Dragon Academy (Reboot)

[Kaerisk]

Introduction

Come this summer, it will be two years since the Dragon Academy under Nyoko was restarted. It’s hard to believe so much time has passed, but that is how this game operates – it continues to march on, and we change along with it. As many of you may know, there are times, long periods of time in fact, when I do not sign on and enjoy the game as I usually do, for whatever reason. This last one started around January or February of last year, and now has only begun to fade and let me enjoy the game again.

In that time, however, it seems as though the Academy has been lost. Indeed, much of the Academy did not continue even before I had left. This was not a failure of ideas, nor intention – I want to make it clear that I greatly appreciate all Nyoko did to make that Academy possible, as well as all the teachers and staff, and it is not my desire to lessen that effort in any way. Without my experience teaching in Nyoko’s Academy, I would not have been able to prepare all of this information today.

My goals in reviving the Academy again are simple.

First: to allow a new generation and hopefully future generations a chance to experience the Academy.
Second: to inspire roleplaying in general.
Third: to create a sense of accomplishment for those who want it.
Fourth: to transform the previous incarnation of the Academy into something that can survive without a centralized leader or extensive effort on the part of the faculty.
Fifth: to spread the dragon cultures both of in-game and player lore, to new players on the server.

I noticed two things were missing from the previous incarnation: a point at which hatchlings could graduate, and that all of the work for it fell on the teacher’s shoulders. As a result, it was more rewarding (or work) for the teachers, and so after a while it became too much of a hassle to continue doing. That fourth goal is intended to address these problems.

While the previous incarnation of the Academy did not produce any elitism of those who had attended over those who had not – and I do not believe this one will either – I do want to note now that it is not appropriate, nor the intention of the Academy to make one hatchling/adult better than another. Its purpose is to help you think about your character in a new way and inspire roleplay that you can use to enrich your character’s life. Moreover, this Academy can be done at any pace one wants, as there are now options for self-directed learning as well as traditional classes, and so anyone, hatchling or adult, can join at any time.

With my goals clear and my intentions elucidated, let us move onto how the Academy will work.

[Kaerisk]

Curriculum

Dragons, adults or hatchlings, must complete a series of ‘classes’ in a particular field in order to graduate. Note that these classes need not take the traditional form of teacher-to-student interaction, especially since I can’t always be around. Hatchlings who want to say they have passed the Academy, however, can study on their own by seeking out elders in the particular fields of study and learning from them, or by devising adequate tests of their own. More details on self-directed study later.

To graduate, students must fulfill the following requirements.

- 3 lessons in Combat

- 3 lessons in Primal Studies

- 3 lessons in Crafting

- 4 lessons in Dragon Civics, Life, and Society

In addition to these classes, dragons must also chose from one of the 23 Vocations on which to focus. They are detailed below. This is not a permanent choice, but it should help to guide your character to a viewpoint and RP’able career. This choice can be made from the start, or any time throughout the course of the instruction.

Based on that vocation, 1-2 more lessons should be completed in the field of choice (so a Primalist would take Prime Studies, etc). These are more likely to be self-directed.

The final requirement is ascension.

Dragons can continue to take courses within the Academy to enrich themselves further after graduation, but there is no ‘doctorate of dragonhood.’ ;p If the Academy is particular successful, we may look into expanding studies dealing specifically with Helian and Lunus colleges – which could lead to some actual government down the line. It is far too early to discuss this yet, however.

Note that the hatchling and their mentor are responsible for assuring that these graduation requirements are met. More information on mentors can be found in the Self-Directed Study and Mentorship section. For the first round of hatchlings, I will likely be tracking/mentoring each student, but it need not be me.

Classes can be done whenever there is interest or at a set time. They can involve pure RP, or showing game-tricks with RP/lore reasoning or justification. They should involve a challenge or interaction of some sort, be it with the world or teachers. Any adult who is/feels qualified in a particular subject can teach; however, for this first iteration, I intend to discuss what the teachers will teach beforehand, in hopes of better solidifying player lore and understanding of the world. Adults can also join classes if they wish, though hatchlings are supposed to be the main focus of the Academy. Classes should also be dynamic – there needn’t be a set time, though if players want they can set one.

The Curriculum of Combat should deal primarily with physical combat, though it can also focus on Primal use in battle. These tasks should be level-appropriate, and involve actual in-game combat whenever possible. They should go beyond simply ‘go here and kill stuff’ however. Whether they are learning through RP to keep their claws up when fighting, learning lore-reasoning for in-game mechanics, or even tricks an older dragon might use, there should be more to it than simply killing stuff.

(Example lesson: Maekrux takes a number of students between 10-20 seasons to the cedar treants near Kion. He teaches them to use their ‘prime senses’ (/select nearest enemy) to help locate them, which is difficult because the wisps interfere. He then discusses when it is a good idea to kill the wisps and when not, in order to hunt more easily. He then sets them to work killing a number of treants and practicing the skill.)

The Curriculum of Primal Studies should deal with the use and study of Prime. This can take the form of actual application (combat using primal spells) or the mechanics of what the Prime actually is and how dragons can use it. Whether RP or in-game use, the lessons should use the land and have active participation when possible.

(Example lesson: Maekrux takes a group of hatchlings to the cedar treant forest (preferably between 10-20 seasons). There he explains how everything is made up of the Prime, and how the wisps take that natural energy and help the world to grow. He also discusses how too much Prime can cause strange effects, such as the creation of golems or treants. Students can then fight the treants, or draw essence from the wisps to better understand the lesson.)

The Curriculum of Crafting should, unsurprisingly, focus on craft and crafting applications. These can be to teach how crafting works, tricks of the trade, or why it is important to craft. Again, these tasks should be level appropriate, and need not (and should not) be go out and ‘craft X number of things.’ It should, however, require some crafting.

(Example lesson: Maekrux takes a group of hatchlings (15+ crafters) to Snowfall. There he explains how machine shops can be used to craft things often quite above their skill by trusting the machine (ie, that skill goes up next to player machines). He then has them craft pre-collected slabs of slate into shards or scales, using the machine. Afterward, he talks about silo etiquette, such as do not steal, clean your silos when done, and so on.)

The Curriculum of Dragon Life should focus almost exclusively on RP things dealing with dragon life, society, or culture. This could take the form of a history lesson, a class on oratory/public speaking, a debate of Helian and Lunus values, or lessons on the importance of an adult’s responsibility to his people. There are more classes (standard) in this field, because the Academy’s purpose is to transmit the lore and culture of dragon society. Note that Spiritualists and Scholars would want more studies in this field, though they could overlap with others.

(Example lesson: Maekrux takes a group of students (20+ adv) on a walk down the Vandus March. As they travel, he tells of the Rise of Ashlander Vandus, the formation of his confederacy, and then focuses on Ashlander’s use of dragon politics to cause the Schism. Near Ashlandar’s Cauldron, he stops and asks the students their thoughts on the story, and why it is important for dragons to learn about a human.)

(Another example lesson: Maekrux brings a group of hatchlings to Valkoth in Dralk. There he arranges them to sit before the elder, and then has each come up and stand before that elder, facing his peers. While under the threat of the elder behind them and facing the pressure of their peers, they must try to tell a story of a battle they remember from their travels around the world. Maekrux explains that it teaches them to communicate clearly, and under difficult circumstances, and tries to correct communication when possible (no abbrvs, l33tsp33k, etc – could also just be RP stuttering, though). He also explains the importance of oratory to dragon culture.)

(Still more lessons: Maekrux brings a group of hatchlings together to Kirascant. There, huddled around the cold shrine, they talk about the Prime Virtues of Pride, Honor, Wisdom, and Patience, as well as discuss the differences between them and the biped conceptions of virtues. Students are asked if they can think of any time they showed or use those four virtues in their lives, and speak a bit about them.)

[Kaerisk]

Self-Directed Study and Mentorship

Sooner or later Maekrux is gonna fall into Ash and disappear for a while, either due to real life for me, or for some IC reason. As a result, it is incredibly important that the Academy is able to function not only as something I’m directing, but as a concept that anyone can use, even without a formal, structured school. The Academy is just a way of saying ‘hey, my character did this and became this!’ and is useful for creating RP. As such, does not require me specifically.

A student-to-be in a post-apocalyptic no-Mae world should first seek out a mentor. A mentor is simply an elder dragon who is willing to be responsible for noting the accomplishments of a hatchling. Again, the purpose is to create RP – not just say your character went through the academy – and so this should not just be an alt of yours. The mentor can take this responsibility seriously (by watching the hatchling complete tasks or even teaching themselves), or they can simply listen to and note the completion of the hatchling’s accomplishments, so that they can meet all the requirements listed above. I want mentorship to be as easy or as difficult as the mentor wants it to be, so that it is not a burden but something to RP when one is around. It can also fit neatly into current or future parenting roleplays.


Once a student has a mentor, they can begin seeking to fulfill those requirements. This can be accomplished in one of three ways.

One, they can join classes that are still in progress. My hope is that adults will enjoy the teaching and coming up with new ways to share RP with hatchlings et al, and they will continue even without me. However, judging from the last iteration of the Academy, people get tired, don’t have the time, etc.

Two, they can seek out an elder for a private or public class. If no elders are teaching, a student could go up to, for example, a Helian elder, and ask to be taught about the nature of Prime, or Helian’s view points, etc. Elders at their discretion can make it a public class or just relate a few points of wisdom.

Three, they can devise challenges for themselves. These challenges should relate specifically to the four courses, and be challenging to the hatchling to complete. For instance, they could take the form of defeating a certain named mob with just Prime Bolt without getting hit, or the creation of a masterwork claw and testing it against a particularly nasty foe. It could be thinking up and telling a story to people in New Trismus or elsewhere. The greater and more memorable the challenge, the more it enriches your character and his or her life, giving you something to talk about to others in RP and also something to be proud of accomplishing. As a note, it can also be purely RP driven, rather than game-mechanics based.

Hatchlings should note the accomplishments themselves somewhere (a notepad file or something) and be certain to confer with their mentors as to their completion – especially if the third is chosen, so they can give their opinion on if it is hard enough. Once all the requirements are met, the hatchling has graduated from the Academy. My suggestion to you if you take the self-directed route: make the Ascension memorable and traditional. The RP post Phoenix in Shadow on the roleplay boards has a good example of a traditional ascension. It would be a great time to share what you have done to have graduated.

One final note: once a vocation is chosen, hatchling might be asked to create a self-directed task/lesson in that specific field of study. That is your chance to put your own spin on the vocation, so enjoy it!

[Kaerisk]

Vocations

One of the facets of dragon life often missed due to our lack of actual schools is that most dragons have some sort of Vocation. Whether it is mastering a particular form of battle or attack, as seen in our trainers, a scholarly pursuit like Karane the Historian, or leading one half of our people, as seen in Valkoth and Semeneth, most dragons actually have a job or vocation to call their own. That we dragons are expected to just be mindless Aegis killing machines is unrealistic at best and an insult at worst.

Using the lore, quests, and even game mechanics as much as possible, I have tried to devise a comprehensive list of everything a dragon might actually study or call a Vocation. These are split into five general areas of study, which is reflected in the curriculum.

Dragon Warrior – the warrior dragon who tends to fight with his claws.
Dragon Mage – the dragon who uses prime for a large variety of purposes, including healing.
Dragon Crafter – the dragon who specializes in making items for dragon kind.
Dragon Scholar – the dragon who studies some particular element of dragon and even non-dragon life.
Dragon Ritualist – the dragon who is spiritual and/or religious and follows Drulkar.

These five callings are then broken up into 23 specific Vocations within those callings. Of course, dragons can do all of these things (at once) in game – so don’t feel limited by a choice. Such a choice could always be remade, and make for a good RP experience later, or other vocations might even be a hobby. Ideally, the Academy (and general dragon game experience) will give one rudimentary understandings of most of the fields – but leave it open for true mastery in RP.

The following Vocations are listed below, and then explained in some detail.

Warrior: Conqueror, Myrmidon, Talonmaster, Breathweaver
Mage: Primalist, Windmender, Riftwalker, Primeshifter, Clouddancer
Scholar: Relickeeper, Historian, Linguist, Xenobiologist, Stargazer, Assayer of Prime
Crafter: Battleforge, Scalemaster, Runeset, Crystalshaper, Lairshaper
Ritualist: Priest of Drulkar/Acolyte of Flame, Champion of Drulkar/Flame, Judicator of Flame

You could chose a vocation you want for your character ahead of time, or you could take an aptitude test to determine which vocation you might be suited for. Either way, the purpose of these, again, is to enrich your character’s life. If one of these names interests you, please check the details below.

Dragon Warrior

-Conqueror
Preeminent dragon warrior, focuses on a balance of techniques with tooth and claw. Seen in the dragon ghosts of the Aegis, these do not excel at any particular technique, and indeed all ‘dragon adventurers’ today are Conquerors.

-Myrmidon
Dragons who focus their inner fire into a great rage. They specialize in attacks such as Gold Rage and Silver Strike – the deeper the wound, the better, and they care little if they have to bleed in the process.

-Talonmaster
Weaving primal energy into their claws, Talonmasters specialize in attacks that convert the air around their claws into other elements, such as fire or wind. In addition, they can reduce the prime in their talons to suck in prime from enemies (drain strike). (Evidence: some abilities that a dragon uses are different damage than prime. In fact, originally, Winteria taught a technique called Ice Strike, which dealt ice damage. It was later changed, cause Ice Strike sucked. ;p)

-Breathweaver
Breathweavers undergo many alterations to their breath weapon and tend to be relatively spiritual for a dragon. Their combat style focuses on frequent, and appropriate, use of breath attacks – including the dreaded Primal Cast-Burst of Flame.

Dragon Mage

-Primalist
Preeminent dragon caster, the Primalist focuses on a balance of primal abilities. Unlike its counterpart of the Conqueror, it focuses on pure, unbridled Primal energy, instead of a variety of prime-related techniques.

-Windmender
The dragon who uses Primewind and energy to heal wounds, the Windmender is a master of refreshing breezes. Healing with the Prime has to be done slowly, and these menders have extreme focus to make sure they don’t accidently create a prime bolt in someone’s stomach while trying to heal them.

-Riftwalker
Riftwalkers rarely see actual use in battle, and are in fact mostly scholars, as the dragon councils have forbidden the actual use of bipedal realm-magicks. These primal casters, however, can often create elemental effects with prime energy – converting basic prime energy into fire, and so on. Some Riftwalkers, however, chose not to listen to the council, and have been known to practice realm-magicks.

-Primeshifter
Primeshifters focus on using Primal magic to perform transmutations. Though their ability is difficult to use in battle, they can sometimes change the battle in their favor, by influencing the primal bonds that make up the Realm of Prime. They also overlap with crafting vocations, as their abilities work much better when used slowly, as with Windmenders.

-Clouddancer
Clouddancers are a rare set who make vibrant patterns in the airs by flying through them, and using prime magic to alter the clouds to suit their dance. This has both real uses, in communicating in the clouds, but also works as a diversionary and performance art. In addition to Prime, these are one of the few dragons who still practice the magic of Storm – an art related to the Prime.

Dragon Scholar

-Relickeeper
A dragon archeologist, who studies the physical relics of the past: memory crystals, hoard items, and so on. This scholar often focuses on a particular faction or time period, and as it is with the Scholars, many try to establish themselves as masters of a particular field, such as pre-Helian society. As a note, they often prefer to leave relics buried and study with prime-imaging, rather than actually digging them up. (Seen in the relic quests near Helian’s Tomb)

-Historian/Loremaster
A dragon historian, of course, focuses on studying and maintaining the stories of the past. These dragons are often consummate storytellers, as oral history tends to be the primary method of transfer. They do, however, study texts as well. Some historians focus on the details of a particular point in time, such as the rise of Ashlander.

-Linguist
A dragon who specializes in dragon language and preserving it. Most are quite fluent in Keir’chet and some even know Elder Draconic. In addition to speaking, they are also able to write with it, and use the power of language to sometimes create magical effects (most spell shards are made in this way, and so there is some overlap with crafting.) In addition, these dragons might also have a bit of Historian overlap as well – as they follow family names over time, and study what they mean.

-Xenobiologist
A dragon who specializes in biology not related to dragons. This can mean Star Dragon biology, but it can also mean squirrels – anything not Istarian dragon is a field of study. They study the effect that certain creatures have on their environment and those they share it with, and often know the weaknesses of these creatures.

-Stargazer
Part astrologist, part planar scientist, the Stargazer looks to the skies and studies the effect of the stars on the Prime. Most of the stars seen in the sky are actually other Realms, and so their alignment can sometimes have influxes of power, which the Stargazer studies. In addition, these Stargazers have functional understanding of Travel Gate technology, some of which use the stars to guide it such as that of the Gate of Embers.

-Assayer of Prime
This dragon studies the Prime from a purely scientific point of view. They might or might not use magic to study, but they try to understand why fire burns out on the Prime (when it doesn’t in the Realm of Fire, for instance), or why there is gravity and how it works, and so on. Anything related to the Prime and its structures is a possible field of study, including dragon biology.

Dragon Crafter

-Battleforge
A crafter who specializes in creating claw weapons and accessories. These can be magical or not, but each Battleforge attempts to make each claw a masterwork. Like their Scaleshaper cousins, they view their work as improving upon the perfection of dragonkind, and they share an intense rivalry. Most Battleforge place one of their own scales into their weapon, to give it ‘soul.’

-Scalemaster
A crafter who specializes in creating scales and scale augments. Scalemasters usually start with one of their own scales, which they then infuse with metal or stone in a scaleforge. This can strengthen an entire area of a dragon’s body once placed. They share an intense rivalry with their Battleforge cousins, and also see it as a spiritual art.

-Runeset
A crafter who specializes in spell making, inscriptions, and tech kits. Runesets are often good friends with or also follow the vocation of Linguist, as the skills for both can overlap. It is believed their inscriptions can create magical effects, and in some cases actually do.

-Crystalshaper
A crafter who specializes in the creation of memory crystals. Though overlapping somewhat with Lairshaping, the main focus is the use of azulyte to create crystals that store memories, energy, or both. Some crystalshapers are able to use the energy within crystals without damaging or using up the crystal’s power.

-Lairshaper
A crafter who specializes in the area of lairshaping. These shapers not only are master craftsmen in creating lairs in which for dragons to live, they are also great artists who paint fantastic murals, or engineers who can develop various methods for home defense – from bipeds, Aegis, or both.

Dragon Ritualist

-Acolyte of Flame(or Priest of Drulkar)
The priests of Drulkar worship either the aspect of Drulkar as father, or the aspect of Drulkar as flame, and their particular slant of faith is usually in their names. Within the spiritual community, there is a rather intense rivalry, though both know the other faith is equally valid. Priests often command flame and prime, commune with Drulkar, and can even heal or perform other miracles.

-Champion of Flame(or Drulkar)
Warriors who worship Drulkar in one of his two aspects, and try to see his will done. Zealots in all respects, they tend to see bipeds very poorly (if they follow the aspect of father) or eagerly spread flame where most would prefer it not spread (aspect of flame). Despite their nuances and nuisances, they are skilled fighters, able to call on the element of fire at will and burn their enemies to cinders. They have a deep sense of responsibility to their people, especially the priests.

-Judicator of Flame
Shaman, these dragons prefer to commune with Drulkar by reading lava bubbles and staring into fire – and they are usually surprisingly accurate in predicting what Drulkar intends to happen or understanding his will. They have little skill in healing, and prefer to pass judgment with intense flame, usually magnified from their breath and warped by the power of Drulkar or Prime into a great conflagration. They are often hermits. (Get away from my lava pool! – Lantenal)

[Kaerisk]

Conclusion

In their simplest form, my goals in this are simple: to stimulate further RP for the community, whether as a whole or for individuals, and to take a wonderful idea and make it into something that anyone can use at any time. I have placed them up on the boards here so that anyone can use the Academy as they need to, even should I or others leading it might be gone.

Though the requirements on our elders are not nearly as extensive as before, I do want to encourage adults and ancients who believe themselves qualified to take an active role in teaching or mentoring hatchlings as they go through the Academy. Lessons can be as simple as a storytelling or even more complex than those above, encompassing several tasks and riddles as well. Moreover, many adults and ancients already take on a more direct role (namely adopting and parenting) and this is just a possible check list an aspiring parent might want to think about for their young hatchlings.

Or it can all be ignored – attendance in the Academy is not required, just another way to play the game.

My plan at current is to begin running a few classes, mostly at random or when there is interest, and get a few elders on board with a general understanding of what to teach, and how to make it fun for teachers and students both. Hopefully, there will be at least a fair amount of interest, and I will return to this post as time progresses and I devise more sample lessons, or perhaps things I hope to teach or share with the populace at large.

Thank you for taking the time to read through all of this, and I hope that you will find it helpful, useful, and/or fun for your roleplay in the future. My greatest hope is that, if I take another year off, I will come back and still see new hatchlings trying to graduate from this revised Academy.

[Kaerisk]

If anyone is interested in being a teacher, please drop a post here with the character that will be teaching and I will try to contact you in-game, or feel free to contact me in game at any time.

If anyone is, or will be, a mentor, please let me know in-game who you will be mentoring, and try to keep me informed of student progress – I will be doing so myself for a while, but I can’t be around all the time, of course.

Lastly, if someone graduates, it would be a good idea to post that information up here – at the very least, the name and Vocation chosen – so that others looking for mentors/teachers as they go through the Academy will have an idea of who to speak to, as well as show the accomplishments to the community at large. Again, I will be doing this at first, but it would be fine for others to do so as well. (Also it’ll help keep the topic open for people to notice.)

[Starstilanxs]

Figured I would throw Stars into the fray of lessons!
He's willing to teach again as he didn't get much instruction in when the academy was running before so, by all means, I'll likely get in contact with you soon.

[Morinare_Blackclaw]

Maekrux, first of all, it's obvious that a great deal of thought and effort was put into this, and I think it's marvelous! I was fascinated and thrilled while I listened (read, okay) the online presentation on the Academy discussion channel earlier today, and, I'm even more fascinated and thrilled by what I've read here. So much of what you say resonates with what I've felt to be missing from our community of Dragons. In a way, I've applied some of your ideas in Morinare's journey (as do other young Dragons), in finding a few Elders whom I now look upon as Mentors...ones that not only can give advice or assistance, but, who give freely of their philosophies and personalities.

As a real-world aside, I was an Instructor during my Navy career, and all during your presentation in-game and while reading it in full here, I was remembering my own Instructor Training and how I applied that training at the School. I wonder if you have a background in Education or Training, as there's a professional "feel" to this...I'm particularly drawn to the necessary combination of "class" work and "field" work...being told how to do a thing is fine, but, being shown how, and then doing it yourself is best.

During your in-game presentation, another attendee *poked* me to be her Mentor; I'll talk to her some more, and, of course, if she's serious, I'll accept. And, I would love to be involved in the reborn Academy in any way I can.

Thanks, again!

[BrightCat]

*ahem* Nyoko and Callihan's academy... ;3 But I've really got to say I'm surprised by this. I thought the dragon academy was long forgotten... but then you plop down this wonderfully detailed revision of it. Bravo! *applauds* Should definitely make a wiki page for this on the Underground if you haven't already, can replace the old one. I might be coming back for a while during the summer so perhaps Cal can lend a paw once more. He seriously needs something to do. Perhaps I can work Thel in there too. Any room for a dragon entomologist? xD I love all the vocations; adds a nice layer of depth beyond just fighter/crafter/or whatever. *nod nods*

[Kaerisk]

Sorry, I meant no offense, I just didn't want to misspell your name ;p

We would certainly love to have you, and an entomologist would certainly fit under Xenobiologist - so anythign you might teach about the nature of bugs or the best way to squish them would be an excellent class for either combat or Life/Society.

I'll check the order page and see if it has been updated yet or not, and I plan on doing so when I get the chance - I'm already planning on starting classes this Sunday (times to follow), and I've already added more to the list of vocations, which I will post up tomorrow once I've edited.

The Academy is most assuredly not forgotten~

[BrightCat]

Nah, no offense taken. :3 But I'm sure Thelras' love of beetle carapaces has grown into a love for studying the insects. *nod nod* Plenty of 'em stomping around in the frozen wastes and all that. But yeah, once I get him ascended and all that, whenever I get around to it, I'll toss him into the academy too! Yay!

You should definitely post how the first class goes. Would love to see how it turns out.

[Morinare_Blackclaw]

Definitely looking forward to seeing how the first classes go...the RP possibilities with just being a Mentor (as Morinare now is for Cinderdust) are amazing; if fits in perfectly with the well-established in-game "tradition" of elder dragons helping younger ones, plus, it just seems to fit with our Lore.

Even did a bit of RP last night with someone's hatchie alt on Skallar, discussing the Academy as something she might like to look into, as she showed an interest in our Language and history.

[Kaerisk]

I HAVE DECIDED TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT NEEDED FOR GRADUATION!

The added requirement is 1 class in Electives.

The Curriculum of Electives focuses on the various diversions of dragon culture that have been lost over time. These include, but are not limited to, singing, sculpture, mural painting, theatre, writing, and dancing. Due to the very wide range of topics, these might be best for private classes with elders, or as self-directed lessons. Note that the result, at least, should occur before the people.

The reason for this addition is simple – I overlooked that dragons need entertainment, and I have added it, based on a few things the trainers have said in their dragon quests. These are bound up into two Vocations, bringing our total choices to 25.

Additional Vocations

-Diversionist
A Diversionist is a dragon who specializes in many of the performing arts, such as singing, theatre, writing, and so on. A diversionist can be focused in just one of these fields, or they can practice several different areas at once. Though the Diversionist is not particularly good at combat, they have been known to perform fantastic distractions and lure unsuspecting enemies into a trap.

-Artist
An Artist, of course, specializes in art of all forms. Whether it is fantastic wall-wide murals in lairs, or crafting fantastic statues of dragons in combat out of stone, these talented dragons ply their trade by selling their created objects to accompany hoard rooms or to make one’s lair even more decorated. Some, such as Xerix, believes their statues are so beautiful and magical, they might actually come to life. (He is wrong though.)

[Kaerisk]

Maekrux Vythulhar’s Definitive Guide to the Prime

Let me preface this by saying that most everyone has some idea of what Prime is. The exact details of the Prime, however, are often fuzzy and unclear, and I’ve decided to put together a basic idea that I think most everyone will be onboard with, based from lore, quests, and what players have said over the years.

In its most basic: Prime is everything. It is in the trees, the grass, the dirt, the rock, the dragons, and even in the bipeds. This is because we all live in Istaria, which is on the Realm of Prime. In its unbound form, Prime energy is purely chaotic, uncontrolled, and easily altered or corrupted. Most Prime today, however, is bound by the gods.

Long ago, Drulkar and Istara came to the Realm of Prime. This roiling, unbound, pure and beautiful energy came to exist due to an unknown cataclysm that tore the Realm of Water apart. Where there is power, there is of course those who desire it, and so the gods of Fire and Creation came to the Prime and began to take the energy for themselves – Drulkar bound the core of it with his flames, and Istara built the crust. In time, fire, earth, air, and water were all bound together in a land much like the one we live in today.

What this means is that, while the trees may have Prime in them, it’s been changed into something else that cannot be used for magical purposes - necessarily.

The good news for us, however, is that the gods didn’t get it all. Ambient Prime energy exists in the realm, in some places more than others. These areas are usually characterized by rich soil, tall trees and plants, and of course wisps, who collect and spread that planar essence as they wander around.

Hoard items have a high concentration of Prime (hoard value). These are then broken down when we use certain abilities, in order to release their power. This, unfortunately, tends to destroy the object and turn it into dust – hence the need for still more hoard items.

Due to Dragon’s unique creation of wrapping their bodies of flame in the raw, unbound Prime, we have a higher percentage of this ambient energy, and we can also manipulate it directly. This is still very difficult for the simple reason that Prime is so unstable and easily corrupted.

When I say corrupted, I do not necessarily mean the Blight, but it can be this. If unbound Prime energy is touched by flame energy, it becomes flame. If it is touched by wind, it becomes a gust, and so on. This is why many of our spells look very similar to wind and fire, and certainly have those effects. The core of a Prime Bolt, however, is purely Prime, which explodes violently upon impact, with just a small shell of flame to protect it from other elements, such as the air it will travel through.

The most common way of shaping Prime energy into a form is by runewords. These runewords are carved onto spellshards, which are then put together to form a particular spell. Much as the gods spoke the Prime into its shape, so too do we speak the Prime into the shapes of balls or winds.

In addition, one can also convert prime energy into a desired effect by producing an adequate alternate energy source – so if some ice energy is channeled, the Prime Bolt can become an ice bolt. This is purely done through RP, but its evidence exists in Flame Wisps and other elementals.

It is possible to break apart the bonds that make a tree a tree or a monster a monster – but this is very dangerous, and results in a huge amount of energy. This is known as the Rite of Unmaking, or more commonly Drulkar’s Wrath, and should only be attempted by master Primalists.

It is also possible to alter the bonds of Prime with slow, intense use of the energy. This is called Transmutation, and bipeds and even most dragons rely on machines to help them – as Prime is unstable and just as likely to explode as it is to turn silver to gold.

The Prime has certain laws – these laws are analogous to our own laws of physics. It is sometimes possible to break these laws by using Prime or other forms of energy. For instance, dragons are too heavy to fly (ever fallen from one of those towers? Like a rock) but by using the Primewind are able to make themselves lighter and support themselves – even hatchlings have an instinctual understanding of this.

The Prime is actually three, triangular shards. Originally, the Prime consisted of multiple dimensions (servers), but when so much Blight poured into the Prime, it became unstable and threatened to collapse and implode. The Novo Machines allowed the various realities to blend together into this triangular shape, which allows it to remain standing despite this Blight influx. Some Prime however never quite merged with our reality, and this can in fact be used to our advantage (Novian resources).

These are just some of the things that Prime has been over the years, and I put it up so that we have some sort of baseline for our understanding of how dragons use the Prime and its magic. This may be different than others play it, and that is fine – I am only putting together what I’ve seen in game and in lore, and you are free to play it differently. Please use the information however you see fit.