Editing Age of Dragons: Sable Dragons

[[Age Of Dragons: Main Page]] -> [[Age_Of_Dragons:_The_Twelve_Breeds|The Twelve Breeds]] -> [[Age of Dragons: Sable Dragons|Sable Dragons]]
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==The Enders==

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.

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.

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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==Character Creation: Game Rules==

===Sphere Ratings===


*'''Soma 5'''
*'''Sophia 6'''
*'''Pneuma 4'''

''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===

'''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''.

'''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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===Flaw===

'''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. 

'''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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==Physical Appearance==

'''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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==Society and Culture==

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''.

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.

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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==Lifepaths and the Sable Dragons==

''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''.

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. 

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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==Outlook==

''Words-of-the-Lastborn'' is an Ascendancy Necropotent, and he speaks for the Night:

* '''Pure Dragons''' - ''"They say they study truth, but they deny the greatest truth of all: Their Goddess is dead."''
* '''Argent Dragons''' - ''"Iron rusts. Stone crumbles. Armies perish. The Argents will die."''
* '''Solar Dragons''' - ''"Scared of the dark are you? That's useful to know."''
* '''Hunter Dragons''' - ''"Some say that their innocence of mortality is enviable. Why should I envy an idiot?"''
* '''Forest Dragons''' - ''"They are just animals, doomed to short and meaningless lives."''
* '''Storm Dragons''' - ''"They know the wisdom that can be found in the darkest places. They are more like us than they choose to believe."''
* '''Ashen Dragons''' - ''"Children, playing at being kings and emperors."''
* '''Velvet Dragons''' - ''"They have their uses, when employed as spies and infiltrators."''
* '''Chimerical Dragons''' - ''"Their insane prattlings mean nothing to me."''
* '''Ghost Dragons''' - ''"Can you hear the sand running through the hourglass? Your time is almost up..."''
* '''Blood Dragons''' - ''"Our servile avatars of murder. They are most useful."''
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[[Category:Age_of_Dragons|Sable]]