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==The Enders==
 
==The Enders==
  
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The Twelfth-born of the Goddess were her killers. The birth of their breed's progenitor ended the Mother Goddess, and since then the ''Sables'' have named themselves the ''Enders''.
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The Twelfth-born of the Goddess were her killers. The birth of their breed's progenitor ended the Mother Goddess, and since then the Sables have named themselves the ''Enders''.
  
 
It is a truth readily apparent that all things end. A young child grows old, then death claims him. A living forest petrifies then crumbles to dust. An idea has its day, then fades to nothing. Given enough time, everything ends.
 
It is a truth readily apparent that all things end. A young child grows old, then death claims him. A living forest petrifies then crumbles to dust. An idea has its day, then fades to nothing. Given enough time, everything ends.
  
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The ''Sables'' see that Creation itself is doomed to this same fate, and accept as inevitable that dragonkind will die. They recognise also that even they cannot escape the ultimate nullification of all things, but by changing into something greater than dragons they suspect that they can outlive the rest of their species.
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The Sables see that Creation itself is doomed to this same fate, and accept as inevitable that Dragonkind will die. They recognise also that even they cannot escape the ultimate nullification of all things, but by changing into something greater than Dragons they suspect that they can outlive the rest of their species.
  
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Thus there is the central paradox to ''Sable'' existence - they recognise the Omega in all things and they know that to struggle to survive is futile, but at the same time they try to deny death. They see the darkness of empty eternity, but they hope to master it.
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Thus there is the central paradox to Sable existence - they recognise the Omega in all things and they know that to struggle to survive is futile, but at the same time they try to deny death. They see the darkness of empty eternity, but they hope to master it.
 
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===Sphere Ratings===
 
===Sphere Ratings===
  
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* '''Soma  4'''
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* '''Sophis  5'''
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* '''Pneuma  3'''
  
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*'''Soma 5'''
 
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*'''Sophia 6'''
 
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*'''Pneuma 4'''
 
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''Sable Dragons'' value their minds above all else, knowing that it is willpower that changes the world, and willpower that leads to victory. All other concerns are secondary.
 
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===Birthrights===
 
===Birthrights===
  
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'''Force of Will''' - ''Sable Dragons'' have great reserves of willpower and powerful intellects. In mental conflicts and mental challenges, they add +1 to their starting ''Mental Energy''.
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'''Force of Will''' - Sable Dragons are adept at applying their strength of Sophis in place of their other shortcomings. Sable Dragons can cast death-aligned magic using Sophis instead of Pneuma. Likewise, they can use Sophis instead of Pneuma for any social tests relating to command or intimidation (though not for other social situations).
  
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'''Dispassion''' - The ''Cold Souls'' flaw, as described below, has its advantages. ''Sable Dragons'' cannot be seduced, are immune to sexual wiles, and resistant to being befriended.  
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'''Denial of Ending''' - Sable Dragons fear mortality more than most, and will fight their own deaths till the very end.
 
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===Flaw===
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===Breed Weakness===
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'''Cold Souls''' - The void has infected the souls of the ''Sable'' breed, deadening their hearts. They are unable to fall in love, and are unable to feel lust or sexual desire. Even friendship comes very hard to them.
 
  
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'''The Empty Womb''' - When a female ''Sable Dragon'' lays a batch of eggs, there is a 1 in 6 chance that the eggs laid will be empty of life, filled only with inky viscous liquid. Even with these stillborn broods, the ''Birthing Sickness'' still occurs - a double tragedy for the parents. Roll once only for the whole batch of eggs - either they are all empty of life, or none are.
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'''Appetite for Destruction''' - Blood Dragons find creative pursuits very difficult, and struggle with any Soma or Sophis-based task that involves creating rather than destroying. This would include artistic endeavour, architecture, magics that create, smithworking, etc. With any such task, Blood Dragons are at +1 TN. Note that this Weakness does not affect tasks that involve Pneuma (such as reproduction, or magic).  
 
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==Physical Appearance==
 
==Physical Appearance==
  
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'''Sable Dragons''' seem like the negative image of the ''Pure Dragons'', with their scales coloured as the deep black of night, as well as having jet-black eyes and gleaming black long straight horns. Like the ''Pure Dragons'' they have considerable uniformity of appearance, though part of this lies in that it is difficult to distinguish facial features with the depth of their skin hue. ''Sables'' have an undeniably regal appearance - they move and act as if it is their natural right to rule. Other breeds find them somewhat intimidating, and a little cold and distant, but cannot help but acknowledge their sheer force of presence.
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'''Blood Dragons''' are red-scaled, with dark crimson on their back plates and bright scarlet on chest and ventral surfaces. They are physically heavy built, have curved horns with underside serrations, and often have chitinous blades protruding in lines from their back armour plates. The entire appearance of the Blood Dragon lends to a sense that they were built for war and slaughter, from their squat bulldog-faces, to their powerfully muscled upper limbs. Blood Dragons regard other breeds as weakling cousins, and their blustering and brutish behaviour mirrors their physical appearance. Blood Dragon eyes are solid black, save for a pin prick of yellow in the centre.  
 
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==Society and Culture==
 
==Society and Culture==
  
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Before ''Endless Night'' the ''Sable Dragons'' were a scattered and paranoid people, with individuals hiding away deep in isolated lairs, fearful of their neighbours. They would sometimes build small kingdoms within the lands of the north, but only so as to protect them from the world beyond. As ''Sables'' are so engaged in protecting their own survival, the idea of sacrificing pneuma to create children was always a little odd to most, so the ''Sables'' were of lower numbers than most. In the absence of love the ''Sable'' population is sustained mostly by the ''Breeding Hives'', where enslaved ''Sables'' are forced to procreate, and have their children taken away by higher-caste ''Sables''.
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The self-proclaimed Lords of Slaughter have existed in much the same form since the beginning of the First Age, more interested in the glory of destruction rather than in creating Empires or a grand culture.
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While individual Blood Dragons will often establish domains (through force of arms) and may raise armies and war-hordes, it is uncommon for them to oversee the building of cities or nation states. More often they will lead their followers in war after war, till they meet their ends in battle.  
  
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When ''Endless Night'' arrived, he unified his Breed, using his blood connections to track down all his errant descendants and to dominate them psychically. The ''Sables'' were forced into close proximity with other breeds and each other, and established as the heart of the new ''Ascendancy''. The ''Empire of Night'' is now theirs, and none are so foolish as to think they can fight their progenitor.
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Before the Ascendancy, Blood Dragons would be as likely to war against each other as to cooperate, and the Blood Dragon dominated lands would often be little more than ruin-studded wastelands. With the rise of ''Endless Night'', however, the Blood Dragons have found new purpose.
  
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Despite their newfound power, ''Sables'' are still somewhat uncomfortable in being exposed to view, so still tend to lair in deep caverns. They prefer by far to lead from the back, so few within or outside the ''Ascendancy'' will ever see them. They may be masters of their empire, but they maintain an air of mystery by existing unseen for the most part.
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Now the Blood Dragons have been told that they are not just warring because it feels right, but rather because they are Holy Avatars of Destruction, and Priests of Slaughter. They now know that in war they serve the Rising God that is ''Endless Night''. This has given them considerably more focus, and though still prone to the occasional short-tempered battle between brothers, they now follow the Ascendancy's grand War-Plan. The Breed are now the Warlords of the Ascendancy, with the fate of every Blood Dragon tied to the success of the Ascendancy.
 
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==Lifepaths and the Sable Dragons==
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==Lifepaths and the Blood Dragons==
  
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''Sable Dragons'' tend towards mental rather than physical pursuits, and ave a strong affinity for death magic. Most will study as [[Age of Dragons: Demonbinder|Demonbinders]] or [[Age of Dragons: Scholar-Sage|Scholar-Sages]], operating under the blanket title of ''Necropotents''.
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Without a doubt, Blood Dragons are most inclined to be [[Age of Dragons: Warmaster|Warmasters]]. The art of war is one that is second nature to a Blood Dragon. Within the Ascendancy, the majority of Warmasters fall into two camps. On the one hand, there are the ''Lords of Slaughter'', who pride themselves on personal strength of arms, and whose baroqued blacksteel armour is a mark of martial honour. On the other, there are the ''War-Priests of Endless Night'' who raise and command vast hordes, leading them into battle against the enemies of the Ascendancy.
  
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A more recent phenonomenon (though a growing one) is the Lifepath of the [[Age of Dragons: Ascendant of Shadow|Ascendant of Shadow]]. These ''Sables Dragons'' follow the belief in ''Shadow Apotheosis'', believing that they can escape mortality by transforming their bodies into ''voidshadow'', just as ''Endless Night'' has done so.  
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Many ''War-Priests'' will also study as [[Age of Dragons: Demonbinder|Demonbinders]] and [[Age of Dragons: Sarcomancer|Sarcomancers]] in order to add summoned creatures to their war-strength. Indeed, in the study of these Lifepaths, the Blood Dragons consider themselves to be unmatched experts.
  
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Finally, weaker ''Sables'' may be coerced into becoming [[Age of Dragons: Fecund Breeder|Fecund Breeders]]. Although pursuit of this lifepath runs against every ''Sable'' instinct, it is not uncommon for a young ''Sable'' to being forced into this lifepath by his elders "for the good of the species".
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In contrast, a ''Lord of Slaughter'' is more likely to seek additional battle techniques, perhaps as a [[Age of Dragons: Redtooth Berserker|Redtooth Berserker]]. The ''Lords of Slaughter'' refer to their berserkers as ''Knights of Bloodfury'', and respect them as being amongst the greatest warriors in their number. A small number of ''Lords of Slaughter'' pursue the Lifepaths [[Age of Dragons: Scholar-Sage|Scholar-Sages]], but focus on the war-magics of the ''Battlemagi''. Finally, a minority who are interested in the more artful forms of murder will pursue the Lifepath of the [[Age of Dragons: Physical Adept|Physical Adept]], and use the skills acquired to specialise as ''Redknife Assassins''.
 
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==Outlook==
 
==Outlook==
  
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''Words-of-the-Lastborn'' is an Ascendancy Necropotent, and he speaks for the Night:
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''Caress-of-Sanguine-Steel'' is a ''Lord of Slaughter'', and she speaks of the weaker breeds:
  
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* '''Pure Dragons''' - ''"They say they study truth, but they deny the greatest truth of all: Their Goddess is dead."''
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* '''Pure Dragons''' - ''"We have never worshipped their Goddess and we never will. Endless Night is my Lord, and the Death God is my patron."''
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* '''Argent Dragons''' - ''"Iron rusts. Stone crumbles. Armies perish. The Argents will die."''
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* '''Argent Dragons''' - ''"These are foes worthy to be met in open battle. I salivate in anticipation of the taste of their blood."''
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* '''Solar Dragons''' - ''"Scared of the dark are you? That's useful to know."''
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* '''Solar Dragons''' - ''"Weaklings, especially at night time. I offer them mercy in a quick death."''
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* '''Hunter Dragons''' - ''"Some say that their innocence of mortality is enviable. Why should I envy an idiot?"''
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* '''Hunter Dragons''' - ''"Brutal creatures! I envy their claws and teeth, but ultimately I am the better Warmaster."''
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* '''Forest Dragons''' - ''"They are just animals, doomed to short and meaningless lives."''
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* '''Forest Dragons''' - ''"Mere numbers do not compensate for their physical weakness. We win every fight against them."''
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* '''Storm Dragons''' - ''"They know the wisdom that can be found in the darkest places, yet they blindly fight that wisdom."''
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* '''Storm Dragons''' - ''"Hard to fight, if only because the cowards hide underwater. Still, they bleed as easy as any other wants you catch them."''
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* '''Ashen Dragons''' - ''"Children, playing at being kings and emperors."''
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* '''Ashen Dragons''' - ''"Tricksy bastards, with more surprises in battle than you'd credit them for. All's fair in murder and war though, so I bear no grudge."''
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* '''Velvet Dragons''' - ''"They have their uses, when employed as spies and infiltrators."''
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* '''Velvet Dragons''' - ''"A Velvet stole my heart once, and laid a Harlequin seed in my belly. I repaid him by bloody castration."''
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* '''Chimerical Dragons''' - ''"Their insane prattlings mean nothing to me."''
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* '''Chimerical Dragons''' - ''"They are blessed with insanity, yet theirs is the weak sort of madness, rather than the strong rage-laden kind. Easily killed."''
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* '''Ghost Dragons''' - ''"Can you hear the sand running through the hourglass? Your time is almost up..."''
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* '''Ghost Dragons''' - ''"I never trusted the Ghost Scholars. I am unsurprised that they betrayed the North, but my steelclaws will wreak revenge on their feeble flesh when we catch them."''
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* '''Blood Dragons''' - ''"Our servile avatars of murder. They are most useful."''
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* '''Sable Dragons''' - ''"Endless Night has given us purpose and unity, and for that I am forever grateful. The Sable breed are his children, and they are worthy of our deference."''
 
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[[Category:Age_of_Dragons|Sable]]
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[[Category:Age_of_Dragons]]

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