Dragon Riders

Dragon Riders have co-existed with the Dragons and Dragoons for many years. They are the secondary line of defense for the city of Tosarik, skilled warriors with bows, lances, pikes and spears, they ride on the backs of lesser dragons, an aerial force to be reckoned with.

Each dragon rider is trained in the history and care of dragons, most dragon riders being men and women who fail to receive the favor of a dragon god. It is a great honor still to become a dragon rider, for only those who are skilled in balance have the strength and stamina to ride a dragon are accepted, for it is not as easy as it looks. Almost all dragon riders are human because of the strong link between humans and the dragon race, though a rare handful are half-elf, even more rare elven.

The dragons that these men and women train with are not the large dragons that many would think. These dragons are small, elegant lesser dragons, that can carry at the most two people. The lesser dragons are not as intelligent as their larger cousins and cannot communicate like them either, but they are smarter than the average beast, possessing the intelligence of a primate. They learn quickly and vary in temperament, some are affectionate, almost like a cat, and will let out a sort of purr when pleased, others complacent or a little snappish. Some of these dragons are stubborn and don't adjust to their rider easily, so actually riding a dragon for the trainer may take some time, until their mount is use to them and develops a simple relationship with them. A dragon does not form strong attachments to their riders, and treat each new rider the same as the last, seeing them only as a source of food, care and occasional entertainment. They vary in colors and looks, each unique and special with their own little personalities.

Naturally such a decent sized creature would need lots of nourishment, and so the dragons are given a hearty diet of meats mixed with grains and fish. Sheep and goats consist of their meat diet, those being raised in flocks on the outer valleys of Tosaric and in the mountains themselves. Special transports are delivered every day to the city from the sea, providing a plethora of large fish and shellfish fare. They are fed once a day, around noon.

The dragon rider compound consists of cell blocks, sectioned off by the dragons sexes, the west wing for females and the east wing for males, and the central building for the Corps. The females are given a particular meat mixed with a fruit that prevents them from going into heat and laying eggs. Dragon matings are rather erratic and violent in nature, and any who come between a male and his mating partner would soon find their limbs detached from their body, or thrown from the back of the dragon they were riding. So, for safety they control any dragon matings, and only allow dragon matings every so many years. Each dragon is given its own private stall, with a stone walkway all the way around the dragon's nest, which is filled with a very fine hot sand. These dragons like to bask in hot sand and warm sunlight, so the compound has no roof, only magic shields that are put in place in case of bad weather. This also helps for each dragon can take off and land in their own stalls. Tosarik is proud of their dragons and their care, so a Rider found abusing or misusing their dragon in any way will be banished or thrown in prison, though these cases are severely rare.

Dragon riders are usually thin yet well muscled individuals, for it takes a lot of strength and balance to ride a dragon. However they have to be light and flexible, being able to move with their dragon in flight. You will never see a over weight dragon rider, or an extremely large dragon rider. Most dragon riders have to meet certain weight requirements before they are even accepted into the Riding Corps. Each dragon rider is issued a special suit of armor that is durable but light weight.

A dragon rider only has the permission to ride their assigned dragon once they complete their schooling. If a student is caught riding a dragon before hand without permission they will be banished from the Corps. A student who completes their training will have their certification and assignments to run with their chosen dragon and their riding group issued by the Riding Corps. No dragon rider is to scout alone, and so they are given patrol areas and missions in groups of five to seven.

A dragon rider who leaves the Riding Corps is to turn in their issued armor and the reigns to their dragon, for the dragon does not belong to the rider but to the city of Tosarik and the Riding Corps. The penalty for stealing a dragon is as severe as the dragoons' label of Doraku, they will be labeled as traitors to Tosarik and hunted down, killed without question or trial and the dragon taken back to Tosarik.