Featherstone
Fleet-fingered Father of Falcons
THE BEASTS
All mounts share a telepathic link with their rider that allows them to communicate (through words as well as sensing each other's emotions) or 'phase', the ability to see through their bond's eyes (this goes both ways: the mount can see as the rider or the rider can see as the mount). However, despite these advantages, they also share physical pain.
The armour/equipment of the rider and mount are both magicked or made of dragon scales so that they can withstand the breath weapons of enemy riders or dragons of all types.
All dragons are immune to damage of their own element, including the breath weapon of any dragon of their own type.
Green dragons are the only ones without a breath weapon: instead, they may speak to animals and have superior camouflage to all other types with the exception of the black dragon.
Red dragons are, of course, fire dragons. They have a fire breath weapon that is so hot it can melt metal. They are immune to all fire and lava.
Blue dragons are, unsurprisingly, water. They have webbed feet and instead of spikes they have fins; their wings are long and broad, making them adept soarers. They have water breath with the pressure of a geyser. I'm sure you can work out the affects of that. They can hold their breath for a few hours at a time.
White dragons are air. They are usually feathered and are the most aerial of the dragons, rivaling that of the rocs. Their breath weapon is a howling gale that can knock down trees in some of the older specimens.
Gold dragons are light. They have a breath weapon that blinds their enemies and can render them unconscious, depending on the age of the dragon and the power level of their adversaries. Instead of getting blinded by an enemy dragon's light breath, they simply are disoriented and their sight is damaged for a short period of time.
Black dragons are shadow. Instead of a breath weapon, they spit acidic venom and have a venomous bite; this range is much more limited than that of a normal dragon and much more limited in duration and quantity. To compensate, they can go invisible in shadows. Light breath near or on them will cancel this. They are immune to the affects of other black dragons' venom when bitten, but the acid will eat away at their scales, albeit more slowly and with a less devastating effect than with other types.
Brilliant white-blue is elecricity. They breath an electric cone with the same power as lightning.
They are all resistant to any air elemental damage, and are the most aerial of either gryphons or dragons, even if their species is not particularly aerial: thus, an eagle roc, though not as aerial as a falcon one, would be more aerial than most dragons and just as aerial as air dragons. Proportionally, they have larger feet and claws than dragons.
They, however, have an ability unique only to them: each Skyrider with a roc is given a gem that is worn as a ring; the hawk has it as an anklet. The gem allows the roc to change between it's gargantuan form and the size normal for its species.
Like dragons, they continue growing throughout their lives, and will live forever unless killed by an enemy, by disease, or a similar cause. Females are larger than males.
GRYPHONSGryphons are the smallest, getting about 10 feet tall at the withers when fully grown on average (this varies by species). They can be any mix of raptor (again, not owl) and wild cat (big or small). Again, their abilities and personalities (solitary or pride hunters) will depend on what species are mixed.
All gryphons can see through illusions and detect lies, and can climb and maneuver on the ground more easily than the other two due to their smaller size and four legs.
THE RIDERS
The Skyriders and their bonds are equals. Neither the mount nor the rider commands the other; they are a team, partners, companions, and they dedicate their lives to being such. Neither one can afford to harm the other and any attempt by the rider to overpower their bond ends in failure. After all, what is a mere human faced with a trained roc, dragon, or gryphon?
Skyriders take an oath to uphold the law and to protect their people. They are guards, soldiers, and in some cases, even bounty hunters to chase the most dangerous of criminals. They are the voice of the people and the hand of the judicial system. They represent equality and order and abide by a strict honor code.
They're all dispatched out of the so-called "Den" (or, more formally, Headquarters or HQ). This is the central hub of activity of both the R'lyran military and the judicial system. The city itself is a center for trade and culture. Originally, the R'lyrans were a small tribe that settled in the valley. Over time, the fertile land became home to many, and R'lyr has become a large country encompassing a large swath of land in the mountains. Outside of R'lyr, there are few peoples, for it is a harsh land. The only known civilization is that of the Centaurs, a fierce Mongol-like race that once turned North. There was a long time of war that lasted for almost a decade before the R'lyrans finally drove out the invaders. However, they still remain on the brink of war, and there are many skirmishes along the border to the South. Recently, those who have gone to patrol have not come back. Some Skyriders are explorers, searching for new peoples and new lands, determined to forge a relationship with other nations.
The R'lyran ruler is also the highest-ranking militant general and is always a Skyrider. The ruler may be male or female and the title of 'monarch' is passed down from commanding officer to the next in the chain of command. They have final say in any and all military operations, judicial decisions, diplomatic missions, etc. Right now, the ruler is King Lacertus.
Religion in R'lyran culture is important to many, but anything but central. They believe that the world was created by the Skymasters - a small pantheon of deities that live in the heavens - and, that after death, they may go either to Caelum or Solum. Caelum is their equivalent of Heaven; it is where the valiant, noble, honorable, and good-hearted individuals go to live eternally with their bonds and their families. The wicked, disloyal, or selfish people go to Solum, where they are forever chained to underground, doomed to be trapped in a lonely oblivion forevermore, never to see the sun again. The R'lyran deities are not cruel, however. Rather, they are benevolent sentinels that keep watch over and protect their people. It is believed that life is only a test to see what a soul is worthy for after death. It is the afterlife that matters. In the end, it is where all will go, so if one lives a good life, they can spend eternity in happiness. The sun, stars, and sky are very important to the R'lyrans and the two largest festivals of the year are on the solstices - the time where the stars keep watch the longest or the sun keeps the heavens alight.
The calendar is marked in three seasons: Autumn (the harvest season), Coryza (the cold season), and Sol, or the season of the sun - summer. Seasons aren't determined by dates. Rather, the spiritual leaders hold a ritual greeting in the next season. The timing of this is based upon weather. The first freeze marks the coming of Coryza; changing of leaf color is Autumn; and when rain has not fallen and it becomes warm enough to turn the metal sundial painfully hot to the touch, it is Sol.
All mounts share a telepathic link with their rider that allows them to communicate (through words as well as sensing each other's emotions) or 'phase', the ability to see through their bond's eyes (this goes both ways: the mount can see as the rider or the rider can see as the mount). However, despite these advantages, they also share physical pain.
The armour/equipment of the rider and mount are both magicked or made of dragon scales so that they can withstand the breath weapons of enemy riders or dragons of all types.
DRAGONS
Dragons are four-legged wyrms with wings. They may be feathered or scaled, and come in a variety of colors. Females are larger than males, as with birds of prey. Most have a unique breath weapon. Dragons, though not as aerial as their more avian allies, can not only use their breath but also can manipulate objects in their forepaws when sitting on their haunches, something that neither gryphons nor rocs can do. They continue growing throughout their lives: the older the dragon, the more powerful and larger.All dragons are immune to damage of their own element, including the breath weapon of any dragon of their own type.
Green dragons are the only ones without a breath weapon: instead, they may speak to animals and have superior camouflage to all other types with the exception of the black dragon.
Red dragons are, of course, fire dragons. They have a fire breath weapon that is so hot it can melt metal. They are immune to all fire and lava.
Blue dragons are, unsurprisingly, water. They have webbed feet and instead of spikes they have fins; their wings are long and broad, making them adept soarers. They have water breath with the pressure of a geyser. I'm sure you can work out the affects of that. They can hold their breath for a few hours at a time.
White dragons are air. They are usually feathered and are the most aerial of the dragons, rivaling that of the rocs. Their breath weapon is a howling gale that can knock down trees in some of the older specimens.
Gold dragons are light. They have a breath weapon that blinds their enemies and can render them unconscious, depending on the age of the dragon and the power level of their adversaries. Instead of getting blinded by an enemy dragon's light breath, they simply are disoriented and their sight is damaged for a short period of time.
Black dragons are shadow. Instead of a breath weapon, they spit acidic venom and have a venomous bite; this range is much more limited than that of a normal dragon and much more limited in duration and quantity. To compensate, they can go invisible in shadows. Light breath near or on them will cancel this. They are immune to the affects of other black dragons' venom when bitten, but the acid will eat away at their scales, albeit more slowly and with a less devastating effect than with other types.
Brilliant white-blue is elecricity. They breath an electric cone with the same power as lightning.
ROCS
Rocs vary greatly, from the huge eagles to the tiny kestrels. They can be based off of any raptor or owl. Their abilities are based off of that of their base bird. Thus, a Peregrine Falcon will be fast and maneuverable; a Golden Eagle one will be huge and strong.They are all resistant to any air elemental damage, and are the most aerial of either gryphons or dragons, even if their species is not particularly aerial: thus, an eagle roc, though not as aerial as a falcon one, would be more aerial than most dragons and just as aerial as air dragons. Proportionally, they have larger feet and claws than dragons.
They, however, have an ability unique only to them: each Skyrider with a roc is given a gem that is worn as a ring; the hawk has it as an anklet. The gem allows the roc to change between it's gargantuan form and the size normal for its species.
Like dragons, they continue growing throughout their lives, and will live forever unless killed by an enemy, by disease, or a similar cause. Females are larger than males.
GRYPHONS
All gryphons can see through illusions and detect lies, and can climb and maneuver on the ground more easily than the other two due to their smaller size and four legs.
THE RIDERS
The Skyriders and their bonds are equals. Neither the mount nor the rider commands the other; they are a team, partners, companions, and they dedicate their lives to being such. Neither one can afford to harm the other and any attempt by the rider to overpower their bond ends in failure. After all, what is a mere human faced with a trained roc, dragon, or gryphon?
Skyriders take an oath to uphold the law and to protect their people. They are guards, soldiers, and in some cases, even bounty hunters to chase the most dangerous of criminals. They are the voice of the people and the hand of the judicial system. They represent equality and order and abide by a strict honor code.
They're all dispatched out of the so-called "Den" (or, more formally, Headquarters or HQ). This is the central hub of activity of both the R'lyran military and the judicial system. The city itself is a center for trade and culture. Originally, the R'lyrans were a small tribe that settled in the valley. Over time, the fertile land became home to many, and R'lyr has become a large country encompassing a large swath of land in the mountains. Outside of R'lyr, there are few peoples, for it is a harsh land. The only known civilization is that of the Centaurs, a fierce Mongol-like race that once turned North. There was a long time of war that lasted for almost a decade before the R'lyrans finally drove out the invaders. However, they still remain on the brink of war, and there are many skirmishes along the border to the South. Recently, those who have gone to patrol have not come back. Some Skyriders are explorers, searching for new peoples and new lands, determined to forge a relationship with other nations.
The R'lyran ruler is also the highest-ranking militant general and is always a Skyrider. The ruler may be male or female and the title of 'monarch' is passed down from commanding officer to the next in the chain of command. They have final say in any and all military operations, judicial decisions, diplomatic missions, etc. Right now, the ruler is King Lacertus.
Religion in R'lyran culture is important to many, but anything but central. They believe that the world was created by the Skymasters - a small pantheon of deities that live in the heavens - and, that after death, they may go either to Caelum or Solum. Caelum is their equivalent of Heaven; it is where the valiant, noble, honorable, and good-hearted individuals go to live eternally with their bonds and their families. The wicked, disloyal, or selfish people go to Solum, where they are forever chained to underground, doomed to be trapped in a lonely oblivion forevermore, never to see the sun again. The R'lyran deities are not cruel, however. Rather, they are benevolent sentinels that keep watch over and protect their people. It is believed that life is only a test to see what a soul is worthy for after death. It is the afterlife that matters. In the end, it is where all will go, so if one lives a good life, they can spend eternity in happiness. The sun, stars, and sky are very important to the R'lyrans and the two largest festivals of the year are on the solstices - the time where the stars keep watch the longest or the sun keeps the heavens alight.
The calendar is marked in three seasons: Autumn (the harvest season), Coryza (the cold season), and Sol, or the season of the sun - summer. Seasons aren't determined by dates. Rather, the spiritual leaders hold a ritual greeting in the next season. The timing of this is based upon weather. The first freeze marks the coming of Coryza; changing of leaf color is Autumn; and when rain has not fallen and it becomes warm enough to turn the metal sundial painfully hot to the touch, it is Sol.
