns, will the Mostali doctrines of the World Machine, but react with a fury and viciousness beyond even that of postulates that Adamantine Truth Redoubtful is the Sh’kaharzeel. Adamantine Truth Redoubtful dislikes central hub of the Great Wheel, placed there by the anything that interrupts the status quo and the balance Grand Ancestral Dragon to maintain the spin started of the World Machine. The priests of Adamantine by the Cosmic Dragon when it spun the Cosmic Egg Truth Redoubtful have even begun whispering that for the ﬁrst time. the Great Dragon to Be of the EWF poses a threat the World Machine and would be opposed by Adamantine Adamantine Truth Redoubtful’s gift to the world is all Truth Redoubtful directly. stone, but obsidian in particular, which Adamantine Truth Redoubtful creates through his ﬁery breath in his deep caverns and then scatters to the surface, Members where it can be found by dragonewts, with swishes All dragonewt stages. of its great tail. Adamantine Truth Redoubtful is thus worshipped wherever obsidian is mined, especially in High Wyrm in Dragon Pass, where obsidian is known Skills as Black Diamond. Basic Skills Dragonewts believe Adamantine Truth Redoubtful Athletics, Evaluate, Lore (World) fuels the volcanoes of Caladraland as a favour to 72

Dragonewt Cults 73 When all the gods had listened, Arangorf slept; this he when Orlanth to speak and go to Drolgard allowed finally called upon her to learn the dragon language. He had slain Sh’kaharzeel and Aroka but now knew he had to make peace with their tongue. the Drolgard explained dragons to Orlanth and what he learn had to do when Arangorf awoke and warned him not to fight, because Arangorf would test him. agreed, because he wanted peace, Arangorf and when Orlanth came and destroyed his stead, eating everything, and Orlanth drinking did not become angry and learned through listening and dance. the dragon language Through this action humans could learn the dragon tongue if they were prepared to split their minds and tongues, which most do not want to do. Obduran the Flyer was the first, taught by Arangorf and Drolgard, and then enlightenment others brought followed. to of fight. Orlanth chose to listen and dance instead humans Thus -- was all draconic because The Arangorf cult thus of focuses on communication. Its belief is that Auld Wyrmish notice the to them brings and creature every in dragon awakens the inner The

Arangorf and Drolgard undertook the Grand of Quest and Talking Listening where they visited the gods and tried to teach them who gods, the new some and listened gods dragon uz the listened, language. Yelm do not exist now, listened also. But not Orlanth listen, and would stoppered his ears with storm clouds, which saddened Drolgard for she regarded Orlanth as a brother. Arangorf was the draconic husband of Drolgard, who was a companion of the storm god Orlanth. Drolgard wasthe only god to learn the dragon language and she learnt it from Arangorf. The two became lovers but could not beget children, which saddened Drolgard but did not sadden Arangorf because eggs he with couldthe Wondrous makeMother of Many and did frequently. so Listener Arangorf Talker Arangorf Talker Rune Magic The cult of Adamantine Truth Redoubtful teaches all Earth. Rune spells associated with the Rune of True Dragon Dances True Dragon teaches Redoubtful Truth Adamantine of cult The Stone Dance, a very slow, formal, almost ponderous the in motions scraping and footfalls heavy with dance air. It recalls Adamantine Truth Redoubtful revealing creation the and Mostal to earth under the of secrets the of Adamantine Truth Redoubtful’s great chambers. The dance channels Adamantine Truth Redoubtful’s own knowledge of the World Machine.performing The Successfully Stone Dance allows the dragonewt to determine the precise composition, thickness and nature of the ground underfoot. The dancer can tell if there are caverns beneath, a water table, and even burrowing creatures. Advanced Skills Advanced Craft (Obsidian), Craft Mysticism, (Stoneworking), Engineering, Draconic Lore Theology) (Mostali Theology), Lore Redoubtful (Adamantine Truth

of the Cosmic Dragon. Auld Wyrmish has no written The Dance of Learning: a simple dance involving form but can be spoken and danced, so that is what the chants and a zigzag movement of the feet mirrored by cult of Arangorf teaches: the Three Dances. identical hand movements. The dance recalls the way Drolgard learned the draconic tongue from Arangorf. A successful dance provides a bonus to any non- Members combat skill of the dragonewt’s choosing. The skill to Noble dragonewts. As the only stage participating in be augmented must be specified in advance. communication with other species, the cult is closed to Crested and Beaked dragonewts. The Dance of Listening: a solemn dance that involves pressing the ears to the ground and a series of squat-thrusts that recall how Arangorf had to strain Skills to understand Drolgard’s first attempts to speak the draconic language. A successful dance provides a Basic Skills bonus to the Perception skill for the purposes of Evaluate, Influence, Lore (World) listening, or a bonus to any non-draconic Language skill for the purposes of understanding it. The skill to be augmented must be specified in advance. Advanced Skills Draconic Mysticism, Language (Auld Wyrmish), The Dance of Talking: a lively dance of capering, high- Language (Specific Human Tongue), Lore (Arangorf kneed movements in an ever tighter spiral. It recalls Theology), Lore (Draconic Theology), Teach Auld the way Arangorf had to concentrate on teaching Auld Wyrmish Wyrmish to Orlanth. A successful dance provides a

Dragonewt Cults bonus to the Teach Auld Wyrmish skill. New Advanced Skill: Teach Auld Wyrmish (INT) Rune Magic The dragonewt can teach Auld Wyrmish to dragonewts The cult teaches all spells associated with the Runes of and other species. For every 10 points of the Communication, Man and Mastery. dragonewt’s Teach Auld Wyrmish skill, the student gains 1D6 points of Language (Auld Wyrmish). The student must study with the dragonewt for 6 weeks for Aroka every 1D6 points learned. The student must also be prepared to split both mind and tongue to truly learn Also known as the Imperial Fountain of Peace, Aroka the language. This is accomplished by sacrificing 1 is a water dragon who inhabits the seas and rivers of point of the POW Characteristic in the form of the Glorantha, controlling their currents and tides. Aroka Splitting Ritual. Splitting mind and tongue means the was slain by Orlanth when the storm god was on his student can become fluent in Auld Wyrmish. If the dragon-killing frenzy, and its skeleton placed in the student does not undergo the splitting, he can never sky where it forms the stars known as Orlanth’s ring. learn more than 25% in the language. But Aroka’s spirit was not vanquished and it still controls the waters of the world in defiance of Orlanth’s True Dragon Dances actions. In Kralorela the dragonewts do not believe The cult teaches three separate dances: The Dance Aroka was killed at all and that it created a dream of Learning, the Dance of Listening and the Dance dragon -- which is what Orlanth slew. There may or of Talking. Performing a dance correctly takes one may not be truth to this myth, but Aroka is venerated minute and confers a bonus to a particular skill. across Kralorela, particularly in Fanzai, where it is The bonus is +40 for a critical success and +20 for deemed the keeper of the waters of life. a standard success. Failure results in no bonus and a fumble reduces the skill by -20. The cult teaches the importance of water, which is a source for all life, and was created as the first cut of 74

Dragonewt Cults 75 the world. His place is to guard the goddess Asrelia, whom he saved from death and now in protects the deep halls of Dame harm. of fear without surface the to gifts her distribute Darkness where Asrelia can As brother to Adamantine believed Earth Truth Dragon shares the same secrets Redoubtful of the it is and rise-up underground would with his brother if the world was threatened. The Earth Dragon cult is where it is present, it seems to appeal but dragonewts, not widespread amongst mostly to Beaked dragonewts who are drawn to a as the Dragon Earth see and protection draconic of ideas Members repaid. debts and integrity honour, of symbol of the cult quite frequently go out of their way to ﬁnd person that whether – protect to something or someone whom of choice The not. or protection requires thing or or what to guard is completely arbitrary largely and on how the based dragonewt feels. Once protection is decided upon, the Earth Dragon cultist is prepared its life in pursuit of its protection. to lay down Members some Nobles. dragonewts, Beaked Skills Basic Skills Dodge, Throwing, Unarmed, 1H Shield (Qua)* Sword (klanth), 82 page Guide to Glorantha, *See Players Advanced Skills Tracking, Survival, Arts, Martial Mysticism, Draconic Theology) Lore (Earth Dragon True Dragon Dances The Comforting Embrace. This dance partner requires and it is usually the object of a the dragonewt’s indeed, move; to need not does partner The protection. it is safer not to. The dragonewt performs a whirling, twisting dance, often with drawn klanth, around binds that the Protection of Circle the establishing partner, the Earth Dragon to Asrelia and dance. Successfully is performing the dance establishes recalled in the Dance of the Eternal

which recalls the ﬁrst utuma of the Grand

Way Earth Dragon is Redoubtful, but plays no part in brother the guardianship of to Adamantine Truth The Earth Dragon Rune Magic The cult teaches all Rune spells related to the Rune Water. of Fountain Ancestral Dragon and describes how the Glorantha waters came of into being. The dance is a complex mixture of juggling and deft footwork bowls around of water four that cannot be touched or allowed to spill. When the dance is completed successfully, the dragonewt channels the power of Aroka through its own being, and is able to both breathe underwater andswim perfectly, for a number of rounds equal to Characteristic. POW its True Dragon Dances The cult of Aroka teaches the Draconic Mysticism, Lore (Aroka Theology), Lore Theology), Lore (Water) (Draconic Advanced Skills Basic Skills Persistence, Stealth Evaluate, Skills Members stages. All dragonewt the Grand Ancestral Dragon’s ﬁrst utuma. Water is thus sacred to the cult, and it features in every ritual and dance. It is considered the blood ensuring custodian, its is Aroka and Dragon Ancestral of the Grand that Orxili and the Oozing Chaos cannot pollute the world.TheAroka cult ofis thus one of purity in mind, body and spirit, focused on maintaining a path of pure being. draconic

a psychic bond between protector and protected; the Despite the somewhat xenophobic nature of the cult, dragonewt immediately senses any threats about to the Empire of Wisdom is not opposed to the EWF Great be made against the object of protection, whether the Dragon Project. It is believed that the Great Dragon to threats are mere thoughts or actual, physical deeds. Be is entirely possible and is the physical and spiritual manifestation of the Inner Dragon. Thus, in limited ways the Empire of Wisdom supports the work of the Rune Magic EWF and considers it part of the true draconic path. None taught. Members Empire of Wisdom All dragonewt stages. The cult primarily appeals to Crested and Noble dragonewts. The cult of the Empire of Wisdom worships the Inner Dragon, sometimes thought to be Arangorf, whom all dragonewts must learn to trust and become One Skills with if they are to attain True Dragonhood. This is accomplished through mastery of the Six Treasures: Basic Skills mastery of actions; restraint of passion; discontinuance Lore (World), Perception, Sing of appointed works; indifference to heat and cold, light and dark, success and failure and all other pairs of opposites; concentration of the mind; and faith in the Advanced Skills teachings of the Cosmic Dragon. The Six Treasures Draconic Mysticism, Craft (Dragon bone), Dance,

Dragonewt Cults are accomplished through dedication to the cult of Language (Auld Wyrmish), Lore (Draconic Theology), the Empire of Wisdom, bringing new members to its Lore (Draconic Wisdom) ranks, personal dedication and continual Right Action, and the rejection of all interactions with those who do not embrace draconic ideals. True Dragon Dances Each stage learns its own dance. Crested dragonewts The cult is opposed to all non-draconic materialism, learn The Six Enlightened Steps; Beaked dragonewts which restrains wisdom, is a product of Time, and learn The Six Enlightened Cuts, and Noble is a manifestation of Orxili. Only things made by dragonewts learn The Six Enlightened Words. Each dragonewts – and more importantly, dragonewts dance is meant to offer insight into the Inner Dragon within the Empire of Wisdom – can be safely handled and take from that insight the wisdom that comes and have any true worth. Cult members are forbidden with True Dragonhood. to accept any gifts or hospitality from non-dragonewts. It is a widespread cult, especially in Ormsland, where Performing a dance correctly takes one minute and traditional dragonewt practices are still very much in confers a bonus to a particular skill. The bonus is +40 evidence despite the presence of the EWF. for a critical success and +20 for a standard success. Failure results in no bonus and a fumble reduces the The Inner Dragon’s identity is a source of constant skill by -20. debate. Some claim it is Arangorf, as postulated by Obduran the Flyer in his various meditations on the The Six Enlightened Steps. A slow, revolving dance Orlanth Dragonfriend Revelation. Others believe that of six steps in either direction, then repeated in reverse; the Inner Dragon is the spirit of the Grand Ancestral this recalls the dismemberment of Orxili and the Dragon, which was committed to the Inside of the creation of the world. A successful dance augments Cosmic Egg after the ﬁrst utuma and keeps Orxili the Right Action Skill. and Oozing Chaos at bay through the teachings and revelations of the Empire of Wisdom.

Dragonewt Cults 77 Sun Rise and Setting dance, Members human dragonewts, sundered dragonewt, of stages All converts. Skills Basic Skills Influence, Sleight Evaluate, Advanced Skills Courtesy, Draconic Mysticism, Dance, Lore (Golden Sun Dragon Theology), Lore Theology), (Yelm Play Instrument (Harp) True Dragon Dances The cult teaches the Yelm the which Golden recalls Sun how Dragon drew back into the sky when he was returned from Hell by the Lightbringers. The dance is solemn and consists of slow, ponderous steps while carrying brand. Successfully a completing blazing the dance increases the Influence or Courtesy skills by +40 for a critical results Failure success. standard a for +20 and success in no bonus and a fumble reduces the The skill by dragonewt -20. must stipulate which skill augmented before commencing the dance. is being The priests of the Golden Sun Dragon cult spend great deal of a time attempting to engage the dragon in direct dialogue, seeking its wisdom and guidance. So far the Golden Sun Dragon has kept its own counsel despite an almost constant rising the at Dream Gold New from up rising petitions stream of prayers and sun. and setting of every Naturally enough the cult of the Golden Sun Dragon sees the dragon’s presence as the ultimate symbol of draconic dominance in Dara Happa. The priests reason the that Yelm Sun even Emperor must understand that Golden the otherwise born, being is age draconic new a Sun Dragon could not have been allowed to manifest. revelation, draconic undergone have Orlanthi the as Just filled is cult the Thus, worshippers. solar the must too so with proselytizers who eagerly await the first of the words Sun Dragon and its commands to build a draconic empire in the lands of Dara Happa. new

The cult also believes that the Golden Sun Dragon the of either – rebirth wonderful and great a signiﬁes sundered all of rebirth a also but Be, to Dragon Great dragonewts who have, in some fallen from way, the draconic path. Thus, the cult is of particular interest to sundered dragonewts and they are welcomed to its ranks.

The cult believes represents that absolute the true, Golden embodies both the solar wisdom Sun and knowledge of Yelm, Dragon enlightenment. whom the Golden It Sun Dragon has advised since the God Time, and also the very secrets of the sun itself, which were whispered to it by the Cosmic Dragon as it meditated after defeating Orxili. Golden Sun Dragon With the reappearance of the GoldenDara Happa, Sun there has Dragonbeen a big inresurgence in its worship, centred on the city of New Gold butDream, also with Eye. sectsDragon’s appearing in Ormsland and The cult teaches all spells associated with the Runes of Runes the with associated spells all teaches cult The Truth. Magic, Mastery and Illusion, Inﬁnity, Rune Magic . Another slow, revolving revolving slow, Another . Words Enlightened Six The dance with complex arm dragonewt gestures; the allows the successful, dance if of Words, Six Enlightened to immediately understand any subtext in something it is being told, and to immediately detect falsehood any lies, or illusions imperial wisdom of the Inner Dragon is channelled to (even magical deliberate dispel and reality to barriers all down break ones). The obfuscations. The Perception Skill is augmented, as outlined above. The Six Enlightened Cuts. A fast, this klanth; a with air whirling the in made cuts precise six with dance dance channels the energy of the Inner Dragon klanth skill percentage by +40 and boosts the dragonewt’s for a critical success and +20 for a standard success. Failure results in no bonus and a fumble skill by -20. reduces the

Rune Magic growers, for that is not the dragonewt way. The cult’s The cult teaches all Rune spells relating to the Runes purpose is to awaken Green Scaled Father, either as of Fire and Light. part of the Great Dragon to Be or as a single entity, so that he can remake First Garden and take revenge on those who ate Flamal. Green Scaled The cult is popular in Contemplative Rest, Teleos and the Kralori colonies. Its members believe in reaching Father accord with the aldryami and offering them the same The Green Dragon did two things. First, it ﬂew around wisdom Green Scaled Father offered to Flamal. the world, purging it with cleansing ﬂame to rid it Yet the way dragonewts go about such things is not of taint. Next, it slept at a place called Hrelar Amali always understandable to the elfs, and so the message where it knew Flamal Father Seed would take root and is often lost. reclothe the world. The cult appeals to Crested and Noble dragonewts, but As Flamal Seedfather grew the Green Dragon Beaked may not join. The wearing of green and brown whispered to him the OUROBOROS mantra so that is mandatory, either in the form of skin dyes or plants he would understand that all things move in cycles. woven around the body. It is common to see Crested Next he explained the process of utuma so that Flamal members of the cult whispering to plants and trees as would understand the process of death and rebirth, they try to replicate the actions of the Green Dragon, and teach it to the plants that would clothe the world. whilst others, especially Nobles, undertake quests far Finally, the Green Dragon used its coils to create the from their nests to try to awaken Green Scaled Father

Dragonewt Cults First Garden where Flamal could produce the ﬁrst from his slumber. shoots and begin the clothing of the world. The cult does not like trolls, whom they blame for As Flamal Seedfather grew he talked to the Green wrecking the Green Age. Dragon and learned draconic wisdom. He copied the pattern of the Green Dragon’s scales, that is why trees have bark like a dragon’s hide, and he made most plants Members green like the Green Dragon because it was pleasing. Crested and Noble dragonewts When Flamal was fully grown the Green Dragon ﬂew to a place a little way from First Garden and settled there to rest, and that is how the Halkiv Mountains Skills came into being. Basic Skills That was the Green Dragon’s only mistake. While he Lore (Plant) slept the Great Darkness crept over the earth and the hungry troll god Zorak Zoran came to First Garden and ate his way into Flamal’s roots, leading to his death. Advanced Skills The Green Dragon does not know about this yet, for Draconic Mysticism, Lore (Green Dragon Theology) he sleeps still, but when he awakes he will be angry with Zorak Zoran and might eat him in punishment. True Dragon Dances The cult of Green Scaled Father venerates the Green The cult teaches Root Dancing. Its steps mimic the Dragon as the one who nurtured nature. It proposes growing of a plant from a seed into a blossoming tree, that draconic wisdom is inherent in all plants because and it takes two minutes to perform. A successful they follow a cycle of life, death and rebirth, and, like dance temporarily increases the dragonewt’s SIZ by the dragonewts, have been here since the dawn of the 2 for ten minutes. world. But this is not a cult that creates farmers and 78

Dragonewt Cults 79 Then it slept, and its body Night merged Dragon’s with dream the earth. dragons roam Underworld, freely in hunting the Krarshtkids and other monsters to kill them. Chaos The cult of Night Dragon is the closest dragonewts come to having an anti-Chaos cult. Only Beaked and strong are they because cult the join dragonewts Noble enough to ﬁght Chaos and see tricks when they are being played. Its members are friendly with all trolls and Night Dragon Noble priests are selected to speak with the uz on almost all matters. Cult members are taught Darktongue, which is dragonewts a to learn language because it easy relies on for many verbal non- components, not unlikeAuld Wyrmish. Beaked dragonewts like to hunt and kill Chaos, thus recalling the great crusades of Night Dragon during the Greater Darkness. They are taught to when hidden, the and signs that of recognise Storm Chaos, even Bull and Zorak Zoran are friends and allies; it is not Dragon Night the of member Beaked a for uncommon cult to join with members of the cults of either when out hunting Chaos. god

When the Light Bringers returned the sun to the sky, Night Dragon knew its time to and sleep it dozed while the was Great Compromise was made. at hand, When the Light Bringers went into Hell to bring back bring to Hell into went Bringers Light the When the sun, Night Dragon watched them from afar and kept various monsters at bay. It knew had that Orlanth killed its brothers, and so Sh’kaharzeel knew that the secret of and Death was no longer Aroka, hidden. Night Dragon went to Eurmal and punished him with whips from its tail, because Eurmal followed had the Black Dragon when it showed Death Zorak stolen then had and Death evade to how Zoran to Orlanth. to give When Night Dragon faced Storm Bull it was thought another it Chaos god and prepared to he killthat realised and him,afraid not was Bull but Storm that saw was no creature from the Ooze. And so they tooktravelling for a to while, killing Chaos, and making the world shake with their mighty roars. When the sun died and went to Hell, Night fight and up rise to Darkness of powers Dragon the upon drew again. world the steal to sought that creatures Chaos the The Black Dragon battled with Chaos many gods and destroyed many of them. It fought with Krarsht and banished her to the depths of the earth; he buried her so deeply that only her children can find out. Next, Night Dragon fought their with Mallia and stole way all that ensuring thus infection, of secrets the her from resist her diseases. dragon kin would Night Dragon Night Dragon, also known went as to Dame Darkness the to teach her Black the wisdom of Dragon, the Cosmic Dragon and found her a willing student. Together they still foughtseeks to steal the world and showed her againstthat all the taught Dragon Night the Next, eaten. be can things the Oozingchildren of Darkness certain Chaossecrets of darkness that thatwouldhelpthem fight Chaos andshowedZorak Zoran it. hidden so that he might avoid where Death was Rune Magic The cult teaches all Rune spells associated with the Plant and Fertility Runes.

The cult welcomes the Great Dragon to Be because everything it saw, and asked the Cosmic Dragon many it sees this as a way of defeating Chaos once and for questions. The answers it received allowed it to become all. The world can be remade to exclude it completely, the wisest of the True Dragons; many gods came to it and the cult believes that Night Dragon will awake to with problems that needed solving. The Storm God form either the claws of the Great Dragon or its breath, Orlanth sought its help after slaying the sun; Genert, ready to cleanse the world of Chaos taint. in need of a councillor who could be truly relied upon, came and befriended All Eyes Open But One and so beneﬁted the most from the dragon’s wisdom. Members Beaked and Noble dragonewts. When Time began All Eyes Open But One knew that it had seen all it needed to see, and so created FutureQuesting so that it might escape the bindings Skills of the Great Compromise and see what would be to come. It allowed the world to shift and grow over Basic Skills its vast bulk, and that is how the Nidan Mountains Athletics, Dodge, 1H Sword (klanth and gami), Shield were formed, and why there are so many lakes and (Qua) caves within them: each are the eyes of the True Dragon beneath.

Advanced Skills All Eyes Open But One is not sleeping but Draconic Mysticism, Language (Darktongue), Lore FutureQuesting. It sees all but needs to see beyond (Night Dragon) Time so that its wisdom is complete. Dragonewt Cults The cult of One Closed Eye is the preserve of Noble True Dragon Dances dragonewts. It is a cult of scholars and seekers of The Black Waltz is taught by the cult. It is a rapid, linear knowledge, which they do not write down but commit dance with quick steps and aggressive movements to memory just as All Eyes Open But One remembers accompanied by a rhythmic chanting in either Auld everything it sees and hears. The cults members act as Wyrmish or Darktongue. A successful dance allows advisers to Ruler dragonewts and Inhuman Kings, and the dragonewt to immediately identify any signs of are often called upon by the EWF Guiding Council Chaos or its passing in a 10 metre radius. for advice on matters that may not be even remotely dragonewtish in nature.

Rune Magic Every year the Great Sharing, which recalls All Eyes None taught. Open But One and Genert’s friendship, takes place at Dragon’s Eye where all the priests of the cult gather to share the new knowledge and secrets they have One Closed Eye gained. The Great Sharing takes a week and no one from outside the cult is allowed entry to the Sharing While the ﬁrst True Dragons went forth to teach the Hall. Guards from the Earth Dragon cult ensure gods, one dragon with many eyes settled itself in the eavesdroppers are ejected, and even the Inhuman King centre of the world to keep watch for the intrusions of remains distant, although a representative of the cult Orxili and Chaos. So that it could sleep as well as keep makes a presentation to the Inhuman King at the end watch, the dragon only closed one of its eyes and kept of the Great Sharing. all others open in vigilant dedication. Cult members are thus hugely inquisitive. They The dragon became known as All Eyes Open But scrutinise everything, question everything, and, often One and as it watched and slept, it learnt many things infuriatingly, offer suggestions as to how something and saw all that went on in the world. It meditated on can be improved. They are usually not wrong. 80

Dragonewt Cults 81 Sh’kaharzeel Sh’kaharzeel did not care for gods and decided they must be challenged. It challenged them in countless ways: through tricks riddles and and malicious ruses, gossip, and, through open aggression. of cunning course, with When it challenged Orlanth over the way the world looked, the two battled Orlanth across drew Death Dragon and slew Sh’harkazeel, Pass making until its bones into the Rockwood Mountains and casting its soul into the sky. Being a True Dragon, losing a physical body is of little concern to Sh’kaharzeel. It has retreated to the temple of from reborn be will that one new a forged and Dragon the Grand Ancestral time. the bones of the old at some appointed believes Sh’kaharzeel of cult The hand? at time that Is so, and that the First and Dragon skull of the will Great Dragon form to Be. the It is spine clear Sh’kaharzeel that was right to challenge gods even if meant it being killed by one, because one by one, gods are being all proved to have draconic aspects, even Orlanth, who denied it.

Learning Learning Seeing Dance. It is a

First born is of considered the the Dragonhood: most True proud, arrogant, perfect carefree, Dragons, hungry, example and of aggressive. Sh’kaharzeel When some of the True gods refused to listen to the teachings and wisdom of the Cosmic Dragon, then Sh’kaharzeel that knew gods were destined to be Their and tenants not of its the perpetual world rulers. vanityand frailty led topointless battles that unleashed woes. all manner of avoidable Sh’kaharzeel Rune Magic No Rune Magic is taught or used, but all Runes are learned. slow slow march performed in a circle around whatever is being studied, no matter how large. If what is being studied is intangible, the dragonewt rune on the is floor drawn and that represents the object of Upon study. completing the dance successfully, the dancer has committed every aspect of the object of study to memory and will be able to recall every detail about it, in perfectly, the future without any need for a skill kind. test of any True Dragon Dances The cult teaches the Draconic Mysticism, all Lores, all Languages. Advanced Skills Basic Skills All skills are taught. Noble dragonewts only. Noble dragonewts Skills Members The cult of One misgivings Closed about Eye the has EWF started and Project. to the The have Great highest Dragon priests claim flaws in the to plan but have discussed have these flaws only defined with the Inhuman Kings.

Sh’kaharzeel’s cult maintains the tradition of Skills challenging gods. Its members seek to awaken the inner dragon of every other religion and faith. This Basic Skills makes them natural counterparts to the zealousness Perception, Resilience, 1H Sword (klanth), 1H Sword of the EWF and the natural enemies of the Old (gami), 2H Spear (drazduma)*, Bow (draconic long Ways traditionalists. The cult merges traditional bow)* draconic veneration with the younger, less orthodox philosophies of human draconic veneration. Its *See page 81 of the Players Guide to Glorantha members are fervent believers in dragon supremacy and ready to either convert or cleanse (with scouring Advanced Skills ﬂame) those too stubborn to heed the message. The Craft (Dragon bone), Draconic Mysticism, Lore cult looks to the west and the Golden Sun Dragon of (Sh’kaharzeel Theology), Martial Arts Dara Happa as proof positive that the True Dragons are the real builders of empires. Sh’kaharzeel might have been killed, but it will arise as an integral part of True Dragon Dances the New Dragon Empire which will move Glorantha The cult teaches Sh’kaharzeel’s Seven Steps, the forward to a new dawn of pure draconic philosophy. dance Sh’kaharzeel performed before entering into The tenancy of gods is nearing its expiry. battle with Orlanth. It is a whirling aggressive dance with seven precise steps conducted in a fast interplay The cult of Sh’kaharzeel is open to all stages of of feet designed to confuse the enemy. Successfully dragonewt and is particularly attractive to Beaked completing the dance increases either a dragonewt dragonewts. Its members are typically arrogant, weapon skill, Dodge or Resilience by +40 for a critical

Dragonewt Cults ruthless, zealous – even more so than the Empire of success and +20 for a standard success. Failure results Wisdom – and bent on dragons taking over the world. in no bonus and a fumble reduces the skill by -20. The cult appeals to many sundered dragonewts who The increase lasts for rounds equal to the dragonewt’s seek a return to the draconic path, and there are critical True Dragon Dance range (for example, a countless small sects of Sh’kaharzeel scattered across dragonewt with Sh’kaharzeel’s Seven Steps at 48% the Dragon Pass sundered colonies. would receive a skill improvement for 5 combat rounds: 48/10 and rounded up). Orlanthi (draconised or not) are treated as ritual accoutrements; although they might have seen the true draconic light, they are simply atoning for their god’s Rune Magic previous arrogance – and only a god in denial of his The cult teaches all spells associated with the Runes of true inner dragon would make his followers do his Man, Mastery and Motion. own penance. Whenever Orlanthi (draconised or not), point out that Orlanth learned Auld Wyrmish from Arangorf, Beaked dragonewts of Sh’kaharzeel’s cult Wondrous Mother are quick to remark that, had Orlanth truly embraced his inner dragon, he would have restored Sh’kaharzeel to life and fought him again, but this time without the of Many accursed weapon known as Death. In her haste to mate and lay eggs the Wondrous Mother forgot to look after and nurture her immature children. Tailed Priests and Rulers simply cannot understand Their path to dragonhood was thus stilted and they what point it is the draconised Orlanthi are trying needed to develop their own path. But the Wondrous to make. Mother, though neglectful, left behind the eggs so that dragonewts might be continually reborn, and left guidance in the shape of the Rulers and Dragonets Members who understand the Outside and what it means to be All dragonewt stages a dragon. 82

Dragonewt Cults 83 , an unusual dance unusual an Dance, Mating The These beliefs are met with and excitement trepidation in equal measure amongst the wyrmfriends. There is excitement that the Wondrous Mother may returnbring forth to a rebirth, but the idea of reborn humans as being dragonewts is not universally The welcomed. EWF ideal is that all will form part of the Great Dragon and become dragons, without the need for the of rebirth. tedious cycle The cult teaches all Rune spells related to the Harmony, Harmony, the to related spells Rune all teaches cult The Spirit and Stasis Runes. Artistic Expression, Theology) Mother Mysticism, Lore (Wondrous Courtesy, Dance, Draconic True Dragon Dances teaches cult The that recalls the mating rituals Dragons of but True the mundane mating practices. to It any has no equivalent a involve to appears that dance shrieking howling, a is followed harm, self other or ﬂagellation self of degree by complete exhaustion, even though the dance takes no more than a minute dance to results in a complete. magical shell, A much like successful the birth egg, forming around the dragonewt. armour The protection egg to offers all hit dragonewt’s critical locations score in equal the Mating to Dance. The the egg moves with the dragonewt, and giving the appearance of isa self-propelled egg drifting opaque, thus lasts for a number of rounds equal to egg The upright. the dissipates, effect the as and, POW dragonewt’s the dragonewt is symbolically reborn, cracking through the shell refreshed and sustained. physical damage it may have completely healed of any Rune Magic Members stages. All dragonewt Skills Basic Skills Lore (Animal), Lore (World) Evaluate, Advanced Skills

None, not even the priests of One Eye Closed, know after Many of Mother Wondrous the to happened what found has she possible is It finished. were matings her to somewhere sleep after her in preparation exertions, for a great awakening where she will mate with the Great Dragon to Be, and thus more mature race of dragonewts produce who will reach True a new and This rebirths. trials and fewer Dragonhood with fewer is the hope of her cult, which believes fervently that she will return and nurture her children more that are closer to the draconic ideal. and create The cult of the Wondrous Mother is widespread but has fewer members than the other cults. Dragonewts parentage of concept the understanding difficulty have and it is thus easier to defined. clearly are dragonhood of ways and guidance cleave to a cult where The the cult of the Wondrous Mother believes that each the Dragon True the of nature the reflects city and nest Wondrous Mother matedcontain eggs mixed from different matings. It with,is thus but alsodifficult to arrive thatat a single mostdefinition of dragonewt nests character. When the Wondrous Mother returns and mates again, most likely with the Great Be, all Dragon dragonewts will to be reborn once more but all as Inhuman Kings, whilst the Inhuman immediately Kings be will transformed into True Dragons. this way In will dragonewts and dragons return to pre- eminence in the world. produce All Inhuman Kings and subsequent even emerge humans will but will eggs eggs, have from reborn be to will opportunity the as Crested dragonewts, so they can begin the cycle of draconic maturity from the very same beginnings as dragonewts. all existing Wondrous Mother was her with mate to first The couplings. ofher to plan no Many mated far and understanding of gift the gave who Dragon, wideEarth The and had the world. Next was the The Peace Imperial who Fountain of gave the gift conduct. Third of was The Mover of wisdom the Heavens, who and peaceful gave the gift of fighting. The others followed in particular order no and mated many many, times so that Dragon Pass was awash with eggs. mated Then she where lands, Wondrous Kralori the to east flew Mother thrice with The Sun Dragon before he went to live in court. the Sun God’s

DRAGONEWT MAGIC The Empire of Wyrm’s Friends would never have Ruler dragonewts and Dragonets are reborn with far reached the heights of magical mastery it has more potent powers. Their very dreams interact with currently achieved had it not been for dragonewts. reality and they are capable of fabulous acts of creation The dragonewts schooled the Original Twelve in the and destruction simply by dreaming it. Exercising mysteries of draconic magic and continue to educate such power is rare indeed; it saps precious reserves of other wyrmfriends as allies of the Empire and in energy needed to HeroQuest, FutureQuest and attain readiness for the Great Dragon to Come. True Dragonhood. In this chapter these powers are sketched, rather than fully described. Dragonewts are innately magical beings. One thing the God Learners have deduced correctly is that Like Dragonspeakers, dragonewts who use their dragonewts are born with a natural capacity for magic risk Losing the Path as outlined on page 27 of magic that is beyond human limitations. Whereas Magic of Glorantha. This applies to both Rune Magic humans must petition gods for magic, dragonewts and Dragon Magic. All dragonewts are born with must simply master its ways. Whereas runes must the Draconic Illumination skill, again described on be sought and integrated, dragonewts simply need to page 27 of Magic of Glorantha. Any dragonewt that learn to control what they already know. Rather than diminishes its Draconic Illumination skill to equal progressing through learning more magic, dragonewts to, or less than, its base Characteristic-derived value must forget some of it to advance to the next stage of loses the draconic path completely and is unable to

Dragonewt Magic their development. reincarnate. Dragonewts suffering this fate have clearly lost the true essence of their being and are doomed to mortality, becoming exiles from their nests and cities. Magical Using magic attracts impurity, and, because the path to perfection is all-important, magic is used sparingly and usually with great deliberation. A dragonewt Development would rather risk its skin and be reborn closer to its Crested dragonewts are unprepared for the innate next stage than rely on magic to secure a victory that majesty of Dragon Magic and must learn to control would impede its spiritual progress. And, whilst the their base instincts before being ready for the challenge members of the EWF, the Wyrm’s Talon Disciples and as Beaked dragonewts. As part of this, the trial of Wyrm’s Hand Triumphants might revel in their power, Orxilius, Crested dragonewts may only learn Rune dragonewts are ever cautious of it. Magic and, once they have been reborn as the next stage, they must forget everything they knew about it. Crested Dragonewts The higher stages know Dragon Magic. They do not learn it; they are reborn to it. A Beaked dragonewt emerges from its egg with an array of known effects – Rune Magic with which it becomes more proﬁcient. When it is Every Crested dragonewt is born with three runes reborn as a Noble, it is reborn with additional effects, already integrated into its being. These runes and so forth. Dragonewt effects are not spells, but are determined randomly but always include the are sufﬁciently like them in effect to warrant the Dragonewt rune. Roll twice on the adjacent table to name. Humans can learn the effects too, but must determine the additional runes the dragonewt knows. struggle to do so, as described on page 26 of Magic of The Runecasting skill for each rune, including the Glorantha. For them, Dragon Magic is certainly spell- Dragonewt rune, begins at the starting value of like in nature, requiring rituals for activation that are POW+CHA and improves with experience exactly unnecessary for dragonewts. as for any other practitioner. Crested dragonewts 84

Dragonewt Magic 85 all the effects of it follows the course it has if it follows Ruler dragonewts are born knowing Dragon Magic Beaked dragonewts and higher stages are reborn the innate ability As to previously work draconic effects. with not with, reborn is dragonewt the abilities are these noted, spells that are learned, although the spells taught to the effects. dragonewt from these speciﬁc EWF are derived it stage, Beaked the to transforms ﬁrst dragonewt a When each With known. already effects of handful a with born is as reborn is it When more. attains it reincarnation Beaked its from effects the all of knowledge the retains it Noble, a to effects additional of handful a plus incarnation, Beaked which more are added with each reincarnation. both Beaked and Noble stages. In addition they have access to Ancestor Magic, which is the more potent, dream-state magic mentioned earlier. New Rune Spell – Determine Right Right Spell – Determine New Rune Action Casting Time Variable, Duration Instant, Magnitude 1, Progressive to soul its of depths the into deeply gazes dragonewt The discover how to act correctly. It becomes immobile and a living statue. unresponsive, as though This spell guides a dragonewt course to of action determine is Right Action whether or Wrong a Action. Each level of Magnitude the on temporarily depends time casting The 20%. by boosts skill Action Right the dragonewt’s combat one takes casting point 1 A spell. the of Magnitude casting point 3 A minute. one takes casting point 2 A round. takes one hour, and a 4 point casting takes one Every day. point thereafter adds a further day to the meditation. At the end of the casting period the dragonewt makes a Draconic Illumination determined that test. the course If of action it upon successful constitutes has Right Action meditated and it can fully justify has its outcomes. If the Draconic Illumination test dragonewt misinterprets fails, the the visions of the meditation and incurs Wrong Action is skill Action Right the case this In contemplating. been Loses dragonewt the as Magnitude spell’s the by reduced the This Path. is in addition to any penalty incurred as a the spell. result of rolling a critical success when casting Vigour (Man or Beast), Demoralise, Disruption (Stasis), Dispel Magic (Disorder) Voice Speedart Spirit Screen Oath of Ordeal Water Breath

TruthWater Detect X, Determine RightAction*,

*New spell. *New For each rune known the castable at dragonewt that rune’s knows Runecasting one skill value. spell, dragonewts Crested do they Instead not forgotten. be to is seek Magic Rune their ultimately new spells to learn aim they with; born are they runes the mastering on focus because means this terms game In rune. each of mastery achieve to reaching a minimum of 90% for each rune, although it is to reincarnate quite at possible the for next the dragonewt mastery. such stage before it has achieved gain the runic power associated with the runes the per as them, integrated had they they if as exactly know of RuneQuest. guidance on page 63 D201 Rune2 AirAvailable Spells Beast Extinguish Strength, Enhancement, Bestial 345 Chaos Darkness Skybolt Darkwall Disorder6 Befuddle (Communication). Babel 78 Earth9 Fire10 Harmony Protection Glamour 11 IllusionIgnite Fireblade, Firearrow, Inﬁnity12 Shimmer Law Multimissile Magic13 Fanaticism Shield Countermagic Countermagic, Mastery14 Thunder’s Action*, Right Determine Motion15 Slow, 16Mobility, Co-ordination, Plant Spirit17Path Clear 18 (Earth), Bane Spirit Sight, Stasis Second 19 Pierce 20 Reroll Crested Stage Runes Known Crested Stage Runes Known

All known draconic effects begin at the value of the Noble Dragonewts dragonewt’s Draconic Insight skill and improve as this When the Beaked dragonewt reincarnates as a Noble, skill improves. Unlike Dragonspeaker magic, which is or Tailed Priest, it retains all previous effects and gains limited by the Dance or Martial Arts skills, dragonewts three randomly determined Noble Dragon Magic are subject to no such limitations. Dragon magic is their Effects using the adjacent table. A further 1D4 effects power and their realm. The effects taught to Dragonspeaker are developed with each subsequent reincarnation to cultists as spells have been secretly manipulated to make the Noble stage. their power dependent on dragon emulation – something dragonewts do not even need to consider. Noble Stage Effects Known Dragonewts that are outside the draconic cycle still D20 Effect retain the effects they know; however, since they no 1 Blood of Lava longer reincarnate, new effects are not developed. 2 Cold Blooded 3 Draconic Prescience All dragonewts working Dragon Magic are subject to 4 Draconic Regeneration the effects of Losing the Path and Backlash, as detailed in Magic of Glorantha. 5 Dragon Flight 6 Earthquake 7 Flame Sight Beaked Dragonewts 8 Flay Soul When newly incarnated at the Beaked stage, the 9 Incinerating Breath dragonewt has six effects determined randomly from 10 Inspiration

Dragonewt Magic the table below. Each new incarnation at the Beaked 11 Mystic Insight stage adds 1D6 effects. If an effect is rolled twice, re- 12 Poison Resistance roll or choose a new effect. 13 Royal Grace Beaked Stage Dragon Magic Known 14 Sense Surface Thoughts 15 Skeletal Erosion D20 Effect 16 Summon Dragon’s Fire 1 Become Draconic Wyrm 17 Summon Wraithfire 2 Blood Alchemy 18 True Dragon Scale 3 Bone Ridges 19 Universal Deflection 4 Bone Singing 20 Unseen Presence 5 Combat Meditation 6 Command Reptile 7 Deafening Cry Dragonewt 8 Disease Resistance 9 Dominate the Reptilian Mind Effect Traits & 10 Draconic Strength 11 Dragon Claws Descriptions 12 Dragon Growth* Dragonewt effects are described below. They are 13 Dragon Teeth similar to the Dragon Magic spells detailed in Magic of 14 Eye Membranes Glorantha but have some important differences unique 15 Fire Claws to dragonewts, which is why they are reproduced 16 Lesser Fire Resistance here. Even though these are innate effects, rather 17 Scaled Skin than spells, they are still defined by the typical traits 18 Sight from the Marked Palms used in RuneQuest magic. A description then follows 19 Skeletal Strengthening describing the effect’s precise effects. 20 Summon Flame 86

Dragonewt Magic 87 . Whilst RuneQuest. a dragonewt has an understanding of what it of form some requires might or threat a poses that encounter magical intervention. Its effects are prepared so that they are ready to be triggered at the precise moment of need, so a dragonewt can effects in activate its an prepared instant. Almost all possess dragonewt the Trigger effects trait. A dragonewt goes through all the rituals pertinent to the effect but restrains the final actions, refraining from unleashing the effect. During the preparation time the basic parameters of a is it (if Magnitude its as such decided, are effect the effect). Progressive Become Draconic Wyrm Adopt the Skin of the Lesser Draconic Being Trigger Magnitude 4, 5, Duration POW, Time Casting The dragonewt’s body warps and shifts, swelling with muscle and developing thick scales, altering to become that of a serpentine beast. The dragonewt wills its physical form into that of a wyrm forty-year-old as detailed in by subsumed are skills dragonewt’s the form, wyrm in skills, although its form’s all new are effects retained. and CHA are unaffected. POW INT, The dragonewt’s The number of pre-prepared effects a dragonewt can store ready for triggering is not Magnitude of all prepared Dragon Magic effects may infinite. The total Characteristic. POW the dragonewt’s not exceed The Draconic Illumination casting test only occurs at at modifiers any thus (and released is effect the time the effect the of targets the Equally, applied). are time that are determined at the time of its release, along with expenditure of Magic Points. The triggerperformed in for this effects manner is simply the dragonewt’s desire. In other words, a single Combat Action (that can grant free attacks to adjacent enemies). However, any number of prepared Action. simultaneously in the same Combat effects may be released This makes dragonewt even more magic powerful very than wyrmfriends. the powerful Indeed, Dragon Noble -- Magic dragonewts of perplexed are at the the way often some Dragonspeakers revel in their own abilities; the spells they have been taught are diluted and codified forms of effects dragonewts for granted. take This indicates that the effect can be The effect remains in place until dispelled

Almost all dragonewt effects have this trait, Touch effects require the dragonewt to

Triggered Effects All dragonewts exist outside the usual strictures of Time. Crested and Beakedpassage of time dragonewtsas dragonewts humans do, Ruler although they and do not perceiveNoble importance. its theunderstand are somewhat different and prescience as detailed on page 11. This enables possess them a degree to of prepare their effects far in to use advance them. Upon of rising needing from sleep or meditation, Area Area (X): .The effect’s area of inﬂuence, in metres. Noble and Ruler dragonewts can increase the of Area the effect by 1 additional metre for every point of POW. Casting Time the indicated takes The effect (X): Actions to cast. number of Combat Concentration: As dragonewts possess these effects as a natural part of is necessary their to being, maintain whilst no activities the other in engaged freely can concentration effect. dragonewt Once cast, the the effect is in operation. To banish it. simply wills dragonewt the effect, the (X): The stays effect in place Duration for the number of minutes indicated. Where Duration this POW, is is the dragonewt’s POW Characteristic noted in as minutes Instant: The takes effects place instantly. (X): The Magnitude strength and of power the effect. Also the minimum number of Magic Points required to cast it. Permanent: or dismissed. Progressive: learnt and cast at greater levels of the Magnitude minimum than depletes Magic this since effects Point overpower rarely dragonewts requirement. However, important energy necessary for progression along the draconic path. up may be cast upon targets Ranged: Ranged effects to a maximum distance of the dragonewts POW x 10 in metres. Resist: The target may make a Dodge, Persistence or Resilience test (as speciﬁed by the effect) in order to avoid the effect. Touch: actually touch his target for the effect to take effect. The dragonewt must remain in physical contact with duration. for the effect’s the target Trigger: as detailed below.

Any use of the Become Draconic Wyrm effect The dragonewt can alchemically transmute one automatically results in the dragonewt losing one point handful of water per casting of the effect, which of Draconic Illumination, in the same manner – and is enough for a single use. Once transmuted, these for the same reasons – as Losing the Way. If the effect concoctions are commonly stored in vials either on casting test also results in the dragonewt Losing the the dragonewt’s person or in its cult’s temple – blood Way, then two points of Draconic Illumination are lost. alchemy concoctions will remain potent indeﬁnitely once created. Blood Alchemy (X) Purify the Flawed Lifeblood Blood of Lava Casting Time 5, Magnitude Varies, Permanent, Touch Concentrate the Lifeblood’s Potency Casting Time 5, Duration 10, Magnitude 4, Trigger The water, once mixed with the mystic’s blood, transmutes into a new colour. As the scent of the alchemical potion rises The dragonewt’s skin flushes red with heat and its eyes into the air, the magical fluid becomes warm to the touch. leak tears of hissing, bubbling blood.

The dragonewt calls upon his inner power to transmute This effect transmutes the dragonewt’s blood into a mixture of water and its own blood into an alchemical burning hot fl uid that renders it immune to non- potion. The dragonewt must shed at least three drops magical heat and fire. The primary bonus of the effect into a standing body or container of water to initiate is revealed in combat, when each injury inflicted the effect. Depending on the nature of the alchemical against its flesh releases a hissing jet of steam and substance the dragonewt wishes to create, it must almost white-hot blood. Any successful attack on the consult the blood alchemy table. dragonewt causes boiling blood to spray across any

Dragonewt Magic creature adjacent to the hit location struck. Hits to All the concoctions listed in the blood alchemy the Right Arm or Leg spray anyone adjacent to the table can be prepared by the same use of the effect, dragonewt to its right, while hits to the Left Arm or unlike the Dragonspeaker version, which requires Leg will spray anyone adjacent to left. Head, Torso separate Blood Alchemy variations. Note, however, and Abdomen hits spray forwards (unless, of course, that dragonewts never prepare poisons -- this the dragonewt is struck from behind). option is not open to them. Indeed, they despise those wyrmfriends who pervert the blood alchemy Any creature caught in a blood spray suffers 2D4 knowledge in such a way. magical heat damage to a random hit location (though a successful Resist (Dodge) test halves the damage).

Blood Alchemy Alchemical Concoction Magnitude Effect Healing – Progressive Heals one hit point of damage per point of Magnitude to a single hit location. ‘Dragon Blood’ Rage – ‘Dragon 3 Adds +30% to all Weapon skills for one hour, though drinker suffers a –30% Bile’ penalty to all INT, CHA or POW-based skill tests for the period. Once the hour has elapsed, the drinker drops two Fatigue levels automatically. Fate 1 +20% to all skill tests for the dragonewt’s POW in minutes. Regeneration 3 Restore a lost limb, as if the Divine Magic spell Regenerate had been cast upon it (including the time it takes to regrow the limb). This potion will not help a limb reattach – it can only regrow a limb. Vitality 2 +50% to all Persistence and Resilience tests for the dragonewt’s POW in minutes. White Acid – 4 Creates acid that deals 2D6 damage to anything it hits. Dragon Phlegm is normally ‘Dragon Phlegm’ kept in glass vials and thrown at enemies (using the Throwing skill). 88

Dragonewt Magic 89 Cold-Blooded Project the Draconic Nature Area POW x2, Casting Time Trigger Magnitude 2, 10, Duration POW, The dragonewt channels the draconic heart of the True Dragons. A cold sense of distance comes over the target and it completely dispenses with any emotion. Withthis effect thedragonewt candeaden theemotions, and thus instincts, of those around it just as their own emotions can seem subdued to others. If the targets failresistto theeffect, the strength theirof emotions is at the of mercy the who dragonewt can partially drain them or blank them out completely on a whim. Note that the dragonewt cannot add emotions – it can only those already present. deaden or remove The ritually-prepared dragon bones twist and extend, by the dragonewt. the mantras chanted shaped by of quantity relevant the prepares ritually dragonewt The wishes it what on depending bone, dinosaur or dragon to create. A simple blessing is all that is traditionally required to bless dragon bone, always compose poems though of thanks to the creature dragonewts that died to provide this material. Through chants, songs the or bone mantras, into the ‘sings’ a dragonewt new shape, visualising the end result and willing the bone to alter to meet its desire. This effect is cast throughout the process of creating the bone-crafted item, though it is normally cast by one dragonewt as another actually creates the to bone dragon the enables item. bone-singing of magic The speeds also It resilience. its retain yet and moulded be up the entire crafting process – it only takes half the normal time to create armour and weapons through bone-singing. Actually constructing the of the shaped bone-crafted bone is a item separate klanths task. while test, (Armourer) Craft a requires Dragon armour bone out is dragonewt the If test. (Weaponsmith) Craft a require the maintaining of top (on itself tests these performing normal the of top On penalty. –40% a suffers it effect), worth SP 200 require also klanths costs, material base of obsidian pieces.

Shape the Holy Weapons 4 Special, Instant, Magnitude Time Casting Bone-Singing The bony spines make getting a grip on the dragonewt dragonewt the on grip a getting make spines bony The in battle a difficult When task making to say the least. the Defender’s Roll in a Grapple test, the dragonewt counts any success as a critical success, it allowing to spurs bony the with striking When fit. sees it as riposte adds dragonewt the knuckles, its on bloomed have that This strike. Unarmed or Arts Martial its to dice another latter bonus does not stack with the benefits gained magical claws. from any The dragonewt’s body grows like knobbly bone spines and bony spikes extending from its protuberances, cheekbones chin, kneecaps, shoulders, elbows, knuckles, and forehead. Bone Ridges Manifest the Sign of Physical Evolution Casting Time 5, Magnitude 3, Duration POW, Self, Trigger

Combat Meditation dragonewt’s POW and becomes prone. Additionally, Heighten Battle’s Devotion whether a target passed the Resilience test or not, Casting Time 5, Concentration, Duration POW, everyone in the area of effect suffers a –10% penalty Magnitude 1, Trigger on all Acrobatics and Perception tests for one hour, due to the angry ringing in their ears affecting their The dragonewt’s moves become even more fluid and hearing and balance. graceful, representing the harmony of body and mind in his martial arts. Disease Resistance This effect increases all the dragonewt’s combat skills Purify the Mortal Shell by +5% for each Combat Round that the effect is Casting Time 5, Duration 20+POW, Magnitude 1, maintained. Progressive, Touch, Trigger

The signs of disease on the subject lessen as his body displays Command Reptile a sudden surge of health. The only hint of supernatural Command the Lesser Reflections of Divinity energy at work is a fine sheen of think pinkish sweat that Casting Time 5, Duration POW, Magnitude 1, Ranged, covers the subject as his body warms up a few degrees. Resist (Persistence), Trigger Dragonewts prepare this effect for themselves With a momentary dullness in its slitted eyes, the dinosaur and their allies who might fall prey to disease. A obeys the dragonewt’s telepathic orders. successful casting adds the effect’s Magnitude x 20 to all Resilience tests to resist disease (or Magnitude x 10

Dragonewt Magic The dragonewts have an affinity with dinosaurs and if the disease is magical in nature). other reptiles, reflecting a common ancestry. Command reptile allows the dragonewt to demand that the reptile or dinosaur obeys a single command. The order given Dominate the Reptilian Mind must be one that the beast is able to carry out and Dominate the Lesser Reflections of Divinity finish immediately. Casting Time 5, Magnitude 5, Ranged, Resist (Persistence), Trigger Once the command has been obeyed, the reptilian reverts back to its own will. If the creature fails to complete As the dragonewt chants, the reptile ceases all the task, it will only try again if the circumstances voluntary actions, moving only to the tune of the force it into acting, such as a failed attack provoking a dragonewt’s mantra. group of adventurers into retaliation. This effect is among the more powerful magical means This effect only works on reptiles and does not function of commanding the loyalty of dinosaurs and reptiles, on dragons or wyrms. Wyverns gain a +50% bonus to binding the creature to the dragonewt’s will for as long their Persistence tests to resist this effect. as the dragonewt wishes it. The dinosaur or reptile under the dragonewt’s sway can be commanded to perform any action, even at great risk to its own life. Deafening Cry Dinosaurs can be tamed by repeated use of this effect, Shriek of the Earthbound Dragon with dragonewts casting it over and over again on the Area 10, Casting Time 5, Magnitude 2, Resist primal minds of the monstrous beasts, until obedience (Resilience), Trigger becomes ingrained in the reptilian brain.

The Dragon Mystic howls a dragon’s roar up at the sky, This effect only works on reptiles and does not function threatening to puncture the eardrums of anyone nearby. on dragons or wyrms. Wyverns gain a +30% bonus to their Persistence tests to resist this effect. Any opponent within the area of the effect that fails the Resilience test loses Combat Actions equal to half the 90

Dragonewt Magic 91 For every point of Magnitude, the dragonewt gains +2 applied be cannot effect The Characteristic. STR its to other creature. to any Dragon Flight Soar Across the Heavens Casting Time 10, Trigger Concentration, Magnitude 6, The dragonewt tenses its body, slowly levitating off the dragon immaterial Hazy, air. the in hovering and ground wings flow from between the possess day one will it wings the foreshadowing dragonewt’s blades, shoulder as a Ruler. This effect gifts the Dragonewts dragonewt are the hesitant to ability call to on presumption that the Ruler stage is near. invites this fly. effect as it The dragonewt can levitate itself, its equipment, plus anything it can physically lift, moving at a rate of ten direction desired. metres per round in any Dragon Growth Assume the size of the dragons Trigger Magnitude 5, Casting time 5, Duration POW, The dragonewt’s form larger shifts and more formidable and as the effect muscles executes. shakes, of creaking the The by accompanied is transformation growing and bone as the body reshapes. Dragon Claws of Sh’kaharzeel Manifest the Talons Trigger 3, Magnitude POW, 5, Duration Time Casting Recalling Sh’kaharzeel’s muscles, bunched with slightly swell hands dragonewt’s battle with scaling at the knuckles, Orlanth, and the fingernails resemble the the a dragon. wicked black talons of This effect transforms the recipient’s fingernails into These the claws thick, of black, a sharp dragon. claws are considered Formidable Natural and Weapons can be used with the Arts Unarmed skills or (with Martial a +30% bonus). They inflict 1D6+3 damage and have AP 4 for the purposes of parrying. as it The images images The

The dragonewt’s muscles swell and harden with new strength and the veins under blue to a the deep, dark red skin that visibly pulse in change time to the from dragonewt’s heartbeat. Casting Time 5, Trigger Progressive, Duration POW, Magnitude 1, Draconic Strength Summon Draconic Blood’s Thunder This effect This must effect be cast upon a wounded hit location. The effect heals 1 point of damage As immediately. location the chant, its maintains dragonewt the as long will heal an additional amount of damage equal to the effect’s Magnitude every minute. The healing concentrates. continue for as long as the dragonewt will The dragonewt is able regenerating process, healing natural body’s the fuelling to channel its energies minor into injuries such as sword wounds, burn scars and broken bones that heal by closing, fading into fresh skin and clicking back into alignment respectively. Quicken the Reptilian Blood Casting Time 1, Concentration Special, Magnitude 1, Touch Progressive, applies to the plans of the Cosmic Dragon. Dragon. Cosmic the of plans the to applies gained through this are effect fragmentary and vague. Only Ruler dragonewts and Inhuman Kings have any clarity of insight. Games Masters can describe ﬂashes of scenes, conversations, events or omens that could apply to the dragonewt almost immediately or up to years and years in the future. Draconic Regeneration This nature of this effect falls almost entirely under the under entirely almost falls effect this of nature This inﬂuence of the Games Master rather than the fate of a dice When roll. the the effect is dragonewt invoked, has an immediate glimpse of its own future The dragonewt dreams images of the future, remembering future, the of images dreams dragonewt The recollections upon awakening. fragments and misty Casting Time 10, Magnitude 4, Touch, Trigger Touch, 10, Magnitude 4, Time Casting Draconic Prescience Cosmic Dragon’s Scales Tread the

This effect increases the dragonewt’s SIZ by 6 points, The dragonewt’s eyes appear to milk over with a film of with all dependent abilities and skills being modified some cataract-like substance, shielding the eyes with a accordingly. In addition, the effect adds +20 to all thin magical membrane. Influence tests when dealing with Crested dragonewts and +30 when dealing with other species. With this power, the dragonewt receives all the benefits of Night Sight, allowing it to treat partial darkness as illuminated and darkness as partial darkness. In Dragon Teeth addition, it gains a bonus to Perception tests equal to Jaws of the Divine Dragon the effect’s Magnitude x 5. Casting Time 5, Duration POW, Progressive, Trigger A dragonewt using this effect becomes immune to The dragonewt’s teeth and beak swell and lengthen. any magically-inflicted blindness, as long as the With an elongated jaw and a mouth full of wickedly sharp Magnitude of the effect exceeds that of the blinding fangs, the dragonewt can inflict horrendous damage magic being cast. when biting.

This effect transforms the dragonewt’s teeth, mouth Fire Claws and jaw into a dragon’s maw. The dragonewt may Manifest Divinity’s Fiery Claws make a bite using its Unarmed or Martial Arts skill. Casting Time 5, Duration POW, Magnitude 3, Trigger This bite attack inflicts 1D4 damage for every point of Magnitude, but cannot be used for parrying. In channelling the will of the Golden Sun Emperor, the dragonewt’s clawed hands flicker with white-hot fire. Dragonewt Magic Earthquake This effect alters the dragonewt’s fingernails similarly Tremble the World-Skin to the dragon claws effect but the claws are aflame Area 10+POW (but see below), Casting Time 10, with blue-white fire. These claws can be used with the Instant, Magnitude 2, Resist (Resilience), Trigger Unarmed or Martial Arts skills (with a +30% bonus). They inflict normal damage for the dragonewt’s The ground shakes under the dragonewt’s punch, Unarmed or Martial Arts strike, plus 1D6 magical splitting and quaking in a radius out from the dragonewt’s fire damage. clenched fist in the earth.

The dragonewt chants the word ‘Orxili’ over and over Flamesight as it punches a fist into the ground, causing the earth Witness the Fire’s Visions to shake in response to the channelling of mystical Casting Time 5, Duration 20+POW, Magnitude 1, energy. Anyone within the area of effect that fails the Trigger Resilience test is immediately knocked prone. The dragonewt’s senses warp and alter. Its eyes glitter Ruler dragonewts and Inhuman Kings use this effect with the brilliance of Aroka for several minutes, pulsing to level buildings or entire cities. The area for a Ruler brighter in time with its heartbeat. dragonewt is treated as POW multiplied by 10 in metres, and for Inhuman Kings the POW multiplied This effect allows the dragonewt to use any nearby by 10 in kilometres. fire (from infernos to candle flames) as a conduit for its sight. The dragonewt can ‘see’ from any fires within the effect’s range as if it were present within Eye Membranes the flame itself. Wear the Eyes of the Dragon Casting Time 5, Magnitude 1, Progressive, Duration 20+POW, Trigger 92

Dragonewt Magic 93 Lesser Fire Resistance Immunity to the Holy Element Trigger POW, 5, Magnitude 1, Duration Time Casting The dragonewt’s hide darkens to resemble onyx, obsidian and reflects the heat of any flame that comes close. oil or with Dragonewts this reduce active effect the damage taken from any fire (mundane or magical) is by Resistance, half. A Fire Greater effect, this of version greater availabletoRulers and Inhuman Kings (Magnitude 6), rendering the dragonewt utterly immune to mundane and magical fire. Incinerating Breath Dragons Breath of the True Channel the Casting Time 5, Instant, Magnitude 1, Trigger Progressive, Ranged, Resist (Dodge), Breathing the breath of of a True Dragon. channels the flamebreath Sh’kaharzeel, the dragonewt Calling on the residual energies of the True Dragons, a dragonewt can use this effect to breathe a of semi-liquid stream flame at its enemies. This attack, if it is not dodged, inflicts 1D6 + its Magnitude in points of magical fire damage to a random hit location. For Ruler and Inhuman Kings the damage dice are 1D8 and 1D10 respectively. Inspiration Reveal the Face of Purity Area 10+POW, Casting Time Trigger Magnitude 1, Progressive, 5, Duration POW, The dragonewt’s features seem more pronounced and draconic, reminding lesser dragonewts Nature of the draconic race. of the Pure All allies of the dragonewt within range of this effect receive a bonus equal to the Magnitude effect’s x 10 to Resist any test to defy spells their that affect would emotions (both negative, such as fear, and positive, such as morale). If any target is currently under such a spell, they may immediately make an appropriate of its effect. Resist test to shake

If this effect is worked by a Ruler or Inhuman King, the King, Inhuman or Ruler a by worked is effect this If dragonewt’s the to equal penalty a suffers Test Resistance POW Characteristic. resisting the test is 1D6 and 1D10, respectively. Damage from successfully Any Any use of the Flay Soul effect automatically results in the dragonewt Illumination, losing in the results same also one test effect manner the If and Way. point the for Losing as reasons the same of Draconic in the dragonewt Losing then the two Way, points of Draconic Illumination are lost. A disconnected, invisible force of mystic unerringly energy strikes the intended target. If the victim fails the Persistence with his test, soul torn from he his body. If to damage 1D3 suffers still the he test, diesthe in successful victim is immediately every hit location. The dragonewt shell. punishment of Orxili into the Inside of the channels the Cosmic Dragon’s Casting Time 10, Instant, Magnitude 8, Ranged, Resist Ranged, 8, Magnitude Instant, 10, Time Casting Trigger (Persistence), Flay Soul Sever the Bonds of Soul and Flesh

Mystic Sight Scaled Skin Open the Eyes of the Soul Assume the Armour of the Divine Form Casting Time 5, Instant, Magnitude 1, Ranged, Casting Time 3, Duration POW, Magnitude 1, Trigger Progressive, Trigger

The dragonewt’s eyes take on a black sheen as it sees the The dragonewt’s hide grows an outer layer of thick, influence of magic in the mundane world. dense scales, becoming armoured like a dragon’s hide, conforming to whatever colour the dragonewt desires. This effect reveals one true statement about the function or abilities of a single magical item, entity The dragonewt gains a number of additional Armour or substance that the caster regards for at least one points to every hit location equal to the effect’s Combat Round. The effect may be cast multiple times Magnitude. The scales are not restrictive, as they are upon the same item, but the information gained may in the wyrmfriends’ spell of the same name. repeat and is not always relevant. Scaled Skin cannot be used in conjunction with True Dragon Scale. Poison Resistance Purge the Mortal Shell Casting Time 5, Duration 20+POW, Magnitude 1, Sense Surface Thoughts Progressive, Touch, Trigger Ascertain the Intent of the Flawed Being Casting Time 5, Instant, Magnitude 1, Ranged, Resist The subject’s body jerks and sweats, as the sickening (Persistence), Trigger

Dragonewt Magic substance within it is drawn out through its pores. The dragonewt forms a fragile psychic bridge with the Dragonewts prepare this effect when they believe power of its superior intellect, leeching thoughts from they may be poisoned. A successful casting adds the the target. effect’s Magnitude x 20 to all Resilience tests to resist poison (or Magnitude x 10 if the poison is magical in This effect allows the dragonewt to read the surface nature). thoughts of any sentient mortal being for the dragonewt’s POW in seconds. The target of the effect is struck by a sharp pain behind his eyes, which he Royal Grace may or may not recognise from previous experiences Manifest the Aura of Destiny under this spell’s effects. The dragonewt cannot sense Casting Time 10, Duration 30+POW, Magnitude 2, information that the victim is not thinking about or Trigger has forgotten, only what the mortal is thinking during the effect. To the faithful of the Cosmic Dragon, the dragonewt carries itself with the power and authority of the Ancestral Dragons. Its eyes burn with ambition and confidence, its Sight from the Marked Palms movements are bold and assertive. Blessed with royal Aspect of the Cosmic Dragon’s Awareness grace, the dragonewt becomes utterly inhuman. Casting Time 5, Concentration, Duration POW, Magnitude 1, Trigger Noble and Ruler dragonewts double their Inﬂuence bonus when dealing with lower-ranking dragonewts; The scaled palms of the dragonewt form into unblinking for dealing with wyrmfriend cultists the Inﬂuence draconic eyes, slitted and intense in their gaze. bonus is tripled. The eyes detect every movement made by the dragonewt’s enemies, allowing the dragonewt to react to attacks even before the attacker has fully committed himself to the blows. This effect increases the caster’s 94

Dragonewt Magic 95 Skin or flesh cannot be partly telepathic means. The a ‘speech’ series involved of images is and sensations to that make the sense creature’s physical noises inhuman and imitations. Using this effect does brain, combined not guarantee with the beast will obey the dragonewt and attacking the being while communicating with speak the link immediately. shut down with reptilians will This effect works on all reptiles, including wyverns, dragons and wyrms. Summon Flame Create Natural Flame Casting Time 5, Trigger Instant, Magnitude 1, Ranged, A lesser manifestation of the holy fire appears where the dragonewt desires, quickly which it touches. setting aflame that As of seekers the draconic ideal, the element of fire is beloved by the dragonewts. Summon Flame channels the universe’s energies to generate dragonewt, flame setting fire to near anything flammable within the range. The fire called into being is considered to be a large flame (D4 damage). the source of the summoned flame and if the target is fur or clothes) being (such as hair, attached to a living gains the Resist (Resilience) trait. then the effect Summon Dragon’s Fire Summon the Purifying Flame 3, Casting Time Instant, Magnitude 4, Ranged, Resist Trigger (Dodge), The dragonewt channels the raw dragon energy flame through of its body, magical releasing it through its fingers to lash out at a target. The fire that is unleashed is a short ignites) stream (and of damage inflicts super- that flame magical intense as a large fire (2D6 damage). This damage is applied to all locations of the target. A greater version of this effect, Summon the Grand Ancestral Dragon’s Fire, is available to Rulers Inhuman Kings (Magnitude 8), which inflicts and damage as an inferno (3D6 damage).

This effect permits the dragonewt to converse with any any with converse to dragonewt the permits effect This reptile, dinosaur or dragon through partly physical, Staring deep into the dinosaur’s eyes, communicates the in clicks, dragonewt whistles, snorts and screeches, interrogating the creature in a primal tongue. Casting Time 1, Duration 10+POW, Magnitude Trigger Ranged, 1, Speak with Reptiles Project into the Reptilian Mind This effect bolsters the dragonewt’s toughness to supernatural degree, adding +7 a Hit Points hit to every location. The recipient also gains +5 STR and CON, trait. Weapons Natural as well as the Formidable The dragonewt chants its devotion to rising above flawed dragonewt form. its Underneath its hide, the bones harden significantly but do not impede movement. Reinforce the Osseous Foundations Casting Time 10, Duration 10+POW, Magnitude 5, Trigger Self, Skeletal Strengthening This effect inﬂicts horrendous internal damage to a target, causing 1D4 damage to all hit locations and the permanent loss of 1 point of STR and CON as the subject’s bones corrode. For Ruler and Inhuman King dragonewts the damage inﬂicted is 1D6 1D10 respectively. and Channelling the primal energies of the Cosmic Dragon, mimicking the way it dealt with Orxili, the dragonewt whispers a curse upon the mortal form and weakens the bones of its enemy, watching as they break down and dissolve within the body. Skeletal Erosion Foundations Erode the Osseous Casting 10, Time Instant, Resist Magnitude 5, Touch, Trigger (Resilience), Dodge by +20% and it may attack per Combat the and Round normal above (over dodge one additional Reaction allowance).

Greater versions of this effect, Summon Lesser Fire This effect cannot be worked in conjunction with (which creates a small ﬁre, 1D6 damage, Magnitude Scaled Skin. 3), Summon Greater Fire (which creates a large ﬁre, 2D6 damage, Magnitude 5) and Summon Inferno (which creates an inferno, 3D6 damage, Magnitude 7), Universal Deflection are available to the Noble, Ruler and Inhuman King Counter the Impure Work stages respectively. Casting Time 10, Concentration, Magnitude 1, Progressive, Ranged, Trigger

Summon Wraithfire The dragonewt chants the Ouroboros prayer, twisting Channel the Ghost-Breath of the Unborn Dragon its body through its cult dances and trusting to its inner Casting Time 10, Duration 20, Magnitude 3, Trigger perfection to nullify any impure and harmful magic around it. The dragonewt calls upon the Ancestral Dragons to send their incorporeal servants in assistance. The dragonewt The dragonewts use this effect to quench the magic of is soon surrounded by shimmers in the air, as if radiating other magicians, whether it is Sorcery, Rune Magic incredible heat. Anyone using magical sight can perceive or another discipline. It may be cast in one of three translucent ghost-flames raging around the dragonewt, fashions: to dispel magical effects currently afflicting like a silent storm of roiling liquid fire. an object or person, to counter an incoming effect or to shield a recipient from magical harm. Note that While this effect is active, any effect the dragonewt these are not separate effects – a dragonewt that learns employs involving heat or fire is transmuted. The Universal Deflection at Magnitude 7 may use it as a

Dragonewt Magic flames created are ghostly, translucent and almost dispel, counter or shield version at its whim. invisible to mortal eyes. These effects inflict double damage to spirits, ghosts and any other incorporeal Dispel: Universal Deflection is normally cast upon beings. Such effects will still inflict normal damage to an enchanted object or person. It will eliminate corporeal targets. a combined Magnitude of spells equal to its own Magnitude, starting with the most powerful spell affecting the target. If it fails to eliminate any spell True Dragon Scale (because the spell’s Magnitude is too high), then its Mastery over the Divine Form effects immediately end and no more spells will be Casting Time 8, Duration 10+POW, Magnitude 7, eliminated. A spell cannot be partially eliminated, so a Trigger target under the effects of a spell whose Magnitude is higher than that of Universal Deflection will not have The dragonewt gains a taste of its eventual goal as the any spells currently affecting it eliminated. Ancestral Dragons channel their scales to the dragonewt. Its hide thickens to True Dragon proportions: stone-hard Counter: This version of Universal Deflection may scale that covers the body. only be cast if it has been prepared. If the dragonewt notices another spell being cast, universal deflection This effect alters the dragonewt’s skin, mimicking the may be released as a Reaction, as long as the other feel and toughness of real dragon skin. This halves spell is cast within Universal Deflection’s Range. A the damage received from all non-magical sources, successful Universal Deflection disrupts the other after AP has been deducted. The caster also gains spell and nullifies it. As long as Universal Deflection’s complete immunity to magical and non-magical Magnitude equals or exceeds the target spell’s fire and heat for the duration of the effect. Lastly, Magnitude, the target spell is countered. the dragonewt’s natural attacks gain the Formidable Natural Weapons trait and any natural attacks receive Shield: This version of Universal Deflection gains a +2 bonus to damage. the Duration 10 trait. It does not affect enchantments currently placed upon the recipient; instead, it resists any further spells that attempt to affect it. The effect 96

Dragonewt Magic 97

Enter the Hero Plane on HeroQuests. Enter the Hero Plane Project forwards and FutureQuests. undertake backwards in Time to Collect things from the mundane world and take Dream Plane for inspection. them into their own Send forth things created in their dreams into the mundane world to interact with it, for a limited time. Enter the creatures. dreams of sentient and sapient New Advanced Skill: Dream Mysticism New Advanced Skill: Dream (POW+INT) With this skill dragonewtsinhabit the waking and and True dreaming worlds, Dragons exploring the avenues cross- and by-ways of Time and transcending its boundaries. The dream world the Cosmic is Dragon, a as creation part so of of dragonewts its are contemplations, effectively treading dreams. own Dragon’s the Cosmic A skill test against only Dream required when Mysticism a dragonewt is wishes to usually particular work a effect; otherwise its ability to cross the into dream realm is automatic. In dragonewts the dream realm are largely observers; conﬁned only True Dragons to can fully manipulate the the dream role state to of create lasting strange, often terrifying, effects, creations wander the and dream their limited dream have But dragonewts realm constantly. manipulation capabilities of their own. Working Dream Magic Each of the ﬁve abilities of Dream Mysticism dream skill in a slightly way and different magic uses the has a differing cost in terms of Magic Points. These are discussed below. Ruler dragonewts and Inhuman Kings have a new advanced skill called Dream boxed Mysticism; text see nearby. the Dream to: dragonewt Mysticism allows the A A A A A

This is the magic of the Rulers and Inhuman Kings. It is the magic that allows creation and destruction with a simple thought and is, for all practical purposes, the channelling of the powers of the Ancestral Dragons. Ancestor magic is mundane the into dreams its projects either effectively dragonewt dream magic. The world or takes things from the mundaneits dreams. world In into this way dragonewts can both and create destroy. It is the have not do they employ; to dragonewts for taxing also physically and enduring an psychically with dreams their manifest to yet maturity physicality in the way True Dragons Dream Dragons. can manifest Ancestor Magic This effect renders the dragonewt virtually invisible and silent in any shadow grants a +50% or bonus Stealth to tests, the dragonewt’s darkness. This effect while imposing a –50% penalty on tests any made to attempt to locate it. Perception Even if spotted, the obscured partially being of benefit the gains dragonewt the Should strike). or target to attempts most to (–20% dragonewt leave the shadows, the effect immediately expires. The dragonewt calls upon the Ancestral shield it with their wings of darkness. Dragons to Unseen Presence Walk the Tread of Green Scaled Father Trigger Magnitude 3, 5, Duration POW, Time Casting matches its Magnitude against the Magnitude of the is Magnitude Deflection’s Universal If spell. incoming greater than the incoming spell’s, the incoming spell has no effect. If the incoming spell’s equal Magnitude to is or greater than the Magnitude of Universal Deflection, the spell affects the target normally. This version of Universal Deflection remains in the place entirety of forits Duration – spells that successfully not does it However, it. dispel not do effect the breach discriminate between incoming spells – Universal of recipient the heal a magically to attempting comrade Deflection must overcome it in order to successfully use a healing spell.

Enter the Hero Plane Moving backwards through time, events are always A successful Dream Mysticism test moves the seen with crystal clarity, such is the perfection of dragonewt from the dream realm into the Hero Plane. hindsight. The dream realm acts as the Hero Gate, and this is a dragonewt secret the God Learners would dearly love Collecting from the Mundane World to possess. Within the Hero Plane that dragonewt can By taking something from the mundane world into move through, and interact with, myths in precisely the dream realm, a dragonewt can understand its the same ways as any other HeroQuester, although it essential nature with abundant clarity. The power and is rare for dragonewts to act as anything but observers signiﬁcance of objects is revealed and their inﬂuence unless required to either act as adversaries against other on events within Time can be determined. Usually HeroQuesters by the structure and nature of the myth. dragonewts return whatever they take, but sometimes Some Ruler dragonewts are engaged on HeroQuests they forget, and so things from the mundane world and can be found wandering the Hero Plane on a might suddenly vanish and be never seen again; or regular basis, much to the surprise and chagrin of God reappear days, months or even years later when the Learner HeroQuesters. dragonewt remembers to return the item.

Individual dragonewts are limited in what they can FutureQuesting take into the dream realm. To determine what can be This is not HeroQuesting. FutureQuesting is only moved, roll on the Crested Stage Runes Known table available to those who exist outside the fabric of the on page 85. A dragonewt can only inﬂuence things Great Compromise and are thus unbound by the mortal tied to that rune. Rulers can inﬂuence up to 1D6 runes, strictures of Time. FutureQuesting involves moving and Inhuman Kings 1D10 runes.

Dragonewt Magic forwards and backwards in time to observe, but not modify, the interaction of events in the mundane world. For example, the Ruler dragonewt Faithful Wanderings It always requires a successful Dream Mysticism test is able to inﬂ uence 2 runes: Beast and Plant. It can and the degree of temporal travel is determined by the thus try to take anything associated with these runes dragonewt’s Magic Points. into the dream realm for further study.

It costs 1 Magic Point to move up to one century It costs 1 Magic Point for every point of SIZ of the either forward or backwards in time. The dragonewt thing being moved, and a successful Dream Mysticism needs to make a successful Dream Mysticism test to test to move it. In the dream realm the object moved complete the journey or it finds the temporal avenues cannot be harmed or damaged, but it can be scrutinised, closed to it. It cannot specify where it goes or what it prodded, poked or just generally contemplated wants to observe; it is merely cast through time and for as long as the dragonewt wishes to keep it. The must accept what it finds. Thus, FutureQuesting lacks dragonewt can use its Dream Mysticism skill to try to the precision of HeroQuesting and it may take many, determine what the object’s significance is and how it many attempts for a dragonewt to reach a place in might influence future events (or what influence it has Time it wishes to be. exerted on the past). If the object is sentient or sapient it is allowed to resist the scrutiny with its Persistence If moving forward through Time the events the in an opposed test against the dragonewt’s Dream dragonewt sees are always hazy and indistinct, as though Mysticism skill. seen through a mist. To gain an inkling or understanding of what it sees the dragonewt must make a successful For example, Faithful Wanderings is convinced that Perception test, modified by –1% for every 10 years into a duck that has wandered into Contemplative Rest the future the dragonewt has travelled. has some bearing on the future of the settlement. It decides to analyze the duck in the dream realm to be sure, which is possible because the duck is tied to the

Dragonewt Magic 99 Magic Points. For example, duck it has Faithfuljust analysed some help and advice about Wanderingsthe dragonewts. It therefore creates a dream version decidesof the which it duck sends to back the mundane world to offer Magic 6 invests Wanderings Faithful guide. a as act to the Points in existence the for 6 hours. The creation, version blue-beaked realpink-feathered, a see duck,a to shocked Erryl, is rather meaning of itself shimmer it into existence as it will prepares to go Contemplative Rest… wandering around remain in Dragonewts Dragonewts can enter the Dream dragonewt’s dreams the to equal area an in slumbering of any creature Mysticism skill x10 in metres. It requires Mysticism a test, which Dream can be resisted in an opposed test by the sleeping creature’s Persistence. The cost in Magic Points to the dragonewt the is creature’s POW, and equal the to dragonewt half can remain in the dream for a number of hours equal to its own remaining For example, Erryl Faithful the Duck dreams about. It Wanderings successfully enters Erryl’s dreams and because the decides duck has POW 12, it costs Faithful Wanderings to6 Points, Magic Magic 16 thus Points. seeAs and 16, of the POW a has what dragonewt Faithful Wanderings – if Erryl sleeps that long. up to 10 hours can remain in Erryl’s dreams forWhilst occupying a dream, dragonewts can observe but not interact with it. They canwhatever constructs useit has, the to dreamcommunicate with andthe dreamer, either imparting information into or a entering dialogue. Upon remember waking, the the dream dreamer and as will retains being knowledge of particularly whatever communicated. the vivid dragonewt the guide to ability this use Kings Inhuman and Rulers lesser stages of their settlement. No resistance test is into a necessary when a Ruler or King dreams its way dreams. lesser dragonewt’s Entering Dreams

The dragonewt needs to make a Mysticism successful test to Dream create something dream could tied example, for to Wanderings, a Faithful rune knows. it Beast the to tied else anything or duck a existence into into transplanted be then can creation dream The rune. the mundane world and remain there for a number of wishes dragonewt the Points Magic the to equal hours to invest in its creation. The dream creation has the semblance of physicality and reacts as mundane such world, but always in has a the dream-like quality in its appearance. The dragonewt can use its creation to observe the mundane world and even to use it as a channel of communication or action if it wishes, but because the creation is a dream, it physical cannot world around alter it. The the dream creation can dream to be dragonewts for rare is it however, size; any of that is outlandishly large. something into existence In a similar fashion version dream a create can to dragonewts rune, particular collecting things tied to which a can then be sent into the mundane world. This is a weaker form of the ability used by True Dragons to send forth their Dream Dragons. Moving Moving a thing into the dream realm requires that the only dragonewt is aware of its presence, and that the object is within a number of metres equal to the Dream Mysticism skill x10. dragonewt’s Beast rune. The duck has a SIZ of 7, so this requires 7 of 7, so this requires has a SIZ The duck Beast rune. Magic to Points accomplish, Wanderings but Faithful succeeds in its Dream Mysticism skill and shifts the somewhat bewildered duck Trying to into determine its the duck’sWanderings dreamscape. precise nature, pits Faithfulthe duck’s Persistence of its42%. The result of Dream the roll for Mysticism Faithful Wanderings is 41, whilst the duck of rolls a 30. 45% Faithful Wanderings has the against higher successful roll, and it manages to determine of and nature destined to be an ally thatof the settlement. the duck is pure Faithful Wanderingsand returns the ed, (now is but terriﬁ unharmed) pleased duck to the normal world. back with its endeavours Creating Dreams

DINOSAURS AND DREAM DRAGONS

Dragonewts and thus the creatures of Hykim who was himself a dragon- like being, but not a dragon, and thus could not create Dinosaurs them in the same image. Dinosaurs are thus viewed by Naturally dragonewts dispute the wyrmfriend myth dragonewts as failed attempts to breed more dragons because they view dinosaurs as degenerate versions without the need for True Dragons. of themselves, but they thank the wyrmfriends for entertaining them with such honourable stories. Most dinosaurs are found in Dragon Pass, where they are herded in the great ranches of Dragon’s Eye. Dragonewts do, indeed, tend and look after dinosaurs Other colonies herd them too, Ormsland and Ryzel which are, like dragonewts, born from eggs and are for example, but the greatest concentration is, and

How Dinosaurs Came Into Being – a Wyrmfriend Myth

Chaos came and tried to corrupt all things. It slew many dragonewts and tried even to destroy the True Dragons, but Chaos had not reckoned on the Night Dragon, which rose to challenge it.

On the eve of the First Great Battle, Night Dragon slept and dreamed. From its dreams came the Crushers, which Dinosaurs and Dream Dragons towered, with their long necks and stout limbs, over the Chaos Army. On the morning of the battle Night Dragon commanded them into the fray and they did great damage but would not eat the enemy.

On the eve of the Second Great Battle, Night Dragon summoned his ally the Storm Bull and they dreamed together. From these dreams came the Thunderers which had terrible horns and were faster than the Crushers. On the morning of the battle Night Dragon and Urox commanded the Thunderers and they did great damage but still would not eat the enemy.

So, on the eve of the Third Great Battle, Night Dragon dreamed even more vividly and from its dreams came the Renders which were fast and vicious. He commanded them to tear apart the Chaos hordes and they did, but because they were small they were easily killed by the monsters the Chaos gods had summoned in preparation.

On the eve of the Fourth and Final Battle, Night Dragon dreamed once more and combined size, speed and the love of red, dripping flesh into a final mythago. This was the Death King, and when Night Dragon had dreamed enough of them into being, he marched into the fray with the Death Kings fanning behind him like a cloak of Terror. The Death Kings destroyed the Chaos monsters and ate them just as Night Dragon wanted.

When the battle was over and Chaos vanquished, Night Dragon surveyed his dreamed creations and knew they could not be undreamed, so he went to the Inhuman King of Dragon Pass and told him to look after the Crushers, the Thunderers, the Renders and the Death Kings, which the Inhuman King did.

And blessed are we of Night Dragon’s dreams!

100 Dinosaurs and Dream Dragons 101 RuneQuest . Monsters The Allosaurs are found predominantly in the jungles of Fanzai. of dragonewts the by herded are and Kralorela They are have not they been used although in small, battle for relatively a considerable are herds the and time dragonewt the around patrols jungle the of part as used (and capital eat) to those scare who away cross would large, are Allosaurs territory. dragonewt into willingly bipedal carnivorous dinosaurs, reaching nine to ten metres in length and standing over three metres tall. a skull They have massive on a short neck, a long tail and shortened forelimbs. The most distinctive feature is the pair of blunt horns, just above and in with horns these decorate to front like Dragonewts of eyes. the heighten to obsidian, with tipped bone, dragon shaped the monstrous effect. Although short in comparison to the hind legs, the forearms are massive with large, claws. dragon-like Characteristics STR 6D6+32 (53) CON 4D6+21 (35) DEX 2D6+9 SIZ (16) INT 4D6+32 (46) 3 POW 2D6+6 (13) CHA 3 (3) (3) Dinosaurs Dinosaurs are controlled through the various effects the dragonewts have at reptile, dominate their the reptilian mind disposal: at adept and are trainers animal speak command dragonewt Beaked with reptiles. dinosaur for talent particular a with those and task this communication are steered into dragonewts’ the this emulate profession. to The able been have wyrmfriends success, of deal great a with handling dinosaur in skills butthey still lack the cold, reptilian logic needed toget best from the animals. the very Types Dinosaur Gloranthan dinosaurs do not vary much, statistically, from those presented in Allosaurus (Death Princes) species most commonly encountered are below. presented But dragonewts are forever aware that and relatives they are mindful of becoming too attached dinosaurs are inkling little with beasts brute are They creatures. these to of the true draconic path magisaurs) and (with clearly do not reincarnate, showing they the exception of the are sundered irrevocably from dragonhood. Thus, while some wyrmfriends view favoured dinosaurs as gigantic pets, dragonewts are somewhat dispassionate and quite often make a particular Dragon about Commader effuses show War enthusiastic EWF of being so when the quality of a particular triceratops or tyrannosaur. an The EWF has shown dinosaurs and this has encouraged a the Inhuman King own. their raise surprising and them use Council Guiding empathy the let to with Dragon’s between common are eggs dinosaur of Gifts Eye and Olorost, and both dragonewts dino-flesh quality fine and of judges unerring become humans have same the with treated being cows and bulls prized with pure-bred horse. respect and care as any Some dinosaurs, usually the weakest specimens, are used as food by the Beaked and Nobles. Brontosaur and triceratops are considered too tough -- even for the hardy dragonewt palate -- but tyrannosaur velociraptor and are bones considered are used in the making of delicacies. dragonbone armour and Dinosaur weapons, with the used bone to transform singing the raw effect material bone dinosaur of being use into the consider Wyrmfriends shape. the desired above dragon bone to be a inferior practice, but once the Bone somewhat Singing ritual, as strange and performed by a dragonewt, is complete, no one call tell the difference. Dinosaurs are used as beasts of burden and for war. As war. for and burden of beasts as used are Dinosaurs with, build to wood and stone haul they burden of beasts and as beasts of war the wyrmfriend and dragonewt armies ride into battle on the backs of Crushers and Thunderers to break morale as the Renders and Death Kings stalk the flanks, controlled by dragonewt and wyrmish magic. always always has been, Dragon Pass. The dragonewts have developed specific effects to communicate with, and ability innate an is this because and dinosaurs, control, to some Beaked stages, and almost like dreaming, the dragonewts can accept that Night Dragon had a hand creation. in the dinosaurs’ Allosaurus Hit Locations Ankylosaurus (Clubbers) D20 Hit Location AP/HP These squat, quadrupedal, five-toed herbivores are found 1-2 Tail 10/17 in the forests surrounding Contemplative Rest and at 3-5 Right Leg 10/17 large across Dragon Pass. The ankylosaur has a wide shell of thick, spine-covered armour plates over much of 6-8 Left Leg 10/17 its turtle-like body, with four thick legs and a blunt snout 9-11 Abdomen 10/18 on a wide, triangular head. Ankylosaurs are famed for 12-15 Chest 10/19 their tails, a long, muscular appendage that ends in a cruel 16 Right Claw 10/16 club of bone and which is used to great effect by their 17 Left Claw 10/16 War Dragon handlers when taken onto a battlefield. 18-20 Head 10/17 Dragonewts prize the armour plating of ankylosaurs Weapons and use it to fashion dragon bone armour. The tails are Type Weapon skill Damage / AP used to fashion maces, although this is a weapon much Bite 50% 1D10+2D12 more favoured by the EWF. Kick 35% 1D6+2D12 / 3 Ankylosaurs are relatively easy for dragonewt Special Rules handlers to control. All draconic effects used to Combat Actions: 3 influence the reptilian mind have a +20% modifer Strike Rank: +9 when used upon ankylosaurs. Movement: 6m Traits: Formidable Natural Weapons Characteristics Skills: Athletics 90%, Perception 50%, STR 4D6+21 (33) Persistence 50%, Resilience 80%, CON 3D6+15 (24) Tracking 40% DEX 2D6+6 (13) Typical Armour: Hide (AP 10, no Skill Penalty) SIZ 4D6+21 (33)

Dinosaurs and Dream Dragons INT 3 (3) POW 3D6 (11) CHA 3 (3)

Ankylosaurus Hit Locations D20 Hit Location AP/HP 1-2 Tail 14/13 3-4 Right Hind Leg 6/13 5-6 Left Hind Leg 6/13 7-10 Hindquarters 14/14 11-14 Forequarters 14/15 15-16 Right Front Leg 6/13 17-18 Left Front Leg 6/13 19-20 Head/Neck 14/13 Weapons Type Weapon skill Damage / AP Bite 50% 1D12+2D6 Tail Smash 60% 4D6 / 4

102 Dinosaurs and Dream Dragons 103 Damage Persistence 50%, Resilience 110% Persistence 50%, Resilience Thick Hide (AP 14, no Skill Penalty)Thick Hide (AP 14, Trample Athletics 120%, Perception 25%, Weapon skill 70% 4D12 4m

Skills: Typical Armour: Weapons Type Tail Lash Trample Special Rules 65% Actions: 1 Combat Rank: Strike +3 Movement: Traits: 5D12 Pteranodon (Swoopers) Pteranodons roost in the high peaks across Glorantha, especially around Mountains High and Wyrm, the particularly Mislar the common in Mountains. Kralorela Rockwood They where pteranodon flocks are are viewed of as a enormous good flying omen. reptiles, They with are wingspans averaging ten to twelve metres, leathery wings and a grasping at claw the midpoint of with slender bodies, an has head pteranodon’s The foot. large-taloned each wide, elongated, toothless beak, with a narrow crest almost as long as its jaw, jutting from the rear of Dragonewts can control its and ride pteranodon skull. and it is for not them unknown to tip the headcrest with gaudy shards obsidian feathers, demi-bird as such trimmings foes. and the heads of fallen high the are pteranodon of habitats natural the Although constructed been have roosts swooper peaks, and cliffs in the high towers of Eye Dragon’s and Fanzai where the pteranodon roost quite happily. They are fed on small mammals and river fish but never too much so as to maintain an optimum flying weight. Before any kind of conflict it is dragonewt practice to starve the pteranodons so that they will be keen to swoop down and tackle human-sized prey even they cannot lift it. The spear-like beaks, when fletched with shards obsidian, of are dreadful weapons when delivered from a high plummet. the along running of capable is pteranodon a Although ground on all fours, using its feet and their of debasing the a this consider dragonewts wings, its claws on natural grace and do not permit its practice. 14/20 14/20 Neck) Thick Hide (AP 6, Legs) no Skill Penalty 5m Trample Resilience 80% Formidable Formidable Natural Weapons, Hide (AP 14 Tail, Tail, Armoured Hide (AP 14 Forequarters 14/22 Tail Right Hind LegLeft Hind Leg 14/20 14/20

STR 4D6+40 CON 2D6+30 DEX 1D6 SIZ (52) INT 4D6+50 (36) 3 POW 1D6+6 CHA 3 (3) (62) (11) (3) (3) Characteristics Brontosaurs are herded extensively across Dragon Pass across Dragon Pass Brontosaurs are herded extensively with a few small herds lumbering through and Kralorela northern Dara Happa. Massive reptiles with tiny heads, thick, ovoid bodies and a long tail, the ground with and slowly do they which move, they when shakes an ungainly, swinging gait balanced by pendulous tail. They stand the some five metres tall mighty, at the metres. twenty exceeds that length total a with and hips Brontosaurs are not commanded aggressive by their handlers and unless will often ignore a strenuously creature as tiny as a single human or sight the unless by untroubled specifically completely are They directed. pushed easily be can and army advancing an of prospect a column or line, crushing it underfoot. towards Brontosaurus (Crushers) Special Rules Actions: 3 Combat Rank: Strike +8 Typical Armour: Hindquarters, Forequarters, Head/ Traits: Skills: Perception 40%, Persistence 35%, Movement: 3-4 D201-2 5-6 Hit Location7-1011-14 15-16 AP/HP 17-18 Hindquarters19-20 Right Front Leg Left Front Leg 14/21 Head/Neck 14/20 14/20 Brontosaurus Hit Locations Weapons Type Weapon skill Damage Bite 55% 1D8+1D10 Claw 45% 1D6+1D10 Special Rules Combat Actions: 3 Strike Rank: +10 Movement: 2m, 6m when flying Skills: Perception 65%, Resilience 70%, Stealth 40% Typical Armour: Tough Hide (AP 3, no Skill Penalty)

Stegosaurus (Spine Tails) Dragonewts love stegosaurs. Though they are herbivores, they are ferocious ﬁghters with their bony, spined tails that deliver an armour-piercing punch. Stegosaurs are highly territorial, with clearly marked territories for their small herds across Dragon Pass and in the forests surrounding Ghosts Around. The small head and tail of the beast hang low to the ground, while its back arches up as high as four metres. The When a pteranodon has outlived its usefulness, or bony plates protruding from the creature’s spine offer has fallen in battle, its wing tendons are removed and it protection against the giant carnivores among the used for wyrmish longbow strings, whilst the head dinosaurs and, of course, two-legged enemies. The

Dinosaurs and Dream Dragons crests are kept to adorn armour. The feet and claws, tip of its tail is equipped with four long spikes that when fricasseed by an experienced Noble chef make are used as the handles for klanths; a well-delivered a tasty snack. punch with that tail splits skulls and armour plating with equal ease. Characteristics STR 4D6+6 (20) Stegosaurs are small-brained and this makes them CON 3D6+3 (14) harder, rather than easier, to control and command. The DEX 2D6+12 (17) shallow mind of the beast is unreceptive to magical SIZ 4D6+12 (26) commands and all effects and magics associated with INT 3 (3) controlling reptiles suffer a -20% penalty when used POW 3D6 (11) on stegosaurs. They are also very quick to anger and CHA 3 (3) highly unpredictable, which makes them all the more intriguing to dragonewts. Pteranodon Hit Locations D20 Hit Location AP/HP Characteristics 1-3 Right Leg 3/8 STR 5D6+21 (36) 4-6 Left Leg 3/8 CON 4D6+12 (24) DEX 2D6 (7) 7-8 Abdomen 3/9 SIZ 6D6+21 (39) 9-12 Chest 3/10 INT 3 (3) 13-14 Right Wing 3/7 POW 3D6 (11) 15-16 Left Wing 3/7 CHA 3 (3) 17-20 Head 3/8

104 Dinosaurs and Dream Dragons 105 14/16 10/16 Tail Right Hind LegLeft Hind LegHindquarters 10/16 Forequarters 10/16 10/17 10/18 Characteristics STR 6D6+30 CON 3D10+12 DEX 2D6+3 SIZ (51) INT (28) 6D6+30 3 POW 3D6 (10) CHA 3 (51) (11) (3) (3) Triceratops (Thunderers) Found throughout Ralios, Slontos and TriceratopsDragon Pass, reach about stand around three eightmetres at the metresshoulder. The most in distinctive length feature and is their which closely resembles large, that of elongated a Ruler dragonewt. skull, All triceratops bear a single horn on the snout, above the nostrils, and a pair of one metre long horns above each the eye. To rear of the skull is a relatively short, bony frill that serves as an important piece of armour Thunderer Rider. plating for a and surly a have triceratops herbivorous being Despite often unpleasant disposition and are likely seem to they said, charge That territory. their enters that anything capable of forming attachments to particular handlers a over stand to triceratops a for known been has it and fallen rider, protecting him from enemies. Thunderer several of consists EWF the of cavalry The regiments, each with the their beasts’ head regalia frills. traditional Dragonewts painted habit continue onto of their adorning obsidian; the and in head Ormsland it horns is fashionable to with paint a second face onto the frill, either as a parody or as a to enemies. dire warning D201 2-3 4-5 Hit Location6-9 10-13 14-15 AP/HP 16-1718-20 Right Front Leg Left Front Leg Head 10/16 10/16 Triceratops Hit Locations 10/13 10/13 Damage / AP / Damage Trample Persistence 60%, Resilience 75% Bone Plating (AP Quarters, Fore 10, Quarters, Head/Neck) Tail, Hind Thick Hide (AP 8, Legs), Penalty no Skill Weapon skill 65% / 3 1D12+2D8 4m Formidable Natural Weapons, Right Hind LegLeft Hind LegHind Quarters 8/13 Fore Quarters 8/13 10/14 10/15 Hit LocationTail AP/HP

Bite Tail Smash 50% Actions: 2 Combat Rank: Strike +5 Movement: 1D10+2D8 Special Rules Weapons Type Traits: Skills: Typical Armour: Athletics 65%, Perception 40%, 3-4 5-6 7-10 11-14 15-1617-1819-20 Right Front Leg Left Front Leg Head/Neck 8/13 8/13 D20 1-2 Stegosaurus Hit Locations Stegosaurus Weapons Type Weapon skill Damage Gore 60% 1D10+2D12 Tail Lash 35% 3D12 Special Rules Combat Actions: 2 Strike Rank: +6 Movement: 4m Traits: Trample Skills: Athletics 60%, Perception 50%, Persistence 40%, Resilience 80% Typical Armour: Thick Bone (AP 14, Head) Tough Hide (AP 10, all other locations), no Skill Penalty

Tyrannosaurus (Death Kings) Found almost exclusively in Dragon Pass, but with isolated groups in Dara Happa, tyrannosaurs are utterly terrifying, consummate predators that are absolutely without fear or mercy. The Dragon’s Eye herds are kept docile by their handlers almost constantly, but every so often it is necessary for the dragonewts to let their tyrannosaurs loose on a closely monitored killing spree. Characteristics STR 4D6+40 (52)

Dinosaurs and Dream Dragons A fast, bipedal predator Death Kings measure in excess of CON 5D6+30 (47) thirteen metres in length and up to eight metres in height. DEX 2D6+3 (10) The eyes are restless and hungry, the maw dripping saliva SIZ 4D6+30 (42) in anticipation of its next meal. The massive hind limbs INT 3 (3) make tyrannosaurs fast, agile and powerfully strong, POW 2D6+6 (13) whilst the tiny, two-fingered forearms are next to useless. CHA 3 (3) It is dragonewt custom to adorn the slender forearms with bangles and a few tyrannosaurs have been trained to hold Tyrannosaurus Hit Locations a klanth, although they can do little with it. D20 Hit Location AP/HP 1-2 Tail 10/18 Tyrannosaurs are very difficult to control. All magic and 3-5 Right Leg 10/18 effects used to command and control reptiles suffer a -40% 6-8 Left Leg 10/18 penalty when dealing with tyrannosaurs and, even amongst 9-11 Abdomen 10/19 dragonewts, only the most experienced are allowed near the tyrannosaur pens (which are held magically enclosed 12-15 Chest 10/20 by Inhuman King magics). In battle they reach a state of 16 Right Claw 10/10 killing frenzy once the scent of blood is in the air and for 17 Left Claw 10/10 this reason the Death King regiments are always held back 18-20 Head 10/18 from the fray and only unleashed at the last opportunity, in case they turn on either themselves or their handlers. Weapons Anyone witnessing a tyrannosaur killing frenzy is Type Weapon skill Damage subject to -40% to all Persistence tests whilst in the Bite 60% 1D10+2D12 dinosaur’s vicinity. 106 Dinosaurs and Dream Dragons 107 5/8 5/8 5/8 5/10 5/11 5/7 5/7 5/8 Damage / AP / Damage Weapon skill 65% / 2 1D4+1+1D12 Tail Right Leg Left Leg Right Claw Left Claw Weapons Type Bite Kick Foreclaw 40% 35% 1D8+1D12 1D6+1D12 / 2 D201-2 3-5 6-8 Hit Location9-1112-1516 AP/HP 17 Abdomen 18-20 Chest Head Velociraptor Hit Locations Resilience 95%, Tracking 50% Tracking Resilience 95%, Thick Hide (AP 10), no Skill Penalty 5m Athletics 90%, Perception 50%, Death King Stew Death King The dense, earthy meat of the tyrannosaur is a particular Noble The favourite. leg meat and shank is ideal for the long, slow cooking needed for this particular dish. First the leg is cool hung dark place for and a treated year with in salt and a herbs. Then the leg is diced whilst the shank is and left whole, the cuts of meat are marinated in wine and triceratops transferred blood to a for large cauldron two filled with weeks. water and Next brontosaur urine the and more cuts herbs are are added. The whole lot is simmered for chanting six stands days watch, precisely whilst the Noble cooking the stew mantra the and OUROBOROS stirring and skimming. Root are vegetables added for the final hour of bread croutons. with unleavened bowls in large steaming concoction is served cooking and the whole, Characteristics STR 4D6+12 (26) CON 3D6+3 DEX (14) 4D6 SIZ (14) INT 4D6+12 (26) 4 POW 2D6+6 (13) CHA 3 (4) (3) three and five when found in the wild. They like forested Renders are pack hunters, forming groups of between like They wild. the in found when five and three northern of forests the and Fethlon of jungles the areas; Dragon Pass crawl capable with of carrying the a rider, dragonewts creatures. prefer their demi-birds Although to velociraptors because they are easier to control. Mental commands are not a problem; it is the leaping, spinning and slicing nature of velociraptors the to -20% of penalty a applying difficult, proves that Ride skill when the creature is fighting. Velociraptorand meaner larger, (Render) much are Glorantha of velociraptors The dumber than the turkey-sized dinosaurs most commonly attributed to the genus and are up and height in closer metres two some at Standing to appearance. utahraptors in to six metres a in claw wickedly length, curved have they and Bipedal proportions. dagger-like of limb hind each on fast, they can be trained to business. it a risky unpredictable nature makes carry a rider although their Special Rules Actions: 2 Combat Rank: Strike +6 Movement: Skills: Typical Armour: Special Rules Rune Magic if it chooses and magisaurs have been Combat Actions: 3 known to establish cults worshipping Hykim and their Strike Rank: +9 own deity, The Scaled Mother. Movement: 6m Traits: Formidable Natural Weapons Magisaurs are herbivorous and passive. They only Skills: Athletics 40%, Perception 50%, show aggression when their herds are threatened by Resilience 80%, Stealth 50%, predators or when challenging the leader of the herd for Tracking 45% social position, where combat involving weapons and Typical Armour: Thick Hide (AP 5, no Skill Penalty) magic are involved in an intense, bloody struggle.

The most common type of magisaur, those freshly The Magisaur regressed from the dragonewt stage, is the small magisaur. It retains much of the dragonewt intelligence but none of its memories. As the magisaur ages, it Curse grows larger and its intelligence ebbs. By the time it is Almost all dinosaurs reproduce naturally and are fully mature – some 60 years of age – it is intellectually relatively dumb beasts – with the exception of the little more than a dinosaur. magisaur. For reasons unknown, a Crested dragonewt sometimes fails to reincarnate into a higher form and Characteristics instead regresses to a dinosaur stage. The regression takes time to complete, but once it begins it is Small Medium Large irreversible. When the Crested dragonewt is reborn STR 2D6+8 (15) 2D6+18 (25) 2D6+24 (31) into a Crested stage, it emerges with webbed fingers CON 3D6 (11) 3D6+6 (17) 3D6+12 (23) and toes, the first sign of the magisaur curse, and each DEX 1D6+6 (10) 1D6+6 (10) 1D6+6 (10) subsequent rebirth regresses the dragonewt further SIZ 2D6+12 (19) 2D6+24 (31) 2D6+36 (43) until the fully-fledged magisaur emerges from the INT 3D6 (11) 2D6 (7) 1D6 (4)

Dinosaurs and Dream Dragons birth egg for a ﬁnal time. POW 2D6+12 (19) 2D6+18 (25) 2D6+24 (31) CHA 3 (3) 3 (3) 3 (3) No one has been able to understand what triggers this degeneration and it is very rare. Magisaurs are Magisaur Hit Locations intelligent, retain their magical knowledge, but are D20 Hit Location AP/HP (S, M, L) removed from the draconic path completely. It is 1-2 Tail 2/5 4/8 6/11 thought that particularly heinous Wrong Actions trigger 3-5 Right Leg 2/5 4/8 6/11 the curse, but there is little evidence to support the 6-8 Left Leg 2/5 4/8 6/11 theory. What is intriguing is that when the regression 9-11 Abdomen 2/6 4/10 6/14 is complete it emerges with a deﬁned sex – something alien to dragonewts – and the desire to mate. Naturally 12-15 Chest 2/6 4/10 6/14 the magisaur is cast out from the colony and it must 16 Right Claw 2/4 4/6 6/9 make its own way in the world. Dragonewts do not, 17 Left Claw 2/4 4/6 6/9 and will not, herd magisaurs. 18-20 Head 2/5 4/8 6/11

Magisaurs display a natural afﬁnity for swamps and Weapons form social groups dominated by an alpha male. Type Weapon skill Damage* They have forgotten all memories of their dragonewt Bite 30% 1D6+1D4/1D12/2D8 existence, save for occasional dreams that hint at what Kick 30% 1D6+1D4/1D12/2D8 they once were. Each magisaur has the runes it knew as a dragonewt embossed onto its hide with all known * Damage bonus varies for either small, medium or spells ﬁrmly embedded in it memory. It can learn more large sized magisaurs.

108 Dinosaurs and Dream Dragons 109 out of existence as easily as it was little concept of who, or what, they are. Intellectually, dream dragons are as relatively a simplistic manifestation of a although, True Dragon’s they are dream-state, certainly intelligent and able to interact with their surroundings. However, no dream dragon ever exhibits any true depth of character. are, Dreamat best, the manifestations of one or two, perhaps dragons who Dragon True the of desires or instincts base three, are therefore easy to understand, They with created it. motives instinctive simple, and agendas, prolonged no that may be no more or complex than ‘kill ‘ﬁnd food’ embody may they Alternatively me’. like not anything deep, noble and idealistic goals such as Chaos, destroying teaching gods how to exploration behave, and and simple inquisitiveness.dragon acts, there is simply no way of knowing what Until to be. it or what its actions are likely motivates the dream Even those dragons that because although their mortal bodies been have have set to been slain, dream, one side, their immortal minds are still active across Sh’kaharzeel and Aroka like dragons Indeed, Void. the dream, they because all of dangerous most the be may sometimes, of vengeance against those them, who and killed their dream dragons are by the motivated simple, only yet horribly powerful compulsion of cost. at any revenge Dream dragons are a rare occurrence in The Glorantha. EWF offer prayers to the Cosmic the Dragon Great Dragon and to Be for more dreams to become of power the harness to try might they that so tangible is desire The Project. Great their in dragons dream the long remaining dragon, dream a question and capture to enough to gain divine insight into the True Dragon’s mind to fuel their immense creation. But tangible as dream dragons are, dreams do not last They forever. change and dissipate as the focus; therefore, dreaming the mind physical, shifts ﬁre-breathing dragon that crouches on a bed of gold today might be gone dreamed tomorrow, dreamed into it. The Characteristics for dream dragons Some sample are motivations are below. offered in the Dream Dragon Motivation table directly Encountering after. a dream dragon should always be a momentous

spells appropriate to runes known as a dragonewt Penalty) Resilience 70%, Stealth 40%, Tracking 20% 6m Thick Hide (AP as above, no Skill Athletics 30%, Perception 50%, : Runecasting 40%, with 1D6 Rune

Dream dragons are thus a material realisation of a True True a of realisation material a thus are dragons Dream Dragon’s unconscious musings. They take and world mundane the in physical anchorage no have but form The True Dragons sleep powerful; magically and and vivid while are dreams Their they dream. sleep they and state dream the of free break they that powerful so manifest in the mundane world as living, breathing creatures that exhibit the qualities those uppermost in its mind) of Dragon the and True who desires (or has dreamt it into existence. Dream Dragons Typical Magic Typical Armour: Skills: Special Rules Actions: 3 Combat Rank: Strike +10/ +9 / +7 Movement: occasion because they are so rare and are so powerful. Special Rules How long the dream dragon remains in existence Combat Actions: 4 relies upon the Games Master and the needs of the Strike Rank: +18 campaign or story; likewise, its motivations should be Movement: 6m, 10m when ﬂying adapted to ﬁt the circumstances. Traits: Breathe Flame, 4D6 1/hour; Formidable Natural Weapons Dream dragons always manifest in the form of Skills: Athletics 90%, Evaluate 80%, a traditional dragon: serpentine with four limbs, Persistence 70%, Resilience 60%, two wings, and a long, whip-like tail. They have a Tracking 70% dreamlike quality to them -- a haziness of the features- Typical Armour: Dragon Scales (AP 12, no Skill - perhaps a soft ethereal glow to the skin. Other times Penalty) they are hyper-real – more real than any dream has a right to be. Dream Dragon Motivation Table D20 Motivation Dream Dragon Characteristics 1 Escaping an Enemy STR 6D6+40 (41) 2 Greed CON 6D6 (21) 3 Hunting Chaos DEX 6D6 (21) 4 Investigating the Great Dragon Project SIZ 6D6+20 (31) INT 4D6 (14) 5 Jealousy of some half forgotten Nature POW 4D6 (14) 6 Looking for Other True Dragons CHA 3D6 (11) 7 Lost 8 Performing a DreamQuest Dream Dragon Hit Locations 9 Random Destruction D20 Hit Location AP/HP 10 Revenge 1-2 Tail 12/10 11 Seek Food Dinosaurs and Dream Dragons 3-4 Right Hind Leg 12/10 12 Seeking an Enemy 5-6 Left Hind Leg 12/10 13 Seeking Enlightenment 7-8 Hindquarters 12/12 14 Seeking Learning 9-10 Forequarters 12/14 15 Seeking Love and Kindness 11-12 Right Wing 12/10 16 Seeking Treasure 13-14 Left Wing 12/10 17 Seeking Truth 15-16 Right Front Leg 12/9 18 Trying to Find a Place to Sleep 17-18 Left Front Leg 12/9 19 Wandering/Exploring 19-20 Head 12/10 20 Wanting Worship

Weapons After determining the dream dragon’s motivation, Type Weapon skill Damage / AP consider which True Dragon brought the dream into Bite 85% 1D10+2D8 / 2 existence, using the descriptions of the True Dragons Claw 70% 1D8+2D8 / 3 in the Myths and Cults chapters as inspiration. Tail 60% 1D10+2D8 / 4 Determining the True Dragon that the dream dragon Flame 80% 4D6 belongs to should help further deﬁne its motivation and needs.

110 Dragonewt Voices 111 and try to disrupt the shape of the Great Dragon. They They Dragon. Great the of shape the disrupt to try and do not understand but we shall make them and I will gladness. times with great die several Why do I believe it? and restless are limbs Orxili’s finished. not is world The unmake the world constantly. Only the Great Dragon to Be can lay Orxili to rest and make the world whole. one. world the make and spread must thought Draconic It will subsume our enemies and make us greater and Dragons. True our becoming towards the way pave What must I do? I must still master the Rune of Illusion and learn to control my stubbornness. I must learn obedience and acquiescence so that I might demi- end my and klanth my beak, Orxilius my gain to again utuma and take bird. I must grow closer to the Great Dragon to Be. I must continue to honour my masters and my king. I must be a good dragonewt. What do I think of the Great Dragon to Be? Praise the Great Dragon for it comes to redeem us! It will remake the world and all in enlightenment it. to It every will soul bring and will call Wondrous back the Motherwill be whole to and at peace. Those make with single lives will be more reborn as children of eggs. the Great Dragon Orxili and will Dragonewts be defeated. A New dream Age comes together dawns and I am as but one serration the on the scale of the Great Dragon. What do I believe? I believe that the Wondrous Mother return of to us Many on the will eve of the Great Dragon to coming and Be’s prepare for a new mating. She will roost plains great the on mate will and Darfostalabos in here east of the mountains. There will be a quaking of the earth and new eggs will be made. We will be called upon city to a around build new her nest and from the eggs True Dragons shall be born who Wondrouswill serve the Motherlands shall be ours and andwe will share with those who the Great us. to act like how know Dragon to Be. The DRAGONEWT VOICES DRAGONEWT What is my future? Only our Rulers can see the future, but I road is long and straight. I will be reborn in time with know my warrior- the with be to move shall I and limbs stronger kin and tend the earthshakers. We will make war on the enemies of the Empire because they close upon it What is my history? This is my fifth rebirth as a Crested dragonewt welcome and each I new hatching because I when killed I was I birth am first my In improving forward. moving and understand and know to wished I because fire consumed pain, but that was Right and I was made stronger by it. In my second birth I was sent to fight against the Old Ways people who two heads with my sling threatened but was cut I and skin down my take by not did They one enemies. of Sh’kaharzeel’s our caravansIn me. with patience her for Mother Wondrous the thank and I tookmy third birth I undertook the to Long Walk Ormsland Cowardice and Courage understand to there learned and and mastered them. The Tailed Priests with were me pleased and gave me the right to take led to utuma, my which fourth birth in Darfostalabos. In that birth I served the Beaked warriors of the earthshaker pens and Silence there and learned Being. to I value spent a great was I that of because and meditation in birth that of deal allowed utuma once more which brought to me to this, my fifth birth, which should be the last as Orxiliate. Darfostalabos is my nest and city. There can be other. It shines no in a sea of dismay that is an unmade, great of parodies are cities other All world. unfinished Darfostalabos and exist in its golden shadow. I live in the with First my Band egg-kin of the Great Circle, eye. which is the halo of the Cosmic Dragon’s Where do I come from? The Crested Dragonewt Who Am I? Eye Dragon’s of Orxiliate an Other, Insignificant am I of Dragon Pass. in the Most Holy Realm In which dragonewts from each stage of their lifecycle lifecycle their of stage each from dragonewts which In themselves, describe Glorantha of regions different and motivations. their people and their The Beaked Dragonewt What is my future? My future is service, just as Earth Dragon serves. I use Who Am I? my klanth and my powers to protect all those around I am Argostofilius the Broken Klanth, a Golden me. One day I shall find someone to protect personally, Shadow of Ormsland. See my klanth? It is notched but for now I protect the Black Skinned Death King from cleaving the head of a broo with a stone skull because already the God Learner spies seek ways to when I ventured into Dorastor to fetch the Black free it and use it against us. I seek to become better Skinned Death King from the hidden valley. I fight and improve my protection. One day I hope to go to for my king and never show fear, even when staring the city and protect the Inhuman King. into the eyes of the Black Skinned Death King as it slaughtered our Capturing Party. I was not killed that What do I believe? day, and though my klanth is broken I learned many I believe that when Earth Dragon took Asrelia under things that teach me how to be a dragon. his wing he set the expectation for all dragonewts to follow. We are here to protect the world from those Where do I come from? who would do it harm. Orxili the Monster and Father I live in the radiance of Absolute Circuitous Fortuity of Chaos seeks to undo what has been made and we in the nest of Ock. Our nest has buildings which we must protect the world from its limbs. We must protect make from thatch and bind with Crusher dung, which ourselves from our enemies and we must protect our makes thatch hard when made wet and allowed to nests from impurities. dry. As a warrior of my people I have a house and a Crested servant who kills my meals and mixes my Why do I believe it? heppatti to drink. My Lord is Single Eye Watching I have been to Dorastor which was formed from one

Dragonewt Voices of the Tailed Priests of the Earth Dragon Way. It was of Orxili’s eyes and I have seen the foulness that he who learned of the Black Skinned Death King in threatens us. If troubled times approach, as my priests Dorastor and sought the permission of the Inhuman say, we will have to go to war, but our lands must still King to bring it back to our pens. Because I served be protected even while we fight. I am that protection well and fought bravely, I may be allowed to live in the and the armour of my people. city and join in the cosmic symphony which we hear from our hovels in Ock. What must I do? I must learn the powers that give me strength and What is my history? toughen my skin. I must learn to make earthquakes I do not remember what I did as Orxiliate, although with my fist to flatten the advancing armies. I must it is said I completed three great quests that led to my fight bravely with my broken klanth and, when the rebirth as Argostofilius. And I have been Argostofilius time is right, release Black Skinned Death King to twice. In my first beaked birth I joined the Earth Dragon bring horror to those who would attack us. I must Way and learned The Comforting Embrace and pledged die several times yet but be reborn even stronger protection to Ock, Absolute Circuitous Fortuity and than before. Ormsland. I patrolled the Nidan Mountains in search of the hated God Learners and killed some of their But my klanth will always be broken. Rightness Army (which did not seem to me to be capable of Right Action, despite their name and shining What do I think of the Great Dragon spears). They caught me but I took utuma and shredded to Be? my skin so well that they could not use my body in their We are told it is a Good Thing and the Wyrmfriend Orxili-inspired sorceries. I was then reborn as you see Empire must be welcomed, but I am not sure I trust now, and I have served the Earth Dragon Way diligently them. I think we have all we need in the protection and learned to control my curiosity and impulsiveness. of the Earth Dragon and Night Dragon, who fights Single Eye Watching is pleased with me, especially after Chaos. If a Greater Dragon is to arise it is because the cleaving broo and helping to capture the Black Skinned Cosmic Dragon wills it, and not because humankind Death King, but I have many paths and many people to can make it so. protect before I shall be reborn again. 112 Dragonewt Voices 113 the Great Dragon to Be so that its scales will crackle ground the on here burn will sun The fire. golden with when the Great Dragon rises and two suns will then blaze in the sky. I shall bask in that the radiance in Dragon and Great the be serves who Ruler a into reborn Why hungry. me making is talk this All court. celestial we eat something? don’t What must I do? I must serve the Golden Sun Dragon. I must take its word to those who still believe Yelm commands the sky and teach them that the New Sun will be in the shape of a dragon. And I must eat! What do I think of the Great Dragon to Be? dangerous a on struggles Everyone us. of all inside is It road to realise the Inner Dragon, but it is there. For dragonewts the road ravines. into plunges is and turns and twists straight it humankind and clear, but Dragon Inner the for awaken will Be to Dragon Great The shall We ours. as straight as roads your make and all in court, celestial the to there from and sun the to ascend leaving this world to be scoured by the True Dragons who will offer worship to the Great Golden Sun! Dragon of the What do I believe? I believe that the time is at hand for initiate the Empire its to Plan and and birth its over watch to here is Dragon Sun Golden raise the Great Dragon. the The Empire has never been stronger. I do not believe the believe not do I and disaster great any be will there Great Dragon to Be shall fail. I believe in an Empire Suns of and Two that I shall be reborn into it. Really, I am very hungry. Why do I believe it? have we and dragonewts from learned has Humankind learned from them. The mutual occupy teachings We strength. withstand can nothing and strong make us the as just it reform to struggle and world imperfect an Cosmic Dragon struggled to remake infinity when it was broken. What is my future? I will become an emissary of the spread its light Golden from Dara Sun Happa across and the Empire. I will take the rays of the sun and weave them into What is my history? I have told you some of it, but what is history but a sequence of events? Sequences are boring so I talk will of what I have achieved. I speak eight languages languages those of Two Wyrmish. Auld were they if as I have devised myself and intend to the teach Golden Sun them Dragon to when it decides it will with us. talk I have communed with the Inhuman King of Ormsland but my loyalty lies with the Inhuman King of Dragon Pass for that is where my egg lies, deep in High caverns. Wyrm’s I have not yet been to Fanzai to talk to their Inhuman King, but I will go there one day. I will not go to Slontos because something bad is happening and I my of one hear to like must you Would Dragon. remain Sun Golden pure to serve the languages? Shall we eat, perhaps? I have travelled far and I do not remember all the steps. steps. the all remember not do I and far travelled have I Once I was in Dragon Pass and from there I walked to Ormsland and from there I saw Dragon the descend Golden from Heaven Sun and curl itself around Yuthuppa. Thusthe Dragonewt Roads again and I came here, by knew way of Raibanth and I the am Valleys. Silt much travelled my callingin three birthings of this stage. As a and Beaked warrior I so served Sh’kaharzeel. I Before that walked I mindless fool that was did as it was it was told and served a simple, in High Wyrm. Now I am resplendent and wise and shall we eat? Gold Dream. Now, here in New Where do I come from? Where do I come Who Am I? When I am wearing Hooded my Chant hood, Leader. you When may I call call me am Llostorilos me Human not, Talker. I am you a Noble may the of dragonewts of New Gold Dream and designated and Human Speaker Talker Animals to of the Golden Sun Dragon Way here in this, the finest city beyond shall we eat? Eye. Now, Dragon’s The Noble Dragonewt The Noble The Ruler Dragonewt has flown away or it was not born from the egg the wyrmfriends try to create. Either way, there is a path Who Am I? of ruin and it leads to the red moon. I am Ghorostonos. You are in my realm, but I grant you permission as long as you listen and do not speak. What must I do? I cannot change the path ahead but I can become a True Where do I come from? Dragon and I shall be upon my next rebirth. Before I have always been of Absolute Circuitous Fortuity then I must play my part in the Great Symphony and and always will be. I listen to the Great Symphony ensure that none of its notes reach the ears of those and appreciate its resonance. I see each note as motes who would raise a red moon. I must seek to make the of dust floating out to the Void and I have quested after wyrmfriends understand the folly of their path and to them to perceive the music with true clarity. be content with what they have and know. They can understand no more of our ways. What is my history? I have had many lives. I was born in what is called What do I think of the Great Dragon The Dawn Age when my egg was hatched after the to Be? Great Darkness. The world was simple then and gods It is a fine shadow, but a shadow nonetheless. Shadows still wandered in confusion. Only we dragonewts had change with the passing of the sun and the sun always wisdom. As a Beaked warrior I was at the battle of I sets before it rises again, stronger than before. Fought We Won where Chaos was fi nally cast from the world. Later I helped build this city and from there I served the Inhuman King until I became what you see The Inhuman King

Dragonewt Voices before you. Who Am I? What is my future? I am the Inhuman King of the nests of Fanzai, Fethlon The world flows and I flow with it. Down the river and the Kralori Lands. You may not know my name. lies my egg and in it the dragon body I shall inhabit soon enough. Before that I must carry the Great Where do I come from? Symphony to the Cosmic Dragon and I must quest I have always been here, since the Days of Strength into the early ages of the world and into its future. when we prevented Kajabor from coming east. I held fast I shall do this through my dreams and I shall see whilst Dragon’s Eye was weak and nearly destroyed. how Absolute Circuitous Fortuity will lead a new ascendance in the worlds to come. For there are What is my history? many. I have seen them. My history is written in the jungles that surround Fanzai and in the distance between my people and What do I believe? the mortals of Kralorela. I fought in the Leaf Wars I believe the wyrmfriends have pure hearts but are and before that in I Fought We Won. Fanzai was built mistaken in their actions, just as the Crested dragonewts around me to protect the eggs in the Days of Strength. are often mistaken and confused in theirs and commit My history is that of distance and isolation. That is Wrong Action through a lack of understanding and what kept us strong and keeps us so. experience. I have that understanding. The wyrmfriends should listen to me but their ears are blocked with What is my future? schemes of power. Soon, I shall sleep and be subsumed into the immortal egg. I shall emerge as a dragon and then I shall find Why do I believe it? a deep place and await the changing of time. I will I have quested to a time when a red moon hangs over sleep through the Hero Wars and emerge at the end to everything, embracing Orxili. It is not a dragon. It is rebuild what has been lost. That shall be the time of not their Great Dragon. Either the Great Dragon to Be dragons again.

114 Dragonewt Voices 115 atone by Trek completing Lord Year the One Ten Ex devised, but I returned hungry and ate his seedlings. banished. That is why I was Why do I believe it? The path of the dragon is closed to need something me, to but believe in. I The still Big Wheel turns and I am one of its spokes. I will serve because that is what dragonewts of my stage do. I will fight and protect, but I seek things to fight for and things that need protection. What must I do? I with will you and walk on we your shall journey see great things together. We will fight foes when appear they and I shall learn more of the human ways so longer no can I since world your of part a be can I that You. I will become Like be a part of my own. What do I think of the Great Dragon to Be? I do not like the dragonewt can fail the dragon wyrmfriends. path, how can humans Look at me! succeed? If I a think everything the and Great it Dragon must them like be and go will I and it, oppose will Learners be will opposed. destroy I hear to play my part. the God What is my future? wandering am I die. will you as just die, to is future My a broken path with no way of being to reborn seek not do I and have. I so time the of I most the make must master my instincts as I once did, although I still seek dragonewt the is that because things all in Action Right way. I will make my way to Ralios because I want to see the world before it changes or before I die. I have have I dinosaurs. of ways the know I and demi-bird my much to offer and my klanth is sharp. I can make my of a dragon and I fight well. fists into the claws What do I believe? Once I believed in becoming a dragon but that is no more. Now I have no beliefs other than to live from and hungry, am I when only eat to dusk, until morning further. me tempts it whenever Action Wrong avoid to towards walk I why is that and beliefs new find would I Ralios. I learned have that there are people there who can become gods like through learning and discovery. them. them, or serve Perhaps I can be like As a Crested dragonewt I progressed through Orxilius through progressed I dragonewt Crested a As quickly and mastered all my runes. I was reborn, too quickly perhaps, because in this Beaked which body, you see now, I have struggled desires and have to failed on many occasions. master I tried to my base What is my history? Where do I come from? Once I was of Contemplative Rest but when I ate the seedlings gardens, from because I Lord was One Ex’s Now me. to denied egg my and banished was I hungry, I wander. I have been to Ghosts Around, but did not like it. Now I seek the lands of Ralios where I great hear things are being done and I would take part in them. I am Thoraston Fourlives. I wander Dragon Thoraston or Greentail. may call me Pass You as for hire. sword a The Barbarian Dragonewt Who Am I? This thing that in emerges the west is not born from a Mother Wondrous not laid by It the was egg. dragon’s that way same the in dragon a be cannot it so Many of the in things many are There dragon. a not is wyvern a illusions.worldthatmimicbefounddragonsareto but What is born of the mortal mind stays of the mortal mind. It is a transient creation destined it. consume those who try to build to fail and What do I think of the Great Dragon What do I think of the Great Dragon to Be? What must I do? accomplish shall I Then dragon. a become to wait must I much through my dreams. Why do I believe it? Why do I believe I have seen countless things in my lifetimes. I have seen wars and heroes rise and are barriers greater that fall. determined and all it I of futility have seen the that believe I taint. mortal from pure us keep to needed the world will change two more times and through that changing. will gain their strength dragons What do I believe? What do Time and History are illusory. insensate. Humans To them, are war is weak a and natural state. from it. isolate ourselves cancer and we must War is a INDEX Absolute Circuitous Fortuity 40 Dragonewt Traits & Descriptions 86 One Closed Eye 80 Adamantine Truth Redoubtful 72 Dragonewt Weapons 68 Ormsland 39 Allosaurus (Death Princes) 101 Dragon Claws 91 Ourborolanagalost Districts 40 Ancestor Magic 97 Dragon Flight 91 Ouroboros 7 Ankylosaurus (Clubbers) 102 Dragon Growth 91 Personality Traits 7 Arangorf 73 Dragon Magic 85 Poison Resistance 94 Aroka 74 Dragon Pass 29 Pteranodon (Swoopers) 103 Barbarian Dragonewts 56 Dragon Teeth 92 Ralios 38 Beaked Dragonewt (Warrior) 59 Dream Dragons 109 Reincarnation and Advancement 7 Become Draconic Wyrm 87 Duty and Honour 5 Right Action 4 Blood Alchemy (X) 88 Earthquake 92 Royal Grace 94 Blood of Lava 88 Empire of Wisdom 76 Ruler Dragonewt (Full Priest) 61 Bone-Singing 89 Enter the Hero Plane 98 Ryzelhold 51 Bone Ridges 89 EWF 26 Scaled Skin 94 Bouruobs Prime and Secondary 50 Eye Membranes 92 Sense Surface Thoughts 94 Index Brontosaurus (Crushers) 103 Fanzai 48 Sh’kaharzeel 81 Cold-Blooded 89 Fire Claws 92 Sight from the Marked Palms 94 Combat Meditation 90 Flamesight 92 Skeletal Erosion 95 Command Reptile 90 Flay Soul 93 Skeletal Strengthening 95 Contemplative Rest 29 Free Skill Points 67 Slontos 50 Creating Dreams 99 FutureQuesting 98 Speak with Reptiles 95 Crested Dragonewt (Scout) 59 General Physiology 55 Stegosaurus (Spine Tails) 104 Crested Dragonewts – Rune Magic 84 Ghlevestnas 49 Summon Dragon’s Fire 95 Cult Descriptions 71 Ghosts Around 34 Summon Flame 95 Dara Happa 45 Golden Sun Dragon 77 Summon Wraithfire 96 Days of Strength and Weakness 20 Green Scaled Father 78 Sundered Colonies 36 Deafening Cry 90 High Wyrm 35 Teleos 52 Disease Resistance 90 Hykim and Mikyh 20 Ten Tests Passed 47 Dominate the Reptilian Mind 90 Incinerating Breath 93 The Dragonewt Stages 7 Draconic Prescience 91 Infinity and The Cosmic Dragon 14 The Earth Dragon Way 75 Draconic Regeneration 91 Inspiration 93 The First Utuma 15 Draconic Strength 91 Joining EWF Cults 71 The Magisaur Curse 108 Dragon’s Eye 31 Khovoralost Pax 36 The True Dragons 16 Dragonewts and Aldryami 25 Kralorela 47 Traditional Dragonewts 57 Dragonewts and Dinosaurs 100 Lesser Fire Resistance 93 Triceratops (Thunderers) 105 Dragonewts and Uz 25 Liornalmarost 38 True Dragon Scale 96 Dragonewts in Glorantha 23 Magical Development 84 Tyrannosaurus (Death Kings) 106 Dragonewt Behaviour 57 Marsh Reach 36 Universal Deflection 96 Dragonewt Characters 56 Middle Sea Empire 28 Unseen Presence 97 Dragonewt Cultural Backgrounds 62 Mystic Sight 94 Utuma 69 Dragonewt Egg 13 Names 67 Velociraptor (Render) 107 Dragonewt Hide 69 New Basic Skills for Dragonewts 65 Wondrous Mother of Many 20, 82 Dragonewt Professions 64 New Gold Dream 46 Working Dream Magic 97 Dragonewt Roads 24 Night Dragon 79 Wyrms’ Foot 37 Dragonewt Statistics 59 Noble Dragonewt (Tailed Priest) 60 116