Introduction[]
The dragons of long standing tradition hidden deep with the forests of Pyrrhia's Wings. MortarWings are a tribe that takes on the likeness of equine, bovine, and cervinae. They're stereotyped as reclusive and easily insulted if you bring something up about their culture, negative or positive, but in reality they're the most hospitable tribe to travelers and newcomers. However, they are stubborn and create great barriers to protect their beliefs after receiving centuries worth of harassment from their neighbors and other dragon tribes.
As of late, they have yet to prove how pleasant they truly are due to a ruthless campaign incited by the previous ruler, conquering of sections of the Sky and Mud Queendoms. However as conflict died at the claws of a war over succession, the tribe now stands with a new royal head. They are paying reparations towards both the MudWings and SkyWings and asking for forgiveness for their decades of bloodthirst.
Rules[]
MortarWings are an open tribe with only select things that require permission for their creation. I want this tribe to be open to creativity and fun all the while keeping its lore intact.
Allowed[]
- Commoners
- Hybrids
- Hybrids with tribe subtypes
- Dragons with pigment issues (Heterochromia, Albinism, Piebaldism, ect)
- Mutants
- Animi
Permission Needed[]
- Canonical important figures (Overseers, Jarls, Arch Druids)
- Historical figures
Dear word from Helsing[]
For those interested in creating their own MortarWings, go wild with your concepts! Make a unicorn MortarWing, or make a bison MortarWing! Don't limit yourself with natural colors, have fun and do unique things with your characters! I want you to go crazy, go stupid!!
Description[]
MortarWings are a solid and sturdy tribe descended from both SkyWings and MudWings. They're hardy and strong, with long, firm legs, strong, arched snouts and thick necks, chests, and tails. Their wings are nothing special, scaling with their body weight. A pair of horns branch out from their heads into several ends much like the antlers of elk or caribou, but are generally known to be much more varied and diverse than the other tribes. Their claws are long and flat for scavenging through the dirt and forest.
Rather than scales to protect their hide, they're covered in a pelt of rough and scratchy fur to keep them warm in their environment. They grow manes and forelocks as well as extra fur at the end of their tail. Finer fur grows long around their talons and pads to keep them warm while walking across snow. Layers of feathers start at the top of their wings to break the cold wing, soon transitioning into a normal webbed dragon wing past the feathers. Some individuals have shown to have grown fully feathered wings.
Their eyes have a variety of colors: green, blue, hazel, brown, and black are common Red, orange, yellow, and even violet have been seen as well. Heterochromia isn't an unusual condition in the tribe; it has been observed in one of six individuals.
Coat Patterns[]
MortarWings take after the appearance of many varieties of hoofed animals. They take most of their inspiration from equines but it isn't impossible for them to take after the likes of bovine and cervidae.
Colors[]
MortarWings are all naturally colors of the earth. Grey, browns, reddish brown, blacks, beiges, and more. Their pelts can either be a solid color or have gradients across them as fur grows closer to more sensitive areas. They can develop freckles or natural socks of either lighter or darker colors. Their manes can be mixed colors with streaks and differing ends.
Markings[]
MortarWings are not exempt from specialized markings. They are known to develop conditions like piebald, albinism, and leucism. The condition traditionally affects the skin and makes the patterns spotty, uneven, and always omnipresent on a dragon. And if the spots are on thinner spots - like on the wings - they will be slightly hued pink. Markings can be huge, taking over large portions of the body, face, and wings, or it can be a hard to spot difference, sitting on someone’s paw.
Roan[]
Roan is typically defined as a mixing of grey hairs into one’s coat, even when the dragon isn’t elderly. It can range from minor blending in the torso to covering the entire central area in the body. Since it’s an uneven mix of fur, spots of the coat's true color - unless it's an alter to the grey like white or grey that’s much harder to pick out - appear dappled in the grey. Roan can either be the most subtle change in a coat pattern or leave everything but the head in a sea of grey fur.
Appaloosa[]
In the same vein as Roan, Appaloosa markings are either patches of white found somewhere on the back to the hips or a marking that overtakes the dragon with spots of their true coat pattern. Like roan, it can range from taking over an individual's body to just staying in a small area.
Brindle[]
Brindle markings are known to be the most unusual, described as paint being splayed across a MortarWing’s fur. It can be simple drops of cascading color down their sides or whirls of whites across their sides like SeaWing royal markings. They’re typically either lighter or darker shades of the main coat itself.
Dragonets and Young[]
Surprisingly, dragonets aren't born with their adult coats. They start with a light, fluffy, and curly coat that’s short and silky. It takes on boring shades of brown to help them hide in the woods and thickets. They begin to shed their coats at around two years old, taking on the colors of their adult coats. Shedding usually lasts for most of the year until the winter when they will have long and dense coats to stay warm.
Those with conditions like albinism or piebald will not be the solid shades of browns as their markings would be present in their baby coats as well.
Fashion[]
Like any other dragon, MortarWings still like to take the time to look nice. But instead of piles and piles of precious metals and even more valuable gemstones, they wrap themselves in flowers and ornate fabrics with embroidered designs. They do wear valuable items like necklaces, earrings, tail and horn bands, but they prefer mixing it up to conjoin their traditional garb with it.
The garb they wear changes from season to season. The least amount of body coverage comes in summer where they wear neck sleeves and a simple scarf. In the winter, they wear cloaks lined with animal pelts and more bodily sleeves. Their scarves and cloaks are known for being heavily done up with leaves of many trees, vines, symbols of the seasons and their respective gods, or geometric patterns that the wearer likes.
They also tend to style their manes in braids down the sides of their necks, or a small line of buns on the back of their neck, or even on occasion shaving them down or growing them out until they almost reach the ground. Much of a MortarWing’s individuality comes from how they style their manes.
If a MortarWing is conscripted into either the Royal Guard or a Clan's own personal army, they are provided armor and the clan's symbol and colors to be worn. MortarWings have great familiarity with armor due to the lack of jewel-hard scales to protect them. Armor ranging from leather to iron can be purchased and worn. Whether casually or part of a greater force, armor isn't hard to come across on MortarWings.
Abilities And Weaknesses[]
Fire[]
MortarWings descend from two fire breathing dragons, thus having the ability as well. They don’t need to be at a certain bodily temperature to make it, but they breathe the worst fire on the continent. It glows an orange that’s slightly hued red, a clear indication of the low temperature. They only use it as a fire starter or for short cooking.
Regeneration[]
As a way to make up for their lack of strong fire, MortarWings have evolved to heal their injuries in half the time it would take other tribes. They can’t regrow limbs or lost features, but the clotting and closing of the wound occurs much faster. It may take between 6 and 8 weeks to mend a broken bone for other tribes, but it's between 2 and 4 for a MortarWing. Due to their regeneration abilities, they age slower and experience the typical problems of growing old much later in life. MortarWings will generally experience something like arthritis much closer to the end of their lives compared to other tribes.
Stone Skin[]
Other tribes have spread rumors that they have skin as hard as stone, when in reality they can injure like any other dragon tribe. It is much harder to notice their wounds due to their fur and how fast they can heal. In fact, they have extremely thin skin compared to other tribes, something that makes the healing process easier.
Terrain Dexterity[]
A skill learned from the land they call home, MortarWings are nimble on their claws and can traverse many kinds of terrain with their strong, coarse talon pads and blunt claws. They’re built for tumbling over long, uneven terrain, rocky roads, and coarse blades of grass. Their lackluster skills in flight are made up for with how well they can traverse over their home.
Resistant to the cold[]
Another product of their homeland, MortarWings can survive cold temperatures for a very long time. They aren’t permanently immune and still wear a fair share of over wear to keep themselves comfortable in the Queen’s View. Their winters grow harsh in the rainshadow they sit in and the cold has claimed many dragons.
Overheating[]
They don’t venture south or west often due to how dense their pelts naturally are. They won’t be able to survive long in warm, hot climates since they can easily overheat and most likely perish. They’re built for a specific environment and can’t necessarily change their coats of fur without permanent damage done to the hair itself, leaving them without a way to easily remove their body hair or alleviate overheating.
Hydrophobia[]
Hydrophobia is a natural defense of the tribe, since they would drown if their coats got fully soaked. The sheer size of their pelts weigh them down whenever they get into water and it is almost impossible to get back out. As a result, they learned to vehemently hate water and fear it. This defense mechanism manifests itself in folktales about the dangers of water.
However, as technology progressed in the tribe, many dragons have been taking an inclination about the water. They are finding safe ways to traverse it and showing the water isn’t all it’s said to be when you’re responsible and keep a level head.
Magic[]
The lack of a controlled Animus bloodline in the MortarWings allowed the magic to....evolve. The signs of magic are far more extreme and visible, they affect the user's body and appearance. They leave trails of their own magic behind, whether it be ice crystals, a faerie ring, or salt. They can cast spells and curses without explicitly saying what they envision; through incantations of the old language, song, or plain spouting fury. The world visibly responds when magic is used, whether it be a dramatic shift in the air or the items around the user beginning to float or change shape.
Animus dragons have no reason to hide in the MortarWings, in fact they share their stories often.
Diet and Hunting[]
MortarWings live off the land. They didn't have strong stands of agriculture within the tribe until recent years. But even at then, it's only the occasional coop of chickens for a family, or the talonful of sheep and goat herds found within the tribe's foothills. Otherwise, they make due with what nature gives them and they do surprisingly well with both the quantity and variety of dishes.
Foraging[]
The preferred way MortarWings gather food from the wild. MortarWings gather in a small group of neighbors and family to together head out into the forest in search of what grows in the season. Berries, mushrooms, herbs, grubs, nuts, plants and even mosses can be picked up and used as meals for the tribe.
Hunting[]
MortarWings are omnivorous and like to mix up their diet rather than sticking to either meat or vegetation, unlike the other tribes of Pyrrhia. While some forage, others can hunt game, whether large or small. They have a preference for smaller games for less important meals, food you get every night as it were. Bigger beasts are reserved for special occasions since they can feed a crowd of dragons.
They have a developed hunting style, using tools and bait to their advantage when hunting. Those of the southern bans have been seen using bows and arrows to hunt down faster creatures. The central ones are shown to ensnare their prey more but have more trade routes - meaning they can buy their food. Meanwhile, the northern ones prefer to do naturalistic hunting with no aid of any tools, much like SkyWings.
Fishing[]
A trade found only within a talon of clans the tribe holds. Due to their natural fear of water, many dragons don’t risk staying waterside long enough to catch a fish. The most common kinds of fish found around the tribe are catfish, walleye, haddock, trout, and salmon. Fish found within freshwater are usually caught from the Diamond Spray River or Lake Jewel. However, seafood typically hails from the traders found on Cape Onyx.
The fillets of fish are highly desirable for their protein content, taste, and sheer rarity, typically only found during truly important occasions on one’s table.
Farming[]
Due to its destructive nature, MortarWings tend to have fully free ranged animals with watchful eyes guarding over them. Typically the likes of chickens for eggs and poultry, sheep for mutton and wool, and goats for milk and meat. They prefer to have smaller creatures rather than larger animals such as cattle. They're found without pens and roaming the countryside with dragons following them and leading them to the next important area. Areas that welcome the shepherds do so with open wings and feasts of all sorts as they travel down the mountain sides.
Since MortarWings live in small family owned plots of lands, many of the families will make themselves small gardens or till the land for crops like corn or wheat to help make food. Most gardens consist of vegetables like carrots and potatoes or herbs like sage.
Meals[]
The average MortarWing meal consists of a lot of hardy and warm food that create a homely atmosphere. Freshly baked bread with butter, goat cheeses, freshly picked berries, and chicken based soups to warm one’s soul. They eat and prepare more complicated meals than one might think. They take the time to season, marinade, and try different cuts of meat or smoke meat with different woods. They mostly cook food gathered from foraging, but on occasion they can get their talons on spices and oils from other tribes whenever a merchant passes through.
History[]
The Scorching Times (0AS)[]
MortarWings - like most other dragons - descended dragons that overthrew scavengers. They were initially a variation on the original SkyWings and MudWings that grew hair to settle into their environment rather than fire or a reliance on mud to keep them warm. They settled in cold and mountainous regions and adapted to fit that swimmingly.
After the downfall of scavengers, they traveled in groups of dragons and settled around their designated region to start building what would be the beginnings of the MortarWings.
The Union (900AS)[]
MortarWings were most likely the last tribe to ever be officially formed as late into the first 900 years would there be any union.
MortarWings eventually evolved into bans and clans of dragons ruling over batches of land that was unclaimed by their neighbors of the era. They all contained similar beliefs and appearances, but warred with one another over resources and land. Eventually a dragon from the smallest clan among them decided that enough was enough and it was time to settle this conflict before the SkyWings would see the squabble and try to move into taking all of the bans down.
Roan-Wall was her name and she traveled by talon across war torn borders to propose the idea to the leaders of every ban. Conjoin and face a common enemy and problem together, or fall one by one to the larger tribes.
The bans all eventually agreed to see eye to eye and build a council and created the tribe that was dubbed the MortarWings by the other tribes. The council was the initial leadership of the tribe for the first five years but to gain more presence for other tribes they directed for one to be the head monarch, wherein they chose the one who formed this idea of the tribes.
And thus Roan-Wall was the first Queen of the MortarWings. Decreeing that ruler will serve until their last breath, and like she did they too must travel the tribe and prove their worth in uniting the clans.
Animus Exodus(2360AS)[]
The SkyWings had many bouts of influence upon the MortarWings throughout their entire existence, whether being threats of invasions, close allies, or the place SkyWings seeking asylum go towards.
The MortarWings first got their animus dragons when the SkyWings outlawed and persecuted all animi dragons found within the tribe. Many of them fled into the MortarWing territory and asked to have shelter and safety in the tribe. The current monarch allowed them under the pretense that they live like the tribe that they’re taking refuge in, namely that they live off the land and build their lives from there.
And the dragons did, some becoming hermits, some becoming pillars of the community and starting families with tribal members.
The Hundred Year's Civil War (4542AS)[]
Better known as the hundred year's feud amongst certain clans of the tribe.
At the time this occurred the once uniformed Oak Clan had a monopoly over most tribes given the size of their land and the boundless resources and treasure at their disposal. It was headed by a dragon of the name Snake-Crush. Snake-Crush spent their life being benevolent for the members of their clan and loved a long life and passing a peaceful death. Leaving behind an only child and its cousin.
The two argued who would be the next Jarl. The child for direct blood relation and the cousin due to age. The two fought and argued to the point where their own claws couldn't settle this so they brought dragons who supported their claim for the title. Only for another draw to be made. This repeated for two years until the cousin ran off their mass of supporters to the part of the clan's land that was east to the Diamond Spray River.
From what was a clan conflict quickly turned into a fight of territorial control between the two dragons. One calling themselves the true Oak Ban and the other deeming themselves Elm Ban - the ban to replace the now weakened Oak ban. This conflict grew division amongst the Jarls as the new jarls went to the previous ones asking for help on what was rightfully theirs. This began putting the entire tribe on war with their neighbors. Allied tribes splitting due to neutrality or support for the wrong Jarl, or the forcing of clans into this conflict under threats. This created a ghastly environment that brewed for decades that erupted into a civil war. Clan against clan and the lingering peace the current monarch tried to hold.
The monarch tried their best to end this conflict by declaring both bans had right to the land in which they held. But it wasn't enough as the two continued to battle each other. The war ended much like many of the rulers of the tribe ended, with the last gasp of breath from those who herald the conflict. The two dragons who started this war grew in age and died like any other dragon. The families they both left behind decided it was best for the conflict to be ended as the successors tried not to pay for the sins of their predecessors.
But even after the bloodshed the two bans couldn't make up and still remain bitter grounds into the modern day.
The Rise of Blood-Stone's Empire (4975AS)[]
MortarWings for the majority of its union was a tribe unknown by the public. They never got into political affairs and kept to themselves unless it directly involved them like the patronizing actions of a collection of tribes. What got the union more in the public conscience was a ruler of the name Blood-Stone. Blood-Stone won the throne and It was said by the jarls who witnessed his crowning that he brought the pelts of every animal of the MortarWing pantheon. The white wolf of Frosted Zircon, the tawny rabbit of Moss Emerald, the black moose of Burned Ruby, and the orange fox of Cleaned Topaz.
Although the history is scarce on whether or not the animals weren’t simple regular animals hunted by the young MortarWing, nonetheless he was crowned as the new king until his death.
His first years as the crowned tribe head were quiet. Until the view for the queen wanted to be taken back. The SkyWings attempted another invasion to receive back more land for the ocean and like previous skirmishes it was quickly pushed down. But unlike previous rumors who let things settle after it, it sent Blood-Stone to think. Every tribe demanded their rural, rich land that they’ve been settled on for centuries. Why not give them a taste of what the SkyWings have been giving them since their founding of the bans.
The Overseers around Blood-Stone advised against it due to the morals the tribe holds. Avoid conflict unless it can’t be detoured. But Blood-Stone sought vengeance, and began his conquest by deposing his overseers from his circle of influence, and soon enough the jarls of his very own regions. Taking total power in the process.
Blood-Stone struck first against the SkyWings by sending troops sneaking through their forested border to attack the patrols and scouts who guarded it. They had the advantage as the SkyWings - like their name - are better in the sky but couldn't watch the forests when they're above the canopy.
Months went by as they were a secret force hidden in the forest that the SkyWings couldn't traverse. Many soldiers of their enemy hunted for them, but the fear of a hidden force taking out dragons scared off those who sought them.
Eventually after a year of the secret invasion, there was a slip up and discovered who it was exactly it was taking the forest. Enraged, the queen declared war against the MortarWings.
Blood-Stone didn't fight against this, he had all the power over the tribe, so he officially reciprocated the call for war.
The war sided for the MortarWings initially, their familiarity with the forest and the camouflage they bare into it kept them safe from the SkyWings. That was until they learned how to fight against them.
The SkyWings began burning their rich forests to flush out the hiding MortarWings, beginning a phase of field battles with claws and spears.
The MudWings, realizing the threat to the north, declared war to protect their own interests and borders. This action upon others sent the tribe over with their hatred for Blood-Stone as he caused among their closet into war for them.
Rebellion and attempted revolutions began in the Sky's Fields as groups began assassination attempts to remove Blood-Stone from the throne to impose a better leader. All either failed or were crushed. Blood-Stone hid himself away as the battles on two fronts kept going.
For several decades this went on in an ever present stalemate as both sides grew weary and no longer pushed forwards. Until a new found war began.
The SandWing War Of Succession (4993AS)[]
For the beginning of the war, the MortarWings stayed indifferent to the conflict and only ever focused on their own. With the tribes around them focused on a separate conflict they never bat an eye for the Sky's Fields. All that occurred was the occasional assassination attempt, taking down scouting troops, and keeping a tight handle on their temporary borders.
But the calm changed when alliances changed.
After the SeaWings turned on the MudWings, leaving the MudWings to join Burn in the war. Now the tribe was truly surrounded in the war, TempestWings, SkyWings, DriftWings, MudWings, and SandWings. Left with no choice, the MortarWings sought Blister and her SeaWing army. Joining her as begrudging allies as the MortarWings added a stable piece of land for the army and a clear shot to the SkyWing's palace for attacks.
The conflict once came back with new life given to it. SeaWings, SandWings, and MortarWings alike fought against Burn and gained Blister a new head up in the war, giving her land right in the center of enemy territory with easy access. The only problem was the amount of Talons Of Peace members found within the tribe itself. Dragons giving housing to members, strongholds being made in secret in the Sky's Fields’ ever dense forests, and the lack of use within the river for the tribes that can swim.
Years of failures only drove the tribe more determined to rebel and overthrow Blood-Stone and a plan finally came to action near the end of the war. The allied armies attacked the SkyWing palace when the IceWings were assaulting the border with the Sand Queendom. What the allies thought would be a bare palace was actually more stuffed than what they expected, leading their attack to fall back to MortarWing territory and into a fight on the capital itself. Blood-Stone - now too old to lead the armies himself - founded this and tried to run from the conflict. Only for when the raid subsided with reinforcements, it was found that Blood-Stone had died on the floor of his own throne room to a half healed stab to his throat. It's unknown who did it but rumors spread that it was a guard he believed in the Talons Of Peace and did the act none of them could to end the fight that occurred.
But due to the death of their ruler and the traditions the law dictates to find a new ruler, the MortarWings pulled themselves out of the war. Leaving behind what land they gained back to the talons of the dragons they fought with. Only to regather and rebuild after these long and harsh conflicts.
And for the first time in a near century, a sense of peace was found in the tribe as the process of healing and new beginnings began.
The new monarch came a year later after the war ended. A former follower of the Talons Of Peace took the role as diplomat alongside others in her tribe and met with Queen Ruby of the SkyWings and Queen Moorhen of the MudWings and asked for forgiveness for the sake of her tribe, offering payment, peace, and a prevention of fighting and trade interruption in the exchange of prevention of future conflict and future revenge.
These actions need not to be taken on the shoulder of one dragon and a few of her closest allies, but Fair-Well did this nonetheless.
An honorable act worthy for the new queen.
Beliefs[]
Religion[]
MortarWings based their lives and world views on what surrounds them. Nature and the forest. All they ever truly knew. They believe the most important feature in their lives is the environment they were born into and soon grown to appreciate and love. It brings food and serenity, but also disaster and death. But to them it's how it should be as Nature is naturally neutral and always running in a cycle.
They believe that the neutral force of nature is ran by spirits - or gods known by certain bans - to keep order in the cycles that play at hand. The only way to keep the spirits happy and containing these cycles of life is to simply play along with their antics for whatever it may be. There will always be a season bursting with food, there will always be a devastating winter. The only rule these sprites have is to never take what you don't need. Don't destroy the land for food you do not need. Don't destroy water ways if you need a path to travel. Everyone needs something, but there is a difference between a want and a need.
They worship these spirits by creating altars of offerings and singing praises for what the season has brought or what it will bring. They're typically found within homes and homesteads but a village will have a few public altars for those passing through, always one for the offering god.
Pantheon[]
There are four gods or spirits that control the flow of life. On top of repressing the seasons they represent different aspects of one's own self and what they'll experience in their day to day lives. They all have different representations and known appearances based in part of the varying ideas of every ban and clan the MortarWings had
Representation: Frost Zircon is typically shown as an older or elderly dragon of greys and white with shining blue eyes. Many interpretations show them with a long shabby coat of fur with horns akin to that of a caribou. Many of these recorded interpretations show that Frost Zircon is heavily based after animals like caribou, wolves, and snowy owls with various dark patterns to blend in with trees and long black talons coming off of their claws.
Symbolism: God of winter, ice, patience, self growth, and logic; Frost Zircon is a spirit of peace and wisdom. Winter is known as the time to wait, think, and take the time to learn a new craft as the snow settles in. They're never shown as a traveler but always as a dragon close to a fire or a hearth.
Offerings: Antlers, mulberries, holly, pinecones, wolf pelts, zircon, aquamarines, pine branches or wood
Representation: Moss Emerald is a dragon of youth with fur and locks like silk as they pool around their feet. Woven in little braids with wild flowers sticking out of it. Their fur is earth brown and their eyes shine green like grass. Their horns are never prominent as they’re shown as barely grown stubs to show how young they are.
Symbolism: God of spring, birth, energy, youth, foolishness, mischief, the arts, and young love; Moss Emerald shows the rebirth the world goes into when the spring comes back around as they’re shown with songbirds, fawns, and rabbits in their altars. But is known to be a mischievous one by making it snow three times before the summer truly sets in. They’re shown as a bard singing with the birds on their voyage from the south to the north to bring back the flowers and animals.
Offerings: Snowdrops, lily of the valley, daffodils, daisies, emeralds, peridots, parchment, apricots, cherries, rabbit pelts
Representation: The largest of the four spirits, Burned Ruby has legs like redwood trees and a face with the frown of a moose that can turn into the warmest of allies. Their horns spread out like branches of oak trees and eyes like - well- rubies. They're shown with a reddish tint to their coat to match the fries of summer travels.
Symbolism: God of summer, work, persistence, platonic love, fire, and nature; Burned Ruby is the symbol of travel and friends. Fire burns at their feet but only for a mere campfire under a starry sky. They also connect much to work and nature as in the MortarWing tribe both go hand and hand to each other with the tribe's reliance on the land around them and keeping it as in place as possible. But Burned Ruby isn't a fair god and has stories told around their wrath of brutal wildfires for those who don't treat nature responsibly.
Offerings: Rubies, mimic trilliums, redwood branches, moose antlers, water plants, raspberries, kindling, fish
Representation: Cleaned topaz is shown with a well cared for pelt with their mane tied back into fine buds. As to show the season, they're the only figure dressed in any form of MortarWing garb, detailed with leaves and branches. Their fur burns near orange with dark points on their face and limbs. Their horns sprout upwards like roots. Cleaned Topaz is always shown to be a much older dragon unlike those who came previously.
Symbolism: God of autumn, decay, cycles, acceptance, feasts, tradition, and familial love; Cleaned Topaz represents the togetherness of the MortarWing home as the family comes together to settle in for the cold winter. Cleaned Topaz plays the role of death as well as the parental figure with autumn killing off the forest to make way for the snow to freeze it all. Because of the deity being shown as a friendly figure, this leads to death being more well handled in the tribe. In multiple bans there's been encouragement of offerings made by claw in the home.
Offerings: Topaz, jasper, fox pelts, maple syrup, maple leaves and branches, mule deer antlers, meals, homemade craftsFunerals[]
Stone and community continues to have significance within the tribe. Much like what their name entails, when a MortarWing dies their body gets cremated before the ashes are mixed into clay and mortar. Their name will be carved into the finished product; a brick. The brick will be kept amongst other funerary bricks until they can be used by the public to build and expand the community.
But if there was a mass of deaths that couldn't be all cremated. The next style of MortarWing Funerals is leaving the body where it lies, covering it with a thin layer of soil, and leaving the body to be reclaimed by nature. The most common form of laying one to rest during war and conflict.
MortarWings only believe in a material world, there is no afterlife for them. So instead of proper mourning, they celebrate with melancholic processions filled with music to instill pride into the accomplishments and family the dragon has made.
Culture[]
MortarWings are a tribe that prides themselves on being self resourceful, diligent, stubborn in their beliefs, and modest in what they need in life. They learn early in life that if you only take what you need there will always be more later on for you and others. Although high spirited in their beliefs and refuse to have anyone to try and challenge their several centuries old belief, they still believe in no conflict unless necessary. They also believe in a war of words and that those who cannot fight with words simply cannot stand against others and are the weakest amongst everyone.
Isolationism[]
- We bother none, and none will come to bother us.
Community[]
- The most important key to happiness is each other.
Stubbornness[]
- Many dragons have come into our lands and tried teaching us the “right" way to do things. Words haven't worked on these predatory dragons, and it won't stop them now.
MortarWings have a long and awful history of being patronized by other tribes as they kept to themselves and never got involved much with the other tribes. The only time they're allowed any ferocity is whenever they're pushed to the limit. Baring fangs and snapping at one like a hound dog. They've yet to crumble under the might and pressure of larger tribes, and they won't start now.
A firm stance and rule in MortarWing culture is to avoid all fights if possible. Adding on top of their stubbornness in making them dragons who bury their heads in the Ground before snapping.
Morality[]
- There is such a thing as true evil.
Through a history of being subjugated by other tribes, watching conflicts from afar, and never ending inter ban conflict in the union, they've developed a strong sense of righteousness and justice in response to all of that that happens. If something they deem horrific they will denounce, decry, and fight against it with a passion unknown to outsiders
the best showcase of this occurring was when majority of the tribe sided with the talons of peace during the war to overthrow Blood-stone and end the war.
Superstition[]
- Not every question has a answer.
MortarWings tend to not view the world in a scientific nor practical way. They believe in monsters, beasts, magic, and spirits all alike; they warn of ill willed spirits haunting thickets, they tell stories of dragon speaking animals of the gods who helped teach dragon kind their traditions and tools. They tend to not listen to stone cold evidence about happenings around them, they believe that everything is not quite as they seem and nothing tangible can truly be enough to be believable.
Despite their superstitions, they weirdly believe in most scientific beliefs as it tends to tie in with their own ideology.Animi[]
Animus dragons in the MortarWings carry no weight nor cultural significance. They're treated like any other average dragon with a family to care for and a life to live. They're not required to do anything with their magic to give back to the community. Many outsiders come in with awe and shock with how casual everyone is with Animi.
Their philosophy is that one will not go mad if they’re not treated with more importance and more responsibility, rather having animi go through regular problems that regular dragons have that can be easier to help them through.
It isn't clear how Animus dragons entered the tribe but it was traced back to the first millennium after the scorching times. Animi are not usually found within higher social circles, but rather in the lower classes.
Uniquely, because of how wide spread the gene of magic is in the tribe, Animus magic takes on its own unique appearance that tends to scare off other tribes. The magic takes on a more tangible and physical form with rising flames, cold winds, or more bone rattling sensations come from the dragon whenever upset or using their magic. Due to the superstitions of the MortarWings, they tend not to be bothered by this as magic is a universal experience in the tribe.
Oral and Written stories[]
MortarWings have a great understanding on how important it is to keep stories alive and flowing from ear to ear. Memorizing it down to the minor detail but still widely open enough to spark imagination and differing interpretations. For centuries they’ve spoken their tales and created new ones as events occurred all around their tribes, ones of heroes and villains, ones of tragedies, and others of mischief and two-faced liars. Although in recent years dragons began writing down these stories as a way to give them to those hard of hearing and those whose memories aren’t as rich as others.
Folklore[]
Every ban has their own tales based on their specific region. Although there’s been many forms of diffusion of the stories as they spread amongst the tribe. There are an unfathomable amount of stories but there’s a few common ones told.
“A dragonet can take after the conditions they were raised in.”
A common tale for new parents to be told to members of the Elm Ban. It's a tale about how one should always give love and attention to dragonets or the guilt or lingering soul of leaving one purposely behind will always come back at you.
It's said to come in the form of a dragonet's cry that will never subside in a parent's head, driving them mad and bringing them back to the place where it was left behind. Only for a foreboding creature to take its place, eternally hungry for the life it could never have and will devour the one who left them behind.
“We never trust a MortarWing from the depths of a lake.”
A rationalization as to why MortarWings first initially became afraid of water. This story first was made by the Abyss Clan as their land was the closest to the sea. This is by far the oldest tale in the tribe as they evolved away from the water.
The kelpie is a beast of dragonic and equine features that will either lure you to the depths of the water or take you down with it. It's a known shape shifter with it either appearing as a ravishing dragon or a gorgeous horse.
The only way to defeat a kelpie is by grabbing either a halter or a necklace that contains the essence of their life. Once grabbed it could either be removed for the creature to die, or you can bargain with the creature to banish it.
“The dead can’t settle for the place they died in.”
Violent ghosts that have violent ends and now haunt where they died. They're known for scorching the land and cursing whoever takes something from their area of haunting. The area proper carries some sort of sign, a motif of the dragon that perished. Many spots in the woods are considered wraith spots from bloodstained iron geysers unfounded on a geothermic vein or a patch of infinitely flooding grass from a spring that never erodes away. Plainly enchanted spaces that anyone can feel upon stepping in.
They appear as half dead corpses with veils of clothes and flowers given as remembrance and offers hanging around their bodies.
The only way to rid one is just to simply give the body a proper funeral as the souls who turn into one never rejoined nature.
“Don’t call the wolf from the forest.”
The story of the wolf lord is a story about seeking one’s own self made trouble. The story starts with a shepherd growing frustrated with his herd of sheep slowly being picked off by a wolf. Infuriated they yelled into the woods asking for the beast to show itself.
Out from the forest came a wolf the size of a dragon and white as the snow, a wolf of Frost Zircon from its own appearances.
The wolf responded to the call and approached the dragon, why have you called for me? It would ask. Why would you want to confront a predator, invite it into your own?
The MortarWing replied, because you come unwelcomed into mine. Only for a wolf to respond with a tsk.
It cooed that no land it's truly anyone's. No foothill, no field, not forest could be claimed for one as a great many creatures come to pass and thrive in it. The wolf merely wanted to live and did just that.
Disgruntled at the response, the MortarWing bit their tongue and faced the beast of winter. The MortarWing replied stating that a great many creatures compete with each other and one will always force the other.
Sensing a challenge, the wolf asked what they planned to do.
And the challenge to hunt the greatest game in value by twilight was set.
The Wolf ran far into the mountains and foothills while the MortarWing had a sly idea. A rabbit of Moss Emerald will be worth more than whatever that wolf could muster.
The MortarWing spent the time chasing rabbits and trying to find leads for the divine animal. Only coming back with dirt covering their coats.
They found the wolf to be sitting waiting for the MortarWing to return, lounging on a pile of ewes...The MortarWing's own herd of sheep that he left to graze.
The MortarWing was horrified at this site, only for them to stare back up at the wolf who looked down.
The wolf only replied, don't call the wolf from the forest to eat your livestock.
“Living with a stone heart you know you have to love but not what love really is.”
The stories of dragons acquiring a stoned heart stems from them wanting selfish things from their patrons in nature. Seeking immortality, wealth, success, and among other desires. The themes of these great many stories depict one's own self destruction and how it affects those who love them in the worst ways possible.
The most common iteration of this story being that of a couple with one of the dragons wanting immortality. As the story goes on, they found it but soon forgets to give it to their partner as well. Life goes on as the immortal one grows more and more cold and distant, ignoring the pleas of their partner begging for them to tell them what's wrong as their perception of their partner isn't what it was anymore.
But nonetheless the stone hearted kept going, barely noticing even when their beloved eventually passed due to the years of neglect. The stone hearted commits atrocities all in the name of the corpse of their beloved for whom they have forgotten they were supposed to love.
Soon enough, the stone hearted became the stone beast as more of their body parts transformed into stone alongside their own heart. They lose their own humanity into the oblivion of greed, continuously bringing offerings and deeds for their beloved.
Soon enough, they turned to a figure of pure stone leaning over decaying bones, only within their dying moments the dragon realizes what they have done.
“Our bones are like jewels for we were born from jewels."
The creation story of dragons from the MortarWings is a unique take on how dragons came to be. Many dragons believe in them rising from a feral animalistic state long before the scorching due to either their own intelligence, divinity, or power of their souls. However Mortarwings believe dragons were specially crafted and assisted by the pantheon of the seasons before the scorching.
The earth exsisted longer than what dragons and scavangers have roamed it. Born from the jewel tears of the moons - Fidelis, Veritas, and Termino - came the season Pantheon to bring life to the planet. bring weather, change, evolution, and forces beyond what was possible. they turned to world from stagnic to dynamic and unpredictable. But while the mo9ns weren't looking, the deities Burned Ruby and Moss Emerald decided to try something and stole the jemstome tears that the moons had no desire for. They were diamond, bland and colorless and inherently had no value for the moons.
The two gods returned with the diamonds to present to the other deities, they decided to try and recreate what the moons did to recreate them. But they lacked the prowess of the moons and created beings lesser to the deities. The dragons of the planet, all the deities had a hand at creating one, giving them features they favored. Once the moons learned of them attempting to recreate life, they came to shun the deities. they were only allowed to make non-sentient life, not ones capeable of creating much like what the deities could. The eldest moon Termino made it so dragons would be bound to be under the scavanger as punishment to the deities. But it's siblings Veritas and Fidelis thought that was a cruel punishment. The middle sibling Veritas made it so the dragons can keep learning and one day be able to make their own civilization that will over throw the scavenger. The youngest Fidelias given dragons magic. Magic beyond all compare. Satisfied with the gifts, the pantheon let dragons on to the earth for them to grow and learn and eventually meet their divine destiny.
“And its horns were the horns of a wild ox!"
Bovine are not revered in the MortarWing culture. Nothing shows this further than their tale of the wildfire starting, wild raging bull summoned by the unparalleled rage of of Burned Ruby. Burned Ruby's rage is its own beast...quite literally in the southern clans. The mystique of the spirit that was Burned Ruby will evaporate and return in a whirling inferno in the form of a looming ox that will out wind any dragon and reaches highs unknown to anyone. It's roars and hooves can be heard in the storms as it runs through the land in a glorious blaze of power and smite. It'll tear through anything in its path and will only cease when the target of its ire and everything in its way has been removed.
It's then and only then it'll return back to whence it came and take shape of Burn Ruby once again.
“If a dragon starts hacking up seafoam...While unpleasant its best to return them to the sea."
A large case of mass hysteria over disease that once overran Abyss Clan along the ocean. One day a laborer began to foam at the mouth and acting irrationally; attacking friends and family who tried to approach it. While the disease is known now amongst the border-less healers of the tribe and fought off, the clan didn't know what it was and this was the first account of anything like this happening. They thought it was a curse brought forth upon the village, the ocean had possessed this dragon and will attempt to take over others in its bloody revenge. So the community did what they could, they restrained the worker and threw them off the cliff and to the bottom of the ocean to return them where they belong.
A tale born from ignorance which lead to the tribe's cruel punishment in its entire history.Holidays[]
Brick-Day[]
A more recent phenomenon following the death and funeral of King Blood-Stone. Multiple groups of dragons will attempt to break into the storage room that currently houses the funerary brick to smash it to pieces as revenge for what the king has done to the union. While it's not an officially recognized holiday, nothing has been done to stopped the festivities. The brick manages to always find it was back to where it belongs, albeit a little more cracked each time.
Ceremonies[]
Text
Art and Music[]
Following the SandWing war of succession, MortarWings have begun a revival within it's art scene. From new founded literature and philosophy critical of Blood-Stone, veterans of the war who became close friends started traveling bands of musicians, the need to rebuild many villages on the borders opened gateways for a study in architecture and painting.
The arts has become popular once again with patrons being found across the Queens View requesting pieces that can be used to rebuild what was lost from the war.
Druids[]
Dragons who devoted themselves to the protection and care taking of religious sites and public altars. Although by nature they're peacekeepers as many communities respect and regard the local group of druids as being an important figure of community, education, and traditions. Although aiming to keep peace, Druids are known to fight as there were multiple cases of druids beating down SeaWings for vandalism of their altars during the war.
Society[]
Living standards[]
MortarWings tend to keep their focus inwards. Always ensuring prosperity before dealing with other tribes and their own problems. Since the last several centuries worth of monarchs and their overseers carried this philosophy the MortarWings are amongst the most organized tribes with public access to free education of all ages and any form of medical needs. Fundamentally their tribe has no official currency and allows payments in agreements and barter and across the Jarl’s land a common idea of what their scales are worth.
Family life[]
Interestingly enough, MortarWings don't assign gender to their young when hatched. Rather they give them a name and use a plethora of pronouns until the dragonet decides what set it likes and defines what they identify as. It isn't uncommon to find those who don't stick to any terms or singular set of pronouns and keep themselves an enigma. Binary gendered dragons are a rarity in the tribe when many of its population doesn't bother to change anything.
Families are a large part of a MortarWing’s life whether those made with bonds not by blood or those related by blood. From a family of 2 to a family of 20, MortarWings cannot simply live alone as they grew to have a philosophy of the importance of others in one’s life. But the word family is malleable in the tribe and it can range from a household of dragons in a relationship to each other or to an extended set of family, or even a set of friends needing a place to stay.
The family keeps to a plot of land and builds buildings for its members or for assorted storage or uses.
Architecture[]
MortarWings are named after their long standing traditions in their long standing buildings. Whenever a building is built, it is built to last.
Their modern buildings are built with brick and an archaic form of plaster to keep the cold out. Their roofs are made out of plates of wood with sturdy support beams in the ceiling to keep heavy snow from collapsing it. Although it requires upkeep and you can always see a MortarWing keeping the leaves off of their roof to prevent rotting. They bare large, rounded doors of many colors to determine who owns what house. They're also fans of windows as they own polished wooden window frames that can be opened and closed. Within towns a family of MortarWings are situated on a plot of land with several buildings to one plot for all members of the family to live in. The plot typically is fenced in whether it being a modest decorative fence or a fence with the intent to keep others out. A fascinating detail of the tribe is their lack of polished flooring as most homes have dirt floors and larger buildings would have coarse stone. Due to the fur found between a MortarWing's talon pads they're known to slip on smooth surfaces and fare better on rougher ones. .
While they're always building new homes, many of the ancient ceremonial buildings used as far back as before the union of the tribe were founded, preserved, and kept up for their respective uses. They're large buildings of old stone and brick with moss flanking the outer walls. They're in a rounded shape built into the ground where one has to walk down a set of steps to enter. The center of the roof is open allowing a great hearth in the center to be lit, and all along the sides are stands to sit on for gatherings. These buildings are used for story telling, ceremonies, or meetings. These buildings are able to house at least 2 villages worth of dragons of all ages.
Bans and Clans[]
Although losing their political power and regency after Blood-Stone came to power, there is still a lot of cultural influence of the Bans of MortarWings from centuries ago. MortarWings do have a centralized culture but have an intense regional differences
Namesake: Their numerous amount of dyed red fabrics from leaves, beet roots, hemlock trees, and chokecherries that are all found in their ancestral lands. Also named after their amount of red pelted individuals and their fragile egos being quick to anger.
Description: A proud ban with their territory carrying most of the locations of cultural significance. They tend to be the most boastful and a prime example as to why vocal fighting is important in the tribe as they’re argumentative and fragile of ego which helped earn them their name.
Careers: Tailors, shepherds, military careers, merchants, scouts, gardeners, florists, ecologists.
Jarl: [open]
Location: Redden Briars
Brief History: They were among the fiercest clans in the time before the Union, grizzly with prey unknown to many found on their tables. They've gotten themselves into many conflicts with the archaic bans around them. But once the union came into effect they grew tamer, albeit begrudgingly as they still kept their high spirits and rich red dyed fabrics.
Namesake: They have naturally dark brown coats that are still several shades above black. They’re known in history that they tend to get involved with politics often and do all they can to get into it. They're also the only ban in the tribe that has access to the most trade routes, making them over-flowing with resources whether from within the tribe or from others.
Description: As dark as the dirt under their claws, members of Roach Ban typically get a bad rap for no reason. They're merely humble folk who grew success on the highways through the Sky's Fields. Due to the bans influence on passing tribes members are often found to be close to the current Monarch. Which gives the ban rumors of being nothing more but political pundits.
Careers: Merchants, messengers, debt collectors, inspectors, advisors, entrepreneurs.
Location: Roach covered roads
Jarl: Whinstone-Dark
Brief History: They're amongst the most passive clans there was. Allowing anyone to pass through as long as they respected their rules. Being the center of many hotbed conflicts across Jarl's land as many things needed to pass through their land.
Namesake: They’re known for their cryptic and deary feel with a land that suits them well as they have typically black coats of fur. Their stronghold is their most daring as it’s built over the inky back bay their land holds.
Description: Known for being orderly and found in the darkest corners of the forest. They’re the only few band of dragons that actively have the water near them be an important part of their daily lives as they built cities surrounded by water and the ocean and towns along the shorelines.This is the clan the likes of Rigid-Ebony and other known animus dragons. They’re known for being mysterious and cryptic dragons that always appear omnipotent. Pure black coats are a common trait with the occasional flaxen hair gene found amongst the clan. They tend to keep out of physical conflict but always seem to make confrontations.
Careers: Poets, archivists, papermakers, fishers, divers, book binders, artists; this clan is more creatively inclined than others give their freedom to do so with their proximity to the capital of the tribe.
Location: Midnight’s forest
Jarl: Awaken-path
Brief History: Found in the forest of ever standing evergreens, the Abyss Clan was always a tribe that brought fear into others with their tales of monsters and their ever mysterious forest of magic. They're the first clan to conquer their fear of water and dove into the ocean for riches and fish, making them more odd for the normal MortarWing. They're the only clan to have rerecords stored pre-union as they were so well hidden that no artifacts of theirs could get destroyed in conflict.
Namesake: Once part of oak ban but during the hundred year’s feud they separated and followed Snake-Crush’s nibbling across the Diamond Spray river into what they made as their own land. To spite their former regent they named themselves Elm Ban, another common type of tree like the Oak.
Description: A ban found in the warm leaves of the sun and on the shore of the warmest shore in the Sky's Fields. They're a calm and tame ban with a slower lifestyle and are dedicated to keeping it peaceful.
Careers: Bards, tailors, loggers, fishers, merchants
Location: Elm Crown
Jarl: [open]
Brief History: Out of the split between the once unified ban, Elm ban carries itself well. After the feud the ban dedicated itself to making itself a form of normalcy after being among the newest ban formed.
Namesake: The Ban was formed under the branches of an elderly and grand Oak Tree and uses the symbolism of said tree heavily within its clan artwork.
Description: The ban has a more bland appearance. Simple brown coats of fur with dark points found amongst their limbs. They’re known for the occasional fully feathered wings and simplistic horns.
Careers: Bards, tailors, loggers, fishers, merchants
Location: Acorn Falls
Jarl: [open]
Brief History: This ban was once a fuller and stronger ban with what was Elm Ban, but the two separated leaving Oak ban withered and cut in half. The ban has spent the time after the long feud trying to get itself back on stable footing and avoid most major conflict with its neighbor.
Namesake: Named for their dull colored coats that resemble more of woodland animals than anything else. Their home is the highest in elevation in the Sky’s Fields and is known to be a spotting ground for winter animals for the meters of snow they receive.
Description: Found in the most sheer and hardest climate in the land, they’re rugged and thickened coats for the waiting of the inedible winter to come. They’re known to be highly and intensely emotional with others, making deep and near everlasting trust bonds and relationships with each other. Due to their colder climate it makes it easier to stand by and maintain forges and scalding liquid metals, making them the best with iron and silver works.
Careers: Silversmiths, blacksmiths, hunters, taxidermists
Location: White-wood
Jarl: Wolven-Fault
Brief History: Distant, reserved, and alone. They’ve grown deep roots into the ideology of Frost Zircon and the sense of focusing on one’s selves and remained out of conflict since before the union of the bans. Their solitude made them peaceful and emotional, but are willing to reach out to others nonetheless.
Namesake: Standing on a shoreline of white sand as well as snow white coats as smooth as silk.
Description: Silver Clan is known for their regal appearances and their bratty and spoiled nature. They live in great proximity to Grey-Wall being spoiled by the availability they have to precious items from all over the Sky’s Fields. They’re also among the few clans content with water as many members could be found cooling down in the ocean on a hot day.
Careers: Artists, collectors, chefs, merchants
Location: Silver Mounts
Jarl: [open]
Brief History: Since the beginning, Silver Clan was overshadowed by its neighbors. Being small, frail, and weak. Leeching off of Roach Ban for survival. But as the Union began this created an opportunity for the tribe to grow as a capital was founded and more trade across the Jarl’s land spread. The tribe worked to grow more stable and eventually became beyond that.
Namesake: The birch trees and marshes that make up their clan’s land. They’re fast like the wind and hold the eternally young mind of Moss Emerald.
Description: The smallest Clan with the most emptiest land. They’re better known for their freespirtiness, archery and hunting, the only group that’s willing to fish. Popular tourist spot for its idealistic summers and autumns. The clan which Queen Roan-Wall came from. They’re known for bearing more reddish coats and whitetail antlers. They’re fast and witty as well as known for being childish.
Careers: Poets, hunters, vagabonds
Location: Frayed-run
Jarl: [open]
Brief History: The clan was founded by the dragons who bore no place in the other clans. They headed south to the warmest area of the land, home of sparse birch trees and wetlands that travel into the Mud Queendom. They follow the ways of Moss-Emerald and champion eternal youth through actions and the bliss of being young.The Sky's Fields[]
Encased by both MudWing and SkyWing queendom sits the MortarWing Land. Rural lands of dense forests of varying varieties, long fields holding animals rarely seen, and elevations to sheer and high to lowlands that touch the sea with paved highways running all across the land.
The land itself is known as the Sky's Fields. Also known as the Queen’s View given their proximity to the SkyWing palace.
Geography[]
The naming convention for the Sky's Fields is to represent the vast grassland the land holds on top of the closeness to nature it has with how utterly untouched it is after centuries. It fills one with a sense of freedom that you can explore for miles around.
The Sky's Fields sits on the foothills of the Claws of the Cloud mountains down to the eastern ocean that meets with grassy lowlands. Forests encapsulate its borders from forests transitioning to swamps to the south and forests that turn alpine to the north and east.
Running right through the land is the Diamond Spray River which is used by other tribes to travel but not by the MortarWings themselves. Same for its beaches as they receive merchants as well but not utilized by the MortarWings.
Territories[]
Born from the original clans that roamed the land, the assorted territories MortarWings have are run and owned by the clans that claimed it or successfully won it by inter-tribe disputes with another. hxhx
Roach-covered roads[]
The direct center of the territory, the roads among many a traveler cross is the home to Roach Ban. The land is made up of fields covered in the occasional tree, herd of sheep, or hamlet. This land contains access to two of the largest resources of fresh water, being that of Lake Jewel and The Diamond Spray River. Making it a desirable land for both trade and a crossroads between the harsher northern lands and the tamer southern lands. Alongside fresh water, they occupy Cape Onyx which is the epicenter of their trade with their allies the SeaWings. The center of the Jarl’s land is housed on the shores of lake Jewel, home to the largest city in the area being that of Fortune.
Midnight’s shore[]
The northernmost jarl’s land alongside White-wood. Midnight’s shore is a sharp piece of land covered in dense pine tree forests reaching high up into the mountains and overlooking sea cliffs and their attributes. Rocks poke out of the ground, roots of trees are tread upon, the howl of wolves could be heard. And the ocean remains a dark abyss. The capital of this Jarl’s land sits at the banks of the jettison stronghold, Mystery was built around the old building built out into the ocean connected to land by a wide cobblestone bridge.
Silver mounts[]
The forethought before the dense never ending forests of Midnight’s shore. Much like its northern neighbor it has real estate along the banks of the eastern ocean. But caked in white sand rather than cliff faces. The forest is filled with tamer and lesser pine trees, making it easier to travel through their lands. The epicenter of Silver Clan is Splendor found in the crux of Cape Onyx which is occupied by Roach Ban.
Redden Briars[]
Adjacent to the untamed and dark Midnight’s Shore and the frozen White-woods sits Redden Briars holding the stomping grounds of Red Ban. The land is used and chops away the formerly dense forest but many patches of unkempt wilderness is found to its north. It is mountainous and high in its altitude, all the while containing a great many fauna due to the diversity in its range. Waterfalls and rivers from the Diamond Spray run its course through this land. Along the horizon sits the SkyWing palace ever looming over its borders. And standing defiantly is Deviance, smoke from its chimneys always hovering over the treetops marking the way through the foothills.
Acorn falls[]
Made of what’s left of Oak Ban, Acorn falls is a smaller forest territory containing not much more but roads leading to its neighbors, access to the Diamond Spray River and its rapids, and its head of Boulder. It's a flat cozy piece of land meant for simplicity.
Elm Crown[]
Like its neighbor, Elm Crown is a simple patch of land with idealistic forests, the ocean and Diamond Spray, and lack of change in its boundaries. Its head is found within Divinity, what was initially a small rural town expanded out into a head of politics.
White-wood[]
The highest in altitudes and the smallest land in size. This land overlooks all that the MortarWings have claimed. The mountains can be felt in this land with early and long winters, trees turning into faces of pure rock, and the never ending sight of mountain goats and rams on their dinner tables. Sitting on the side of the mountains is Solitude, enclosed by vast walls to protect those of the clan.
Frayed-Run[]
To fall away from the lands found to its north, Frayed-Run - like its name - is merely a forest frayed at its ends. The forests fall away into sparse trees and wetlands that if followed could lead to the MudWings. The territory is the warmest and flattest land found in The Sky’s Fields, but can be found typically flooded thanks to the snow melt of the Claws of the Clouds mountains traveling through the Diamond Spray. Many dragons come to Frayed-Run to enjoy its weather and many of their patrons come to Sound, a town abounded in music and raised up buildings.
Cities[]
The MortarWings - as untamed as they seemed - are by all means organized and well settled and developed. Earning them a talonful of cities found across the Queen's View. The largest being that of the capital Grey-Wall. An ode to the first monarch to bring the tribe together of Roan-Wall - although causes a great many petty fights in the streets on how it should he spelt as it was initially named Grae-Wall. Founded by Monarch Beige-Cliff who worked xer talons off to build the city’s monuments and organizations to better the tribe.
It houses the main institutions of religion, politics, government, medicine, education, history, and archiving. It sits on the banks of The Diamond Spray River to carry travelers and merchants from the south making it a large hub for inter-tribal interactions.
Alongside Grey-Wall, there are a number of smaller cities found throughout the Jarl's lands surrounding the ancient strongholds housing the clan’s center governments. Such as Fortune for Roach ban, Mystery for Abyss Clan, Splendor for Silver Clan, and Sound for Birch Clan.
MortarWings who don’t live in the populous areas live in hamlets found across the countryside living relatively peaceful lifestyles.
Notable Points[]
The Diamond Spray River[]
Starting as a wild and untamed river towards the north, flowing down and cutting the Sky’s Fields into two. Calming and growing wider as it ripples over rocks and flows over trails. The river is an important piece to the MortarWings giving both fear and prosperity to the tribe as trade happens through it but gives great cause to avoid it.
Lake Jewel[]
The largest lake found in the territory, Lake Jewel stands several miles adjacent to the Diamond Spray in Roach-covered Roads. Being its most identifiable location to find the clan’s head and a way point through the Monarch’s land.
Cape Onyx[]
Also within the claws of Roach Clan, but fought for often with Silver Clan on its ownership. The cape looks far into the eastern ocean with the fantastical view of Splendor always a turn away. Many port cities and merchants come the way to the cape in search of buyers in arriving SeaWings and collectors come to buy goods from said tribe as well.
Government and Military[]
MortarWings are undergoing a remodel of their image under the pressure of reparations, mending bonds, and finding themselves undergoing a lifetime of battle and blood. As the new monarch took the head of the tribe they offered apologies and forgiveness to their enemies in hope their punishments wouldn’t be harsh. And after their once war like status the old ways and balance is finally returning to them.
Monarchs[]
Unlike the dynasties ruling the other tribes, the leader of the MortarWings hail from the clans of the tribes and are chosen by a feat of greatness. Whether one of strength, knowledge, art, or kindness. The unarguable greatest and most beneficial act will land the dragon who committed it to be head of the tribe.
But like other tribes, one’s blood tends to overshadow the tribe as a fierce competition of jarl’s families had a stranglehold on the competition while everyone is allowed to enter themselves in the competition.
Overseers[]
Playing both the role of commanding officers of the military and advisors to the current monarch is what the overseer does. They're either carried over from the previous ruling, a significant member of one of the old bans, or someone who the monarch trusts with this power and judgment.
After the death of Blood-Stone, they’ve recently been reissued to the circle of the ruler with Queen Fair-Well requesting them once again.
Jarls[]
Although once an important political figure has turned into a social one but slowly returning once again. Their importance is returning to them after the age of conquest. Jarls are the leaders of the respective clans that make up the MortarWings as they serve under the current monarch of the tribe. They relay and make decisions on actions on what the clan or ban will do, but their actions aren’t free from the monarch as treason is quite possible and in the past has been shown with heavy punishment.
Arch Druids[]
An Arch Druid is deemed such due to their diligence in their work. Rather than managing the peace, alters, tomes, and preconditioning events for a village. Arch Druids watch over the tribe and their events, whether organizing ceremonies in the cities, watching the archives in Grey-Wall, or training and overseeing the Druids in villages. While a religious role, Arch Druids are often called upon for political situations because the peace asked by a Druid is to be respected.
Diplomats[]
A new feature hailing from Fair-Well herself. Diplomats are dragons who initially joined Fair-Well in her charge to receive peace from the tribes that neighbor them. Now the role has grown larger and are sent around to the other tribes when needed.
Healers and Doctors[]
Due to the MortarWings believing in free medicine, the road to becoming a healer or doctor is an expedition only fueled by one's determination and will to help others. In return they're rewarded greatly by the Jarl's own court for their work. Education for it is highly encouraged with many opportunities offered to gain more interest in working to better the tribe's health.
Royal Guard[]
The Royal Guard aren't quite what you think they may be. The Royal Guard are soldiers enlisted under the monarch over the Jarls own personal guards for their lands. They're the tribe-wide set of guards that get sent across the Queen's View to deal with inter-tribe problems. They're found often in Grey-Wall and are bent on keeping law and order in the city. They're the grand army of the MortarWings in time of war, they're peacekeepers in times where it's needed. they're seen clearly through the crowds with their ornate and bright orange cloaks they bare.
Naming[]
MortarWings based their names on a prefix and a suffix combined by a hyphen in the middle to conjoin them.
Prefix
Sufix
Tribe Relations[]
SkyWings[]
The age old tale of the conflict of the wing of Pyrrhia.
The SkyWings were always the tribe to hold too much land in their claws and receive conflict with the SandWings for it. But for the smaller tribes neighboring them they were isolated by mountains and couldn’t receive much help to fend them off. Thus they grew stronger, MortarWings was one of those tribes who fought and won. And continued winning for near centuries until the stalemates and soon failures of Blood-stone’s conquest.
Although the MortarWings are currently paying reparations towards the tribe to lighten punishment for the failed attempts, the MortarWings will most likely never fall onto anything more but neutral-negative terms with the tribe.
MudWings[]
The MudWings and the MortarWings were never close, but out of all their neighbors the MortarWings grew to appreciate how docile the tribe was with them. Never invading, never fighting, only trading and leaving them alone. Making it quite a stab to the heart when it was learned that they feared the tribe and found it safer to declare war.
SeaWings[]
Their closest allies holding over from the War Of SandWing Succession. With enemies on all sides the SeaWings came to be a great help to them in their time of need, although weary of water they still trusted the sea-bound tribe.
RainWings[]
MortarWings don’t commune often with this tribe deep in the southern kingdom. Mostly due to how strenuous it would be to travel into their home with their physical appearance. But they remain on neutral terms with the tribe.
IceWings[]
MortarWings haven’t had many problems with them before. Although on occasion they were grouped together with the SkyWings based on how close their lands are. But the IceWings never held action against them ever in their years of being a full dragon tribe.
SandWings[]
The SandWings and MortarWings are neutral with some hints of bad blood given the war of SandWing succession and what it has done to the land around the MortarWing land. But they still hold an open mind with them professionally as their new queen seems promising.
NightWings[]
The MortarWings sees the NightWings in a horribly bleak light. For starters in the first millennium they came to the recently conjoined tribe of MortarWings and tried pushing for their ideas of how a tribe should function. Removing the oral stories they've told among the bans in place of newer written ones - coming from the NightWings themselves rather than MortarWing storytellers - and giving the tribe a reason as to be stubborn and defensive about their lifestyles.
But even in more recent years, the MortarWings call them cowards. Fearing a beast that they themselves imagined and then continuously trying to manipulate the tribes of the mainland when they themselves can't feed their entire tribe. They've garnered no sympathy for the tribe for their manipulative and false martyr actions.
TempestWings[]
Although the tribe won't admit it outright, the MortarWings fear the TempestWings with their heavily militarized lifestyle. MortarWings believe that one should be ready to fight when inevitable and not for ghosts haunting your mind.
LightWings[]
Between the MortarWings and LightWings the two don’t communicate often but based on the small amount of information they have about the tribe on the other side of the continent, they do have great respect for their culture and ways.
DriftWings[]
A former foe they barely faced. The MortarWings only thought about them when worry of what the war would bring came around. But never faced them fully as their fights weren't quite where the DriftWings were. They - like other former foes - remain on neutral terms but open to kindle something.
DeathWings[]
MortarWings have a neutral stance on the DeathWings. They’re in the same boat as the scarce tribe with the SkyWings being an ever looming threat over the heads of the tribes. Thus through the ideology of the enemy of my enemy is my friend they’ll be certain to come help the tribe when called for despite not knowing them personally.
AviWings[]
Despite how similar they may be, they're ideological opponents. Made worse by Blood-Stone's rule. They agree with many of their ideas but can come off as self righteous especially in the lack of respect for cultural differences.The MortarWings understands fully on the brutality that both the LeafWings and SilkWings are currently hurtling through as their current queen sat in on the meeting with the other queen regarding the matter. But are unable to help due to the tribe wanting to ensure that the scars of the war healed before working on intertribal conflicts are pressed upon.
Significant Members[]
Monarchs[]
- Queen Roan-Wall (Historical)
- Monarch Beige-Cliff (Historical)
- King Blood-Stone (Historical)
High Officials[]
- Awaken-Path (Jarl)
- Wolven-Fault (Jarl)
- Whinstone-Dark (Jarl)
Resources[]
Main bases[]
Customizeable MortarWing Headshot base[]
