Dragoons

Thousands of years ago, long before the War of Daishevar had even occurred, mankind had set foot upon an uncharted land. A land filled with lush tropical forests and tough mountains. Within these lands mystical winged beasts resided. These beasts were known as dragons. Trevian Deramul, the last known heir to the fallen Tosarion Empire, named the mysterious land as Dragon Isle in honor of the marvelous creatures that lived there.

Under the leadership of Deramul, the people of Tosarion traveled through the harsh and treacherous forests and mountains. Their long journey came to an end upon finding a pristine land beyond the mountain range within the center of Dragon Isle; an island surrounded by a lake and untouched by the influences of the outside world. Using what little resources they had available, Trevian Deramul and several of his best men built a makeshift raft and traveled to the island within the center of Dragon Isle.

Deramul and his men explored the island and came across a large nest, a nest belonging to the eldest of dragons, Dracentaru. The great dragon met with its guests and upon hearing the plight of the Tosarion Empire, offered to help them rebuild in exchange that they serve under him and his fellow kind. Trevian Deramul accepted the offer given to him by Dracentaru and the two made an exchange of blood to forever bind their agreement, and thus the first dragoon came to be.

With the help of Dracentaru and eight of his fellow kind, the Tosarion people built their home around the nest of the great dragon. Upon completion, Dracentaru named the city Tosarik and renamed the Tosarian people as Tosarans to suit their new lifestyle. Those dragons that helped the humans became known as the “Dragon Gods”, and in honor of them, the Tosarans fashioned statues of made of stone and magite for each dragon.

For over a hundred years the Tosarans lived in peace with the Dragon Gods, many having made the same ritual in an exchange of blood and becoming dragoons just as Trevian Deramul. In time, however, each of the Dragon Gods eventually passed away or left to enter in a state of eternal hibernation. Even Dracentaru, the mightiest of the dragons, had passed away. Yet as a final gift to the humans, the Dragon Gods bound their souls to the magite of the dragon statues so that the people of Tosarik may forever remain in contact with them.

In current day, due to isolation from the outside world, the people of Tosarik tend to be wary and untrusting towards foreigners. The population of Tosarik only ranges within the thousands, of that number only around two hundred are fully trained dragoons. The Tosarans are extremely strict with their laws and customs and will usually severely punish any who break or dare insult them, even outsiders.

Though amongst the mightiest of warriors throughout Calamia, the dragoons are quite rare in this day and age. Each dragoon is trained in the ways the Dragon Gods have taught their ancestors long ago. For one to even become a dragoon, the blood of dragons must flow through their veins. Only the descendants of Trevian Deramul and those who followed under him have this, thus making it even more difficult to find a potential dragoon in this day and age. To find out if it a person has the blood of dragons within them, the Tosarans developed a unique magical stone that glows upon contact with anyone having such a bloodline. Even then, this still does not mean one can become a dragoon.

A human child, between the ages of one and five, and with the blood of dragons within them must be brought before the statues of the Dragon Gods. The Dragon Gods will then decide whether or not the child is worthy of receiving their gift. Should one of the Dragon Gods take favor in the child, usually because the child has similar traits to their own, they will come forth and speak through the statues. Those children that are not chosen by any of the Dragon Gods are incapable of becoming a dragoon.

Upon the day a child chosen by one of the Dragon Gods comes to the age of ten, they are taken into the Dragoon Academy, where they begin their training as a Delkoon and learn the ways of the dragons. Delkoons go through many years of study and endure hard physical training until they reach the age of seventeen. The Dragoon Council, a group of the oldest and wisest of each dragoon class, will then decide whether the delkoon is ready to take on the task of becoming a dragoon, known as the Trail of the Dragoon. Should they deem the delkoon to be in need of more training, the delkoon must wait yet another three years before the Council will meet to decide again.

Once the Dragoon Council permits the delkoon to take on the Trail of the Dragoon, the delkoon must partake on a dangerous journey deep into the underground. The starting point begins at the mountains surrounding Tosarik, where the delkoon must obtain a piece of a rare type of magite found only at a certain place within the underground. Dragoons will only accompany the delkoon to the entrance of where they must go, after that the delkoon is on their own.

The path to the magite is a littered with traps and monsters. The place where the magite lies is where a mysterious pool of water is far within the underground. However, that is where the true test lies. For guarding the magite is a mighty and mystical beast. Many delkoon have died trying to defeat this strange entity. Those who run away and fail to defeat the beast and obtain the magite are given only one other chance to do the trail before they forever lose the ability to become a dragoon, but still may become a dragon rider. Yet should the delkoon defeat the creature and obtain the magite, they must then return to Tosarik and present the magite to the dragon statues. The Dragon God that has chosen the delkoon will then shape and bless the magite. When this happens, the person is no longer a delkoon, but a dragoon.

Every dragoon has a blessed magite on them, usually molded into their armor. These magite allow the dragoon the ability to access a unique ability that comes directly from their Dragon God. This is often referred to as the Power of the Dragon. When the dragoon calls forth the Power of the Dragon through these magite, they are able to morph into a mighty hybrid form that is a mix between man and dragon. Even their armor changes shape with them.

When in this hybrid form, the dragoon body enlarges quite drastically in size, their muscle mass nearly doubling, and their skin is replaced with scales equivalent to that of a dragon, the color of the scales always being the same as the Dragon God that had chosen the dragoon. The basic structure of the dragoon’s body remains the same to that of a human, the arms, legs, and torso remaining the same for the most part. However, their head lose all human appearance and becomes that of a dragon’s head. A tail and a pair of great wings sprout from their backs, which grant them the ability of flight. While in this hybrid form a dragoon’s natural strength is nearly increased by three fold, making them a most deadly opponent.

There is only one place throughout all of Calamia where one can become a dragoon, and that is the Dragon City of Tosarik. Dragoons seldom leave Dragon Isle unless given specific orders to do so. With the shortage of dragoons, vacation days are rarely given due to the constant attack of demons that are flocking from the lands of Tresvath far south of Dragon Isle.

All of the Dragon Gods are divided in two branches: Light and Dark. Each branch consists of four different Dragon Gods. This branch system often confuses many outsiders in thinking it means that a dragoon is going to be “good” or “evil” based on what Dragon God has chosen the dragoon. That is far from the truth though, since none of the Dragon Gods were evil. How the branching system works is to help the Dragon Council determine the personality type of the potential dragoon, since all dragoons strangely show an uncanny personality similarity to their Dragon God, as well as to help determine the proper course of training for that person. No dragoon type of more powerful than the other.

Dragon Gods of the Light Branch

• Razavum – The Brass Dragon
• Alteriton – The Bronze Dragon
• Serifa – The Silver Dragon
• Yultozar – The Gold Dragon

Dragon Gods of the Dark Branch

• Hokaras – The Black Dragon
• Berase – The Green Dragon
• Ortaz – The Blue Dragon
• Ferialdain – The Red Dragon

Dracentaru does not fall under either branch. In fact, since Trevian Deramul, no other person has ever been chosen by the God of the Dragons. Nobody knows what color Dracentaru is, but many believe that he holds the attributes of every dragon. After the War of Daishevar, while Tosarik lied in shambles, a prophet came to Tosarik and claimed that one day a child chosen by Dracentaru would come and help return Tosarik to its former glory. (Character applications requesting to be a dragoon chosen by Dracentaru will not be accepted.)

When Trevian Deramul made his forever binding agreement with Dracentaru, the God of the Dragons set down laws for all dragoons to follow. The breaking of any of these laws holds the possible result in the dragoon forever losing the ability to take on their hybrid form, making them nothing more than an average fighter.

Laws of Dracentaru

1. A Dragoon must never fight another Dragoon unless it is in an honorable duel.
2. Dragoons must accept any challenge to a duel from a fellow Dragoon. Should the challenger lose, they may not challenge that Dragoon for no less than a year.
3. A Dragoon shall never cause harm unto Dragon kind for they are brethren to the Tosaran people. To intentionally bring harm upon a dragon is an unforgivable act. Only when a dragon truly threatens the safety of the innocent may a dragoon take up arms against it.
4. Tosarik, in order to protect itself, also created a set of laws. These laws were to create balance and order throughout Tosarik. Dragoons who break these laws do not lose the Power of the Dragon, but will still be severely punished by the people of Tosarik. All who come to Tosarik must abide to these laws before they are permitted entrance to the city.

Laws of Tosarik

1. Protect the land and city from all who may threaten it.
2. Never turn your back to those in need.
3. Never harm the innocent.
4. Always fight with honor.
5. Traitors are a disgrace to Tosarik and shall be put to death unless they atone for their crime.

Not all dragoons have been known to be good. In a few rare cases, there have been some who abuse the power granted to them; going on a rampage and causing chaos and destruction wherever they go. These dragoons are classified in the dragon tongue as “Doraku”, or in the common tongue, Chaos Dragoon. All Doraku Dragoons are a disgrace in the eyes of all other dragoons and Tosarik, and thus they are hunted down as traitors until the day they die or turn from their evil ways.

There are two stages of Doraku known in the world. Those placed in the first stage are known simply as “Eori Doraku”. For a dragoon to fall into the first stage, they must have broken one of the key laws of Tosarik and fled from receiving their duly punishment. Doraku under this stage have not fully fallen into the dark ways and are possibly able to be redeemed. Of course, those Doraku in this stage will receive a far harsher punishment than had they accepted their original punishment.

The second stage of Doraku is by far the most deadly. Doraku in the second stage often are found slaying the innocent without having a single bit of remorse and only live to bring forth destruction throughout all of Calamia. Death is the only punishment worthy for these Doraku.

No matter what stage of Doraku one may be though, the dragoons will hunt them until the day the Doraku atones for their crimes or dies. Often it is wondered how come a Doraku has not lost the Power of the Dragon. The reason for this is quite simple. Doraku, though they may be evil, still follow and obey the laws Dracentaru has place upon them. Doraku have merely broken the laws of Tosarik, which are not directly connected to the Dragon Gods, and so do not lose the ability to take on their hybrid form.

Dragoons & their Dragon God Connection

The world of the Dragoons is often a mysterious one, and so those outside the society on Tosarik are often left in the dark about how it operates. What many don’t know or understand is the connection between a Dragoon and their Dragon God. It’s almost uncanny how much in personality they are like their Dragon God, and it’s much the reason why a child is chosen by a Dragon God to begin with… because they have the blood of dragons running through their veins, and it’s often linked with the Dragon God that chooses the child.

The Light Branch

Within the light branch is Razavum, the Brass Dragon; Alteriton, the Bronze Dragon; Serifa, the Silver Dragon; and Yultozar, the Gold Dragon. The Dragon Gods of the Light Branch are not considered 'good' dragons, but they all adhere to some form of similarities in persona and duties as well as their metallic scale colorations, which 'reflect' light. Those of the Light Branch tend to be relatively calm in nature, intelligent and dedicated. Yet they can also be arrogant and cold.

Razavum, the Brass Dragon: Compassion, Creativity, Generosity

The Brass Dragoons possess a great deal of Razavum's attributes, mainly his warmth of presence, his creative nature, thoughtfulness and sincerity. Brass Dragoons are a grouping of vibrant men and women, with an air of energy that seems to flow around them. Charming and witty they are easy to get along with and are the most accepting of all dragoons. They possess a great mind set and are writers, artists and poets along with their dragoon skills, and tend to have a kind and generous heart. They can be very giving and generous, honorable to a fault and sincere. They always present their best at assigned tasks. However the Brass Dragoons also take on some emotional factors, where they tend to wear their feelings on their sleeves. They can be a bit nervous in certain situations, and can be quite sensitive to the world around them. They take on others plights as their own with zeal, which can reap both good and ill results. Although they are pegged as overemotional, they are actually quite tolerant and have a high patience threshold. When angered they tend to sulk, rather than argue.

Alteriton, the Bronze Dragon: Excellence, Idealism, Truthfulness

The Bronze Dragoons take on their leader Altertion's persona in many ways. Most Bronze Dragoons tend to be an inspiring focal point for others, they believe in focus and knowledge, and can be great sources for learning, making them great tutors and mentors. All Bronze's love the written word and study fully history, writing and literature. They even take a great interest in politics. They are quite dependable and honest, sometimes to the point of being brutally honest. Witty to a fault Bronze Dragoons love the use of language and word, and will often speak over someone's head with their immense articulation. In this they enjoy banter, playful or not, and like a mental challenge. A game of wits is always more enjoyable to them than a joust, although they are excellent fighters just as any dragoon. They can be somewhat of a smart-ass when it comes to knowledge, and they hate being proven wrong. They are high achievers, and like to win. Deep down they tend to be hard and don't like to show their feelings openly. They can be cold and downright mean at times, often sour when upset and can come across as snobbish. A Bronze Dragoon can be vengeful and they do tend to hold a grudge.

Serifa, the Silver Dragon: Responsibility, Patience, Humility

Silver Dragoons are the embodiment of their Dragon God Serfia. Practical and calm the Silver Dragoon is a source of great stability amongst the Dragoons. They are loyal to a fault, and find great pleasure in accomplishing tasks set before them. The most patient of all their kind they are responsible and intelligent, often coming across as cool, sometimes even cold. They are a distinguished group of men and women, graceful and sometimes unnervingly serene in everything they do, which can make them hard to read. They tend to be a bit conservative though and stick to the background more, they don't take leadership roles often, but have no problem getting their views across to others if the situation requires. Although they get along with most dragoon classes, they tend to be loners and rarely ask for help. They can be agitated easily, though their anger is far from a Red's wrath, and it takes a lot to make one 'blow up'. Silver's are often sarcastic, possessing a dry sense of humor, and find amusement in simple things. They tend to be cold towards others and down right blunt in conversation if upset or angry... or sometimes for just no reason at all.

Yultozar, the mighty Gold Dragon: Justice, Integrity, Honor

Just like the mighty Dragon God Yultozar, the Gold Dragoons are dominant personalities, strong and confident. They have an air of optimism, they tend to think positive and have an unnervingly strong sense of justice. They possess a strong set of personal morals that they do their best to adhere by. Of all dragoons they are the most loyal and dedicated to Tosarik. Most Gold Dragoons are successful in most academic respects as well as physical training and are looked upon as leaders with great wisdom. They possess a strong willpower and are energetic to a fault. Gold Dragoons can be rather charming and witty with a magnetic persona and an ability to read most people well. They do have a sense of spirituality behind them, though not as fanatical or strong as a Blue's. On the downside they can be willful and stubborn. They lean a bit towards the arrogant side and tend to be a bit overconfident. Angering a Gold Dragoon can be an unpleasant experience as they tend to be quite vengeful and relentless. They can be quite assertive to the point of bossiness and can be a bit judgmental. Once they set a goal it is quite difficult, if impossible, to get them to defer from it.

The Dark Branch

The dark branch holds Hokaras, the Black Dragon; Berase, the Green Dragon; Ortaz, the Blue Dragon; and Ferialdain, the great Red Dragon. These dragons are not 'evil', as most would believe by the Dark branch notation. Instead, they are labeled Dark as reference to their colorations, for many of the dragons of the dark branch have very deeply hued scales, and tend to look rather intimidating. Many in the dark branch have strong personalities, unnerving bravery and strength. Yet they also all possess some form of short patience span and possess fierce tempers. Of course this depends on the individual Dragoon as well, but it’s an aspect that seems apparent in most cases.

Hokaras, the Black Dragon: Perseverance, Determination, Courage

The most misunderstood of all the Dragon Gods is Hokaras, and as are his Dragoons. These men and women are the epitome of strength and perseverance; they never give up and are relentless in their goals, driven by their persistence. They are sophisticated, unlike many people's perception of them, and tend to be quite self-confident, sometimes to the point of vanity. They are brutally honest and don't have qualm voicing their opinions openly. They have a high endurance and a strong threshold for pain. They can be hard to win over, but if done they are extremely loyal. Their black nature tends to come through in the air of mystery that lingers around them. Most have a dark or wry sense of humor. They can be completely unpredictable, daring to point of madness, and completely hard headed. They lack a great deal of patience, and can be quite tense about certain issues. Black Dragoons possess a short threshold for irritation, and tend to explode relatively quickly if something bothers them a great deal, though typically not near as violent as a Red.

Berase, the Green Dragon: Orderliness, Self-Discipline, Diligence

The Green Dragoons are just like the great Green Dragon Berase. They have an enormous amount of energy and are obsessed with their health and physical well being. They are strong and powerful, and can be extremely valiant. They work hard to achieve their goals and give their all in everything they do. They are more of nature fanatics than most, and take violations to nature quite seriously. They are excellent trainers in physical health and wellbeing. They believe in balance and order, and that things need to be organized and structured, and so they are often pegged as neat freaks. Green's tend to be relatively placid to issues that don't involve them, almost to the point of uncaring, unless their well being or interests are involved. Then they can be a relentless force to deal with. They are always prompt for any form of appointment, and ready for action. In this they can also be a bit antsy, and they hate having to wait for long periods of time. They can be quite strict and snobbish to those they don't know or believe are below them, and have an air of superiority around them. Since they value physical health greatly they can be quite vain. They can experience great bouts of jealousy, especially towards competition.

Ortaz, the Blue Dragon: Righteousness, Unity, Integrity

The followers of Ortaz are the balance of the dark branch as much as the Silver Dragoons are of the Light. They are inspirational figures with passionate attitudes and strong spiritual beliefs. They are mentors and teachers, who instill values of unity in others. They are surprisingly calm compared to the rest of the dark dragoons, and are stable in their emotions, though not as unnervingly calm as a Silver. Blue’s are great at detail, and will do their research on things that interest them. They tend to be slightly fanatical in their findings and beliefs, and will sometimes ramble, which can lead them to be a bit annoying, and it can be hard to get a word in edgewise. They can be quite bold and defensive, sarcastic at times, and take the disrespect of religion and knowledge very seriously. They do have a temper, which is why they are a part of the dark group, but it’s often cold and harsh compared to the others. They despise insolence and excuses.

Ferialdain, the great Red Dragon: Confidence, Assertiveness, Enthusiasm

Red Dragoons are just like Ferialdain, powerful and strong in presence. They are supremely confident and have unwavering courage, which can make them great leaders. They are enthusiastic and passionate about anything they like and do, and will devote themselves completely to their goals. They have a strong sense of energy and have a strong personality, and have no problem voicing their opinions. A Red Dragoon can come across as kind and steadfast to down right domineering. They can be a bit hasty, jumping into something without thinking the consequences through completely. Reds have a reputation for having a fiery persona, passionate, heated, which can have good and negative aspects... as well as possessing a fierce temper. Though they don't lose their temper as quickly as a Black Dragoon, they do have a short patience span and greatly despise impudence and disrespect, and are extremely competitive. Naturally they are arrogant, but they can also be quite selfish and demanding.