In a time long before the War of Daishevar had ever occurred, mankind set foot upon an uncharted land unlike any other. A land filled with lush tropical forests and dire mountains. Within this land mystical winged beasts resided. These great beasts were the dragons. Othorin Deramul, the last known heir to the fallen Tosarion Empire, named the mysterious land Dragon Isle in honor of the marvelous creatures that lived there.
Under the leadership of Deramul, the people of Tosarion were lead through the harsh and treacherous forests and mountains to find a safe place to call home. The long journey came to an end upon the discovery of a pristine land just beyond the mountain range within the center of Dragon Isle, surrounded by a lake and untouched by the influences of the outside world. Using what resources were available, Othorin Deramul and several of his best men ventured forth to the island.
The island was a place of beauty and provided more than the Tosarion people would ever need. However, they discovered that they were not alone on the island upon coming across a large nest. The nest belonged to the eldest of dragons, Dracentaru. The great Lord of the Dragons met with his guests and upon hearing the plight of the Tosarion people, offered to aid them in exchange that they served under him and his fellow kind.
Othorin knew that without the help of Dracentaru his people would not survive in this new land and so accepted the offer. To forever bind the agreement Dracentaru made an exchange of blood with the human. Thus the first Dragoon came to existence.
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 dubbed the city Tosarik and renamed the Tosarion people as Tosarans to suit their new lifestyle. Those Dragons that aided the humans during this time became known as “Dragon Gods”, and in honor of them, the Tosarans fashioned statues 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 and exchange of blood to become dragoons just as Othorin. In time, however, each of the dragons eventually passed away or left to enter a state of eternal hibernation. Even Dracentaru, mightiest and lord of the dragons, had passed away. As a final parting gift to the humans, the Dragon Gods linked their souls to the magite of the dragon statues so that the people of Tosarik may forever remain in contact with them.
Othorin Deramul was a wise man, and had brought peace and prosperity to his people at last. Tosarik became a thriving nation, growing in culture, and becoming a city of grandeur that could rival even that of Nusarum itself. Honorable to a fault Othorin would offer alliances to the other founding nations rising in Calamia. Even after his passing and the throne going to his son, his ideals for Tosarik were upheld.
The Dermaul were a long living dynasty, the family line existing for over six hundred years. However, time eventually claims all things, even the longest of family lines. The Dermaul passed on, and Tosarik was left without a proper ruler for many years.
Tosarik began to slowly suffer a drain on its economy, for their newfound allies were requesting assistance quite often, and through alliances Tosarik wished to uphold its honor and keep with its requests for aid. This would send some dragoon units and dragon riders out into the world, some being lost in the line of duty, others dying on the battle fields of foreign lands. It is believed because of this that others around the world have been discovered with dragon blood in their heritage, for somewhere down their family line they had a dragoon as an ancestor.
Because their efforts were so far spread it left the city weaker and less defended, leaving openings for demonic attacks from the south. Tosarik began to feel the stress and the people grew restless. Fewer children were being chosen by the dragon gods, making the populace fearful that the dragons would abandon them. Tosarik feared that because of their aid to other nations they had sentenced their own demise, by caring too much about other far away lands and less about their own needs and problems. Their hearts started to grow hard towards the other nations, resenting them for their interference in their way of life.
A group of the strongest and wisest dragoons gathered at this point and began to make decisions for Tosarik. This group of men and women would later become known as the dragoon council.
With the council in place new laws were passed on top of the old, and Tosarik, out of necessity, broke all its alliances, pulled back its troops and closed its gates to the outside world.
Since the passing of the Dragon Gods and the end of the Dermaul those of Tosarik had become an isolated nation. Very few people understand their culture, for few ever get to actually see it. Only in the past few years has Tosarik even ventured outside its protected realm to forge new forms of trade for their nation. However, because of the past they are not ready to form alliances with any nation just yet. The people tend to be wary and untrusting towards foreigners, and for good reason- to protect their culture and the dragons.
The population ranges in the thousands, of that number only around two hundred are fully trained Dragoons. However the dragoons are not Tosarik's only form of defense, they possessing the dragon riders and a standard military. The Tosarans are extremely strict with their laws and customs and will severely punish any who break or dare insult them, including outsiders.
Soldiers of Tosarik are believed to be amongst the most skillful in the world due to the tremendous training the soldiers endure. Trained to be, when combined with their comrades, a single deadly force, and with the aid of small dragons, there are few that dare test the limits of the Tosarik military. Honor is a prized attribute in a soldier, and it is even said that they hold honor to even higher standards than that of the Samurai of Migoto.Originally Tosarik had been a monarchy under the rule of Othorin Deramul and his family line. After the last of the Deramul family line fell, the monarchy has since crumbled. In place of a ruler is a council of the eldest and wisest of Dragoons. This Dragoon Council dictates the laws of Tosarik and governs the land. Dragon Isle is the only primary concern of the Dragoon Council, few within its ranks giving a care about the affairs of foreign lands.
All citizens of and persons that set foot upon Dragon Isle must abide by the laws of Tosarik. The laws of old since the days of Othorin Deramul continue to remain intact to this day. Over the years later rulers and the Dragoon Council added further to these laws. For anyone that is a citizen of Tosarik or that is on Dragon Isle to break any of the laws is subject to immediate punishment.
Dragoons are held to even higher standards and to break any of these laws show signs of them being potential Doraku and will be dealt with accordingly by the Council. Of the present laws here are but a few of them:
- Protect Dragon Isle and Tosarik from all who may threaten it. The safety of Tosarik and its people comes before all. To purposely lay attack on the land or city is punishable by death.
- A soldier shall never turn a shoulder from those in need. Unless the person or persons in need of aid are a threat to Dragon Isle or civilians it is the duty of the soldier to assist as best as reasonably possible.
- Never harm the innocent. There is no tolerance for those who intentionally inflict pain upon the people of Tosarik or Dragon Isle. Individuals that do so shall be punished greatly.
- A soldier is to fight with honor on the field of battle. Underhanded tricks and displays of disgrace will not be tolerated.
- A Dragoon that challenges another Dragoon to a duel is no simple matter. The Dragoon is required to consult with the Dragoon Council before issuing a duel to another. After given blessing from the Council, the Dragoons shall battle in a controlled environment with the Dragoon Council as witness. To challenge another Dragoon to a duel with merely the intention to inflict unreasonable harm from rage or jealousy are clear signs of being a Doraku.
- In the case of a duel between a Dragoon and Doraku is made, permission of the Council is not required. Abide to the Laws of Dracentaru and have a fellow Dragoon to witness the duel, but show no mercy to the Doraku unless they surrender and are apprehended.
- Traitors to Tosarik and its laws are the epitome of disgrace and shall be put to death unless atonement for their crimes is shown and have received duly punishment.
The Dragon Gods play a crucial role in Tosarik. Though the only remnants of them in are the statues of the nine Dragon Gods in Tosarik, they still continue to remain an integral part of Tosaran society. Dragoons in particular hold a very special connection with the Dragon Gods.
All of the Dragon Gods are divided into two branches: Light and Dark. Each branch consists of four different Dragon Gods. This branch system often confuses many outsiders in thinking that it means a Dragoon is going to be “good” or “evil” based on what Dragon God has chosen the Dragoon. Such a notion is a complete farce, since none of the Dragon Gods were evil.
The true purpose of the branching system is to help the Dragoon Council determine the personality type of a 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 is more powerful than the other.
The connection a Dragoon shares with their Dragon God actually derives from their very blood. The blood of dragons, formed during the creation of the first Dragoons and passed down for generations, flows within their veins and is often linked with the Dragon God that chose them. It is because of this bloodline that a Dragoon chosen by a Dragon God holds so many similarities with that dragon.
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 their metallic scale coloration, which “reflect” light. Those of the light branch tend to be relatively calm in nature, intelligent and dedicated. At the same time they can also appear to be arrogant and cold.
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 as “dark” as reference to their coloration, for the dragons of the dark branch have very deeply hued scales and tend to look rather intimidating. Many Dragoons 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.
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.
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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.
Dracentaru, Lord of the Dragons
Dracentaru does not fall under either branch. In fact, since Othorin 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 all the other Dragon Gods. 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 be born and help return Tosarik to its former glory.
***(Character applications requesting to be a Dragoon chosen by Dracentaru will not be accepted.)**
When Othorin made the forever binding agreement with Dracentaru, the God of Dragons set down laws for all Dragoons to follow. There are only a few, but the breaking of any of these laws holds the possible result in the Dragoon forever losing the ability to call forth the Power of the Dragon, making them nothing more than a basic warrior.
- A Dragoon must never fight another Dragoon unless it is in an honorable duel. When two Dragoons battle in such a duel there must be at least one witness to the battle so that all may know both parties fought honorably.
- A Dragoon challenged to a duel by any individual is obliged to accept. Should the challenger be a fellow Dragoon and is defeated, they may not make another challenge for no less than a year. In the happenstance that a third party interferes in a duel, the duel becomes void.
- Upon a Dragoon entering a duel of honor with another, no matter whom the opponent or situation may be, no other Dragoon may interfere with the duel unless it becomes void.
- A Dragoon shall never cause harm unto Dragonkind for they are brethren to the Tosaran people. To intentionally bring harm to a dragon is an unforgivable act. Only when a dragon breaks its own vows of honor and truly threatens the safety of the innocent may a Dragoon take arms against it.
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.
The dragons that these men and women train with are not the large dragons that many would think. These dragons are small elegant beasts, which can carry at the most two people. They are only slightly larger in size to that of a large horse, not including the tail length or wing span. Their tails can range in length, and can help in balance in flight. Their wing spans are great, and possess a strange mixing of scales and colored feathers on their length. They vary in colors and looks, each unique and special with their own little personalities.
These beasts are not as intelligent as their larger cousins and cannot communicate like them either. However 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 are 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. 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.
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 Tosarik 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 dragon's sexes, the west wing for females and the east wing for males, and the central building for the Corps. Each dragon is given its own private stall, with a stone walkway all the way around the dragon's nest, which is filled with very small polished pebbles. These dragons like to bask the sunlight, so the dragon stalls have a special open roof system, with tarps that can be stretched over the stalls to divert water or protect from high winds. This also helps for each dragon can take off and land in their 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 an 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 marked as traitors to Tosarik and hunted down, killed without question or trial and the dragon taken back to Tosarik.
(**Dragon riders are not an available class for the game and are referenced only for historical purposes. This is a GM use class only, and only available with GM permission. Applications for a dragon rider will be rejected.)
