The Lost Willow and the Last Blade

History

When the Deities of the Celestial Court began experimenting with Runes, they created Form Runes and populated the world with many creatures. The first Rune they created was the Dragonewt Rune and they filled the world with reptilian and draconic creatures. Many became extinct, but some survived through the Green Age, the Golden Age, the Storm Age and Chaos Age eventually living during Time. One of these races was that of the Dragonewts, bipedal almost humanoid reptiles, born from the eggs laid by immature True Dragons. The Dragonewts took some part in the myths and actions of GodtTime, for instance one took part in the "I Fought, We Won" Battle, but most of their actions are a mystery. It is known that the Dragons and True Giants fought a War before other things existed, but little is known of this, although presumably the Dragonewts played some part in this. Many of the first Dragonewts matured into True Dragons but their slower brethren remained to see Time appear.

During History, the Dragonewts were involved in the First Council and in the God project when the new God Nysalor was created. Nysalor tried to curse the race when they left the Broken Council, but a Dragon awoke and swallowed the curse whole. Nysalor enslaved the Dragonewts until the Inhuman King sacrificed himself, allowing the Dragonewts to fight for their freedom.

During the Second Age, the Dragonewts taught their secrets to humans and formed the Empire of the Wyrms friends. This political entity was geared up to recreating the Primal Dragons and had some early successes when they awakened some new True Dragons. However, in trying to achieve their aims, they ignored the people who were helping them. As the people became dissatisfied, they turned against the Empire. Some of the Empire's Council made the error of coming down and helping the common people of the Empire, rather than strengthening the Dragon Project. For this reason, the project failed and the Dragonewts allied with the trolls of the Blue Moon and slew all the major humans in the Empire of the Wyrms Friends. The peoples who had been conquered by the Empire then turned against their oppressors and invaded. Especially hostile and strong were the people of Dara Happa, in Peloria, who had been ruled by the Sun Dragon or Emperor Dragon. They sent many thousands of people to Dragon Pass to destroy the remnants of the Empire in an army called the True Golden Horde. This combined with armies from Prax and the South to try and destroy the Dragonewt Nests. As they started to raid the Nests, the Dragonewts called on all the True Dragons and their Kin for help. What followed was the Dragonkill War which described what the Dragons did. Dragons came from all corners of the world, from the HeroPlane and the GodPlane, together with Dream Dragons and dinosaurs and creatures which had not been seen for many Ages and killed and ate the humans. Reports vary, but less than 1 in 20 survived. Many people thought afterwards that the Empire of the Wyrms Friends was a ruse designed to give the Dragons a great feast.

While the Empire of the Wyrms Friends was growing strong, a group of God Learners from Jrustela invaded the Kralorelan Empire and formed the False Dragon Ring. They took the Dragon Magics and used them in their own way, corrupting the magics and abandoning the normal rituals and restrictions applying to them. After many years of abuse, the mages of Kralorela performed many rituals, moved some stars to create a new constellation and to bring about a prophecy and awakened their Dragon Emperor. The Dragon's Awakening Shudder was powerful enough to destroy the False Dragon Ring and to free Kralorela.

Dragonewts now serve in the armies of the Lunar Empire as Mercenary Units. It is not known why they choose to do this, but it could be a reflection of the Nysalor.Dragonewt pattern. Recently, the Dragonewts holed up in their cities and carried out a ritual which resulted in the phenomena known as the Dragonewt Dream. Many ghostly Dragonewts carried out rituals and ceremonies over a number of years, dressed in costumes from the Empire of the Wyrms Friends. Some of these rituals seemed to have no effect, but others had physical effects such as when the ghostly Dragonewts forced open the gates of the Big Rubble in Prax. Nobody knows what the Dream was for or what the results will be.

The Dragonewt Life Cycle

All Dragonewts were born when they hatched from the eggs laid by immature dragons. Many dragonewts were taught by the dragons and managed to progress until they matured and became True Dragons. The others, far slower than their brethren, remain and try to progress without the aid of the Dragons to move them along.

When a Dragonewt dies, its soul moves back to the egg that it was born from. A new body is hatched after a certain number of days, enabling the Dragonewt to be reborn. The number of days taken to be reborn depends on the spiritual purity of the Dragonewt. Impure Dragonewts may take several days to be reborn, Pure Dragonewts will be reborn in a single day.

Dragonewts can only be reborn when they have an Inhuman King or Dragonet in existence from their nest or group of nests. If the Inhuman King is dead and has not been replaced, Dragonewts who die will not be reborn - they are out of the Draconic Lifecycle. Such a thing happened during the Gbaji Wars. Some Dragonewts live in colonies which have no Inhuman King or have voluntarily distanced themselves from the Draconic Way, these are called Outlaw Dragonewts and will not be reborn - when they die, they die. Occasionally, a Dragonewt will join a cult and be removed from the Cycle. Such a Dragonewt can be subject to Resurrection as any other person, but cannot be reborn. If a Dragonewt becomes so Impure as to be dominated by one of his emotions, it will mutate into a Dinosaur and will be removed from the Dragonewt Cycle.

Dragonewts are first born weak and immature. As they progress in life they mature, slowly changing form and gaining powers and abilities, progressing until they mature as True Dragons. This process may take millennia to complete. As many Dragonewts are still in the first stage, they will take a long time to mature. When a Dragonewt has become mature enough to progress to the next form it will change form gradually and will slowly take on the attributes of its new form. Crested Dragonewts do not suddenly grow larger and stronger when they become Beaked, but grow slowly. Rulers are reborn with their wings but these are quite small, even though they are functional, and Rulers will grow in size and might as they grow older.

Dragonewt Types

All Dragonewts are left handed by birth.

Crested Dragonewts

(Scout Dragonewts, First Stage)

A Crested Dragonewt is small, has a short tail, is vegetarian, has drab colour markings and has a crest on its head. It is a follower and has very little mind of its own, being spiritually weak. It is normally trained to be a slinger and is taught to be a scout and a skirmisher, but generally to serve other Dragonewts.

Scouts cannot learn Dragon Magics and may learn conventional magic. Before it becomes a Beaked Dragonewt, a scout must forget all its non-Dragon Magic.

As a scout progresses, it becomes larger and stronger, its tail lengthens and its head changes. It gains a pronounced crest, its jaw lengthens and becomes stronger with larger teeth able to strip bark. Eventually, once it has gained the necessary skills and spiritual maturity it will become a Beaked Dragonewt.

Beaked Dragonewts

(Warrior Dragonewts, Second Stage)

A Beaked Dragonewt is larger than a human, with a long tail, reaching to the ground. Its skin is scaly and thick, acting as armour and often having spikes, knobs or horns, becoming more extravagant as the Dragonewt progresses. It is carnivorous and is a fearsome warrior.

Beaked Dragonewts often ride reptilian creatures called Demi Birds. They are beaked, feathered and lay eggs but are not true birds, being more reptilian. They are fierce creatures, fearless and carnivorous and are fearsome partners to the Dragonewts.

A Beaked Dragonewt uses Dragon Magic and so cannot use normal magic. It has special weapons peculiar to dragonewts, namely the Klanth, an obsidian-edged club sword, used mainly as a ceremonial weapon, the Korff a curved dragonbone sword doing the same damage as a Bastard Sword, a Gami which is a parrying weapon with sword-breaking capabilities and an Utuma or short sword, used mainly in ceremonial suicides but also used for combat. Beaked Dragonewts also use the Samarin and Chokin, thrown weapons similar to throwing stars and a Longbow with greater range and damage than a standard composite bow.

As a Beaked Dragonewt progresses, its ornamentation becomes more elaborate until it becomes purely decorative and ornamental. It becomes slightly smaller as it progresses to the next stage. When it has progressed enough both spiritually and physically, it is reborn as a Noble Dragonewt.

Noble Dragonewt

(Tailed priest, Third Stage)

A Noble Dragonewt is roughly the same size as a human, smaller than Beaked but larger than Crested Dragonewts. Their skin is decorative with frills, spines and pouches with enhanced scent glands and vivid skin colours and patterns. They are omnivorous and sometimes gain a reputation as gourmands.

Noble Dragonewts are leaders and communicators - they often interact with members of other races and often have reputations of being friendly and peaceful.

Once a Noble Dragonewt has mastered certain physical skills and has progressed enough spiritually, it will be reborn as a Ruler Dragonewt.

Ruler Dragonewts

(Full Priests, Fourth Stage)

These are far larger than humans, being similar in size to Great Trolls. They have scales and are as ornamented and decorative as Noble Dragonewts, however they have wings which are capable of flight. As they progress, their wings grow larger and stronger. Nobody knows much else about them, but they are probably omnivores, if they need to eat at all.

A Ruler can use all the weapons of earlier Dragonewts but can also use a Great Axe. All their weapons will be of Dragonbone and will be magical in nature.

One Ruler will be present in each small nest and maybe a few in large clusters of nests. Rulers prepare themselves for the day when they mature as a Dragon or Dragonet and often go on Draconic HeroQuests to gain the abilities which they will lead. A Ruler will be adept in the use of Dragon Magics and have been known to transform themselves into Dragons in defence of the nests. A Ruler is a fearsome foe but can be hospitable and friendly.

Dragonet

(Inhuman King, Fifth Stage)

When a Ruler Dragonewt progresses fully, it will be reborn as a True Dragon and will be taken out of the Dragonewt Cycle. Sometimes, a Ruler will be reborn as a Dragonet, or neo-Dragon. This form is intermediate between Dragonewt and True Dragon.

There is only one Dragonet in a traditional Dragonewt society. While the Dragonet is alive, Dragonewts will be reborn as normal. However, if the Dragonet dies then there will be no rebirth until a new one is created. In this case, a Ruler which has progressed far enough to become a Dragon but has not chosen to will ceremonially kill itself and be reborn as a Dragonet, thus allowing the cycle to be restored. Although there is only one Dragonet in any society, there may be more than one alive throughout Glorantha. The Dragonewts of Dragon Pass have a Dragonet at Dragons Eye, but the Dragonewts of Kralorela have their own Dragonet. The Dragonewts of Ralios do not have a Dragonet, but if one were to be manifested, they could rejoin the Cycle.

Nobody knows the powers or abilities of a Dragonet. It is rumoured that one has all the powers of a True Dragon, able to think others to death and to shape the land with but a thought.