The Draconic Usumgal

CONTENTS

DRACONIC REALM

The Draconic Realm, called the Aethercoil, Kalam en Usumgal, or simply Usumgal by its people, is the universe from which dragons and their kin claim origin. Its cosmos is conceived as fifteen great spheres, collectively known as the Lu Gisimmar, each a self-contained world adrift within the Kienmir: vast currents of molten darkness called Leywinds in the common tongue.

The relationship between Alékia and the Draconic Realm has long remained uncertain. The remains of dragons, draconids, and their kin appear in strata dating back to the Dark Ages, yet no evidence has ever confirmed their presence in Alékia before the Cataclysm. Though scholars have long accepted that dragonkind is not native to this realm, the question of their true homeland remained unanswered until three millennia ago. The arrival of the Celestials, Infernals, and Fey revealed the multiverse to be far broader than previously imagined. With it came the first credible accounts of Usumgal, and soon enough, reliable leylines between.

Among dragonkind, many still keep faith in their creator, Usum. The oldest traditions teach that all matter was born from the First Roar, the breath that first brought sound, heat, and light into existence.

Thus is the telling of these origins:

There was, indeed, a time before dragons: an age when no fire burned, no river flowed, and no sky arched overhead: the days before time when the Kienmir slept: the Hush.

Then came Usum, the Starlit Progenitor, whose scales were constellations and whose wings stretched beyond the reach of matter. They opened their jaws, and with one mighty roar the silence broke. Flame was born beside frost, light beside shadow, and the heavens themselves were set into motion.

Usum listened to the echo of their roar as it rolled across the newborn cosmos, and they heard three voices resonate in return.

The first call burned with primal elements: fire, ice, and plasma. Usum drew it forth and named her Dravar, whose breath became the fires, the storms, the frozen winds, and every untamed force that stirs the realm.

The second call wandered between every other sound. Usum gathered it into form and named them Musar, entrusted them with the hidden places, the deep earth, the endless sea, and all mysteries scattered across realms.

The third call arrived only after the others were made form. Usum collected it and named him Vaelen. From his breath came rivers, forests, fields, and the wonders found fleetingly in the calmest cracks of the cosmos.

So Kalam en Usumgal endures. The Great Drakes circle one another without end, and so long as their roars remain unbroken, the realm will remain.

While the earliest hymns of Usumgal speak of a unified triad, the reality today is a realm fragmented. The shift from the time of Great Drakes to the Fifteen Spheres is a subject of intense debate among scholars across the planes. Those adherent to Usum and the Old Ways, traditionalists, view this transition as a holy tragedy, often referred to as Dingirgu Nuhulgu, the Divine Discordance.

Though the timing of this event is difficult to pin down—as time within the Kienmir flows differently than upon Alékia—it is widely believed to have occurred during the height of the Alékian Dark Ages.

An excerpt from the Scrolls of the Star Singer, text recovered from the Suba Usumi monastery in the High Peaks, provides the most vivid account of this fracturing:

For eons, the Three Voices sang and the Aethercoils were a steady light amidst the Kienmir. But there came Ra’adu ta Bar, the Roar from Elsewhere- a shriek of profound agony, the kind wrought from a dying world.

Dravar, Musar, and Vaelen faltered. The harmony failed. Cosmic fire seized the Kienmir, and Usumgal fractured from three to fifteen. Upon the sight of their ruined children, Usum wept starlight. Thus Usumgal was rewoven as Lu Gisimmar with the Progenitor as both seamstress and seams.

In the wake of this resonance, the Great Drakes reemerged with five children in turn. Vaelen awoke a father to Babbar, Guskin, Zabar, Urudu, and Edin and became their shepherd. Dravar sculpted her children to forces of her own image: Sa, Gijji, Sig, Zagin, and Dadaj. Musar gathered the remaining to claim their own: Mus, Girtab, Sagmin, Ansu, and Lil.

This shift from three to fifteen remains the defining characteristic of the Draconic Realm. It transformed Usumgal from a trio of synchronous spirals within a cosmic web into a series of fifteen planes nested within the universe’s greater leywinds. Where once mortals could traverse Usumgal continuously, now the realm is split into distinct realities and requires keen, powerful, or rare magic to leave one and appear in another.

TYPES OF DRACONIDS

To the scholars of Alékia, a draconid is defined by the terror of its breath or the sheen of its scales. However, within Usumgal, such physical traits are merely the “visible chords” of a deeper metaphysical resonance. Dragonkind is organized into five distinct tiers of existence, each representing a varying degree of proximity to the First Roar. While the Great Drakes at the height of the hierarchy are seen as living manifestations of the cosmos, those at the base are the countless millions who navigate the spheres as citizens, soldiers, and outcasts.

Pillars

The Pillars, or the Great Drakes, are the three oversovereigns of the Aethercoil: Dravar, Vaelen, and the fallen Musar. Hatched of Usum‘s First Roat, these primordial beings are the foundational architects of the Draconic Realm, their very existence inseparable from the hymns of the creation of Usumgal. Alékian scholars classify them as High or Greater Deities, though many within the Resonant Houses believe their power was significantly fractured during the Divine Discordance. It is theorized that in the epoch before the Roar from Elsewhere, the Pillars possessed a unified omnipotence that was partially bled out and distributed into their fifteen children, leaving the Ancestors as distant, hollower echoes of their former glory.

Acrodrakes

The Acrodrakes are the fifteen children of the Great Drakes, each a manifestation of a specific sphere within Lu Gisimmar. Arising during the Divine Discordance, these beings are considered Intermediate or Lesser Deities, comparable in rank and power to the Archdaemons of Hell or the Archangels of Heaven, and are subservient to their parent Pillar. Each Acrodrake serves as the active governing head of their domain, dictating the laws of resonance for every aspect of their sphere. Their divine traits are mirrored in all their offspring, though never with the same resplendent intensity.

Dragons

The Dragons comprise the long-lived, sharp-minded, and powerful noble families of the spheres. Through the ages, they have formed complex lineages known as Resonant Houses, wherein the eldest among the children of the Acrodrakes acts as the voice of their divine parent. The hierarchies of the houses descend in turn with each generation thereafter, with the most honored among them becoming ascendent Hymn Hosts, specialists of their sphere granted additional gifts from their gods. Although every sphere is renowned for a different craft, all have multiple specialities. The Houses form the core of Usumgal’s militaries, clergy, and historical archives, acting as sworn blades, emissaries, or artisans for their respective spheres. Within a few planes, access to this class is extended beyond dragons to certain dragonkin. For some, this is a great honor; for others, it is simply doctrine.

Dragonkin

Appearing alongside the Acrodrakes during the Divine Discordance, the Dragonkin are the humanoid branch of the draconid tree. Standing slightly taller than the average human, they are bipedal and wingless, lacking the massive physical presence of their dragon relatives. Despite their shrunken stature, diminished arcane abilities, and significantly shorter lifespans, they maintain the distinguishing characteristics of their sphere of origin, including scale pigmentation, horn structures, and arcanoalchemic resonance. While they cannot match the arcane output of true dragons, they retain a functional mastery of their lineage’s elemental breath, making them versatile and dangerous inhabitants of both Usumgal and Alékia.

The Dragonkin are a branch of draconid that appeared alongside the fifteen spheres, their ruling Acrodrakes, and associated dragons. However, their exact ancestry is unclear. They demonstrate clear distinctions associated with the planes of Lu Gisimmar, yet the origin of their form remains unknown. Dragonkin are humanoid in stature and stand slightly taller than a man.

Drakin

The Drakin represent the lowest tier of the draconic hierarchy, a lineage that also split during the Discordance but suffered the greatest loss of resonance. They are small, stunted, and often lack the defining traits of their ancestry; few possess notable manes or claws, and their teeth are often reduced to mere stubs. Standing at most at half the height of a Dragonkin, they possess little to no corroborated magical ability and are frequently regarded as second- or third-class citizens. Despite their historic marginalization throughout the Aethercoil, many have broken away from the Resonant Houses to form their own subterranean or nomadic cultures where they survive with just enough wit and sheer manual craft.

FAITH

INTRODUCTION

The Old Ways

Faithful of the Pillars

Worshippers of the Acrodrakes

• Babbar: The Alpine Emperor, God of Summits, Acrodrake of the Mountain Sphere, King of the High Peaks, the Titan of Silver and Slate
• Guskin: The Sylvan Hollow, Goddess of Groves, Acrodrake of the Forest Sphere, Queen of the Verdant Copse, the Roots of the Golden Heart
• Zabar: The River Ruler, Goddess of Waters, Acrodrake of the River Sphere, Queen of the Mist Cascades, the Pearl of High Tide
• Urudu: The Star Lily, Goddess of Hunts and Harvests, Acrodrake of the Meadow Sphere, Queen of the Bloom Fields, the
• Edin: The Rogue Dune, God of Winds, Acrodrake of the Desert Sphere, King of the Wild Sands, the

• Sa: The Red, God of Flame, Acrodrake of the Fire Sphere, King of the Ember Vault, the Core of the Molten Furnace
• Sig: The Green, Goddess of Corrosion, Acrodrake of the Venom Sphere, Queen of the Ochre Mire, the
• Gijji: The Black, God of Skulls, Acrodrake of the Marrow Sphere, King of the Blood Waste, the
• Zagin: The Blue, Goddess of Thunder, Acrodrake of the Lightning Sphere, Queen of the Storm Reach, the
• Dadaj: The White, God of Frost, Acrodrake of the Ice Sphere, King of the Cold Hoard, the

• Mus: Acrodrake of the Ocean Sphere, Queen of the Abyssal Depths, the
• Girtab: Acrodrake of the Savannah Sphere, King of the Sunscar Barrens, the
• Sagmin: Acrodrake of the Hamada Sphere, King of the Craggy Cliffs, the
• Ansu: Acrodrake of the Jungle Sphere, Queen of the Jade Canopy, the
• Lil: Acrodrake of the Warren Sphere, Queen of the Burrow Dell, the

HISTORY

Origins of the Aethercoil

The First Age

The Second Age

The Third Age

VAELENI SPHERES

In the philosophy of the Aethercoil, Vaelen’s progeny and their respective spheres reflect his nature and continue the legacy of his elements. His divine children- Babbar, Guskin, Zabar, Urudu, and Edin -are said to act as extensions of his will and embody his elemental essences: mountains, forests, rivers, fields, and deserts. To pay homage to their ancestry, these five Acrodrakes, their dynastic descendants of dragons, as well as dragonkin and drakin, are all referred to as Vaeleni. This title also honors the five spheres they call home- Hursag, Tir, Id, Agar, and Eria -all adrift in the Kienmir.

Vaelen’s progeny were not so dominant by wing or breath. Instead, they mastered magic. Dragons of this lineage were serpentine in body plan, with four limbs and no defined wings, moving through the air instead by arcane manipulation. As a whole, they are characterized by wild adornments, long manes, and a deep affinity for their environments.

The first of the Aethercoil is Hursag, an asteroid field of gravity-defying spires and colossal floating landmasses that pierce the Kienmir. More officially known as Lu Muruh Sagkigin, the High Peaks, this sphere is one of swirling chill where the air is thin, and fog perpetually obscures a nonexistent horizon.

At the fringes of the Mountain Sphere, the landscape consists of jagged rocks drifting aimlessly, but as one travels toward the center, these fragments conglomerate into massive, three-dimensional continents called the High Heads. The largest of these, Uru Sag acts as both the sphere’s gravitational and geopolitical centerpoint. It is a gargantuan landmass of snow-covered peaks, craggy crevasses, and deep, lightless caves that extend into the very heart of the stone.

The illumination within Hursag is governed by the sphere’s slow rotation within the Aethercoil, creating a shifting gradient of light that ranges from deep purples of twilight to soft ceruleans of dawn. While a true yellow light occasionally strikes the highest summits at the peak of this rotation, the deeper regions and great cracks of Uru Sag remain in violet darkness.

Babbar: The Mountain King

Babbar is often depicted in Draconic iconography as a titan of silver and slate, his scales so dense and weathered they could be mistaken for the icy cliffs of Uru Sag. Referred to reverently as the Mountain King among his faithful, he is worshipped as a living embodiment of the mountain’s resolution and the gravity that binds the High Heads together. Near universally, he is depicted with a symmetrical crown of imposing silver horns, and in some tellings, this crown was said to act as metallic resonators, humming with a low vibration that keeps the Kienmir from tearing Hursag asunder.

As a deity, Babbar is an architect of law. He does not rule through passion or decree, but through the unshakable weight of his presence. His symbol—two branching silver antlers over a simple frosted peak—is etched into the gates of every mountain city. He is a god of endurance and perspective, teaching that all things pass, but the stone and wind remain. The Silvered Seven, his high council of elders, are rumored to be the only beings who have heard Babbar’s true voice in all twelve millennia of Usumgal. Many of them have served since the Divine Discordance.

He maintains his seat tucked in the Silver Canyon of the High Heads within the lightless fissures of Uru Sag: Hal ak Babbar. Only the edges of Babbar’s Keep have ever been seen by mortal eyes: a legendary city-sized sanctuary carved into rock by frozen waterfalls and draped in opalescent mist. There he is attended to by his eldest and most loyal kin, who in turn serve as his voice to command the Aethercoil’s greatest military force, the Gal Uridu.

Gal Uridu: The Hymn Hosts of Hursag

Protecting this society, as well as the wider Vaeleni reaches, are the Hymn Hosts of Hursag. While the House of Babbar functions as the dynastic lineage and administrative foundation of the Mountain Sphere, there are those among them venerated as warriors. They are honored with ascension to become Gal Uridu.

The rite is a physical and metaphysical transformation. A candidate is donned in consecrated silver armor and weaponry, and their internal resonance is amplified by the power of the Kienmir as it swirls through Hursag. The Gal Uridu, comprised of both Dragons and the most exceptional, faith-bound Dragonkin, are considered the most formidable military force of their kin, and perhaps of all dragonkind.

They are strictly aligned with the faith of Babbar and the preservation of Usum’s melody within the fabric of the Aethercoil. Their practice with the magic of their plane- the crushing weight of the frost and the piercing howl of the high winds -is bolstered by their argent equipment, making them the undisputed masters of high-altitude defense.

Denizens and Descendants of the High Peaks

The bloodline of Babbar is one of iron-clad tradition and honor. The dragons of Hursag are massive, robust, and majestically serpentine beings distinguished by their branching, silver horns. These antlers never cease growing, and in the eldest of their kind can become so ornamental they weigh the head heavier than any crown. Mountain dragons are also identifiable by voluminous manes which extend down their bodies, yet their hues range broadly from rich earthen tones to greys and occasionally icy blues. Amongst other Vaeleni, they are regarded as philosophers of the peaks, equally capable strategists, sorcerors, and soldiers.

The mountain dragonkin are the most organized and strictly ordered of all Vaeleni lineages. Unlike the more nomadic or solitary kin of the other spheres, Mountain Draconids have constructed vast, interconnected cities nestled in the floating peaks. These settlements often span both the highest spires and the deepest cavern networks, providing warmth and shelter from the howling winds. The dragonkin of this plane are defined by collective discipline; they value the hierarchy of the faith and militant structure above all else, though they are rarely prone to unprovoked violence.

The drakin of Hursag, though lacking the manes and majesty of the higher castes, have carved a vital niche in the UnderCracks of Uru Sag. They are the scavengers and maintainers of the labyrinthine thermal networks that pump heat from the continent’s core to the cities above. Often overlooked by the Resonant House, the drakin have developed a rugged, subterranean culture based on communal survival within inaccessible fractures underhill.

Spiraling alongside the frigid spires of Hursag spins Tir, more formally called Lu Hia Ges: the Verdant Copse. From the view of the Kienmir, the sphere presents as a gargantuan palisade of interlocking trunks, a wall of timber defying the voracity of the void. Entrance into Tir is found only through cave-like apertures within the perimeter of roots, leading travelers to a three-dimensional labyrinth comprised entirely of flora.

Unlike the rocky continents of the High Peaks, Tir is composed entirely of wood and greenery. It is a xylary network of interconnected tunnels and arboreal cathedrals where massive, needle-bearing giants and fanned ferns stretch from floors, walls, and ceilings. The light within the forest sphere is a perpetual, dappled amber, a warm, golden radiance that filters through a canopy with no discernible point of origin. Some visitors find this mystical, yet others suffer claustrophobia or maddening disorientation. Denizens describe it as serene.

At the core of this realm lies Saj Gistirra, the Heart of the Woods, a living wall so dense that it is impassable to anyone who cannot Whisper to the ancient wood. Travelers at the boundary hear a constant, low-frequency creaking of trillion-ton trunks shifting against one another, punctuated by sudden gusts of wind through the leaves locals call Rara ak Saj, the heartbeat. Saj Gistirra is reactive and possesses a formidable arcane healing factor studied for centuries; any attempt to scry, transpose, or physically breach the timber is met with absolute failure, as the wood mends and shifts faster than the eye can follow.

Guskin: The Sylvan Hollow

The Acrodrake of the Verdant Copse, Guskin, is said by many to dwell within the walls of Saj Gistirra. Revered as the Sylvan Hollow, she is the most elusive and enigmatic of Vaelen’s children. Guskin is said to serve as a divine witness to the histories of the Vaeleni spheres, so her most devout worshippers commonly refer to her as Lu Dubsar ak lu Usumgal, The Chronicler of the Coil. Hymns sing differently on which of the fifteen spheres are kept in her record, as well as how such truths are collected and sequestered. One thing is for certain: at each of Usumgal’s darkest hours, whispers emerge from roots deepest in the Verdant Copse to illuminate secrets veiled in the darkness.

The Sylvan Hollow has never been seen by mortal eyes, at least none willing to describe her, so her true form is unknown, yet she is honored with imagery nonetheless. Her symbols are as varied as the forest itself: some lean toward the dendritic, others toward the draconic. In many instances, her emblem is simply a golden heart, occasionally detailed with wooden textures or adorned with preserved leaves. Her sigils are scattered throughout both Tir and Alékia, on roadside shrines or carried by nomads as amber tokens to guide their way through the copse.

When iconology shows her draconic form, she is a majestic, bark-scaled titan with uncountable whiskers and a mane of twisted vines. Her most legendary feature is her golden antlers, towering around her face and perpetually adorned with the flora of the sphere. The paths of their branches differ with each depiction of her; as such, Guskin is truly never rendered in the same manner twice. Paintings and tapestries adorn her with draping greenery, whereas statues forgo this detail so worshippers may tend to living shawls of moss and lichen.

Guskin’s Keep, however, may be a matter of myth. Some believe she resides in the Saj ak Sajja, the Heart of the Heart, a fabled ginko in the center of Saj Gistirra. Worshippers sing of how she sealed herself within this vault to protect the histories of Usumgal. Others uphold that Saj Gistirra is no partition, but the edge of the thickest and eldest of Tir’s trees, and within lies even wood denser than the skin. These devout claim Guskin lives as the wall itself, having enrooted her essence alongside the weave of the Verdant Copse to become one with the fabric of her sphere.

Sij Enedui: The Hymn Hosts of Tir

Protecting the mysteries of Tir are the Sij Enedui, or Song Keepers, colloquially known to outsiders as Huluhu, Whisperers. These Hymn Hosts are unique in Usumgal for their inclusivity, being the only order to permit drakin to rise through their ranks alongside dragons and dragonkin. As the palms say, Sij Enedui are the hand chosen of Guskil and spontaneously ascended by the Sylvan Hollow.

Their rite is arcane in nature, with no physical changes to an ascendent; they appear just as any other denizen of the copse and just as they had before ascension. They are not known for declaring their newfound honor, and thus walk amongst us unknown. In addition to heightened magical capabilities, the Sij Enedui are gifted with the ability to communicate with the wood of Saj Gistirra. They possess the coveted ability to navigate through the wall, commune with the Hollow beyond, and return time after time.

Often regarded as prophetic individuals, their role is one of sacred memory, for once they return to the common copse, they echo Guskin’s secrets across the realms. The Sij Enedui preach that a world remembered can never truly be destroyed. Thus they act as a living library of songs, treaties, and genealogies, accessible to all who will listen. It is the Song Keepers who deliver the rare and veiled truths hidden in the heart of the Forest Hollow, acting as the only bridge between the Guskin and the multiverse.

Denizens and Descendants of Verdant Copse

The descendants of Guskin are among the most isolated of dragonkind, revered throughout the Aethercoil as the wisest of their kin. These Forest Dragons are elegantly serpentine and massive, third in scale to the mountain-dwelling lords of Hursag and the fire drakes of Izi. The dragons of the copse are characterized by their bark-textured scales and voluminous manes. Their coloration reflects the dappled, golden light of their home, ranging from deep brasses and rich browns to verdant greens with shimmering amber undertones. They are distinguished by impressive whiskers that blend into mossy manes, but their most regal trait remains their massive golden antlers, which branch indeterminately and accumulate living vegetation as the dragon ages. A pervasive legend holds that the oldest among them chose integration, their bodies thickening and hardening until they became a part of the forest, perhaps the very branches of Saj Gistirra.

The forest dragonkin are a reclusive, druidic people who live as semi-nomads within the xylary tunnels of Tir. While they lack the immense size of their dracnic elders, they retain reduced golden horns and earthy scale patterns of their lineage. Although their lineage is skilled with arcane flame and is readily capable of manifesting and manipulating the element, their culture practices strict nonviolence by the way of the Ember Bane, a total and sacred prohibition of fire. Wary of outsiders, the dragonkin are masters of the sphere’s disorienting geography; rather than meeting invaders with physical force, they prefer to use their deep knowledge of the tunnel networks to lead threats into the impassable depths of the Saj Gistirra, where the forest itself acts as their defender.

The drakin of Tir occupy a uniquely respected position compared to those in the other fourteen spheres, as they are the only of their caste within the Aethercoil permitted to ascend to the revered rank of Hymn Host. Though they remain the smallest and least physically imposing of the draconids, lacking the gold adornments and antlers of their kin entirely, they have emerged from the populus nonetheless to become Sij Enedui. Even those unascended are masters of the hidden gaps between roots and dense ferns of the forest floor, capable of tracking newcomers; more often than not, they do so undetected.

Cosmonots describe the view of Id from the Kienmir as an opalescent orb amid violent violet. Unlike the xylar mass of Tir or the stony spires of Hursag, the River Sphere is defined by a swirling oceaning veil, called Aeshtubizza, the Tidewall, that forms its outermost shell. This barrier of churning clouds and seawater acts as a living filter, refracting the chaotic flux of the Kienmir into a cyclical spectrum of daylight and dusk. Entrance into Id is not a matter of navigating to a physical gate, but a trial of patience, for the climate, the weather, and the tides grant passable corridors through the sphere’s storming armor.

Within the sphere, the landscape is a rolling, descending gradient of aquatic beauty. It begins in the Menker, the Springlands, with clusters of floating springs, small, frosty islands where the thin air keeps moisture in a state of perpetual dew. These springs, theorized to be tidally locked with Hursag, overflow to the Kurkur, or Mistfalls, where they fall across open space to join the main landmasses below. The central topography of Id resembles a plane of braided rivers and open hills, called Menaea or Riverlands, where the water flows through endless freshwater ponds and pools. These rivers eventually broaden into vast estuaries and finally into a shallow sea. This ocean, simply called Lu Ab, does not limit itself to below the horizon; it continues swirling up, curling to form the walls of the sphere, feeding the cloudy edge and eventually evaporating to return to the Menker in a perpetual cycle.

Id is unique among the fifteen spheres for its dynamic and somewhat predictable weather patterns. Light mistaken for noon from a sun or dusk of moons in actuality is derived from refractions as leywinds interact with Tidewall. As such, durations of brightness and night are not consistent, but they are foreseeable. Centuries of study have led to reliable predictions not only of Id’s daylight, but of the forecast. At times, Id is blanketed in fog so thick, dragons readily climb it to sleep among the high clouds. Other afternoons shake with deluges of heavy rain. Yet there are also days so clear, there are those who claim that with a dragon’s eye, you can see from the Springlands to the shores of Lu Ab.

Zabar: The River Ruler

Zabar is perhaps the most physically ethereal of the Acrodrakes, though her influence is as pervasive as the tides of her sphere. Known formally as Idgashan, the River Ruler, she is worshipped as a deity of transitions and the cycle of water, capable of manifesting as a majestic serpent, a figure alive with water, or a pearlescent mist. Her symbology is as varied as her forms, but universally involves aquatic sigils. Often adorned on the attire of her most faithful are rain droplets, freckles of mist, and meadows of waves; more often than not, two or all three flow together in a circular cycle.

In her draconic iconology, she is the most sinuous of the five Vaeleni siblings, her body consisting of opalescent coils pattered with cerulean, turquoise, and cobalt. Her antlers, while depicted as less imposing than Guskin or Babbar’s, shine with a brilliant bronze. Unlike the furry manes of her kin, Zabar possesses a halo of shimmering fins that trail down her spine, limbs, and tail. Two unarticulated fins at her shoulders surround her further to create the appearance of wings.

The keep of the River Ruler is a shifting concept, for Zabar is a nomadic monarch. Historically, she has moved her court between the sphere’s most spectacular locations, from the crystalline Coral Keep in the Grand Reef of Lu Ab, to the serene, floating springs of the Menker. During these uprooted periods, the eldest of her children, the Rosanant House of Id, practice a ritual of Flowing Aside, Bargin, vacating their seats and becoming nomadic themselves to make room for their matriarch’s arrival. However, for the last several centuries following the Murder of Musar, Zabar has remained in a state of elongated absence. Her followers do not view this as a tragedy or a desertion, but as a natural, albeit prolonged, phase of the cycle. There are even those who believe she has dissolved into the very moisture of Id, existing as the dew on the rivergrass or the rain that falls across Menaea.

Gal Idim: The Hymn Hosts of Id

In the interconnected structure of Lu Gisimmar, the Gal Idim, known in the common tongue as Mist Walkers, serve as the vital network between and beyond the spheres. While the Hymn Hosts of other realms focus on defense or preservation, the Gal Idim are the preeminent navigators and diplomats of the Aethercoil. They are the only draconids with the mastery required to chart the turbulent leywinds of the Kienmir, at least with any assurance for survival.

Ascension into the Gal Idim is a trial of profound surrender known as Dal ak Menker, Springland’s Leap. At specific leywind alignments or coming of age milestones, candidates climb the floating hills of Menker as high as they can. At such heights, even on fair-weather days, the ground is entirely obscured in mist. To ascend is to perform a literal leap of faith to land in blessed waters and be reborn anew as a Mist Walker. They are gifted with an unparalleled mastery of transposition, weather-weaving, and linguistic magic, and they are physically transformed to have translucent fins patterned with kintsugid mother of pearl.

Denizens and Descendants of the Mist Cascades

The bloodline of Zabar is regarded as the most visually stunning of the Vaeleni, characterized by a grace and fluidity that borders on the divine. The Dragons of Id are elegantly serpentine, their scales shifting between turquoise, bronze, and cerulean in a pearlescent sheen that reflects the light of Aeshtubizza. They are distinguished by manes of delicate fins rather than fur, which trail down their spines and limbs like liquid silks. Their most striking feature is a pair of elongated shoulder-fins, so massive they appear as watery wings. Possessing a temperament as inquisitive and shifting as the tides, these dragons are the preeminent poets, astronomers, and tide-watchers of the realm.

The dragonkin of the Mist Cascades live in decentralized neighborhoods tucked into the crooks of the braided rivers and shallow estuaries. Unlike the monolithic fortresses of Hursag, their architecture is subtle and organic, blending pearl-inlay and coral into the natural landforms. They are a culture of scholars and collectors who often spend their lives unraveling the complex ecosystems of the multiverse. Though they lack the organized power of other draconids, their society is one of high elegance and hospitality, centered on the ritualized beauty of water-bound environments.

The drakin of Id have adapted to the tidal flats and coastlines of Lu Ab. While they lack the magical potency of higher castes, they are masters of mother-of-pearl crafts and intricate silk-weaving for which the sphere is famous. They are agile swimmers and clever foragers, often living in house boats or stilted dwellings that rise and fall with the tides.

Urudu: The Star Lily

NAME: The Hymn Hosts of Agar

Denizens and Descendants of the Bloom Fields

The Meadow Draconids are the offspring of Urudu. The smallest of the Vaeleni, these dragons lack horns entirely. Instead, they possess whiskers and plumage with wild diversity: some appear as flashy, almost spineline, others flutter by careful, twitch-like petals in the wind. Their colors range from delicate to vibrant, often sporting creams as well as pinks, purples, and oranges. They are especially adept with illusory magic.

Edin: The Rogue Dune

NAME: The Hymn Hosts of Eria

Denizens and Descendants of the Wild Sands

The Desert Draconids, commonly called Edin’s children, are distinguished by their dazzling colors and patterns, which range from coral reds, ember oranges, and iron-hot white. However, these dragons also possess unique shoulder extensions among Vaeleni, closer in nature to the wings of Dravari. Despite their hardy nature, they are all too often regarded as the least of their kin due to their blunt, sturdy forms.

DRAVARI SPHERES

In the resonance of the Aethercoil, the progeny of Dravar embody the First Roar’s primal heat, unyielding storms, and petrifying cold. Her divine children- Sa, Gijji, Sig, Zagin, and Dadaj -are the manifestations of raw force and elemental dominion. They represent the foundational energies of the Dravari: flame, caustics, bone, lightning, and ice. Collectively, these five Acrodrakes and their lineages are known as the Dravari, a title that extends to the five spheres they command: Izi, Us, Im, Nimgir, and Seg.

Unlike the sinuous and serpentine Vaeleni, the Dravari follow a robust and formidable body plan: four powerful limbs, two membranous wings, and the capacity to vent their internal resonance as sheer elemental energy as a breath weapon. They are the vanguard of Usumgal, renowned for their cunning coordination and physical dominance. Often characterized by martial prowess and militant intellect, Dravari often share a belief that endurance in power is proof of their divine ancestry, and at times destiny. They are a people who strive for strength, whether physical, mental, or arcane.

Sa: The Red

aka simply ‘The Conflagration”

NAME: The Hymn Hosts of Izi

Denizens and Descendants of the Ember Vault

The Fire Draconids are the children of Sa and are the largest of all dragonkind. They range in hues from deep crimson to obsidian and are distinguished by straight, pointed horns and an array of dorsal fins that stabilize their massive frames during flight. They dominate in the sky and are renowned for possessing intellects that rival their immense physical power.

Sig: The Green

NAME: The Hymn Hosts of Us

Denizens and Descendants of the Ochre Mire

The Venom Draconids, known as the children of Sig, are the most serpentine of the Dravari, capable of folding their wings tightly against their slender bodies. They are masters of camouflage, capable of shifting their own patterns to shift between greens, yellows, and browns to reflect their environment, or their emotions. They are widely considered the most calculative and brilliant strategists of any draconics.

Gijji: The Black

NAME: The Hymn Hosts of Im

Denizens and Descendants of the Blood Waste

The Skull Draconids, also called the descendants of Gijji, are named for their sunken eyes and bone-white facial plates that extend into recurved horns. Their scales range from charcoal to sickly flesh tones, yet they emit a stench even more notable: that of the battlefield left to rot. They are patient, regarded as cruel hunters said to delight in the torment of their prey.

Zagin: The Blue

NAME: The Hymn Hosts of Nimgir

Denizens and Descendants of the Storm Reach

The Storm Draconids are Zagin’s offspring, highly varied in stature, but universally identifiable by chainmail arrangement of spikes and quills covering their bodies. Some grow conjoined into antler-like crowns, while others can expel their tail spines with the force of a ballista. Their scales shimmer in shades of teal, purples, and metallic cobalt, and they are regarded as the true masters of flight.

Dadaj: The White

NAME: The Hymn Hosts of Seg

Denizens and Descendants of the Cold Hoard

The Ice Draconids, also referred to as children of Dadaj, are small, stout, and adapted for the frozen reaches. Their scales range in translucent periwinkles and pale blues, often freckled with oranges and pinks. Because of their heavy limbs and domed heads, their wings are reduced, making them more suited for the terrestrial crushing glaciers of their plane.

MUSARI SPHERES

To some people, the Musari represent the Divine Discordance rendered mortal. They possess no unifying body plan beyond internal anatomy and bilateralism, so in some way they do represent the experimental evolution within the Aethercoil’s crevasses.

Mus: The Leviathan

NAME: The Hymn Hosts of Abzu

Denizens and Descendants of the Abyssal Depths

The Serpent Draconids are referred to as the progeny of Mus. Entirely limbless and covered in scales, these dragons breathe exclusively underwater. Many sport fins of unfathomable forms in uncountable arrangements, and each has unique bioluminescence. They are built to survive the ever-hungry ecosystem where there is always a bigger dragon.

Girtab: The Barb

NAME: The Hymn Hosts of Eden

Denizens and Descendants of the Sunscar Barrens

The Scorpion Draconids, known also as the children of Girtab, are perhaps the most feared, as they possess barbed tails with venom far more lethal than any descendant of Sig. They are morphologically chaotic; some walk upright with beaks for muzzles, while others have lost entirely to better suit predatory preferences.

Sagmin: The Beheaded

NAME: The Hymn Hosts of Kamus

Denizens and Descendants of the Craggy Cliffs

The Hydra Draconids are regarded as the progeny of Sagmin. They are the most resilient of the Musari, possessing an uncanny ability to heal even grave injuries. This regenerative factor makes them nearly impossible to kill, especially once they reach maturity, wherein even upon severing a head, it will simply regrow, at times bringing a second head with it. The most battle-scarred of Hydra are rumored to have possessed over a hundred heads.

Ansu: The Echo

NAME: The Hymn Hosts of Kulilu

Denizens and Descendants of the Jade Canopy

The Kirin Draconids, called Ansu’s offspring, are not dissimilar from their Vaeleni cousins, with elegant forms, long tails, and manes, but their bodies are less serpentine and their limbs longer and hooved. Unlike their kin, they possess long ears, a single central horn, and an unparalleled preference for solitude. Regarded as preeminent masters of magic, it is rumored some spend centuries refining their craft away from the eyes of others.

Lil: The Shimmer

NAME: The Hymn Hosts of Har

Denizens and Descendants of the Burrow Dell

The Fae Draconids are Lil’s children and are the undisputed smallest in the realm. Ranging from the size of a honeybee to that of a housecat, they are often underestimated amongst their kin. However, their mastery over the arcane has no recognized limit; they are highly skilled with illusory magic, and have been documented commencing pact crafting.