Xena

Vipera Ex Aere

Of the clans of Dragonhome, few have been around as long as Vipera Ex Aere. Having lived in territory north of the Cairnstone Rest, occupying a large tract of land spanning the mountainous foothills to the northern shores, rumors of their existence has spread among the neighboring families and tribes. Some say that they are founded by Imperials born from the Lightweaver herself and are among the first of their kind, while others say the clan matriarch is a being from the stars who crashed into Sornieth and took on the aspects of a dragon once she hit the earth. Whatever the case, their long and storied history has earned them both the respect and awe of their fellows, establishing them as one of the most elite clans in the area.

History

Vipera Ex Aere (literally “Flying Serpent,” in both reference to the Imperial founders and their Beast Clan allies) came to being after being founded by Stella Luna and Hickory, the original and still current matriarch and patriarch of the clan. Despite claims of magical rearing and rumors of having been created by the gods themselves, the couple are far more mundane than anyone would expect, with Stella Luna being an amnesiac orphan raised by Talonok Aviars and Hickory being a transplant from the Starfall Isles who grew up in disputed Arcane/Earth territory. Their meeting, like the meeting of any two dragons, was pure happenstance, as was their decision to locate to their current territory. While it began as a small, average clan of dragons, it began to blossom with the passage of time and the recruitment of new members.

What is remarkable about the clan is their age, spanning back centuries as luck has favored both leaders in terms of their lifespan. While clans run by Imperials are often unpredictable in stability and leadership due to the extreme variance in Imperial lifespans, Stella Luna and Hickory have proven to both be extremely longevous and healthy. This, combined with their diplomatic attitudes towards neighbors, Beast Clans, and new recruits has also seen them as having few in the way of enemies. It is not uncommon for allies to Vipera Ex Aere to have ruling families with generations of dragons, whose predecessors Stella Luna and Hickory have both outlived, who maintain their alliance for the sake of tradition and in honor of favorable policies and actions that have directly benefited their forebears.

The other secret to their longevity are their ties to Beast Clans in the area. Hickory is well acquainted with and generally accepting of Serthis, having had several Serthis allies in his lifetime, and Stella Luna’s upbringing with Talonok has left her with Aviar-like qualities and personality quirks that have made her ideal for negotiating with migrating flocks and even some harpy clans. Hostile packs of snake men and aggressive flocks of bird folk who take issue with other dragon clans leave Vipera Ex Aere be, some even living alongside them or coming to arms when they are threatened. It is no surprise then that, with such a Beast Clan influence, the culture of Vipera Ex Aere is in stark contrast to the dragons around them, having a distinctly Serthis/Talonok flair that sets them apart from their neighbors.

Location and Geography

The central hub around which the clan exists is the ruins of an isolated Second Age city known to the Serthis as “Naktom,” which translates out as “Dark Place” in their tongue. This is in reference to the dark and oddly fertile soil in the area, an oddity for Dragonhome. While their territory initially encompassed only the Naktom and the area directly surrounding it, it has steadily grown with the passing centuries to incorporate a variety of landscapes and ecosystems.

The easternmost portions of the clan territory (called “The Hinterlands” due to their neighbors’ belief that it is cursed and abandoned) are mountainous and rocky, characterized by uneven land, high elevations, and steep cliffs pocked with dragon-carved residences, sealed caves, and repurposed mine shafts. At the base of the foothills is Naktom, a worn and ragged “city” spanning several miles in every direction. The earth is moist and fertile as, directly beneath Naktom, there is an underground lake accessible via a narrow tunnel system leading from the wells dotting the ruins. This lake provides the bulk of the eastern end’s water resources.

The central portions of the clan territory (called “The Everflats”) are treacherous and mostly uninhabited, characterized by flat, hard expanses of coarse sand and parched, cracked riverbeds that zig and zag through the area like threads in a spider’s web. The only habitable area is an oasis, known colloquially as “The Crystal Sands” due to the high quartz content of the nearby sand and the crystal spines lining the watering hole. The flora that grows in this area is hardy and uncommon for Dragonhome, much of it being the kind of plant life seen in the Starwood Strand. It is a sight to behold, sparkling and luminescent crystals, trees, and flowers growing around the teal waters in the middle of the wastelands, acting as a beacon to lost travelers both during the day and night. Some whisper this is the doing of Hickory, so as to prevent deaths in his territory by clearly making a place of safety, but all are concerned with the fact The Crystal Sands seems to be steadily growing.

In the west, where Dragonhome meets the sea at the steep cliffs of Wyrmfall, the territory once again becomes habitable. The basalt pillars that comprise the cliffs allow safe passage down to the water for flightless breeds and Beast Clans, having created a natural staircase. The area is rife with fish and hardy plants that grows along the flat land at the top of the cliffs, with grasses and shrubbery dotting the area. There is a strong harpy and Maren presence in this area, with coves at the base of the cliffs acting as a meeting area for Beast Clan and Vipera Ex Aere members.

Society and Culture

Despite being a clan of dragons, Vipera Ex Aere has far more in common with their Beast Clan neighbors than most of their own kind. Their ranks are nebulous beyond a few evident exceptions (the patriarch and matriarch, for example, are unquestioningly the leaders of their crew), and they have adopted a lighter, friendlier form of the typical Serthis meritocracy. Whereas Serthis cull their weak and useless, however, Vipera Ex Aera simply operates off the assumption that more respect is to be given to those who have accomplished more or put more effort into helping the clan. As such, ranks constantly shift depending on current deeds and public favor. While the egalitarian nature of the clan leaves little ill will between dragons, it incentivizes them to always do good and do better.

Additionally, due to their strange religious views, Vipera Ex Aere breaks from draconic norms in terms of elemental and species prejudice, being far more accepting of dragons and Beast Clan from every creed and corner of Sornieth, regardless of their past and previous allegiances. Unity is a central tenet that they abide by, with the goal of serving as an example to others that a peaceful coexistence is in no way unheard of with those who are ordained as enemies. Surprisingly, this has brought many mages to their fold, as sorcerers are more often than not the kind of dragons who would find themselves in need of a new, more understanding home, typically after misunderstandings or mishaps.

Because of the heavy mage population, more traditional trades are split up between those deemed most apt or simply performed by allied Serthis in the area. The divide seems to be fairly understandable, with “safer” and more scholarly trades (historians, herbalists, medics, ambassadors, gatherers, farmers) being relegated to clan mages, while more physical tasks (mining, blacksmithing, hunting, scavenging) are done by Serthis. While there is some overlap, with Serthis alchemists and bulky dragon transports for ore and supplies, the division of job assignments is very pronounced.

Art and education are quite important to the clan as well, unsurprising considering the sheer amount of sorcerers in their ranks. Most of their desires for knowledge skew towards ancient secrets, specifically those centering around the gods, the Second Age, and now-extinct races of Beast Clan before the time of the Arcanist. Libraries are as heavily guarded as food stores, and ancients-inspired sculptures and reliefs can be found carved into the entrances of cliffside lairs and along den walls. Schooling for hatchlings is taken very seriously, and a love of learning is instilled in the young and the new. While their sheer excitement for new discoveries can sometimes make newcomers raise a confused eyebrow, they soon learn that--with how much time they’ve invested in researching their corner of Dragonhome--any new discovery is cause for celebration.

And, in terms of celebration, Vipera Ex Aere are a rowdy, celebratory bunch. Not only do their honor draconic holidays, but Talonok festivals and Serthis victory celebrations. They hold their own festivals for migrations, harvests, birthdays, funerals, successful trade negotiations, the completion of lair extensions, and anything else that strikes them as particularly important. As jubilation is the name of the game, and with so many Serthis allies, these celebrations can sometimes get chaotic and out-of-hand, with wine, dancing, fighting, spellcasting, feasting, and arguing. While typically Vipera Ex Aere is a peaceful, low-maintenance, and quiet clan, parties seem to bring out the wild in them.

Their matriarch is a fan. Their patriarch is not.

Lair Layouts and Architecture

Lairs in The Hinterlands are large, elaborate lairs hand-carved by dragons into the sides of the cliffs. The entrances to these massive homes are often flanked by intricate statues of beasts or dragons, often created in honor of great heroes of history and lore. The insides of these lairs are typically lit by braziers and oil lamps mounted along sanded-flat walls, with beds, seats, shelves, and other furniture carved directly out of the rock. Wall paintings are common, utilizing dragon runes and Serthis hieroglyphs to tell grandiose stories of the inhabitants’ past accomplishments or family line. Murals and mosaics are also common fare, and precious metals and gemstones are used liberally to decorate the insides of these homes.

Empty mines litter the cliffs between Hinterland lairs, and while rumors abound that they are inhabited by the undead, no such conflict between living and damned have ever been recorded. Mines bereft of ore are often repurposed for use by dragon and Serthis shopkeepers, who have cleaned, polished, and decorated the insides, expanding up and out to give more room for stalls and shop fronts. Stores are tunneled out of the main shafts, and crystal lamps, strings of enchanted lights, and glittering arcane braziers give a festive glow. Some shafts have been connected to, essentially, create a shopping district underneath the mountains.

In Naktom, homes are typically reserved for Serthis and smaller dragons, due to the narrow streets and brittle structure of the surviving buildings. None of the permanent homes are actually “permanent,” with most of the city’s construction having been demolished by disaster and time. Serthis build yurts and war camps on the old foundations, while smaller dragons use surrounding bricks and sandstone to create simple stone domes that they live. In an effort to add some color to the endless brown wastes, dragons tend to decorate their homes with gem-and-shell chimes (the ones made by the Maren at Wyrmfall are prized) or with colorful fabric flags and banners. The interiors are simple, with sparse decoration aside from vivid rugs (Talonok-woven is a favorite) and painted soapstone sculptures.

Surviving Second Age buildings are considered “unlucky” to live in, and are used as storage silos by Serthis and dragon alike. Grains, barrels of dried fish and cured meat, treasure, trinkets, and tomes are all locked away within these structures, often piled from floor to ceiling with narrow walkways carved between so that suppliers can make their way in. While the largest of the buildings are reserved for community storage and are kept under heavy guard, smaller and less secured buildings can be rented as storage by individual dragons for their research materials, knick knacks, or product for sale.

In the Flatlands, there are no lairs to speak of or permanent homes, though the daring adventurer can occasionally find “Wanderer Camps” where flightless breeds and beasts are forced to make their way across the unforgiving lands on foot. These camps are scattered and constantly moving, usually crafted of bone and hide instead of wood and cloth due to the availability of materials. Often times, due to the strain of dismantling and carting off the supplies, used camps are left to deteriorate on their own, and abandoned gatherings of tents and yurts can be found dotting the landscape in all directions.

There’s more permanent residences at The Crystal Sands, though they are only seasonal. During the cooler of the months, some dragons opt to create “research camps” around the oasis to research its nature. These are more durable and intended to last for a month or two instead of overnight, typically crafted of thick cloth and with a more durable frame. While it is uncommon, it has been noted that some of these campsites can survive the passing of the year after they are abandoned, allowing researchers to see how far out the crystals and flora have grown when compared to the previous visit.

Wyrmfall lairs are often located at the top of the cliffs overlooking the ocean, and are reminiscent of lairs that would be found along the shorelines of more verdant landscapes. While most of the homes in the area are made of quarried rock, they are decorated with coral, shells, and accented with wood from the hardy desert trees in the area. Horticulture is also widely practiced as, due to its location next to the sea and frequent temperature changes, storms and rain are slightly more frequent. Organized gardens behind gilded gates are a sight to see, with manicured plants ranging from mesquite trees, cacti, desert lilies and poppies, acacias, willows, desert fruits, palms, laurels, sumacs, and Dragonhome Ebony trees, among others. Sand verbena is popular to grow over the edges of the cliffs, and is used as decoration for the natural basalt staircases leading down to the Maren/harpy coves.

Alliances and Trading

Vipera Ex Aere is a friendly group of dragons, but isolated. While they won’t turn down friendship and will freely offer help to those who seek it, they pride themselves on their self reliance and tend to not ask for anything from neighboring dragon clans. Some of their allies are concerned by this, believing that it is suspect that such a vast array of powerful wizards would not have anything to request in return for everything they do for others, Vipera Ex Aere simply hopes that their outsider friends will remember them when the time does come for them to ask for a favor.

Most of their raw materials--food, water, ore, gems, stone, hides, et cetera--are collected from within their massive territory by their own members or their incorporated Beast Clan allies. Since so many of their Beast Clan neighbors are practically a part of the clan itself, Vipera Ex Aere doesn’t consider them to be “outsiders,” nor do they consider trade with them to be relying on the outside for assistance. This may be seen as cheating by some, but even the Serthis of Naktom will concede that they are as much Vipera Ex Aere as their natural, draconic enemies. Their lives are interwoven in such a way, that it doesn’t feel like there’s a divide between them at all.

Religious Views

The one drawback of Vipera Ex Aere in the minds of many dragons is their convoluted and potentially blasphemous religious beliefs. Rather than heeding to The Eleven as the de facto gods of Sornieth, Vipera Ex Aere believes that they are but facets of one mightier being, the physical face of elements that created and dominate the land. While they are powerful, they are not all powerful. While they can exert great powers over Sornieth, they are not the ones truly responsible for its creation. In essence, they are powerful and ancient and divine in origin, but are not considered to be divine in their own right. They do not refer to them as their named (Earthshaker, Tidelord, et cetera), but as elements, with some variation due to Beast Clan influence. While most are identical (Fire, Water, Earth, Nature, Ice, Light, Wind, and Shadow), some are slightly altered (Lightning is “Storm,” Plague is “Pestilence,” and Arcane is “Aether”).

Additionally, beyond the eleven known elements revered by dragon kind, Vipera Ex Aere actually consider The Shade to be a twelfth great spirit and perhaps the most powerful of all. They call it “Void,” and regard it as less evil than alien and detached. What harm it caused in the past is considered an unintentional result of its lack of ability to think, act, or empathize like a dragon since it was the first that was created and is more flawed than the already imperfect “gods.” Many consider The Shade to be closer to what they consider to be the real god of Sornieth: a nebulous, incomprehensible spiritual mass from which all magic, spirits, and souls have sprung.

This mass is sentient, but alien beyond even The Shade. It is benevolent, but thinks in such a manner that its benevolence may be misinterpreted. The waging of dominance wars and the encouraging of hostilities between beast and dragon are the work of rogue spirits and mortal interference and, as such, Vipera Ex Aere withholds itself from elemental struggles and campaigns against Beast Clans. While they are not truly pacifist--they will strike when struck and their matriarch isn’t known for pussyfooting around--for spiritual reasons, they do not participate in furthering the war of The Eleven.

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Allied Beast Clans

Kash-Ratha

Originally splintered clans of Serthis, the Kash-Ratha came together centuries ago into a massive Serthis “nation” that took over the city of Naktom. The population density is far higher than what is typical for their kind, and their aggression is far less pronounced than other snake men. Like Vipera Ex Aere has learned from them, they too have learned from dragons, and the culture around which their two civilizations revolve is very much a muddying of their two distinct ways of life. They are excellent hunters, guards, and warriors, but a majority of them work as miners in The Hinterlands.

They practice an inverse of the typical Serthis culling, keeping their young to raise while sending their elderly across The Flatlands to Wyrmfall. No attempt is made to re-assimilate the outcast elderly, injured, or sick. While it seems cruel to exile the weakest to a trek across such inhospitable land, to earn the right to face the harshest section of the desert is considered a great honor. To die in the desert while bravely facing the elements is considered an honorable end to an honorable life, and if they make it to Wyrmfall?

Well, they’ve earned the right to retire.

Razor Heights Flock

Located at the Greatwyrm Breach, the Razor Heights Flock is a peculiar flock of Talonok comprised primarily of Aviars. They roost in a network of caves on the anterior of the Breach, fashioned into a sort of underground township, and are known for their curious relationship with the bats located within the caves. After years of working to domesticate them, members of the Razor Heights Flock now act as “falconers” of sorts, though they use the oversized bats of their cavern home instead of birds of prey. Their relationship with surrounding dragons is tense at best, and they make every attempt to stay out of the affairs of their natural enemies.

Despite their view of dragons, they are the clan that took pity on Stella Luna and helped rear her, until she became much too large for their lair and was sent on her way. Though generations have passed and the Talonok who reared her have gone, their close, long-distance relationship with Vipera Ex Aere is due directly to the connection. The flock is perhaps the staunchest allies of Vipera Ex Aere, even more so than the local Kash-Ratha, as they have a much more personal stake in the well being of one of its leaders.

Mar Al’Rona

A civilization of Maren located in the sea around Wyrmfall, not much is known about the Mar Al’Rona aside from the fact they run the trading coves frequented by the sea harpies and local Maren. They are non-hostile to dragon and Beast Clan alike, and enjoy a healthy, thriving trade agreement with most of the surrounding clans. They have a particular soft spot for Vipera Ex Aere due to the fact that, being as old as the clan is, they’ve been some of the most loyal and frequent customers to their seaside fish markets and have frequently employed their artisans. It has also not been entirely unheard of for the dragons to come to their aid when set upon by less friendly Maren invaders and angry ex-customers.

Not everything the Mar Al’Rona does seems legitimate, but there’s never been a recorded case of them actually hurting anyone. Considering the “anything goes, but play nice” atmosphere of Vipera Ex Aere, they don’t particularly mind if they are up to minor bits of no good.

Kogoruhn