Terrestrial Dragon

Terrestrial dragons are far different than their celestial cousins. They were created much later and are comprised of several different sub-species. These dragons were designed by the lesser gods and goddesses of Vallhyn that stepped in to fill the void when the original pantheon seemingly vanished. These deities, however, were not near as powerful as the originals and needed mortals to assist them. Many felt that the best possible assistant would be a mighty dragon.

The new dragons were built in the image of the great celestials. They are, without a doubt, more of an homage than a copy. Terrestrial dragons are smaller, have more mortal tendencies, and are not imbued with nearly as much natural magic as their cousins. That does not mean that they are not impressive creatures in their own right.

There is a great deal of dispute about which deity created the first terrestrial dragon but it is known for sure that four were completed around the same time: amber, obsidian, pearl, and ruby.

Vekest, the god of the sun, fashioned the first amber dragons to be his ambassadors to the other mortals of Vallhyn. He sought to create a dragon that was both noble and honest while still maintaining the majesty of the race.

Varscuro, the god of the night, knew that powerful dragons could help him in his quest for more power. He created the obsidian dragons to do his bidding and create order in a world that would bow to him.

Luaere and Azuleka, the goddesses of the silver and blue moons, worked together to create smaller, faster dragons to carry their messages all across Vallhyn. These are the pearl dragons.

Brasa, goddess of the forge, simply delighted in all creation. She saw creating a dragon as a great challenge and is said to have carved the first ruby dragon from a single gem stone. In many ways ruby dragons have the most freedom as Brasa sought nothing more from them once the challenge to create had been met.

The average mortal in Vallhyn will not see a celestial dragon in a lifetime. They are creatures of myth and legend. Rarely do they ever meddle directly with the affairs of younger races or humans. Terrestrial dragons are also rare but it is not unheard of to see certain species more than others. The Sodality frequently uses the small and fast pearl dragons as mounts. Ruby dragons often find it entertaining to cause mischief among villagers.

In all cases, terrestrial dragons share one innate tendency: the need to establish and maintain a hoard. How they do so varies greatly by both the species and the individual but all feel compelled to do so and that frequently puts them at odds with other mortals.