The Age of Dragons (coming soon to a nest near you)

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BadgeAddict
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The Age of Dragons (coming soon to a nest near you)

Post by BadgeAddict » Mon Dec 21, 2015 12:56 pm

The Age of Dragons

The Age of Dragons began to fall when Humanity crawled from the mud. Unlike the elusive elves who hid in their great forests and the dwarves who were content to live in their dark caves and underground cities, the humans expanded outward into new lands. They claimed the open lands that no other race called their own. When they had taken all of this land they started taking the mountains from the dwarves, chopping down the elven forests and flattening the hills that the half-men called home. On their newly claimed lands they built mighty fortresses to protect their people who farmed the lands.

The Dragons, flying high above it all, found the plight of humanity curious and even took some of them under wings in the hopes of domesticating them. Some of these humans created Cults surrounding the worship and service to dragons, but the majority of humanity sought but to slay the great beasts that ruled the skies.

It was the Dragons hesitancy to deal with these pests that led the dragons to fall from their position as the Lords of the skies. The birthrate of Dragons is slow when compared to that of humans. While humans live perhaps only half of a century, they are typically able to produce one offspring each year. Dragons are only able to produce eggs every half century and typically produce a clutch of six eggs at most. This led to the rapid expansion of humanity and the constant need for growth into new lands and to the death of many dragons.

Now almost a thousand years after the birth of humanity, the dragon population has dwindled to the point of near extinction. One of the last areas that is still safe for Dragons to live is Kalte Insel, a frozen chunk of land, which lies at the edge of the Frozen Wastelands to the South. Deep within volcanic caverns, the last few clutches of Dragon eggs have recently hatched. The hatchlings represent what may be the last hope of Dragonkind, with the potential to restore their species to dominance, or cause it to dwindle into obscurity.


Welcome to the Age of Dragons, a game where you are a sentient dragon seeking to reclaim the former glory of Dragon-kind. You begin your journey as younglings who are finally ready to leave the island of your birth and explore the world.

From the moment you hatch until you leave the island, you will be under the care and tutelage of the elder dragons who live on the island. During the fifty years between hatching and growing old enough to depart the island, you will be learning and studying under the guidance of the elder dragons, honing and developing your abilities, both physical and mental.

Game rounds will happen typically in 1 year and are filled with 1+ number of turns.

There are 6 open spots.
Major updates will be 1-2 times a week, but more smaller ones as needed.
I am able to start this as early as the second week in January 2016.

The inspiration for this game was from my reading "Age of Fire" by E.E.Knight.

To play:
Name:
Sex:
Color/description:
Personality:


A prelude to Abilities: Dragons have innate abilities, such as the ability to kill things, fly places, etc. These are all done without Ability checks. Ability checks come into play for an attempt to do something over and beyond what would be considered a normal baseline. Each Ability below shows a normal baseline as well as what the ÔÇ£AbilityÔÇØ enhances.

The amount of time dedicated to learning a particular Ability determines your strength in that Ability. Non-Magical Abilities are gained at a rate of 1 point every 2 years and Magical Abilities are gained at a rate of 1 point per 4 years. When an Ability check is made, a d20 is rolled and compared to the dragonÔÇÖs current Ability level. If the Ability level exceeds the Ability check, the dragon succeeds, if their level is below the Ability check, then they fail the check.
Although you are able to leave the island, your learning doesnÔÇÖt have to stop. You can either continue your tutelage on the island, or try to find other places of learning.

Attempting various actions draws on your dragon's' abilities, and while a particular task may have a set difficulty, their familiarity with relevant abilities will make the task easier for them to accomplish. A given attempt is assigned a base DC which can be modified by your dragon's ability level, reducing the difficulty of that task.

Abilities:

Combat/Fighting :
Baseline: Dragons are already a flying death machine and they can easily kill animals that donÔÇÖt flee when sense tells them they should, like Sheep & Cows. Humans are also readily killable, as long as they arenÔÇÖt resisting too much.
Ability: This enhances your fighting to be able to handle the animals that arenÔÇÖt standing still, like horses. It also makes Humans with weapons easier to deal with.

Communication/Languages:
Baseline: Dragons are raised to understand Drakken, the language of Dragons. Throughout their lives they meet various races and upon spending some time with them are able to pick up their languages. Some of the elder dragons will teach you the basics of other languages as grow.
Ability: This enhances your ability to learn/understand new languages, as well as being able to read/understand ancient languages. This also helps when it comes to Intimidation, Bluffing and Smooth Talking.

Defensive Maneuvers:
Baseline: Dragons are so well armored that humans use dragon scales to make their own armor. But having armor and knowing how to use it are two sides of the same coin. A dragon is as much of a formidable foe in the air as it is on the ground. However, the soldier with pokey sticks are also able to attack you more easily.
Ability: This enables you to better ÔÇ£defendÔÇØ the weaker areas of your body, especially during ground combat.

Fire Control:
Baseline: Dragons are naturally able to breathe fire, though there is a small delay between blasts of molten air.
Ability: This enhances your control over the fire you produce. This might include lighting a candle, or producing a hot gust of wind. This may mean the difference between frightening a human and making him a crispy, crunchy snack.

Flight:
Baseline: Dragons use their wings for a variety of things from Flying to Gliding.
Ability: This enables you to make increasingly difficult maneuvers in the air, such as hovering, making sharp turns, evading missiles and picking up things on the ground while remaining airborne.

Nature/Survival:
Baseline: An adult dragon is able to discern a variety of scents from up a 10 miles radius whilst airborne.
Ability: With enhanced training in scent discernment, a dragon is able to extend their range of by several miles as well being able to discern the type and amount of creatures.

Special - Instead of going to school like the other younglings, you can choose to ÔÇ£playÔÇØ. Either by yourself or with *other dragons who joins you. Playing passes yearly, instead of every 2 years, and each year that passes with ÔÇ£playingÔÇØ gives a chance that you will gain 1 point in a random Ability.
Exception: you need at least 1 point in a realm of magic to gain any additional points in that realm.

Notes:
1. Playing with others - You have a low chance to gain insight into what your playmate learns (only if you fail to learn anything).
2. If you would like an ability that you donÔÇÖt think fits into any of the above, I am willing to work with you to create it.
3. This game is living and breathing, this means that as needs arise for changes by you the players, then they can/will change. This includes creating new abilities, or allowing learning in areas that are thus far undiscovered or have not yet been created.

Magical Realms:
Magical energy is typically tied to life energy, many of the great mages in the past were dragons, who have a seemingly unlimited amount of Life Energy. See ÔÇ£Potential EnergyÔÇØ below for more information.
However, among humankind, not all are born with magical energy, and those who are vary in power.
(It is possible that other Realms of magic exist)

Life Magic
Heal (10 lvls)
Magic Shielding (10 lvls)
Death Magic
None of the Kalt Insel Dragons will/ or are able to teach any of this type of Magic, but they know of other dragons who have used it.
Mental Magic
None of the Kalt Insel Dragons will/ or are able to teach any of this type of Magic, but they know of other dragons who have used it.

Energy/Time: (Note this only matters when time slows to your current actions)
Potential Energy - A dragon's flight speed, depending on the direction of prevailing winds is ~ 100 mph, A Dragon can fly for 1 day for every 50 years of life without stopping to eat, drink or rest, maxing out at 5 days)(Thus, A youngling has ~ 24 hours of ÔÇ£Potential EnergyÔÇØ.)
- Casting a spell consumers (PE(1 Hour) per Spell level)
- Fighting consumes (PE(2 hour) on a failed Ability check), (PE(1 hour) on a success)
- Flying consumes (PE(1 hour) per length of flight time)
- Airborne Maneuverability (PE(2 hour) on a failed Ability Check), (PE(1 hour) on a success)
Resting - When you arenÔÇÖt using an Ability, not flying, not fighting, etc. You regain potential energy per hour rested.

Additional Information:
The dragons in this world resemble more the European style of dragon and there is only one basic kind of dragon (unlike the movie ÔÇ£How to train your dragonÔÇØ). Dragons breathe Fire, not acid, not poison, not lightning, just fire. (you are not restricted to only certain colors as in D&D)

Dragons communicate mentally, and they can do so in varying degrees. Whether by ÔÇ£WhisperingÔÇØ (Whispering is accomplished with the knowledge of another dragons True-Name, which are not given out lightly) to one specific person or ÔÇ£talkingÔÇØ to a group or ÔÇ£shoutingÔÇØ to anyone that can hear. Distance that is allowed is based on Personal Proximity and Visual. Personal Proximity contains persons that you have a close bond with. (Parents, siblings, friends). This Proximity grows with Age and learning. Legends tell of ancient dragons that could ÔÇ£WhisperÔÇØ with one another across the great ocean. Proximity not only allows you to speak without seeing one another, it also allows you to ÔÇ£senseÔÇØ one another which may, depending on depth of relationship, expand to knowing if they are in danger or are injured. Visual Range is anything within line of sight, unless they are actively blocking communication. (purposely not listening)

The six major Races are ÔÇ£DarkBorn (drow), Dwarf, Elf, Gnome, Half-men (Halfling) & Human. With Dragons being the seventh Major Race.
(and countless minor ones which I wonÔÇÖt name.)

Known Locations:
Kalt Insel - One of the last Safe Havens for Dragon-Kind. Home to roughly 25 dragons.

Player Signups:
.
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Last edited by BadgeAddict on Fri Jan 01, 2016 6:33 pm, edited 8 times in total.

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GathersIngredients
Discussion Moderator
Posts: 5147

Re: The Age of Dragons

Post by GathersIngredients » Mon Dec 21, 2015 6:12 pm

Name: Sapphire
Sex: yes, please o:)
Color/description: blue with underside slightly brighter
Personality: curious, playful, temperamental
Krulle wrote:My bad memory allows me to enjoy positive news far more often!
Excited for the Dungeon Eyes, Ricki and Lara kissing!
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spiderwrangler
Game Master
Posts: 21091

Re: The Age of Dragons

Post by spiderwrangler » Mon Dec 21, 2015 8:45 pm

Name: Tha'zkrel
Sex: Male
Color/Description: Charcoal grey, with faintly bluish iridescence in the right light, powerfully built.
Personality: Hangry
Games I GM:
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Games I play in:
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thinkslogically
Game Master
Posts: 17223
Location: Florida

Re: The Age of Dragons

Post by thinkslogically » Tue Dec 22, 2015 5:11 am

Ah why not? :)

Name: Krazk
Sex: Female
Colour: "Copper / Orange", although describing her as one colour doesn't really do her justice. Every scale is a different shade, ranging from near-gold to a deep, burnt red, much like the feathers on a bird's wing.
Personality: Curious, vain.

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Arch Lich Burns
Will NOT Shut Up!
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UStream Username: burnsbees
Location: Behind you
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Re: The Age of Dragons

Post by Arch Lich Burns » Tue Dec 22, 2015 7:04 am

Name: Azabik
Sex: male
Color: black with a green/blue sheeen
Personality: curious, competitive

Runsaround
Converses Frequently
Posts: 629

Re: The Age of Dragons

Post by Runsaround » Tue Dec 22, 2015 10:44 am

Name: Malerack
Sex: Doesn't want to talk about it.
Colour: Matte Red, with a black birthmark on his head going from eye to snout. Thinly shaped, but long and tall.
Personality: Grumpy and Conniving.
I have no idea what I'm doing, and IT IS GLORIOUS!

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BadgeAddict
Saves-A-Hyena
Posts: 9145
Location: Ohio

Re: The Age of Dragons

Post by BadgeAddict » Tue Dec 22, 2015 11:07 am

Sex is an important enough feature to at least tell me in what variety you were born with whether or not you want to talk about it. Also, I use the word Sex and not Gender because Sex = Male/Female and Gender = Masculine/Feminine.... Meaning that your Sex and Gender can be different if you so choose. 1. Masculine Male 2. Feminine Male 3. Masculine Female 4. Feminine Female.

Although Dragons (at least these ones) do not have external Genitalia, Males and Females have different general builds. With males typically being thicker bodied and women being more lean and nimble...though again, given my 4 categories of Sex/Gender above, this can be different from the norm.

What I mean by this is that, if your dragon is female and you met another male dragon who was unmated, he may try to flirt with you, your reaction would be based on whether the attention was unwanted or not. (I'm not saying that dragons will immediately flirt with you...but it is possible to run across a lonely dragon who hasn't seen a female in 500 years ;) )

at the very least, if you would like to keep your sex hidden, PM your the sex you would be born with.

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thinkslogically
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Location: Florida

Re: The Age of Dragons

Post by thinkslogically » Tue Dec 22, 2015 11:20 am

So will dragons have human-like traits in terms of "flirting" and mating etc? Or will it be more like rituals other animals have (ritual displays, gift-giving etc)

...although now I've typed that, they're probably exactly the same...

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BadgeAddict
Saves-A-Hyena
Posts: 9145
Location: Ohio

Re: The Age of Dragons

Post by BadgeAddict » Tue Dec 22, 2015 12:01 pm

I'm giving you some Lore instead of simply answering your question.

The Birth of humanity was something of a wild-card among the seven major races. The ones who sought to do evil, befriended or enslaved humans to better accomplish their vile plans. The ones who sought to do good, saw it as a chance to spread goodness to every corner of the world. Though now a thing of myth, it's known among Dragon-Kind that is was they who taught humanity of the importance of a committed relationship.

Dragons have three names, the first two they are born with is their "True-Name plus their Heart-Name". The other name they give to themselves. True-Name and heart names are impressed upon the minds of hatchlings whilst still in the egg by their mothers, this is why mother dragons have such a deep connection with their children. Sharing your True-Name with another dragon (and even humans) grants an increased mental connection, enabling one to whisper their thoughts across many miles. Sharing your True-Name and Heart-Name with another dragon creates a magical unity between them that is very intense and deeply connected. The connection enables the sharing of feelings and thoughts more so than just True name as well as bonding the two for life. The height of this connection enforces the bonds of commitment by causing sickness should one dare try to have a dalliance with another dragon.

That being said, Dragon's are able to sire children without being Heart-Name Connected to another dragon, though the offspring are typically looked down upon as bastards.
To break it down even further, flirting and love-making is common among young dragons as they explore the world, themselves and others. But becoming LifeMates is an honorable and Magical tradition that is not to be entered into lightly.

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Theis2
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Posts: 7440

Re: The Age of Dragons

Post by Theis2 » Tue Dec 22, 2015 2:46 pm

I'm going to throw in a character too

Name: Shrak'laræ
Sex: Male
Colour: A bright purple that darkens with time.
Personality: Friendly, greedy, happy
Games I'm in
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I'm a GM for Shipwrecked
And the Shipwrecked OOC thread

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GathersIngredients
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Posts: 5147

Re: The Age of Dragons

Post by GathersIngredients » Wed Dec 23, 2015 10:08 am

well, if you insist.
(sorry for the bad quality, I couldn't find that snippet in HD; at least not in English)
Krulle wrote:My bad memory allows me to enjoy positive news far more often!
Excited for the Dungeon Eyes, Ricki and Lara kissing!
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BadgeAddict
Saves-A-Hyena
Posts: 9145
Location: Ohio

Re: The Age of Dragons

Post by BadgeAddict » Wed Dec 23, 2015 10:32 am

So...you're a girl dragon who desires a relationship with another species? and/or anything that is alive.

I accept the challenge.

Also,

I am preemptively creating an OOC, but mostly to have somewhere to put Lore/Knowledge that are interesting/applicable.

OOC/LORE

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GathersIngredients
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Posts: 5147

Re: The Age of Dragons

Post by GathersIngredients » Wed Dec 23, 2015 11:45 am

rofl. that's not what I said. This was about gender only... (Of COURSE she's a girl dragon! ;) )

But, hey, what the heck, if you come up with something I like, I may just roll with it for the lolz. :shrug: :lol: 8)
Krulle wrote:My bad memory allows me to enjoy positive news far more often!
Excited for the Dungeon Eyes, Ricki and Lara kissing!
► Show Spoiler

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Quarg
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Posts: 5400

Re: The Age of Dragons

Post by Quarg » Thu Dec 24, 2015 5:51 am

another game missed oh well...
Really...why are you reading this?

Eileen Ap'Fyretorr

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BadgeAddict
Saves-A-Hyena
Posts: 9145
Location: Ohio

Re: The Age of Dragons

Post by BadgeAddict » Thu Dec 24, 2015 5:53 am

You've not missed it quarg... It doesn't start until next year.. And depending on the interest I wouldn't mind having seven slots.... Mostly because the number 7 is an important number in my lore

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Quarg
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Posts: 5400

Re: The Age of Dragons (sign-ups open til 1-2-16)

Post by Quarg » Thu Dec 24, 2015 6:29 am

Oh, good then...

Name: Cyrano "The Younger"
Color: 'Rain Cloud' Grey with dark red edges to his scales only visible closely and blue eyes.
Sex: Male
Personality: curious, courageous, poetic, witty, and eloquent but suffers with a serious temper
Really...why are you reading this?

Eileen Ap'Fyretorr

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